ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Wednesday december 16, 2015 sports | page 24 carli lloyd to return to cayman next Week Women’s World Cup MVP to feature at football camp High of 87 Low of 75 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet editorial | page 4 south sound home for enterprise city CarePay trial Witness: ‘No way’ ministry could pay contract Eventually, US$1.8M spent for CarePay “rollout” that didn’t happen brent fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A government financial manager refused to authorize a US$1.2 million payment for the proposed expansion of the CarePay pa- tient swipe-card contract, even though his su- periors at the Ministry of Health had already approved the payment, jurors in the criminal trial of Canover Watson heard Tuesday. Carrol Cooper, the former chief financial officer of the health ministry, testified that he could find no evidence that a contract to sup- port such a payment existed. Mr. Cooper fur- ther testified that Watson, then chairman of the Health Services Authority board of direc- tors, contacted him personally a number of times in August 2011 asking about the status of the US$1.2 million payment. “What I remember from the telephone [calls], there was a persistent request to get the payment to AIS and I firmly declined,” Mr. Cooper said. “There was no way the ministry was in the position to make payment to AIS [Cayman Ltd.]. “It just wouldn’t be logical,” Mr. Cooper said. “All of the arrangements were done by the Health Services Authority. The whole project was done by the HSA. The ministry could not make those payments to AIS.” Testimony on Monday from health min- istry Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn indicated that the only contract for the CarePay project existed with the HSA, not the ministry itself, and that the government arranged to transmit those funds to the health authority during its 2011/12 budget year. However, both Ms. Ahearn and Mr. Cooper testified that once those funds had been “released” by the min- istry, it was up to the HSA to perform its own due diligence on the expenditure. Yet as late as 2013, health authority managers testified, Shelter cautionS over chriStmaS pet adoptionS kelsey Jukam kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Those who think a puppy or kitten might make the perfect Christmas present for their animal-loving family member or friend might want to pause to consider the idea, the Cayman Islands Humane Society advises. Every year around the holidays there is a rush of adoptions of young pets. However, people often aren’t ready for the commitment of caring for an animal, or they tire of them as they get bigger, and the adopted pets wind up back in the shelter after a few months, ac- cording to shelter manager Jason Jairam. Mr. Jairam said people should be aware that caring for a puppy or kitten is a serious and time-consuming responsibility. “A young puppy or kitten is like having a kid,” Mr. Jairam said. In the past, the Humane Society has pro- hibited people from adopting puppies and kit- tens around Christmas time. While there is no official policy in place, and Mr. Jairam said the shelter considers each potential adopter on a case-by-case basis, those who are looking to adopt are urged to come back after Christmas. Adopting an animal is not as simple as walking into the shelter and walking out with a pet. The Humane Society does home inspec- tions and interviews with potential adopters. If the person has been a pet owner previously, the shelter asks for a veterinarian’s reference. “We take a lot of things into consideration if someone comes in and wants an animal,” PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » red Bay roads crumble from neglect charles duncan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Residents in the Selkirk Drive and Abbey Way area of Red Bay have complained for years to the National Roads Authority about the large potholes and constant flooding that plague their neighborhood, but the roads continue to deteriorate. On the road stretching from Shamrock Road back to the North Sound and on nu- merous small streets in the neighborhood, potholes, some a foot deep, mark stretches of the asphalt. The streets are frequently flooded, and after big storms several inches of water cover hundreds of feet along the roads, residents say. National Roads Authority crews were in Red Bay earlier this week to mark the pot- holes and have promised to resurface some roads in the neighborhood next month. Brian Chin Yee, a manager with the roads authority, told neighbors that crews would patch the potholes late last week or Monday this week, but the potholes had not been filled as of Tuesday. Geoff Cahill, who lives in the neighbor- hood, said in an interview Tuesday, “You can’t fix the potholes, it’s beyond that.” He residents living on abbey Way, above, and nearby Selkirk Drive in red Bay have repeatedly complained to the National roads authority about the potholes and flooding in the area. – photo: taneoS ramSaY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS Wednesday december 16, 2015 • Cayman Compass www.logic.ky www. REGmovies.com SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. © y x *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - WEDNESDAY - $8.00 IN THE HEART OF THE SEA 3D (PG13) 12:50 | 3:40 | 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 A 12-gauge Maverick shotgun was stolen in a burglary at a home in East End on Monday, police said. The firearm ap- pears to be the only item stolen in the break-in, ac- cording to police. Jacqueline Carpenter, spokeswoman for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, said offi- cers responded to a re- port of the burglary in the vicinity of Farm Road around 4:30 p.m. Monday. “The complainant had left his home fully se- cured at 6 a.m. [Monday] morning, and discov- ered the home bur- gled when he returned yesterday afternoon. “His licensed firearm, a 12-gauge Maverick shotgun, was stolen from its gun case, along with several rounds of am- munition. The lock on the gun case had been broken,” a police re- port said. In the wake of the theft of the shotgun, police are reminding gun owners to secure their firearms and place gun cases in “as in- conspicuous a place as possible in