ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Thursday February 18, 2016 sports | page 14 specTacular kickboxing acTion at Rumble on the Rock High of 83 Low of 73 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. A small craft warning is in effect. editorial | page 4 cuba in cayman’s backyard 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 CONCACAF drops kickback lawsuit Settles out of court with travel firm James WhiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Regional soccer governing body CONCACAF has dropped its lawsuit against California travel company Cartan Tours, which it accused of paying kickbacks to its former president Jeffrey Webb to secure a lucrative business arrangement. The lawsuit has been settled out of court without any money changing hands, both parties confirmed this week. The agreement ends the business relation- ship between CONCACAF and Cartan, which had an exclusive contract to provide travel, accom- modation and event planning for the organiza- tion’s many tournaments, events and meetings. CONCACAF had alleged in the original suit that this contract was the result of a corrupt agreement between Webb, his gen- eral secretary Enrique Sanz and the Los Angeles based travel firm. It said the “clandestine, kickback-based and parasitic relationship” had left the orga- nization saddled with a one-sided contract that allowed Cartan to use the soccer con- federation as a “cash cow.” Cartan denied any wrongdoing, saying the allegations were irresponsible and un- founded and were designed to put pressure on the company to renegotiate the terms of its exclusive contract. A spokeswoman for the firm said in December it would be asserting its own claim for damages against CONCACAF. However, the two parties have now agreed to settle their differences out of court, in an agreement that CONCACAF says ends the business relationship. CONCACAF declined to release details of the settlement Tuesday but said, in a statement, that it would save millions of dollars as a result. “CONCACAF is very pleased to have re- solved all issues concerning the complaint filed against Cartan Tours, Inc. and other as- sociated defendants on Dec. 22, 2015. “The settlement will save CONCACAF millions of dollars and allow the Confederation to continue to move forward from the misconduct of past management to focus on football and governance reforms.” In its own statement, Cartan said both Lightning knocks out internet charles duncan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A lightning strike along one of the sub- marine cables that connects Cayman’s Internet to the rest of the world knocked out Internet service for many on Grand Cayman Tuesday evening. The lightning hit a landing station at the U.S. end of the Maya-1 cable system between Cancun, Mexico and Hollywood, Florida, on Tuesday afternoon, affecting Internet ac- cess and some phone service in Cayman, according to local telecom companies and regulators. The Cayman Information and Communications Technology Authority ad- vised Tuesday evening that “a lightning strike at MAYA1 cable terminal in Florida today is linked to hardware failure which is affecting the ability of Cayman telecoms providers.” The regulator said the island had a “major outage” and Digicel customers were not able to reach 911. Logic and FLOW customers could still reach 911 during the outage, but many residents could not reach the main numbers for the George Town police station. FLOW reported problems for mo- bile customers trying to call numbers in other networks. By 9:50 p.m. Tuesday, ICTA said all issues with phone and Internet connections had been resolved. The cable is run by a consortium of telecom companies representing each of the countries along the route. In Cayman, Cable & Wireless is the local partner. In the United States, AT&T handles the terminal for Maya-1 in Florida and Giant leaps for Caribbean tourism, small steps for Cayman Islands James WhiTTaker, kelsey Jukam jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Despite recording record visitor ar- rivals in 2015, the Cayman Islands was out- stripped in tourist arrivals by the rest of the Caribbean, which enjoyed record growth. The region generally saw a 7 percent in- crease in visitors, compared with a mar- ginal rise of just 0.7 percent for Cayman. Cayman was in the bottom five of the 28 countries that form part of the Caribbean Tourism Organization in terms of growth in stay-over tourists, according to a detailed statistical breakdown of re- gional tourism figures. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said the plateau had been expected after several years of growth because of a shortage of hotel rooms to meet demand. But he said the amount of money coming into the Cayman Islands through tourism spending had increased substan- tially in 2015, suggesting it had still been a successful year for the islands. “The daily room rate in Cayman is up 10 percent,” Mr. Kirkconnell said, “so there’s tremendous success in the actual PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Tourists enjoy the sunshine on Seven Mile Beach on Wednesday. – Photo: tAneos rAMsAY2 LOCAL NEWS Thursday February 18, 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. - THURSDAY - Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) DEADPOOL (R) 1:00 I 3:30 I 7:00 I 9:30 THE CHOICE (PG13) 12:50 I 3:40 I 7:30 I 10:05 KUNG FU PANDA 3 3D (PG) 12:20 I 2:40 2D I 5:00 I 7:20 2D I 9:40 HOW TO BE SINGLE (R) 1:10 I 3:50 I 7:10 I 10:00 RIDE ALONG 2 (PG13) 1:00 I 3:30 I 7:10 I 9:40 THE BOY (PG) 1:20 I 4:30 I 7:15 I 9:35 New scholarships available for hospitality students Kelsey JuKam kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Hospitality students in the Cayman Islands have a new opportunity to further their studies in the field at an American university. The Ministry of Tourism is partnering with Johnson and Wales University to offer scholarships to Caymanian students interested in studying a range of tourism- based subjects. “We are having tremen- dous success in the tourism industry,” Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said. “If we don’t create the environ- ment for our Caymanians to be prepared to take ad- vantage of this opportu- nity, we are failing. It’s a top priority for the ministry to make sure that as hard as we work and as much success we have, that the benefit of that goes to the Caymanian people.” The minister said that the partnership with Johnson and Wales is a way of pro- viding Caymanians with the opportunities and skill sets they need to take ad- vantage of the territory’s tourism industry. Caymanian students will be eligible to receive schol- arships from Johnson and Wales of up to $15,000 per year of study, and up to $20,000 from the Ministry of Tourism per year of study. Johnson and Wales will award scholarships based on a student’s grade point av- erage. Students who have a GPA ranging from 3.5 to 4.0 are eligible up to $15,000, students with a GPA ranging from 2.75 to 3.49 are eligible to receive up to $10,000, and students with a GPA ranging from 2.25 to 2.74 are eligible to receive up to $5,000. The Ministry of Tourism will award Caymanian stu- dents additional scholarships based on academic perfor- mance and a commitment to return to the Cayman Islands to work for at least two years following graduation. The minister said they are hoping to provide at least five students with scholarships to Johnson and Wales this year, and have the ability to offer scholar- ships to more students if there is interest. As tuition to Johnson and Wales University is just over $30,000, students who receive the maximum scholarship amounts from both the uni- versity and the ministry will effectively have a full schol- arship plus additional funds to cover room and board and other costs. The partnership is de- signed to complement the Hospitality Studies pro- gram at the University College of the Cayman Islands – students who complete their associate studies at UCCI can transfer those credits to Johnson and Wales to complete an undergraduate degree. The scholarships are also open to Caymanian students interested in pursuing a de- gree in hospitality studies, whether they are currently enrolled in studies at UCCI or not. Mr. Kirkconnell said the partnership has been in the works for some time. “The ministry was looking for a center of excellence for hospitality studies … that would partner with us and give a larger scholar- ship than had been available previously,” Mr. Kirkconnell said. “There are a lot of Caymanian graduates from Johnson and Wales that are working here in the tourism industry that have been extremely successful.” The fact that Johnson and Wales has a campus in North Miami, Florida, was another incentive to partner with the university, making it easy for Caymanian students and their parents to travel back and forth. On Wednesday, Mr. Kirkconnell, Education Minister Tara Rivers and Tasmine Coleman, the in- ternational admissions of- ficer at Johnson and Wales’ Miami campus, held an in- formation session for UCCI Hospitality Studies students and other interested students and their families. Ms. Coleman described the various hospitality-related majors offered at Johnson and Wales, including Tourism and Hospitality Management; Restaurant, Food and Beverage Management; Hotel and Lodging Management, Culinary Arts and Food Service Management and many more. Sidney Jamal Miller, 19, and his parents attended the information session. Mr. Miller, who is passionate about the Culinary Arts, was supposed to attend Le Cordon Bleu, but was un- able to find enough available scholarship funds to do so. He’s excited about the opportunity to attend Johnson and Wales, and, as a vegan, is especially in- terested in their Culinary Nutrition program which will allow him to become a licensed dietician. Ms. Coleman told stu- dents they are required to complete