High of 85 Low of 75 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. Shooman scores book deal ■ festivities Parade Don’t miss the show! B8 Technology Crafts for Christmas Just in case you don’t have enough on already B6 Community Cayman Thanksgiving Come for the entertainment, stay for the food B2 Friday december 4, 2015 • Cayman Compass STORE HOURS: MON SAT 10AM TO 8PM The Main Store, Shedden Rd • The Wine Cellar, Galleria Plaza OPEN UNTIL 10 PMCountryside Shopping Village, Savannah • Morritts Shopping Centre, East End BUY 2 GET 1 FREE! Select any 3 bottles from the brands above and get the least expensive FREE! BUY 2 GET 1 • Morritts Shopping Centre, East End Select any 3 bottles from the brands above and get the least expensive FREE! Select any 3 bottles from the brands above and get the least expensive FREE! Select any 3 bottles from the brands above and get the least expensive FREE! Select any 3 bottles from the brands above and get the least expensive FREE! Select any 3 bottles from the brands above and get the least expensive FREE! Former local journalist is going punk B5 Calendars, cards and ornaments Charity Buy a unique Christmas item to support your local charity B4 of Lights Photo: Melissa Wolfe Photography cayman weekender Parade of Lights Editorial | pagE 4 The baTTle over ‘beneficial ownership’ eSTaBLISHed 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – friday december 4, 2015 webb pleads guilty in fifa probe, will forfeit Us$6.7m brenT fUller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands businessman Jeffrey Webb has pleaded guilty to seven charges in a 15 count indictment against him related to the U.S. Department of Justice probe of rack- eteering and bribery schemes in world foot- ball’s governing body, FIFA. Webb, a former FIFA vice president, former president of CONCACAF, FIFA’s governing body for the Caribbean, North and Central America, and suspended president of the Cayman Islands Football Association, entered his guilty plea on Nov. 23. The plea was not publicly announced until Thursday. As part of the plea, Webb agreed to forfeit more than US$6.7 million, federal prosecutors said. Webb could also face up to 20 years’ im- prisonment. His case is set for a status confer- ence in U.S. federal court on Dec. 16. Attempts to reach Webb’s attorney Edward O’Callaghan in New York on Thursday were not successful. Webb was arrested in Zurich, Switzerland, in May, and was later extradited to the U.S. Webb’s guilty plea was announced as fed- eral investigators expanded their worldwide probe into the FIFA organization, charging 16 more people – mostly representatives of Central and South American football associa- tions who were not named in an indictment filed in May. The new 92-count indictment supersedes, meaning encompasses and replaces, the 47- count indictment in May, in which 14 FIFA and sports marketing officials were charged with soliciting and accepting bribes in exchange Premier: Cayman unmoved on benefiCial ownershiP michael Klein mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands and other U.K. Overseas Territories have agreed to implement centralized registers of beneficial owners of companies or “similarly effective systems” at the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council Meeting this week. However, the registers will not be acces- sible by the public and the media as originally demanded by the U.K. Premier Alden McLaughlin said, “Our po- sition on beneficial ownership, and our zero tolerance position on corruption and illicit ac- tivity, remains unchanged.” The U.K. started to call for the implemen- tation of centralized registers in its Overseas Territories in 2013. The registers should detail the individuals who control or benefit from companies registered in Cayman to prevent the abuse of anonymity for financial crime, corruption and tax evasion. Britain will launch its own register at the beginning of next year. It will identify people who control at least 25 percent of a U.K.- registered company’s shares or voting rights. The Cayman Islands government has re- jected the proposal, arguing that its existing system, whereby beneficial ownership infor- mation is collected and maintained by corpo- rate service providers, was working well and Street fair divides opinion James whiTTaKer jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A street fair selling local food and crafts to cruise ship passengers in George Town is dividing opinion in the capital. While tourists have previously praised the event, some commuters are frustrated with the closure of a key road at rush hour for what has dwindled, on some days, to a small number of vendors. The event, initially organized by the Pirates Week Committee but now run by chef John Jefferson Jr. of Culture Shop, takes over part of Cardinall Avenue on Thursdays. The street closes from before 8 a.m. to facilitate the event. Jackie Stirling, who works in the CIBC building in