THE WASHINGTON POST High of 86 Low of 74 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. Error in the sky ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Monday February 1, 2016 ABCDE NATIONAL WEEKLY Worst Week Roger Ailes 3 Politics State of disunion 4 Travel Sniffing out the threats 17 5 Myths Reconstruction 23 Error in the sky Reaper drones used by the Air Force are prone to sudden electrical failures PAGE 12 ABCDE Politics State of disunion THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016 . IN COLLABORATION WITH Editorial | pagE 4 divining the lessons oF Flint, Michigan SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA CarePay Trial ‘DiD this man sell you out?’ Attorneys show different sides of defendant Watson brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands prosecutors described Canover Watson last week as an unscrupu- lous businessman, a backroom wheeler-dealer who used his position on a high-profile public agency to enrich himself, his business partner Jeffrey Webb, and perhaps others. Defense attorneys described Watson as a successful entrepreneur dedicated to public service, helping out where and when he could and giving countless hours of his free time to help the Health Services Authority pull itself out of massive accumulating debts. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran said Watson helped himself and Webb to hundreds of thousands of dollars by “bumping up” the costs of the CarePay public hospital swipe-card contract and “doctoring” public records to make government officials be- lieve a local company he and Webb controlled were owed the money. Mr. Moran said Watson, the former chairman of the Health Services early election calleD a ‘menace’ to population Premier accused of dereliction of duty brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Five independent Legislative Assembly members, three of whom recently left the ruling government, have asked Cayman Islands Governor Helen Kilpatrick to clarify her position on the prospect of calling early elections. The independent MLAs, who consist of North Side’s Ezzard Miller, East End’s Arden McLean, Bodden Town’s Anthony Eden and Alva Suckoo and George Town’s Winston Connolly, signed a letter dated Jan. 28 re- questing Governor Kilpatrick provide “an explanation of the measures you propose to take if the possibility of an early gen- eral election arises.” The potential for a 2016 general election, rather than the regularly scheduled May 2017 Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Amid tremendous applause, 24-year-old Monyque Brooks, sponsored by Miracle Brokers, was crowned Miss Cayman Islands 2016 Saturday night at the Lions Centre. She was also voted Miss Best Smile, Miss Photogenic and Best In Gown. With a love for Caymanian arts, culture and heritage, Ms. Brooks is set on leaving her footprint in the local arts industry through participation in major programs and festivals. She is involved in the National Cultural Foundation’s events and is a part of the Cayman Islands Dance Company. Ms. Brooks has a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, and currently puts that to use working at the Department of Tourism. As stated on her biography on the Miss Cayman Islands website, becoming the next Miss Cayman was not only the ful- fillment of a lifelong dream, but also a mission to inspire and bring change. She vows to stay dedicated to her cause, con- tinuously demonstrating her zeal and com- mitment to ‘Caymankind.’ Erin Nicole Hislop, sponsored by HighWater, received first runner-up and Schilo Scott, sponsored by Health City Cayman Islands, took second runner-up. The People’s Choice Award went to Samantha Rae, Best Legs to Jamie Rogers and the Miss Congeniality title went to Shanice Kelly. Monyque brooks begins reign as Miss cayman PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Monyque Brooks, shortly after being crowned Miss Cayman at the pageant at the lions Centre on Saturday night. - photo: taneos ramsay2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Monday February 1, 2016 • Cayman Compass SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. © y x *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - MONDAY - Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) KUNG FU PANDA 3 3D (PG) 12:20 I 2:40 2D I 5:00 I 7:20 2D I 9:40 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 7:10 I 9:40 THE FINEST HOURS 3D (PG13) 1:20 I 4:10 2D I 7:00 I 9:55 2D 13 HOURS - SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI (R) 1:15 I 4:30 I 8:00 NORM OF THE NORTH (PG) 12:50 I 3:10 STAR WARS VII (PG13) 6:45 I 9:50 Guilty verdict after stabbing incident Jury’s verdict against Mark Anthony Seymour is unanimous Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Mark Anthony Seymour, also known as Mark Hilary, was found guilty on Friday after a jury of five men and two women heard evidence in a two-day Grand Court trial. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, which was laid against him after an incident in the early hours of Nov. 21, 2015 in the vicinity of Nectar Lounge in the Seven Mile Shops complex off West Bay Road. The victim named “Mark Hilary” as the person who had stabbed him; de- fense attorney Crister Brady suggested that the young man was either lying or mistaken. Justice Charles Quin set sentencing for Thursday af- ternoon, March 3, after Mr. Brady asked for a social in- quiry report. Crown counsel Scott Wainwright, who conducted the case for the prosecution, asked for a victim impact statement, noting that the in- jury sustained was a punc- tured lung. Seymour, 31, and the victim/complainant, 18, were the only persons who gave di- rect evidence in court about the incident. After the ver- dict, Justice Quin told the in- vestigating officer it was re- grettable that she did not get a little more help from the people who were there. At least four people were named as being at the scene; the of- ficer in her evidence described unsuccessful attempts to ob- tain statements or even get in- dividuals to talk to her. One man did give a state- ment of what he saw and heard from about 50 feet away; he said he did not know any of the six or seven people gathered and he did not see any weapon or phys- ical altercation. He thought it was drunk people arguing and he admitted having drinks himself. This statement was read to the jury during the pros- ecution’s case. During their deliberations, jurors asked to have the statement read to them again. They also asked to review footage from a CCTV camera in the area. The stabbing apparently took place in an area not covered by the camera, which, how- ever, did show people coming and going around the time of the incident. The jury heard that when officers first questioned Seymour about the stabbing, he urged them to check the CCTV, saying it would show his innocence. Giving evidence from the witness box, Seymour said he saw an argument de- velop between two friends of his and he named them. He saw the argument turn into a fight with both men drawing weapons. He said he and others tried to part them. It was too dark to see the weapons and he did not know what happened to them afterward. He sug- gested that the complainant could have been stabbed during that incident. Asked why he had not told police about that fight when he was interviewed, Seymour said he did not want to get involved and he had not seen any stabbing. Asked about any previous convictions, Seymour ac- knowledged several for as- sault, but told the court he had never stabbed anyone or been charged with using a weapon. As part of facts agreed to by the defense and pros- ecution, jurors were told that the complainant/victim also had previous convictions – for robbery and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit an offense. As the main prosecution witness, he had acknowl- edged being in prison. On the night of the incident, he said, he went to a bar after work and had a couple of beers. He went to another bar and had five more beers. When he got to Seven Mile Shops he met up with a man he named and a few girls. There he saw Seymour, who called him “a Dog City punk” (the location being an old nickname for a part of George Town). He said he looked away and tried to ignore Seymour, but the older man kept