ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Thursday January 28, 2016 High of 85 Low of 78 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. Celebrating 50 Years Celebrating 50 Years Celebrating Celebrating Celebrating Celebrating Celebrating Celebrating 505050 YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears Produced by Pinnacle Media Ltd. RoTARy CLuB of gRAnD CAymAn CELEBRATIng 50 yEARS Editorial | pagE 4 Equal EnvironmEnTal JusTicE for EvEryonE HomeOptions Shop around and pay less for more insurance! $250 gift certificate can be used to purchase BritCay motor insurance Home Insurance with BritCay offers convenient, interest-free monthly payments, flexible cover, fast claims, competitive premiums and deductibles. Ask for a quote. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky $250* CERTIFICATE WITH BUILDINGS INSURANCE *applies to new buildings policies cgigrp Bare-bones government weighs options Independents to meet with governor BrEnT fullEr bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com With just nine members on the ruling gov- ernment bench, the Progressives-led coali- tion was left to consider this week whether it would seek to muddle through the next 14 months via the slimmest of majorities or call for elections ahead of the usual May 2017 date. Premier Alden McLaughlin, the Progressives party leader, said he would not speculate about what decisions the gov- ernment might make. He indicated to the Cayman Compass this week that dissolving parliament and calling for early general elec- tions is one option – an option that might have to be taken if the current government loses one more member. The road will not be easy for the Progressives-led government even if it main- tains its current majority membership. “It will be hell for [Premier McLaughlin] in the next year with barely no backbench,” Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush said Wednesday. “We will be a formidable group for him to face. Although I can only speak for the official opposition, the independents and [MLAs] Ezzard [Miller] and Arden [McLean] are not weaklings. We must consider the country first.” Meanwhile, opposition independent mem- bers of the Legislative Assembly, including Mr. McLean, Mr. Miller, Alva Suckoo and Anthony Eden, were to meet Thursday with Governor Helen Kilpatrick, who would have to approve the call for early elections if one were made, and no party could gain a majority of as- sembly seats. The independents are adamantly opposed to the prospect of elections prior to May 2017 and intend to tell Ms. Kilpatrick about their views. “We think it’s ridiculous and none of us support it,” Bodden Town MLA Alva Suckoo said of the prospect of a 2016 vote, which would likely have to be held under the former multimember district voting system, not the single-member districts lawmakers agreed to last year. 10 police officers sue over age, nationality discrimination BrEnT fullEr bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Ten former and current Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officers have sued the government, claiming they were forced to re- tire, with some accepting a lower rank in order to maintain employment after they reached age 55. The retirement age of 55, set under the pre- vious iteration of the Cayman Islands Police Law, no longer applies to officers hired fol- lowing the current Police Law’s effective date, Nov. 11, 2010. The retirement age for all police officers who joined the force after that date is 60. However, anyone hired prior to that date who is below the rank of police chief inspector must still retire at 55 or, if given the option, can be re-engaged as a police constable or se- nior constable, the lowest ranks in the police service, the lawsuit filed on Jan. 11 claims. The lawsuit also alleges that U.K. police of- ficers who joined the RCIPS prior to November 2010 are not being retired or reduced in rank in the same way as their Caymanian or Caribbean counterparts, once they reach age 55. “Officers recruited to the RCIPS from the United Kingdom before Nov. 11, 2010 and who are British by nationality and non-gazetted officers [below the rank of chief inspector] are not re- quired to retire at age 55,” the lawsuit states. “Alternatively, if they are required to retire at age 55 they have, in practice, been reengaged without loss of rank. “The effect of this discriminatory treatment is that non-British officers have been discriminated against in respect of Solar farm groundbreaking set for February Tad sTonEr tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Groundbreaking for Cayman’s first solar farm and non-Ca- ribbean Utilities Company util- ity-scale power plant will take place next month, launching a long-awaited move to renewable energy. The North Carolina-based builder, Entropy Investment Management – and local affiliate Entropy Cayman Solar – and in- dustry overseer the Electricity Regulatory Authority expect the 20-acre, 21,690-panel farm in eastern Bodden Town will open in October, generating 5 mega- watts of power, enough energy to supply 800 homes. The ERA ap- proved the Entropy-CUC venture on Oct. 30, 2015. The 5MW capacity of the Bodden Town facility represents a fraction of the nearly 100MW that CUC generates to meet de- mand from its 28,035 residen- tial and commercial customers, meaning significant reductions in consumer bills are unlikely in gone with the wind Dozens of high-flyers took advantage of last weekend’s nor’wester when they jumped on their kiteboards to take part in The Rock International Open. The tournament, which attracted kiteboarders from near and far, was held at Barkers Beach. Canadian kiteboarder Samantha Chilvers, above, won the “Big Air” category. For more on the winners and the tournament, see page 17. - pHoto: oceanfreaks ecuador/davo Hidalgo PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Thursday January 28, 2016 • Cayman Compass 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. - THURSDAY - THE 5TH WAVE (PG13) 1:10 I 4:00 I 7:30 I 10:10 RIDE ALONG 2 (PG13) 1:00 I 3:30 I 7:00 I 10:00 POINT BREAK 3D (PG13) 1:20 2D I 4:30 I 7:20 2D I 10:05 NORM OF THE NORTH (PG) 12:50 I 3:10 I 5:25 I 7:40 I 9:55 STAR WARS VII 3D (PG13) 12:40 2D I 3:40 I 6:45 2D I 9:50 THE REVENANT (R) 12:15 I 3:40 I 7:10 Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) © Sponsored by: SATURDAY, JANUARY 30th, 8PM Second water-related death in week A tourist who got into difficulty while diving off Grand Cayman’s north- western coast Tuesday be- came the island’s second victim of a water fatality in a week. The 54-year-old man was reported to be in trouble just before 2 p.m. Tuesday in the waters off North West Point Road in West Bay. According to police, the dive crew with the man had CPR in progress when emer- gency personnel arrived. Ambulance crews con- tinued CPR as the visiting diver was transported to the Cayman Islands Hospital. He was pronounced dead at the hospital later on Tuesday afternoon. On Jan. 20, a 65-year-old U.S. tourist died after getting into difficulty while snor- keling near Cemetery Beach, also in West Bay. Research begins into possible Zika vaccine WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. government is beginning re- search into a possible vac- cine for the mosquito-borne Zika virus that is suspected of causing an unusual birth defect as it spreads in Latin America. Don’t expect protec- tion anytime soon – vac- cine development typically takes years. “This is not going to be overnight,” Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said in an in- terview Tuesday. But there are vaccines in various stages of devel- opment for other viruses in the same family – dengue, West Nile and chikungunya – that offer a pattern for creating something sim- ilar against Zika, said Fauci, who directs NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. NIH researchers have begun some initial work, and the agency also plans to boost funding to some Brazilian scientists to accel- erate Zika-related research, he said. President Barack Obama met Tuesday with his se- nior health advisers, in- cluding Fauci, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell and Centers for Disease Control Director Thomas Frieden. The White House said Obama urged them to accelerate research into di- agnostic tests, vaccines and therapeutic drugs, and work to inform Americans about the Zika virus and ways to protect against infection. The Zika virus, first dis- covered decades ago in Africa, was long thought to be more of a nuisance ill- ness, with symptoms gen- erally much milder than its cousin dengue. But amid a large Zika outbreak in Brazil, researchers began reporting an increase in a rare birth defect named microcephaly – babies born with abnor- mally small heads. While scientists try to prove if Zika is the cause, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised pregnant women to recon- sider travel to Brazil and 21 other countries and territo- ries with outbreaks. If a Zika vaccine even- tually were developed, it’s not clear how widely it would be used. Salad recall will not affect foSter’S cuStomerS A recall of packaged salads due to possible con- tamination with Listeria monocytogenes will not affect consumers in the Cayman Islands. Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc., is temporarily halting operations at its Springfield, Ohio production facility and is voluntarily withdrawing all Dole-branded and pri- vate label packaged salads processed at that location, due to a listeria outbreak connected to the salads. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 12 people in six states have been hospitalized due to the outbreak, and one person has died. Foster’s Food Fair-IGA said in a press release this week that although the company’s stores do carry Dole salads, none of their locations have re- ceived any of the specific products recalled. “Only various states and provinces in America and Canada are affected by this recall,” the Fosters press re- lease said. Products subject to the voluntary withdrawal are identified with a product code beginning with the latter “A” in the upper right- hand corner of the package. Other Dole products, in- cluding fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and packaged salads from Dole’s other processing facilities with product codes beginning with the letter’s “B” or “N” are not part of this volun- tary withdrawal. Listeria monocyto- genes is a bacteria that can cause a serious and some- times fatal infection called Listeriosis in young chil- dren, frail or elderly people, and others with a weakened immune system. miss Cayman contestants ready for pageant After months of preparation, eight Cayman women will be at the Lions Centre Saturday night to compete for the Miss Cayman 2016 title. The contestants are Latrese Haylock, Theresa Cole, Schilo Scott, Erin Nicole Hislop, Samantha Rea, Jamie Rogers, Monyque Brooks and Shanice Kelly. General admission tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children ages 6-12; those under 6 are free. VIP tickets are $100 and $75. Tickets are available at Sand Angels, Renaissance, Funky Tang’s, Le Classique and Arbutus Galley. For more information on the pageant, see www.misscaymanpageant.com. – Photo: Jewel levy Cruise line restarts Haiti port calls following recent protest by residents PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) – A U.S. cruise line on Tuesday re-established port calls to its fenced-in site and beach attraction in northern Haiti after suspending visits just over a week ago fol- lowing a peaceful protest by area residents. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. suspended cruise ship stops to the Labadee port on Jan. 19 when its 15-deck Freedom of the Seas encoun- tered a number of people in small boats staging a dem- onstration in the area’s tur- quoise bay. The 3,634-pas- senger vessel spent the night at sea instead of docking. Since then, spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said the company has been in close communication with Haitian officials. They decided to re- start port calls on Tuesday by sending its massive Allure of the Seas ship to Labadee, which has provided the largest source of tourism rev- enue to Haiti for decades. “Based on our conversa- tions, we feel comfortable that there will not be any significant impact on our guests’ ability to enjoy” the attraction, Martinez said in a Tuesday email. There have been con- flicting reports about the rea- sons for the protest in the northern bay, which coincided with an uptick in political protests in the Haitian capital some 155 miles away. Cruise ship tourists do not leave the 260-acre private beach re- sort, long a source of frustra- tion to some area residents as well as political leaders of Cap-Haitien, a nearby city of roughly 200,000 people. On Tuesday evening, the office of Haitian Prime Minister Evans Paul said the government initiated talks with local residents over the weekend. Tourism Minister Stephanie Villedrouin tweeted that the government has been working “collaboratively with local people on sustain- able projects.” More Royal Caribbean vessels are sched- uled to make port calls later this week to Labadee. Each passenger to the cruise port pays a roughly $10 tax to the Haitian gov- ernment, producing more than $6 million a year for the hemisphere’s poorest nation. Local people in the village of Labadie could not imme- diately be contacted Tuesday about the recent talks with government officials or the reason for the recent protest. During outgoing President Michel Martelly’s tenure as Haiti’s leader, there has been a push to develop tourism to help spur an economic re- vival in the Caribbean nation of 10 million. But for now, the majority of tourists are still cruise ship passengers who never leave Labadee. Cruise ship tourists do not leave the 260- acre private beach resort, long a source of frustration to some area residents as well as political leaders of Cap-Haitien, a nearby city of roughly 200,000 people.3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday January 28, 2016 Join us on Sunday 31 January for Cayman's most popular and fun event in support of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. Walk or run your preferred distance in several districts. Register yourself, your friends and family, your company today - visit caymanstride.ky and take a stride against cancer. PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY (REALLY EARLY THIS SUNDAY) RISE UP! #5053 - CTCA - STRIDE - Rise Up - Press Ad Half Page Vertical - 5.0667 x 15.8975 - CMYK - 22nd Jan 2016 © 2016 Rising Tide Cancer Treatment Centers of America and its affiliate marks and taglines are registered trademarks of Rising Tide Foundation in the United States. Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Significant delays in shipping petroleum to the Cayman Islands must be con- sidered when comparing cur- rent local retail fuel prices to international benchmark prices, Cayman’s chief pe- troleum inspector said this week. Inspector Duke Munroe’s comments come following the revelation of data by his office that showed Grand Cayman’s retail price for reg- ular, unleaded gasoline at the lowest levels it has seen for nearly six years. Despite similar prices at the pump in February 2010 and this month, the petro- leum inspectorate records showed Brent crude – an in- ternational benchmark price for petrol – stood at US$73 per gallon in early 2010, com- pared to about US$32 today. The inspectorate recorded only a small local price dif- ference between the two pe- riods, about $3.88 per gallon for regular unleaded in February 2010 and about $3.93 this month. In February 2010, inter- national fuel benchmark prices were “recovering” from a period of lower prices, Mr. Munroe said. Shortly after that date, local prices rose to above the $4 per gallon mark and stayed above that for more than five years. As of today, world fuel prices are on the decline, but Mr. Munroe said that would take some time for local re- tail prices to catch up. “According to the oil com- panies’ statements in the past, there is a significant lag between crude oil, refined oil and local pump prices,” Mr. Munroe said. “For ex- ample, taking the February 2010 [prices] into account, at the point when prices got to just below $4 at the pump … [there] was a cor- responding batch of fuel in the oil companies tank which they acquired at say, US$50 per barrel.” When worldwide fuel prices fall quickly, as they have done so far in 2016, there’s a similar “lag” ex- perienced, he said, just going the other way. “The decline in price for the year to date has been steep … and such a rapid de- cline will tend to outstrip re- duction in pump prices since consumption seem to follow a relatively constant trend lo- cally,” Mr. Munroe said. In other words, as long as the higher-priced fuel re- mains in local storage tanks, consumers will be paying more for it at the pump. One difference between present day and 2010, is that the petroleum inspectorate now has the ability to obtain the range of pricing informa- tion from the local fuel dis- tributors, Sol Petroleum and Rubis, which is legally re- quired to be given periodi- cally. This includes prices at wholesale, refinery and pre- retail operations. “We made it abundantly clear while formulating the amended legislation, this is information we never had ac- cess to so could not verify or validate,” Mr. Munroe said. “We are now in a better po- sition to evaluate from this point.” The petroleum inspec- torate noted it may host “town hall” meetings later in the year, as well as other public outreach ef- forts to educate the public about the new fuel price reporting legislation. “The decline in price for the year to date has been steep … and such a rapid decline will tend to outstrip reduction in pump prices.” Duke Munroe, chief petroleum inspector Inspectorate: Fuel prices must be viewed ‘in context’ Gas storage facility on South Church Street. – pHOTO: TANEOS rAMSAY Man charged with rape, gross indecency with child A 26-year-old man ac- cused of two counts of rape and six counts of gross in- decency with a child is scheduled to appear in Grand Court on Friday fol- lowing his appearance in Summary Court on Tuesday. Michell Anderson Gambao- Garcia is charged following in- cidents in late 2014 involving a 15-year-old female. Details of the charges in- dicate that the offenses oc- curred during two different sets of dates. Some were in a car and some at a speci- fied residence. Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin told Magistrate Grace Donalds that Garcia is currently in custody on other matters, but she asked that he also be remanded on these charges. She said the Grand Court would take the matter on Friday. Rape can be dealt with only in the Grand Court, while gross indecency can be dealt with in either Summary Court or Grand Court. Since the charges are related, the magistrate transmitted all of them together. Attorney Lee Halliday- Davis appeared for Garcia. She did not make any appli- cations on his behalf.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. Thursday January 28, 2016 • Cayman COmpass Equal environmental justice for everyone We in the Cayman Islands should exercise great caution not to turn an environmental issue into a “class warfare” issue. Our concern is that, in regard to the recent coral reef destruction involving Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s super-yacht, considerable damage may have already been done — not just to Cayman’s marine habitat, but also to Cayman’s reputation as a safe haven for wealthy investors. Mitigation efforts should proceed with haste. On both fronts, precedent has been set by the August 2014 incident where the Carnival Magic cruise ship, guided by contractor Bodden Shipping Agency, under the aegis of the Port Authority, dropped anchor, destroying about one-third of an acre of coral reef habitat. The resulting activity from Cayman’s government was notable primarily for the absence of activity. Department of Environment officials established almost immediately that the Magic’s anchor and chain destroyed the reef — which, under the provi- sions of Cayman’s marine conservation laws, is a criminal offense carrying hefty penalties. (It does not matter whether the coral destruction was intentional or incidental.) Despite the prima facie case, environmental offi- cials soon backed away from the possibility of criminal proceedings — since it might have drawn in the Port Authority. In response to pleas from the Department of Environment to “do the right thing for the coral,” only one entity stepped up — the Carnival Cruise company, which voluntarily pledged $100,000 to assist reef recovery efforts spearheaded by local divers. The two Caymanian organizations — Bodden Shipping and the Port Authority — contributed nothing, and said nothing. Sharing in their steadfast silence were Cayman’s elected officials, who have avoided the topic of the crushed reef, as if ignoring the problem would make it go away. … Now we enter déjà vu territory. Again, a large ship (this time, Mr. Allen’s 303-foot super-yacht Tatoosh), under the direction of port officials, moored at a specified location, with its anchor inadvertently destroying a significant swath of reef. Again, the Department of Environment is investigating. What happens next? Will our officials attempt to extract restitution from Mr. Allen that they dared not demand of themselves? (For the record, Mr. Allen is not inimical — or even indifferent — to Mother Nature. In fact, his family foun- dation has donated millions of dollars to a variety of environmental causes, including mitigating the impacts of ocean acidification, a major threat to coral reef health.) The identity of the person responsible for a par- ticular incident should make no difference to the appli- cation of justice. Whether it’s a corporation, a local captain, the government or an American multi-billion- aire — the law should apply (or not apply) equally, to all. To mix a metaphor rather egregiously: Cayman’s calm waters should be a level playing field. Nevertheless, the news of the Tatoosh’s accident has spread across the globe, with local and interna- tional media predictably “playing up” ancillary details such as Mr. Allen’s wealth, with the effect — if not intent — of casting him in a villainous light. We have no control over foreign reporting, but we in Cayman should be very careful not to be unfair to prominent people like Mr. Allen, who is a regular visitor and valued ally to our islands, and whose pair of super- yachts, the Tatoosh and its big sister the 414-foot Octopus, both fly Cayman’s red ensign. Thanks to clients such as Mr. Allen, Cayman has the largest register of super-yachts in the world. In addition to the “super-yacht club,” Mr. Allen belongs to an even more exclusive group — the “billionaire boys’ club.” Believe us, the members talk amongst themselves. Rest assured that if Mr. Allen believes he is being targeted unfairly by Cayman officials (or being made the object of opprobrium in local society) on account of his wealth, he will share those concerns with his peers. “So what if he does?” the flippant and foolish among us may retort. Well, someday it may not just be local divers who are picking over the rubble of a shattered reef; it may be local residents scavenging the remains of a broken economy. Michael Bloomberg: an echo, not a choice WASHINGTON – Michael Bloomberg’s epiphany about the 2016 presidential pro- ceedings is that what is missing is a second bossy, big-government billion- aire from Manhattan’s East Side – another candidate with malleable party loyal- ties. Bloomberg, whose net worth estimated by Forbes is US$38.6 billion (eighth on the list of richest Americans), is again exploring an indepen- dent presidential candidacy. In 2001, he spent US$74 million to become New York’s mayor. He had been a regis- tered Democrat but ran as a Republican to avoid a com- petitive primary. Re-elected in 2005, he left the GOP and in 2009 won a third term as an independent, spending US$102 million – US$174 per vote – to eke out a 50.6 per- cent victory against a negli- gible opponent. He had per- suaded – not a Herculean task – the city council to alter the law, enacted and reaffirmed in two referendums, limiting mayors and city council mem- bers to two terms. “Make no mistake about it,” Bloomberg said then, “I still think term limits are a good thing.” Intermittently. A Bloomberg presidential run might complete a repu- diation trifecta for New York mayors. In 1972, John Lindsay, after three terms in Congress representing the Silk Stocking District on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, was in his second disastrous term as mayor. He had run in 1965 on the Republican and Liberal Party lines. Defeated in the 1969 Republican primary, he won re-election on the Liberal and Fusion lines. In 1971, he sought the Democrats’ 1972 presidential nomination, win- ning 1.23 percent of the votes cast in primaries. In September 2007, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani had a 20-point lead in polls for the Republican presidential nomination and a third more money than Mitt Romney and John McCain combined. He was, however, like Donald Trump, thrice married and, like Trump until his various conversions of convenience, favored abortion and gun control. Giuliani left the race Jan. 30, 2008, having spent more than US$65 million, having won one delegate (a Nevadan) and having gener- ated one good joke: “Giuliani’s momentum-proof national polling lead, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny all walk into a bar. You’re right. None of them exist.” As mayor, Bloomberg ad- equately guided the city through traumatic rev- enue losses when the Great Recession clobbered Wall Street. He was an ener- getic education reformer, fa- voring charter schools, but he did not really try to tame rapacious government em- ployee unions. He dislikes the Second Amendment and large servings of sugary sodas. He likes trickle-down progressivism, or what Walter Russell Mead calls “a ‘Downton Abbey’ vision” of America’s future. As mayor, Bloomberg said: “If we can find a bunch of billionaires around the world to move [to the city], that would be a god- send, because that’s where the revenue comes to take care of everybody else.” The perpetually dependent would doff their cloth caps and tug their forelocks, grateful to be taken care of. Most “successful” inde- pendent candidates have three things in common – a vivid personality, a burning issue and a regional base. And they lose. Strom Thurmond in 1948 and George Wallace in 1968 had all three and won 39 and 46 electoral votes, re- spectively. In 1992, Ross Perot had a sandpapery per- sonality and the deficit issue but he lacked a regional base, so his 18.9 percent of the popular vote won zero electoral votes. Bloomberg is bland – agreeably so, compared to some of the others – and his issue is who he is not (the others). His base is New York, former incubator of presi- dents. In 1868, the state had a higher percentage of the nation’s electoral votes than California’s 55 (10.2 percent) are today. Between 1868 and 1948, New Yorkers appeared on more than half of the two major parties’ tickets, and five times won the presi- dency. However, Americans have not elected a president from the Northeast for 56 years (Massachusetts’ John Kennedy in 1960). It has sub- sequently rejected three nom- inees from Massachusetts (Michael Dukakis in 1988, John Kerry in 2004, Romney in 2012). This year’s political cafeteria might serve up four Northeasterners – Bloomberg, Trump, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Bloomberg, a self-made billionaire, would be prefer- able as president to Clinton, who has forfeited the nation’s trust. And to Sanders, who has never run anything larger than the Burlington, Vermont, mayor’s office. And to Trump, whose comprehensive igno- rance and boundless confi- dence demonstrate that he does not know what it is to know things. Conservatives, however, remembering Barry Goldwater’s 1964 promise of “A choice, not an echo,” would rightly regard a con- test featuring Bloomberg, Trump and Clinton/Sanders as three echoes and no palat- able choice. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2016, Washington Post Writers Group Ex-New York Mayor and billionaire media executive Michael Bloomberg is reportedly considering a campaign for the U.S. presidency. – Photo: AP GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday January 28, 2016 Trust Company Ltd., Nagoya JAPAN - Satisfying customers since 1988 get an instant quote on our website: +81-52-219-9024 sales@japanesevehicles.com facebook.com/JapaneseVehicles f HONDA STREAM 2007 1,750 US$ S/N 173737 HONDA FIT 2004 795 US$ S/N 170168 TOYOTA NOAH 2005 1,900 US$ S/N 171278 MAZDA DEMIO 2005 1,000 US$ S/N 172660 NISSAN NOTE 2010 2,650 US$ S/N 173726 BLUEBIRD SYLPHY 2003 1,050 US$ S/N 173453 HONDA ACCORD 2007 2,600 US$ S/N 173378 BMW 5 SERIES 2007 7,000 US$ S/N 172423 AUDI A4 2009 US$ S/N 173747 Get a FREE 30 Day Guarantee with your vehicle purchased from Trust Company Ltd.! 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It further stated that she did not receive life- threatening injuries; she was taken to the Cayman Island Hospital and released the next day. In court, defense attorney John Furniss told Magistrate Grace Donalds that Maick is a Honduran national who was on island because the boat he works on was seized by customs officers some months ago. The charge sheet had a West Bay address for the defendant. Maick and six other people came into the dock later the same morning, charged with importation of 52.64 ounces of ganja – about 3.25 pounds. Maick and five men pleaded guilty; a woman pleaded not guilty. The charge was dated Sept. 29, 2015. The seven defendants had been on bail and all but Maick had their bail continued until Jan. 27, when Mr. Furniss said he would apply to have the boat, named Baby Sol, returned to its owner so it could go about its business. The magistrate trans- mitted the attempted murder charge to Grand Court, where it was set for mention on Feb. 12. Mr. Furniss advised that a Spanish-speaking interpreter would be needed. He did not make any application for bail. Another nor’wester on the way Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A week after huge waves battered the Cayman Islands, forecasters say another nor’wester will move into the area Friday. The new system will again bring rough seas and high winds, though prob- ably not to the extreme seen last weekend, according to the Cayman Islands National Weather Service. The front will move through overnight Thursday and Friday morning and, Weather Service Chief Meteorologist Kerry Powery said, “You’ll see the rough seas coming in on Friday.” He said any rain through the rest of the week will likely be on Thursday or Friday as the front passes through. “This won’t be like last weekend,” Mr. Powery said, when the storm moved in Friday evening, churning the seas along Grand Cayman’s western coast, disrupting boating and other water sports activities. Wave heights in the coming storm will likely be 4 to 6 feet, compared to the 9-foot waves last weekend that sent surf crashing over waterfront restaurants in George Town and West Bay. “We hadn’t had one of those in quite a while,” he said, noting the strength of the most recent storm. The Weather Service has issued a warning for small vessels from Friday through the weekend. Mr. Powery said the area is “getting into a cycle of fre- quent cold fronts making it into our area.” He said the pattern of cold fronts moving in from the northwest will likely continue for the next couple of weeks. Waves crash over the deck of the Lobster Pot in George Town last weekend as a nor’wester churned the seas along the west coast of Grand Cayman, disrupting boating and other water sports activities. – PHOTO: KELSEY JUKAM6 DISTRICT DAYS Thursday January 28, 2016 • Cayman Compass District Days Bodden Town 50 years ago: a call for better parenting In the Jan. 26, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town cor- respondent Arthur Hunter wrote: “During the course of last week four children were expelled from the Cayman Secondary Grammar School for conduct unbecoming schoolchil- dren. In the interests of the children concerned I do not propose to men- tion their names. It is however, dis- tressing to this reporter, and should be to all residents of this town, to know that of the four, three are from this district. “There are those who will shield be- hind the phrase ‘boys will be boys’ and thereby attempt to ignore the problem faced by parents in particular and the community at large of an upsurge in juvenile delinquency. Five years ago a juvenile’s presence in court was an unique occurrence, whereas today the Saturday morning Juvenile Court is commonplace. There are today almost one dozen of our juvenile citizens in Jamaican institutions. “One only need spend a few min- utes on the street at nights to find the cause for this unfortunate upsurge. The apathy of some parents toward the conduct of their children is as- tonishing. They seem much happier dancing the ‘Ska’ while their young- sters roam the streets than staying at home on weekday nights and en- suring that their children are preoc- cupied with their lessons. There are those so unconcerned with the disci- pline of their children that a teacher’s whipping will bring a parent’s rebuff. It is little wonder that in the long run some parents openly consent to their children being sent off to an Approved School, when they can no longer con- trol them. “Unless the parents wake up to their responsibilities and devote more time to the care and upbringing of their children rather than the sat- isfying of their thirst for their own selfish entertainment, the destiny of these islands will be little better than the jungles of darkest Africa.” Bodden Town water main replacement work continues Motorists are reminded that water works are taking place along the main road in Bodden Town just past the Gun Square cannons. The Water Authority noted in a press release that it is working on the second phase of a major project replacing the water main along Bodden Town Road which began on Monday, Jan. 18. These planned works are essential to upgrade the water infrastructure in the area so that the Authority can better serve its cus- tomers in Bodden Town, the company stated. The project will affect Bodden Town Road from Gun Square Road to Manse Road and is expected to take ap- proximately 10 weeks to com- plete. To facilitate the work, portions of the road will be restricted to the motoring public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, allowing for local ac- cess only. All other traffic will be di- verted around the work area by way of Anton Bodden Drive. Traffic signs are posted in the general vicinity and all motorists are asked to drive with caution to ensure their own safety as well as that of Water Authority staff. Water supplies are not expected to be impacted; af- fected residences and busi- nesses will be connected to a temporary service line to minimize interruptions in service while the pipeline project is under way. The press release states that during this time the Water Authority is working to ensure access to local businesses is maintained throughout the project, with as little negative impact on its customers as pos- sible and with the intention to complete the work in a timely manner. The Authority thanked the local businesses and their patrons affected by these planned works for their patience. The Water Authority’s Dan Smith keeps the traffic moving. Water Authority workers replacing pipes. – Photos: Jewel levy The Water Authority carries out work on the Bodden Town water main.Cayman Compass • Thursday January 28, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days Bodden Town Civil servants stepping toward good health Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government is taking steps to boost the fitness of its civil servants by hosting the “Every Step Counts” pe- dometer challenge, and gov- ernment workers in Bodden Town are taking it in stride. Promoting health and fitness across the govern- ment sector, the challenge focuses on workers making positive changes to health and wellness. Workers have been equipped with pedometers and have been handed a 21- day challenge to take 10,000 steps per day. On Wednesday, James “Jamo” Myles was seen on Anton Bodden Drive in Bodden Town, pounding the streets in an effort to rack up his tally. The scheme started on Jan. 18 and runs until Feb. 8. Winston Sobers, chairman of the Pedometer Challenge Committee, said the benefits of living a healthy life are not only physical but emotional and mental as well. “The pedometer challenge gives you the push this time of year after Christmas to get going. It creates an ex- cellent opportunity to work with others in a challenging and exciting way to achieve health goals,” he said. Up until midday Wednesday, Mr. Sobers, who is on team Office Attorney General Watch Dogs, was leading the pack in the male category with a total 511,129 steps, racking up a daily av- erage of 63,966 steps. But by 12:20 p.m. Wednesday, Mr. Sobers had been overtaken by Ruel Huet, who until then had been trailing him in close second. According to Mr. Sobers, the initiative started at the Attorney General’s Office in 2013, when he came up with the idea. In 2015, the pedom- eter committee was formed and brought to the whole of the Civil Service. He said the object of the challenge was to make people aware of their physical ac- tivity levels, and to pro- mote day-to-day consistency. The 21-day time frame was chosen because the duration is generally considered long enough for people to start forming a habit. Stepping his way to good health, Mr. Myles said he covers a lot of ground each day. “I did not know how much I was walking exactly, so when I saw this pedom- eter challenge offered to all civil servants, I said to my- self, this is a great way to know how much I really cover each day,” Mr. Myles said, making his way on foot to his office at the Youth Services Unit in the Bodden Town Civic Centre after leaving the Bodden Town Primary School. Not satisfied to get just himself in good health, Mr. Myles entered all the staff of the Youth Services Unit, which is part of the Ministry of Community Affairs, Youth and Sports. “I tested my pedometer prior to the challenge, and I was taking approximately 11,000 steps a day,” he said. He says the challenge has created the avenue to push himself to be more ac- tive. “Now I average approx- imately 20,000 steps daily, and I feel great. But I always did feel great,” he said. Mr. Myles is currently ranked 33rd in the men’s di- vision out of 419 walkers. His steps total stands at 175,533, with his team ranking 14th of the 36 teams. In the women’s division, leading the way is Daphine Watson of Turtle Troopers, who has accumulated a total of 377,319 steps, with a daily average of 47,165 steps. A home for art in stunning surroundings Basia MCGuire bmcguire@pinnaclemedialtd.com The grounds of Savannah’s Pedro Castle, sit- uated on a stunning outcrop overlooking the turquoise Caribbean, are known for their historic importance to the Cayman Islands. Having served as a private home, courthouse and jail in its time, Pedro Castle it- self is the site of an 1831 meeting where the Islands’ first elected parliament had its origins. In 1835 it is where the proclamation ending slavery in the British Empire was issued to the people of Cayman. The restored Pedro Castle draws locals and vis- itors alike keen to take a step back in time, but the expansive grounds are also home, among other things, to the Visual Arts Society’s Watler House art studio. The non-profit Visual Arts Society’s mem- bers range from profes- sional artists to those just looking to be involved in the local art community. The Society’s activities in- clude fine art and craft classes and workshops in a variety of techniques in- cluding oil painting, water- color, print making, jewelry making, framing, batik, mosaic and pottery. The so- ciety also holds kids’ art camps, open studios, and stages exhibitions. The Watler House studio opened in 2007, located in a quaint restored Cayman cot- tage on the Pedro grounds. “Our goal is to have Watler House open every day as a facility to its mem- bers,” said society mar- keting coordinator Mary McCallum, who said the group is seeking volunteers to lead weekday workshops in various fine arts and cre- ative disciplines. In a fringe event of the Cayman Arts Festival which kicks off on Feb. 17, the Society will be holding a special art exhibition at the studio, currently scheduled to take place on Feb. 22. For more information on the Society’s activities contact info@visualartcayman.com or call 546-9422. The Visual Arts Society holds a kids camp at the Watler House studio. James Myles, foot slogging from the Bodden Town Primary School to his office in the Civic Centre. - Photo: Jewel levy The Twin Step pedometer being used in the ‘Every Step Counts’ challenge.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community Calendar ■ Community Calendar is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. Thursday January 28, 2016 • Cayman Compass THURSDAY, JAN. 28 PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS: The public is invited to vote for their favorite art piece submitted to the Poinciana Art Exhibition, a mix of photos, digital images, mixed medium, abstract, oils, scenic and subject paintings and portrait drawings. Venue is Pop-up Art space in The Strand (Foster’s) Design Studio. Today and tomorrow, noon-6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Deadline is 6 p.m. MUSIC ON THE MENU: Cayman Arts Festival presents Music on the Menu, an evening of music and fine dining. Featured are soprano Anne Walsh, oboist Lauren Knuckey and pianists Glen Inanga and Allie Cortens. 6:30 p.m. at Luca Restaurant. Tickets are $125, which include welcome drink and canapes, concert and 3-course dinner with wine. For advance reservations, email enquiries@ caymanartsfestival.com or call 922-5550. BUSINESS WORKSHOP: “Social Media Tips for Micro and Small Businesses” by Cayman Islands Yellow Pages and KRyS Global. 5:30–7:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Free. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. BRAC COURT: Summary Court is held at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre from 10 a.m. today and tomorrow. FRIDAY, JAN. 29 SPECIAL NIGHT FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: Dinner dance for adults, play stations for children. 7–9 p.m. The Lighthouse School canteen will be the setting for parents of children with special needs, and teaching and specialist staff. Live music, massage therapy and information on support services. Mary Miller Hall will be only for children with special needs and their siblings, with games, stories, videos and activities for all needs and abilities. Must have tickets to attend. For free tickets, contact the Family Resource Centre in the Compass Centre, 949-0006, frc@gov.ky. POINCIANA FESTIVAL: Event runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. along Cardinall Avenue and George Town waterfront. Local artists will have a variety of art, photos, crafts and jewelry for sale. Street dance with live music and food. For more information, email info@poinciana.ky. JUNIOR YOUTH ORCHESTRA: Any students age 12 or younger who play an orchestral instrument are invited to join in the Cayman Arts Festival. Rehearsals are Fridays 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the John Gray High School Music Department. Email fmcconvey@yahoo.com. SATURDAY, JAN. 30 POINCIANA FILM FESTIVAL: Regal Cinemas, Camana Bay, noon to 6 p.m., 40 films in three cinemas. $10 unlimited access to screenings and discussions. From 6 p.m., $25. Premieres of “Self Preservation” and “Cause and Effect” plus after-party. FULL GOSPEL BUSINESSMEN: The Grand Cayman chapter of the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International holds its monthly breakfast 7:30 a.m. at Lola’s (formerly The Upper Crust) restaurant in Camana Bay. There will be time for open sharing. SUNDAY, JAN. 31 POINCIANA AWARDS AND CLOSING CEREMONY: Harquail Theatre. Doors open 6 p.m. $50 includes bubbly and canapes. Live performances. Black tie. STRIDE AGAINST CANCER: Cayman Islands Cancer Society annual fundraiser. Half-marathon (13.1 miles) begins at Seven Mile Beach Public Beach at 6 a.m. Quarter-marathon (6.5 miles) begins at 7 a.m. at Public Beach. North Side Stride begins at 7 a.m. from the boat launch next to Over the Edge, ending at Kaibo. Transport back to boat launch provided. The Little Cayman Stride starts at 7 a.m. from the Southern Cross Club. The Cayman Brac Stride starts at 7 a.m. at the Alexander Hotel and goes to the Reef Hotel. For registration and payment details, visit www.cics.ky/ index.php/Events/stride-2016. MARITIME SCHOLARSHIP: Today is the deadline to apply. The Maritime Authority and the Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs offer a scholarship in the areas of naval architecture, marine engineering, marine survey, maritime administration and nautical studies. Applicants should be 18 or over. Consideration will be given to applicants looking at specialist maritime legal services, human resource management, accounting, information technology and other areas which support the maritime sector. Information at www.cishipping.com or human.resources@cishipping. com, or 949-8831 or the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry Facebook page. ‘HATITUDE’ TRUST GALA: Fundraiser for the National Trust at Grand Old House. Patrons are encouraged to dress as someone famous from history, whether real or fantasy, in full regalia or just highlighted by choice of hat. Tickets for Brunch Upon a Time are available at the Trust retail store at the Dart Family Park in South Sound. Unlimited bubbles and a brunch buffet. Cost: $75 for Trust members, $100 for non-members, $105 for Trust annual membership and ticket, $1,500 for a corporate table. For further information or to reserve tickets, email marketing@nationaltrust.org. ky or call 749-1121. OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIPS: The application process for overseas tertiary scholarships began on Nov. 15. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 31. Visit www.education.gov.ky/ scholarships to apply online. MONDAY, FEB. 8 STOP SMOKING: The Public Health Department reminds smokers who wish to quit the habit that there are still spaces left for the smoking cessation classes the department is offering. Today is the deadline for registering. Classes start on Wednesday, Feb. 17, from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. and continue every Wednesday for seven weeks. Sessions will be held in the Public Health Waiting Room. For more information or to sign up, contact the Public Health Department on 244-2889/244-2621, or sarah.hetley@hsa.ky or nola.sanderson@hsa.ky. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10 ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES: St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Walkers Road, Mass at 8 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. Christ the Redeemer, West Bay, 10 a.m. Ashes will not be available for self-imposition. BEAUTIFUL BABY CONTEST: To be held at the 49th Agricultural Show on Ash Wednesday, at the Stacy Watler Pavilion, Lower Valley at 11 a.m. Open to boys and girls, ages infants to 48 months. For more information and registration forms, contact Eziethamae “Zeta” Bodden, 916-1559. SUNDAY, FEB. 14 RUN FOR LOVE: 5K run/ walk. 4 p.m. start and finish at Bayshore Mall. All proceeds benefit children at the NCVO’s Foster Home. Registration fee is $15 Adults, $5 under 18. Children’s race, free. Trophies, medals for top finishers plus automatic entry for raffle. Register online at www.caymanactive. com/valentines or from 2:30 p.m. on day of race. For more information, contact 949-2124 or ncvocoordinator@ncvo. org.ky. GENERAL INTEREST CAREERS, EDUCATION AND TRAINING: Chamber of Commerce Expo to be held on Feb. 26. Businesses interested in exhibiting should contact Nicola Burke at 743-9129 or email membership@ caymanchamber.ky. REEF RESTORATION: Certified divers are invited to work on the Cayman Magic Reef restoration in George Town. A schedule of work dates and times is posted on Facebook under Cayman Magic Reef Recovery. Dates and times are listed under Events, for volunteers to check and sign up. BUSINESS LICENSING: Business owners now have the option of paying their trade and business licensing fees using bank- issued credit and debit cards. License fees are payable at the counter, located on the first floor in the Government Administration Building, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Mondays to Fridays. For more information, call the Department of Commerce and Investment on 945-0943 or email info@dci.gov.ky. ADULT ART COURSES: New art courses at the National Gallery include drawing and painting, followed by batik and hatting. See www. nationalgallery.org.ky/news/ ngci2016adultcourses. CONSUMER PROTECTION: The Law Reform Commission invites comment on the discussion paper, “Consumer Protection – Entrenching Consumer Supremacy in Cayman Islands Legislation.” The paper can be viewed on www.lrc.gov.ky. Submissions should be emailed to cilrc@gov.ky or sent by post or hand to the Director of the Law Reform Commission, 4th Floor, Government Administration Building, Portfolio of Legal Affairs, 133 Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman, P.O. Box 136, Grand Cayman KY1-9000. Deadline is April 29. EXHIBITION EN MAS’: The National Gallery is the venue for the exhibition of “Carnival and Performance Art of the Caribbean.” This traveling exhibition explores the influences of Carnival on contemporary performance and practices internationally. ARTISANS MARKET: Camana Bay Artisans Market every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society artists display arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale between noon and 8 p.m. near KARoo restaurant. For more information on displaying your work, email info@ visualartcayman.com. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed. Tuesdays at the Truman Bodden Complex at 5:30 p.m. for track/field, football and bocce. No experience necessary, just a smile and patience. Wednesdays at Lions Pool 10:15–11 a.m. You do not have to swim, just be able to walk in water chest-deep. Thursdays at First Baptist Church for basketball, 5:30–7 p.m. Saturdays, volunteers needed for Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30–10:30 a.m. Deck support and in-water swimming assistance needed. For more information, contact Penny McDowall at 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5–7 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Red Cross headquarters. Book bargain every Thursday and Friday, a bagful for $5. For more Community Calendar events, visit www. caymancompass.com/events Arianna Broderick, also known as Maeve, has been nominated in the Best Female Artist category at the Poinciana festival’s awards ceremony. The festival will be held from Friday to Sunday.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JANUARY 28, 2016 Political insiders noted that the meeting with the governor might serve another purpose: To nominate Mr. McLean as the country’s new opposition leader, replacing Mr. Bush. Mr. Bush’s Cayman Islands Democratic Party holds three assembly seats, while the independent op- position membership holds five in total including George Town MLA Winston Connolly. Contacted Wednesday, Mr. McLean declined to com- ment. Mr. Suckoo denied that the meeting was being held for that purpose. “It’s just to discuss the possibility of early elec- tions,” he said. Mr. Suckoo, along with Mr. Eden and Mr. Connolly, have previously de- nied that they intend to join any political party ahead of the next general election. Numbers game For now, Mr. McLaughlin’s Progressives-led coalition maintains a 10-person ma- jority out of 18 elected Legislative Assembly mem- bers. That majority includes Speaker of the House Juliana O’Connor-Connolly who does not get a vote except in the case of a tie-break situation. In order for government to continue meeting, all nine re- maining members on the gov- ernment benches, including all seven ministers and both remaining backbench mem- bers, MLAs Roy McTaggart and Joey Hew, would have to attend the full length of every meeting. In practice, legisla- ture members often step out to take calls, meet with con- stituents and attend to min- isterial business while par- liament is in session. In a scenario with a nine- person government bench, opposition members could scuttle any meeting if only one member of the govern- ment bench stepped out. Parliamentary rules state that a quorum of 10 members, not counting the Speaker, must be present in order for a leg- islative meeting to proceed. One way to avoid a nine- member government bench would be to have current Speaker O’Connor-Connolly step down and take up her seat with the ruling party. That would require an- other person to be named as Speaker. It could also require one of the current government ministers to be replaced if Ms. O’Connor-Connolly moved to a minister’s position. On Wednesday, Ms. O’Connor-Connolly said she would “not be drawn into that debate” over whether she might leave the Speaker’s post. Other options for a non- elected member to be- come Speaker of the House have been explored. Former Speaker Linford Pierson’s name was mentioned as a possible replacement for Ms. O’Connor-Connolly, but Premier McLaughlin said last week that was “not within his contemplation.” Mr. Pierson, contacted for comment Wednesday, said he did not wish to put himself forward for the job. However, he said he would be willing to assist the gov- ernment if the need arose. Mr. Pierson said he had not received any official contact regarding the matter from members of Cabinet. Mr. Eden, the veteran Bodden Town MLA who cur- rently is the House’s Deputy Speaker, could also be tapped for the Speaker’s post. Mr. Eden did not respond to Compass queries seeking comment Wednesday. Bare-bones government weighs options CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Mr. McLeanMr. BushMs. O’Connor-ConnollyPremier McLaughlin their rights under section 9 of the Bill of Rights and this discrimination, which is on the grounds of their nationality, is also an unjustifiable breach of section 16 of the Bill of Rights.” The Cayman Islands Constitution Order, 2009, bill of rights section 9 sets out the right to private and family life. Section 16 is the anti-discrimination sec- tion of the bill. The lawsuit was filed by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Association, an offi- cers’ representative group, and names two police of- ficers, Dane Pinnock and Claire Pinnock-Jackson, both of whom allege they were retired upon reaching age 55. In Mr. Pinnock’s case that was in 2013, in Ms. Pinnock-Jackson’s case, that occurred last year. Mr. Pinnock, a former po- lice inspector, alleges he was informed following his re- tirement that he could not continue to serve at that rank and had to be reduced in rank to a senior constable when he was re-engaged. He applied for and accepted that lower rank, the lawsuit states. Ms. Pinnock-Jackson, a detective sergeant, was re- tired in September 2015, the writ states. The other eight officers in the lawsuit, named only as petitioners four through eleven, are “in a similar po- sition” and have already reached the retirement age of 55 or will be retired upon reaching that age. “The requirement to re- tire at age 55 has tangible consequences for the ma- terial and emotional well- being of the individual offi- cers and their families,” the writ states. “The require- ment that any reengagement must be at a reduced rank of constable or senior con- stable necessarily affects those of higher rank by their loss of status and profes- sional reputation.” The suit alleges the older officers are being discriminated against generally because the cur- rent law requires them to retire at age 55, when the younger officers who joined after November 2010 will not have to retire until they reach age 60. The suit further alleges that the act of retiring “non- British” officers at age 55 represents an act by govern- ment that is “irrational and/ or disproportionate” even if it is determined to be within the law. The 10 officers filing the writ are seeking finan- cial recovery of damages resulting from their retire- ment or loss of rank. the short term. Entropy Investment Managing Partner David March said Cayman is only the latest solar project his company has undertaken. “Entropy is a very active investor in – and builder of – utility-scale solar projects. We have built over 350MW of solar, mostly in the United States,” he said. “We be- lieve Latin America and the Caribbean are attractive in- vestment markets and have unique load, environmental and grid characteristics that multiply the value of solar and other renewable-energy technologies.” Entropy has built at least 28 solar projects, almost iden- tical to the Bodden Town project, in its native North Carolina alone. Cayman will be the company’s fourth over- seas project. It has built three 10MW solar farms in Panama. The company has pointed not only to cheaper electricity, but also has advertised the projects’ environmental ben- efits, substantially reducing CO2 emissions. “It is important to recog- nize that current diesel-elec- tricity prices do not capture the external costs of climate change, local air pollution, groundwater thermal pollu- tion and wear and tear on in- frastructure resulting from transporting the fuel,” Mr. March said. In 2011, CUC called for bids to generate power from renewable energy. In 2013, the ERA named U.S.- based International Electric Power to build its proposed 5MW solar installation. Mr. March explained the two- year lapse between selection and construction. “IEP is [the] electricity- project developer,” he said. “Developers typically require other investors to come in during construction because the capital requirements are substantially larger. Entropy elected to purchase IEP’s complete ownership, since they are a U.S. firm.” IEP’s Cayman partner, ReNew Solar Cayman, remains Entropy’s local partner. “We were introduced to the project by ReNew Solar Cayman in January 2014,” Mr. March said. “It took con- siderable time purchasing the project from IEP, due to some of the complexities in- herent in international trans- actions. Most of the time, however, was spent in final- izing the power purchase agreement with CUC and then getting the approval of the PPA by the ERA.” The ERA proceeded cau- tiously, wanting to en- sure Cayman’s first solar-generation license was done correctly. “This is the first util- ity-scale solar project in Cayman,” Mr. March said, “whereas hundreds have been built in North Carolina, for example. New markets take time. The same was true in the United States. Early projects took considerably longer than what is experi- enced today. We expect the Caribbean will become easier and less expensive to do re- newable energy projects as the market matures.” A “substantial difference” in the U.S. and Cayman elec- tric grids, for example, pre- sented unique problems, he said. “The Cayman grid is very small, so integrating solar requires much more dili- gence, engineering, safety concerns and forethought,” he said. “There isn’t as large a margin for error in a small grid. The ERA and CUC un- derstand this and did a great job in ensuring safe, reli- able solar integration.” A successful 5 MW project, Mr. March said, could spur further investment and cre- ation of a pan-Caribbean in- dustry, founded on Cayman’s unique legal and financial expertise. “Importantly, our focus is to be an investor rather than a builder of solar farms,” he said. “We build solar farms to help jump start the industry. “Our goal is to be a cata- lyst for a Cayman-based re- newable-energy industry, and for Caymanians to be a leader in the Caribbean’s re- newable-energy industry. “Given our track record in the sector, we can pro- vide the investment capital, education, experience and access to global purchasing power, but we recognize the project will be more suc- cessful if it is built and led by local Caymanians. “We see our role as pro- viding the resources, cap- ital and expertise to locally owned-and-run businesses to make this a reality.” Solar farm groundbreaking set for February10 police officers sue over age, nationality discrimination CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The 10 officers filing the writ are seeking financial recovery of damages resulting from their retirement or loss of rank. Home invasion in Bodden Town Victims tied up and robbed Three men armed with knives broke into a Bodden Town home early Wednesday, bound two res- idents inside and stole jew- elry and cash, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service reported. The break-in was reported just after 1 a.m. Wednesday. The victims suffered what were described as minor injuries. The victims reported that all three as- sailants were armed, wore dark clothing and masks. No arrests were immedi- ately reported. Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Bodden Town Police Station at 947-2220 or the Miami-based call center of Crime Stoppers at 800-8477 (TIPS). “Our goal is to be a catalyst for a Cayman- based renewable-energy industry.” DAVID MARCH, managing partner, Entropy Investment ManagementNext >