their homes.” Guns that are no longer being used can be surrendered to po- lice for destruction, Ms. Carpenter said. Anyone with information about the burglary can call Bodden Town CID at 947-2220 or call Crime Stoppers at 800-8477. Shotgun Stolen in burglary CAL grounds hoverboards AlAn MArkoff amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com Hoverboards, the con- troversial but popular Christmas gift, have been banned by Cayman Airways. The ban, which became effective Monday, extends to all passenger carry-on and checked baggage, and to cargo shipments as well. Cayman Airways joins many national airlines in banning hoverboards from flights because of the fire risk associated with the recharge- able lithium-ion batteries used in the products. In the past month, hov- erboards using lithium-ion batteries have exploded or caught fire, burning down or damaging homes in 10 states in the United States. One hoverboard spontane- ously burst into flames at a mall in Auburn, Washington, last week. Hoverboards, which are sold under a number of dif- ferent names by different manufacturers, are self-bal- ancing scooters. In addi- tion to the fire risk caused by their batteries, the use of hoverboards has caused numerous injuries across the U.S. Online retailer Amazon stopped sales of most hover- boards last week pending the findings of an investigation by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are used extensively in modern electronic devices, including laptop computers, tablets, mobile phones and cameras. The technology is generally safe, but questions have arisen related to in- correct storage and defects in cheaply made lithium- ion batteries that are mostly manufactured in China, where the production is un- regulated. The batteries have been implicated in at least two fatal airplane crashes – a UPS Airlines flight in Dubai in 2010 and an Asiana Airlines cargo plane that crashed into the Korea Strait in 2011. In response to the fire hazard, the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority issued re- strictions on transporting lithium-ion batteries on air- craft, limiting the number of larger batteries that can be brought aboard and re- quiring loose spare batteries be protected from accidental activation or short circuit. Capsized boat recovered A small boat, capsized and submerged, was recovered by police near Smith Cove Tuesday morning. Preliminary checks suggest no one was on board or injured when the sinking occurred and police are attempting to locate the owner. - Photo: taneoS raMSay The lithium batteries in hoverboards can present a fire risk. - Photo: aPThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Wednesday december 16, 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. Wednesday deCember 16, 2015 • Cayman COmpass The recent approval of the master zoning plan for Cayman Enterprise City’s campus is positive news for the special economic zone, residents of the South Sound area and the future of business in the country. Although a steadily increasing number of clients have been lining up for Enterprise City since enabling legislation was approved more than four years ago, the zone’s journey has not been without its share of twists and turns. In January 2011, then-Premier McKeeva Bush and then-zone developer Barry Hon were pictured on the front page of the Compass, shaking hands after they signed a memorandum of understanding to create “a special economic zone focused on technologies.” Enterprise City would open its doors for business a little more than a year later, issuing licenses and pro- viding operating space to client companies in rented accommodations. The zone has been cranking along until now, when it has enough listed businesses (180 of them) to fill one of two five-story “gateway” office buildings on its proposed campus. During the past five years, Mr. Bush has been suc- ceeded by current Premier Alden McLaughlin; Mr. Hon’s development company stepped away from the project; and Charlie Kirkconnell stepped in as Enter- prise City CEO, replacing Jason Blick (who can be con- sidered the “founder” of the zone here in Cayman). Several faces are familiar, including architect Cindy O’Hara, who is chairman of the board and chief devel- opment officer for the zone, Hilary McKenzie-Cahill, who is VP of marketing, and Mr. Kirkconnell, who ini- tially joined the zone in late 2011 in an operations role. In addition to personnel moves, the planned location for Enterprise City has also shifted. In early 2012, the zone’s campus was set to be built in Savannah, following the developers’ acquisition of 45 acres in the Bodden Town district community. That proposal didn’t work out, and Savannah’s loss became South Sound’s gain. Make no mistake, the arrival of Enterprise City should be a boon — not a burden — to the surrounding area, which is currently characterized by empty swamp land and residential developments (and the Fairbanks women’s prison). If the Enterprise City campus is constructed according to plan, pending official scrutiny and the necessary approvals, the zone’s headquarters should grow “organically,” as Ms. O’Hara puts it, over the next several decades. The presence of Enterprise City will provide that area of South Sound with a sort of “anchor tenant” providing employment, opportunities and increases in property value to the zone’s neighbors. If developed properly, there is no reason to think that the Enterprise City campus will offer anything but benefits to existing and future residents nearby. A sign of mature economies, and companies, is the creation of friendly, inviting and open spaces that are friendly to visitors while oriented toward businesses. (See, for example, Camana Bay.) As the physical home of Enterprise City springs, slowly, from the ground, it should grow in conjunction with the establishment of public infrastructure in the area, most notably the bypass road that is planned to run east to west, parallel to Linford Pierson Highway and South Sound Road. We hope, and trust, that Enterprise City will be a good neighbor to South Sound residents, and continue to be a good citizen of the Cayman Islands business community. South Sound home for Enterprise City LEttEr to thE Editor Public burial spaces I read your Friday edition of the Compass where you write in regards to the