ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Tuesday december 8, 2015 sports | page 17 Team Nikki’s voice rises To occasioN Nikki Christian, Scott Ruby celebrate High of 87 Low of 75 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. editorial | page 4 chrisTmas wishes: keep iT kiNd, caymaN islaNds 180913_PRINT-Ad-Strip-BOTY-6colxPage 1 11/30/15 12:30:30 PM CaRePay tRial Ex-mEdical chiEf: aiS contract waS ‘not going to bE StoppEd’ Police statement alleges ‘higher ups’ may be involved breNT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The former medical director of the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority said Monday that he was “not comfortable” with either the CarePay patient swipe-card con- tract or a subsequent contract for a pharma- ceutical tracking system being awarded to the local operator of a Jamaican-St. Lucian com- pany, but admitted he did not formally object to either deal. With regard to both contracts going to AIS Cayman Ltd., Dr. Greg Hoeksema told jurors Monday that he felt it was already a done deal. “I knew this was a battle that I could not win,” Dr. Hoeksema said via a video-link tele- conference from Washington state. “I could choose to die on this battlefield or I could choose to let it go and press on with the other issues of the day.” “This was not going to be stopped,” he added. Cayman Islands businessman Canover Watson, the former chairman of the Health Services Authority board of directors, is charged with six counts under the local anti- corruption law and common law that allege he and his business partner, Jeffrey Webb, ran a scheme to funnel payments from the HSA’s pa- tient swipe-card contract – known as CarePay – to themselves via “sham” frontmen who ran AIS Cayman Ltd. Watson and his former personal assis- tant Miriam Rodriguez are also charged with transferring criminal property – certain pro- ceeds from the hospital contracts – to Webb and others. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Dr. Hoeksema, an American military doctor who served as medical director of the HSA be- tween 2007 and early 2012, testified Monday that although he signed the initial December 2010 contract for the CarePay swipe-card system, he was never comfortable with it. He told the jury that the entire process for the CarePay contract had played out “very differ- ently” than a number of other contracts he had seen at the HSA, in particular with regard to the “direct way” Watson had become involved. Dr. Hoeksema said the hospital’s former chief of in- formation technology, Dale Sanders, also shared some misgivings about the contract process for the CarePay card system. UK fire service veteran named new chief breNT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com For the first time since the Cayman Islands Fire Service was created, a non-Cayma- nian has been appointed to lead the department. David Hails was intro- duced Monday during an af- ternoon meeting to local fire- fighters as the department’s new chief fire officer. He told those assembled he was “de- lighted” to be in Cayman. He will begin his three- year contract in the role on Feb. 1, 2016. Mr. Hails left his position at the Serco International Fire Training Centre in the U.K. ear- lier this year after eight years of service there. Prior to that, he worked as a fire officer at the U.K. Ministry of Defense. He has 37 years of experience in the fire- fighting profession, and Ministry designs unveiled for beach bay resort James whiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Dramatic and futur- istic designs for a planned US$250 million luxury re- sort in Bodden Town were un- veiled Saturday at an event in Miami Beach. Beach Bay Land Ltd. an- nounced TEN Arquitectos of Mexico City and New York as the winner of its design compe- tition for work on the resort at St. James Point, Beach Bay. The firm’s concept designs show hotel and condo buildings curving along the coastline. John Layton, managing di- rector of the development company, making the an- nouncement during an event at Art Basel gallery, said, “It is a great pleasure to an- nounce this collaboration with TEN Arquitectos, a firm who so clearly understood our vi- sion for creating a Caribbean icon that is sensitive to the existing tropical environ- ment, integrates the architec- ture as art and in harmony with nature, while offering the highest standard of luxury accommodation.” He said he was impressed with the firm’s record on An aerial view of the proposed Beach Bay hotel. An architectural rendering of the new resort proposed for Beach Bay. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Tuesday december 8, 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. - TUESDAY - $8.00 THE GOOD DINOSAUR 3D (PG) 12:30 | 1:30 2D | 3:00 | 4:00 2D | 5:30 | 7:00 2D | 8:00 | 9:30 2D HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2 (PG13) 12:20 | 3:25 | 6:30 | 9:40 CREED (PG13) 1:10 | 4:10 | 7:05 | 10:00 LOVE THE COOPERS (PG13) 1:00 | 3:30 | 7:10 | 9:50 SPECTRE (PG13) 12:45 I 4:15 I 7:30 www.tonymosleylifeinsurance.com Rotary Central treats kids Rotary Central hosted a Christmas party for more than 70 children at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort on Sunday. The young guests of honor from Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Special Needs Foundation and East End Primary School were treated to games, prizes, dinner, a magic show and a visit from Santa Claus, who gave each child a present. In addition to volunteers from Rotary, volunteers from the Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman also helped out at the event. ‘The Mighty Ricardo’ dazzled children with his magic show during Rotary Central’s Christmas party. - Photos: Kelsey JuKam Santa and his helper gave presents to more than 70 children who attended Rotary Central’s Christmas party at the Marriott on Sunday. us faces $1 billion in trade Penalties for meat labels WASHINGTON (AP) – The World Trade Organization ruled Monday that Canada and Mexico can slap more than $1 bil- lion in tariffs on U.S. goods in retaliation for meat labeling rules it says discriminated against Mexican and Canadian livestock. At issue were U.S. la- bels on packaged steaks and other cuts of meat that say where the ani- mals were born, raised and slaughtered. The WTO has previ- ously found that the so- called “country of origin” labeling law put Canadian and Mexican livestock at a disadvantage. It ruled Monday that Canada could impose $780 mil- lion in retaliatory tariffs and Mexico could impose $228 million. “We are disappointed with this decision and its potential impact on trade among vital North American partners,” said Tim Reif, general counsel for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The labels are sup- ported by some U.S. ranchers and by con- sumer groups. They are opposed by meatpackers who say they require costly paperwork. The WTO’s decision shifts responsibility to Congress, which is con- sidering working a re- peal of the labeling law into a massive year-end spending bill. Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, said Monday that he will look for “all legislative opportunities” to repeal the labeling law. “We must prevent retaliation, and we must do it now before these sanctions take effect,” Roberts said. The labeling law was included in the 2002 and 2008 farm bills at the be- hest of ranchers from those northern U.S. states who compete with the Canadian cattle industry. It has also been backed by consumer advocates who say it helps shoppers know where their food comes from. mexico city voters say no to elevated ParK and mall MEXICO CITY (AP) – The Mexico City government said it has abandoned plans to build an elevated shopping and park area over a main boulevard, after voters over- whelmingly rejected the plan in a referendum. The city government said late Sunday it would respect the vote and not build the Chapultepec Cultural Corridor, which the city hoped would imitate the success of New York City’s High Line. The project had drawn opposition partly because it was to be built by private companies, who would get multi-year leases on the com- mercial space. More than 22,000 res- idents voted almost 2-1 against it. In a Sunday referendum. The city had promoted it as “inspired by the Ramblas in Barcelona, and New York’s High Line.” The labeling law has been backed by consumer advocates who say it helps shoppers know where their food comes from.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Tuesday december 8, 2015 George TownThe 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. Tuesday deCember 8, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Sanford J. Ungar In the seemingly endless, invariably unfocused dia- logue about what is wrong with higher education in the United States, the word “skills” is sure to come up often. The complaints should be familiar to all by now: Our young people are not get- ting the skills they need from their high-priced college edu- cations. “Practical” (or “voca- tional”) skills are neglected in the traditional liberal arts curriculum, so graduates are not finding the jobs they need to pay off loans; hence the popular drumbeat that we must let “industry” tell col- leges and universities what they should be teaching. Rarely, if ever, are these elusive skills defined – ex- cept perhaps to say, as some economists do, that to enter the workforce successfully, students will have to learn to become “managers,” “commu- nicators,” “goal-setters,” “mar- keters” and the like. Better, I suppose, than becoming ex- perts in hole-punching, data entry or widget-making. Leaving aside for the mo- ment the question of whether a well-rounded, all-American education in the humanities, the natural sciences and the social sciences helps develop those more sophisticated tal- ents – I happen to think it can and often does remark- ably well – a new idea has emerged overseas that de- serves serious consideration: Let older students and young workers figure out for them- selves what they need to know to get ahead in life. The concept comes from, of all places, Singapore – a country that is, as acting minister of education Ong Ye Kung put it at a conference I recently attended there, “young and small” enough to get away with unusual exper- iments and innovations. Under the SkillsFuture program that will take ef- fect next year, the Singapore government will give every citizen over 25 an account containing 500 Singapore dollars (about US$350) to apply to whatever con- tinuing education each person deems relevant and necessary to his or her am- bitions, within certain con- straints yet to be identified. Much will depend on the implementation, of course, but the idea is that individ- uals will vote with their feet on the basis of real-time ex- perience and that providers will succeed or fail as a re- sult of the perceived value of what they offer. In theory, the program would be as useful for those with little previous formal education as for those returning to school for some fine-tuning or upgrading of their knowledge. Many might use it to put a technological gloss on more mundane ear- lier studies or training. The implication is that those individuals who use the funds productively and effectively will have their ac- counts replenished, and their credentials correspondingly enhanced, over time. Other skills-centered ed- ucational programs being put in place in Singapore may