ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Wednesday december 30, 2015 business | Page 10 dart’s grand development plans Changing Cayman’s landscape High of 87 Low of 76 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should continue to exercise caution over open waters. editorial | Page 4 Helping out during tHe Holidays FIFA scandal puts Cayman in spotlight James WHittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A dawn raid at a luxurious Swiss hotel in May led to the crumbling of a soccer empire and thrust the Cayman Islands into the world spotlight for all the wrong reasons. The implications of the FBI’s far-reaching investigation into football’s world governing body, FIFA, were still unraveling as 2015 came to a close. At the center of it all was Cayman’s Jeffrey Webb, whose rise through the ranks in the world game had previously been a source of pride in his home country. Cainvest aCquires intertrust Bank in Cayman micHael klein mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Private bank Cainvest has bought the Cayman Islands banking operations of corpo- rate services provider Intertrust. Intertrust Bank is a provider of autho- rized agent services for Class B banks in the Cayman Islands. Cainvest International Bank, owned by the Cohab/Aboulafia Group, was formed in 2011 when the Brazilian family holding company acquired Sul America International Bank in the Cayman Islands. The acquisition will give Cainvest, which mainly offers back office and clearing ser- vices to family offices and institutional money managers, a Class A banking license in the Cayman Islands and the ability to serve as an offshore presence for foreign banks. Since the merger last week, the new busi- ness operates as Cainvest Bank and Trust Ltd. Cainvest will continue to support Intertrust’s existing representative banking business, which provides banking clients with authorized agent services and a principal of- fice in Cayman to ensure compliance with local laws and regulations. Charles Aboulafia, chief financial officer of Cainvest Bank and Trust, explained that competitive pressure in the banking market has led to declining margins and is forcing the bank to consider scaling up its business through acquisitions. “Competition is increasing and fees are dropping, so we must buy other banks and ex- pand services to keep being profitable,” he said. Mr. Aboulafia said Cainvest had been looking to expand its business with banking activities that do not require any leverage, in line with its own mandate. Intertrust Bank was a good fit, he said, because, like Cainvest, it fo- cuses on institutional clients and has no debt. “The acquisition and merger with Intertrust Bank will generate many synergies with Bank Cainvest as both institutions are specialized in serving the global institutional market from the Cayman Islands.” Cainvest will add back-office, accounting and legal services for other banks to Intertrust’s offering, Mr. Aboulafia said. In October, private equity firm Blackstone listed Intertrust in an initial public offering and the Dutch trust administrator started trading on Euronext’s Amsterdam market. The IPO raised $486 million and valued Intertrust at $1.3 billion. Intertrust said the banking operations it James WHittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Caribbean Utilities Company has confirmed that its CORE alternative energy generation program, which allows residents and businesses to sell solar power back to the grid, is nearing capacity. The power company acknowledged Tuesday that it may have to stop ac- cepting new entrants into the CORE, or Consumer Owned Renewable Energy program in January. Regulators will make a decision by Feb. 1 on whether to extend the program beyond its current 4 megawatt limit. Charles Farrington, managing director of the Electricity Regulatory Authority, said he expected the program would be extended. But he said the price paid to customers for the power generated by their solar panels would likely come down for the second time in 12 months. Solar energy advocates say they fear this could mean the “winding down” of the CORE program. CUC: Alternative energy program nearing capacity In the initial stages of the CORE program, consumers were paid 38 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity generated from solar. In April, that payment was reduced to 30 cents for new subscribers. – PHOtO: FiLe PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Jeffrey Webb, right, with FIFA President Sepp Blatter at a press conference in the Cayman Islands in 2013. TOP STORIES 2015 PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS Wednesday december 30, 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. - WEDNESDAY - $8.00 POINT BREAK 3D (PG13) 1:20 2D I 4:30 I 7:20 2D I 10:05 DADDY’S HOME (PG13) 12:30 I 3:00 I 6:30 I 9:40 STAR WARS VII 3D (PG13) 12:40 I 1:00 2D I 3:40 I 4:00 2D 6:45 I 7:00 2D I 9:50 I 10:00 2D SISTERS (R) 1:30 I 4:15 I 7:15 I 10:00 ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS ROAD CHIP (PG) 1:15 I 3:40 I 7:10 I 9:30 Rotary hosts seniors at Boxing Day lunch The Rotary Club of Grand Cayman hosted nearly 400 senior citizens at its annual Boxing Day lunch on Saturday at the First Baptist Church Hall. The club has put on the annual event for nearly 50 years. Attendees were treated to lunch, prizes, goodie bags and entertainment. Many seniors recited poetry from memory, told stories and sang songs. The event culminated with a lively dance that even drew some seniors out of their wheelchairs, eager to show off their moves. Governor Helen Kilpatrick and Tim Adam present an award to Emily and James McLaughlin. The two won the award for longest marriage. They have been married for 60 years. Mr. McLaughlin, 88, said he ‘feels like a 16-year-old.’ - PHOTOS: JAMES TIBBETTS Myrtle Thomas, sporting a hat she made out of orchids from her garden, won an award for best dancing. Martha Robinson stood before the crowd and recited a poem called ‘It shows on your face.’ Olivine Solomon joined the crowd of dancers.3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Wednesday december 30, 2015 Three-year grant for Little Cayman research center James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Central Caribbean Marine Institute has received a three-year grant from the Dart Foundation to sup- port programs at its Little Cayman research center. The grant, for an undis- closed amount, will go to- ward investment in facilities and technology. Ariane Dart said the do- nation, which coincides with the 10th anniversary of the facility, would help to im- prove dive operations, up- grade lab facilities and en- sure annual maintenance of the Coral Reef Early Warning System buoy. “We proudly sup- port this exemplary insti- tute in the Cayman Islands. CCMI is committed to excel- lence in environmental ed- ucation,” Ms. Dart said in a press release. “Their hands-on learning programs engage children in scientific thinking at an early age that builds a cer- tain element of confidence for upper level science edu- cation,” she added. CCMI was founded in 1998 and opened the Little Cayman Research Centre in 2005. The facility is the home base for scientists and stu- dents during residential pro- grams that range from three days to eight weeks. Welcome support Carrie Manfrino, presi- dent and founder of CCMI, welcomed the support. “This major three- year grant from the Dart Foundation is allowing us to replace aging equipment and make key boat repairs and facilities upgrades,” she said. The center has several laboratories, a multimedia classroom, snorkel and dive boats, and accommodations for its staff and visitors. CCMI runs marine re- search and education pro- grams for children between the ages of 10 and 18 to ana- lyze and understand technical data and technologies related to coral reef ecosystems. It also offers scholar- ships to local students and runs Marine Ecology Courses for student groups and their teachers in grades 5-12, as well as teen pro- grams, including Caribbean Marine Ecology Camp and the Young Environmental Leadership Course. “Our resources, people and location merge science and education to protect, re- store, and regenerate coral reefs,” said Ms. Manfrino. She said part of the grant would go toward a digital zoom microscope that can create high-res- olution images. “The Dart Foundation is helping us achieve our goal of maintaining a world- class facility that produces quality scientific results to improve ocean-reliant com- munities,” she said. Purple Ribbon Bus free on New Year’s Eve For those planning to see in the New Year with plenty of partying, the free Purple Ribbon Bus is back in action on New Year’s Eve. The bus service, organized by the National Drug Council, offers free islandwide shut- tles. The drug council started the initiative 15 years ago in a bid to reduce drunk- driving-related incidents. Since the service began, thousands of partygoers have used the free shuttle program and avoided driving under the influence of alcohol, thus reducing driving-related inju- ries or deaths during the fes- tive holiday, the council said in a press release. In addition to highly vis- ible, reflective, magnetic signs on the bus, this year purple lights have been sanctioned by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service so that the buses will be more easily rec- ognizable. The drug council’s program manager, Brenda Watson, said, “Our buses al- ready make continued stops at all bus stops, all major bars and restaurants, and we are encouraging residents and visitors alike to use this free and safe service.” National Drug Council Director Joan West-Dacres said, “Every family looks for- ward to celebrating the hol- idays with our family and friends, but our celebrations shouldn’t include drinking and driving. Plan ahead and ensure you have a safe ride home. Remember that pre- venting drinking and driving is everyone’s business, and we all need to play our role. Don’t drink and drive.” Free shuttles are of- fered from 9 p.m. Dec. 31 to 4 a.m. Jan. 1. How it works The Purple Ribbon Buses will be stopping outside bars and restaurants and at bus stops throughout the night and early mornings. Patrons can wait outside for the buses and check with the driver which destination each bus is bound for. Designated driver program Numerous restaurants, bars and clubs in Cayman are also participating in a designated driver program. If designated drivers iden- tify themselves to their server at participating bars and res- taurants, they will receive free non-alcoholic beverages all evening and be given a purple wristband bracelet that identifies them as the designated driver. The Dart Foundation has given a three-year grant to the Central Caribbean Marine Institute’s Little Cayman research facility.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. 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” Wednesday deCember 30, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Between the unwrapping of Christmas gifts and popping of New Year’s champagne bottles, let’s take a moment to recognize some of the good works being done this holiday season by Cayman Islands residents. These displays of “CaymanKindness” are being demonstrated by people across the country, in all sectors – private, public and nonprofit. Here are just a few examples that have recently appeared within the pages of the Cayman Compass. On the front of yesterday’s paper, we carried the news that a now-empty lot on West Bay Road, next to Coconut Joe’s restaurant, is the future site for Cayman HospiceCare. That charity, of course, is in the business of doing good year-round by providing end-of-life care to terminally ill people in Cayman. The land for HospiceCare’s new facility is being donated by the Dart Group, while the money for the construction of the building itself was gathered from the broader community, most notably by Cayman’s “Marathon Man” Derek Haines, who raised $1.35 million for HospiceCare by running a series of six mar- athons in 2014. Dart also appeared in yesterday’s paper for a separate contribution, this one a gift of two Land Rovers to Cayman’s volunteer Special Constabulary, to be used primarily for traffic enforcement and road safety initiatives. In the same issue, we published news that Acts of Random Kindness has assisted hundreds of families by providing food vouchers in its annual “Giving is Receiving” campaign, which enables people to eat well at Christmas when they otherwise might have gone hungry. Meanwhile, Rotaract Blue got into the holiday spirit by distributing vouchers to assist Cayman students with the purchase of new pairs of shoes, in its “Put your Best Foot Forward” initiative. Last week we ran a story about the Immigration Department’s efforts to spread Christmas joy by col- lecting toys and books to be given to children who had to spend the holiday inside the Cayman Islands Hos- pital’s pediatric ward. We’ve also written about staff at the Ministry of Community Affairs, Youth and Sports delivering gifts and singing carols to residents of the Family Resource Centre, Pines Retirement, Golden Age and Bonaventure Boys Homes, as part of the minis- try’s “Give Back to the Community” initiative. About 700 people signed up to participate in the government’s Community Enhancement Project, which provides one-to-three weeks of paid work to Cay- manians looking to earn cash, raise their spirits or develop job skills around Christmas time. While we do not necessarily agree with the government’s strategy, and have questions about any long-term benefits of the Christmas cleanup, there is no denying that in the short term, the hundreds of people participating in the program sincerely appreciate the opportunity being provided. The above, of course, is just a very small sample of the charitable efforts on display in the Cayman community during the holidays. Our first instinct is to express regrets that we do not have the space to