lack of cemetery space and drew reference to my efforts in ad- dressing the matter in my district of West Bay. If you’re saying that gov- ernment shouldn’t be devel- oping cemeteries, I’m not sure why you pick on that subject. But I don’t appre- ciate it. While I support the devel- opment by the private sector of any kinds of means that would provide decent burial space for our loved ones, I’m not prepared to leave such a sensitive matter to the private sector. A burial of a loved one, or anyone, is a sacred matter. In between 2005-2009 when the lack of space be- came quite evident, I drew the attention of the matter to the government by way of a motion in the Assembly. There I made several proposals: To allow for burial on your own property; to allow the devel- opment of mausoleums to en- courage private cemeteries; and for government to de- velop a cemetery in West Bay and other districts wherever space is lacking. It cost government less than $1,200 to build a vault. The public purchases the vault for $1,200. Government does assist towards the fu- neral cost of some indigents. You write about valuable land. Years ago, our ancestors made the cemeteries on the beach side because of the ease of digging a hole there. They had no heavy equipment to build vaults elsewhere. In asking government to address the pressing issue, I’m not asking them to take beach land today for that pur- pose. But if that is to be the case, then I have no hesita- tion in doing so. However, this is not a trivial matter and the government does recoup some cost because people pay for their vaults. I do believe that people will pay the full rea- sonable cost of a vault to bury their loved one. Your editorial page has in the past complained about cost whenever government has to spend some money on our people. I gave at least $700,000 for the sinking of the ship in the West Bay harbor. Government spent the total amount for the one in Cayman Brac. Never heard a squeak out of you about that. But you will say that’s good because it’s for busi- ness. Well, that’s why I sup- ported the expenditure. However, governments do have social obligations that it must fulfill. The provision of appropriate burial grounds to put away the last mortal remains of our people is one such obligation that shall re- main a part of my agenda. Thank God today it can be done in places other than the limited and very expen- sive beach land which we do not now have. But if we had to resort to that, then I would do so. I know you support the selling of gov- ernment’s SafeHaven prop- erty. That was swamp, now it’s developed property. Well, Mr. Editor, it be- longs to the people of these Islands. I can say the same obligation that government has to help business (vast majority of which I support), I do recognize the need for government to support, for the good of all, such public entities as the building of public burial spaces for our family members, friends and others. Which we purchase from government and up- keep ourselves! W. mcKeeva Bush, Leader of the Opposition, First Elected member for West Bay In asking government to address the pressing issue. I’m not asking them to take beach land today for that purpose. But if that is to be the case, then I have no hesitation in doing so. West Bay Cemetery has reached maximum capacity. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Wednesday december 16, 2015 ® /™ ‡ All other trademarks are the property of their respective owner(s). *8,000 points for first purchase and double points for first 90 days - up to 10,000 points. Plus 1,000 points for registration on www.rbcrewardscaribbean.com and 1,000 points for agreeing to receive e-marketing offers. Cash advances not included. - Campaign runs until December 31, 2015 Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. Get the best value in travel rewards at RBC Royal BankTM, where your points not only cover the cost of your airline ticket but also taxes and fees. Plus: Flexible travel: use your point class seat, AN time, no advanced booking required and pay for car rental and hotel accommodation s to fly FREE on ANY flight, ANY Reward options: redeem your points for travel, gift cards or turn them into a cash credit Book travel your way: Call us or book online - it’s your choice TRAVEL FREE with the RBC Rewards Visa Platinum credit card Other Platinum Reward Points No Travel Restrictions Cover Airline Ticket Cover Taxes Cover Fees Cover Taxes Cover Fees No Travel Restrictions RBC Rewards Visa ‡ Platinum Points Cover Airline Ticket Call or visit any RBC Royal Bank branch or go online at rbc.com/caribbean Y Professor: Same-sex unions legislation ‘inevitable’ in Cayman Gay rights do not impact religious freedom, says professor JameS Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com When human rights pro- fessor Robert Wintemute visited the Cayman Islands in January to deliver a cri- tique of the islands’ “out of date” laws on rights for ho- mosexuals, he hoped to start a conversation. He did not expect that by the end of the year it would have snowballed into a na- tional debate that had led to the resignation of a gov- ernment legislator from his party amid the first signs of a policy shift on the issue. Speaking to the Cayman Compass this week, Mr. Wintemute admitted things had moved faster than he anticipated. When he spoke at the lecture series in January, he highlighted a pending legal judgment in Europe that he believed would impact rights for ho- mosexuals in Cayman in the long term. He says that landmark judgment against Italy in the European Court of Human Rights, which came much earlier than expected in July this year, has accel- erated the pace of change, meaning it is just a “matter of time” before same-sex civil unions are recognized in the Cayman Islands. He said he understood that it was “challenging” for Caymanians to be pulled along, by their association with the U.K., at a faster rate than independent countries in the region. But from a legal stand- point, he said, the package of rights guaranteed in the European Convention was part of the deal of being an overseas territory. He said he did not un- derstand the argument that allowing rights for homo- sexual couples, including in- heritance and immigration rights, impacted Cayman’s Christian culture. “Laws should not be used to