ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Tuesday december 15, 2015 sports | page 17 beem seTs high bar aT pro-am High of 87 Low of 75 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. editorial | page 4 The council: conservaTion consTernaTion 180913_PRINT-Ad-Strip-BOTY-6colxPage 1 11/30/15 12:30:30 PM CarePay trial government pays us$1.8m, then asks, ‘Where is contract?’ brenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com As late as September 2013 – two years after it had already spent the majority of the funds – the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority was still trying to find a copy of the business contract that purported to authorize government to spend up to US$2.4 million on the proposed expansion of the CarePay patient swipe-card system, a Cayman Islands jury heard Monday. A senior Ministry of Health official testified Monday that the ministry itself had “no con- tractual relationship” that would have allowed it to spend such sums to effect the “rollout” of the CarePay system to private sector healthcare providers in the Cayman Islands, even though an initial contract had been agreed with the government hospital to use the system. Despite those statements, jurors in the trial of former Health Services Authority Board Chairman Canover Watson heard that in- stallments of US$1.2 million and US$600,000 were paid to AIS Cayman Ltd. and its partner company, Health Adjudication Systems of St. Lucia, in the latter half of 2011. Those sums ostensibly went for the “rollout” of the system to private sector insurers. The third and final payment of US$600,000 was never made due to government financial difficulties at the time. That proposed “rollout” or expan- sion never happened. Prosecutors have alleged that AIS Cayman Ltd. was controlled by Watson and his business partner Jeffrey Webb through the use of “sham” directors. Prosecutors have further alleged that some of the US$1.2 million from the initial pay- ment for the CarePay “expansion” helped Webb pay off a US$240,000 loan on an Atlanta, Georgia-area home and also paid for Watson’s US$80,000 home entertainment system at an- other suburban Atlanta home he owned, down the street from Webb. “I’m finding it very difficult to understand how this amount of money could be paid Crighton Christmas display: Holiday celebrations as usual Tad sToner tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com This year’s holiday innovation at the Crighton home on Shamrock Road will be a skateboard display, a half-pipe cre- ated out of Christmas lights across the front yard, part of the family’s an- nual 2.5 million-bulb display. On Dec. 23, as Christmas approaches, Santa Claus will make his traditional ap- pearance, handing bags of goodies to vis- iting children, tourists and anyone else sufficiently delighted to see a much-loved institution preserved. The custom of lighting up the front yard of Rex and Cecile Crighton’s home with a stunning display of seasonal lights started nearly 40 years ago. It was thrown into brief limbo this year fol- lowing the September death of the family patriarch and longtime businessman. However, Rex’s son Dale Crighton, Cayman gets a ‘C’ on open data charles duncan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands is on par with Pakistan and the Russian Federation when it comes to being open and transparent with government data, according to a new Global Open Data Index that includes Cayman for the first time this year. Five countries tied for 61st place in the rankings of more than 120 countries. Nepal and Benin joined Cayman, Pakistan and Russia for the spot, based on how available government data is on topics ranging from water quality to public expenditures. The U.K.-based Open Knowledge Institute publishes the index, scoring countries on the availability and accessibility of 13 dif- ferent categories of government data. Taiwan topped the 2015 list, followed by the U.K. and Denmark. Datasets are ranked based on how detailed they are, if they’re available in a com- puter-readable format, like Excel, and if it gives the public context on what it means. In Cayman, the Economics and Statistics Office, the Immigration Department, the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, the po- lice and others make data available without requiring a freedom of information request, but not necessarily in accessible formats. Acting Information Commissioner Jan Liebaers said, “A lot of governments have re- alized the value of making data available.” He the Christmas lights are on again this year at the Crighton house on Shamrock road. - pHoto: taneos Ramsay PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Tuesday december 15, 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 IN THE HEART OF THE SEA 3D (PG13) 7:00 | 9:45 THE GOOD DINOSAUR 3D (PG) 12:30 | 3:00 | 5:30 | 8:00 CREED (PG13) 1:10 | 4:10 | 7:05 | 10:00 KRAMPUS (PG13) 1:20 | 4:00 | 7:30 | 10:05 LOVE THE COOPERS (PG13) 1:00 | 3:30 | 7:10 | 9:50 HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2 (PG13) 12:20 | 3:25 | 6:30 9:40 Senior judges convene in Cayman Some of the Caribbean re- gion’s most senior judges are in the Cayman Islands this week to discuss a draft law that governs the appointment, dis- cipline and removal of judges. The three-day Common- wealth Secretariat consulta- tive meeting on the Judicial Services Commission Model Law kicked off on Monday, with opening remarks from Mark Guthrie, legal ad- viser to the Common- wealth Secretariat. “At the heart of the model law is the principle of judi- cial independence,” he said. “Judicial independence is one of the intrinsic elements of the rule of law. The rule of law is at the heart of democracy. Without it and without judicial independence, there is no pros- pect of citizens being able to secure their rights. Equally the rule of law is essential for eco- nomic development. Without an independent judiciary there can be no investor confidence.” Mr. Guthrie said the model law would contain “fair and transparent procedures” for the appointment of judicial of- ficers, as well as procedures for “exercising judicial dis- cipline in all circumstances, ranging from minor infringe- ments to those which might merit removal from office.” A draft of the law, drawn up following recommenda- tions made at previous consul- tations, is under consideration by the judges. Cayman’s Chief Justice Anthony Smellie told the del- egates in his welcome