at least one intern- ship during their studies, and that 61 percent of stu- dents find employment with the company they’ve interned with upon graduation. “Your education at Johnson and Wales is very hands on, it’s not just you in the classroom,” she said. The Ministry of Tourism is partnering with Johnson and Wales University to offer scholarships to Caymanian students interested in studying a range of tourism-based subjects. The Pink Ladies volun- teer corps donated $48,000 to various community or- ganizations during an event held in the courtyard garden at The Pines retirement home in early February. The Pines and the National Council of Voluntary Organisations have traditionally been the focus of the Pink Ladies’ support, and the two orga- nizations received the bulk of the donated funds. The Pines received a check for $17,500, which will be used toward the op- erating costs of the facility. The NCVO received a check for $12,500, which will be used for the Caring Cousins program on Cayman Brac, and to cover meals served at the preschool. According to a press re- lease, the Pink Ladies were “particularly pleased” to be able to contribute towards a program on Cayman Brac. Other organizations also received donations from the Pink Ladies at the event. The Lighthouse school received $6,000, Cayman’s ARK received $3,500 and the Cayman Islands Cancer Society received $3,000 which will be used to provide outdoor seating for pa- tients and families at the new Chemotherapy Unit. The National Trust’s Blue Iguana Programme also received $500, spon- soring a blue iguana named “Lady Pink.” Pink Ladies raised the funds at its annual Christmas Bazaar and Tea which was held on Nov. 28 last year. The next Christmas Bazaar, will be held on Dec. 3 at The ARC in Camana Bay. The Pink Ladies Volunteer Corps is always looking to welcome new volunteers. For more information, contact pinkladiescayman@gmail.com. The Cayman Islands Airports Authority’s new mascot, a Cayman parrot called Calypso, made his debut on Valentine’s Day at Owen Roberts International Airport. The 6-foot-tall parrot meets and greets passengers as part of the Airports Authority’s latest customer service and mar- keting initiative. “So far the feedback has been very positive with many passengers asking to take photos with the mascot and giving him high fives as he walked through the air- port,” a press release from the authority stated. According to the Airports Authority, the addition of the mascot is “just one step to help alleviate some of the stress of weary travelers when construc- tion inside the main terminal be- gins later on this year.” The airport is undergoing a multi-million dollar airport ex- pansion project. The Airports Authority said the mascot will also be used on its website and on signage. Pink Ladies give back to community Airports Authority’s new mascot takes flight Cathy Childs from the National Trust, left, and Pink Ladies Volunteer Corps treasurer Ann Smith. Calypso, the Cayman Islands Airports Authority’s new mascot, invited passengers to partake of cupcakes and sweets on Valentine’s Day.3 LOCAL NEWS Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com El Arca landed at Beach Bay Jan. 31. More than 30 people squeezed aboard the estimated 24-foot wooden sailboat for the journey from Cuba to Honduras, where the refugees could travel north by land to the United States. For 25 of the migrants, their journey ended in Bodden Town. All told, 64 Cuban mi- grants between two boats ended their journey in the Cayman Islands that weekend. El Arca remains on the beach, waves rocking the wood-plank sailboat against the rocky shore. The belong- ings of the men and women, and their supplies for the journey, are spread dozens of yards across the beach, seem- ingly picked through by cu- rious visitors and spread by the waves. An old Mercedes engine and a gas tank are still in the boat, surrounded by water jugs and containers for fuel. Clothes and shoes litter the beach. A wallet, open and empty, sits next to the boat. “It’s just a matter of time before it gets broken up,” said Phil Robinson, concerned the chemicals and debris could end up dumped into the wa- ters off Beach Bay. Beyond the potential envi- ronmental consequences, he said, “Why destroy something like that?” A regular practice for Cuban boats has been to sink them at sea. “A person or people worked day and night on that boat,” he said, to leave Cuba. Mr. Robinson’s proposal: “I’d pull it up onto the beach and let people look at it.” The wood-plank boat has a deep keel and appears to be solid. The mast is made of a thin tree trunk and the sail from plastic sheeting. For more than two weeks the boat has sat in the shallows, run aground into the sand and rocks. It’s unclear what will happen with the boat. Immigration authorities Wednesday were unavailable to answer questions, busy with housing and feeding the more than 100 Cuban refugees currently in the Immigration Detention Center and in overflow housing in the community centers in Bodden Town and East End. In an interview earlier this week, assistant chief im- migration officer Gary Wong said his officers have been putting in long hours to guard and care for the migrants while maintaining their reg- ular jobs. “It takes up about all of our time,” he said. Cayman Compass • Thursday February 18, 2016 Cuban boat abandoned and decaying on Beach Bay El Arca sits on the shore in Beach Bay, surrounded by debris that washed up on the beach and the belongings of those who traveled from Cuba on the boat.