throwing slurs at him. Then, he said, Seymour “boxed” him in his shirt. Some time after that, he had trouble breathing and got a friend to take him to hospital. In cross-examination it was put to him that he was drunk and did not know who stabbed him. The com- plainant said that was not so. The investigating officer was asked about the com- plainant’s identification of Mark Hilary as the man who had stabbed him. She said she understood that he had not named anyone when officers first spoke to him at the hospital, but she thought that could have been due to the effect of medica- tion. When she spoke to him after midday, he had named his attacker. striding against cancer The Cayman Islands Cancer Society’s annual Stride Against Cancer walk/run took place Sunday morning as residents from all around the country either walked or ran courses in George Town, North Side, Cayman Brac or Little Cayman. The main group began at Public Beach on West Bay Road and either followed a half marathon course that turned around at Caribbean Paradise in South Sound, or a quarter marathon that turned around at the Wharf Restaurant on West Bay Road. Shown here shortly after the official start of the event at 6 a.m. are some of the participants running or walking. – Photo: taneos Ramsay This close Rotary International President K.R. Ravindran and Premier Alden McLaughlin indicate just how close the world is to eradicating polio, thanks to Rotary’s help. There are now only some 70 instances of polio being registered for the whole year in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the rest of the world declared free of this scourge that cripples those that it attacks, especially children. Mr. Ravindran, who was visiting Cayman to attend the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman’s 50th anniversary of its charter on Friday, paid courtesy calls to the premier and Governor Helen Kilpatrick during his stay. The stabbing apparently took place in an area not covered by the CCTV camera, which, however, did show people coming and going around the time of the incident. FoRmeR el salvadoR PResident FRancisco FloRes dies at 56 SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) – Former Salvadoran President Francisco Flores, whose five years in power were tarnished by accu- sations of corruption and elitism, died Saturday in the capital after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage, his party said. He was 56. The former leader had been in a coma since under- going emergency surgery. Flores, who led El Salvador from 1999 to 2004, was under house arrest on charges of embezzlement and illegal enrichment. He was accused of di- verting more than $15 million, which had been donated by Taiwan to help the victims of earth- quakes in 2001. A court says $10 million of that went to the party backing him and the remainder to him. The conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance, better known as ARENA, which carried Flores to the presidency, mourned his death and said it would support his family. Current Salvadoran President Salvador Sanchez also offered his condo- lences through his official Twitter account.3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday February 1, 2016 181003-Ad-Compass-JrPg-Cannes.indd 11/28/16 3:49 PM Auxiliary constable commended by court Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Police Auxiliary Constable Curtis Ebanks was publicly thanked in Grand Court on Friday for his assistance with a case that had been going on for over three years, but has now been discontinued. The case that prompted Justice Charles Quin to ex- press his gratitude was that of Don Marcus Nixon, now 50, who had been charged with arson following an inci- dent on July 30, 2012. Details of the charge were that Nixon, without lawful ex- cuse, had damaged by fire a sofa in the laundry room of a George Town residence. Arson can be dealt with only in the Grand Court. By Aug. 31, 2012, Nixon was committed to the higher court where he appeared be- fore Chief Justice Anthony Smellie. On that date, defense attorney Prathna Bodden ad- vised that Nixon recently suf- fered a stroke which had af- fected him mentally as well as physically. She told the court she had been in touch with his doctors as well as with the prison, where he was in custody. His remand in custody continued and on Oct. 19, 2012 Justice Quin noted that the chief justice had ordered that Nixon be examined by a psychiatrist. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden said the ex- amination report should in- clude an opinion on his fitness to plead. In January 2013, Ms. Bodden complained that the psychiatric report received was not thorough enough and Justice Quin agreed. By March 2013, Ms. Bodden and family members were expressing concern that Nixon’s condition was de- teriorating. Justice Quin di- rected that a representative of the Mental Health Unit attend court the following week and bring a diary so that an appointment could be made for the defendant. Five months later there was still no report and Justice Quin expressed frustration. Ms. Bodden said Nixon did go to the doctor on the date he was given. “He was told they could not accommo- date him. They gave him an- other date and he didn’t go.” The Crown counsel added that on at least one occasion Nixon did go to the doctor on a date assigned, but he went late and by that time the doctor’s schedule was filled with other patients. “There is nobody to keep this together for him,” Ms. Bodden observed. This is where Officer Ebanks came in. In recording his gratitude to the policeman on Friday, Justice Quin commented on “the invaluable assistance you have given to Mr. Nixon week after week, month after month, year after year …. You went above and beyond the call of duty in taking him to hospital and taking him to his appointments and bringing him to court. It was outstanding service,” he said. Earlier on Friday, Justice Robin McMillan issued a ‘minute of order’ after Nixon limped into the dock to ap- pear before him. “Today the Crown advised that this charge of arson has been of some age, and over the years there have been a number of mental health re- ports and further statements in the case and now, after careful review, the Crown will discontinue the case against the defendant.” Ms. Bodden asked that it be placed on record the in- valuable support given to this case by Officer Ebanks. Justice McMillan added in his minute of order Justice Quin’s request that it be placed on record “that many mention hearings would not have been effective without the invaluable assistance of Officer Curtis Ebanks. “The fact that Officer Curtis Ebanks’ name is re- corded on most minutes of order throughout this file is a testimony to his profes- sionalism and selfless ded- ication to this case,” the judge concluded. Auxiliary Constable Curtis Ebanks Cayman prepares for Zika Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com As the World Health Organization prepares for an emergency meeting Monday on the mosquito-borne Zika virus, Cayman’s public health officials say they are pre- pared to deal with the po- tential for Zika reaching the islands. Several Cayman gov- ernment agencies met Friday afternoon to plan for the possibility of Zika showing up in Cayman. Following the meeting, the country’s leading public health officer Dr. Samuel Williams-Rodriguez, said, the Mosquito Research and Control Unit “has plans in place to tackle the Aedes ae- gypti mosquito currently and in the case that the disease is introduced, to limit local transmission.” The Zika virus has turned up in most South and Central American countries and many Caribbean states. Health officials have linked the virus to a worrying up- tick in a birth defect called microcephaly, causing babies to be born with underdevel- oped brains and small heads. Brazil reported about 4,000 microcephaly cases in the past year, compared to less than 150 infants born with the condition in 2014. Public health officials in several countries have warned women to avoid get- ting pregnant while the virus is still a problem. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued travel warnings for pregnant women and women trying to get pregnant, telling them to postpone travel if possible. In the United Kingdom, public health officials have warned women returning from affected countries against trying to have a baby for a least a month. Zika is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are also responsible for spreading Dengue and Chikungunya. For those not concerned with pregnancy, Dr. Williams-Rodriguez said, “Zika is a milder disease compared to Dengue and ChickV and complications are rare.” Cayman has long battled the Aedes mosquitoes through the Mosquito Research and Control Unit. The main thrust of Cayman’s mosquito control operations involve spraying from trucks and an airplane. For controlling the Aedes mosquitos, the MRCU notes, “Help from the public can help to seriously reduce num- bers. Clear up trash and other sources of standing water, in- cluding buckets, dog bowls, ornamentals, plant pots and tires. Anything that will hold water when it rains will pro- vide the perfect breeding site for this mosquito.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, is a terrible and ter- rifying story of government gone wrong, and ordinary people, primarily children, suffering as a result. In case you haven’t been following the news, please pay attention: Flint is a blue-collar, industrial town of about 100,000 in the American state of Michigan. It is located 70 miles from the largest source of liquid fresh- water on the planet — the Great Lakes. Up until 2014, Flint purchased its water, sourced from Lake Huron, from nearby Detroit. Nearly two years ago, state officials (who had taken control of the city’s budget during a 2011 financial state of emergency) decided to switch Flint’s water supplier from Detroit to (guess who?) the state. While the new state-operated project was being built, the city was instructed to draw its water from the Flint River which runs through town. The problems were immediately both obvious and odious. The water in the Flint River, you see, happens to be particularly corrosive, and as the river water coursed through Flint’s aged system of pipes, heavy metals — including, most sorrowfully, lead — made its way into the water people use for drinking, bathing and washing. By the way, much of the water came out of the taps visibly brown. High concentrations of lead in the blood are linked to a myriad of lifelong problems, including low IQ and behavioral issues. The effects can be mitigated somewhat with early intervention but are largely irreversible. As soon as the switch was made, Flint residents appealed to city and state officials, first brandishing glasses of brown, smelly water (made so by the presence of otherwise-innocuous iron), and eventually the results of blood tests on local children, which showed elevated levels of lead. Yet government officials, at multiple levels — either because they didn’t listen, didn’t believe them or didn’t care — didn’t act. Instead, they pointed to tests from their own experts claiming the water was perfectly safe. Only after a Flint pediatrician and independent researchers raised a thunderous hue and cry (whose efforts, by the way, the state initially attempted to dis- credit), did officials finally admit the obvious, and Flint reverted back to its previous water supplier, Detroit, in October. As if the above weren’t bad enough, it has come to light that in 2011 — years before the switch to the corro- sive Flint River water was made — a study had been done on the Flint River showing that in order for it to be con- sidered a safe supply of drinking water, it would have to be treated with an anti-corrosive agent. The cost of the treatment, which would have averted nearly all of the ensuring problems, would have been about US$100 per day. It didn’t happen. Now, some readers may wonder what Flint has to do with the Cayman Islands. After all, our water system is safe, even pristine. If there were a problem, surely we trust our officials to alert us to its existence. And yet, consider the George Town landfill. Offi- cials and their consultants assure us that the combus- tible behemoth poses little immediate threat to the surrounding environment (except, of course, when it is periodically bursting into flames). Next door to the dump exists a threat that is poten- tially of the same magnitude as its mountainous neighbor, but is less obvious because it is underground. We refer to Cayman’s very own piping problem: the wastewater sewerage system. Can our officials really look us in the eyes and pledge that the dump and sewerage system, located proximate to the Seven Mile Beach corridor, pose no real danger to the thousands of people who live, work and stay nearby? Do we believe their assurances? Should we? Divining the lessons of Flint, Michigan Monday February 1, 2016 • Cayman COmpass The looming Brexit vote The Telegraph (london) There may be fewer than 150 days left until Britain decides its European fate, voting in David Cameron’s referendum on membership of the European Union. The word at Westminster is that the vote could come as soon as June 23. Taking this course would be understandable for Mr. Cameron. His side of the ar- gument, which favors con- tinued membership, cur- rently enjoys a sense of momentum. The Prime Minister may calculate that hurrying voters into a deci- sion on such an important decision in such circum- stances makes it more likely that they will cautiously opt for the status quo. Yet such tactics would be open to criticism, and carry significant risk. The criti- cism is that Mr. Cameron looks like falling short of what he pledged when he began the referendum pro- cess in 2013. This is something voters should not overlook or ig- nore; many will feel that Mr. Cameron should take the time to get the deal that is best for Britain, not merely the one that he finds most politically convenient. The risks for Mr. Cameron of an early vote are twofold. First, the ensuing campaign would be highly unpredict- able. The second risk is to the legitimacy of the result. We have argued before that it is in the interests of Mr. Cameron and the nation that the referendum debate is as full and frank as can be. A quick vote called to discom- bobulate Mr. Cameron’s op- ponents and rush voters into a decision may well fail to meet that standard, and thus spawn an immediate cam- paign for another referendum in short order. © 2016, Telegraph Media Group Antigua abolishes income tax There is some very good news to share. The income tax will disappear in April. But there’s also some bad news. The income tax is only being abolished in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda, and there’s little reason to think that America’s awful internal rev- enue code will disappear anytime soon. Nonetheless, we should celebrate this development because it shows that fiscal mistakes can be reversed. A report from Caribbean News Now has some of the highlights. “The people of Antigua and Barbuda will from April receive tax relief when the government plans to abolish personal income tax (PIT). PIT, introduced by the now opposition United Progressive Party upon coming into office in 2004, imposes a tax of 8 percent on residents earning an income above $3,500 and 15 per- cent on those earning an in- come above $25,000. … Prime Minister Gaston Browne … noted that previous Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party administrations governed Antigua and Barbuda suc- cessfully for 27 years without personal income tax. He said that the cost of collecting PIT, the difficulty of enforcement, and its unfairness, make it sensible to remove the PIT from the books.” Wow, the Antigua and Barbuda version of the Labour Party obviously is much better than the crazed British version. But let’s not get side- tracked. Here are some addi- tional details from a story in the Jamaica Observer. Prime Minister Gaston Browne yesterday announced that, effective April, personal income tax will be abolished in its entirety. … “Abolishing personal income tax is an important reform. Not only will it put more money in the pockets of the people, so that they can save or spend more for the benefit of the economy as whole, it will help to re-es- tablish our country as one of the most competitive in the Caribbean and beyond.” … He noted that with this move, Antigua and Barbuda will be a location that is competi- tive and also the choice of re- tirees. “Antigua and Barbuda will become a competitive location to attract the head- quarters of companies and for professionals to relocate, thereby creating more jobs. Retirees will choose Antigua and Barbuda as their retire- ment home; Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) investors will invest and choose Antigua and Barbuda over our competitors,” said the prime minister. … “taxing income is destructive to in- vestment, savings and con- sumption. Also, it penalizes entrepreneurship.” For a politician, Mr. Browne has a good under- standing of economics. And I also like his point about wanting to be a “competi- tive location.” Yet another example of why tax compe- tition is such a wonderful force for good policy. It en- courages governments to do the right thing even when they don’t want to. I bet, for instance, that the good reform in Antigua and Barbuda will put an end to the suicidal talk of an income tax in the Cayman Islands. But what about the United States? Is there any chance that good policy in the Caribbean will encourage tax reform in the United States? Unfortunately, most poli- ticians couldn’t find Antigua and Barbuda on a map, much less care about that na- tion’s fiscal policy. So I’m not holding my breath that we’ll reverse the horrid mistake that was made in 1913. But maybe, just maybe, we can at least figure out a less corrupt and less destruc- tive way for the politicians to grab our money. Daniel J. Mitchell, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, is on the Editorial Board of the Cayman Financial Review. This column appeared on International Liberty, www.danieljmitchell.wordpress.com. Daniel J. Mitchell Daniel J. Mitchell5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday February 1, 2016 PremierHealth BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town.Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, Cayman Brac. Tel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Ltd. acts solely as an agent on behalf of various insurers; it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. You said you needed more choice when it matters most. You got network care first with BritCay. BritCay was first to offer an overseas network option in 1995. This ensures that you get access to world class facilities. At home, we have invested in solid partnerships with local providers. They are paid on time, claims are simple and you have easy access to benefits. It means your health plan is as convenient to use overseas as it is at home. CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky cgigrp In 1984, BritCay joined Colonial Group International (CGI). In 1995, BritCay was the first company to offer Cayman residents an overseas network option with world class facilities. It was the first of many changes to come.notable firsts! Two Cayman 9-year-olds to have stories published by Amazon AlmA CholleTTe achollette@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nine-year-olds Diamond White, a student at Prospect Primary School, and Nathaniel Harlowe, a student at Cayman Prep, will have stories they wrote published by Amazon as the result of a Rotary- sponsored competition. The two students fin- ished in the top 10 among en- tries from 66 local primary school students ages 7-11 in the Rotary E-Club of the Caribbean Butterfly Storybook competition. The students’ sto- ries will be included in a book published by Amazon and available worldwide in four languages: English, French, Spanish and Haitian Creole. For Diamond White it is the second time he placed region- ally across the Rotary district of 16 Caribbean countries. Diamond’s “A Rare Encounter” and Nathaniel’s “The Pebble” will be featured in the book. Sophie Dickson, who wrote “Caribbean Kindness,” a short story on this year’s theme of “Giving something special to someone special through acts of kindness, friendship, leader- ship, and/or respect,” was the third participant chosen by the Rotary Sunrise club. “This is truly exciting to see that we have some excellent and talented young writers in the Cayman Islands,” said Hendrik-Jan van Genderen, Rotary Sunrise’s literary com- petition coordinator. “It was truly a joy, and priv- ilege, to host the children and to be a part of the blossoming of young talent in the Cayman Islands,” said Rotary Sunrise President Christine Matthews. “We wish all the participants, and especially the winners, great success in their lives. Every child who participated is already a winner.” On Jan. 20, the families and teachers of Diamond, Nathaniel, and Sophie gath- ered at Rotary Sunrise for a reading of their stories, where they were then awarded gift certificates for $50. Diamond and Nathan will also receive prizes, and certif- icates of participation will be awarded to all 66 entrants. The competition is facili- tated by Rotary Sunrise, and judged by members of the Literacy Committee who de- cide on the top three nominees. Drug council seeks to expanD safe Drinking programs Sponsors needed to support free service Kelsey JuKAm kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com The National Drug Council is hoping to expand its Designated Driver and Purple Ribbon Bus programs to sup- port socially responsible drinking throughout the year. The expansion of both programs will depend upon the type of sponsorship the council can secure. In 2015, seven businesses sponsored the Purple Ribbon Bus. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service also supports the council’s programs. “It is important to keep a service like this free as we continue to encourage resi- dents and visitors alike to take advantage of this op- portunity to ensure they ar- rive home safely,” said Drug Council Program Manager Brenda Watson. “We en- courage others to support the NDC and help ensure not only a safe and happy hol- iday season each year, but also safer communities.” The programs cur- rently run during the hol- iday season. In 2015, the Purple Ribbon Bus ran on New Year’s Eve, offering free transportation to an esti- mated 1,000 people. The Designated Driver program, which ran during December, offers an incen- tive to individuals who agree to be sober drivers for their group. Twenty-six bars and restaurants participated, giving free non-alcoholic bev- erages to designated drivers. The drug council is still working on the details of how the expansion might work, but it hopes the Designated Driver program can run throughout the year, espe- cially during destination and community-based events, such as Easter weekend, fes- tivals and boating activities. “Social responsibility is a huge priority for us. Expanding the Designated Driver program will heighten awareness and promote re- sponsible drinking, which is one of our core values,” said Joan West-Dacres, the drug council’s director. Ms. Watson said the council is also considering running the Purple Ribbon Bus during events beyond New Year’s Eve, and hopes to have at least 10 buses running during New Year’s Eve this year, in addi- tion to publishing a map of the routes so that the bus service is easier to use. From left, top winner Diamond White of Prospect Primary School, Rotary Sunrise President Christine Matthews, Caribbean top 10 placer Nathaniel Harlowe, Sophie Dickson, both of Cayman Prep, and Butterfly Storybook competition coordinator Hendrik-Jan van Genderen. Diamond White reads aloud his story ‘A Rare Encounter.’Monday February 1, 2016 • Cayman Compass 6 DISTRICT DAYS District Days George Town 50 Years ago: an old friend pays a visit In the Feb. 2, 1966, edition of the Caymanian weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, George Town corre- spondent Miss Frances wrote: “A very delightful party was given at South Sound on the 26th Jan. by Mrs. Lawrence Thompson in honour of her husband Lawrence’s birthday. It was also the birthday of Mrs. Bernard St. Aubyn, so Happy Birthday was lustily sung for them, after which a lovely buffet supper was served. We wish for them very many happy returns for that special day. “Mrs. Dean Rutherford, better known to us as Mrs. Dean Thompson of North Miami, arrived on the Jan. 13 to visit her relatives and friends. She expects to remain in the island for a few weeks. We wish for her a happy sojourn. “We are happy to have Col. and Mrs. Tenney at the West Indian Club. They expect to be here for several weeks. “Mr. Joseph Hurlston returned to his home in Brooklyn, N.Y. on the Jan. 27 after spending 2 weeks with his sister, Nurse Meurice Hurlston, and relatives at South Sound. “Miss Jessie Irwin left on Jan. 29 after spending a week at the home of Miss Frances Bodden and Nurse Jessie Ritch and friends in Bodden Town. “She will spend a month in Jamaica touring the island and renewing old acquaintances. She also hopes to visit Bermuda and Toronto before returning to Scotland. “She was given a wel- come in George Town by the Woman’s Guild and the Girls’ Guildry on the 26th when representatives throughout the island came in and a happy time was spent by all. “Miss Irwin was the founder of the Woman’s Guild at George Town, We trust Miss Irwin will return again soon.” Youth Day at GT Primary Jewel levY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Celebrate our Youth Day, held at the George Town Annex Playing Field on Saturday, Jan. 30, was an opportunity for Cayman’s young people to get to know the business commu- nity and other organizations. Despite heavy showers throughout the day, a number of young people and their parents took the opportu- nity to brave the weather and enjoy the various activities at the event, as well as taking in the primary school football final playoffs. “We had to shut down a bit earlier than planned but we went ahead with the day,” said Sylvia Wilks, founder of Cayman Islands Youth Development Consortium and the organizers of the day’s event, adding that some businesses understandably did not participate because of the weather. Opening the event, Youth Minister Osbourne Bodden noted the importance of par- ents, organizers of various ac- tivities and the business com- munity in the development of Cayman’s youth, commending Neil Murray and Ms. Wilks for their hard work. January is Support our Youth Month which assists in helping our youths pursue their destinies through the Cayman Islands Youth Development Consortium. Ms. Wilks said she be- lieves strongly that, “It takes a village to raise child,” and that hosting such mini-expos for youth will bring atten- tion to the partnerships and opportunities that have con- tributed to the success of Cayman’s young people. The day promoted posi- tive youth development and as such, several youth-ori- ented organizations and businesses were on hand to provide awareness and in- formation on programs they have to offer. The event activities in- cluded a collaboration with the Caribbean Utilities Company Primary Football League final playoffs event, demonstrations, youth per- formances, arts and crafts, games and activities. Food was also be available for pur- chase throughout the day. Volunteers from the National Drug Council had on display information on the effects of drug use at Youth Day near the george Town annex. Primary school football teams braved Saturday’s rain to play in their finals as part of the Youth Day activities. “Impressions,” an evening of art, featuring photo- graphs by Amanda Nicholson and batik artworks by Shirley Scott and Patricia Nicholson, is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Full of Beans Cafe in Pasadora Place off Smith Road. Refreshments will be served. On Thursday, the Cayman Alternative Investment Summit and Minds Inspired invite high school stu- dents to the Regal Cinema in Camana Bay for presenta- tions by author and sports personality Julia Immonen at 11 a.m., and technology, social issues and business thinker and author Jonathan MacDonald at 1 p.m. Ms. Immonen, an assistant director at Sky Sports News, will address the injustice of human trafficking and how sports can rehabilitate survivors. She was leader of the Row For Freedom crew in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge known as “the world’s toughest rowing race.” Mr. McDonald’s presentation will address what it is like to work with the most successful global compa- nies, including Google and Apple. The presentations are free, but seating is limited. Additional presentations are scheduled at the cinema on Friday for high school students to meet and hear from Meghan Markle, the actress who portrays Rachel Zane in the U.S. TV show “Suits.” She is also a lifestyle writer covering topics about food, travel and fashion, and addresses redefining our perceptions of beauty. Her presentation is at 1 p.m. At 3:30 p.m., tennis legend Mansour Bahrami and Tennis Channel host Andrew Krasny will hold a mo- tivational sports talk for students at the Arts & Recreation Centre, presented by Legends at Camana Bay and Minds Inspired. Both events are free, but seating is limited. Legends Tennis also kicks off Friday at Festival Green at Camana Bay. Two days of tennis action will feature Anna Kournikova, Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, Mark Philippoussis, Mansour Bahrami and Ashley Harkleroad. For more information, visit legendscayman. com. Tickets are available at the Discovery Centre and Blackbeard’s outlets. Wrap up the weekend with one hour of gentle ex- ercise, mental focus and meditation with a free tai chi class on the Crescent at 7:30 a.m. Sunday. For more in- formation, contact C.A.S.K. at 925-3367. art show, speakers and sports THIS weeK:Cayman Compass • Monday February 1, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days George Town ELPHINA JONES ejones@pinnaclemedialtd.com Girl Guides love a challenge, and the biggest for local units at the mo- ment is to raise enough money to at- tend an international camp in the U.K. this summer. In addition to funding they ex- pect from the local Girl Guides Association, they are asking is- land businesses and the public for donations. Seven Girl Guides, including one from the Brac, each need to come up with $3,000 to at- tend the FLAME 2016 camp near Southampton, England. FLAME is held every four years. The sum goes toward airfare, camp fees, pre- and post-camp ac- commodation, touring and travel. As of press time, $3,000 has been raised and is deposited in the Girl Guiding Cayman Islands account. The camp, held at Foxlease, a mansion on 65 acres of countryside, runs from July 23-29. Hundreds of sister Guides from across the globe will be in attendance, all intent on a week of fun and adventure. In ad- dition to learning new skills, the Guides will have a chance to partici- pate in a huge range of indoor and outdoor activities, many of which they may not have tried before. “Attending FLAME 2016 will give Girl Guides from the Cayman Islands the opportunity to meet Guides from other parts of the world and take part in many once-in-a-lifetime op- portunities and experiences,” said Allison Taylor, Island Commissioner and Guider of the 5th George Town unit. “The girls will have experi- ences and develop skills which they will carry with them throughout their lives.” She said that in representing the Cayman Islands, the Guides will put up an exhibit at FLAME to share in- formation about the islands and local Guiding. To help raise money and put ac- tivism into practice, the Guides have been busy since last December. So far they have organized a Christmas craft bazaar at St. Ignatius, manned a soft drinks stall at Pirates Week and are taking part in the Guiding the Way 5-10K Walk/Fun Run on Feb. 20, which is open to the public. According to Taylor, as part of the 9,316 mile round trip, the Guides will tour London for a week fol- lowing FLAME. The itinerary for that leg of the visit will include trips to Brownsea Island – the world’s first Scout camp – and to Pax Lodge, the world center of both the Girl Guides and the Boy Scouts. Twelve-year-old Pippa-Grace Parker, a member of the 5th George Town unit, is among those planning to go on the trip. “I really want to go to Flame 2016 because I want to have fun meeting Girl Guides from all over the world,” she said. “Guides is a time where I get to learn skills and share my ex- periences … where I get to give back to the world for all the amazing things it has given me, and I get to do it while having fun with my Girl Guides family.” Girl Guides in Cayman has re- cently been re-energized with the formation of two new units. In addition to the 5th George Town unit, Clifton Hunter and Cayman Brac units were set up last year to cater to growing demand in the eastern dis- tricts and in the larger Sister Island. At their regular meetings, girls get involved in a broad range of com- munity action projects, arts activities and sports. They also get the opportunity to develop and extend their knowledge in many life skills by working to- ward badges. To donate to the Cayman Islands Girl Guides trip to FLAME 2016, contact ataylor2005@hotmail.com. To learn more about the local units, or to volunteer, contact Miss Taylor via email. To find out more about the fun run, visit caymanactive.com/guiding. Diamond Jubilee Camp is held in East End. Guides raise funds at Pirates Week.Guides participate in an international camp in Barbados.Guides and Brownies take part at a school Remembrance Day. Cayman International School upgrades and expands The Cayman International School is marking the recent completion of the second planned phase of adding new classrooms and fixtures. A press release states that with a growing student body now sur- passing 580, the school was in need of more functional space. The recent expansion includes two elementary classrooms, four multi-functional secondary class- rooms, two student support centers and a media room. The expansion was completed in time for the start of classes in the new year. The new classrooms can be con- verted or rearranged to suit a variety of lesson designs and purposes. “Classroom design is a funda- mental element of teaching and learning. It reflects educational phi- losophies and can have a significant impact on student engagement and achievement,” said CIS Director Dr. Jeremy Moore. He said the school decided to adopt a classroom design based on research in educational space design, observations of other innovative international schools, and input from members of the fac- ulty and administration. The press release says CIS has embarked on achieving a modern learning environment with a focus on progressive teaching, which in- cludes use of smart boards, offering iPads to students, use of Google classroom resources, online course- work and other digital resources, and on-campus technology, in- cluding a 3-D printer. “At CIS, learning is focused on student-centered philosophies, and modern approaches to teaching,” the release states. “This includes Project Based Learning which is a vital as- pect of the school curriculum. CIS is committed to excellence and high quality schooling and will con- tinue its growth and advancement toward becoming a world-class educational institution.” DECCO, Dart Enterprises and CIS have a long relationship. The company was contracted to build the school’s infrastructure for International School Services, the governing body of CIS. The original buildings were donated and dedi- cated in 2006 through the William and Claire Dart Foundation. “[The teams] that collaborated, drew on the lessons learned from Phase One of the expansion project, and also drew on individual ex- pertise and strong teamwork throughout,” said project manager for the recent construction, Nick Natale of DECCO. The third phase is expected to start in June and will add a second floor to one of the buildings, which will furnish new classroom space and washroom facilities and cover two stairwells. Guides plan to light up FLAMEThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Monday February 1, 2016 • Cayman Compass vote, was raised by Premier Alden McLaughlin last month as one possibility following the departures of Messrs. Eden, Suckoo and Connolly from the govern- ment bench. Mr. Eden and Mr. Suckoo also left the ruling Progressives party. The independent mem- bers noted that there ap- pears to be no reason for an early vote at this stage, since Mr. McLaughlin’s Progressives-led coalition maintains a majority in the House, with 10 of the 18 members of the Legislative Assembly. Moreover, the independents said it ap- peared the Cayman Islands Constitution only grants the power to call early elections to the governor herself, and said that power is only to be used if no single political party or like-minded group can form a majority. “We wish to record our stren- uous objection to the ut- terances of the premier re- garding the tacit threat of an early general election, especially given the con- struct of membership of the Legislative Assembly and the precedent such a deci- sion would set for future governments with a bare or slim majority,” the Jan. 28 letter read. “We would respectfully caution the premier that to unnecessarily alarm the populace with the specter of an early election, which the country is not prepared for … for motives which are uncertain, is tantamount to a dereliction of his over- arching duty to lead the people of this country. We believe that it is the funda- mental duty of the premier to promote the stability of this country rather than to, apparently for reasons of practical politics, menace the population with an un- certain future.” Contacted for comment Friday, representatives of Governor Kilpatrick’s of- fice confirmed she had at- tended a meeting with sev- eral MLAs regarding the early elections issue. The governor’s office had not responded to the MLAs Jan. 28 letter by press time Sunday. On Friday, Premier McLaughlin said he had not asked the governor to dissolve the Legislative Assembly, but noted that was an option that must be considered under the cur- rent circumstances. “It is ironic that those who have created the cur- rent instability in govern- ment, either by crossing the [Legislative Assembly] floor or inveigling others to do so, now fear the outcome of the democratic process of elections,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “We who are elected owe a duty to the country and our people to pro- vide sound, honest, selfless leadership. This duty must override personal agendas and individual political ambition.” The Cayman Compass pressed Mr. McLaughlin Friday on the question of whether he intended to seek early elections by declaring that he could no longer ef- fectively govern with a nine- member government bench, not counting Progressives’ member Juliana O’Connor- Connolly, who currently serves as Speaker of the House. The premier de- clined to comment. Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush, who said last week that the premier would face “hell” if he tried to run government with a nine-member bench, has not stated his position on the prospect of early elections. If the Progressives-led coalition was to lose an- other member, it would no longer maintain a parlia- mentary majority equalling 10 of 18 assembly seats. However, even in that sce- nario, the independents ar- gued a “caretaker govern- ment” might be formed to see out the remainder of the 2013-2017 term. The precedent was set in December 2012 when former Premier Bush was ousted via a no confidence vote and a minority govern- ment of just five members was appointed with the ap- proval of then-Governor Duncan Taylor. However, at that time, there were only three months to go before parlia- ment was dissolved ahead of the May 2013 general election. Mr. Bush also al- leged publicly that the five- member “minority govern- ment” was illegal, although he did not challenge its for- mation in court. It was suggested last week that Friday’s meeting among the independent law- makers signaled a changing of the guard in Cayman’s opposition leader post. However, according to MLAs who attended the meeting, the matter was never raised and, as far as they were concerned, Mr. Bush remained the official opposition leader. “It wasn’t even really discussed,” Mr. Suckoo said Friday. The five independent as- sembly members are now greater in number than the three elected members of Mr. Bush’s Cayman Islands Democratic Party. However, the constitution requires a new party or political group leader to approach the gov- ernor and request that they be made opposition leader. No such request was made Friday, the members said. The Bistro, Ritz-Carlton and Jacques Scott get top Taste of Cayman awards The winners of the 2016 Taste of Cayman food fes- tival culinary competitions were announced Saturday, with The Bistro, The Ritz- Carlton Grand Cayman’s Seven/Andiamo restaurants and Jacques Scott earning the top awards. The Ritz-Carlton restau- rants won the People’s Choice award as Cayman’s favorite restaurant for the gnocchi poutine savory dish and the sticky toffee pudding with butter pecan ice cream des- sert. The more than 4,000 attendees of the event at Camana Bay’s Festival Green each received a wooden token with which to vote by placing the token in a bucket at their favorite restaurant’s booth. The sticky toffee pud- ding also won first place for the best dessert in the Best of Competition segment of the competition, which was judged secretly by five indi- viduals who have experience as chefs, food lovers, food critics and wine connoisseurs. “We are very excited to re- ceive this amazing news and proud to hold the title of Cayman’s Favorite Restaurant for 2016,” said Kapil Sharma, hotel manager at The Ritz- Carlton, Grand Cayman. “We appreciate all the votes from the guests, the public and our supporters.” The judges awarded first place for the best food to The Bistro, which served braised short rib with onion soubise and port reduction. Second place went to Ortanique, which served shredded mojo- brined pork with crisp yuca tostones, while the judges awarded Seven/Andiamo third place for its gnocchi poutine. In the best dessert cat- egory, the judges awarded second place to Anchor and Den from the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort for its salted caramel ice cream, and third place to Ortanique for its peanut butter bomb parfait. Best drink as deemed by the judges went to Jacques Scott for its Zacapa Manhattan, with the Wreck Bar mudslide placing second and Premier Wine and Spirits’ white wine sangria finishing third. Jacques Scott also won first place in the best booth category for its Zacapa Room. Coming in second place for best booth was Anchor and Den, while Cimboco/Chicken! Chicken! took third place. Head-to-head competitions In addition to the par- ticipant-wide competitions, Taste of Cayman also had a mixology competition and a cook-off competition. The mixology competi- tion, which was sponsored by Cayman’s Seven Fathoms Rum, featured nine local bartenders who had to create a signa- ture cocktail using Governor’s Reserve, a Cayman Spirits Company product. Their con- coctions were judged on name, simplicity, taste, presentation and performance. Three semi- finalists were tasked with cre- ating a second cocktail on the spot using scotch bonnet pepper, the mystery ingre- dient that was revealed at the start of the finals. The winner of the competition was Dan Hollis of Margaritaville, with Valeria Balignasay of Barolo Lounge finishing second and Ensory Usseffa of Aqua coming in third. The Bon Vivant and Best Dressed Chicken Chef Cook-Off pitted Maureen Cubbon and Jolene Nelson – The Girls – against Neville Hicks and Michael Treacy – The Boys – in a head- to-head competition. The teams each had 20 minutes to create an original recipe using Best Dressed Chicken and other ingredients. The men produced a chicken and pumpkin dish with a creamy garlic, mushroom and tar- ragon sauce, while the ladies created a Caribbean chicken “faux bruschetta” served on fried plantain instead of bread. Judges Joey Hew, Keith Griffin and Avadaugn Sinclair gave a narrow one- point victory to the Girls, who received a basket of spices courtesy of McCormick. Heavy cake and entertainment The heavy cake compe- tition featured six bakers and was judged by Tunisia Barnes and Kyle McLean from the Department of Tourism, and Deputy Governor Franz Manderson. First-time par- ticipant Krysta Parchman earned first place and $300 and 2015 champion Renda Cornwall’s take on the tradi- tional Caymanian dish earned her a second place finish and $150. 2015 runner-up Phenicia Bodden-Fraser won third place and a prize of $50 for her contribution. Patrons were able to sample the cakes after the judging concluded. In addition to the food and drink elements, the Taste of Cayman featured mu- sical entertainment, provided by local artists HEAT and Shameka Clarke, and tribute acts that performed songs of Rod Stewart, Elton John and Tina Turner. The Bistro’s braised short rib with onion soubise and port reduction was named the best food by the five secret judges. – Photos: taneos Ramsay The Jacques Scott Zacapa Room was named best booth at the 2016 Taste of Cayman. Early election called a ‘menace’ to population CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Monday February 1, 2016 Dr. Wayne R. Porter MD F.A.A.D. Dermatologist call : 946-9020 between 9am to 5pm Dees Plaza #282 on Crewe Road, GT He will be in office from Jan 30th - Feb 5th, 2016 Authority board, would have received hundreds of thou- sands, if not millions more, if that card system had been ex- panded to private sector in- surers and healthcare pro- viders. “However, they were going to do it, that was the plan,” Mr. Moran said. Watson’s attorney, Trevor Burke, QC, said that all of his client’s business ventures mentioned during the course of the two-month trial were le- gitimate endeavors. Mr. Burke said, whatever the jury might believe about Watson’s busi- ness partner, Webb was not on trial in this case and was not able to provide testimony to prove or disprove prosecu- tion theories. Mr. Burke said Watson had provided de- tailed explanations via an ac- count summary for all of the money he had received from Webb and suggested that the Crown could not prove any of it came directly from the CarePay contract sums. “If you think [Watson’s] explana- tion is supported by the docu- ments … then the prosecution [has] failed in their primary al- legation that Mr. Watson ben- efitted personally,” Mr. Burke said. “That is the allegation he takes the greatest exception to, that he sold you out. “Did this man sell you out for a few hundred thousand dollars? It really comes down to that.” ‘Doodling’ Mr. Moran repeatedly ac- cused Watson during the Crown’s closing speech Thursday of lying to deceive his business partners, lying to deceive the police, lying to de- ceive the government and lying to deceive the jury. The senior prosecutor said investigators uncovered in- formation from Watson’s own computer memory “flash” drives (also called jump drives or memory sticks) that showed him accounting for certain profits and expected future earnings from the CarePay contract, held by AIS (Advanced Integrated Systems) Cayman Ltd. Even if all those sums did not come in as expected, Mr. Moran said the computer re- cords showed the defendant’s state of mind at the time and would prove to be “his un- doing.” Mr. Watson testified earlier that those flash drive records were merely fantasy scenarios and amount to an accountant’s “doodling” with fi- nancial data on a spreadsheet. “I suggest that explanation is so fanciful that it is almost insulting,” Mr. Moran said. Watson did not deny during trial proceedings that his busi- ness partner and close friend, Webb, used “front men” to set up AIS Cayman as the local arm of a Jamaican company which owned the CarePay system soft- ware. Both of those individuals, Eldon Rankin and Joscelyn Morgan, had long-time close ties to Webb, he agreed. However, that was not the story he told to police in 2014 when he was interviewed, Mr. Moran said. At that time, he al- leged Watson lied, stating that Webb acted as a “consultant” of AIS director Mr. Morgan. Watson said Webb had used the front men to cover up his significant earnings from the AIS/CarePay con- tract because Webb was going through a divorce in 2011 and wanted to hide the proceeds from this ex-wife. “I suggest that is a des- perate attempt by Mr. Watson to use a small piece of truth as the basis for a big lie,” Mr. Moran said. “Mr. Webb’s in- volvement was hidden … be- cause of his connection to Mr. Watson and The W Group [a Cayman Islands company the two men jointly owned].” The W Group, Mr. Moran said, was planned to be the ve- hicle where 30 percent of the profits from the CarePay con- tract were placed. Watson tes- tified that the company, which was formed and registered, had never actually done any business and never opened a bank account. Mr. Moran sug- gested this was simply be- cause the expected profits from CarePay never material- ized due to difficulties imple- menting certain aspects of the system which delayed or even ultimately scuttled payments. Finally, Mr. Moran alleged that Mr. Watson made up an unbelievable story about how a bogus contract for the CarePay system expansion to private sector healthcare pro- viders was sent to government officials, blaming his secretary for getting things mixed up. There never was any contract for the proposed expansion of the CarePay system, although government did budget about US$2.4 million for the project. Some of that US$2.4 mil- lion ended up paying off a loan for Webb’s home in sub- urban Atlanta and some paid for a home entertainment system at Watson’s house, lo- cated down the street from Webb’s, prosecutors alleged. At the end of his address Mr. Moran spoke directly to the jury: “Ask yourself, what is so wrong with the truth? Because the truth sometimes is ugly, sometimes shameful. The truth may be that Canover Watson is guilty, but that’s for you to decide.” Missing witnesses Mr. Burke inferred during his closing speech Friday that trial jurors were being asked to do a lot of “guess work” simply because “so many of the main players here just don’t want to play.” The lead defense counsel said Webb, who is charged as a conspirator in the CarePay scheme, was currently de- tained on bail in the U.S. in connection with an unrelated criminal investigation. All the jurors really know about Webb is from emails he sent to Watson, Mr. Burke said. Webb’s Jamaican busi- ness partner, Douglas Halsall, who Watson worked very closely with during the life of the CarePay project, was also not called as a witness in the trial. “[The Crown] don’t know whether to kiss him or arrest him. Is he a hero or a villain?” Although jurors requested that he testify, former Health Minister Mark Scotland, who Mr. Burke described as the CarePay system’s biggest supporter and who was al- leged to have directed many of Watson’s activities in con- nection with the project, was never called. “His ears must be burning, but he’s not here,” Mr. Burke said of Mr. Scotland. Jurors will not be allowed to speculate or draw infer- ences as to why certain wit- nesses did not appear. Trial Judge Michael Mettyear said last week that they must pro- nounce a verdict only on the evidence they were given during trial proceedings. Mr. Burke suggested the evidence presented showed clearly that Watson’s stew- ardship on the HSA board led to a major turnaround in hospital finances and that the implementation of the CarePay system, had it been successful, would have served to significantly re- duce the public healthcare system’s problem with bad debts. The biggest ques- tion in the case, from the defense’s perspective, was whether jurors actually be- lieved that Mr. Halsall’s com- pany, Advanced Integrated Systems of Jamaica, was the only company in the world that offered a swipe-card technology solution that was custom-fit for the Cayman Islands healthcare system. Mr. Burke suggested that the Crown had presented no evidence to challenge de- fense claims that this was indeed the case. “Cayman was completely sold on Mr. Halsall’s solution,” Mr. Burke said. “Mr. Watson knew it to be the case.” The senior defense counsel said this created problems with prosecution claims that there was a “conspiracy” to defraud the government, spe- cifically due to the fact that – other than Webb – the alleged conspirators are never named. The defense also sug- gested that the CarePay con- tract should have been han- dled as a single source bid, but alleged that local poli- tics got in the way, delaying the process and adding more work onto an already over- burdened Watson. Mr. Burke suggested former HSA infor- mation technology chief Dale Sanders conspired to scuttle the AIS/CarePay project, be- cause he was “in bed” with an American company which had offered a competing bid. The prosecution suggested that Mr. Sanders was even- tually run off the project be- cause he began to suspect then-HSA Chairman Watson’s involvement was improper or even illegal. Mr. Burke finally stated that jurors must believe Watson actually profited from the CarePay scheme in some way, rather than – as the defense has suggested – simply being paid monies he was owed by Webb over a period of months. “If they cannot put a dollar in his pocket … Mr. Watson is not at risk of conviction on any count of this indictment,” Mr. Burke said. Watson has maintained throughout the trial that he personally never had an interest in the opera- tions of AIS Cayman Ltd. Justice Mettyear will fully instruct jurors as to the law and the evidence in the trial starting Tuesday when he begins his summing up of the case. The jury of six women and one man is ex- pected to begin deliberations late next week. Government gazettes Dragon Bay leasehold sale to Dart Deal nears finalization ALAN MARKOFF amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com The governor, on the rec- ommendation of Cabinet, has proposed to vest 280 acres of Crown property, currently under a long-term lease, that was once part of the project plans for SafeHaven and Dragon Bay to an affiliate of Dart Realty. In consideration of the conversion to freehold title, Dragon Bay Ltd., the Dart Realty affiliate, will pay the government US$14,574,000, as stated in the Extraordinary Gazette dated Jan. 20, 2016. The land, which was sub- ject to a 99-year-lease that has 75 years to run, has been sub- ject to controversy for many years. It includes the North Sound Golf Course, originally called the Links at SafeHaven and developed in the 1990s by Matalon family. Although the Matalons completed what is still to this day the only 18-hole championship golf course on Grand Cayman, and they also completed the buildings that now make up the Regatta Office Park, their development of housing at SafeHaven never panned out. In 2007, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman developer Mike Ryan announced he had acquired the golf course and adjoining lands. Two years later, he announced plans for Dragon Bay, a 360-acre de- velopment that incorporated some of the property that was part of The Ritz-Carlton lands. That project, announced during the global financial crisis, failed to materialize and then, shortly after The Ritz- Carlton and its lands were put into receivership in March 2012, Mr. Ryan announced that Dart had invested in the North Sound Golf Course. It was later discovered that the Dart Group had bought the entire property. After the PPM govern- ment retook the government in May 2013, Dart Realty pushed for conversion of leasehold to freehold title on the property. In January, 2015, in his state-of-the-na- tion address at the Fidelity Cayman Economic Outlook conference, Premier Alden McLaughlin announced that as part of the third amend- ment to the National Roads Authority agreement – which, in its entirety, included closing a section of West Bay Road, the extension of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway and the expansion of Public Beach on West Bay Road – that a provision was in- cluded to allow Dart to pur- chase the freehold title to the SafeHaven property. In an interview in 2011, Mr. McLaughlin conceded that it was unlikely the gov- ernment would ever get de- veloped Crown land held on long-term leases back, but said they could be counted on for revenue injections every 40 or 50 years as the lessees desired to extend the term back to 99 years. Negotiation of a price for the freehold transfer of the land then began, with both the government and Dart Realty having their own ap- praisals done on the value of converting the land from leasehold to freehold, with the two being values at $12 million and $16 million re- spectively. Mr. McLaughlin announced in November last that a deal had been reached and that Dart Realty had agreed to develop the prop- erty. He also said that the matter would have to be final- ized in accordance with the requirements of the Governor (Vesting of Lands) Law. Now that the details of the vesting have been gazetted, “a report with documents spec- ified by law, must be tabled in the Legislative Assembly by the Cabinet minister re- sponsible for lands, which is currently Kurt Tibbetts, for 21 days. During that time, a motion by a legislator can be made to reject the report, in which case the motion would have to be voted on by the Legislative Assembly before the vesting can be finalized. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Carepay Trial ‘Did this man sell you out?’Next >