ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Monday noveMber 23, 2015 High of 87 Low of 76 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. ABCDE NATIONAL WEEKLY Worst Week Ben Carson 3 Politics Trump vs. his Florida neighbors 4 Health Running a long, long way 16 5 Myths Common cold 23 IT PAYS TO NEGOTIATE Boston is offering classes on how to talk about money to every woman who works in the city PAGE 12 THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2015 . IN COLLABORATION WITH THE WASHINGTON POST It pays to negotiate Editorial | pagE 4 on corruption: the duties of the governor SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA Hedge Funds Care fundraising benefit wows again alan Markoff amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com Several hundred thousand dollars were once again raised for the sole purpose of pre- venting and treating child abuse on Saturday night. The 11th “Open your Heart to the Children” benefit pre- sented by Hedge Funds Care Cayman at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman featured the usual glitz and glamour as Cayman’s financial services in- dustry came out in force to sup- port the annual event. Event organizing committee co-chair Nick Butcher told the attendees in the filled-to-ca- pacity Royal Ballroom that Hedge Funds Care Cayman had raised approximately US$2.5 million since it started in 2005, giving grants to 65 organiza- tions that have programs aimed at preventing and treating child abuse in the Cayman Islands since its inception. “We estimate in the order of 500 children benefited from the Tree lightings kick off holidays It may not be December yet, but it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in the Cayman Islands. Thousands came out for the Christmas tree lighting at Camana Bay Saturday night, while hundreds came out for a tree lighting Thursday evening that was hosted by the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman. Rotary lit up Heroes Square in George Town Thursday with its 50th an- nual Christmas tree lighting celebration. The event featured perfor- mances of classic Christmas FiFty-six jurors excused From Watson and rodriguez trial Questionnaire lists 32 witnesses, numerous businesses and government departments carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A jury panel was chosen on Friday for the trial of Canover Watson and Miriam Rodriguez, but not before 56 of 70 potential jurors were excused. The seven jurors and two reserves chosen were scheduled to begin hearing the matter on Monday, Nov. 23. The jury selection process began with a questionnaire after Justice Michael Mettyear told the pool that the matter was not very straightforward, but it was important and in- teresting. “It’s important because it is alleged that there was a plot to cheat the Cayman Islands itself of a large sum of money and that these two were involved,” he said. “It’s im- portant for the defendants also because they say they are not guilty.” Justice Mettyear pointed out that everyone wanted a fair trial, so it was important that anyone connected to certain companies or in- dividuals not serve on the jury. He asked everyone in the jury pool to fill out a questionnaire. The results would then be “sifted through” by attorneys for the crown and defense. He identified as the most important ques- tion the following: “Do you hold such strong views, for any reason, for or against Canover PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 2 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Rotarians, supported by Premier Alden McLaughlin and other members of the government, sing Christmas carols Thursday evening as part of Rotary’s annual Christmas tree lighting celebration. – Photo: taneos ramsay Santa made an appearance Saturday evening for the annual Christmas tree lighting at Camana Bay. He’ll return Thursdays through Dec. 17 at Gardenia Court to take children’s wishes. – Photo: stePhen clarke PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » Nicholas Butcher speaks about Hedge Funds Care Cayman during the ‘Open Your Heart to the Children’ benefit on Saturday night. – Photo: maggie jackson2 LOCAL NEWS Monday noveMber 23, 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. - MONDAY - $8.00 HUNGER GAMES: MOCKING JAY PART 2 (PG13) 12:20 I 12:45 I 3:25 I 3:50 I 6:30 7:00 I 9:40 BY THE SEA (R) 12:30 I 6:45 THE 33 (PG13) 3:30 I 9:50 SECRET IN THEIR EYES (PG13) 1:30 I 4:10 I 6:50 I 10:05 SPECTRE (PG13) 12:45 I 4:15 I 7:30 I 9:30 PEANUTS 3D (G) 1:00 I 4:00 2D I 7:15 I 10:00 2D Man killed in car crash A 21-year-old man was killed early Saturday in a one-car accident on West Bay Road. Police identified the man as Lanado Martin Waugh from George Town. The crash happened around 2:14 a.m. near the Galleria Plaza on West Bay Road, police said. The car had been trav- eling in the direction of George Town. Chief Inspector Claudia Brady said Mr. Waugh was the only oc- cupant of the vehicle, a silver-colored Honda Accord. He was trapped inside the car and emer- gency services reported that he appeared “un- conscious and was not breathing,” she said. He was taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital where he was pronounced dead, Chief Inspector Brady said. Including this acci- dent, there have been 10 fatalities as a result of vehicle accidents in the Cayman Islands so far this year. In 2014, there were four fatalities caused by vehicle accidents. Police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the collision or seen the vehicle prior to the crash to contact the investigating officer, constable Orville Harris, at George Town Police Station at 949-4222, the RCIPS tip line at 949-7777 or Crime Stoppers at 800- 8477 (TIPS). carols by local youth choirs, musical groups from the University College of the Cayman Islands and others, and Santa Claus even made an appearance. Jolly Old Saint Nick must have enjoyed his sunny vacation from the North Pole, because he also appeared at the 9th annual Christmas Tree lighting at Camana Bay on Saturday night. The popular event draws a crowd every year, and this year was no dif- ferent, as Camana Bay was packed with thou- sands eager to get into the holiday spirit and watch as the Town Centre was transformed into a winter wonderland. The Cayman National Dance Company got the festivities started with a lively perfor- mance, and the Cayman National Choir also enter- tained the crowd. Santa had the honor of flip- ping the switch that lit up the tree, covered in pearly white lights and colorful ornaments. Event-goers who showed up early were able to browse the Holiday Craft Market, which fea- tured a range of artisanal products made in Cayman including pottery, batik, woodwork and mosaics. Tree lightings kick off holidays Sentencing set for indecency with child Magistrate sends case to Grand Court Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The air-conditioning re- pairman who pleaded guilty to gross indecency with a child is scheduled to be sen- tenced in Grand Court on Wednesday, Dec. 16. Mitchell Anderson Garcia, 25, also pleaded guilty to taking indecent photos of the girl, who was five years old. The offenses occurred on Sept. 10 when Garcia was working in the child’s home. After he entered his guilty pleas in Summary Court earlier this month, Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin asked Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez to send the case to Grand Court for sentencing. Defense attorney Lee Halliday-Davis initially ob- jected on behalf of her client, but subsequently withdrew her objection. On Nov. 16, the magis- trate said she wanted all sentencing options to be available and was therefore committing the matter to the Grand Court. She explained that the Summary Court has sentencing power to a max- imum of four years on the in- decent images charge, while the Grand Court would have 15 years maximum; as this was the second such case on the island, she wanted all sentencing options to be available. Garcia appeared before Justice Charles Quin on Friday. Ms. Fargin advised that a social inquiry report and victim impact statement had already been requested. The judge continued Garcia’s remand in custody and urged him to cooperate with the officer who pre- pares his report. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Rotarian Betty Baraud and Kim McLaughlin, wife of Premier Alden McLaughlin, flip the switch on Rotary’s 50th annual Christmas tree lighting celebration. – photo: taneos Ramsay The Christmas decorations at Camana Bay include a scarf-wearing polar bear. – photo: stephen ClaRke3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday noveMber 23, 2015 Cruising for a conflict Conservation council questions tourism role in pier project James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The National Conservation Council has questioned the role of the Ministry of Tourism in pushing for the cruise pier project. In a pair of public state- ments Friday the council suggested that the ministry was now acting as both “in- vestigator and adjudicator” of the project. Saying the ministry had assumed the roles in- tended for the Project Steering Group and the Environmental Assessment Board as well as advocating for cruise piers, the council suggested it risked creating a conflict of interest. “Not only should no man be a judge in his own cause, but with a proposal such as that with which the Cayman Islands are now faced, where the govern- ment is cast not only in the role of evaluator but also as a joint proponent in a pro- posed public-private part- nership, the question of im- paired objectivity must be raised,” the council wrote. The council took issue with the ministry’s deci- sion to release a prelimi- nary report on possible mitigation measures for the port project, saying it was an incomplete draft that omitted supporting analysis and involved no consultation with the Department of Environment. It suggested that the min- istry had taken over some functions, including the re- lease of environmental re- ports, that were intended for other bodies. “The commitment to proper procedure in the evaluation of the Cruise Berthing Facility proposal began with the appointment of a Steering Group and an Environmental Assessment Board (made up of the Department of Environment, National Roads Authority, Department of Tourism, Department of Planning, National Museum and the Port Authority). “It is the council’s view that if the role of the Ministry of Tourism is to act as the Government pro- ponent, then, in order to counter the reasonable ap- prehension of bias cre- ated by a party acting as both investigator and ad- judicator, it is important that the Ministry should not, and be seen not to, interfere with or pre- empt the evaluation func- tion of the Environmental Assessment Board.” The council welcomed re- cent statements from gov- ernment that the proposed layout of the cruise piers would be re-evaluated, with a view to moving the struc- tures to deeper water. But it said this pro- cess should be led by the Environmental Assessment Board and not the ministry. It also suggested that the process may have to update parts of the Environmental Impact Assessment. The mitigation measures, outlined in the preliminary report, including some coral relocation, do not adequately offset the environmental damage, the council argues. It suggests the measures outlined do not measure up to international standards for offsetting risks to the natural environment and that the new layout should seek to achieve “no net loss” to the wider ecosystem. Police report two violent attacks Two unrelated violent attacks occurred over the weekend, one in George Town and another in the vi- cinity of Seven Mile Beach, police reported. Police were dispatched to the scene of an attempted robbery off Martin Drive in George Town on Friday at 10:09 p.m. Three men at- tempted to rob another man of his cellphone. The victim reported that he resisted the robbery and was then assaulted by the three at- tackers who punched him and kicked him in the face. The victim was trans- ported to Cayman Islands Hospital where he was treated for his injuries. Once treated, he was re- leased from the hospital. A number of violent in- cidents have occurred in the Martin Drive area in re- cent months. In July, Jason Powery was shot dead in the area. In September, the short street off Shedden Road was the scene of a stabbing that occurred after an argument over $10, and another inci- dent in which bullets hit a car and a building. In another incident over the weekend, a young man was stabbed with an ice- pick. On Saturday at 4:24 a.m., police were alerted by Cayman Islands Hospital staff that an 18-year-old man was receiving treat- ment for stab wounds. The man was assaulted in the parking lot of the Nectar Bar on West Bay Road by another male with an icepick. The victim re- ceived stab wounds to his chest. He was treated for his injuries and released from the Cayman Islands Hospital. Assailants in both cases are still at large and un- known to police. Holiday craft market Before the Christmas tree lighting Saturday night in Camana Bay, visitors browse a holiday craft market, featuring an array of artisanal products made in Cayman, including pottery, batik, woodworks and more. – Photo: StePhen ClarkeThe 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” On corruption: The duties of the governor “The Cayman Islands, it seems, will always be portrayed as a corrupt jurisdiction which allows individuals to stash money received from their engagement in corrupt acts; in reality this does not need to be the case.” — Royal Cayman Islands Police Service Commissioner David Baines Cayman has a reputation for being a hotbed of cor- ruption, but it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s a view we share with Police Commissioner Baines. A modest first step toward that goal would be to appoint people to fill the four vacancies on the five- member Cayman Islands Anti-Corruption Commission, which since February has been a “committee of one,” namely, Police Commissioner Baines. In practical terms, we understand that the “teeth” of the watchdog group remain intact, in the form of the police officers comprising the Anti-Corruption Unit. Additionally, two of the four “vacancies” on the com- mission technically have warm bodies in them, Acting Complaints Commissioner Bridgette von Gerhardt and Acting Auditor General Garnet Harrison. “Acting,” however, isn’t nearly good enough when it comes to the topic of corruption in Cayman and espe- cially when Cayman plays a leading role in one of the most sensational international corruption scandals of the millennium — FIFA. Premier Alden McLaughlin and this newspaper are “on the record” as being in agreement that “Cayman must continue to adopt a “zero-tolerance” toward cor- ruption … .” That implies that our officials are 100 percent dedicated to rooting out the scourge of cor- ruption wherever it exists in our country’s public and private sectors. How, though, can we reconcile that statement of commitment to the appearance of our primary anti- corruption entity being “only 20 percent full” — and the fact that it hasn’t convened since February? Don’t mistake us. We aren’t laying the blame for the Anti-Corruption Commission’s shortcomings at the feet of our premier, or any of our elected officials. Rather, we direct our attention toward the individual charged by the Cayman Islands Constitution with the maintenance of “good governance” in our islands: Governor Helen Kilpatrick. In addition to that broad principle, the Constitu- tion also specifically makes it the sole responsibility of the governor to appoint the auditor general and com- plaints commissioner, as well as the police commis- sioner. The Constitution stipulates that “no regulations … shall delegate any powers vested in the Governor in relation to [those offices] … and no law enacted by the Legislature may provide for any person or authority other than the Governor to exercise those powers.” (On an unrelated but relevant aside, the same con- stitutional section also applies to the information com- missioner. This raises questions in our minds about the appropriateness, if not the legality, of the elected government’s stated plans to merge the offices of the complaints commissioner and information com- missioner into a single “Office of the Ombudsman,” depending on how it is constructed.) The governor, too, is responsible for appointing the two remaining independent members of the Anti-Cor- ruption Commission. In other words, when it comes to the vacancies on the Anti-Corruption Commission, and when it comes to battling corruption in Cayman generally, the buck stops on the governor’s desk. Monday noveMber 23, 2015 • Cayman COmpass What to do about Syrian refugees? When frightened, most people take or support steps to reduce risks to their se- curity even at the expense of their liberties or other normally valued princi- ples. Failure to do so might even be considered foolish if such steps might actually in- crease their safety. On the other hand, we regularly ac- cept small risks in exchange for more interesting lives. The fact that 92 people died every day on average in the U.S. in traffic accidents in 2012 (about the same number who died from falling) has not kept most of us home, where we would have faced the risk that an average of 7 people per day died of from home fires. I am prompted to return to this subject by a recent Bloomberg poll in which the majority of adult Americans surveyed (53 percent) following the recent terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 129 people said “the nation should not continue a program to resettle up to 10,000 Syrian refugees.” Leaving aside that this is an al- most unnoticeable share of the more than 3 million Syrians who have fled their country and the 6.5 million displaced within Syria, and leaving aside the causes of the horrors from which they are fleeing, are we justified in refusing to accept refugees if it makes us safer? But before taking that on, we should have a clear under- standing of whether it is likely to make us safer. The concern, of course is that among these poor des- perate souls, terrorist might pose as refugees in order to gain entry to the U.S. (or Europe) in order to wreak havoc. Despite best efforts this possibility cannot be ruled out any more that we can rule out dying by fire if we lock ourselves in our homes. But the recent Paris attacks were carried out by French and Belgian citizens, not refugees. “Then there was the curious case of the Syrian passport found near the body of a suicide bomber. Who takes a passport to a terrorist operation? Someone who wants it to be found.” (Frida Ghitis, CNN, Nov. 18, 2015) Gaining entry to the U.S. as a political refugee is a time consuming and difficult pro- cess. I have written a number of letters in support of appli- cations by Iraqis and Afghans I have worked with and that is a very small part of what is required. Ms. Ghitis’ very interesting article continues: “The Paris operation had mul- tiple objectives. The passport was a way of provoking the West to turn against refugees. The attack sought to provoke France, NATO and Europe to fight ISIS and the public to turn against the Muslim population and against ref- ugees. ISIS wants a war be- tween Islam and the rest of the world, with Muslims on its side, as a way of creating and expanding its so-called ‘caliphate.’ ISIS wants the world’s Muslims to feel they are at war with the modern world. It also wants to stop the flow of Syrians to the West, because it’s more than a little embarrassing that Muslims are fleeing its uto- pian Islamic ‘state.’” In short, the risks of ter- rorist attacks (or attacks by deranged students at schools, etc.) in the U.S. come almost totally from our own citizens, just as do virtually all other crimes, violent or otherwise. We call their perpetrators criminals and have vast and expensive programs to mini- mize such acts and to pro- tect us to the extent compat- ible with our values from the crimes that nonetheless still take place. Aspects of these programs are the promotion of respect for the rights of others and for law and order and addressing and mini- mizing injustices toward in- dividuals or groups that might provide the basis for grievances and hostility. For the rest we rely on the police to maintain order and arrest those who persist in crime (violent or otherwise). Crime and its perpetrators have al- ways been and always will be with us. Some approaches to containing them have worked better than others and we should continuously strive to find the most effective bal- ance between our freedom and our security. So will ending the already negligible immigration of Syrians or Muslims improve our safety? If anything at all, it will worsen it by alienating and angering some of the al- most 3 million Muslims al- ready living here. The cry by some governors and presiden- tial candidates and others to close the door to Muslims is much more likely to turn an American Muslim into a ter- rorist than to prevent one from entering the country from abroad. Thus these ugly cries by understandably frightened people fail on all counts (the promotion of American values and the promotion of security). We need champions of the “Land of the free, home of the brave.” We have been the “Home of the free because of the brave;” not the brave young men and women sent off as cannon fodder to fight wars all over the place by de- ranged neocons but those brave enough to stand tall for the values of human re- spect and freedom that have (and hopefully still will) de- fine America. Warren Coats, a former director of the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, and former senior monetary policy adviser to the Central Bank of Afghanistan, Iraq and Kenya for the International Monetary Fund, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. WARREN COATS In short, the risks of terrorist attacks (or attacks by deranged students at schools, etc.) in the U.S. come almost totally from our own citizens, just as do virtually all other crimes, violent or otherwise.5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday noveMber 23, 2015 SaleSaleChristmas 15% LESS ON ALL OTHER ITEMS. DRYWALL NO INCLUDED On great selections of floor and wall tiles $10 BOX Selections of tiles and carpets % OFF 75 317 North Sound Rd., Industrial Park 949-5000 Grand Cayman November 27th - 28th Friday from 7:00am-5:00pm Saturday from 7:00am - 3:00pm Mats Universal AS LOW AS $5 PAIR Legal action possible over port decision James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Government has been served with notice that a judicial re- view could be filed with rela- tion to Cabinet’s decision to proceed with the cruise port development. A letter from lawyer Chris Narborough on behalf of a group referred to as “con- cerned citizens,” seen by the Cayman Compass, also lists several groups, including the Cayman Islands Tourism Association and the Chamber of Commerce, as potential in- terested parties in supporting legal action. The letter to Premier Alden McLaughlin and his deputy, Moses Kirkconnell, a legal precursor to a judicial review process, seeks to es- tablish if and when the final decision to proceed with the dock was made. The date of the decision is crucial to any legal action. A similar attempt by con- cerned citizens to block the closure of West Bay Road to make way for the Kimpton hotel failed because the ap- plication for judicial review was not filed within strict time limits from the date of the decision. The two main groups that have campaigned against the port, Sustainable Cayman and Save Cayman, denied any current association with the proposed legal action. The Chamber of Commerce, listed as a po- tential litigant in the letter, distanced itself from any involvement. Wil Pineau, chief executive officer of the Chamber, said, “The matter was raised at our meeting this week. That was the first time we had seen the letter.” The letter, filed by Cayman Law, states that the firm is instructed by a group calling themselves “Concerned Caymanians.” It cites the premier’s an- nouncement that Cabinet had formally approved the decision to move to the next phase of the cruise pier de- velopment as the “final de- cision” to go ahead with the project. Mr. Narborough writes that the letter should be treated as a “letter before ac- tion,” the precursor to a judi- cial review. It states that in a legal action, the clients would seek to advance one of three arguments: ■■ The consultation process leading up to the decision was not open and fair; ■■ That government had pre-determined that the cruise pier development would be built whatever the evidence may be; ■■ That the decision to pro- ceed is not rational, proportionate or in the public interest and would risk significant ad- verse environmental and commercial impacts. The letter states, “Our client is asking for the gov- ernment to reverse its de- cision to proceed with the cruise pier development and to consider other ways that are less damaging to the environment to develop the cruise ship industry in these islands. In the mean- time our client requests that you confirm that no further steps be taken by the government in pro- gressing with the cruise pier development.” Submitted with the letter is a list of questions relating to the decision and the con- sultation process, along with a request for answers within 14 days. Keith Sahm of the pro- test group Save Cayman said the group had nothing to do with the action, but had been copied in on the letter, along with other groups including the Chamber and the Cayman Islands Tourism Association. “Would I support it? From what I read in the copy of the letter, most definitely,” he said. “I think everyone that was mentioned in the paper have been in the Compass as showing concerns for the movement forward of the cruise berthing facility, the destruction of the reefs and the impact on the carrying capacity and sustainable tourism product here in the Cayman Islands.” No one from the tourism ministry had responded to requests for comment as of press time. Premier Alden McLaughlin confirmed on Oct. 27 that Cabinet formally approved the decision to move to the next phase of the proposed cruise pier development. Now the government has been served with notice that a judicial review could be filed with relation to Cabinet’s decision.6 DISTRICT Days Monday noveMber 23, 2015 • Cayman Compass District Days George Town George Town Heritage Day Residents of George Town went all out on Monday for its heritage day to show locals and visitors a good time. Lots of local foods, produce, and artifacts were on display. The Nov. 10, 1965 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a predecessor of the Cayman Compass, reported: “With dignity and ceremony the Grand Cayman Branch of the Royal Bank of Canada opened its new building on Cardinall Avenue on Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. “Mr. Neil Cruickshank, Branch Manager, opened the proceedings with a welcome to all those present. He said, ‘It has taken us rather a long time to build this branch which was started 10 months ago. After 18 months in a chicken coop we are very happy to move into our lovely air conditioned building. I would express thanks to the community for their forbearance and for sticking with us until we had our new branch which is, I believe, an asset to George Town. “‘Great credit is due to Mr. Ashwell, the Architect who has done a wonderful job and also to the builder Jimmy Powell who has also done a first- class job. Mr. Ashwell sent him some very difficult plans but he read them well and I know the bank is well built.’ “Speaking on behalf of his mother, Mrs. Anzie Panton, and the rest of his family, Mr. Colin Panton, expressed happiness at having been asso- ciated with the Royal Bank of Canada in the erec- tion of this fine building. When he had been asked by Mr. Ince over 10 months ago who would be the best person to build it, Mr. Panton had, despite his youth and lack of previous experience, done a very good job … “He continued, ‘I am particularly pleased to know that they [the Royal Bank] respect and look forward to the future economic growth of this country and that they are prepared to share with us in Cayman in that growth. I wish them every success, and as we go along in the Cayman Islands, I know that they will go along with us.’” 50 Years ago: New royal Bank building opens Local fruit and produce were a novelty for some visitors. – Photos: Jewel levy Jane ramoon grates coconut, a product used in many local dishes. Vernice Myles welcomes visitors. sophia Messam lets visitors know that the food from sarah seymour’s kitchen is the best. Timika Winston tries green mango and sauce at Navaro Pearson’s stall, as Josh ellison gives the thumbs up.Cayman Compass • Monday noveMber 23, 2015 7 DISTRICT Days District Days George Town Learning through the arts at George Town Primary Basia McGuire bmcguire@pinnaclemedialtd.com Developing innovative and cre- ative ways to successfully improve children’s reading and writing skills is a challenge for teachers. A local group of educators is hoping they have a solution, with the launch of a new program that uses the arts to hone essential life skills at the pri- mary level. Tutoring company Triple T Learning, in partnership with Cayman Music Therapy, recently presented a pilot program at George Town Primary School that explored literacy through the arts, using drama, art and music to practice fundamental skills and bring litera- ture to life. “It’s designed to motivate and inspire children of all ages to read and get excited about books,” said Julianne Parolisi, Founder of Cayman Music Therapy, who facili- tated the two hour workshop along with Katie Dilbert, co-owner of Triple T Learning, and Kate O’Brien, also of Cayman Music Therapy. Thirteen students in the Year 3 and 4 classes took part in the Saturday morning program, which was hosted by George Town Primary Principal Marie Martin at the school’s library. Rotary Central pro- vided snacks for the students and their families. “The students were eager to ex- plore, engage and act ‘in-role’ as they created their own characters from the children’s series The Code Busters Club by Penny Warner. They then went on to solve ‘The Mystery of the Missing Stingrays,’ an imagi- nary adventure involving a bumpy boat ride, finding clues, and using their storytelling and literacy skills to help solve the mysterious inci- dent and save Stingray City,” said a press release. Ms. Parolisi noted that arts- based literacy offers new ways for children of all ages and abilities to relate to stories. “Sessions combine the fundamen- tals of literacy with the creativity of music, drama, art and movement to build skills and create positive, inter- active and successful experiences.” She said research shows that using the creative arts as a teaching tool touches on the different ways kids learn, including through seeing, hearing and physical activity. “The creative arts can be partic- ularly helpful in fostering literacy skills because they combine visual, auditory and kinesthetic ways of learning,” she said. “Using the arts also helps excite and engage children in reading and writing, thus setting them up for long-term success.” The workshop was such a suc- cess that plans are under way for a variety of arts- based literacy pro- grams in the new year. For more information visit www.tripletlearning.com or www.facebook.com/CaymanMusicTherapy. George Town Primary students in the Year 3 and 4 classes had a great time at a pilot arts-based literacy workshop. Pirates Week in history These file photos show past Pirates Week action in George Town.8 LOCAL NEWS Monday noveMber 23, 2015 • Cayman Compass RoadUser BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, Cayman Brac Tel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life If luck isn’t on your side, BritCay is. You have a 1 in 10 chance of a road vehicle accident and BritCay is the only company offering CI$10 million asset protection at no extra cost with car insurance. Seven claims have exceeded CI$1 million, one being CI$7 million. Ask BritCay for a quote. New car replacement (new cars only, 12 months max.)* US$40,000 damage to overseas rental cars at no extra charge* Fast-track repairs! Authorised Repairer programme *Policy conditions apply- ask for details CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky cgigrp BLACK FRIDAY GOVERNORS SQUARE FRIDAY 27 NOVEMBER | 10AM TENT SALE UP TO 50% OFF FINE WINES & SPIRITS ENTIRE STORE 15%–20% OFF Hospital patients will be required to pay upfront for prescriptions Policy aims to help HSA payment collections James WHittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Patients at the Cayman Islands Hospital’s pharmacy will be asked to pay upfront for their prescriptions from January next year. The policy change is part of a wider effort from the Health Services Authority to improve collection of pay- ments. The HSA was high- lighted in a recent auditor general’s report for writing off tens of millions of dol- lars in unpaid debts over the past decade. Jonathan Tibbetts, chairman of the authority board, said it was phasing in a new policy of re- quiring upfront payments in various departments. “The policy has already been working well for elective surgeries in the Operating Theatre and will be phased in across the HSA,” he said. Lizzette Yearwood, CEO of the authority, said the changes were necessary to ensure adequate funding for healthcare. “Like every other health- care provider in the world, the HSA is facing signifi- cant challenges in regards to the cost of providing health- care. Full implementation of our Payment Policy is crit- ical to continued funding of our operations,” she said. “Provision of healthcare is dependent on adequate levels of funding. Improving our collections will allow us to broaden our scope of ser- vices and expand our facili- ties. With this policy, we are calling on all residents to do their part and help us help everyone in our community,” he said. She said funding through the Needs Assessment Unit may be available to patients struggling to find the funds for prescriptions. Ms. Yearwood said the authority’s bad debts were being driven by a small sec- tion of the population that remained uninsured or un- derinsured, 15 years after the Cayman Islands switched from a national health- care system to an insurance based system. “Our community is taking some time to adjust to the insurance based model which was put in place in 2000. In the old model, care was provided to the popu- lation by the Government’s then Health Services Department which was funded by General Revenue. With the implementation of the Health Insurance Law everyone is required to have health insurance, however, there still remains a por- tion of our population that is uninsured or underinsured. This is our self-pay popu- lation which continues to drive our bad debt.” An employee works the pick-up window at the pharmacy in the Cayman Islands Hospital. From January next year, patients will be required to pay for prescriptions upfront. - Photo: Kelsey JuKamThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Monday noveMber 23, 2015 179282_PRINT-Ad-closed-GCM-QP.pdPage 1 11/20/15 11:35:31 AM FAST TRACK YOUR CAREER!! Train locally to compete globally! Foundations in Accountancy: Introductory Certificate in Financial & Management Accounting Intermediate Certificate in Financial & Management Accounting Diploma in Accounting & Business Advanced Diploma in Accounting & Business ACCA Qualification Accounting Certifications – from ACCA (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants – over 100 years strong ) OFFICE TEL FAX E-MAIL WEBSITE Unit 201 Alissta Towers 943-IMPT (4678) 943-4679 Info_impt@candw.ky www.impttraining.com ICSA® Qualifications in International Finance & Administration (Gain the Level 4 Award or Certificate) Now registering for the Investment and/or Core Module(s). Classes begin the week of January 11th. Contact us for further details. Starting week of January 11th Innovative Management & Professional Training Norbert Watson, Miriam Rodriguez and/or Jeffrey Deon Webb that it would prevent you from trying the defen- dants fairly on the basis of the evidence presented in court?” After the questionnaires were vetted, 19 people were asked to remain and the other 51 potential jurors were told they could leave. Of the 19, three were challenged by attor- neys and the judge excused two more, for a total of 56 excused. The questionnaire included topics such as whether the