impose Christian beliefs. If the law in the Cayman Islands protects lesbians and gays against discrimina- tion or creates a civil part- nership law to register their relationships, that has no effect on Christian hetero- sexual couples in Cayman who are free to continue their lives as normal.” At the time Mr. Wintemute, of King’s College, London, gave his lecture at the Grand Court in January, in a series organized by students of the Truman Bodden Law School, there had been little discus- sion of the issue in the ter- ritory. Since then, it has be- come a national talking point. Law professor Leonardo Raznovich, who helped or- ganize the lecture series, has since lost his job and has launched a “test case” appeal against an Immigration deci- sion not to allow him to be listed as a dependent on his male partner’s work permit. Meanwhile the European Court ruled in a judg- ment against Italy that it was required to have a framework for recognizing same-sex unions. Those developments prompted the Cayman Islands government to ac- knowledge it may have to alter the way it handles im- migration appeals. So far, it has gone no fur- ther in its commitments to amend legislation, viewed by European courts as discrim- inatory, despite pressure from the Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission to introduce reforms. Bodden Town MLA Anthony Eden, who ob- jected to those moves, has resigned from government over the issue. Mr. Wintemute said, “I un- derstand it is challenging for Cayman to be pulled along at a speed that is uncomfort- able for them, particularly with Jamaica next door that can do what it wants. “Cayman and Bermuda are in a unique situation in the region. If they were in- dependent, there might not be much movement on the issue, particularly if majority opinion dictated the policy. But they are not indepen- dent, they are overseas ter- ritories and the European Court of Human Rights is part of the package.” He said dealing with the immigration issue, as Premier Alden McLaughlin has indicated govern- ment will look to do, would only solve one small part of the problem. He said it would make no difference for gay Caymanians who might want their partner- ships recognized. “This is not something that expats have brought to Cayman. There are lots of gays and lesbians from Cayman. “What is different is that expats are coming from places where they have a lot of legal protection and are more confident in talking about their orientation,” said Mr. Wintemute. He believes Caymanians are currently likely to be less comfortable coming out to friends and family and cam- paigning for recognition of their rights. Regardless of his own views or those of anyone in Cayman, Mr. Wintemute believes it is now simply a legal issue. If Cayman does not update its laws to comply with the European Convention, he believes the U.K. will eventually force it through, as it did in 2000 when it decriminal- ized homosexuality through the Caribbean Territories (Criminal Law) Order. “A judgment against Italy doesn’t necessarily imme- diately lead to action in the Cayman Islands but there should be complicity as soon as possible. At this point, it’s just a matter of time,” Mr. Wintemute said. Professor Robert Wintemute speaking at a lecture on equal rights for homosexual couples in January. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER6 DISTRICT DAYS Wednesday december 16, 2015 • Cayman Compass District Days Sister Islands Business Expo paves path to Brac community Kathleen Bodden-harris The Aston Rutty Centre on Cayman Brac recently welcomed exhibitors and the general public to the 2015 Brac Business Expo. “Last year, we began this venture in the form of a car show,” said Taylor Foster, speaking on behalf of the groups hosting the expo. “The event far exceeded our expecta- tions, so this year we decided to produce a Business Expo allowing more variety for commercial ventures.” He noted the purpose was to promote the businesses sponsoring the event, as well as to show appreciation to the Brac community for supporting them. Held on Dec. 12, the expo was hosted and sponsored by Hurley’s Media/The Rooster 101.9, along with Car City and the local division of the Department of Commerce and Investment. The Rooster radio station brought its sales team from Hurley’s Media, along with representatives from Car City, to collaborate with local and visiting com- panies, such as Digicel, RoCay and the Security Centre, to showcase their ser- vices and products. Samone Morgan from Grand Cayman joined the local division of the Department of Commerce and Investment to help build awareness among Brac business owners about new laws and terms for business licensing. “We are here to instruct and aid Brac companies with the fact that new and renewed Trade and Business Licensing will require health insurance and pen- sion for qualification,” said Ms. Morgan. Other sponsors in the insurance field, such as Island Heritage, Cayman First and BritCay, were on hand to reach out to attendees. Exhibitors from Cayman National Bank, Butterfield, First Caribbean and the Royal Bank of Canada were there to help address banking in- quiries for business clientele and other prospective customers. Complimentary gifts and hand- outs were well received, including new products offered up for promotion. Progressive Distributors Ltd. had sam- ples of Niman Ranch mini burgers, pulled pork, and sausages on hand, some of which have not yet hit store shelves on the Brac. The Niman Ranch product line spe- cializes in meat products from cattle raised by family farmers using hu- mane methods of production and sustainable farming. Gladys Howard Celebration of life Friends and family will be celebrating the life of the late Gladys Bravenec Howard this week in Little Cayman, with a memorial service and a parade. Ms. Howard, who died in early October at the age of 83, was the owner of Pirates Point Resort, which she bought in 1986. Ms. Howard’s daughter Susan, who has taken over the reins at the resort, noted the up- coming events are all transpiring according to her mother’s wishes. “My mother wanted a parade and a party to cel- ebrate her life, and she even picked the theme,” she said. An avid environ- mental advocate and International Scuba Hall of Fame inductee, Ms. Howard was also a chef trained at Le