reflect a heavier govern- ment hand. There is Earn and Learn, for example, whereby educational institutions, in- cluding some focused on technical training, will be encouraged to develop pro- grams in conjunction with employers in areas prioritized by the government, such as cybersecurity. Students will receive up to 5,000 Singapore dollars as an incentive to attend, and the employers will be rewarded financially as well. There will also be SkillsFuture Fellowships, of- fering 10,000 Singapore dol- lars for those who master their craft further, as well as government-coordinated in- ternships that can be readily interwoven with more tradi- tional studies. And all of this is in the context of a national system of career counselors in schools, from the earliest grades, and online “career portals” that people can use to plan their futures – leading to a rapidly rising percentage of Singaporeans participating in some form of education beyond high school. Whether any of these ini- tiatives can be replicated in other countries is uncertain. Singapore is, after all, as the minister said, very young – only 50 years old – and a tiny city-state with a population of 5.5 million in a quarter the land area of Rhode Island. Part of the legacy of its late charismatic, if somewhat au- thoritarian, leader Lee Kuan Yew is hectic economic growth and extraordinary prosperity for most people. But public protests are, for the most part, banned, and entry documents for foreign visitors unequiv- ocally warn that drug traf- fickers face the death penalty under Singapore law. Yet it is just this sort of educational experiment that deserves the attention of the United States, which has one of the lowest higher-educa- tion completion rates of any country in the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. One could imagine state, county or mu- nicipal efforts, for example, to introduce SkillsFuture- type programs that help get Americans back to work. This just might be more effective than having the federal departments of Education, Labor, Defense and Veterans Affairs, among others, spend billions of dol- lars on helter-skelter job training and retraining pro- grams, with unclear results. And it might help deflect the blame that was being placed on colleges and universi- ties for failing to accomplish things they were never really intended to do. The writer, president emeritus of Goucher College, teaches at Harvard and Georgetown and is a fellow at the Lumina Foundation. © 2015, Washington Post Christmas wishes: Keep it kind, Cayman Islands Now that the winter season is upon us, our homes, airwaves and public places are brimming with sounds of good old-fashioned holiday cheer. The aural atmo- sphere of the Cayman Islands at this time of year is characterized by civility, joy, song and human decency. Our elected statesmen would do well to draw inspi- ration from the sounds of Christmas, and utilize the feelings of goodwill and politeness to temper their political discourse when the business of the Legislative Assembly picks up again in January. Too often in recent months have divisive oratory and inflammatory rhetoric prevailed in the House, as our lawmakers have allowed themselves to become carried away on the ugliest of diatribes. The defining instance of this, perhaps, was Bodden Town MLA Anthony Eden’s unfortunate remarks in August on the “satanic confusion” of homosexuality. During his intemperate outburst on the House floor, Mr. Eden described gay rights as “a social and moral evil [that] is being promoted as normal behavior,” amid allusions to pedophilia, bestiality and abortion. After his statements were criticized by Human Rights Commission Chairman James Austin-Smith, Mr. Eden again stood up in parliament, this time declaring, “We do not need an atheist chairing our Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission.” Later, Mr. Eden publicly broke from the Progressives government over the issue of the legal recognition of same-sex couples, and stated that when the House reconvenes, he would be an independent member of the Legislative Assembly. In a speech in April on the House floor, North Side MLA Ezzard Miller referenced “revolution” and “blood- shed,” saying, “[R]evolutions are not caused in coun- tries by poor disadvantaged people. “They are the people that are used. It is them kind of unemployed, education people that are going to cause the revolution in this country. … I going to probably be in front with them in leading the revolu- tion. They’re not going to be leading it against me, I going to be with them. Because it has to come. … We don’t have too many moons here to make the adjust- ment locally and put Caymanians back in charge. … If we don’t do it soon, we not going to do it without bloodshed. Because people are getting fed up.” Meanwhile, East End MLA Arden McLean recently commented on the relationship between expatriates and Caymanians, saying, “When these people come here, they accept our generosity and then they take it for stupidity. Because we’re stupid. We allow them take advantage of us.” Mr. McLean was seizing an opportunity presented by freshman George Town MLA Winston Connolly, who had made a motion in regard to the training and pro- motion of Caymanian employees, and, we felt, impru- dently differentiated between “real” Caymanians and legitimate Caymanian status holders. He later denied that was his intent. Our point is this: Our country’s statesmen should keep in mind that, in the age of the Internet, what they say in the House no longer stays within the House, or Cayman’s borders. The “parliamentary privilege” that they enjoy does not grant them immunity from inter- national bad publicity. For example, the editorials the Compass published in August and November on Mr. Eden’s invective reached readers in 35 different countries. (And that’s just Cayman’s “hometown newspaper.” Imagine the magnitude of reputational damage when unflattering stories are picked up by the likes of The New York Times, Washington Post, Reuters and the Associated Press.) When elected members speak on the floor of the House, they need to remind themselves that their audience is no longer just their colleagues or their con- stituencies. It is the world. Self-discipline and restraint need to govern their oratory. One more thought, and please trust us on this: Words, when reduced to print, often look much worse than they sound when uttered verbally. It is a principle every public speaker should keep in mind. Accordingly, our leaders would be well-advised to conduct themselves with a bit more “CaymanKind- ness” this holiday season and in the New Year. Those who persist in incivility need to be called out, forcefully but respectfully, by their colleagues in parliament — and the people of these islands. Singapore’s market-based education experiment [A] new idea has emerged overseas that deserves serious consideration: Let older students and young workers figure out for themselves what they need to know to get ahead in life. Skills-centered education programs in Singapore are catching the attention of educators in the United States. Pictured above is Singapore’s central business district. - Photo: Darren Soh/BloomBerg 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”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 Cayman Compass • Tuesday december 8, 2015 50% OF GOVERNMENT REVENUE $300+ MILLION EACH YEAR IT’S TOO BIG TO IGNORE. movingcaymanforward.ky +Tuesday december 8, 2015 • Cayman Compass LOCAL NEWS 6 District Days West Bay West Bay residents reflect on Christmas VICKI WHEATON vwheaton@pinnaclemedialtd.com On a recent Thursday morning the Compass headed to West Bay, looking for residents to interview about Christmas in Cayman. The first stop was Hell, and perhaps unsurpris- ingly, George Nowak, better known as Barefoot Man, pulled into the parking lot soon after. A devil had come home to roost. The troubadour, who was looking to replenish his CD stock in the gift shop, was greeted by Ivan Farrington, resident Beelzebub. “How the hell are you doing?” Mr. Farrington asked, a vision in his red cape and horns. Mr. Farrington has owned the nearly 100-year-old gift shop in Hell since 1987, and over the 28 years he has spent there, he has entertained visitors and residents with his endless puns and historical tales. The story of Hell’s beginnings, as printed on several of its postcards, is amusing, yet probably more anecdotal than truth. Supposedly, in the early 1930s, a commissioner from the U.K. visited West Bay and shot at a bird among a large patch of pointy black rocks. He missed the lucky creature, exclaiming “Oh hell!” at the same time. The name stuck, and remains to this day. According to Mr. Farrington, postage stamps were origi- nally sold at the location from 1962, when Jeanette Parsons would sit at the window and the few tourists on the island would buy them from her. In 1985, Captain Theo Bodden built the post office and gift shops, and then gave them to the Cayman Islands government. Mr. Farrington brought his own gift shop to the location in 1987, and has run the place ever since. On the day the Compass was there, tour buses were ar- riving, bearing tourists eager to see the black limestone rocks that dominate the area behind the shops. Mr. Farrington straightened his horns and got into char- acter for the army of visitors heading his way. We asked several West Bayers what Christmas means to them, and these are their responses. Winston Russell, taxi driver and tourism ambassador ‘Christmas is when family members get together, have fun and are reunited. It’s a wonderful time of year. My favorite dish is roast beef and curry goat.’ Kenny Phillips, service station attendant ‘Family, friends and food. That’s what Christmas is all about for me. I like to party on Christmas Day because I don’t have to work. My favorite food? Everything!’ Amil Stewart, landscaper ‘Christmas for me is all about giving and receiving, being with family and going to church. My favorite food is usually Chinese food, but in the season, it’s got to be turkey and ham.’ - Photos: Vicki Wheaton April Wright, craft artisan ‘I just love being with my huge family, sharing a good time. I cook dishes, like Cayman-style beef (my favorite) and for dessert, it’s corn bread and cassava cake.’The Hell gift shop building is nearly 100 years old. George Nowak, aka Barefoot Man, musical artist, visitor to West Bay ‘I like Christmas because if they ask me to work over the holidays, I get double pay. I do have to burn up my credit cards, however, to buy gifts for my wife, two daughters, son and horse.’ Ivan Farrington, resident Devil at Hell ‘I get with my family and have lots of good food, but most of the time I’m working right up to Christmas. The dish I most look forward to is beef, Cayman style, and turkey.’Cayman Compass • Tuesday december 8, 2015 LOCAL NEWS 7 District Days West Bay In the Dec. 8, 1965 edition of The Caymanian Weekly, a precursor to the Cayman Compass, a news item on page 5 highlighted a weekend baby boom on Grand Cayman. “The staff at the hospital worked non- stop over the weekend to deliver nine babies. Mrs. Diana Ebanks of West Bay set the ball rolling on Friday at 9 p.m. when she gave birth to twins – a 6¼ lb girl and a 6 lb boy. She is the wife of Mr. Isaac Ebanks.” Not all the news was happy in West Bay, however, as a wave of influenza, which had already claimed the lives of others on Grand Cayman in the weeks before, caused the death of 84-year-old Luther Ebanks, as reported by West Bay correspondent Leila Yates. In other West Bay news that week, the management of Club Inferno took out an advertisement to advise the public that the establishment’s new chairs and ta- bles had arrived, and that the club was proudly introducing slot car racing. “Try it!” the ad urged. “You will get the thrill of your life.” 50 years ago Birth of twins starts weekend baby boom Sunrise Christmas Concert brings community together BaSia MCGuire bmcguire@pinnaclemedialtd.com It was once again standing room only at the Sunrise Adult Training Centre’s annual Christmas concert at the John Gray Memorial Church hall in West Bay Church, one of the organization’s long-standing com- munity partners. The Wednesday, Dec. 2 event brought the community together in a rousing celebration of the Christmas season. This year’s pro- duction, “Three Wise Men and a Baby,” was a lighthearted take on the movie comedy and story of the three wise men on a quest to find baby Jesus, told from the perspec- tive of the stars in Heaven, rem- iniscing about the night Jesus was born. A cast of more than 30 featured Chalice Smith, John White and Gabriella Terry as the re-imagined Wise Men, Elvisbar, Garthsbar and Jamesbar – each a singing and ap- propriately costumed version of music stars Elvis Presley, Garth Brooks and James Brown. Tessa Terry played the Star that led the three Wise Men to the Holy Family. A variety of music and dance, from traditional to modern, were woven through and performed by all the Sunrise clients with the as- sistance of the talented staff. “The Sunrise Adult Training Centre is a department within the Ministry of Education which pro- vides vocational training and sup- port, life skills training, supported employment opportunities and community inclusion opportuni- ties through recreational outings to adults with disabilities,” said pro- gram manager Kimberly Voaden. “We serve clients with many different kinds of disabilities, in- cluding but not limited to cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, spina bi- fida, vision and hearing impair- ment, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, specific learning disabilities, and genetic conditions. We are very proud of our production as it show- cases our clients’ many talents and the skills of our staff as well.” Indeed, the elaborate costumes and sets were a true collaborative effort by clients and staff. This year’s show was also spe- cial in that the performers in- corporated their newly acquired skills in Makaton sign language, an international simplified sign language designed to support spoken language appropriate for clients with communicative and cognitive difficulties. “We think it’s the first time the Cayman National Song, ‘Beloved Isle Cayman,’ has been signed, which is worth celebrating for its true inclu- siveness,” Ms. Voaden said. The concept of inclusiveness was particularly important this year, as Dec. 3, the day after the show, was the United Nations Day of Persons with Disabilities, with this year’s theme being access and empower- ment for people of all abilities. “The theme of this day speaks to the right of all people, no matter their disability to participate in public life, and the concert was a perfect way to accomplish this theme locally,” said Ms. Voaden. “We were so pleased with the engage- ment and wonderful effect on self esteem that taking part in the con- cert had for our clients. The whole lead-up to the show, memorizing their lines, practicing and pre- paring was a great way for our cli- ents to work on their skills develop- ment. Plus, of course, the concert is a great way for the wider commu- nity to appreciate what our clients are able to do.” Ms. Voaden was delighted there was an overwhelming level of sup- port from those in attendance and much praise for the performance, and said to stay tuned for news about the Sunrise center’s spring concert coming up at the Harquail Theatre in 2016. Vocational Coordinator suzette stewart with Harris egbert, Tessa Terry and oral Powery, who played the stars. - Photos: toni Johnson gabrielle Terry, John White and Chalice smith played Jamesbar, garthsbar and elvisbar. John White played garthsbar. The cast performs a big number. Devon ebanks gets ready.8 LOCAL NEWS Tuesday december 8, 2015 • Cayman Compass On behalf of the Government of the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) invites eligible vendors/agencies to submit their proposal to provide agency search services. The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) will offer for public tender the contract for Media Placement and Planning Services in the United States of America and is seeking a qualified Media Search Agency to manage the process from Pre- Qualification through to Agency Selection as per Central Tender Committee (CTC) guidelines. The following provides an overview of the type of service and agency we seek to employ for: 1) Search Agency nFirm must demonstrate minimum of 10 Years of experience with media planning agency searches nStrong understanding of, and demonstrated success in, developing and implementing objective and transparent open tender processes nAbility to develop customized templates to aide an objective procurement process for media planning services nHigh level of commitment to client service in terms of quality, thoroughness of strategic approach and follow through nStrong understanding of working with Central Tender Committee (CTC) and the Cayman Islands Government procurement processes nAbility to establish strong rapport with representatives of the Cayman Islands Government tourism staff nDesire to exceed expectations and