- PHOTOs: CHARLEs DUNCAN The Mercedes engine and gas tank still sit in the boat at Beach Bay. First island-wide traffic survey in 17 years hits the road Vehicle data collection program will take a month to complete The National Roads Authority has begun a traffic data survey to determine the number of cars on Grand Cayman’s roads. The last time such an is- land-wide data collection program was undertaken was in 1999. The survey began this week and is being carried out by Mexican engineering firm Servicios Mexicanos de Ingeniería Civil, SA de CV, whose staff will be on road- sides throughout this month holding clipboards and taking notes of traffic move- ments. The Mexican firm re- ceived the contract to pro- vide these services following a bid process. Motorists on some roads will already have noticed “automatic traffic recorders” in place. These black strips placed across roads re- cord the number of vehicles passing over them. During the survey, 152 of these re- corders will be in place across the island. In a press release issued Wednesday, National Roads Authority Board Chairman Donovan Ebanks said the board recognized that “in order to contribute effectively to the Government’s commit- ment to ‘build smart modern infrastructure,’ we needed to both garner better data and enhance our ability to use it.” Mr. Ebanks added, “Unlike counterpart agencies such as CUC and the Water Authority who get monthly measures of their customers’ con- sumption, the NRA does not. Hence the need for us to col- lect comprehensive data, at least annually, on how many vehicles and what types are using our roads and going through our intersections and roundabouts.” He said the information gathered in the survey would assist the NRA in its day-to- day planning and “will be a fundamental input into the traffic demand and traffic op- erational models that we are working towards bringing on line by the end of 2016.” He added, “The combina- tion of regular comprehen- sive counts and up-to-date traffic models are to trans- portation planning and road- network management what good blood and X-ray labs are to an emergency room and hospital.” The data collection exer- cise is expected to be com- pleted within a month, ac- cording to the NRA. The authority has been seeking to do the traffic survey for a decade, but according to one official, speaking privately, has not had the resources until now. “We should be doing this every couple of years, mon- itoring traffic,” he said, “so we can see where to add ca- pacity and in what sectors.” The survey will form a basis for greater anal- ysis, he said, contrib- uting “to a more extensive planning process.” Cars cross over a traffic monitoring recorder on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway on Wednesday. More than 150 of the devices are being placed on roads throughout Grand Cayman this month as part of a traffic survey initiative by the National Roads Authority. – PHOTO: TANEOs RAMsAYThe 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” Justin Fox Over the past few decades, the U.S. job market has been pulling apart. Lots of new high- and low-wage jobs have been created, while middle- wage ones have become scarcer. Much of this diver- gence has been along geo- graphical lines. I’ll let econ- omist Enrico Moretti, of the University of California at Berkeley, explain: “A handful of cities with the ‘right’ industries and a solid base of human capital keep attracting good em- ployers and offering high wages, while those at the other extreme, cities with the ‘wrong’ industries and a limited human capital base, are stuck with dead-end jobs and low average wages. This divide – I will call it the Great Divergence – has its origins in the 1980s, when American cities started to be increasingly defined by their residents’ levels of ed- ucation. Cities with many college-educated workers started attracting even more, and cities with a less educated workforce started losing ground.” That’s from Moretti’s 2012 book, “The New Geography of Jobs,” which explains much about our current economic situation, and perhaps some- thing about today’s politics as well. Wonder why voters are so resentful of elites and the establishment? Maybe it’s because that elite es- tablishment has become in- creasingly concentrated in a few prospering metropolitan areas while much of the rest of the country struggles. In Moretti’s telling, this divergence is “deepening and accelerating.” The most vi- brant, important sector of the economy is what he calls the “innovation sector,” and its workers thrive in the pres- ence of others like them. So clusters of innovation such as the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Boston and Austin, Texas, will keep cre- ating good jobs, and most other places won’t. If that’s true, then one of the most important public- policy challenges is figuring out how to enable more people to move to where the good jobs are. Lack of affordable housing in al- ready crowded boomtowns is a problem. Moretti co-au- thored a paper last year con- tending that reducing regula- tory constraints on housing construction in San Jose, San Francisco and New York could increase U.S. gross do- mestic product by 9.5 per- cent. Another problem is that less-educated Americans are the least likely to move out of state to pursue job opportu- nities. Moretti proposes “relo- cation vouchers” as a way to address this. I find these arguments convincing, but also de- pressing. The U.S. is full of towns and cities that aren’t exactly innovation-sector hotbeds but are pretty nice places to live. Real estate is relatively cheap there, too. Does everybody really have to leave them and move to San Francisco to benefit from one another’s company? It so happens that the Atlantic’s James Fallows has been exploring these kinds of places for the past three years, flying around the country with his wife in their single-engine plane. They’ve been giving progress re- ports along the way, but now Fallows has attempted to sum everything up in one big article. The piece is a won- derful, hopeful reminder that this country can be a won- derful, hopeful place. It also offers something of a chal- lenge to Moretti’s thesis. Fallows writes that he found evidence of a flow “of people with first-rate talents and ambitions who decided that someplace other than the biggest cities offered the best overall opportunities.” He tells of a cluster of design- and-manufacturing startups in Duluth, Minnesota, a high- tech steel mini-mill in small- town Mississippi, a school system on the rebound in Holland, Michigan, a group of young civic-improvement activists in San Bernardino, California. It’s purely anec- dotal, and not entirely con- vincing, but a nice reminder that a few people can make a big difference in turning a place around. Moretti’s book contains perhaps the most dramatic example of this. Seattle in the late 1970s was a city in decline, with manufacturing jobs disappearing and crime on the rise. The Economist had called it the “city of de- spair.” Then two young en- trepreneurs who had been raised in Seattle, Paul Allen and Bill Gates, decided to move their software startup there from Albuquerque, New Mexico. The arrival of Microsoft changed everything for the city, which became one of the nation’s leading innovation hubs. Meanwhile, Albuquerque’s salaries and educational levels, which were close to Seattle’s in 1979, have fallen way behind. So perhaps it isn’t fated which cities will thrive in the coming decades. But the economic forces Moretti de- scribes make it seem likely that only a few will win big, while most muddle along or lose ground. Justin Fox is a Bloomberg View columnist writing about business. © 2016, Bloomberg View Thursday February 18, 2016 • Cayman COmpass Though many among us like to boast that the Cayman Islands is the world’s fifth-largest international financial center and therefore occupies an outsize role in interna- tional affairs, it is important that we not confuse our rep- utation with reality. As an apt reminder of our territory’s relative impo- tence to determine even our own destiny, look no further than our nearest neighbor to the north: Cuba. You needn’t procure a pair of binoculars to peer across the 100 miles of sea separating Cayman Brac from Cuba’s southern islets, or board a Cayman Airways jet to travel the 275 miles from George Town to Havana. Rather, be aware of the 135 Cuban migrants who remain in custody at Cayman immigration detention facilities, or the recently signed agreement allowing for 110 commercial flights per day from U.S. cities to 10 Cuban destinations. While we subscribe to the basic economic principle that a rising tide lifts all boats — and generally, remain optimistic that a thriving Cuba will strengthen the Carib- bean region as a whole — we find it difficult to shake concerns about the possibility of Cayman getting soaked. Certainly, our country is getting stuck with the short end of the balance sheet in regard to the detention and repatriation of Cuban migrants whose vessels founder in Cayman’s waters or run aground on Cayman’s shores. Possibly because of anxieties over potential changes to the U.S. “wet-foot, dry-foot” policy on Cuban migrants, the number of Cubans getting stymied in Cayman during their long journey to America has skyrocketed in the past several years — and so have our territory’s associated costs. In the 2011 calendar year, our government spent just $26,000 on migrants. In 2014, that figure was $1.6 million. Since the current fiscal year budget began in July 2015, the government has already spent nearly $1 million. And the Cubans keep coming in, lately faster than we can send them back. In the six weeks of this still-new year 2016, more than 120 migrants have landed in Cayman, and we have been able to return about 50. If the problem with getting migrants from Cayman back home is a matter of a lack of available airlift, the Cayman Airways–operated routes from here to Cuba may soon have a lot more empty seats. Jesting aside, we don’t know yet how much of an impact the establishing of regular commercial flights from the U.S. to Cuba will have on Cayman Airways’ service. We can guess that the loss of those routes could deal a major financial blow to our national airline. What we do know is that, given the choice between a direct flight from Miami to Havana (or vice versa), or the “scenic” route with a stopover in Grand Cayman’s over- crowded (and under-jetwayed) airport … or even Cayman Brac’s new facility … we’d put our money on the option that is shorter, quicker and cheaper. For the past 55 years, since the U.S. first imposed an embargo against Cuba, Cayman has been a beneficiary of the frozen relationship between the two nations, main- taining close ties to both, acting as an intermediary for people and goods skirting around the blockade, and gen- erally enriching ourselves with visitors who — if not for American prohibitions against Cuban travel — may never have thought to come here in the first place. In brief, Cayman’s economy, founded on financial services and tourism, has flourished over the past half- century while Cuba’s has been on ice. And now … the thaw. Cuba in Cayman’s backyard Why some cities get all the good jobs In this June 5, 2014 photo, people walk past a Google sign at the company’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. - Photo: AP5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday February 18, 2016 Join us for the Fourth Annual Sunday February 21, 2016 Camana Bay Start: 6 a.m. Finish: Noon Come to Camana Bay to show your support for three Stay-Focused alumni and athletes who will push their racing chairs 55 miles around Grand Cayman to celebrate all persons with disabilities. To learn more or to make a donation, visit www.stay-focused.org Push Across athletes visit schools AlmA Chollette achollette@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three Paralympic athletes taking part in a 55-mile race across Grand Cayman on Sunday have spent this week visiting schools. The trio, Ryan Chalmers, Mary Kate Callahan and Arielle Rausin, will race in the Push Across Cayman event, and are inviting chil- dren to bring along their bi- cycles to come out and sup- port them when they do a victory lap at the Cayman Islands International School at the end of the race. Push Across Cayman is a Stay-Focused foundation initiative to raise aware- ness and empower persons with disabilities. Throughout this week, Stay-Focused President Roger Muller and the participating athletes have been making visits and presentations to schools across Cayman. “The students love meeting the athletes, hearing their stories of accomplish- ment, and asking questions,” said Mr. Muller. The “Push” campaign “is a natural extension” of the work Stay-Focused is in- volved in, Mr. Muller added. Its work includes generating knowledge and awareness for the potential of all people with disabilities. The foundation has been operating programs in Cayman for 12 years. In 2010, it was instrumental in es- tablishing a wheelchair cat- egory in the Cayman Islands Marathon and each year Stay-Focused alumni have taken part. “I’m so excited to be in Cayman this year to par- ticipate in my first Push Across Cayman,” said Mary Kate Callahan, of Chicago. “Pushing 55 miles through the towns in Cayman with other Stay-Focused alumni is going to be an experience of a lifetime.” The University of Arizona student added, “I’m also looking forward to visiting schools during the week to continue to build awareness in Cayman about everything athletes with disabilities are doing. Cayman has always welcomed us with open arms and I’m thrilled to be back.” Following the athletes’ joint presentation at Cayman Prep Primary School on Monday, Principal Trish Taylor said, “We have been delighted to have Roger and Ryan visit our assemblies for the last few years. Their com- mitment and resilience is in- spiring and the students are always interested in how the athletes train, as well as their time spent scuba diving on the island. A number of our students plan to sup- port Push Across Cayman on Sunday.” The race begins at 6 a.m. in Camana Bay, and will take the athletes through George Town, Bodden Town, around East End, and into North Side. These