George Town, said there needs to be some form of traffic management Jeffrey Webb Just a handful of vendors were out for the street market on Cardinall Avenue on Thursday. - PhoTo: Taneos ramsay PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 16 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Friday december 4, 2015 • Cayman Compass Don’t forget NextDon’t forget NextDon’t forget NextDon’t forget Next Book your Christmas Party! Book your Book your Christmas Book your Christmas Book your Party! Party! “BOOGIE NIGHTS” Friday, December 18th ‘Special Night’ Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics Music By DJ FLEX Starting at 9:30pm Book your Party! Party! Book your Party! Party! Book your Christmas Book your Christmas Book your Party! Party! Call 949-2231 Dates are still available! on Friday Dec. 18th TONIGHT! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm DRINK SPECIALS!!! Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky Enjoy your Company Christmas Party with us and come Boogie to the sweet sounds of 70’s Disco and 80’s Classics CARIBBEANCAFEA Lunch /Dinner 11am-10pm Daily A 345-945-4411 info@cirealty.ky caymanislandsrealty.com Discovery Point #17 2bed, 2.5bath, 1301s/f Tastefully furnished and well maintained US$699,000 Member CIREBA MLS#405229 SEVEN MILE BEACH ! New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music Fireworks &Live Music Fireworks &Live Music Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music Fireworks &Live Music Fireworks &Live Music Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music New Year’s Eve Gala Fireworks &Live Music GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE ON ARRIVAL special 4 course menu with choices regular A la carte menu 5L30 to 7:30 DJ RION KIRK playing 125 + grats person for reservations: info@grandoldhouse.com - 949-9333 SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – The FBI on Thursday ar- rested 10 Puerto Rico gov- ernment officials and busi- nessmen charged with bribery and extortion. The suspects are ac- cused of offering public officials items such as ex- pensive meals, fountain pens and concert tickets in exchange for polit- ical favors and govern- ment contracts, according to U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez. “Unfortunately, this is one more case of graft, greed and corruption that over the last 20 years have contributed to the gov- ernment of Puerto Rico’s fragile financial condi- tion and on the brink of bankruptcy,” said Carlos Cases, special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Juan division. Among the suspects is businessman Anaudi Hernandez, who serves as the campaign fund- raiser for the governor’s Popular Democratic Party. Rodriguez said he is ac- cused of using his connec- tions with high-ranking government officials, in- cluding the brother of Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla, to appoint people to cer- tain positions. Authorities said Hernandez then allegedly gave them items of value in exchange for contracts that would benefit his cor- porations, some of which were created during the November 2012 elections. Hernandez is accused of obtaining benefits from the island’s water and sewer company and Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives, among others. Puerto rico officials accused of corruPtion A Ranger Rover flipped over at the Kings Gym roundabout Thursday afternoon. No injuries were reported as of press time. The accident also involved a gold Jaguar, which appeared to have sustained minor damage to its front end. Police, fire and ambulance services attended the scene. - Photo: Kelsey JuKam Vehicle flips over at roundabout NEW YORK (AP) – Joe Torre and Dave Winfield will be leading a baseball goodwill tour of Cuba this month. Major League Baseball and the Players Association said Thursday the Dec. 15-18 trip will include children’s clinics and a charity event. This is Major League Baseball’s first visit to Cuba since the Baltimore Orioles played an exhibition game against the Cuban national team in 1999. There is the possibility of the Tampa Bay Rays playing a spring training game in Cuba next year. Commissioner Rob Manfred says “baseball rep- resents a pivotal common bond in our cultures, and the impact that Cuban ballplayers have made on our game is undeniable.” Union executive director Tony Clark hopes the visit starts a “relationship that will only grow stronger.” Torre is the chief base- ball officer and Winfield is the union’s special adviser. They will be joined by cur- rent players, a group that has not yet been announced. Torre, Winfield lead goodwill tour of CubaThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Friday december 4, 2015 Samsung J5 or Samsung S6 from $ 349 $ 9.99 discoverflow.ky/xmas let the warmth flow Post a selfie on Flow social media using #IlovemyJ5 and you could win $1000. Plus you could win a Supermarket Sweep as well as $5000 cash. treat yourself