re- marks that the discussions on the model law would be “an involved and chal- lenging undertaking.” Anticipating that there was bound to be some disagree- ment among delegates about the composition of a Judicial Services Commission and its responsibilities, Chief Justice Smellie said, “I do not believe there can any longer be debate that this function must be as- signed to an independent duly authorized body like a JSC. This is of course, provided that the appointment process is carried out in a manner that is ever mindful of the importance of judicial independence and security of tenure.” The draft law also deals with the issue of discipline and sanctioning of judges. “Apart from discipline by way of the ultimate sanction of removal, it has long been estab- lished that the judges should be responsible for disciplining themselves,” Chief Justice Smellie said. “This is the system that still appertains in most places in the Commonwealth and has worked well, it must be assumed, because the judges have shown that they can be re- lied upon to govern themselves. “Indeed, the need for extra- judicial intervention, even for the most serious of matters justifying removal, has been perhaps most remarkable over the years for its rarity, than for any other reason.” Pointing to increased calls for transparency and more im- mediate accountability from the public sector in the in- formation age, the chief jus- tice commented, “[T]he univer- sally accessible blogosphere and social media have be- come not only the platforms of the justified but also the bully pulpits of the disgruntled and misinformed.” He pointed out that judges and magistrates carry out their “demanding and difficult duties in open court, in the full glare of public scrutiny.” The chief justice urged those present at the consul- tation meeting to be “very mindful of the dangers of over- intrusion upon independence” of the judiciary. He acknowledged that there was a lack of public sympathy for judges. “It seems that so far as the public is concerned, the judges are better treated than most, so what do they have to complain about?” he said. He added, “The public, feeling a lack of warmth be- cause of the perceived distance of the judges, is typically un- sympathetic and the political directorate will, of course, keep its fingers on the public pulse.” He proposed that one of the objectives of the meeting should be to dispel con- cerns about “judicial aloof- ness, to sensitize the public to a better understanding of what it is judges do in their name, and why it is so impor- tant that the judiciary is prop- erly supported to carry out its responsibilities.” The consultations began last year in Zambia, and con- tinued in June in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and in September in Wellington, New Zealand, and are due to conclude in Cayman, Mr. Guthrie said. Senior judges and members of the legal fraternity, along with Cayman Islands Governor Helen Kilpatrick, at the opening of the Commonwealth Secretariat Conference at the Marriott hotel on Monday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY New warning over paraquat threat JameS Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The deadly weed killer paraquat remains a potential threat to pets over the festive season, despite a government ban on imports. Animal welfare organiza- tions have warned that meat, apparently laced with the bluish colored poison, was found by a dog walker in West Bay last week. And though no injuries or deaths to pets have been reported, dog owners are warned to be vigilant. Lesley Agostinelli of Cayman Animal Rescue Enthusiasts said pet poi- sonings are more common around the holiday season. “For some reason, it seems to be a trend around Christmas and New Year,” she said. “The ban on imports will have an impact, but at the moment it seems there is still some in circulation and dog owners need to be vigilant.” Jennie Boyers, a veterinary nurse at Island Veterinary Services who led a successful campaign to have paraquat imports banned, said there have been no recent, verified cases of poisoning. She acknowledged that banning paraquat did not necessarily deal with the un- derlying problem of people in- tent on poisoning dogs. “Unfortunately, I think, people will find something else to use, but at least there will be an antidote for it, whereas with paraquat there is no hope.” Several dogs have been killed after eating meat laced with paraquat in past inci- dents, which usually peak around Christmas. Two dogs had to be put down on Christmas Day 2013 because of paraquat poisoning. Veterinarians and animal welfare workers speculate that more people are at home during the holiday season and potentially troubled by the nuisance factor of neighbor- hood dogs. Ex-GuANTANAMO dETAiNEE cAllS fOR uK iNquiRY iNTO AbuSES LONDON (AP) – The last British resident held at Guantanamo Bay says former Prime Minister Tony Blair and other senior officials should be granted legal im- munity to reveal what they knew about British com- plicity in abuses during the so-called war on terror. Shaker Aamer, 48, was freed in October after almost 14 years at the U.S. detention facility in Cuba. Aamer told ITV News “we need to hear the truth” from Blair and others but “you are not going to get the truth from these people if they are scared.” In the interview broad- cast Monday, he said he wanted an inquiry to find out the truth but said “no- body should be prosecuted because of what happened in the past.” Aamer says he was tor- tured by U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Guantanamo – and that British intelligence agents knew of the abuse. The British government says it opposes torture in all circumstances. In a separate inter- view, Aamer told the BBC that he did not plan to sue the British government over his detention.