include more than a handful of the good deeds being performed in our country. Our second thought, however, is that we cannot feel sorry about there being so very many worthy organizations and indi- viduals in Cayman that merit recognition for their attempts to spread joy in the community. Although it is impossible for us to list each of them by name, we express our gratitude and appreciation for their efforts collectively. Thank you, and keep up the good work. Helping out during the holidays Editorial YEar in rEviEw Economic prosperity, education “New Dart deal: Cayman’s next ‘Golden Age’,” Feb. 6 Premier McLaughlin’s ver- balization of support for Dart’s intended US$1.3 billion invest- ment in Cayman over the next 20 years, and perhaps more im- portantly, his government’s fa- cilitation of that investment, are welcome developments worthy of applause …. While the Dart compa- nies are the largest and argu- ably most adept developers in the Cayman Islands, they are far from alone in their finan- cial expressions of confidence in our future. … We cannot escape the dis- tinct impression that Cayman is positioned on the cusp of an- other “Golden Age” of prosperity. As the private sector steps up its investments in Cayman’s future economy, our govern- ment should similarly step up its investment in the future of the Caymanian people. That means education, public safety and infrastructure. “Cayman’s coming ‘Golden Age’ requires gold- standard schools,” Feb. 10 Although Cayman is pres- ently positioned on the cusp of another phase of economic growth, the impending boom is not going to be like the ones that started in the 1970s. This time around, the money will come neither so easily nor so cheaply. When Cayman’s finan- cial sector first blossomed, our country’s leaders failed to plant the seeds to create a world-class educational system. As a result, for decades many Caymanians have graduated from public schools without ever receiving a real “education,” without having been taught critical thinking skills, or without even achieving functional literacy. … Taking advantage of the op- portunities that will present themselves in what we’ve called “Cayman’s coming Golden Age” will require nothing short of a metamorphosis of the delivery of education in Cayman, which in itself will require a total rethinking of the allocation of Cayman’s governmental budget. … If we do not rise to this ul- timate challenge, if we do not transform fundamentally our inadequate and underper- forming school system, then any harvest Caymanians will reap from Cayman’s coming future prosperity will be en- joyed by the few, not shared by the many. Far too many Caymanians are already beg- gars at their own country’s eco- nomic banquet. “A budget-busting boondoggle in school construction,” July 10 The construction of three new high schools to serve the students of Grand Cayman could have been a crowning achievement of government, to be shared by successive administrations, for the ben- efit of future generations of Caymanians. Instead, through reckless mismanagement, the govern- ment’s largest capital project ever ventured has degener- ated into perhaps the single- greatest public sector economic disaster in the history of the Cayman Islands. … Massive cost overruns, undue political interference and, what is most loathsome of all, a contempt for the physical health of children. Add in the ministry’s enduring attempts to obfuscate missteps and cover up misdeeds, and it all begins to add up to … dare we say it … “a class action” – to be pur- sued by the Caymanian people, if not at the courthouse, then at the polling station. “Red ink, wastepaper: Clifton Hunter’s book value,” Nov. 2 Clifton Hunter High School was intended to be a monu- ment to Cayman Islands edu- cation. Instead, through mis- management, poor planning and an absence of accounting, the sprawling campus in Frank Sound has become a memorial to governmental waste. … A team of inspectors concluded that the school’s open-plan classroom layout posed an “urgent problem” and “adversely affects students’ concentration.” … Ultimately, education is about people – primarily teachers and students – not structures. That is where in- vestments should be concen- trated, on nurturing the active pedagogical process that takes place every day, not on the trappings that surround it. On learning, not “learning spaces.” After all, education and knowledge are for the benefit of the living – pyramids and other monuments are built for the dead. “Government and the EY Report: Why even bother?,” Nov. 4 The verdict is in: “Project Future” has no future. More than a year after the unveiling of the landmark 2014 Ernst & Young consultant re- port on reducing the size and cost of the Cayman Islands civil service, Premier Alden McLaughlin, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson and other leaders have settled on an un- ambitious to-do list that neither reduces the size of the civil ser- vice nor reduces its cost …. At this newspaper, we had nothing but high praise for this government which, after all, commissioned the EY Report. We especially sin- gled out Premier McLaughlin for his courage in putting into motion a politically risky plan that would, finally, address the oversized and underperforming civil service. So much for that. “How a wealthy country can be so broke,” Dec. 1 Q: Why cannot our emer- gency responders have nice things? A: Because our public offi- cials keep spending the money on other stuff. … Instead of purchasing new vehicles when the old ones reach the end of their useful lives, officials are paying for pricey repairs to keep older ve- hicles on the road for a long time after that strategy has ceased to be cost-effective. … Our government’s problem with misallocation of re- sources (with nearly $1 billion in annual revenue, “scarcity” is no excuse) goes far beyond service vehicles. … [M]oney for public infra- structure and assets does not just fall from the sky. Rather, cash reserves are grown over years and decades, through careful stewardship by consci- entious leaders with foresight. When it comes to financial resources, Cayman is a wealthy country. When it comes to fiscal discipline, prudence and long-term planning, Cayman is coming up short.5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Wednesday december 30, 2015 The new Trade and Business Licensing Law will commence on Friday, 1 January 2016. The Department of Commerce and Investment (DCI) will administer the new law and highlighted seven important aspects that the public should know about it. 1. New forms. There is now one form to complete for grants, renewals and incentives under sole trader; and one form for grants, renewals and incentives for companies. There is a checklist to assist persons with completing the application. 2. Timeframes for renewal applications. If you are renewing your licence, you must submit your renewal application prior to its expiry. The timeframe to submit renewal applications is between three months, and 28 days, prior to the expiry of the licence. 