invest in a strong client-agency partnership nStrong customer service acumen in order to uphold the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism professional reputation At the close of this search, our intent is to contract a Media Search Agency for a four to six month time frame. Interested parties are invited to visit: www.caymanislands.ky/RecruitmentAgencySearch for details and more information about the process & submission guidelines. Submissions can only be made electronically; Deadline for submission is 5:00 PM CST on Wednesday, December 16th, 2015. The Cayman Islands Government will not defray any submission costs incurred by the proposing company. CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT Proposal Invitation Clifton Hunter value: $69.2M Auditor was kind in earlier evaluations Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands gov- ernment lost $41.6 million on the construction of Clifton Hunter High School between the date the school opened and the time a valuation of the North Side property was completed in May 2013. Records released to the Cayman Compass under the Freedom of Information Law stated that the Clifton Hunter property was valued at $69.2 million by surveyors who were reviewing all govern- ment properties at the time. The final construction costs for the school were es- timated at $110.8 million by the Cayman Islands Auditor General’s Office in a report issued earlier this year. Auditors noted in later re- ports that valuations for the school property had fluctu- ated between $20 million and $40 million below the initial construction costs. The reason for the fluc- tuation was that Ministry of Education officials decided to undertake a second valu- ation, with another surveyor, in June 2015 – more than two years after the first valuation. The Compass has learned via the open records re- quest that the second report put the value of the school property at $83.2 million, still more than $27 million less than the original con- struction costs. Government financial re- cords released in October in- dicated the reason the initial valuation was not accepted by the ministry. The $69.2 million value for the school would have required the min- istry to account for “a sig- nificant write down” of the value of Clifton Hunter High school. That “write down,” or value reduction, would have been required to include the $41.6 million less than the original construction costs. “As a result, the [minis- try’s] financial statements for 2012/13 [budget year] will report a significant deficit when they are finalized,” the auditors’ review noted. As of Monday, those fi- nancial statements had not been completed. Acting Auditor General Garnet Harrison said that in his view, the decision by the ministry to get a “second opinion” on the school valua- tion from a second firm was unusual, given that the ini- tial valuation was part of a government-wide review of Crown property values. “We were a bit surprised they would go out and do something like that,” Mr. Harrison said. “Typically, you would rely on the [ini- tial] valuation done, unless there were certain things not communicated … the first time around. And nor- mally, you would go back to the same valuator to clarify those issues.” Mr. Harrison said it was clear that tens of mil- lions of dollars spent on the Clifton Hunter project did not represent value for taxpayer money. The $69.2 million figure in the initial property valu- ation for the school is sig- nificant because that was approximately the amount that had been planned to be spent on the project in May 2008, auditors’ records revealed. The 2013 valua- tion did not show any value added to the project despite legal and technical disputes that took place over the five- year period between mid- 2008 and May 2013. The ensuing cost over- runs largely related to design changes, contractor disputes and legal advice provided be- tween 2009 and 2012. Some $6 million was spent to repair faulty work in the initial construction phase. “The total of these items … is $30.3 million,” the sep- arate audit report on the schools project indicated. Mr. Harrison said none of these expenses would have added significant value to the schools project. Auditors noted in later reports that valuations for the school property had fluctuated between $20 million and $40 million below the initial construction costs. Clifton Hunter High School. - Photo: taneos Ramsay Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A trial date for a woman charged with the murder of her daughter and an- other trial date for two men charged with a murder in George Town in July are among those set for the coming year. In Grand Court on Friday, Justice Charles Quin, Crown counsel and defense attorneys set several trial dates. There were 28 indictments involving 37 defendants, and most were set for mention again either on Dec. 18 or Jan. 15. The trial of Tamara Olita Butler has been confirmed for Feb. 8. Butler, 38, is charged with the murder of her 6-year-old daughter Bethany last year. Butler has been in custody since shortly after the girl’s body was found in a vehicle parked in the bush off the Queens Highway on Oct. 27, 2014. The trial of Justin D’Angelo Ramoon and Osbourne Wilfred Douglas was set for Jan. 26. They are charged with the murder of Jason Charles Powery, 20, in George Town on the night of July 1. The defendants are in custody; trial dates for people in custody typically get pri- ority over those for defen- dants who are on bail. Other factors include the commit- ments of attorneys, avail- ability of witnesses and the court diary. The matter of Hassan Syed, former president of the University College of the Cayman Islands, was set for another mention on Jan. 15. Syed, who is charged with theft and ob- taining by deception var- ious amounts between 2006 and 2008, was scheduled for trial on Nov. 2 as a back- up in case another trial did not proceed. That trial, in- volving Canover Watson and Miriam Rodriguez did proceed, so Syed’s attorney Amelia Fosuhene and Crown counsel Toyin Salako were in court to fix a new trial date. Syed’s bail was extended until that date. The trial of Michelle Bouchard on theft charges was set for March 30. She is accused of stealing var- ious sums from a named in- dividual between 2010 and 2012. Her bail was extended until her trial date. Simon Christopher Courtney entered pleas of not guilty to two counts of inflicting grievous bodily harm and one count of dan- gerous driving. The charges are the result of an inci- dent along West Bay Road on Jan. 25. His trial was set for June 6. Murder trials, other trial dates set in 2016 The Law Courts building in George Town.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Community Calendar ■ Community Calendar is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. Cayman Compass • Tuesday december 8, 2015 TUESDAY, DEC. 8 HOLIDAY MOVIES: Free family movies before Christmas, Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Gardenia Court, Camana Bay. Tonight, “Elf,” with a Christmas crafting session starting at 5 p.m. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9 FREE BUSINESS WORKSHOP: Micro and small businesses are invited to attend a free workshop, “Financing Options for Micro and Small Businesses,” at the Chamber of Commerce in Governors Square at 5:30 p.m. Tracy Ebanks of the Cayman Islands Development Bank, and Steven Burrows of Butterfield will speak about funding sources available locally. There will be a question- and-answer period and light refreshments will be available. Register online at www. caymanchamber.ky/events or call Nikita at 743-9121. FORT GEORGE LIVE: The National Trust hosts this event as a volunteer appreciation evening with Cayman Music Collective. The public is invited to enjoy a night of live music with local artists. 5:30 to 9 p.m. $10 admission for adults, free for Trust volunteers and kids 12 years and under. Ticket price includes complimentary cocktail and traditional treats. Tickets are available from the Trust office in Dart Family Park, South Church Street. To reserve, email marketing@ nationaltrust.org.ky or call 749-1121. NATIONAL GALLERY FAIR: The National Gallery hosts a Christmas Artisan Fair 6-8 p.m. Free admission; all are invited. The event includes after-hours viewing of the current photography exhibition “Now & Then,” live music by Red White and Blues, special discounts for NGCI members, mulled wine and minced pies. Works of art from 20 artists featured in the NGCI Gift Shop. THURSDAY, DEC. 10 BRAC COURT: Summary Court is held in the Aston Rutty Civic Centre from 10 a.m. today and tomorrow. NEEDS UNIT CLOSURE: The Needs Assessment Unit will be closed on Dec. 10 and Dec. 11 at noon. The office will re-open on Dec. 14 at 8:30 a.m. for business as usual. FRIDAY, DEC. 11 CHAMBER COURSE: “Time Management and Productivity” by Catherine Tyson. 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $150; future members $225. Register at www.caymanchamber.ky. PASSPORT2SUCCESS: Single mothers are invited to apply for the session that begins on Jan. 4. Today is the deadline. For more information on the program, contact National Workforce Development Agency Training and Development Manager Dianne Conolly on 244-4048 or nwda.training@gov.ky. Visit www.passport2success.ky to apply. SATURDAY, DEC. 12 CHRISTMAS CULTURE: Celebrate international Christmas culture, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in Bodden Town, at Nurse Josie Solomon’s Senior Centre and the Harry McCoy Park next to the Mission House, Gun Square. Free admission. Local and international foods will be on sale. Games for the children, Steel Pan music and other local musicians. There will be a prize for the most spectacular lit Christmas tree. Church choirs will perform Christmas carols in the evening. BARGAIN STORE: St. George’s Anglican Church Bargain Store holds a big sale, 7-11 a.m. Courts Road (behind Cox Lumber). 949-5583. DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross Mobile Bargain Shop will be in North Side, junction of the Hutland and North Side roads, close to Chisholm’s Supermarket from 6:30-10 a.m. Items available include linens, household items, clothing and shoes for men, women and children, ladies’ bags and accessories, toys, books and more. FUNDRAISER RAFFLE: Central Scranton holds a fundraiser raffle at Central Scranton Community Park from 1 p.m. Tickets are $10. Prizes include Cayman Airways ticket to Miami, 32-inch television, $100 Foster’s Food Gift Certificate. All proceeds in aid of tent replacement and other community projects. Food and refreshments will be on sale. Contact Central. Scranton@gmail.com or Dale 916-1578 or Cheryl 916-5938. CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT WORKSHOP: Workshop at the National Gallery Education Centre, 10:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. For ages 7+. Fee is $60 per student ($55 for members). Materials included. For more information about NGCI holiday workshop and to register, email education@ nationalgallery.org.ky or call 945-8111. BRAC BUSINESS EXPO: All are invited to the expo from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre. For more information, call the Department of Commerce and Investment on 948-2400 or 945-0943. SUNDAY, DEC. 13 CANDLELIGHT SERVICE: John Gray Memorial Church in West Bay, 6:30 p.m. All are invited. MONDAY, DEC. 14 JURY NOTICE: All Grand Court Jurors who are in the October-December session are advised to report today 9:45 a.m. Call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up-to-date information. BULK WASTE: The Department of Environmental Health annual bulk waste clean-up campaign continues in the West Bay district today to Saturday, Dec. 19. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16 CHRISTMAS CONCERT, FUNDRAISER: St. Ignatius band concert and Christmas fundraiser, 7 p.m. at the school. Gate prize of $25,000 and lots of other prizes, including five US$300 Cayman Airways vouchers. Tickets are $25 and are available at St. Ignatius and from a number of local supermarkets and other businesses. Winners need not be present. THURSDAY, DEC. 17 SPECIAL LECTURE: At the National Gallery, 12:30 to 1 p.m. Event includes a behind-the-scenes tour during which a specialist from the National Archives will discuss how the exhibition “Now & Then – A Photographic Journey Through Time” was developed. The lunchtime lecture is free. Donations are welcome. Lunch and other refreshments will be available for purchase in the NGCI Art Café. Exhibition prints will be for sale. GARDEN LUNCH: At the National Gallery Art Café, noon till 5 p.m. Lunch packs will also be available for those on the go. For menu details email events@ nationalgallery.org.ky or call 945-8111. Reservations are recommended for groups of four or more. SATURDAY, DEC. 19 FAMILY DAY: National Gallery, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free art activities based on the exhibition “Now & Then – A Photographic Journey Through Time.” Activity sheets and art materials will be available for children of all ages in the breezeway. Self-guided tour packs can be collected in the gallery. Beverages, sandwiches and snacks available for purchase in the Art Café. For more details contact education@nationalgallery. org.ky or 945-8111. COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS MEAL: John Gray Memorial Church would like their friends in West Bay to whom they normally deliver meals at Christmas time to know that this year they will be delivering today at noon. GENERAL INTEREST IMMIGRATION BOARDS: The meeting dates for the Immigration Boards are as follows. The Work Permit Board’s meetings resuming Jan. 11. The Business Staffing Plan Board’s final meeting date will be Dec. 10, resuming Jan. 6. The Cayman Status and Permanent Residents Board’s final meeting will be Dec. 10, resuming Jan. 14. While the boards are on leave, the work of the Administration, Border Control and Enforcement sections of Immigration will continue. GUIDED TOURS: The National Gallery offers guided tours by appointment until Jan. 2. Free tours of the exhibition “Now & Then – A Photographic Journey Through Time” are available for students of all ages. Students will discuss the exhibition and get hands-on with interactive activity sheets. Topics covered include art, social studies, narratives, history, literacy and numeracy. For information or to book a tour, contact NGCI at 945-8111 or education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. RED SKY AT NIGHT: The Cayman National Cultural Foundation invites applications from visual and performing artists, filmmakers, food vendors and volunteers interested in taking part in the annual Cayfest Red Sky at Night event. Early registration runs through Friday, Dec. 18. Download registration forms online at www.artscayman. org/cayfest or contact the CNCF on cayfest@candw.ky or call 949-5477 for more information. BANKING EMAILS: The Police Financial Crime Unit reminds the public to be suspicious of banking instructions received by email purporting to be from banking institutions or individuals known to them. The FCU has seen an increase in wire transfers and other banking activity initiated on the basis of fraudulent instructions over email. Members of the public should always treat such communications carefully and call the bank or individual to verify the instructions received. Anyone who receives an email with suspicious banking instructions should forward it to RCIPS.FCU@rcips.ky. IMMIGRATION DEPT.: Members of the public will be accommodated at the Department of Immigration’s Cayman Centre office on Owen Roberts Drive only with a scheduled appointment. All queries and other transactions, including customers without appointments, will be received and handled at Immigration Headquarters on Elgin Avenue. Customers may contact the call center on 949-8344 and speak with a communications officer. ARTISANS MARKET: Camana Bay Artisans Market every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society artists display arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale between noon and 8 p.m. near Karoo restaurant. For more information on displaying your work, email info@ visualartcayman.com. 2016 CALENDARS: Sale benefits NCVO and Cayman HospiceCare. Local artwork, recipes and events. Call 949-2124. $15 includes envelope for mailing. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Life drawing classes continue Dec. 1 and 8 at Watler House on the grounds of Pedro Castle. $25 per session, $35 for non-members. Contact visualartcayman@yahoo. com. BUSINESS LICENSING: The Department of Commerce and Investment has extended its Business Licensing Counter hours in Grand Cayman from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays to Fridays, for people to submit trade and business, liquor, tobacco, and Special Economic Zone license applications. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar. Visitors to the National Gallery check out one of Courtney Platt’s ‘Now & Then’ images at the National Gallery in 2013. The popular exhibit returned to the gallery this month. - PHOTO: VICKI WHEATONNext >