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Tuesday december 15, 2015 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. Tuesday deCember 15, 2015 • Cayman COmpass It’s difficult (but not impossible) to give the protec- tion of the environment a bad name, but the National Conservation Council is making some headway. In a letter to the Compass Editorial Board (published at right, verbatim), the Council takes umbrage with an editorial this newspaper published on Nov. 24, 2015, which took strong exception to the Council’s intervening inappropriately in the downtown port debate. We unequivocally stand by the tone, tenor and content of that editorial. But first things first. The Council’s letter purports to “correct factual errors contained in the editorial …” Now here’s a fact: There were no factual errors of any substantial or consequential nature. Let’s have a look: • “Two years later, the Council has been rather short on actual results …” The Council protests that, while it is true that the National Conservation Law was passed two years ago, the Council was only appointed by Cabinet one year and three months ago — hardly a newborn even by bureaucratic standards. • “… (outside of its allocation of $200,000 for, of all things, green iguana eradication efforts).” The Council declares, “The green iguana is a grave threat” to local biodiversity. Pardon us if we remain unconvinced that a coordinated killing campaign tar- geting green iguanas is the wisest use of resources to protect Cayman’s native species. Off the top of our heads, we can think of three entities that pose far more imminent threats than greenies do to our beloved blue and rock iguanas: dogs, cats and motor- ists. In other words, green iguanas aren’t exactly the equivalent of lionfish on land. • “Remember that the 13-member Council includes five civil servants, including Director of Environment Gina Ebanks-Petrie, setting up a conflict between the civil service and the elected government.” We admit it: Here’s where we slipped up. As the Council is so good to remind us, the composition of the 13-member Council includes four, not five, civil servants, including Environmental Director Ebanks- Petrie, setting up a conflict between the civil service and the elected government. • “The Council has, however, found time to inject itself into government’s evaluation process for cruise berthing …” Rather than attempting a “correction” of this state- ment, the Council instead makes a vague appeal to “adherence to performance standards and good gover- nance” and cites “the public interest.” As anyone who has been paying attention is well aware already, the Council appears to be working against the stated goal of the elected government, which is to pursue the cruise berthing project. Oppo- sition to a public project is, of course, the prerogative of environmental crusaders, just as political activism is a protected right for any private citizen — however, it is absolutely inappropriate for civil servants on the public payroll to attempt to circumvent the policy decisions of government ministers. If a civil servant wants to set public policy, then he or she can present their ideas to voters, put themselves forward for elected office and prevail at the polling places, just like every one of our lawmakers. • “The Council’s action against the media is, of course, ludicrous …” The Council again chooses to sidestep our accurate and valid observation, and proceeds to avow its com- mitment to holding public meetings and publishing public documents. The fact remains that the Council is restricting the ability of journalists to record the pro- ceedings of meetings and is instructing members of the media to register before attending their meetings. To quote ourselves, the Council’s action — and its recent letter — “has everything to do with ‘control’ over what journalists (not just the Compass) are able to report or photograph about the Council’s doings to the wider public at large.” The Council: Conservation consternation LeTTer To The ediTor From the National Conservation Council The Conservation Council wishes to correct the factual errors contained in the edi- torial entitled “Port Politics: “The Council” comes to life” appearing in the Cayman Compass of 24th November. 1. Compass Statement: Two years later, the Council has been rather short on actual results Conservation Council Correction: Whilst the National Conservation Law was passed in the Legislative Assembly in December 2013 the first commencement order did not occur until 12 September 2014. The National Conservation Council was appointed by Cabinet at that latter date and therefore has only been constituted for a little over one year. 2. Compass Statement: for example, designating protected areas to conserve protected species, or funding significant projects from the $50 million- or-so Environmental Protection Fund (outside of its allocation of $200,000 for, of all things, green iguana eradication efforts). Conservation Council Correction: Invasive spe- cies pose a grave threat to the biodiversity of the Islands. The green iguana is a grave threat and a com- mittee of the Council is now tasked with running a pilot project towards control and possible eradication of this threat. Appropriations from the Environmental Protection Fund remain with the Cabinet, under ex- isting 1997 legislation. 3. Compass Statement: Remember that the 13-member Council includes five civil servants, including Director of Environment Gina Ebanks-Petrie, setting up a conflict between the civil service and the elected government. Conservation Council Correction: For the avoid- ance of any conflict with their duty as civil servants, Government members of the Council did not partici- pate in the drafting of the statements. Conservation Council Correction: The composition of Council reflects section 3 and Schedule 2 of the Law. The civil servant members of the Council are four only: the Director or his nom- inee from the Department of the Environment; (b) the Deputy Director of Research in the Department of the Environment; (c) the Director of the Department of Agriculture or his nom- inee from the Department of Agriculture; and (d) the Director of Planning or his nominee from the Department of Planning. The other nine members are all appointed by Cabinet, in- cluding the nominee of the National Trust (a non-gov- ernmental organization). The members are required by law to be able to con- tribute technical and scien- tific expertise and/or dis- trict representation. The non-voting secretary to the Council is a member of DoE staff appointed pur- suant to the DoE’s functions under the Law. 4. Compass Statement: The Council has, however, found time to inject itself into government’s evaluation process for cruise berthing, raising objections that appear designed to delay the project, perhaps to death. On Monday, we reported that the Council is finding fault with the Ministry of Tourism’s leadership of the project and is protesting the usurpation of the role of the Environmental Assessment Board, which includes two departmental representatives who also happen to serve on the Council. Conservation Council Correction: The overarching function of the Conservation Council is to promote biolog- ical diversity and the conser- vation and sustainable use of natural resources. The recent statements by the Council in relation to adherence to per- formance standards and good governance for assessment and conduct of the environ- mentally-sensitive infrastruc- ture proposal for a cruise berthing facility were is- sued because, in the Council’s view, it is in the public in- terest that such standards are followed and further the environmental assessment should continue to be man- aged by the Environmental Assessment Board that was formed for such purpose. 5. Compass Statement: The Council’s action against the media is, of course, ludicrous — and has nothing to do with ensuring the “privacy” of people who are attending a public meeting in a public space with the opportunity of influencing public policy, and has everything to do with “control” over what journalists (not just the Compass) are able to report or photograph about the Council’s doings to the wider public at large. Conservation Council Correction: The Conservation Council takes its duty to hold meetings in a public place very seriously. Not only does it pub- lish the agendas and minutes of its meetings as required by the Law but the Council has adopted the policy of publishing the working papers for the subject matter of each agenda as well. m. Christine Rose-smyth Chair, national Conservation Council The National Conservation Council has deemed green iguanas to be ‘a grave threat to the biodiversity’ of the Cayman islands. - PHOTO: CHRIS COURT This illustration shows the proposed cruise berthing facility in George Town. The National Conservation Council has criticized government’s handling of the process for the project. 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 15, 2015 Tell your story brilliantly this holiday season through the lens of a Nikon. at Sunset House Hotel 390 S. Church St. • Phone (345) 949-7415 Nik on ® is a registered tr ademark of Nik on Corpor ation. ©2015 Nik on Inc. 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Church St. • Phone (345) 949-7415390 S. Church St. • Phone (345) 949-7415390 S. Church St. • Phone (345) 949-7415 Nik on ® is a registered tr ademark of Nik on Corpor ation. ©2015 Nik on Inc. is a registered tr ademark of Nik on Corpor ation. ©2015 Nik on Inc. Made for Generation Image.Made for Generation Image.Made for Generation Image.Made for Generation Image.Made for Generation Image. nikonusa.comnikonusa.comnikonusa.comnikonusa.comnikonusa.comnikonusa.com CAPTURE EXQUISITE DETAIL. SHARE EVERY MOMENT. CathyChurch_Cayman Compass Ad.indd 111/18/15 10:51 AM6 DISTRICT DAYS Tuesday december 15, 2015 • Cayman Compass New Sir John A. Cumber Student Council aims high While hard at work learning the three “R”s, a number of Sir John A. Cumber Primary School stu- dents are also honing their political and leadership skills as members of the school’s student government. Launched in 2009, the West Bay school’s 28-member Student Council is made up of student representatives from each of the 24 classes from Years 1-6, with Year 6 having one male and one fe- male representative from each room. The members are se- lected by a class teacher in the Infant Department and elected by their peers at the Junior Level. Council mem- bers work in partnership with school management, staff and parents to improve the school experience for all. After the council members were selected in October, an intense six-week campaign began for the positions of president, first vice president, second vice president, secre- tary and public relations of- ficer. The candidates were a select group of 10 nomi- nees in Years 4 through 6. On Nov. 13, the 28 councilors re- ceived special ties and were officially installed in a formal ceremony, ready to take on the their roles as colleagues and leaders. Guest speaker, YCLA Recipient for 2015 Kellie McGee, challenged the coun- cilors not to be afraid of hard work nor to put a limit on the size of their dreams. Ms. McGee shared her life story and challenges, encour- aging the student leaders to fight through difficult situ- ations and to find a mentor to guide them along the way. She noted also that as leaders, council members need to be humble and ap- preciative to God and family, but most of all, never to un- derestimate their potential regardless of personal or family issues. Ms. McGee was also ex- cited about the fact that Sir John A. Cumber is an International Baccalaureate School, as she too is a graduate of a similar school background. Upon the installation of the council, the school body then moved on to the task of choosing their leaders. The elections were held at the school on Nov. 27, fol- lowing speeches from the nominees who presented to almost 400 students early that morning. Some of the ideas put for- ward by the nominees in- cluded working with admin- istration to make the school a “Bully-free Zone,” and to use cooperative means to solve problems. The nomi- nees also proposed starting clubs to build student confi- dence and leadership skills, as well as calling for ways to improve the quality of play at the school. After the votes were tal- lied, Year 6 student Mathias McLean was elected as Student Council president for 2015-2016. Fellow Year 6 stu- dent Janani Kumar was elected first vice president, while Year 5 student Erin Parchment earned the po- sition of second vice presi- dent. Joel Sutherland was chosen as secretary and Nathaniel Hurlston-Anderson was selected as the public relations officer. Principal Joseph Wallace said he was very impressed with the candidates’ perfor- mance in the election pro- cess, particularly, the section where questions were posed and nominees were able to think on their feet and give responses of high quality.” School counselor Elysia Murray, who directly over- sees the council, said this year’s team is excited, ener- getic and filled with work- able ideas, making for what she is confident will be a promising year. District Days West Bay 50 Years ago: New baby in time for the holidays In the Dec. 15, 1965 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, West Bay cor- respondent Leila Yates reported on new arrivals, holiday repairs and nuptials: “Mr. and Mrs. Garfield Powery are the happy parents of their first child, a son, on the 10th, weighing 6 lbs. “Mr. and Mrs. Cardell Powery are here to spend the holidays with rel- atives. Mrs. Powery is an American and has been here once before. She likes the island very much, espe- cially the climate. “Congratulations are due to the [Public Works Department] for re- pairing the road for the Yuletide Season, especially by the [post office] where there were so many holes. I hope the Sanitary Inspector will see that clearing of bush in the residen- tial area and township will be done before Christmas comes. “Miss Blossom Ebanks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chelsey Ebanks, be- came the bride of Mr. Alvey Parsons on the 9th at a ceremony performed by Rev. John Croft in the Pilgrim Holiness Parsonage. “The bride was given in mar- riage by her cousin Ivan Farrington. Miss Norma Jean Jefferson was maid of honour and Mr. Victor Yates best man. “A shower was held at the home of Mrs. Vernon Ebanks on the 8th and quite a lot of useful presents were given. They were given out by Miss Rosa May Brandon. Refreshments were served and an enjoyable eve- ning spent by all present.” The newly installed sir John a. Cumber Primary school’s student Council sport their new ties. New Council leaders, from left, Joel sutherland, Nathaniel Hurlston-anderson, erin Parchment, Janani Kumar, and Mathias McLean. Some of the ideas put forward by the nominees included working with administration to make the school a “Bully Free Zone,” and to utilize cooperative means to solve problems.7 DISTRICT DAY Cayman Compass • Tuesday december 15, 2015 District Days West Bay Lighted beacon shines the way home JeweL Levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Caymanian families once de- pended heavily on the sea for their survival; lighted beacons were placed in strategic points around the island to aid mariners in navigation. “These guided lights was also used during World War II to spot submarines or other hostile ships entering Cayman waters,” said re- tired immigration officer and seaman Rupert Ebanks. Mr. Ebanks lives just down the road from the Boatswain Bay beacon and recalls as a little boy playing in the area and using the beacon light while fishing from the ironshore. The Boatswain beacon is lo- cated at the top of Rocky Pond Road in a residential area in the northwest part of the island of Grand Cayman. It is a 20-foot skel- etal tower on a concrete base. A light was first established in this area in 1930, but the date of con- struction of the current beacon is not known. “I recall the old lighthouse being put there for the safety of mariners because Boatswain Bay is flanked by ironshore,” said Mr. Ebanks. “I think it was placed there during the time Allen Wolsey Cardinall was police commissioner of the island. At 81, Mr. Ebanks recalls the old beacon being set on a con- crete foundation with a frame like the one in South Sound. The light was automatic, run by bat- tery, and flashed every minute. It was about two stories high and right at the top there was a lookout deck. “During the British Home Guard service in the 1940s, it was used for spotting German ships. I don’t think any ships were discovered passing that area,” Mr. Ebanks said. Mr. Ebanks said a small popu- lation lived in the Boatswain Bay area at the time. Fifty yards away from the beacon was the old West Bay schoolhouse, which he said was built in 1939. He said the old school was torn down some years ago, after which children attended school in the West Bay Town Hall. From time to time, other people used the building, but other than that it was locked up. “There were no street lights in the area those days, just a foot path and the light from the beacon could be seen as far as 12 miles off West Bay,” he said. Cayman does not have any tra- ditional lighthouses. However, there are several historic bea- cons regarded locally as light- houses. Aids to navigation in the islands are maintained and oper- ated by the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands. Reported in the Caymanian Weekly on Aug. 17, 1966, under the headline “Beacon in operation” was the following: “Installation of a non-direc- tional radio beacon with a min- imum range of 300 miles and a maximum of 800-1,000 miles has recently been completed on a piece of land previously owned by Dr. Roy McTaggart on Walkers Road. “Ideally it should be situated 3 miles from the threshold of the runway. This one is 7,832 feet away. “We learn from Mr. Carl Godet that this beacon is owned and op- erated by International Aeradio for the Cayman Islands Government. “The total cost of the mast, transmitting equipment and gen- erating plant amounts to $16,870. “This beacon came into operation officially at 6 a.m. on Aug. 4, 1966 and is fully automatic. It has two 1,000 watt transmitters with an au- tomatic change-over system so that if one transmitter fails the other one cuts in immediately, and also an emergency stand-by power plant in case the main supply fails, the emer- gency one will take over. The coor- dinates are 19.00° 17 minutes north and 81.00° 23 minutes west. “Being 122 feet above sea level, it serves as a radio navigational aid for planes flying in the western Caribbean and will also be useful for navigators of ships with direc- tion finding equipment. “The power of the beacon is 20 times greater than the previous one and although the company has erected a barbed wire fence around the beacon, people in the area are earnestly requested to keep chil- dren away as it is very dangerous, having 15,000 volts radiating through the tower which can cause immediate death on contact.” Rupert Ebanks stands on the spot in West Bay where the first beacon was erected, just across the road from the new one. - Photo: Jewel levy Giving thanks, Cayman style The family of the late Denham and Emily Ebanks of West Bay celebrates Cayman Thanksgiving each year, a gathering which offers an unique opportunity for the extended family to come together. Family member Eziethamae Bodden, who hosted the event held on Dec. 6, reported that, as always, this year featured delicious food, laughter, and a chance for each family member to reflect and say one thing they were thankful for. Pastor Mitzie Bailey performed the blessing, and Rayburn Ebanks, the oldest family member present, had the honor of cutting the cake. - Photo: Charles ebanks8 LOCAL NEWS Tuesday december 15, 2015 • Cayman Compass REOPENING OUR DOORS TO SERVE YOU THIS IS We’ve reopened Western