3. Additional documentation requirements. Persons who are renewing their licences will be required to provide health insurance and pensions documentation at the time they submit their renewal application. 4. Penalty for late filing. To help ensure and maintain efficiencies in the licensing process, DCI will enforce penalties for late applications. 5. Tickets and fines. Persons who breach their business licence requirements in Cayman will be subject to receiving tickets and paying fines, as DCI’s trade officers will now have greater enforcement responsibilities. 6. Surcharge. Licence holders who do not pay the renewal fee within 28 days after the expiry date of the licence shall, unless the Board waives it, pay a surcharge not exceeding 25% of the renewal fee for every month, or part of a month, that the renewal fee is not paid. 7. Appeals Tribunal. Business owners who want to question a Trade and Business Licensing Board decision will have an opportunity to do so, through the Trade and Business Licensing Appeals Tribunal. Understanding the New Trade and Business Licensing Law, A to Z For more information visit www.dci.gov.ky or call 945-0943 Airport expansion in the works ChArles DunCAn cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The expansion at Owen Roberts International Airport, years in the making, got well under way in 2015. Government officials broke ground on the $55-million project in September. The project will expand the airport terminal from 77,000 square feet to 200,000 square feet, with new arrival and de- parture halls and a new bag- gage and bag screening area. The expansion, which airport officials hope will be completed in 2018, will preserve the fa- miliar A-frame design and add enough capacity to keep pace with the increasing air arrivals. Premier Alden McLaughlin, speaking at the Sept. 10 ground-breaking, said air ar- rivals increased more than 10 percent in 2014 and he ex- pects that number to continue to increase as new hotels open in the Cayman Islands. “Modern infrastructure is im- portant to business,” he said. The existing airport was originally designed to carry about 500,000 people per year, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said at the ground- breaking. But nowadays, he noted, the airport handles about twice that number of passengers on an annual basis. Steve Harrill, an archi- tect on the project with U.S. firm RS&H, said that a mil- lion passengers a year is about the peak capacity for the existing airport. The new building, he said, will be able to comfortably handle 2.7 million passengers annually, and has enough room to meet the demands of 20-year esti- mates in passenger growth. Mr. Kirkconnell said im- proving the airport is im- portant to continue at- tracting more visitors, which is one way to keep growing Cayman’s economy. “When people are satis- fied and have a good expe- rience, they come back,” he said. “For growth to be sus- tainable, it has to go hand in hand with infrastructure improvements.” Once completed, the new airport will triple the size of the public areas in the termi- nals. The arrival area will have a new air-conditioned space and a second conveyor belt for baggage. The expansion will also include more space for retail and food vendors. The expansion, based on the architect’s renderings, will be under a large curved roof, with the current A-frames fig- uring prominently in the de- sign below. Designers with RS&H liken the new building to a green sea turtle. RS&H’s Christina Ghets, speaking to reporters in the spring, said the de- sign is meant to “reflect the distinct character of the Cayman Islands.” The turtle- shell shaped roof, which she called “a very elegant shape,” is combined with the three A-frames to represent the three islands. The first phase, a $3.6 mil- lion project led by local con- struction company Arch & Godfrey, is the smallest part of the larger project. Crews are working on the first six- month contract to build a new facility for outbound bags, offices and some other operations that happen be- hind the scenes while pas- sengers wait for their flights. Cayman Islands Airports Authority CEO Albert Anderson said at the ground-breaking that he expects the first phase to be done in March, and then bigger renovations to the main airport will begin. The second phase will include a new departure lounge, check-in area and ex- panding the building around the existing structure. Mr. Anderson said things could get a little confusing for passengers during the construction as they have to navigate through construc- tion zones sealed off with temporary walls. He asked for understanding, saying the expansion will be “the cata- lyst for moving our airport from good to great.” One point of conten- tion in the design process was the decision not to in- clude jetways, also known as boarding bridges, which allow passengers to go di- rectly from the plane to the terminal without walking out on the tarmac. Speaking in the spring, Mr. Anderson said, “Jetways are something we would like to do, but we simply cannot make them work within the budget we have.” “The estimated cost is CI$20.5 million for the jet- ways and the infrastructure that supports them, including elevators, escalators and the like,” he said. “This amounts to approximately 40 percent of our overall budget and they do not address the main issue we have, which is ter- minal congestion. They are also very costly to maintain.” Funding for the airport expansion comes from a $13 fee paid by each passenger passing through the airport, collected by the airline when someone buys a ticket. Governor Helen Kilpatrick, center, joined by Premier Alden McLaughlin, fourth from left, and members of government and the private sector involved in the airport expansion break ground at Owen Roberts International Airport. – PHOTO: CHARLES DUNCAN Kelsey JuKAm kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com The first CayFilm International Film Festival, held in June, was billed as a “spectacular event” designed to promote the Cayman Islands as a world-class filming desti- nation. By all accounts, it was as enjoyable and well-pro- duced as the films screened at the event. The festival featured work- shops, talks, panels about acting and filmmaking, and screenings of 200 feature films, short films and docu- mentaries from 50 countries. Thirty of the films were pro- duced locally. The scale of the event was huge, with up to 11 screens at multiple venues, including the Harquail Theatre, the National Gallery, The Ritz- Carlton, Grand Cayman and Camana Bay. Some had expected that it would take a few years for the festival to achieve the level of success and participation at- tained in its inaugural year. Festival director Tony Mark said he did not expect the fes- tival to take off so quickly. “It exceeded expectations,” he said. “I thought it went very smoothly and everyone seemed to have a really good time.” The festival was attended by hundreds of film aficio- nados and attracted many celebrity guests, including Paul Schrader, Hollywood writer and director of classic American films such as “Taxi Driver” and “Raging Bull”; ac- tors Brian Cox, Wes Studi, Reno Wilson, Nicky Whelan, Alexa PenaVega and Rick Gomez; screenwriter James V. Hart, who penned “Hook” and “Contact”; and Loren Carpenter, the Oscar-winning animator and co-founder of Pixar. Many guests were im- pressed by both the high quality of the festival and by Cayman’s climate and infrastructure. Actor Ms. Whelan pre- dicted that the festival would not have trouble attracting more film industry notables in the future. “It’s such a welcoming place,” she said. “I just think it will get bigger and stronger. It’s not a hard sell [to get ce- lebrities to the Cayman Islands]. It really isn’t.” Beyond bringing Hollywood stars to Cayman, the festival was also a boon to local budding filmmakers with its free screenings and workshops for local young filmmakers and actors at the Harquail Theatre. The fes- tival team is also working to develop the Cayman Media Academy to educate Cayman’s youth by offering classes and qualifications relating to ca- reers in the industry, with the goal of eventually establishing a full-time associate degree program at the University College of the Cayman Islands. Organizers plan to expand and include new opportuni- ties for local filmmakers to de- velop their talent for the 2016 festival. One new event, to be held the week before the fes- tival, will be a “48 Hour Film Project,” which challenges filmmakers to make a movie in two days. Those films will then be shown at the festival. Another new addition is the Frank E. Flowers Local Filmmakers Award for a film made in Cayman or by a Caymanian. Mr. Mark said the 2016 event will be held over three days, June 16-19, and will feature a mix of movies from around the world, workshops and panel discussions. “The planning is going well and we hope to have some big announcements about celebri- ties and special events soon,” Mr. Mark told the Cayman Compass earlier this month. “This year, we hope, will re- ally put CayFilm on the fes- tival map.” CayFilm festival prepares for encore The second phase will include a new departure lounge, check-in area and expanding the building around the existing structure.6 DISTRICT DAYS Wednesday december 30, 2015 • Cayman Compass Cayman’s own Christmas music When does something earn the recognition to be called “traditional?” How many years need to go by, and how often does it need to be handed down from its origin before it’s con- sidered a classic? Well, without question, Cayman has a few of its own traditional Christmas songs that have filled homes and airwaves year after year since they were first released in the early ‘70s by the Brac’s Andy “The Cayman Cowboy” Martin. “Grandpa’s Christmas Fiddle” and “Old-time Cayman Christmas” were both recorded in the early ‘70s and became instant local hits. The songs were introduced on a 45 RPM vinyl record, then on a 33-1/3 vinyl LP, later on cassette, then on CD, and now on iTunes and dropcards. Like the American holiday classics “White Christmas” and “Let it Snow,” these two popular Christmas songs have become time-hon- ored local standards. The nostalgic lyrics in “Christmas Fiddle” evoke a yearning for a time gone by in Cayman: ”When we feel all full and fat, comes the biggest thrill of all. “Grampa goes and takes the Christmas fiddle off the wall …” In “Old-time Cayman Christmas,” Mr. Martin asks: “Can you remember when about three or four days before Christmas, we’d take an old thatch basket and go down to the beach to collect the whitest sand we could find to spread in our yard?” Still making music today, Mr. Martin, along with his sidekick, “Barefoot Man,” re- cently performed at the Captain’s Table on Cayman Brac. Family, fans and friends turned out to hear their fa- vorite local Christmas songs along with other Andy and Barefoot hits. Andy ‘The Cayman Cowboy’ Martin 50 yeArs Ago Family on First visit react to Brac In the Dec. 22, 1965 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a predecessor of the Cayman Compass, Cayman Brac correspon- dent Lilian Ritch wrote: “Choosing Cayman Brac for their first visit to the West Indian Islands were the Charles Plants and the John Carpenters from Ohio. “Enjoying the sunshine on the patio, it was interesting to hear their reactions to our is- land. Mr. Plant just loves the quiet restfulness and found the fishing excellent. “His greatest ambition, he said, is to beat Mr. Carpenter at fishing which he claimed to be doing with regularity with pictures in co- lour as proof. “Mrs. Plant smilingly asked for a little more excitement. Mr. Plant is owner/salesman of Cleveland Metal Blasting Co. manufacturing brake shoes and water pumps, while Mr. Carpenter is foreman on a state construction crew building highways. “His reaction to our roads? ‘It leaves a little to be desired, but within this island you do not have road taxes, so how can you keep your roads up?’ “We appreciated their presence at ‘The Steward Malvolio’ and hope they enjoyed it.” In this photograph taken in the mid 1980s, Eddie Scott is pictured in his workshop on Cayman Brac. A gifted Bracker, Mr. Scott taught carpentry at the Cayman Brac High School. He built ship replicas, furniture, windmills and anything else one can imagine. He was also band leader for the group Eddie and the Beach Boys. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, the Brac’s version of the Beach Boys was considered one of the hottest bands on all three islands. They specialized in calypso and old-style rock n’ roll, but were match- less at country – real classic country, not the “bubble gum pop country” broadcast by radio today. The Brac Beach Boys were featured regularly at the old Buccaneers Inn. Mr. Scott passed away in 2011, but not without passing down his talent to his son Burmon Scott, the leader of the popular Los Tropicanos band. This image is from the book “The People Time Forgot” by george Nowak, available at the National Museum. All proceeds from sales of the book go toward museum projects. District Days Sister Islands Teacher, craftsman, musician Ed Scott a Brac institution7 DISTRICT DAYS Cayman Compass • Wednesday december 30, 2015 50 years ago: exploding fridge damages home In the Dec. 29, 1965 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a predecessor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town correspondent A.B. Hunter wrote: “Shortly before midnight on Sunday last, the house of Mrs. Dorrit McLean of Pedro was partially de- stroyed by fire. The fire was ignited by an exploding refrigerator and com- pletely destroyed the kitchen and its contents and a substantial part of the roof. Fortunately, most of the contents of the house were removed and saved. Damage is estimated to be about 500 pounds and is understood not to be covered by insurance.” Mr. Hunter also reported on a number of traffic accidents during the holiday period, writing: “Christmas 1965 has come and gone, leaving in its wake the world over, hundreds of traffic fatalities. Fortunately, for Bodden Town, we had no fatality; nevertheless, we had our fair share of traffic accidents. Shortly after 3 a.m. on the morning of Dec. 23, Miss Carolyn Hislop parked her car in the vicinity of Mr. Michael Watler’s home at Pease Bay to attend a meat stall. A few minutes afterwards, a car owned and driven by Mr. Hubert Reid of George Town ran into the back of it, inflicting extensive damage to the latter. Mr. Michael Watler was driving his car in the vicinity of Mr. Orman Whittaker’s home in this town when it left the road. The car mounted a mound of rocks where it came to a rest. … “During the course of last week, the Shell oil truck of Mr. Gurney Panton, driven at the time by an em- ployee of his, left the road abreast of the Betty’s Bay Pond, ending up in the pond.” Christmas at Belford Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The sun was shining and Bodden Towners were out in full force at the Belford Estates Community Emergency Response Team annual family fun day on Dec. 28. Kids had a smorgasbord of activities and exciting things to do, including a dunk tank, fire truck, police car rides, games, delicious food, cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn, a bouncy castle and even a visit from Santa. The community event was declared a hit by local young- sters, along with the young at heart who came out to enjoy the popular holiday event, now in its ninth year. The Belford estates party on the Boxing Day holiday featured lots of activites, food, drinks, music and Christmas presents. - Photos: Jewel levy santa gave out lots of presents.adults enjoying a game of dominoes. District Days Bodden TownThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Wednesday december 30, 2015 • Cayman Compass James Whittaker, chairman of the Cayman Renewable Energy Association, said the association was calling for the program to be expanded to a capacity of 10 MW and for no reduction in price. He said any further weak- ening of the program would likely put jobs in the renewable energy sector at risk. “We believe the expiration of the program with no continua- tion plan in place is yet again indicative of the complete lack of importance the Electricity Regulatory Authority and gov- ernment place on renewable energy and the local industry and jobs that have been cre- ated,” said Mr. Whittaker, who is also president of renewable energy installation company GreenTech Solar. He added, “The fact that many Caymanians that are em- ployed in this growing industry and consumers who want to use solar energy have to put up with the constant uncertainty caused by the government and ERA is unfortunate. “It speaks to the broader mind set and their lack of un- derstanding as to the impor- tance of renewable energy.” In the initial stages of the CORE program, consumers were paid 38 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity generated from solar. That was reduced to 30 cents for new subscribers in April this year. Mr. Farrington said this compared unfavorably, for ex- ample, with a 16 cent per KWh price agreed for a new 5 mega- watt solar farm. He said those costs were passed on to con- sumers and the ERA had a re- sponsibility to keep them in check. He said Cayman’s na- tional grid currently can as- similate up to around 15 megawatts of energy from re- newable sources without sig- nificant restructuring at sub- stantial costs, although the Electricity Regulatory Authority and CUC are looking at doing what needs to be done to expand this. The issue for the regulator is what percentage of that 15 MW should come from residen- tial solar, when cheaper renew- able sources are available. “We are paying a big pre- mium for CORE. That was jus- tified at the outset but prices have come down and the op- tions have increased,” Mr. Farrington said. CUC said in a statement that the solar farm was evidence it was committed to promoting and developing renewable en- ergy. But it said renewable had to be integrated carefully. “The company will ensure that the implementation of these technologies on a large scale does not significantly in- crease electricity rates, cause grid instability or reduced reli- ability,” the CUC statement con- tinued. The company confirmed that applicants to the CORE program in January could be put on a waiting list until the terms of any expansion to the program were agreed. Mr. Whittaker said he was unimpressed. “Saying they will accept ap- plications on a future CORE al- location that ‘may or may not be approved’ at [a] rate that ‘may or may not be the same’ is not CREA’s idea of prudent reg- ulation by the ERA or govern- ment,” he added. He said focusing on the price difference between resi- dential and utility solar failed to consider the wider impact on the economy. “Cayman receives a signifi- cant net economic benefit from the local industry resulting from CORE. The millions in local economic activity and jobs created for Caymanians are not resulting from the 5 MW solar farm, which has been awarded to a foreign company.” Mr. Farrington acknowl- edged that there are advantages to consumer-based solar pro- grams and said he has invited CREA to submit its economic research to the authority as it considers the way forward for the CORE program. He said the decision would ultimately be taken by the ERA board. James Whittaker, of the Cayman Renewable Energy Association, and James Whittaker, the writer of this ar- ticle, are not related. Webb started the year tipped as a future presi- dent of FIFA and ended it facing a potential jail sen- tence after admitting to his role in a massive bribery scandal, dubbed the “World Cup of fraud.” Webb was one of seven FIFA officials arrested at the five-star Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich as U.S. fed- eral prosecutors unveiled a lengthy indictment alleging corruption, racketeering and money laundering. By the end of the year, a total of 39 people, mostly FIFA officials and sports marketing executives, had been indicted in the U.S. investigation. They are collectively ac- cused of negotiating more than $200 million in bribes over television and marketing contracts for high-profile events, including FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Sepp Blatter was not among those charged and was still clinging to the presidency of FIFA in late December, despite having been banned from the game for eight years by the orga- nization’s own ethics com- mittee in connection with separate allegations. Webb is currently under house arrest at his Georgia home, a million-dollar man- sion he has agreed to forfeit as part of a US$6.7 million plea deal. The 51-year-old was fired as president of the Cayman Islands Football Association in December, after his guilty plea was made public. The football associa- tion, which Webb led for 24 years, has also been swept into the controversy. The revelations of Webb’s antics prompted Renard Moxam, the director of the island’s national teams, to launch a bid for the leader- ship of CIFA in the summer. His campaign was stopped in its tracks by what he saw as a technicality in- troduced at the 11th hour to block his election chal- lenge. Bruce Blake was re- appointed unopposed as acting head of the associa- tion without the need for an election at its annual general meeting in August. In the fallout from the controversy, Sports Minister Osbourne Bodden demanded greater transparency and ac- countability from CIFA and pulled government’s $130,000 annual funding. By this time, the as- sociation’s finances and its National Centre of Excellence were attracting an extra level of scrutiny. The center, comprising a small office building and a field, had attracted more than US$2 million of FIFA funding, and journal- ists and politicians had begun asking questions about why the vision of a world-class facility had yet to materialize. Auditors refused to sign off on the association’s 2013/14 accounts, instead turning them over to the Anti-Corruption Commission. An unsigned copy of the accounts, seen by the Cayman Compass, indicated an additional US$1.2 million booked in earlier financial statements as loans from “strategic partners,” were ac- tually sponsorship grants for the center. sold to Cainvest were non- core activities and the transaction will have no effect on its profitability going forward. “The transfer of these activities is in line with Intertrust’s focus on core activities of trust and corporate services, as well as fund admin- istration,” said Marije van der Lint, managing director of Intertrust Holdings. “We are pleased to see Intertrust Cayman’s banking operations come into the hands of Cainvest, ensuring that clients and employees will not experi- ence any discontinuity.” Two full-time staff will transfer with the business to Cainvest. Leading the team from Intertrust Bank will be Carmen Thompson-Lopez, chief manager of finan- cial institutions. Garry John Wilkins, managing director of Cainvest Bank and Trust, said, “We look forward to welcoming Intertrust Bank’s cli- ents and employees to our organization. Cayman Islands is a great country from where to operate a leading insti- tutional bank, and we are confident that Cainvest Bank and Trust has all the attributes required to grow and prosper in a sustainable manner.” FIFA scandal puts Cayman in spotlight CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CUC: Alternative energy program nearing capacity CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cainvest acquires Intertrust Bank in Cayman CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Mr. Aboulafia ‘Millennium physicist’ ready to take helm at nuclear center Fabiola Gianotti is first woman to hold the post GENEVA (AP) – Fabiola Gianotti, who this week takes the helm at CERN – home to world’s largest particle accel- erator, is seen as a new breed of scientist. Initially trained in arts and literature, she came to physics relatively late. She enjoys cooking, jog- ging, music and keeping her eye on the news, and notes the importance of being “a citizen of the world.” Gianotti “embodies for me what’s much more the millennium physicist,” said Dr. Monica Dunford, se- nior scientist at Germany’s University of Heidelberg, who spent six years at CERN, the European Center for Nuclear Research. “Not so geeky, much more well- rounded, diverse, passionate.” “Fabiola brings fresh- ness to science: She’s in- credibly energetic, incred- ibly passionate, has a lot of different talents …. She has a degree in piano in addition to physics,” Dunford said. Gianotti, who succeeds Germany’s Rolf Heuer as director-general on Jan. 1, becoming the first woman to hold the post, insists she does not want to be “front stage” at the multinational laboratory on the Swiss- French border: Her bigger focus is about helping pro- duce science for science’s sake in the quest to explain the how the universe works. The 55-year-old Italian stands out not just for her fashion sense in a sneakers-and-jeans culture of coffee-fueled collabora- tion, sleepless nights and absent-mindedness about proper eating. In an inter- view held in a CERN con- ference room because her office was a “mess” during her move, Gianotti mused about an innovative, dem- ocratic community where Nobel laureates lunch with 25-year-old Ph.D. students. “CERN is a special place where we do fund research by bringing together ex- perts from over the planet – great scientists – but also a huge amount of young people,” she said. It’s “a democratic environment in that there are no barriers.” Higgs boson The center’s particle ac- celerator smashes together atoms and monitors the re- sults to help understand the universe on the most infin- itesimal scale. The Large Hadron Collider sends pro- tons whizzing through a cir- cular, 17-mile underground tunnel at nearly the speed of light. The $10-billion LHC, said to be the biggest machine ever built, is best known for its experiments that provided evidence in 2012 of the Higgs boson, a minute particle some have called the “God Particle” for its key position in the stan- dard model of physics. At that time, Gianotti headed Atlas, a team of 3,000 scientists and one of two independent teams that turned up the Higgs. That year, she was a runner-up to President Barack Obama as Time’s Person of the Year. But achieving an encore to the headline-grabbing event like the Higgs discovery will be no small feat. The collider has just completed “Run II” – its second-ever cycle of opera- tions – and will take a tra- ditional winter break until resuming in March. Fabiola Gianotti9 LOCAL NEWS Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The theme for govern- ment in 2015 may well have been “The Year of the Report.” Ministers and civil servants have been going through a yearlong review of the EY Report, which calls for nu- merous government reforms. The Auditor General’s Office released a slew of audits and reviews highly critical of gov- ernment IT security, revenue collection, accounting and other public functions. Other reports have covered conditions at the prison and the unmet mental health needs on the is- lands, and education officials watered down a report critical of Cayman’s public schools. The public learned that one in five girls has been sexually abused. A U.K. inspector called the prisons “decrepit and squalid.” The landfill could be full in five years. Some do- mestic workers make as little as $4 an hour and some face abuse and sexual advances from employers. These facts are a small taste of what came out across numerous reports released in the past year. EY Report Government has been in a yearlong review of a 2014 Ernst & Young report that recom- mends civil service outsourcing, selling public lands and op- tions to privatize parts of gov- ernment. The EY Report rec- ommends merging regulation of public utilities under one authority and merging the of- ficers of the information com- missioner and the complaints commissioner. Government said it has accepted both of those merger recommendations. A number of decisions are on the table for government, including merging the Brac’s primary schools. Government will also have to decide on selling off Crown land and the potential to move some civil service functions to the private sector, such as security at the courthouse and IT services. In a speech to the Chamber of Commerce in October, Premier Alden McLaughlin said, “Taken together, the EY recommendations we are ac- cepting and any new projects we have identified represent an ambitious and comprehen- sive package of reform.” Mental health reports Three reports this year ap- proached the issue of mental health in Cayman. First, a 2012 survey on adolescent health and sexuality by the Pan American Health Organization, released in the spring, found that almost 20 percent of girls ages 15 to 19 had been sexu- ally abused as children. One in 20 of the almost 1,000 respon- dents said they were raped the first time they had sex. Almost a quarter said they had suicidal thoughts – and one in six of those said they tried to kill themselves. A second report, this time from the World Health Organization, said Cayman had a shortage of inpa- tient mental health beds and needed a national policy for mental health. A new inpa- tient mental health facility is in the approval process to address the shortage of local treatment options and keep mental health patients on island instead of sending the most serious cases over- seas. The WHO also found a shortage of mental health professionals, especially when it comes to treating children. The third report, from Cayman’s Mental Health Commission, found that 4,000 people in the islands received mental health services. About 9 percent of those patients were 17 or younger. Prisons inspection A new inspection this year by the U.K.’s HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, following up on a 2012 inspection, found that despite improvements, Cayman’s prisons remain “de- crepit and squalid.” The re- port, released in June, detailed the living conditions of the 200 men and boys at Northward prison and the 16 women at Fairbanks. The report notes that prisoners face “unregu- lated and arbitrary” punish- ment by guards. Inmates have easy access to ganja, the in- spector wrote, and do not take advantage of educational and other opportunities. “Fairbanks resembles a storage facility and was an oppressive environment that provided no stimulation for those held there,” the report states. “Many of the current facilities at both Northward and Fairbanks should be de- molished and the rest should undergo complete renovation.” The inspector called for re- placing and refurbishing both prisons. “Most cells were dark and cage-like, and communal areas grubby, bare and devoid of equipment,” the report said. While the healthcare services for inmates have improved since the 2012 inspection, the report sin- gles out the kitchen at Northward as a particular concern. The kitchen, which also provides food for the women’s prison, “was in an appalling state and should be replaced immediately.” The report commends the prison service for im- proving case management for at-risk inmates and people in crisis situations, calling the new system “a welcome improvement.” Minimum wage A committee studying low-wage workers in Cayman recommended setting a $6-an-hour minimum wage in the Cayman Islands, and $4.50 an hour for workers re- ceiving tips or other benefits like housing. If the Minimum Wage Advisory Committee’s recommendations make it into the new Labour Law, it would mark the first time the country sets a minimum wage for employees. While studying the wage issues, committee members found that domestic workers make an average of a little more than $4 an hour. Among households employing do- mestic workers, only an esti- mated 10 percent to 30 per- cent follow existing labor laws. Domestic workers re- ported working long hours without overtime and some said they faced physical, emotional or sexual abuse from their employers. The committee also called for legislation to pro- tect whistleblowers who make complaints about con- ditions or pay. A slew of other reports ■■ A business case on what to do with the landfill found that it could run out of space in five years, but noted that govern- ment had specifically told the consultants not to con- sider other sites. Instead, they recommended more recycling and burning waste to create en- ergy in an effort to ex- tend the life of the land- fill as long as possible. ■■ A report published last year on the schools, it was later revealed, was highly edited at the direction of then-chief officer for the Ministry of Education Mary Rodrigues. A sani- tized version of the report removed pointed criti- cisms and strong recom- mendations. The selec- tive editing came to light over the summer fol- lowing a Freedom of Information request by the Cayman Compass. ■■ A report from the Auditor General’s Office cited conflicts of interest on the Central Planning Authority board. Despite the call for reform, gov- ernment reappointed all sitting members and left it up to the board to de- cide if they should have to fill out register of in- terest disclosures. ■■ The National Building Fund, which ran from 2009 to 2013, was rife with problems, including money unaccounted for and building projects left unfinished. “This demon- strates a complete lack of respect for the use of public funds,” audi- tors wrote in the re- port, released in August. ■■ Another audit found that Speaker of the House Juliana O’Connor-Connolly directed $125,000 in un- spent government funding to buy a property on the Brac for affordable housing, but the afford- able housing agency for the Sister Islands was never consulted. The re- port found several other instances in recent years of political direction in land purchases, with gov- ernment paying more than the likely value. ■■ The U.K. Crown Prosecution Service International Division reviewed Cayman’s jus- tice system, and the re- sulting report called for “substantial reform” in the way police and courts handle criminal cases. The report cited poor communication be- tween police and prosecu- tors, bad record keeping, unnecessary delays and a lack of account- ability in the system. Cayman Compass • Wednesday december 30, 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 2015: The year of the report A consultant’s report on the George Town landfill determined the dump would be full in five years. A report from the United Kingdom’s HM Chief Inspector of Prisons recommended some major overhauls at Cayman’s Northward prison. The Law Courts Building in George Town. The U.K. Crown Prosecution Service International Division reviewed Cayman’s justice system, producing a report that called for ‘substantial reform’ in the way courts and the police handle criminal cases.Next >