Cordon Bleu and la Varenne cooking schools in France. It’s no surprise, then, that under her leadership the bou- tique resort became a fa- vorite for both divers and epicures in the know. A formal church me- morial will be held at the Little Cayman Baptist Church on Thursday at 6 p.m. Then, on Friday, a street parade with a cos- tume theme of “Wild & Wacky” begins at 5 p.m. at Southern Cross Club. The events will culmi- nate at Pirates Point with a party, featuring an open house buffet with cash bar and music until 10 p.m. Susan Howard said the resort is fully booked with many guests vis- iting just for the occasion, and many other visitors, including former staff, staying with friends and at other lodgings to at- tend the celebrations. The formal memo- rial service will be led by the Brac’s Audley Scott, a familiar face at Pirates Point where he has of- ficiated numerous wed- dings over the years. Sister Islands MLA and Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell will also be sharing early memories of Ms. Howard, as will her fellow tourism pio- neer Suzy Soto. The Sister Islands Tourism Association will also be pre- senting a plaque in Ms. Howard’s honor. Susan Howard noted that the festive tone of the memorial events is something she knows her outgoing mother would have approved of wholeheartedly. “We are looking for- ward to welcoming all who come to Little Cayman to attend the me- morial and parade. She was definitely beloved,” she said. 50 years ago: Warship sends cable In the Dec. 15, 1965 edition of The Caymanian Weekly, a precursor to the Cayman Compass, Cayman Brac correspondent Lilian Ritch reprinted a cable that had been received from the British war- ship HMS Rothesay, which had visited Cayman Brac on Nov. 27: “Nov. 29, 1965 “Dist. Commr. C.B. – Commodore Dannreuther, Captain Weir and officers and men of H.M.S. Rothesay specifically requested me to convey their sincere gratitude to you and the people of Lesser Islands for your excellent hospitality last Saturday. Stop. It was a memorable day and one which will be remembered with pleasure by all concerned. Stop. Well done. ADMINISTRATOR.” Mrs. Ritch’s column also had a notice about the new flight schedule: “Cayman Brac Airways opened the Winter schedule on Wed. Dec. 1st, bringing in a full comple- ment of passengers. “The shuttle service now operates on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, taking in Montego Bay on the last two days.” Dan Hewitt, Kenneth Bryan, Taylor Foster, and Woody DaCosta of Hurley’s Media were on hand at the Brac Business expo. - PHoto: KatHleen bodden-Harris gladys Howard was a trained chef and enjoyed entertaining guests in her kitchen.Cayman Compass • Wednesday december 16, 2015 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days Sister Islands Making music on the Brac GeorGe Nowak Excuse the mishmash of wiring, speakers, mics and non-typical studio rules and regulations of this off-the-cuff recording studio. Pictured here is Vernon Smith, owner, engineer and studio musician. Just recently the studio released a number of songs by Quincy Brown and the Brac Kitchen Band. If you’re stuck for a Christmas idea, this collection of old-time melodies is a must on your list; the CDs are available through Lorna Bush at the Cayman National Cultural Foundation. In spite of the mélange of electronics and lack of space in the backyard studio, the final results of Mr. Smith’s production are surprisingly professional. Besides the latest Kitchen Band release, Mr. Smith has also recorded a number of radio jingles which are aired regularly on several Grand Cayman radio stations. Beachside trash yields treasure – and then some It’s not every day that trash spells cash. At a beach cleanup or- ganized by the G.R.E.E.N. Team for the Sustainable Sister Islands for Recycling on Nov. 21, Brac high school students had the opportunity to make some money from the gar- bage they collected. The potential to cash in on the trash was a win for the kids and for local wildlife. At the Trash for Treasure Beach Clean-up, students gathered flotsam and jetsam at two beach areas on the south coast of the island that normally receive little care. Each student was paid $1 per pound of trash collected, with a minimum of 10 pounds expected. Kassandra DaCosta earned $81 as the top collector; David Tibbetts and Kenny Ryan each earned $40; Nelda Hunter earned $39; and Sean Valentine collected $34. Adults supervising the young workers included Carol Ventura, Dhalchand Seeram and Kathleen Bodden-Harris. Tony Ventura lent a hand to the cause, by helping to haul some of the heavy loads to the street side for pick-up, and a lucky few of the participants were treated to a tractor ride. In total, the com- munity benefitted by having 234 pounds of beach litter removed from the shoreline. Thanks to an anonymous sponsor, the teenagers also earned points for their homeroom achieve- ments, along with the cash just in time for the upcoming holidays. Afterward, at the weigh-in on Public Beach, the weary workers were treated to pizza and lemonade. Not all the garbage was headed to the dump, however. Plastic bottles col- lected will be used as source material to build two boats for the Recycling Kick-Off scheduled for Cayman Brac in the first part of 2016. The Kick-Off will herald the pro- motion of community-wide recy- cling efforts to reduce what ends up in the Brac landfill, and organizers hope making recycling a reality will initiate a lifestyle change for Brac residents as well. The Sustainable Sister Islands for Recycling group began an ed- ucation program in 2015 in Brac schools which introduced and ex- plained how the National Solid Waste Management Project will be rolled out throughout the districts. This will include sorting and col- lecting solid waste items for re- moval from the environment, re- using or repurposing these items, reducing them for maximum effi- ciency and having them shipped to a recycling processing center. Community recycling depots will be placed throughout the dis- trict, and combined with further education plans involving busi- ness, church and service oriented groups, organizers hope participa- tion by the Brac community at large will be encouraged. On the day of the Recycling Kick-Off, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at the site of the new Community Recycling Depot near the Aston Rutty Community Centre, fol- lowed by a fish fry at the launch site for the plastic bottle boats. The new boats will be christened, and the teen teams will race them from the vicinity of the Captain’s Table Restaurant and Carib Sands Condos to the finish line at the Brac Reef Resort. The ceremo- nies will conclude with a barbecue and awards presentation. In preparation for the big event, the organizers are seeking to as- semble a team to assist with the construction of the boats for the Boys versus Girls Recycling Boat Race. Once the boats are built, an- other group of boys and girls will be needed to do the actual rowing and sailing to compete against each other. Assistance with adult super- vision, organization and technical advice is also sought. Anyone interested in helping out is invited to call 916-3960. Kenny Ryan helped clean the beach. – Photo: Kathleen Bodden-harrisThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 said the entire road needs to be repaved, along with sev- eral side streets that need to be raised up and repaved. “Every season we go through this,” he said, with heavy rains causing flooding and further damaging the roads. “We’re getting really mad,” he added. Neighbors sent a peti- tion to the National Roads Authority and legislators at the beginning of 2014 to ask for funding to be released to resurface the road. In a string of dozens of emails dating back to early 2014 and shared by the res- idents with the Cayman Compass, NRA officials re- peatedly promised to repair the roads. Last summer, the NRA told Red Bay residents that funding had been ap- proved in the 2014/15 budget to fix the streets. At that point, the NRA said it ex- pected to start work on the roads in July 2014, which was then delayed again to August or September. After the NRA crews patched one side street in the area in September 2014, one neighbor wrote to the NRA: “Friday NRA did a very poor patch job on Abbey Way, even patching areas that were still underwater. I sincerely hope this is not your idea of ‘fixing’ our roads.” The correspondence with the NRA, letters and conver- sations with legislators, and discussions in the neighbor- hood have continued to today, with the NRA saying it will again patch the holes that have re-emerged in the neigh- borhood’s roads since the recent heavy rains and try to do something to address the flooding. In June, after a tropical wave caused flooding around the island, a Compass re- porter documented fish swim- ming down Selkirk Drive. Mr. Cahill said the pot- holes in his area can be more than a foot deep, and in some areas the water on the roads hides the holes. He said he recently had to put $1,000 worth of work into his truck for the sus- pension, ball bearings and other parts damaged by con- stantly driving through the area. “The whole front end was toast,” he said, adding that the mechanic thought he had been taking his truck off-roading. Wednesday december 16, 2015 • Cayman Compass We regret to announce the passing of Capt. Arlin R. Tatum Who departed this life On Thursday, 3rd December, 2015 Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held on Sunday, 20 th December, 2015, at Seaman’s Centre, Cayman Brac 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow at the West End Cemetery, Cayman Brac. Mr. Jairam said. “Our job is to make sure they get a safe and loving home.” The Humane Society also encourages those looking to adopt to consider older dogs. “A big dog is already house trained,” Mr. Jairam said. “It’s less stress. It’s way less work than taking a puppy.” There are plenty of older dogs to choose from at the shelter, which Mr. Jairam said is currently very over- crowded. While there are a few puppies, there are 70 older dogs in need of forever homes. Shelter operations super- visor Letty Blanco said she can help individuals find the pet that fits their personality and lifestyle. She said people looking to adopt can simply describe the kind of animal they want, and she can help find the perfect match. Mr. Jairam said all of the dogs at the shelter are friendly, and they go to training every Sunday. The adoption fee includes the cost of spaying or neutering, and immunizations for one year. Two plead guilty to aggravated burglary The two men, ages 19 and 21, are in custody Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two men pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated bur- glary arising from an incident at Cayman Reef Resort along Seven Mile Beach on Nov. 7. A burglary is aggravated when the intruder has a weapon at the time of entry. The two men appeared in Grand Court on Monday. Through their attorney, Alice Carver, defendants Brandon Shaquille Browning, 19, and Jamie McLean, 21, had asked Justice Robin McMillan for what is known as a “Goodyear direction” – an indication from the judge of what their maximum sentence would be if they entered a guilty plea. After hearing a summary of the offense from Crown counsel Scott Wainwright and receiving further informa- tion from Ms. Carver, Justice McMillan asked several ques- tions, including some about the location of the burglary. He wondered if its occur- rence in a place of primary economic activity involving tourism would aggravate the offense. Ms. Carver’s answer was no; she pointed out that the victims were residents. The judge asked whether, if the victims were in their own home, which happened to be next to the beach, did that not detract from the at- torney’s suggestion that there was a distinction between residents and visitors? Ms. Carver replied that the offending had been opportu- nistic, in that the defendants were in the area at the time. Mr. Wainwright submitted that location was capable of being an aggravating feature in that it was in the heart of the tourist recreational/resi- dential area. Justice McMillan accepted that a Goodyear hearing was appropriate to the circum- stances of this case. He in- dicated that on the basis of material submitted, he would use a starting point of four years’ custody, with a range of two to six years. The range gives a judge room to adjust a sentence up- ward, depending on aggra- vating factors, or downward, depending on any mitigating factors. These factors would be explored in detail at the sentencing hearing. The court adjourned briefly while Ms. Carver dis- cussed the matter with the two defendants. After being reassured that six years would be the maximum, the defendants asked to have the charge put to them: That on Nov. 7 at Cayman Reef Resort, they entered a specified apart- ment as trespassers with in- tent to steal and at the time of entering had with them a weapon – namely, a flick knife. Both pleaded guilty and Ms. Carver asked for social inquiry reports before sen- tencing, in light of their ages. Justice McMillan said he would also ask for victim im- pact statements. He set the sentencing hearing for Feb. 2 to give time for the reports to be compiled. In his summary on a previous occasion, Mr. Wainwright told the court that just before 10 p.m., two males, one of them armed with a knife, entered the apartment and demanded money. Challenged by one of the occupants, they fled the scene. Police were called and arrested the two shortly af- terward in the vicinity of the Royal Palms Beach Resort. They were interviewed under caution and accepted going to the scene, but not making any demands for money. They accepted having the knife. They said they had gone to the apartment to con- front the male after a pre- vious altercation in the street. Both defendants have been in custody since they were apprehended. A police report issued after the incident indicated that a female had phoned 911 around 9:47 p.m. to say that two males had broken into her apartment and were fighting with her boyfriend. Nothing was stolen during the burglary, nor were any in- juries reported. People often aren’t ready for the commitment of caring for an animal, or they tire of them as they get bigger, and the adopted pets wind up back in the shelter after a few months. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Shelter cautions over Christmas pet adoptions The older dogs available at the Cayman Islands Human Society are friendly and trained. – Photos: taneos Ramsay While there are a number of puppies up for adoption at the Cayman Islands Humane Society, potential adopters should consider whether they are ready for the responsiblity and attention these animals require. Red Bay roads crumble from neglect CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The National Roads Authority has marked locations of potholes along Selkirk Drive. – Photo: taneos RamsayThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Wednesday december 16, 2015 We Buy Gold!We Buy Gold! Cash For Gold Silver, Coins and Broken Jewelry Cash Paid on the Spot! Call 927-8565 Cash For Gold • Shedden Road Dr. Douglas Van Putten Ophthalmologist Please call 945-7588 for appointment will visit Tropical Optical December 22 - January 5, 2016 they were still trying to find the contract that authorized the US$2.4 million payment for the expansion of the CarePay system to private sector insurers and health- care providers. The system did have a contract with the HSA that had been signed in December 2010, but whether anyone approved the expan- sion of the system to the pri- vate sector has been a major question in the trial. Prosecutors have al- leged that Watson “doctored” copies of the initial contract signed in December 2010, fooling health ministry of- ficials into believing there was some contractual rela- tionship that required pay- ments for the CarePay ex- pansion. Mr. Cooper testified Tuesday that was indeed his initial belief when he viewed documentation for the project in 2011. Eventually, US$1.8 mil- lion for the CarePay system expansion was paid by gov- ernment to a company named AIS Cayman Ltd. and its parent company, Health Adjudication Systems of St. Lucia. The Crown has al- leged that Watson and his business partner Jeffrey Webb personally benefited from hundreds of thousands of dollars from the deal Watson directed from his position as HSA chairman. Watson’s attorney, Trevor Burke, QC, argued during testimony Monday and Tuesday that a simple mis- understanding led to Mr. Cooper’s refusal to approve payments for the CarePay expansion. Mr. Burke sug- gested that approval was initially sought from the Ministry of Health instead of the HSA, and that if those invoices had gone to the health authority initially, government financial man- agers would not have raised any issues about them. Mr. Burke also sug- gested that Watson, as HSA chairman, was keen to avoid perceived conflicts of in- terest in the CarePay expan- sion deal that might arise from HSA providing cer- tain funds to private sector healthcare providers – es- sentially its competitors – as an incentive to use the CarePay card system. Mr. Cooper said he did not recall Watson men- tioning any issues re- garding conflicts of in- terest during phone calls in August 2011, when he was seeking to confirm payments of US$1.2 million. An addi- tional US$600,000 was paid into the CarePay expan- sion effort before the proj- ect’s funding was pulled in 2012 due to government budget problems. The expansion of the CarePay system to Cayman Islands private sector pro- viders never occurred. Mr. Burke also raised the issue, indirectly during the trial, as to where former Health Minister Mark Scotland fit into all the discussions that were occurring. Earlier on Tuesday, Ms. Ahearn was questioned by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran. Mr. Moran sought to de- termine whether the min- istry chief officer would have agreed to authorize funding for the expanded CarePay project if she had known during 2011 that the ministry had no contract in place for it. Mr. Moran also alleged that communications from Watson to Minister Scotland and others indicated that the initial December 2010 contract for the CarePay system had included expan- sion to the private sector. Mr. Burke objected to the question, stating that Ms. Ahearn as chief officer of the ministry, could not an- swer on behalf of her boss, former Minister Scotland. “This woman can’t an- swer it; only the min- ister can answer it,” Mr. Burke said. “It’s the very ques- tion that’s in the indict- ment [against Watson],” Grand Court Justice Michael Mettyear interjected. Ms. Ahearn eventually was allowed to answer. She said the ministry would not have made the payment to AIS Cayman “on that basis.” “[CarePay] was a project that everybody supported … but not to the detriment of following due process,” she said. “[There was] a rep- resentation that these pro- cesses had been followed as part of the initial tendering.” Mr. Moran further ques- tioned Ms. Ahearn regarding what she would have done “if she had known at the time the ministry had been provided with a false con- tract” for the CarePay project expansion. Mr. Burke again objected. “She’s never seen this docu- ment,” he said. “How can she comment on what the min- ister thought?” Ms. Ahearn was allowed to answer and said she would not have supported the request for payment to AIS for the CarePay contract if she knew the documents supporting it were “fraudu- lent or forged.” “I certainly never imag- ined that somebody who is the chair of the HSA and who is bound by that law … would be acting contrary to the provisions of the law governing the board of di- rectors explicitly requiring them to disclose a conflict of interest,” Ms. Ahearn said. Mr. Burke has stated a number of times during the trial that the US$2.4 mil- lion provided for the pro- posed CarePay expansion had the full support of Minister Scotland and his former United Democratic Party government, was ap- proved as part of govern- ment’s 2011/12 budget and had been signed off by top officials in the ministry and by the minister himself. CarePay trial Witness: ‘No way’ ministry could pay contract Canover Watson Call for more ambitious targets on renewable energy Paris summit prompts call for action in Cayman James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands must set more aggressive targets on increasing renewable en- ergy and reducing carbon di- oxide emissions in the light of the Paris agreement on cli- mate change, green energy ad- vocates have said. The Paris climate deal, hailed as an historic feat of in- ternational diplomacy, estab- lished a commitment from 195 countries to contain planet- warming carbon emissions. Cayman, as a British ter- ritory, was not involved in the talks and is not a direct signatory to the agreement, which set a goal of reducing global temperature rises to less than 2C. The final sub- missions to the agreement are not enforceable and carry no consequences. However. James Whittaker, president of the Cayman Renewable Energy Association, said the Paris accord repre- sents a “paradigm shift” in the international approach to climate change and sug- gested Cayman would have to get on board. Tim Austin, deputy di- rector of the Department of Environment, said the National Conservation Council is also pushing for clearer and more ambitious targets. A draft national energy policy, published in 2013, sets a goal that 13.5 percent of electricity sold should be generated from renewable sources by 2030. It also tar- gets a 19 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to a “business as usual scenario.” Mr. Whittaker said the Paris agreement, referred to as COP 21, represents an interna- tional consensus that far more radical action is needed. He said Cayman’s targets on re- newable energy are among the least ambitious of any country. While Cayman’s net con- tribution to climate change is negligible, the territory is among the highest producers of carbon emissions per capita in the world, according to Mr. Austin. Mr. Whittaker, added, “I be- lieve COP 21 sets ambitious climate change benchmarks globally and it clearly sug- gests that Cayman must take a more aggressive approach to adopting renewable energy and reducing our carbon emis- sions. This is something CREA have been telling the gov- ernment for some time now. That said, it still doesn’t ap- pear the decision-makers in government are yet paying attention to the critical is- sues of renewable energy and carbon reduction.” He added, “I am cautiously optimistic that the govern- ment will finally wake up and realize that this paradigm shift is happening all over the world for a reason and will start to ensure it happens in Cayman soon.” Mr. Austin said the Cayman Islands could request to be included in commitments coming out of the agreement. “At the moment, the U.K. does not push out those cli- mate agreements to its territo- ries, but this could potentially change with Cayman’s recent request to the U.K. govern- ment to include Cayman in its second commitment period to the Kyoto Protocol (2013-2020). “The National Conservation Council is currently working on a climate change policy and would like to see clearer, more ambitious targets, in line with what the U.K. has signed up to.” He said the Paris summit represents a significant mile- stone in gaining an interna- tional consensus that some- thing needs to be done to curb the amounts of CO2 going into the atmosphere and limit the consequences of global warming. Mr. Austin said the am- bitious targets set in Paris were driven, in part, by small- island states concerned about the consequences of climate change. In 2009, the Maldives, one of the flattest countries on Earth, held a Cabinet meeting underwater in scuba gear as a stunt to generate publicity for the consequences of not acting on the issue. Cayman’s position is less grave, but Mr. Austin warns that with the majority of Cayman’s population and major infrastructure located a short distance from the coast- line, increasing storm intensity and flood risk present a poten- tially significant challenge. He said the impact of cli- mate change is already evident on coral reefs around Cayman. Mr. Whittaker said Cayman’s size should not stop it from doing its part. “While our aggregate emis- sions are small compared to large economies, we emit a lot of carbon per capita on this little island. I believe it’s a hypocritical and shortsighted position to just let the rest of the world handle it when we are expecting others to do things we are not willing to do ourselves. “We need to show leader- ship here, regionally and glob- ally. If we expect the world to change we have to be part of that change.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 French foreign minister and President of the COP21 laurent Fabius, center, gives a thumbs up sign while U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, left, and French President Francois Hollande applaud after the final conference of the COP21, the United Nations conference on climate change, in le Bourget, north of Paris, on Saturday. – PHOTO: APNext >