to a Flow terms & conditions applyThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. The battle over ‘beneficial ownership’ Friday deCember 4, 2015 • Cayman COmpass On the front page of Wednesday’s newspaper, we published a photograph of Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin standing side by side with U.K. Overseas Territories Minister James Duddridge, the host of the Joint Ministerial Council meeting in London. In public, Premier McLaughlin, British officials and leaders of other U.K. territories may be all smiles (That’s “red-carpet diplomacy.”), but in private, you can be assured that conversations took on a more serious tone. (That’s “behind-doors discussions.”) Although not on the formal agenda for the annual meeting between Overseas Territories leaders and U.K. ministers, the topic of “beneficial ownership” is, for many of the jurisdictions including Cayman, the primary issue defining current relations with our common Colonial Mother. To put the matter as concisely as possible, “ben- eficial ownership” refers to which individual (or indi- viduals) ultimately enjoys the benefits of owning a company (or other financial entity), even if that individ- ual’s name doesn’t appear on that company’s owner- ship documents. For example, a person named John Smith might create “Company A,” which in turn sets up a sub- sidiary “Company B.” The ownership documents of “Company B” might only refer to a director, attorney or other agent of “Company A” — but in reality the “beneficial owner” of “Company B” is John Smith. Needless to say, these sorts of structures can quickly become complex, as various jurisdictions and entities enter the equation, and with the introduction of cross- and partial-ownership. Complex structures can reflect the reality of complex business arrange- ments but can also present opportunities for malfea- sance or criminal wrongdoing. Currently, Cayman provides beneficial ownership documents to law enforcement agencies when they ask for them, subject to a number of requirements. The U.K. has been pressuring Cayman and other territories to go another step entirely, and for each to create a centralized register containing beneficial own- ership information that can be electronically accessed by law enforcement as they wish. There are professionals within our financial services industry who are crying out that revealing beneficial ownership information will be a death blow to Cayman’s economy, and will make Cayman non-competitive – in terms of privacy – with our rival jurisdictions. Others, such as former Cayman Finance CEO Gonzalo Jalles, have been more bullish. In June 2014, Mr. Jalles wrote in the Cayman Islands Journal, “While the current and upcoming transparency initiatives are capable of reshaping the industry in ways one can only speculate about, Cayman has the potential to emerge as the undisputed leader in the region. Only the polit- ical decisions of each of the leaders in these Territories will determine if the potential is realized by Cayman or taken away by another jurisdiction.” Cayman leaders argue that the standard of financial transparency set by registers of beneficial ownership goes beyond norms in the G-8 countries, and none of those had established public registers of their own. Accordingly, it is unfair and nonsensical to insist that Cayman and other small territories “go first.” Well, beginning next year, the U.K. will indeed “go first” – setting up a centralized register of benefi- cial ownership information of companies, that will be searchable by the public, not just police. That may erode some of the rhetorical ground upon which Cayman’s initial argument was based. And so the discussions continue. As far as the Compass is concerned, we remain champions of privacy rights, but we are also realists when it comes to the powers the Crown exercises over us. If and when the U.K. determines that a beneficial ownership register is mandatory for Cayman — it will become so. Until such time, we trust that our political repre- sentatives, such as Premier McLaughlin, will continue to act in the interests of Cayman’s financial sector, the ultimate “beneficial owners” of which, are, of course, the people of the Cayman Islands. Saving Honduras Why has Honduras lagged behind its neighbors and much of the rest of the world? It is resource-rich, has deep-water ports both on the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, is very scenic and, be- cause of its mountain terrain, has sub-climates that meet most people’s preferences. As can be seen in the ac- companying table, Honduras compares poorly with neigh- boring countries and some other countries of similar size. Guatemala next door has a per capita income roughly 50 percent higher, Costa Rica three times higher, Chile five times higher, and Switzerland and Hong Kong about 12 times higher than Honduras’. Honduras lags and suffers be- cause of the lack of the rule of law and economic freedom. Honduras is, unfortu- nately, well-known for having the highest murder rate in the world. In cities such as San Pedro Sula, drug gangs engage in open warfare on each other. The relatively good news is that the vi- olence is seldom directed against tourists, legitimate business people and profes- sionals, even though property crime is high. The genuinely good news is that Honduras has a rel- atively small government, comparatively low taxes, and manageable government debt. It has free-trade agree- ments with 40 countries, ac- counting for about 1.5 billion people, so it is an attractive location for many export- oriented businesses. The fi- nancial sector and monetary system are both reasonably stable and well-managed. The regulatory system is uncertain with too many corrupt bureaucrats and judges. There is extensive underemployment in part due to the corruption and counterproductive labor laws and regulations. Despite its problems, the ills that plague Honduras are known and fixable. Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani demonstrated that crime and murder rates can be quickly brought down with smart policing and a determined political lead- ership. (New York City has approximately the same population as Honduras.) Honduras should move to “e-government” as Estonia did a couple of decades ago under the leadership of Prime Minister Mart Laar to quickly get rid of much of the corruption. Corrupt and incompetent judges need to be fired, and even be tem- porarily replaced with some respected foreign judges as some countries have done. Former Chilean mining and labor minister, Jose Pinera, was the architect of the re- form of Chile’s social se- curity system and subsur- face property rights regime, which were key ingredi- ents in Chile’s rush from a poor to a developed country. Honduras ought to adopt much of the Chilean model. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, his predecessor and the Honduran Congress have supported the creation of free zones within Honduras as demonstration projects to show the benefits of free markets and the rule of law in creating well-paying jobs and economic growth. The first of these zones will be operational within the next couple of months. They are known as ZEDEs, meaning Zone for Employment and Economic Development. The approval and oper- ational rules of each ZEDE are provided by an interna- tional committee known as CAMP (Committee of Best Practices). In order to pro- vide international credi- bility and independence, the majority of the CAMP mem- bers (of which I am one) are non-Hondurans, drawn from nine countries. The ZEDEs will be able to create their own infrastructure – plus fire, police, medical facili- ties and civil court system (using the British common law system rather than the Honduran administra- tive law system if they so choose). The ZEDEs can also allow choice in currency. In essence, each ZEDE will operate as a free city – de- vising most of its own rules, regulations and structure to make it economically at- tractive to foreign investors. If they work as envisioned, they will be major employ- ment generators and free of corruption, and thus serve as a role model for the rest of Honduras. There are many recent examples of countries – and relatively free economic en- claves around the world – achieving very high eco- nomic growth rates for a sustained period of time. There is no reason why Honduras cannot make the necessary changes to become a high-growth country, with the doubling of real incomes every de- cade or so, quickly be- coming a developed (and safe) country. The Honduran ZEDE experiment is a part of the attempt to not only catch up with its neighbors but to surpass them. Richard W. Rahn, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. © 2015, The Washington Times RichaRd W. Rahn 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”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 Cayman Compass • Friday december 4, 2015 6 LOCAL NEWS Friday december 4, 2015 • Cayman Compass Swipe in a flash to win cash! Use your RBC VISA Debit Card online and everywhere VISA is accepted for a chance to win! Your RBC Royal Bank Visa Debit Card is faster, safer and better than cash! • More purchasing power: Welcomed online or in person at most merchants around the world. • Take control of your money: Funds are debited from your deposit account so you incur no unwanted debt. And every transaction is listed on your bank statements. • Peace of mind with fraud protection: Unauthorised funds taken from your account because of fraud will be returned to you. For further information call or visit any RBC Royal Bank branch or log on to www.rbc.com/caribbean Campaign runs from October 19th to December 31st, 2015 All RBC VISA Debit Card holders will have a chance to win There are no minimum transactions or value to qualify for the draw Each point of sale transaction qualifies as a chance to win Employees of RBC and its advertising agencies are not eligible to enter Winners will be selected on November 30, 2015 and January 15, 2016. ®/TM Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. ‡All other trademark(s) are the property of their respective owner(s). WIN monthly! 1000 $ USD WIN Law Reform Commission calls for consumer protection law ChaRLes DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new report from the Law Reform Commission calls for new rules to protect consumers in the Cayman Islands. Commission members, in a recent discussion paper, say there are consumer protec- tions built into dozens of laws, but together they do not ad- equately protect people in the Cayman Islands. Jose Griffith, senior legisla- tive counsel for the Law Reform Commission, said, “There is a need for something holistic” to protect consumers. He said commissioners think new rules should give certainty for con- sumers about their rights, give people an accessible way to make complaints about unfair business practices, and make sure complaints can be re- solved quickly. While not official recom- mendations, the paper is meant to be a starting point for a de- bate on consumer protection rules that could eventually lead to a new consumer protection proposal for legislators. Following a public con- sultation, the commissioners could bring formal recom- mendations to the Attorney General who could, in turn, pro- pose new consumer protection laws to Cabinet. “It’s critical to ask the public the big questions,” Mr. Griffith said. Those questions, he noted, include whether or not there is a problem with consumer protection and what are the best ways to ad- dress any possible issues. The commission’s paper calls for a new consumer af- fairs agency to monitor and investigate unfair business practices and a “Consumer Tribunal” to help settle dis- putes and possibly award damages if a business is found to be in the wrong. The commissioners write, “While compliance is best se- cured by the use of persuasion and negotiation techniques, it is now established legisla- tive practice that these tech- niques have to be supported by a range of sanctions which can be applied or used de- pending upon the level of co- operation required.” The paper notes, “For con- sumer protection legislation to be effective, it needs to pro- tect both consumers and le- gitimate businesses in relation to quality guarantees, product safety and misleading or de- ceptive conduct.” “If there is no deterrent, businesses are likely to breach consumer rights with impu- nity and this can adversely impact consumer confidence. Consumers who lack confi- dence, delay in entering into transactions or may choose not to purchase goods and services if it is perceived that the risks are too high. Consequently, this may have an adverse effect on competition, market efficiency and ultimately the economy,” the commissioners write. A new consumer protec- tion law, the commissioners say, should prohibit misrepre- sentation, misleading conduct, harassment and other bad con- duct by businesses. The legislation, the com- missioners write, should make it a criminal offense to lie to or obstruct consumer protec- tion investigators. For violating protection rules, the commis- sion members propose busi- nesses should face fines and other sanctions. “Legislation is one cru- cial component of a strategy to increase consumer protec- tion in the Islands. Equally, it is important to ensure that we have a system in place that can be both pro-active and responsive to consumer is- sues as they emerge,” the com- missioners write. They argue that new legis- lation should be flexible and able to change as technology and markets evolve. In their re- port, the law reform commis- sioners continue: “The overall objectives of new legislation should be to promote and ad- vance the social and economic welfare of consumers by es- tablishing a legal framework for the achievement and main- tenance of a consumer market that is accessible, fair, efficient, responsible and sustainable for the benefit of consumers generally, and which provides adequate safeguards to vulner- able consumers.” The paper is available on the commission website at www.lrc. gov.ky and the commissioners ask people to submit comments in writing to the Director of the Law Reform Commission at the Government Administration Building or cilrc@gov.ky. Roads closed foR sunday’s maRathon sunday Several roads in Grand Cayman will be closed to ve- hicular traffic from 4 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. Sunday during the Intertrust Cayman Islands Marathon, according to an advisory issued by police. The marathon begins at the harborfront in down- town George Town at 5 a.m. The course winds from Harbour Drive, along South Church Street, South Sound and Old Prospect Road to Prospect Point, which is the turnaround point. Runners then run back along part of the same course and then onto Walkers Road as far as Hinds Way. They then turn onto Academy Way and back onto Walkers Road as far as the four- way stop at Hospital Road, then onto Elgin Avenue and back to downtown George Town to the finish line at Harbour Drive. Runners doing the full marathon then repeat that course. Police advise that the fol- lowing roads will be closed or restricted for the duration of the marathon: ■■ Red Bay Road from Old Prospect Road to the roundabout by Hurley’s Supermarket, in the direc- tion of George Town, will be reduced to one lane ■■ Walkers Road between Hospital Road and South Sound Road (ac- cess only for residents) ■■ Shedden Road and Elgin Avenue in down- town George Town ■■ South Sound Road (ac- cess only for residents) ■■ South Church Street ■■ Harbour Drive ■■ Mary Street. See page 36 and 37 for more stories on the marathon.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Friday december 4, 2015 8 LOCAL NEWS Friday december 4, 2015 • Cayman Compass We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Richard Wesley Ebanks better known as “Boom man and Sirless” who passed away on Friday, November 20, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Sunday, December 6, 2015 at Church of Christ, Batabano Rd., Mount Pleasant, West Bay at 2:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 1:00-1:45 p.m. Cremation will follow at a later date. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Coreen Erselena Smith affectionately known as “Co-Co” who passed away on Saturday, November 21st, 2015. A funeral service will be held on Saturday December 5th, 2015 at the Red Bay Church of God Holiness, 38 Lord’s Way, off Selkirk Drive, at 3:00p.m. Viewing from 2:00 to 2:45p.m. Interment to follow at the Prospect Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We will re-open for business on Monday, December 7th HYDES & SONS WILL BEHYDES & SONS WILL BEHYDES & SONS WILL BECLOSEDCLOSEDCLOSED ON SATURDAY DECEMBER 5ON SATURDAY DECEMBER 5ON SATURDAY DECEMBER 5TH THTH Through this medium we thank all our many loyal friends and family for your loving expressions of sympathy in the sudden heart breaking loss of our beloved darling, Rhonda Maureen Azan. Our hearts are strengthened through the many acts of Kindness and love shown – your phone calls, visits, preparation and provision of meals, oral tributes, cards, words of comfort and prayers will be treasured in our hearts. Our heartfelt thanks go out to the Cayman Islands Angling Club, Mrs. Judy Bush, Cayman Islands Baptist Church, John Gray High School graduating class of 1970, and Churchill’s Funeral Home. We are grateful for all those who contributed in so many ways, which are too numerous to mention. May God bless and keep you all and ask for you to remember us in your prayers as we too will remember you in ours. Through this medium we thank all our many loyal Through this medium we thank all our many loyal We regret to announce the passing of Julia A. Hydes “Aunt Julia” Who departed this life on Monday, 30 November, 2015. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page Funeral services will be held at the Wesleyan Holiness Church, West Bay, Saturday, 5 December 2015 at 10:00 AM. Viewing will be from 9:00AM prior to the service. Interment will follow in West Bay Cemetery. Suspended sentence handed down for beach machete attack CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A defendant who ad- mitted hitting a man in the head with a machete three times was given a suspended sentence on Wednesday. Jameil Livingston Rankine, 22, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, but Justice Robin McMillan suspended that term for two years. Rankine said he attacked the victim after seeing the mother of his child with the man on a George Town beach in the early hours of Friday, Aug. 21 this year. The victim, 25, sustained three lacerations – one to his left cheek, which required four sutures, one to the top of the head, and one to the forehead. The doctor’s re- port indicated that the inju- ries were not serious and not likely to be permanent, ex- cept for scarring. The victim reported having pains in the area of the injuries and said he could no longer braid his hair as he used to because of the site of the injuries. His medical bills totalled $878.04 for treatment, the court heard. Senior Crown counsel Tanya Lobban and defense attorney Martha Rankine agreed on aggravating fac- tors, including that when the defendant began the at- tack, he had continued to act aggressively after his child’s mother and a secu- rity guard who was in the vicinity tried to intervene. Rankine was under the in- fluence of alcohol at the time and had expressed an in- tention to inflict more harm than occurred. Ms. Rankine also spoke in mitigation, emphasizing that the defendant had no previous criminal convic- tions. He had apologized to the victim for what had happened and expressed re- morse when interviewed by a probation officer. He was willing to pay compensation. After the attack, he surren- dered the weapon and left the scene. “This act was out of char- acter, [committed] in the heat of the moment and jealousy and simply bad judgment,” Ms. Rankine told the court. She pointed out that the risk of Rankine re-offending was low and the writer of a social inquiry report had rec- ommended a suspended sen- tence and probation order. Justice McMillan said he considered that the aggra- vating and mitigating fac- tors were balanced. With 18 months as a starting point, he gave a discount of one-third for the early guilty plea. “You’re very fortunate that the injuries were not greater,” he told the defendant. He decided to impose a suspended sentence supervi- sion order – 12 months im- prisonment suspended for two years – with the defen- dant directed to complete an anger management course and a men’s non-violence program. He is to be of good behavior for the next two years and take part in any other program required by his supervising officer. Compensation was to be paid within 28 days. “The court on this occa- sion is showing a degree of leniency,” Justice McMillan told Rankine. “You are at a threshold in your young life and if you choose the wrong road, it will have dark conse- quences for you.” Road safety examined in new documentary Following one of the deadliest years on Cayman’s roads, a new documen- tary is shedding light on the issue of road safety in the Cayman Islands. Cayman 27 has part- nered with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service to pro- duce the 30-minute documen- tary, called “Road Impact: Cayman Islands,” which aims to improve road safety and prevent the tragic accidents in which individuals can be seriously injured or killed. So far this year, there have been 12 traffic accident-re- lated fatalities in Cayman – one of the worst years on record. According to police traffic data, in the first six months of 2015. there were 462 traffic accidents, 50 people were ar- rested for driving under the influence, and 593 people were cited for speeding. The short film’s release was timed to coincide with RCIPS’s Holiday Safety Initiative, which began this week. The initiative focuses on improving road safety over the holiday season, which is often a particularly dangerous time on the roads. “The documentary looks at the causes of road crashes and the impact they have on the lives of people involved in them and the wider com- munity,” said RCIPS Public Relations Officer Jacqueline Carpenter in a press release. The film, which was pro- duced and shot in Cayman, features interviews with indi- viduals whose lives were irre- vocably altered by road acci- dents, including many family members of people who have been killed on Cayman’s streets. It also includes inter- views with medical profes- sionals and first responders. The film, which first aired on Cayman 27 last week, is now available to watch on- line on YouTube. Single motherS invited to apply for work training The National Workforce Development Agency has opened a new track for single mothers in its Passport2Success program. The work training pro- gram is for recent gradu- ates, unemployed people and other Caymanians looking to advance their careers. Participants attend classes and workshops covering topics from the Labour Law to public speaking. People accepted into the 12-week program attend full time and receive a weekly sti- pend. The next program is for single mothers and runs from January to April. The deadline to apply is Friday, Dec. 11. For more information, contact NWDA training and development manager Dianne Conolly at 244-4048 or nwda.training@gov.ky. Applications and more information are available at www.passport2success.ky.This crash on Shamrock Road, that claimed the life of mother-of-four Rowena Scott on March 11, was one of 12 fatal road accidents in Cayman this year. - photo: Brent fUller9 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Friday december 4, 2015 We regret to announce the passing of Edison Arlington Yates Who departed this life On Sunday, 29th November, 2015 Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com Interment will follow at the North Side Cemetery. The Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Friday, 4th December, 2015, at the Red Bay Church of God (Holiness), at 10:00 a.m. We regret to announce the passing of Alma Altona Ebanks Who departed this life On Friday, 27th November, 2015 Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com Interment will follow at the Chisholm’s Cemetery, North Side . The Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, 12th December, 2015, at the Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre, at 3:00 p.m. emetery North Side We regret to announce the passing of Clarine Victoria Christian “Clarinda” Who departed this life On Thursday, 19th November, 2015 Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com Interment will follow at the Spot Bay Cemetery. The Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, 5th December, 2015, at the Bethel Baptist Church, Cayman Brac at 3:00 p.m. pa ing metery We regret to announce the passing of Bert Watler Who departed this life On Tuesday, 24 November 2015. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 2:00 PM Saturday, 5 December 2015, at Webster United Memorial Church, Bodden Town. Interment will follow in Old Bodden Town Cemetery. We regret to announce the passing of Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com Mr. Waugh will be repatriated to Jamaica. Lando Martin Waugh Who departed this life On Saturday, 21 November, 2015 We regret to announce the passing of Morris Gilbert McLaughlin “Dr. Silk” Who departed this life on Tuesday, 24 November, 2015. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page Funeral services will be held at the Countryside Church of God, East End, Sunday, 6 December 2015 at 2:00 PM. Viewing will be from 1:00-1:45 prior to the service. Interment will follow in East End Cemetery. Lobster season gets under way James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Lobster season opened this week, giving free divers a three-month window to catch the coveted but pro- tected species. The opportunity to catch lobster is restricted to breath-hold divers, typ- ically using a noose, be- tween Dec. 1 and Feb. 28. Divers are also lim- ited to catching three lob- sters per day, or six per boat, in order to maintain healthy populations. The opening day of lob- ster season in Cayman has become a beloved tradition for some, like Simon Boxall and Nick Joseph, who have looked forward to the day as an annual event since they were kids. “I think the beginning of lobster season every year is one of those great Caymanian traditions. There is no more important day in my annual calendar,” said Mr. Boxall. Along with their friend Chris Bouck, the pair snagged their limit of six lobster and six conch on Tuesday. After years of recre- ational lobster fishing, Mr. Boxall says he knows the right spots to look. He can hold his breath for around a minute at a time, which is long enough to catch lobster in shallow waters. He said the short season was necessary to keep the tradition alive for future generations. “I think the laws help pro- tect the environment but it is also about allowing people to continue to enjoy things like fishing,” he said. High demand John Bothwell, senior research officer with the Cayman Islands Department of Environment, said the length of the season had been reduced over the years because lobsters were in high demand. He said, “It is about trying to balance people’s ability to use the resource with main- taining the resource as well.” In the old days, he said, lobster were so plentiful that fishermen could catch them without getting out of their boats. He believes the current restrictions are sufficient to maintain a sustainable lob- ster population. Mr. Bothwell said more research may be needed on lobster numbers, but he be- lieves the current restric- tions are enough to main- tain the populations. “It appears to be working out right now,” he said. “As long as people are taking sus- tainably, it shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing. People should feel comfortable with it. “Taking for yourself and your family and friends and having a cookout is great. What we want to discourage is people taking large num- bers and making a business of it because the population can’t support that.” Other guidelines As well as lobster, a number of other marine spe- cies are subject to seaonal fishing restrictions. The Department of Environment this week is- sued the following guidelines: Lobster: ■■ Open season is from Dec. 1 to Feb. 29 ■■ Catch limit is three per person or six per boat, per day, whichever is less ■■ Minimum size is a six-inch tail length ■■ No taking of lobsters from Marine Parks or Replenishment Zones. Conch: ■■ Open season is from Nov. 1 to April 30 ■■ Catch limit is five per person or 10 per boat, per day, whichever is less ■■ Purchase limit (for conch taken from Cayman wa- ters) is five conch per day ■■ No taking of conch from Marine Parks or Replenishment Zones. Grouper: ■■ It is illegal to take Nassau Grouper from the grouper holes until the end of March ■■ The minimum size for grouper is 12 inches. Whelks: ■■ Open season is Nov. 1 to April 30 ■■ Catch or purchase limit is two and one-half gallons of whelks in the shell, or two and one-half pounds of processed whelks (out of their shells) ■■ Bleeding teeth, chitons (sea beef) and periwinkles may not be taken at any time. Anyone seeing individuals poaching marine life or committing any other offenses can call 911; or the DoE officers on Grand Cayman on 916-4271, on Cayman Brac on 926-0136, or on Little Cayman on 926-2342. Simon Boxall snagged his bag-limit of lobster on the opening day of the season. The opportunity to catch lobster, is restricted to breath-hold divers, typically using a noose, between Dec. 1 and Feb. 28.Next >