Union® services at Foster’s Food Fair Island wide. For more information call (345) 943-4700 Delivery driver remembered as happy, hard working Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Co-workers of Westmore “West” Walker, who died over the weekend in an apparent drowning, re- member him as happy and hard working in his new job as a delivery driver at the Cayman Islands Brewery. He was eight days shy of his 29th birthday. Snorkelers discovered Mr. Walker’s body about 650 feet from shore off Tiki Beach on Sunday afternoon, according to police. Raymond Christian of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said the man’s clothes and car were found nearby and officers do not believe foul play was in- volved. He said police are still investigating. Police say Mr. Walker, a Jamaican national living in Grand Cayman, was last seen Saturday morning. Mr. Walker had started a new job as a delivery driver for the brewery about three months ago, said John Parsons with Cayman Islands Brewery. “He was a very quiet, humble young man,” Mr. Parsons said. “He was always ready to do the job.” He arrived five min- utes early for work on his first day, Mr. Parsons said, and from then on “he was always five minutes early to work.” He said he had talked to Mr. Walker for about five minutes Friday night by phone before Mr. Walker was off work for the weekend. Matthew Leslie of Cayman Islands Brewery remembered Mr. Walker as “eager to work and very en- thusiastic about the job.” He also said Mr. Walker “was a very quiet, well- mannered young man.” “We’re a pretty close- knit family at the brewery,” Mr. Leslie said. “This is about as big a shock as we can get.” JR Cameron, also with Cayman Islands Brewery, said Mr. Walker “was prob- ably one of the nicest guys we’ve had working with us.” Mr. Walker is survived by a sister living on island, and the rest of his family in Jamaica. He would have turned 29 on Dec. 21. Mr. Walker’s death is Cayman’s 15th water-re- lated fatality this year. Golf resort now apartment complex Proposal is ‘highly speculative,’ warns DoE James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com First sold to investors as a luxury housing develop- ment around a golf course, a long-discussed project near Rum Point has gone through another metamorphosis as it works its way through the planning process. In 2011, Crown Acquisitions was marketing lots for sale at what was then described as the Dubli Golf & Beach Resort. At the time, the company had obtained planning per- mission for a subdivision of 64 house lots, but not for a golf course, or for any specific building work. Early development plans, shared with the Cayman Compass, showed a four- hole golf course. At the time, the company’s director indi- cated all the lots had been sold and they were looking to buy surrounding land for a larger course. More than four years later, no application has been made for any golf holes and that as- pect of the development ap- pears to have been dropped from marketing materials and from the plans. Crown World’s website is currently advertising 14 “luxury townhouses” at the site, which it is calling No. 1 Rum Point, at pre-build prices of just under US$1 million. The site suggests con- struction could begin in the first quarter of 2016. Crown Acquisitions World Wide was before the Central Planning Authority again last month, where it was granted permission to modify its ex- isting planning permission for the 27-acre site, combining some of the house lots into apartment lots and changing the ownership structure from freehold to a raw land strata. Paperwork submitted with that application indi- cates the company now ex- pects the development will in- clude 140 family apartments, as well as 15 residential lots and two gyms. A previous planning ap- plication indicated a two-hole golf course could be included as land for public purposes on the site. That was changed in later applications to two lakes, and then to a pool. The Central Planning Authority granted approval to modify the planning per- mission, despite noting that it had previously determined the site was unsuitable for apartments. It said any plan to build apartments on the site would require a sepa- rate planning application that would be considered on its merits. The company would also need to seek separate plan- ning permission to build any townhouses in the area. The Department of Environment cautions in its notes on the latest applica- tion that permission should not be given for any clearing of natural vegetation on the site until construction is about to begin. It stated, “The DoE regards this proposal as highly spec- ulative, given the many dif- ferent applications that have been made by this applicant for this site.” It states that the land was cleared of dry forest, dry shrubland and mangrove forest prematurely, following the initial approval of the subdivision in 2009. “As with any development of this scale, the DoE is of the view that permission to clear the area of the ecologically productive natural habitat should not have been given prior to the confirmation that construction works on the properties were to begin im- minently,” it states. The department also ex- presses concern about mooted plans for a 4.5-acre pool at the site and expresses fur- ther skepticism about the im- minence of any development on the site. “The DOE would once again recommend, as previ- ously, that the small areas of remaining natural hab- itats on the site be main- tained and further clearing is only permitted at the time necessary to begin construc- tion, rather than several years in advance.” Crown Acquisitions di- rector Darryl Pickthall did not respond to requests for com- ment last week. Extra hour for licensed premises on New Year’s Eve kelsey Jukam kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Businesses with liquor li- censes will be allowed one additional business hour beyond regular closing times on New Year’s Eve, the Liquor Licensing Board has ruled. The decision was made at the board’s quarterly meeting on Friday, during which the board also granted a number of variations to existing li- quor licenses. The board also agreed to amend restrictions on Cayman Cabana’s music and dancing license so that the RestoBar is now permitted to play ambient music and live music up to a four-piece band during the daytime from Monday to Saturday. Cayman Cabana’s owner Luigi Moxam had applied to the board for permission to have live music from 9 a.m. until 1 a.m. Monday to Thursday, from 9 a.m. until 3 a.m. on Fridays and from 9 a.m. until midnight on Saturdays. Previously, the bar was not permitted to have live music until 10 p.m. “We would love to benefit from hosting live music,” Mr. Moxam said at the meeting. He told the board that he would like to have a live vi- olinist or someone playing an acoustic guitar during dinner service a few evenings a week in order to attract more customers. Before making its deci- sion, the board heard one ob- jection to Cayman Cabana’s application. A representa- tive from Casanova’s Italian Restaurant, next door to the bar, told the board that Cabana had not complied with the restrictions already in place on its license, and that the restaurant frequently played loud music which dis- rupts their customers during dinner service. Mr. Moxam said that Cabana played ambient music at a reasonable volume, and was frustrated that Casanova’s manage- ment frequently calls police to Cabana because of what he perceives as unfair com- plaints about loud music. He pointed out that Casanova is able to have live music during dinner service and asked that the board give Cabana a “fair chance” to do the same. The board also granted permission to the Cayman Islands Tennis Club to op- erate on Sundays from 11 a.m., and it granted per- mission to Cayman Islands Yacht Club’s general store Anchors to operate from 11 a.m. on Sunday. The board also approved a number of change of lo- cation and change of li- censee applications for other businesses. The board deferred the one new application for a retail liquor license and a music and dancing license made by Astrid Steward on behalf of the M/V Tuscany. Ms. Steward told the board that the new owners of the yacht wanted to run dinner cruises and sunset sails, but the boat is currently being renovated and is not yet sea-going. “He was a very quiet, humble young man. He was always ready to do the job.” John Parsons, Cayman Islands Brewery Westmore ‘West’ WalkerThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Tuesday december 15, 2015 while there’s an outstanding issue of a contract and who has it,” Grand Court Justice Michael Mettyear interjected during testimony Monday. Health Ministry Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn testi- fied that the ministry would have relied on the Health Services Authority to make sure those payments were re- quired since the HSA held the contract with AIS and the St. Lucian company. Justice Mettyear pointed out that HSA officials had earlier testified that they never had such a contract for the CarePay system expan- sion and had testified that ministry officials were in possession of it. “Surely you must have known they said ‘we don’t have a contract, you have it?’” the judge asked Ms. Ahearn. “With the benefit of hind- sight, we probably should have confirmed [the con- tract] prior to releasing the funds to the HSA,” Ms. Ahearn said, adding that she believed at the time the ministry’s chief finan- cial officer had reviewed a contract for the CarePay system’s expansion. “Does it strike you as re- markable that without that [contract] issue being re- solved, that sort of money is paid out?” the judge asked. “I’m confident that the chief financial officer felt the issue had been resolved,” Ms. Ahearn said. The issue regarding who authorized the additional US$2.4 million payment to- ward the expansion of the CarePay swipe-card system has become key in the trial of Watson and his former personal assistant Miriam Rodriguez. Watson is ac- cused of using his position as chairman of the HSA board of directors between 2010 and 2013 to secure fi- nancial benefit for him- self and Webb by directing the CarePay card contract to AIS Cayman Ltd. and its Jamaican partners. Rodriguez and Watson are also accused of transferring various criminal proceeds from that ill-gotten contract to Webb and others. The court heard Friday from former health min- istry Deputy Chief Officer Stran Bodden that both Mr. Bodden and former Minister Mark Scotland approved the amount of CI$2 mil- lion [US$2.4 million] for the CarePay project expansion in the ministry’s budget for the government’s 2011/12 finan- cial year. Watson’s attorney, Trevor Burke, QC, elicited that this was part of government’s normal annual budgeting pro- cess and did not necessarily require a new contract, as one had already been approved for the CarePay system in December 2010. Justice Mettyear ques- tioned Ms. Ahearn again after statements by Mr. Burke that the US$2.4 million pay- ment had been approved in the budget. “Does that mean [the money] can just be paid out without any tender, without any contract, without any- body scrutinizing the amount that’s been agreed?” the judge asked. Ms. Ahearn responded that the government was bound by its procurement processes. “Is the minister bound by that?” the judge asked. “Yes, and by the Central Tender Committee pro- curement requirements, we have to go through a tender process,” she said. Ms. Ahearn testified that had the Ministry of Health known at the time that the HSA had no specific con- tract for the CarePay ex- pansion, it would not have authorized the release of funds for that purpose to the HSA. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran said during the tri- al’s opening that ministry officials were fooled by Watson into believing the CarePay system expansion had been a part of the ini- tial contract for the system that was signed by govern- ment in December 2010. He alleged that Watson did this by sending “doctored” copies of the original con- tract to the Ministry of Health in August 2011. One of the alleged “doc- tored” versions of the con- tract was shown to Ms. Ahearn on Monday. She in- dicated she had seen it only a week ago when Crown prosecutors showed it to her prior to her testimony. Mr. Burke has argued that claims Watson altered any contract involving the US$2.4 million CarePay system expansion were false, and has stated that “everyone,” including former Minister Scotland and Ms. Ahearn, fully supported the CarePay system. CarePay trial Government pays US$1.8M, then asks, ‘Where is contract?’ managing director of the Crighton Group of Companies, said that the Christmas lights will illu- minate the property right on schedule in mid-December. Annual tradition “It’s something the island expects every year, now. We did it as a family and we will continue to do it,” he said, pointing to the inauguration of the effort in the mid-’70s. “It was my mother’s idea, when we were kids,” he said. “We started with one little manger scene, and then we started adding to it.” The idea took hold, inspiring Maxine and Maureen Bodden on South Church Street, the fur- niture magnate Woods family, and most recently Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital founder Steve Tomlinson. “It’s just become fun to do,” Mr. Crighton said. In early October, he said, workers pull between 2 mil- lion and 3 million Christmas lights out of the ware- house on the family prop- erty, testing electrical con- nections, designing displays and seeking the safest way to pour 1,400 amperes – units of electrical charge – through the cables. By comparison with the Crighton’s Christmas display, a household toaster in the U.S. uses 12.5 amperes; a car headlight, 5 amperes; and a hair dryer, 15 amperes. “It takes about two-and- a-half months,” to set up, Mr. Crighton said. “We re- furbish some of the scenes and then,” using trucks and a corps of hired labor, “in November, we put the lights up, and finish by about the first week of December.” Scenes change from year to year, depending “on ideas we get, things we see as we travel, what we see over the years.” The skateboard dis- play, for example, came from an idea from one of his children. “My son built a half-pipe,” he said, similar to the start of a snowboarding course, “and I thought … I can do some- thing out of that.” After the original nativity scene, the family added a large Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman. They planted euphorbias, resembling snow, and poinsettias. In 1983, they added a red Santa house with white trim, an animated Santa Claus and a carol singer. Two years later, workers built a small white house with a green roof and in 1986 built a stable to accompany the nativity scene. A tradi- tional Cayman home with a white-sand yard and conch- shell borders followed, as did piped music and special trees, yielding, finally, more than 20 attractions. The family employs se- curity to patrol the grounds and police help control traffic on Shamrock Road, signaling drivers distracted by flashing multicolored lights or seeking to park along the shoulder. 12 Days of Christmas The display remains for the full “12 Days of Christmas,” until about Jan. 6, Mr. Crighton said. The 12 Days idea was proposed by – no surprise – his mother. “She is very traditional, but would probably leave them up the whole year if she could.” He is reluctant to com- ment on the cost of the ap- proximately 25-day dis- play, but says it includes labor, forklifts and trucks, the lights themselves – pur- chased both locally and, often, in Miami – and, of course electricity. “We’ve switched over to LEDs [light-emitting di- odes], so that makes a differ- ence. One year,” he recalled, before the days of energy- saving bulbs, “we burned out a main Caribbean Utilities Company wire and shorted out everything down through Prospect.” As for Santa Claus, he said, even in the absence of Mr. Rex, “we plan to do it on the 23rd, and we’ll have someone take his place. “It’s something the is- land expects every year, now. We did it as a family and we will continue to do it.” pointed to efforts in the European Union and the U.S. to proactively pub- lish government data. In Cayman, he said, “There is no legal requirement for proactive publication.” The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, for example, makes crime sta- tistics available on a quar- terly basis in PDF format, which cannot easily be put in a spreadsheet and analyzed. Many local govern- ments in the U.S. release crime data in format news organizations use to create crime maps and re- altors use to help home buyers have a better understanding about a neighborhood. The Economics and Statistics Office has a legal mandate to publish data online. Director Maria Zingapan said, “In prac- tice and policy, we have been open and providing access to the public to all official statistics.” The ESO’s website hosts data covering eco- nomics, demographics and other topics, some in Excel format and some in PDFs. Mr. Liebaers said gov- ernment data can have a lot of value for entrepreneurs. “Raw data can be a source of economic development,” he said. Startup companies in the EU and the U.K., he said, “put together some interesting apps based on that data.” Open data applica- tions, for example, can help people find parking spaces when governments make digital parking meter data available in real time. Police reports can be used to alert people to local crime. A weather data feed can allow developers for smartphone apps to send weather alerts to users. In Cayman, regularly updated fuel price data from government could give an entrepreneurial programmer a way to make a phone app to find the cheapest gas. On a scale of zero to 100, Cayman scored 10 per- cent on open government spending data, 35 percent on procurement and ten- ders, and 55 percent on the government budget. For environmental data, the rankings gave Cayman 35 percent on water quality information, a zero for pol- lutant emissions and 45 percent for weather fore- casts. The ESO got 50 percent for its national statistics. The main issues cited by Open Knowledge anal- ysis are how most data is not in a machine-readable format and government charges money to access information. In a press statement, Open Knowledge Institute CEO Pavel Richter said, “It should be a priority for all governments to publish relevant data [in a timely and open manner], so that it can be used by anyone for any purpose.” He continued, speaking on the global survey, “While there is a lot of en- thusiasm within govern- ments for open data, the Global Open Data Index 2015 shows that this en- thusiasm does not suf- ficiently translate into meaningful action: Key data is still not being re- leased to the standard that is required. “We call upon govern- ments to evaluate their pri- orities and make sure they publish the data that their citizens need.” Cayman gets a ‘C’ on open data CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Ms. ahearn Crighton Christmas display: Holiday celebrations as usual CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The custom of setting alight the front yard of Rex and Cecile Crighton’s home with a stunning display of seasonal lights started nearly 40 years ago. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >