High of 83 Low of 73 Smooth to slight with wave heights of less than 2 feet. Swanky spectacular fashion show Serenity in art The Ritz-Carlton hosts opening of new show B4 Literature Lifestyles Art ■ culinary Cookout is coming Grab your spork! B6 Resident author’s new novel ‘Time of Departure’ is a page-turner! B4 Nothing to whine about Wine selection in Cayman has come a long way B5 Friday January 8, 2016 • Cayman Compass fashion show ‘Desire’ design for 2016 to be revealed B2 Photo: Stephen Clarke Cookout is coming cayman weekender Editorial | pagE 4 The shifTing sands beneaTh The governmenT’s feeT eSTaBLISHed 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – friday January 8, 2016 TUESDAY - FRIDAY - SUNDAY 17.95 $39.95 ConStitution CommiSSion: 9-member government bench possible brenT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Debate over the formation and makeup of the Cayman Islands government has raged on radio airwaves and comment forums since the departure of former Progressives government members Anthony Eden and Alva Suckoo from the party fold in November and December. The question of whether a ruling govern- ment must have at least 10 elected members physically sitting on its side of the Legislative Assembly aisle has been the focal point of that debate. For now, it’s all academic. There are 10 sitting government members, not counting Speaker of the House Juliana O’Connor- Connolly, on the Progressives-led government side. However, there has been speculation that if another member were to leave, Speaker O’Connor-Connolly would be forced to depart her post and sit on the government benches in order for the Progressives-led coalition to maintain its 10-person majority. Constitution Commission Chairman David Ritch said Thursday that in the commis- sion’s view, Ms. O’Connor-Connolly would not have to step down in order to maintain a 10-person majority. “The Constitutional Commission is empow- ered to promote understanding and aware- ness of the Constitution and its values and we are pleased to respond [to the question] in fulfillment of this mandate,” Mr. Ritch wrote. “While the government would need 10 mem- bers for it to control an outright majority in the Legislative Assembly, there is no constitu- tional requirement for a government in power to maintain a majority consisting of its own party members, excluding the Speaker. “That said, the business of the Legislative Assembly will still be required to comply with sections 74 and 75 of the Constitution.” Head of Webb’s Cayman offiCe Claims unfair dismissal James WhiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The head of former CONCACAF presi- dent Jeffrey Webb’s Cayman-based office was one of three people suspended from work by the regional soccer body in the af- termath of Webb’s arrest, according to alle- gations in a lawsuit. Lerina Bright, who earned US$100,000 a year as “head of international affairs and the president’s office” is suing CONCACAF, claiming she was unfairly treated and effec- tively forced out of the job. Ms. Bright, who ended her employment in November, claims the organization’s deci- sion to place her on required leave cast unfair suspicion on her conduct and integrity. She is claiming the actions of CONCACAF amounted to unfair dismissal and damaged her reputa- tion, and is seeking compensation. A statement of claim, filed with the Grand Court on behalf of Ms. Bright, re- veals for the first time the internal investiga- tion that took place at CONCACAF’s offices at the George Town Financial Center, for- merly the Admiral Financial Center, in George Town following Webb’s arrest. It suggests that three employees at the office were put on re- quired leave within weeks of Webb’s arrest in Switzerland last May. It states that Ms. Bright was informed on June 11 that CONCACAF was going through a “period of transition following much pub- licized recent events.” According to the state- ment, she was told in writing that her role was under review as part of a “rationalization Longtime liquor licensing chairman replaced in board shake-up brenT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com After serving more than a dozen years as chairman of the Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman, Mitchell Welds has been replaced in that po- sition as part of government- ordered appointments that create a new liquor board with more members. Along with Mr. Welds, former board members Tammy Welds, Neil Bryington and Bernice Richards have been replaced by new members, leaving only Noel Williams – the board’s former deputy chairman – as a member. Mr. Welds said Thursday that he had received a letter re- cently thanking him for his ser- vice on the board, but said he was unclear as to whether the letter specifically stated that he would no longer be on the board. He declined to make fur- ther comment. The new board chairman, Campbell Law, is a corporate manager with the firm Higgs & Johnson. He referred re- quests seeking comment on his appointment to the Ministry of Commerce. Commerce Minister Wayne Panton said Thursday that there had been a “perceived lack of confidence” in the former liquor board and that the changes de- cided by Cabinet were aimed in part to restore that confidence. Mr. Panton said Mr. Law would be viewed as neutral and without conflict regarding li- quor board matters. He denied that Mr. Welds was being re- placed for political reasons. “The fact that Mr. Welds wasn’t changed immediately in the change of the government [following the May 2013 elec- tions] is a reflection of our po- sition that we were not a gov- ernment that would make those changes simply because we were in office.” The minister also pointed out that the ruling govern- ment waited until changes to the Liquor Licensing Law were made in late 2015 be- fore changing the member- ship of the board. He said the government was more inter- ested in getting the liquor li- censing system correct than in changing the names of board members who would oversee it. The new board deputy chair is Woody DaCosta, a local radio talk show host and political candidate in the 2009 and 2013 general elections. Other appointed members are Mr. Williams, Magalyn Robinson-Clarke, Wayne Kirkconnell, Ralph Lewis and Phillip Tatum. In addition, there are three civil service directed appointments to be made by the director of the Department of Commerce and Investment, the director of Planning and the director of Environmental Health. Those directors can ei- ther serve on the board them- selves or appoint a designate. All appointment terms to the Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman are for four years. The terms began effective Jan. 1, 2016. Conflicts of interest A controversy erupted in September 2013 over the mem- bership of the Liquor Licensing Board, which directs the award of liquor, music and dancing li- censes in the Cayman Islands. Several local liquor business owners alleged that conflicts of interests existed among board members, including Mr. Welds and Mr. Bryington, who either had family members in the li- quor business or who owned li- quor licenses themselves. In August 2014, Mr. Welds PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » Campbell Lawmitchell Welds PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Friday January 8, 2016 • Cayman Compass Harpist Extraordinaire Eugenio Leon Serenades Tableside Tonight Friday and every Friday! Tarpon Fish Feeding 7:30pm & 9:00pm Nightly Fish FeedingFish FeedingTarponTarpon TONIGHT! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex starting Salsa with DJ Flex Salsa with DJ Flex with DJ Flex TOMORROW Saturday, Jan 9th Barefoot Man and Sea N’B Starting live at 8:00pm Come for dinner Stay for Dancing Or come to our beautiful Oceanside Bar and listen to the Sweet Sounds of Barefoot Man Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky Enjoy a Cimboco breakfast of *Two Eggs (Done to your liking) *Your Choice of Apple Smoked or Canadian Bacon *Herb Roasted Potatoes *Honey Wheat Toast For ONLY $5.00!!! Finish it o with a cup of Java for .99¢ Start your day o right! Mon-Fri * 7:30-11:00am *Except Holidays PROSPECT & SAVANNAH ONE BED APT SALE Spacious 1 bed completely furnished with pool from $154,900 Call Lin at 548 0000 to view Cayman Realty Group 345-548-0000 lintibbetts@yahoo.com CarePay trial: Further trial delay as juror falls ill Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The criminal trial of Canover Watson and his former per- sonal assistant Miriam Rodriguez was delayed for a third straight day Thursday. The delay Thursday was not due to concerns over potential new evidence, but rather to a juror falling ill and being admitted to the hospital. The nature of the juror’s illness was not discussed in the court. Judge Michael Mettyear merely informed the remaining six jurors Thursday that he wished the sev- enth member a speedy recovery and sent them home for the day. It was not known by press time if the trial would continue on Friday. On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, the trial was also not held due to attorneys reviewing po- tential new evidence in the case. Mr. Mettyear informed trial jurors Tuesday morning that the evidence consisted of infor- mation contained on seven USB computer memory sticks, often called “jump drives,” that were found in Watson’s office the day of his Aug. 28, 2014 arrest. Information contained on those jump drives – literally thousands of separate computer files – initially thought to have been lost, have been recovered, the jury was told. Attorneys had completed their review of that information and were ready to start trial testimony again on Thursday morning when news of the juror’s illness was received.Canover Watson MIAMI (AP) – The population of Florida’s iconic manatees has recovered enough that the species no longer meets the definition of “endan- gered” under the Endangered Species Act, federal wildlife officials said Thursday. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have proposed rel- isting the slow-moving, speed bump-shaped marine mam- mals as a “threatened” spe- cies, which would maintain most of their protections but allow some flexibility for fed- eral officials to manage them. “Based on the best avail- able scientific information, we believe the manatee is no longer in danger of extinc- tion,” Michael Edgar, deputy regional director for the wild- life service, said at a news conference at the Miami Seaquarium, which has res- cued, rehabilitated and re- leased manatees back into the wild for decades. A Florida business group and the conservative Pacific Legal Foundation petitioned the government in 2012 to re- classify the manatee, citing a 2007 federal review that rec- ommended listing the species as threatened because the population is recovering. They argued that if the federal government fol- lowed its own rules, the re- classification should have been automatic. “It’s taken eight years and two lawsuits to get the gov- ernment to follow up on its own experts’ recommenda- tion to reclassify the man- atee,” Christina Martin, a Pacific Legal Foundation at- torney, wrote in an email. The foundation has represented a group of recreational boaters, tour operators, dive shops and hotels on the Crystal River, which is warmed by natural springs and is a fa- vorite winter congregating spot for manatees. Florida’s manatee popula- tion has grown from several hundred in 1967 to more than 6,000 counted last year in an annual statewide survey. Wildlife and manatee ad- vocates say the proposal to relist manatees as a threat- ened species ignores ongoing threats to their survival. Also known as “sea cows,” manatees are pri- marily found in Florida though their range extends to Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean. Their biggest threats in the U.S. are boats, cold water, toxic algae blooms and discarded fishing de- bris. Elsewhere in the West Indian manatee’s Caribbean range, the animals face sig- nificant habitat loss. The wildlife service “should not move forward with downlisting without a proven, viable plan for fur- ther reducing boat strike mortality and for preserving vital warm water habitat” said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the Center for Biological Diversity. The public will have 90 days to comment on the proposal, and the wildlife service will have a year to adopt the proposed rel- isting or explain why it will not. A public hearing on the proposal is scheduled Feb. 20 in Orlando. US wildlife officials decide on manatee status petition The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says manatees are no longer in danger of extinction and plan to reclassify them as ‘threatened’ rather than ‘endangered.’ All Grand Court jurors who are in the Jan. 13 – April 5 ses- sion are advised that the re- port time on Wednesday, Jan. 13, has been changed. The date has not been changed. Jurors should now report for duty at 2 p.m. in- stead of 9 a.m. The change is to accommodate the formal opening of Grand Court. This notice does not affect those seven jurors currently sitting on the trial in Court 5; they must attend court as di- rected by the judge. Jurors are advised to call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up-to-date information. Jury notice To accommodate con- struction of a commercial building, the Camana Bay de- velopment will be closing one of its roads. Nexus Way between the Esterley Tibbetts Highway entrance and Market Street will be closed beginning Friday. The closure will last for the duration of the building’s construction. Vehicles entering the south side of Camana Bay are encouraged to use the Camana Bay roundabout entrance or to access that part of the Town Centre via Market Street. Camana Bay road closes FridayThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Friday January 8, 2016 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. Friday January 8, 2016 • Cayman COmpass The shifting sands beneath the government’s feet The stability of the Cayman Islands government is a point of pride for residents — and a selling point for potential investors. It is true that, as an array of bureaucratic institutions, there is great constancy in our civil service, judiciary and law enforcement — in other words, the practical aspect of government. However, in terms of the political aspect of gov- ernment — i.e., elected lawmakers and the successive administrations that emerge to rule — in recent years we have had more than our share of instability. Recall, for example, the fate of Cayman’s first Premier McKeeva Bush, whose United Democratic Party government toppled after his arrest in late 2012 on corruption-related charges, of which he was later acquitted on all counts by a jury. An interim People’s National Alliance administration, led by Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, watched over the House until the May 2013 elections, after which the current Progressives government, led by Premier Alden McLaughlin, was formed. Mr. Bush, of course, is now the Leader of the Oppo- sition, while Ms. O’Connor-Connolly allied herself with the Progressives and became Speaker of the House. With about a year-and-a-half to go until the 2017 elections, the ground is once again trembling beneath the feet of Cayman’s elected government. At the epicenter of the tremors is the departure of veteran Bodden Town MLA Anthony Eden from the Progressives government in late November, because of his disagreements with the party over its approach to same-sex marriage rights emanating from European courts. (Mr. Eden, in case you need reminding, is against it.) A month later, just before the close of the year, freshman Bodden Town MLA Alva Suckoo followed Mr. Eden out of the Progressives party and into the opposite aisle of the Legislative Assembly. As it currently stands, there are 10 members of the elected government (eight Progressives and two inde- pendents), plus Speaker O’Connor-Connolly, and there are seven members of the opposition, including three from Mr. Bush’s Cayman Islands Democratic Party and four independents. If just one more MLA abandons the Progressives-led government, it throws poten- tial procedural wrenches into the Legislative Assem- bly’s ability to take unalloyed action. (For additional background, read today’s Compass news story on the topic.) If more leave, then it could lead to the govern- ment’s dissolution and calling of early elections. One alternative to the government’s collapse would be a shuffling of power within the Progressives, meaning an internal mutiny against Premier McLaughlin. While none of the other remaining members of government have publicly stated their intentions to leave the ruling coalition, make no mistake that earnest closed-door conversations continue to occur, and despite any assurances of “business as usual” in the Legislative Assembly, individual dominoes are still wobbling. Until now, this Editorial Board has refrained from commenting on the future of Premier McLaughlin’s government. One reason for our reserve is that we wish to avoid the appearance that we are attempting to sway the decisions of any particular politicians. We are not. Whether a lawmaker stays, or goes, is a matter of personal conscience and conviction. Another reason is that, in our view, the broader structure of the Cayman government (comprising our laws, offices and institutions) is founded upon solid bedrock, that is the Cayman Islands Constitution, and is bulwarked by the United Kingdom. Cayman’s gov- ernment, in the sense of our democracy, remains solid and unassailable. In that respect, a potential change of elected government, even if it is abrupt, poses no real threat at all — it is merely change. There is still time for this government and this premier. The die has not yet been cast. But it will, soon, if not by legislators choosing sides, then by voters choosing representatives in May 2017. 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” Cameron’s inspired Brexit decision Matt Qvortrup British Prime Minister David Cameron’s decision to allow his cabinet colleagues to campaign their con- sciences on whether to stay in the European Union may look like inviting chaos. But history suggests it will make his task of winning the refer- endum easier. On Tuesday, the prime minister told members of the House of Commons that “it will be open to individual ministers to take a different personal position while re- maining part of the govern- ment.” That decision breaks with the tradition of “collec- tive responsibility” for govern- ment officials, the unwritten rule that cabinet members have to support the govern- ment’s policies, whether or not they agree with them. It’s tempting to compare Cameron’s position to that of Britain’s hapless opposition Labour party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who is so far to the left that much of his cabinet disagree with him on core questions such as whether Britain should keep its nu- clear deterrent or bomb Syria. Corbyn has been forced to make concessions for fear of splitting the party and is in a constant state of war with senior colleagues. Cameron, however, is no Corbyn. His move to free ministers to campaign against him in the EU vote was both inspired and in line with the U.K.’s (ad- mittedly short) constitutional history of two previous na- tionwide referendums – a 1975 plebiscite on whether to stay in the European Economic Community and a 2011 vote on changing the electoral system. (The Scottish independence referendum was limited to Scotland’s 5.3 million residents). In the 1975 plebiscite, Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson also surprised policy watchers by allowing his col- leagues to campaign for Britain to leave. Wilson won the referendum and retired as a successful and respected leader the following year. After the referendum in 1975, Labour’s party unity was re- stored and Europe became a non-issue until the early 1980s. In addition to avoiding a damaging split of his party – also one of Wilson’s concerns in 1975 – Cameron has sim- ilarly freed himself to cam- paign for Britain to stay in Europe, unconstrained by the need to accommodate the views of opponents within his government. Britain’s 2011 refer- endum on whether to adopt a new electoral system was a condition set by the Liberal Democrats for joining a coalition with Cameron’s Conservatives in 2010. The goal was to change Britain’s so-called first-past-the-post election system, which tends to squeeze out smaller par- ties because every vote for a losing candidate is wasted. That referendum failed, but then too ministers were given a free vote, not least because the government was split on party lines; the Liberal Democrats wanted the change and the Conservatives didn’t. Cameron campaigned with gusto against fellow cabinet ministers once the 2011 referendum campaign had started. Freed from the need to present an uncon- vincing show of unity, the prime minister was able to use the authority of his of- fice to convince the electorate that changes to the status quo would be a leap in the dark. He won by a mile; more than two thirds of voters re- jected the proposed new elec- toral system. This is also what happened in 1975. Harold Wilson was able to present himself as the standard-bearer of stability and to portray his euroskeptic cabinet colleagues Tony Benn and Barbara Castle as fa- natics. No longer hampered by the need to show unity where there was none, Wilson con- vinced a generally skeptical public to vote for Britain to stay in Europe by a 67 percent to 33 percent margin. Cameron will now be free to repeat Wilson’s success. Like Wilson in the 1970s, Cameron is a pragmatist; he wants Britain to stay in Europe, but feels no mis- sionary zeal for the EU project. And like Wilson, he has cabinet members who see the EU as the root of all evil. These include the Social Security Secretary Iain Duncan Smith and the Leader of the House Chris Grayling, whose resignations over the issue would have been a se- rious distraction. With the prospect of a referendum as soon as June this year, Cameron had to act fast. Winning the referendum on EU membership will still not be easy. Both the EU and Britain have changed dramati- cally since 1975. But if all plays out as it did for Wilson, the de- cision to suspend collective re- sponsibility for the Brexit ref- erendum could well be the defining decision in Cameron’s premiership, one that saves his political career from the rout that would follow defeat and defines the tactical prime min- ister as a statesman. Matt Qvortrup is a professor of political science and international relations at Coventry University. His most recent book is ‘Referendums and Ethnic Conflict.’ © 2015, Bloomberg View Cameron is a pragmatist; he wants Britain to stay in Europe, but feels no missionary zeal for the EU project.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 Cayman Compass • Friday January 8, 2016 Friday January 8, 2016 • Cayman Compass 6 DISTRICT DAYS District Days East End North Side Young parents in East End concerned over lack of jobs JEwEl lEvY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Young parents in East End are speaking out about their difficulties providing for themselves and their young children, particularly when it comes to landing jobs that pay the bills. “As a young Caymanian, I think that we are feeling ne- glected. There are some young Caymanians out there who don’t want to work but there is a lot who are stepping up to the plate, we have chil- dren and we need jobs,” said 25-year-old Diana McKenzie. Ms. McKenzie is raising three children on her own: Jaylen, 7 months, Jamari, 3 and Jakeem, 5, with the help of her sick mother Bevly Lee Wallace. “Not every one of us can apply for a scholarship, or have the grades to get a scholarship, therefore it is hard for all Caymanians in this category who want to further their education and get a job,” she said. Ms. McKenzie has been looking a job since September last year. “I sent out lots of re- sumes, signed up with the work agency, and so far no luck,” she said. Ms. McKenzie attended George Town Primary, East End Primary and George Hicks before graduating from John Gray High School. She then started attending the University College of the Cayman Islands studying accounting. She hopes to further her studies in business administration. When she left school, she took up employment with Edmar’s drugstore in the Thompson building in down- town George Town, but the business closed down. After a spell at the East End Subway, she moved to Dunkin’ Donuts in Bodden Town, which also closed down. After being out of work for a while, she got a job at Hurley’s supermarket. “My mother was minding the children, but she got sick and could not longer mind the kids. I was unable to find a person to take care of them so I had to stay home with the children,” she said. Right now, she said she is depending on the Department of Children and Family Services, but help with food or somewhere for her and the children to stay is only available for a limited amount of time. “It is hard. Young Caymanians need to step up and open their mouths,” she said. She said young Caymanians need to learn how to hold on to jobs. Given how hard it is to get a job, young people must learn how to handle it once they are hired. She thinks the low pay scale has a lot to do with why young Caymanians are not getting hired. “If we do not want to work for $4 and $5 an hour, employers hire other nation- alities from poor countries so they can walk over them and do whatsoever,” she said. Ms. McKenzie prays the year 2016 will turn out better for her and a lot of other single parents – especially single parents who have three or more children. Ms. McKenzie’s mother Ms. Wallace hit out at local MLAs. “They want my vote but when we ask for help, they send us to social services,” said Ms. Wallace. “Social ser- vices is not supposed to be our solution. They should be looking at seeing to it that young people get the oppor- tunity to work. Another young parent, Dalvy Solomon, pushing a baby pram from John McLean Drive along East End’s main road to his moth- er’s house on Fiddlers Way had just dropped off his daughter Jacmine at the East End Primary School. He agreed it is tough finding a job to provide for his family. “If I have work, I leave the children with my grand- mother or mother, if not, I just stay home and look after the children,” he said. “My baby mother just got a little job at Comfort Suites, that is kind of helping them out,” he added. Working in construc- tion and electrical most of his life, Mr. Solomon said he is willing to work. He has worked in various places such as Health City Cayman Islands, at McAlpine, and with an East End contractor, but he said as soon as each construction job finishes, he is left searching. “Sometimes, they tell me I am either not qualified or over-qualified, or they are looking for trade people.” Over the Christmas holi- days, Mr. Solomon secured work with a government cleanup crew. “I have to go back to the landfill site on Jan. 11 until the 18th. After that, I won’t have a job. I am finding it very difficult, especially raising my children.” Mr. Solomon said he does not know what else govern- ment can do. He signed up with the National Workforce Development Agency, but says he is being told to just keep checking his email, and that he will be in- formed of any work or inter- views that come up. However, the last call he received was long before Christmas. “If I have work, I will work,” he said. Diana McKenzie with baby Jaylen, her mother Bevly Lee and Jamari and Jakeem.Dalvy Solomon with daughter Jacmine. 50 yearS ago: Great fishing, welcome rain and rough roads mark the season In the Jan. 12 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, North Side correspondent Nettie McCoy wrote: “Arriving home on Friday 4th from National Bulk Carriers was Mr. Burke Ebanks to spend his vacation with family and friends. “After spending an en- joyable holiday at home the Shortwood students, Misses Zelmalee Chisholm and Emily Ebanks of North Side and Miss Rita Chin Loy of Cayman Brac returned to Jamaica on the 10th. We wish for all the students a good year in college. “On the 8th, Mr. John Wesley Ebanks left for Freeport, Bahamas to work for the Bahama Cement Co. “During the course of the past week quite a few big catches of fish were taken in here, including Groupers and King Fish. Fishermen took advan- tage of the fair weather during the week and got in some good fishing days. This season has brought us quite a few North Easters but most of us prefer the cool weather in spite of the high winds which we expe- rience up ‘North.’ “Lovely showers of rain fell here on Saturday eve- ning and Sunday, which proved to be a blessing in more ways than one. Due to the increased traffic through the district and the rough, dusty roads, most of the residents have been complaining of the amount of dust thrown up and blown into homes from the street. The road through the district at present is in an awful condition, much of an incentive to visitors and tourists passing through and quite an unpleasant path for those who have to walk it day by day. “Let us hope that the Public Works Department will make some improve- ments in the New Year, not only on the roads but on government buildings here, including the Post Office.”Cayman Compass • Friday January 8, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days East End North Side Cousteau visits Grand Cayman Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The year was 1976, and the place was Tortuga Club in East End. The legendary Jacques Cousteau, co-developer of the Aqua-Lung and renowned underwater ex- plorer had heard about the fan- tastic diving in the Cayman Islands and decided to spend two weeks checking it out himself. During his stay at the Tortuga Club, among other things, Mr. Cousteau chose to teach an East End local to scuba dive, and himself received an unexpected “gift from the sea.” The humble Tortuga Club, with only 14 rooms, was in those days nevertheless a draw for high- fliers looking to get away. “Yes, we got famous people such as Jacques Cousteau staying at the Tortuga Club,” said Cayman tourism pioneer Suzy Soto, who ran the re- sort at the time with her then-hus- band Eric Bergstrom. “He was a wonderful man, he called one night at 9 p.m. and said ‘Hello, this is Jacques Cousteau,’” Ms. Soto recalled. “I answered, ‘Yes, and I am Queen Elizabeth.’ I thought it was a prank- ster at first, until he said, ‘No, no, it is really me. I am in New York, I got your name from a public rela- tions person who said you would take care of me, and keep me away from publicity.’” Ms. Soto said yes right away. She said when Mr. Cousteau ar- rived in Cayman, it was at night, and she and Mr. Bergstrom went to pick him up. “Not many people at the airport recognized him, and we whisked him off to the Tortuga Club. He was a wonderful man and we became good friends,” she said. For the next two weeks, Mr. Cousteau, joined by his collaborator Emile Gagnan, stayed at the Tortuga Club, scuba diving and enjoying the island. Ms. Soto said Mr. Cousteau made the couple promise not to take his picture. “I did promise to never take a picture while he was in Cayman, but somehow, my nephew, who was on honeymoon at the time, took a pic- ture with Mr. Cousteau signing the hotel register,” revealed Ms. Soto. She said another person staying at the hotel also thought he recog- nized Mr. Cousteau, but that idea was quickly dismissed by Ms. Soto who said it was just one of the guests. It was a memorable visit for Mr. Cousteau in more ways than one, as it was at the Tortuga Club that the underwater explorer expe- rienced a career first. Early in the trip, the acclaimed master of scuba took a snorkel trip, leaving his fins behind. Upon his return, an embar- rassed Mr. Cousteau revealed that for the first time in his thousands of entries into the sea, he had man- aged to get stabbed by a sea urchin. The late Darby Bodden, a pleasant young East Ender working for Ms. Soto at the time, helped him pull the painful spines from his feet. It so happened that, on his trip, Mr. Cousteau had also chosen to give the same young man scuba les- sons, quite an honor. Mr. Bodden, who passed away in 1983, went on to make a successful career in the dive industry, and was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 2011. When his visit came to an end, to get Mr. Cousteau off the island without calling attention to his presence, Ms. Soto arranged with pilot Tom Hubble to bring his heli- copter to the airport, and have Mr. Cousteau flown to Jamaica. Ms. Soto’s children Barrie and Karie were invited along for the ride. Mr. Cousteau’s son Philippe, who also became a well-known marine expert, must have taken travel ad- vice from his famous father. After visiting years later, he declared Cayman to be one of the world’s premier dive destinations thanks to its pristine reefs, excellent visibility and incredible diving. Family fun at the Botanic Park The arrival of the cooler winter weather makes it an ideal time to visit the beautiful gardens and exhibits at North Side’s Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. Families looking to add a bit of variety to their weekend can attend the Garden Club’s second an- nual Family Fun Day on Jan. 24. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with lots of exciting fresh air activities planned for both youngsters and the young at heart. “In partnership with the Garden Club and National Trust, we hope to present a day of healthy activi- ties, educational talks and live performances that the whole family can enjoy in one of the most beautiful locations in Cayman, the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park,” said Park General Manager John Lawrus. “With reduced admis- sion at $5 for adults, and children 16 and under free, we hope to see many fami- lies on the day,” he added. Along with tree trail, blue iguana and heri- tage tours, families can take part in games, or- chid potting, crafts, and take in story telling, a magic show, and perfor- mances from Cayman International School and North Side Primary. Plenty of rain in recent months in the eastern dis- tricts have kept the plant life happy at the park. A wide assortment of plants, including indoor and out- door foliage, is on sale at the nursery, which is open daily. Trevor Leslie is the Botanic Park’s longest serving employee. - Photo: GeorGe Nowak This photo, taken sometime in the 1970s, shows Darby Bodden transporting a tourist at the Tortuga Club. Suzy Soto, in background, with Jacques Cousteau, co-developer of the Aqua-Lung, who paid the Tortuga Club a visit after hearing about the fantastic diving in the Cayman Islands.8 LOCAL NEWS Friday January 8, 2016 • Cayman Compass We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Olice Estermae Smith, better known as “Mary” who passed away on Friday, December 25th 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Sunday, January 10th 2016 at Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, West Bay at 2:30 p.m. Viewing will be from 2:00-2:30 p.m. Interment to follow at Boatswain Bay Cemetery Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com e family of the late FRANK GRAHAM MARTINEZ take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks, appreciation and gratitude to our many friends and family both locally and abroad for the love, kind words and compassion expressed in so many ways during the period leading up to and following his passing. We have been incredibly touched by all your cards, calls, emails, visits, oral arrangements and various other expressions of love, sympathy and support. SPECIAL THANKS to the doctors and nurses at the George Town Hospital, our family Minister, Pastor Michael Jeremiah and his wife, Mrs. Carla Jeremiah, Ms. Shanna Merren and Hurley’s Supermarket. We are likewise deeply touched and eternally grateful to his long time caregiver Ms. Angela Sinclair, as well as his two lifelong friends Capt. Paul Hurlstone and Mr. Booth Hurlstone who, along with close family friends, Ms. Andylene Marsh, Ms. Dania Cayasso, Mrs. Linda Appelquest and her husband, Mr. George Tustin maintained the strong bonds of friendship, love and loyalty all of which have meant so very much to our family throughout the many years. SPECIAL THANKS also to Mr. Scott Ruby and the sta of Bodden Memorial Funeral Home for your kind and compassionate help in making the necessary funeral arrangements. We also take this opportunity to wish each and every one a Happy, Healthy, Safe and Blessed New Year. ICCI business programs may get international accreditation James WhIttaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The International College of the Cayman Islands has taken the first step toward getting its business programs accredited internationally. ICCI has been named a candidate for accredita- tion by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education. The decision follows a site visit from the accrediting body in September last year. Candidacy status means the college has satisfied can- didacy requirements relating to its business programs, re- sources, and operational processes and is eligible to undergo an accreditation review, according to ICCI President David Marshall. He said it was a good initial vote of confidence and a step toward the col- lege’s goal of gaining full accreditation for its busi- ness courses, including the Masters in Business Administration program. “Working to earn ac- creditation in specific ac- ademic programs means that our students can be confident they are get- ting a high quality educa- tion that will put them on par with the best students from around the world in the disciplines they are studying,” he said. “We also believe this pro- cess will continue to elevate the professionalism of the college in the eyes of the com- munity and in turn ensure that even more employers have confidence in and recog- nize the ICCI degree.” Founded in 1997, the IACBE is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation in the United States and has accredited more than 1,200 business and business-related pro- grams in the U.S., Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Central America and South America, according to a press release from the college. “This is a tribute to the quality of ICCI’s business programs and the hard work of ICCI faculty, staff and stu- dents,” said Mr. Marshall. “We feel strongly that the college has a responsibility to maintain the highest stan- dards in all of its academic programs in order to do our part to help build a well- qualified local workforce in Cayman,” he added. The specific programs under consideration for ac- creditation are the master of business administration, master of science in man- agement with a concentra- tion in human resources, bachelor of business ad- ministration with concen- trations in accounting and finance, and associate of sci- ence in business with con- centrations in accounting, banking and finance. During the next year, ICCI will be required to prepare a self-study, docu- menting how it has imple- mented best international practices in business educa- tion. If the self-study is ap- proved by the accrediting authority, the college will undergo another visit before being considered for accredi- tation, likely in 2017. Caymanian hired to manage operations at Cayman’s YMCA First director of operations hired at charity The YMCA of the Cayman Islands has hired Caymanian Gillian Roffey as its first di- rector of operations. In the newly formed di- rector of operations role, Ms. Roffey provides day-to-day management and oversight for the YMCA’s programs, fi- nances, staff supervision and quality assurance. Ms. Roffey recently re- turned to the island after com- pleting an MBA and gradu- ating in the top of her class at Westminster Business School in London. Prior to graduate school, she gradu- ated with honors from Temple University in the U.S. with a bachelor’s degree in human re- sources. She also gained expe- rience in finance and human resources while working with Androgroup and Cayman National Bank. YMCA CEO Gregory Smith said Ms. Roffey im- mediately stood out during the hiring process. “Not just for her strong education and employment background, but for her char- acter and conviction as to why she was pursuing this role,” he said. “It’s a rare person who accomplishes so much at an early age and then elects to bring those tal- ents to serve her community as a career choice.” Ms. Roffey said she con- sidered many of the available jobs for which her experience and education prepared her, and she struggled with the thought of climbing the cor- porate ladder. “I learned so much about myself while away at grad school, not just about my abil- ities, but about how I want to spend my days,” she said, noting that she considered the importance of youth needing good role models, improving the community and helping teach the value of good health. “Having a significant pur- pose and positive impact on my community; that is what I’m here to do,” she said. “When I see many of the challenges youth face, it can be scary. I think of my niece and nephew. This is my home, where I will one day raise my own children, and this role provides an oppor- tunity to have a tremendous, positive influence.” As a result of the re- cent partnership with the Ministry of Education to op- erate the Extended After School Programme, Ms. Roffey will spend the ma- jority of her early efforts working to improve the ben- efits and outcomes of the ini- tiative, which reaches some 1,400 students on eight gov- ernment school campuses. The YMCA, often referred to simply as “The Y,” was orig- inally established in London, England in 1844, with a focus on providing safe and en- riching activities for youth and families, rooted in Christian principles. It was officially formed as a nonprofit organi- zation in the Cayman Islands in 2012 by a group of commu- nity volunteers. The Y strives to serve all people from a wide variety of backgrounds, with the primary goal of developing strong character values in young people and promoting healthy living. ICCI has been named a candidate for accreditation by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The decision follows a site visit from the accrediting body in September last year. “Having a significant purpose and positive impact on my community; that is what I’m here to do.” Gillian Roffey, director of operations, YMCA Ms. Roffey9 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Friday January 8, 2016 HP HORIZHP HORIZ Honey Badger under repair; reef restoration continues Norma CoNNolly nconnolly@pinnaclemedialtd.com While the boat of the Magic Reef Recovery project is under repair after being thrown onto ironshore by rough seas earlier this week, restoration work on the reef is continuing, volunteers say. The boat was damaged after breaking free from its mooring in large waves and high winds Tuesday morning. According to project leader Lois Hatcher, the boat’s hull was damaged and needs to be patched up with fiber- glass and painted, and some of the electronics need to be repaired, but the engine does not appear to have been flooded. “The boat didn’t capsize as we originally thought,” she said. “It was swamped and it looked like it would flip, but it didn’t capsize completely,” so there was no water in the engine. She said she hoped that the boat could be repaired and back in the water within the next couple of weeks. “It’s a tough little boat,” she said. “When we picked that boat, we picked it because it was a work boat.” “This is a major setback,” she added. “It’s obviously not a great way to start the year.” The Honey Badger had only recently returned to the water as the project was tem- porarily put on hold because warm seas were causing coral bleaching and the divers did not want to stress the corals further. The project has also suf- fered another setback in that several of the volunteers who worked with the project ini- tially have either left the is- land, are not diving because of injuries or other reasons, or are not regularly available. However, corals placed on an underwater “tree” and other outplanted corals have been doing well, Ms. Hatcher said. “We have been seeing visible successful growth of those corals … That is really rewarding,” she said. Volunteer Joe Avary said the restoration work will continue with what he de- scribed as “old-school restore from shore.” Before the Honey Badger was purchased in June last year – with money from fund- raisers and a $100,000 dona- tion from Carnival Cruise Lines – volunteer divers on the project would swim from the dock at Don Foster’s Dive or go to the site on dive boats supplied for free by dive operators. With the 24-foot boat out of the water for the time being, the next step for the volunteers is a shore dive to recover the anchor, dive weights and anything else that was lost from the boat, as well as check the state of the coral nursery and out- planting of corals. Mr. Avary said the volun- teer divers would also con- tinue working on removing milk crates that had been used to collect salvageable coral, as well as remove bot- tles and other trash found at the site. The restoration work began in August 2014 after the captain of the Carnival Magic cruise ship mistakenly anchored in an unauthorized zone outside of Don Foster’s Dive shop in George Town. The anchor and giant chain of the cruise ship damaged 12,000 square feet of the reef. “It’s one of those unfor- tunate things,” Ms. Hatcher said of the damage to the Honey Badger. “It happened and it can’t ‘unhappen,’ but all we can do is pull up our socks and move forward.” Anyone interested in volunteering for the project can make contact via the Magic Reef Recovery page on Facebook. The Honey Badger boat ended up on the ironshore by the dock at Don Foster’s Dive in George Town on Tuesday. While the boat undergoes repairs, volunteers say the reef restoration work will continue. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYNext >