ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2015 SPORTS | PAGE 16 ACES LOVED CAYMAN’S ITF DEBUT World ranked players were impressed High of 89 Low of 79 Moderate with wave heights 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 BAD DEBTS A PROBLEM FOR PUBLIC HEALTH Treasure Island to become Margaritaville JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The run-down Treasure Island hotel will be transformed into a Margaritaville resort fol- lowing the purchase of the property by Miami- based Howard Hospitality Group. The sale went through on Friday after months of negotiations, real estate agent Kim Lund confirmed. Re/Max will start selling 110 condominium suites at the new hotel later this month. The renovation of the hotel, expected to in- volve a multimillion-dollar investment, will take place in phases, starting early next year. The resort, which will feature 280 rooms, multiple bars and restaurants and designated kids zones with a two-story pool slide, is slated to open in December 2016, according to a joint statement from Margaritaville Holdings and the Howard Hotel Group. “We’re excited to bring the Margaritaville resort experience to Grand Cayman,” said John Cohlan, CEO of Margaritaville Holdings. He said Margaritaville-branded resorts are a growth area for the business, which oper- ates several hotels in Florida and just opened a new resort in Hollywood Beach. The com- pany’s website describes its resorts as en- tertainment complexes inspired by the lyrics and lifestyle of singer, songwriter and author Jimmy Buffett. Howard Sitzer, chairman and CEO of Howard, said, “The Margaritaville Beach Resort on Seven Mile Beach will provide a new and ex- citing hotel experience for Grand Cayman.” He said it would embrace local tastes and provide “quality and vibrant” entertainment. Treasure Island will remain open and op- erating under the management of the Howard group while renovations take place throughout 2016. Once the rebranding is complete in late 2016, operational management will be led by Trust Hospitality of Miami. Treasure Island was listed for sale at US$15.45 million in February, three months after the owners of the property, Restoration CHANGES TO PRISONERS’ RELEASE TAKE EFFECT FEB. 1 Board members sought for case reviews BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Governor’s Office is seeking volunteers to help decide when and how criminals – including those convicted of murder – should be released from prison. Although lawmakers did not initially con- template it during budget discussions this summer, the Conditional Release Law, passed in 2014 by the Legislative Assembly, will take effect Feb. 1, 2016, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson’s office announced Friday. In order to put the provisions of the law into full effect, a nine-person Conditional Release Board will be appointed, consisting of retired lawyers, retired judges, individ- uals with experience in law enforcement or mental health services, social services, min- isters of religion or “any other interested per- sons.” Board members are to be paid $200 per meeting [$250 per meeting for the board chair- person] and an additional $100 per meeting in which the recall of certain prisoners who had been released is considered. “We are looking for members with diverse skills and experiences who are committed to the rehabilitation of offenders and the protec- tion of the public,” a statement from Governor Helen Kilpatrick’s office on Friday indicated. The ‘lifers’ The Conditional Release Law, passed unan- imously in October 2014, introduces a system Norwegian businessman killed in boating accident JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Norwegian businessman and philanthropist Erik Henriksen was killed Monday in a boating accident in the North Sound. The 58-year-old, who ac- cording to friends, owned prop- erty at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman and hoped to retire to the Cayman Islands, was thrown from his boat along with an- other man around 6 p.m. Police said the two men were in the water for “a prolonged pe- riod of time” before the incident was reported. When officers arrived on the scene, Mr. Henriksen was unre- sponsive. He was transferred to the Cayman Islands Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The other man, 41, who was thrown from the boat, did not need hospital treatment. The vessel, understood to be a 34-foot speedboat with three 350 horse- power engines, was later seen spinning out of control, with no driver, before coming to a stop in the mangroves. Mr. Henriksen was founder, developer and in- vestor in multiple energy and shipping businesses listed on the Smith Road reopens There was still a little work left to be done painting road lines, replacing road signs and laying down sidewalks, but the morning commute to work and schools was much easier on Tuesday after the reopening of Smith Road to two-way traffic. The $1.8 million project to widen the road took longer than expected because of heavy rains during construction. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS Wednesday november 11, 2015 • Cayman Compass www. REGmovies.com SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. © y x *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - WEDNESDAY - $8.00 SPECTRE (PG13) 12:30 I 3:45 I 6:45 I 7:30 I 9:35 GOOSEBUMPS 3D (PG) 1:30 I 4:00 2D I 7:05 I 9:40 2D LAST WITCH HUNTER (PG13) 1:40 | 4:10 I 7:20 I 10:00 PEANUTS 3D (G) 12:35 I 2:50 2D I 5:05 2D I 7:20 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 3D (PG) 12:45 2D I 4:10 I 7:10 2D I 9:30 BURNT (R) 1:10 I 4:20 I 10:05 Police commend officers for bravery, proactive work Among those awarded are two officers involved in the Blackbeard’s robbery case Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Seven police officers, along with the Air Operations Unit and the Drugs and Serious Crime Task Force, re- ceived commendations from the Commissioner of Police Tuesday at the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service’s an- nual all-staff meeting. Retired Police Constable Hugh Cotterell received a commenda- tion for bravery for fol- lowing armed robbers from the scene of a rob- bery at Blackbeard’s liquor store in Grand Harbour late last year. The commis- sioner also commended the Drugs and Serious Crime Task Force for their work recovering guns, including in the unit’s role in the Blackbeard’s case. Also commended in re- lation to the Blackbeard’s case, Senior Police Constable Rodrick Evans received recognition for his work in firearms operations. Police Commissioner David Baines commended PC Odale Mulgrave and PC Edward Tinling-Miller for their work as school resource officers at John Gray and Clifton Hunter high schools, respectively. PC Eugene Myles re- ceived a commendation for his work to revitalize neighborhood watches and neighborhood policing in West Bay. For investigating a com- plex case of abuse against children at a school, the commissioner gave a com- mendation to Detective Constable Terryanne Melissa Iton. PC Ishmael Leslie also received a com- mendation for proactive pa- trolling in George Town. PC Darren Kirchman re- ceived a commendation for proactive work recovering 125 kilograms of cocaine recently off East End and working with the commu- nity in the eastern districts to stop drug use. The Air Operations Unit also received a com- mendation from the com- missioner, who cited the helicopter unit’s coordi- nation with other units for policing, search and rescue and responding to medical emergencies. Veteran court officer retires Ermyn Berry was a civil servant for 40 years, 27 of them in court Described as quiet and unassuming, Ermyn Berry was not allowed to leave her last day on the job in any quiet manner. Members of the judi- ciary and court staff held a surprise farewell cere- mony on Oct. 29 for the vet- eran civil servant, who spent the last 27 years at the Law Courts Building in downtown George Town. She received accolades and gifts in the presence of Acting Governor Franz Manderson, judges and magistrates, ad- ministrators at all levels, and her co-workers from across the court administration. “All of us are … aware of what a dedicated, warm and lovely person Miss Ermyn is,” said Chief Justice Anthony Smellie. “Speaking for myself, I have always been impressed by her kind and graceful dis- position and will truly miss working with her here at the Courts,” he said. Ms. Berry served as ad- ministrative secretary, regis- tering appeals, recording in- dictments, bundling case files and keeping track of docu- ments for coroner’s court. Deputy Clerk of Court Cecile Collins (herself a long-serving member of the Judicial Administration team), said it had been great working with Ms. Berry. “Having her on my team made a difference, and I am truly appreciative for all she has done. Thank you, Miss Ermyn, for being such a dedi- cated and valuable employee. I will truly miss your fleeting steps as you moved about the office, never delaying to deal with a task.” Her career in public service began more than 40 years ago, on Aug. 1, 1975, with the Registrar of Companies, then located in the courts’ administration. She was later seconded to the Currency Board, and in 1988 she was promoted to executive officer and trans- ferred back to the courts, where she remained. In 1997, her title was changed to ad- ministrative secretary, a post in which she has served ever since. As a mark of the re- gard in which she was held, throughout her career she was called upon on many oc- casions to assist in other gov- ernment departments, such as agriculture, finance, and trea- sury. She also worked at the Credit Union in the evenings, after work at the courts. In a statement released last week, the Cayman Islands Judicial Administration, said: “In keeping with her commit- ment and dedication to her duties, attested to in tribute after tribute, [Ms. Berry] had over the years diligently grasped opportunities for in- house training to ensure that her skills grew with the bus- tling court world. For her, that gravitation to training was already part of her ethos, having joined the govern- ment service equipped with a diploma in secretarial sci- ences from the International College of the Cayman Islands. Like many others, she had also taken advan- tage of the then-available offerings, including Sylvia Gill training and other op- portunities such as the Dale Carnegie course in strength- ening people skills.” In her usual reluctance to be in the limelight or to re- flect on her accomplishments and career, Ms. Berry said simply: “My time in govern- ment has overall been good; it was not without its diffi- cult times, but I am thankful for the jobs that I had. I got along well with everyone.” Now she is looking for- ward to enjoying friends and family, taking care of her oc- togenarian mother Glemis Berry, and spending time with her granddaughter Kyannah. High on her retirement goals is greater involvement with the Bodden Town United Church and gardening. At her retirement func- tion, Chief Justice Smellie said of her: “Throughout her career, Miss Ermyn has been regarded as a very depend- able, efficient and well-re- spected employee …. I wish for you, Miss Ermyn, a very long and happy retirement.” CLARIFICATION A story on page 6 of the Nov. 5 edition of the Cayman Compass should have stated that the National Trust ac- quired the Mission House from Fenwick Watler. In addition, only ironwood and mahogany timbers from the original site were used in the construction of the new Mission House. Salvaged wattle and daub walls from the original structure are on display in the Mission House museum as display pieces only and were not incorporated in the new structure. The er- rors were introduced in the editing process. The Cayman Compass strives for accuracy and is committed to correcting errors that appear in the newspaper. Those interested in contacting the paper for that purpose can email the editor at newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com. Retiring Court Officer Ermyn Berry is flanked by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, presenting a gift, and Court Administrator Kevin McCormac.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Wednesday november 11, 2015 Sign up for Flow TV and get a Samsung sound system discoverflow.ky/tv Terms and conditions apply. packages from Sign up for Flow TV and get a Samsung The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. Wednesday november 11, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Consider the multitude of shortcomings in the Cayman Islands that could be resolved nearly over- night, if not for a want of funding: the George Town landfill, a shortage of ambulances, the abandoned youth remand center, mental health facilities, needed transportation infrastructure, the missing jetways at the new Owen Roberts International Airport, etc. Now, consider this: Over the past decade, the Cayman Islands public healthcare system has failed to collect some $120 million in debts owed for services rendered. (That’s a lot of jetways!) We have, in past editorials, commented on the con- tinually accumulating bad debts at the Health Services Authority, which are accruing at a pace of about $15 million per year. We’ve pointed out that much of that probably has to do with the government’s conscious decision, in or around 2010, not to take healthcare debtors to court. From that moment on, HSA’s rela- tionship with its debtors has been that of a humble suppliant. (That being said, a review of our Compass archives shows that the public hospital’s failure to collect debts is not a problem confined to recent years or even decades. See the article from October 2005 on the right-hand side of this page.) From a broader point of view, the government’s unwillingness or inability to collect the revenue it’s owed exacerbates the greater problem of govern- ment’s unwillingness or inability to cut down its exces- sive expenditures (such as overly generous entitle- ments for the civil service). The result is that Cayman’s public sector can’t seem to find the money it needs to provide basic services to the citizenry. Take the example of the George Town landfill, or, more narrowly, the proposal to institute a mandatory recycling program in Cayman. That would require resi- dents to “sort” their garbage into various categories: paper, plastic, aluminum … You know the drill. Now, in a country where many people have still not gotten used to the notion that it is wrong to throw their trash out the car window, or for that matter, to dump truckloads of waste on the side of the road (or even in the midst of our “National Park” in Barkers) — there is no way that everyone is going to abide by new rules to deposit different kinds of trash in different bins, much less take different kinds of trash to different locations where special recycling bins are located. Presumably, Cayman’s government — following the lead of other governments that pursue such policies — would “punish” non-recyclers by levying fines and fees for their non-participation, under threat of not col- lecting their garbage in the future. There is, of course, little chance that the government would make good on those threats … We imagine any such attempt would conclude with a household of voters placing a phone call with the relevant elected representative. Perhaps a strongly worded text message would suffice. To those who would dispute our assessment, remember the recent revelation that ministry officials are currently pursuing outstanding garbage collection fees, some dating back more than a decade, totaling about $8.2 million. Rather than messing around with “recycling” and other nice-sounding proposals that merely serve to distract residents’ attention from real problems (such as the continuing existence of the George Town landfill), we suggest that government focus instead on adopting its own strategy of “sorting.” By that we mean unmuzzling the Treasury Depart- ment’s debt collection unit and “sorting” those debtors who “can’t” pay from those who simply “won’t” pay. If necessary, collectors should pursue the verified dead- beats through the court system. While it is important for the government to collect the money that’s owed to it, it is equally imperative to identify the debtors who truly can’t afford to pay their bills, for accounting purposes, to maintain the integrity of the system and to ensure that the truly impover- ished are receiving the assistance they require. Bad debts a problem for public health 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 oct. 17, 2005 Compass: Sound Familiar? HSA mess isn’t new AlAn MArkoff Former Health Minister Gilbert McLean responded to criticisms concerning the state of the finances and accounting records of the Health Services Authority by saying they have been in a state of disarray for more than a decade. Current Health Minister Anthony Eden has stated to the press that the ab- sence of financial records at the HSA was unbelievable and that he had asked the Attorney General to look into the matter. Mr. McLean agreed that the finances were a mess and said Mr. Eden should have been fully aware of the situ- ation, since the problem ex- isted going back to when Mr. Eden served as Health Minister for seven years be- tween 1994 and 2000. “Anthony has been the longest serving health minister and he’s talking about the mess left by the last government? “The problem has always been the administration and finances,” he said. “Government has always poured money into health services. “There were never any proper accounting processes.” Mr. McLean confirmed he had read a memo dated Oct. 31, 2002 from former Auditor General Nigel Esdaile that accompanied the report on the review of the HSA gen- eral computer controls and accounts receivable controls. “I have been auditing and reporting on health services, particularly revenues, for al- most a decade,” Mr. Esdaile wrote. “During this period, I estimate the government’s revenue loss from the provi- sion of healthcare to be in the region of $70 to $100 million. “In my opinion, revenue mismanagement and lost op- portunities have undermined the very viability of our health services.” Mr. Esdaile pointed out several problem points. “System weaknesses are only part of a larger overall problem; unbilled services, services provided at nominal or no cost, poor revenue man- agement, inadequate revenue collection, ineffective debt collection, etc. “Had this been a business, we would have filed for bank- ruptcy long ago.” Mr. Esdaile went on to state there was no simple answer to why the country had lost so much money on healthcare. “During this period, what struck me most was the al- most complete absence of any collective will to im- prove the situation, com- bined with an ineffective ac- countability regime.” Mr. McLean said he tried his best to get the HSA finan- cial records current when he took over as Health Minister, and even engaged KPMG to do an audit of the HSA. “After doing initial inves- tigations, (KPMG) said they could do the audit, but to try to go back into the disaster of records in order to do it in a way they could sign off on it, they said it would cost more than we could afford.” Mr. McLean said the HSA then pieced together the fi- nancial records as best as they could. “But there was always lin- gering questions from mem- bers of the board about whether we were starting at the true beginning,” he said. Mr. McLean pointed out that he was the first minister to let the public know about the dismal state of the health services’ finances, telling the Chamber of Commerce that it was $50 million in debt. He also told the public that most of the HSA’s ac- counts receivables had to be written off as bad debts. During his tenure, Mr. McLean said he had two pro- fessional economists look at the financial systems that had been put in place. “They said they found it functioned in a sound manner and gave favourable comments on it,” he said. Deputy Financial Secretary and HSA board member Peter Gough con- firmed on Friday that the HSA did in fact leave finan- cial records. “Yes, they had financial records,” he said. “But they didn’t have a comprehensive system that could generate proper financial statements.” Mr. Gough noted that the HSA had implemented some good new systems like Cerner that were still not op- erating in the seamless way they should. “These sorts of problems don’t get solved overnight,” he said. What was important, Mr. Gough said, was that the HSA had developed a plan to move forward. “We’re setting up the building blocks,” he said. “I’m confident that we’ll get a good system in place.” Mr. Gough said the goal is to get the HSA to be self-sus- taining by 2008. “What we need now more than anything is some support.” Mr. McLean said all of the criticisms being made by the current government about the HSA finances are missing the most important point. “I believe our hospital de- livers healthcare as good as anywhere in the world,” he said. “We have the best phys- ical plant in the Caribbean, I’m sure of that.’ “During this period, what struck me most was the almost complete absence of any collective will to improve the situation, combined with an ineffective accountability regime.” Auditor GenerAL niGeL esdAiLe, Oct. 31, 20025 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Wednesday november 11, 2015 Yellow Pages Advertisementhttp://caymanyp.com/sys/pageserver.dll?b=55020&f=pw440 1 of 111/17/2014 4:40 PM www.facebook.com/napacaymanwww.napacayman.comE-mail: info@kirkmotors.kyFax: 949-8532 Human RigHts Commission: Cayman’s disabled face ‘unnecessary’ discrimination Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s human rights watchdog has taken current and past governments to task over failures to implement legislation protecting dis- abled residents from poten- tial discrimination. While the Cabinet ap- proved the territory’s first “national disability policy” in late 2014, the Human Rights Commission noted in a state- ment Friday that legislation implementing the tenets of that policy has been prom- ised by “successive gov- ernments” without a bill coming before the Legislative Assembly for a vote. “Whilst this legislation re- mains outstanding, people with disabilities continue to face unnecessary challenges on a daily basis,” the com- mission indicated in the one- page statement, marking 20 years since the passage of the United Kingdom’s Disability Discrimination Act of 1995. “Nothing prevents a pri- vate business from inadver- tently discriminating against someone simply because they have a disability, indeed, even to do so deliberately is not currently illegal in Cayman,” the commission noted. Difficulties faced by the disabled in Cayman were well documented in the disability policy for 2014-2033, which set out long-term goals to im- prove the situation for dis- abled residents in Cayman. Policy drafters at the time stated that a major dif- ficulty in creating a plan to assist the disabled was a “general lack of knowl- edge” about the number of people with mental and physical disabilities. There are an estimated 3,000 disabled residents in the Cayman Islands com- munity. The 2010 census at- tempted to tally the general areas of disabled residents in categories. It found that 2,993 people – Caymanians and non-Caymanians – had some form of disability. The most common disabilities involved sight (788 people), lower limb disabilities (516 people) and “other” maladies (442 people). The incidence of “mental ill- ness” was identified in 195 people, and “learning disabil- ities” in 223 people. “Registration leading to more accurate data on per- sons with disabilities would enable service providers to better plan and implement services, projects and pro- grams,” the disability policy states. “Armed with more comprehensive information on the extent of disabilities within communities, fund- raisers should be more ef- fective in soliciting funds for disability causes.” The problem involving disabled residents in Cayman was not limited to building access, but also to daily ser- vices, healthcare and job training/employment. “Parents are facing diffi- cult decisions every day re- garding the need to move overseas with their chil- dren who have disabilities in order to ensure that they have the best possible ed- ucation. It is very unfortu- nate, but many homes have been divided by distance be- cause one parent has had to leave with their child to seek better educational opportu- nities,” according to the dis- ability policy. Some of the recom- mendations from the dis- ability policy have been im- plemented by government. Many others involve at least some cost. Among the recommen- dations made by the policy were: Installation of sounds and lights at pedestrian crossings; enforcement of traffic laws regarding dis- abled parking spaces; re- view of building codes to improve disabled access to public buildings and spaces, including government and private sector offices; and provision for disabled evac- uation assistance as part of the National Hazard Management Plan. The government also set aside some $8.5 million in its 2014/15 budget for a new fa- cility to replace the Sunrise Adult Learning/Training Centre in West Bay. A new home in Bodden Town was also found for children and young adults with severe dis- abilities who were formerly at Maple House. “Nothing prevents a private business from inadvertently discriminating against someone simply because they have a disability, indeed, even to do so deliberately is not currently illegal in Cayman.” Human RigHts Commission among the recommendations in the national disability policy is to include sound and lights at crosswalks. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYWednesday november 11, 2015 • Cayman Compass DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Sister Islands In the Nov. 10, 1965 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a predecessor of the Cayman Compass, Brac reporter Lilian Ritch wrote: “Vacationing at home after absence of many years have been Mr. Moody Ryan of Spot Bay, brother of Mrs. Lee Jervis of Bamboo Bay, and Mr. Alfred Ryan son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Ryan of Stake Bay, with his wife, Audrey, and daughters Shelley and Terrie. “The party have been the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Jervis. Mr. Moody Ryan, an engineer at sea, was making his second visit in 24 years. He has been resident first in England and now in the United States of America, the Fred Ryans are from Port Arthur, Texas. “They are all thrilled with the tremendous im- provements they see, the nice homes, a road im- proved from what it was, but transportation, Fred said that when he touched down at the airport his heart welled up with joy to realise that Cayman Brac has gone forward that much.” 50 years ago Visitors and Halloween Basia pioro McGuire basiamcguire@yahoo.com Smiling faces were plentiful on the Brac Oct. 30 and 31 during a special weekend of artistic ex- pression in celebration of the Caymanian way of life. Featuring plenty of scarecrows and pumpkins, the Brac Autumn Festival is a new arts event that had the whole island abuzz. The fun started with an adult open mic night of poetry and readings at Barracudas on Friday, featuring performances from the likes of Elton Michaels, Dakota La Ness, Michel Powery, Tricia Sybersma, Fabio Castillo and Joe Avery. A number of activities followed on Saturday as part of the National Gallery’s involvement in the Big Draw event, an international art happening which takes place in more than 20 countries. This year’s theme, “Every Drawing Tells a Story,” highlighted how drawing’s simplicity makes it a powerful form of communication and expression. In the morning, kids were in- vited to the Brac Library for writing and drawing activities. That evening, the Cayman Brac Heritage House, decorated by the La Ness family, was the scene of the weekend’s Arts Festival, the Big Draw Brac outdoor painting and live studio, featuring a range of per- forming arts in action. Along with musical perfor- mances, storytelling by Tenson Scott, skits and dance numbers featuring Koalition, guests en- joyed an Art Maze featuring art- work by Conroy Ebanks, Monte Lee Thornton, Simone Scott and Dakota La Ness, and wrote notes describing what they were thankful for this autumn on paper leaves to hang on a “thankful tree.” Food was provided for purchase by Knight Owl, and Ms. Starrie’s fa- mous Coconut and Dakota pumpkin pies were reported to be a big hit. This year’s Brac Autumn Festival featured an open mic night, kids activities and a plethora of visual arts displays and performances. Brac Autumn Festival celebrates Caymanian culture through arts simone scott, Jenna grant, Chanielle Connor, Chiquita ritch, Taura ebanks, Vienie Vernon and eryanah anderson - Photo: Lennox Vernon There was plenty of fun art at the Brac arts Festival. - Photo: Vienie Vernon Kids Big Draw event participants Chiquita ritch, Chanielle Connor, garrison French, Jenna grant, Tricia sybersma, McKayla Cupid and eryanah anderson - Photo: Simone ScottCayman Compass • Wednesday november 11, 2015 DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Sister Islands Basia pioro McGuire basiamcguire@yahoo.com Situated not far from the airport in Blossom Village, Little Cayman, the Little Cayman Museum is a constantly evolving at- traction which germinated from the personal collection of the late Linton Tibbetts and his wife Polly. The museum aims to present the history and culture of the island in an entertaining and insightful way, providing a relaxing inter- mission to any vacation. The museum notes that Little Cayman was extremely isolated, perhaps even a stopover for pirates, up until the 20th century. Until fairly recently the island had little ease of communication with the outside world. Little Cayman’s dominant industry is now tourism. Mr. Tibbetts, known locally as “Mr. T,” was committed to the importance of preserving the Sister Islands’ cultural heritage. Born on Cayman Brac in 1923, he became a successful entrepreneur. He was recognized by Queen Elizabeth II with an MBE for his many con- tributions to Cayman’s economy and culture. In 1997, the original Little Cayman Museum opened, displaying a variety of ob- jects that the Tibbetts family had collected from around the island and procured from Little Caymanians, both at home and abroad. The Little Cayman Maritime Museum fol- lowed in 2009, honoring the island’s seafaring heritage. Giving tours of the museums was one of Mr. Tibbetts’s great joys, and he deeply appreciated the necessity of both preserving and transmitting Little Cayman’s heritage. The new museum building, which opened in July 2014, combines the growing collec- tions of the previous Little Cayman Museum and the Maritime Museum, boasting five gal- leries interpreting Little Cayman’s people and culture. Fully updated and modernized, it features a range of historical artifacts that give insight into the more than 500 years of recorded his- tory since Christopher Columbus’s crew first spotted Little Cayman in 1503. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Linton and Polly Tibbetts and the project’s many supporters, the museum continues to safeguard Little Cayman’s heritage. Opened in 2014 and featuring many items collected by entrepreneur and Sister Islander Linton Tibbetts and his wife Polly, the Little Cayman Museum’s artifacts and current exhibitions offer a window to the Sister Islands’ heritage and culture. LittLe Cayman museum presenting the history and culture of the island Displays at the Little Cayman museum the younger runners assemble at the spooktacular fun run. - Photo: Xiomara mejia The Spooktacular 5K Fun Run was held Oct. 30 in Little Cayman to raise money toward improving the Blossom Village children’s playground. With 47 entries and $1,000 raised, participants said the event was a success. The winner was Douglas Anderson, with David Harmon and Don Broadbent placing second and third, respectively. “We were very pleased with the turnout, especially with the number of kids who participated. It was a nice start to the Halloween weekend, which marks the opening of the resorts in Little Cayman and was fol- lowed on Saturday by Happy Hour at Southern Cross and a costume party at Pirates Point,” said Carla Reid, one of the organizers. She noted that because the run coincided with the mid- term break for most schools, there were quite a few visitors from Grand Cayman. Thanking sponsors Jacques Scott Group, Sports Association of the Sister Islands and Iguana Crossing Liquor Store, organizers say they hope to make this an an- nual event. spooktacular run for kidsThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Wednesday november 11, 2015 • Cayman Compass Oslo Stock Exchange. Until last year he was chairman of the board of directors of Norwegian Energy Company ASA, also known as Noreco. He was also a philanthro- pist and founder of the Aqua Nirvana Foundation, an in- ternational nonprofit organi- zation dedicated to bringing clean and safe water to people in developing coun- tries. The charity is currently working on numerous proj- ects in the Masai Mara re- gion of Kenya. Mr. Henriksen was a fre- quent visitor to the Cayman Islands and took part in a charity golf cart race in the parking lot of Kirk Market earlier this year, personally donating more than $30,000 to the Frances Bodden Home for Girls and Feed our Future during the event. Andreas Ugland, busi- nessman and owner of the Cayman Motor Museum, said he knew Mr. Henriksen as one of only a handful of Norwegians who are resident in Cayman. “He was starting to come here more and more. He had a house at The Ritz and I think he was planning to re- tire here. I was very sorry to hear about what happened. It is very sad news.” He said Mr. Henriksen bought the boat only recently. Marc Langevin, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, said he knew Mr. Henriksen as a generous and colorful character who had been in- volved with various charity events, including the golf cart race, called the Great Race for Grace, jointly orga- nized by the hotel, Five Mile Capital, Aqua Nirvana and the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre. “He was a fun character with incredible energy. He was also very generous to do- nate all that money to local charities. Cayman has lost a good character and a good friend,” he added. Police are still investi- gating the circumstances of the death. In a press statement Tuesday, Royal Cayman Islands Police Service spokeswoman Jacqueline Carpenter said two men, ages 58 and 41, were thrown from their vessel for reasons “yet to be determined” at around 6 p.m. Monday. She said they were in the water for a long period without anyone knowing or ren- dering assistance. Norwegian businessman killed in boating accident Erik Henriksen, pictured at the Race for Grace charity golf cart race in Grand Cayman earlier this year. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Six take different paths to drug rehab Latest ceremony brings total Drug Rehabilitation Court graduates to 93 Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Six people took different paths through the Drug Rehabilitation Court process, but all arrived at their final goals that included a min- imum of six months’ sobriety – no slipups, no back steps, just staying totally clean of any illegal substances. Their achievements, which also included employment and stable housing, were ap- plauded at a recent gradu- ation ceremony held before a session of the drug rehab court. They had been par- ticipants in the program for at least 15 months: at- tending court regularly, going to group sessions and indi- vidual counseling, reporting for random testing and obeying directives of the pre- siding magistrate and drug court team of counselors and social workers. Magistrate Valdis Foldats presided over the ceremony on Oct. 29 and shared high- lights of the graduates’ journeys, noting that each had taken a different path through the phases of the program. To an audience that included graduates’ relatives and current drug court par- ticipants, the magistrate read excerpts from the individ- uals’ files and underscored just how hard everyone had worked. One man may hold a re- cord of sorts. It took him two years and three months to complete the program. “The drug court team could have given up on him many times, but we had a belief that his efforts were gen- uine,” Mr. Foldats said in a subsequent interview. The man had received every sanction available – from custody to a period of reporting for daily drug testing. He was asked to as- sess what he had accom- plished. Now 26, he said he had met his goals of “being honest to people and myself, learning to accept responsi- bility and avoiding negative people and places.” The lone woman in the graduating group had at one stage asked for an electronic monitor because she realized she needed boundaries, Mr. Foldats said. At one point she was holding down three jobs, thus having little time for antisocial activity. Her work ethic made her “employee of the month” twice. An assessment of her progress said she had ad- justed her mind set to “taking a series of small steps in- stead of one giant step.” One man who had been unemployed, homeless and living on the beach, reached his goals after a lengthy stay at Caribbean Haven Residential Centre and a spiritual commitment. “I have surrendered myself to the Lord and I won’t turn back for nothing in this world,” he said. “I feel lucky that I’ve seen what drugs do to people and to me. I feel lucky I could go to Caribbean Haven and change my life for good.” Along with meeting the program’s criteria for gradu- ation, he met some personal goals: “I gained respect from my family, friends and boss, and I’ve gained my self-re- spect, too.” The youngest person in the graduation class was a new father. He would come to drug court exhausted be- cause he had worked the night shift and then cared for the baby during the day while his partner was at her job, Mr. Foldats said. One of this man’s sanc- tions was having to write an essay about being tardy. He included a helpful hint – keeping his appoint- ment cards on the bath- room mirror so he would see them every day. Another man substituted exercise for drugs. He took up running and swimming to keep physically fit. A spe- cial outcome for him was that “sobriety has helped me to successfully maintain a long-term relationship with my girlfriend.” The sixth graduate in- spired Mr. Foldats to quote U.S. president Barack Obama: “Awareness without action changes nothing.” At age 53, when many people are set in their ways, this graduate had developed from being compulsive to ex- ercising patience and toler- ance. He willed to shift his thinking and be more open to feedback from the group and suggestions from the team. He believed he could change and acted on that belief by altering his behavior. One of post-graduation goals was “to remain teachable.” Mr. Foldats said it was a credit to all six graduates that they were aware and they all acted on that awareness. Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn, who presides at some drug court sessions, pre- sented them with trophies as a reminder of their suc- cess. They were encour- aged to maintain ties with members of the drug court team and consider them a continuing resource. The Drug Rehabilitation Court held its first gradua- tion ceremony in March 2009 – 18 months after its offi- cial start, following the pas- sage of necessary legislation. Court officer Katrina Watler reported that 79 men and 14 women have completed the program since then. Of the 93 graduates, 24 have re-of- fended, but the categories of any new charges were not known – whether drug-re- lated or something else. Of the re-offenders, three repeated the program; they were not counted as new graduates. The drug court program currently has 37 participants. Over the years, nu- merous defendants have ap- plied to the drug court and have been rejected because the program will not admit anyone with a conviction for violence. Others began the program but asked to leave it because they could not take the strict regimen. Still others have been ex- pelled for repeated non- compliance with rules. In all such cases, defendants are returned to the crim- inal court for disposal of their matters. The Drug Rehabilitation Court team sets boundaries that guide participants in reaching their goals.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Wednesday november 11, 2015 We Buy Gold!We Buy Gold! Cash For Gold Silver, Coins and Broken Jewelry Cash Paid on the Spot! Call 927-8565 Cash For Gold • Shedden Road Cayman, were put under receivership. The Howard Hotel Group revealed in May that it was in advanced negotiations to buy a controlling stake in the hotel, with Restoration Cayman remaining as a minority shareholder. Mr. Lund said the sale went through Friday with the Howard group ultimately buying the hotel outright. He said the first phase of improvements would involve renovation of 110 condo suites. Those will go on sale, starting at US$195,000, next week. Mr. Lund said it would be full ownership with freehold title to any pur- chaser who buys one or more of the condo suites. However, use will be re- stricted to six weeks per year. The rest of the time the suites would be in the rental inventory pool. that sets general guidelines for the release of all pris- oners on license conditions. It applies to all inmates, in- cluding juveniles, and to those already serving a life sentence without the possi- bility of parole. In criminal cases, the sen- tencing guidelines – called tariffs – are largely left to the court’s discretion. The only exception stated in the law is for murder offenses, which require a sentence of 30 years prior to any consideration of release on license. Even then, in cases where there are ag- gravated or extenuating cir- cumstances surrounding the killing, the prison term can be set higher or lower by a judge. “It is now considered in- human and degrading pun- ishment for any person to be incarcerated for the rest of his life without the possi- bility of ever being released,” the bill’s memorandum of objects and reasons reads. “All prisoners serving what used to be whole life terms must have a specified term of imprisonment.” A further explanation sent by Governor Kilpatrick’s of- fice on Friday noted that a “transitional arrangement” would be made for convicted killers already serving a man- datory life sentence. “Within 24 months of the law coming into force, the Grand Court will pronounce, in open court, a period of in- carceration for [the] existing life prisoner as if it were sen- tencing an accused who has been convicted,” the state- ment read. This issue with “lifers” – prisoners who received au- tomatic life sentences for murder in Cayman – has dogged the islands for the past decade. In 2006, following a re- view of six cases involving Northward inmates serving life sentence for murder, the Human Rights Committee at the time recommended that either the sentencing judge or the chief justice be allowed to review the cir- cumstances surrounding the lifers’ crimes and determine a minimum prison term. After a seven-month review, committee attorneys con- cluded that laws that impose life sentences for all types of murder offenses are contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as two other international human rights treaties. Governor Kilpatrick an- nounced in April 2014 her intention to release, on li- cense, four Northward prison inmates serving life terms for murder. Former governor Duncan Taylor granted conditional release to one convicted killer in 2013 under the powers granted to the governor in the Prisons Law. Other sentences All other criminal of- fenses that carry more than a one-year sentence require the offender, under the Conditional Release Law, to serve at least 60 percent of that sentence in prison. If the prisoner is deemed no longer to be a threat to the community, he or she will serve the remainder of the sentence under supervised release. Sentences of a year or less require release after 60 percent of the jail term is served, barring excep- tional circumstances. The law replaces parole provisions in the Prisons Law that require a prison- er’s release – unsupervised – at the “earliest release date,” meaning after they have served two-thirds of the sentence. The release under the Prisons Law is regardless of whether the offender is still believed to be a risk to society or whether the prisons system believes they can be rehabilitated. Cayman’s re-offending rate among former pris- oners – as of 2014 – was 73 percent, much higher than the Caribbean average of 60 percent or the U.K. av- erage of 50 percent. Parole can currently be granted to prisoners who have served either five- ninths or one-third of their prison sentence, depending on the crime committed. But in any case, the period of parole supervision typi- cally ends when two-thirds of the sentence is served. A prisoner who is sen- tenced to 10 years under the new regime would be considered for release after six years. If the prisoner is determined to have been rehabilitated, his or her re- lease would be under li- censed supervision for the remaining four years of the sentence. The Conditional Release Law no longer al- lows for any automatic right of release at the ear- liest release date. This means, under the coming law, a heavy respon- sibility on the members of the Conditional Release Board, which makes all de- cisions relating to the re- lease of prisoners on license and the conditions of the re- lease terms. “A prisoner will only be released [after serving 60 percent of their sentence] after he or she is deemed to be a lower risk to the com- munity and engaged in the rehabilitation process,” the governor’s office statement indicated. “If released [the prisoner] will remain on li- cense [supervised] until the end of the sentence.” Changes to prisoners’ release take effect Feb. 1 Treasure Island to become Margaritaville CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Pay raise for police 30 police positions to remain vacant Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Uniformed police officers will get an annual raise of $3,000 to $5,000 under the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service’s adjusted budget, Police Commissioner David Baines told his officers at an all-staff meeting Tuesday. Negotiations continued until the end of last week to increase salaries for police to closer match other uniformed services, such as the prison service, Mr. Baines said. He said the pay raise had to come from the RCIPS budget instead of from an in- crease in government funding for the department. To fund the raise, he explained, the RCIPS will not fill 30 vacant positions. “If we’re going to remain competitive and attract qual- ified Caymanian candidates, we have to keep the pay rate reasonable,” the commis- sioner said, noting that the RCIPS had lost officers to the Immigration Department, prison service and other uni- formed services that offer higher pay rates. “Some of our staff make less than $3,000 a month,” Mr. Baines said. Police officers were included in the 4-percent cost-of-living salary increase for the civil service earlier this year. “I never envisioned we would have to fund all of it,” the commissioner said. Uniformed officers can ex- pect a raise of at least $3,000 per year, up to a little more than $5,000, depending on their position and length of service. RCIPS spokeswoman Jacqueline Carpenter said the raise will be backdated to July. Mr. Baines will deter- mine which 30 positions to leave vacant, and can move officers around the service to address emerging demands. The highest risks right now, Mr. Baines said, are in finan- cial and online crime. “The biggest threat at the moment is cyber,” Mr. Baines said, predicting that cyber- crimes will increase quickly in the coming years. The new generation, he said, is tech savvy, while their parents or grandpar- ents cannot even work a DVD player. “Imagine the criminal element in that generation, preying on the older genera- tions,” he said. Earlier this year, the Civil Service Association called on government to raise pay for public-sector workers, citing pay inequities between for- eign and Caymanian workers. Newer civil service mem- bers have been able to ne- gotiate higher salaries when they join government, ac- cording to association presi- dent James Watler. Many veteran teachers received a raise at the be- ginning of this school year. Other parts of the civil ser- vice, including prison offi- cers, have also received raises this year. GT sTabbinG updaTe A woman stabbed in the neck early Saturday in George Town was in stable condition Tuesday, police said. The Royal Cayman Islands Police described the attack as appearing “to be related to a do- mestic matter.” The stabbing outside the Dolphin Centre on Eastern Avenue occurred around 4:20 a.m. Police said the woman was able to speak with officers before she lost consciousness. No ar- rests were immedi- ately reported. diver dies off easT end A female tourist died in a diving accident Tuesday morning. The 54-year-old visitor from Canada got into dif- ficulties during a dive with Tortuga Divers. According to po- lice, she surfaced during the dive and indicated she was having diffi- culties. When she was brought back on board, she was unconscious. People on the boat gave CPR until a medic unit ar- rived. She was taken to Cayman Islands Hospital where she was pro- nounced dead at 10:48 a.m. The RCIPS Marine Unit is investigating. Five in court for credit card cloning fraud CarOl WInKer cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Four men and one woman appeared in Summary Court on Tuesday charged with conspiracy to defraud local retail banks. They are accused of con- spiring together with per- sons unknown to defraud the banks by dishonestly with- drawing cash from Automatic Teller Machines with the use of cloned credit cards be- tween Oct. 31 and Nov. 3. Senior Crown Counsel Tricia Hutchinson said more charges would be coming. She did not provide any details. The conspiracy charge did not include any sum of money. No application was made for bail at this time. The ad- dress for all five defendants was the Treasure Island Resort on West Bay Road. Attorney James Stenning appeared for three men, all Romanian nationals. They are: Ovidui-Giulian Dobrea, 40; Ionut-Catalin Petcu, 27; and Marius-Ioan Bud-Popa, 42. Attorney John Furniss rep- resented Ayoub Cheaaibi, 27, a British national; and Nytia Tynea Bradley, 26, an American. Mr. Furniss told Magistrate Valdis Foldats that Cheaaibi wished to deal with his matters “as expedi- tiously as he can.” He also advised that, al- though Bradley had no local contacts, he was looking into possible arrangements for her bail, in part be- cause she is the mother of a young child. The magistrate said the matter should be dealt with as quickly as possible. Even though there may be a great deal of paperwork, in the end these cases are quite simple, he commented. He concluded that an adjourn- ment of two weeks should be enough for attorneys to get the papers and go over them with their clients. The next court date was set after the magistrate asked what would be most conve- nient for the interpreter of the Romanian language who attended to assist the court. He set Wednesday, Nov. 25, for the next mention and said he would try to call the matter on first.Next >