potential juror or any close relative had ever been em- ployed (in any capacity in- cluding voluntary work) by specific government depart- ments or organizations or 12 private companies. The government enti- ties included the Ministry of Health, Environment, Youth, Sports and Culture; Health Services Authority; Cayman Islands National Insurance Company; and the office of the Auditor General. Other entities listed were the Cayman Islands Football Association and affiliated clubs/managers/coaches, ref- erees; the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football. The questionnaire also asked if any potential juror or close family member had a personal friendship or close association or busi- ness dealings with Watson, Rodriguez or Webb or their immediate families. The final question was: “Do you hold such strong views, for any reason, concerning the award of the CarePay contract to AIS (Cayman) Ltd?” The list of witnesses to be called during the trial in- cludes Lizzette Yearwood, chief executive officer for the Health Services Authority; Carol Appleyard, general man- ager of CINICO; Marco Archer, Member of the Legislative Assembly; and Cindy Jefferson Bulgin, Government General Registry. The judge did not ex- plain why these individuals or entities were listed on the questionnaire. Typically the prosecutor will go into such details when he or she opens the case to the jury. The prosecution in this matter is being con- ducted by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran and Crown counsel Toyin Salako. Lead defense counsel is Trevor Burke, assisted by at- torneys Ben Tonner and Laurence Aiolfi. Jurors have already been told that the trial is expected to last until the end of January, with a two-week break for Christmas and New Year’s. Fifty-six jurors excused from Watson and Rodriguez trial CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Still no sanctions for breaking finance law Ministry of Finance may end up as ‘enforcer’ Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com For about a decade, the Cayman Islands Government failed to file consolidated fi- nancial statements on time, or in any sort of auditable form, as required by the terri- tory’s Public Management and Finance Law. However, because there are no specific sanctions for not following the legisla- tion, no one was ever pun- ished for what amounted to law-breaking. As of Friday, that situation had not changed, despite rec- ommendations in a govern- ment report dating back to the beginning of this year. The one exception to the ongoing non-compliance was the government’s 2013/14 budget year, for which entire public sector audits were re- cently completed. Those state- ments received an “adverse” – meaning generally poor quality – opinion from the au- ditor general’s office, but they were completed in a form that auditors could at least mean- ingfully review. A number of other areas where requirements of the public finance law have not been followed in past years in- clude the public release of fi- nancial statements within a specific time and the use of proper accounting systems in the government’s budgeting process. The auditor general’s office has cited dozens of ex- amples where the law was not followed dating back to at least 2006. A special government com- mittee report recommended in February that the ability to sanction individuals or en- tities for not following the law be enacted. However, those particular recommen- dations were not added in the recently amended ver- sion of the law – although a number of other recommenda- tions surrounding the govern- ment budgeting process were approved in October. Those changes included switching to a two-year budgeting pro- cess and changing the govern- ment budget year to run from January to December. The committee, led by George Town MLA Roy McTaggart, recommended strengthening the powers of the Ministry of Finance to “hold [government] chief offi- cers accountable for providing high quality information within a specific time frame.” “The Ministry of Finance should be able to prescribe certain sanctions for non-com- pliance,” the report recom- mended, without stating what those “sanctions” should entail. Once specific civil service employee roles in the bud- geting process are clearly de- fined, the recommendation is that “the deputy governor should discipline or reward chief officers for their perfor- mance in relation to their re- sponsibilities under [the law].” During the last meeting of the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly in October, North Side MLA Ezzard Miller questioned why comprehensive reform of the Public Management and Finance Law had not occurred. “We are amending selective sections of this law to fit our agenda,” Mr. Miller said. During the October de- bate, Mr. McTaggart pointed out that Mr. Miller was cor- rect in stating only a few of the many changes recom- mended in his committee re- port had been implemented immediately. He said this was because those were “the most time critical and sensitive” recommendations. Finance Minister Marco Archer also pointed out that some 35 changes recom- mended by Mr. McTaggart’s committee would take more time to implement “given the nature of those changes.”Next >