Paralympians will then push their way back into George Town taking the South Sound Road and finish their race back in Camana Bay. Children are encouraged to bring their bikes, as they will have the opportunity to partake in the Bike Rodeo – a victory lap around the Cayman Islands International School with the athletes. There will be a prize for the best decorated bike. “The kids love meeting our alumni and spending time with them,” said Mr. Muller, “so, it’s fun for them to join our athletes for a victory lap at the end of the Push. They like having photos taken with them and having our athletes autograph their T-shirts.” Also, between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon, par- ticipants will be given “the chance to try a racing bike, gloves provided,” said Mr. Chalmers at his recent pre- sentation to Montessori by The Sea School on Tuesday afternoon. However, these are no or- dinary gloves – Ms. Rausin explained to the children that they are 3-D printed gloves. She designed and cre- ated them herself initially as part of her college’s Digital Making course. The public is encouraged to attend as, “the most impor- tant take-away is that per- sons with disabilities should be viewed no differently than able-bodied persons. See the athletes, not the chairs,” said Mr. Muller. Drivers are urged to be aware that the athletes will be on the roads between 6 a.m. and noon. The Push Across Cayman team will visiting Hope Academy, George Town Primary and Cayman International School on Thursday and Clifton Hunter High School on Friday. “Pushing 55 miles through the towns in Cayman with other Stay-Focused alumni is going to be an experience of a lifetime.” Mary Kate Callahan, Paralympic athletes Montessori kids crowd around the Push Across Cayman team, from left, Arielle Rausin, Ryan Chalmers and Mary Kate Callahan, for a group shot. - PHOTOS: ALMA CHOLLETTE Three remain in custody on drug importation charge CARol WINKeR cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three men charged with conspiracy to import con- trolled drugs have been up- dated on the progress of an investigation into the pres- ence of a gun in a package of ganja. Leon Hydes, Marlon Crowe and Clebeland Powery appeared in Summary Court on Tuesday before Magistrate Valdis Foldats. Their appear- ance was via a video link with Northward Prison. Powery’s attorney, John Furniss, explained that the men faced various charges concerning 197 pounds of ganja, but they were waiting to see what the Crown was doing about a gun that had been found concealed inside one of the packages. He said fingerprints re- covered did not implicate any one of the defendants. Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson advised the court that DNA test results were not yet available. A po- lice officer present told him the testing would be fast-tracked, so Mr. Ferguson asked for another two weeks. A press release from po- lice issued Feb. 8 stated that the Joint Marine Unit vessel Guardian had come across a vessel drifting approxi- mately 20 miles off East End on Feb. 4. Three men [the defendants] were on board along with a large amount of ganja. “A firearm and 64 rounds of ammunition were also recovered,” the press release said. The magistrate set Tuesday, March 1, for an- other mention. “There may or may not be other charges,” he noted. Crowe is represented by attorney Crister Brady and Hydes by attorney Prathna Bodden. “A firearm and 64 rounds of ammunition were also recovered.” rCIPS PreSS releaSe Experts examine gun found in package of ganja Ryan Chalmers chats with students at Montessori by the Sea.6 DISTRICT DAYS Thursday February 18, 2016 • Cayman Compass District Days Bodden Town New pharmacy coming to Bodden Town Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Bodden Town will be get- ting its own pharmacy this year, as part of two-phase development in the district. The Valu-Med pharmacy will be part of phase 1 of a 9,500 square foot two-story building which will also accommodate other busi- nesses. Another building, phase 2 of the project, will house various businesses, including a barber shop, salon, bank and more. The pharmacy will be on the corner of Anton Bodden Drive and Harvey Stephenson Drive. “Construction started in August 2015 and we are hopeful the doors will open and be servicing the com- munity by the end of May this year,” said Everton Parker, owner of Valu-Med. “It’s basically a duplica- tion of the one on Walkers Road, and will offer a wide range of prescription and non-prescription drugs, per- sonal care products, cos- metics, household items, snacks, gifts, rentals of con- valescence aids, small ap- pliances and electronics,” Mr. Parker said. “I decided to open the branch in Bodden Town be- cause of the lack of services in that area for people going east,” he added. ”People have been asking me for many years to put a service in the area, and we were expecting a plaza some years ago but it never materialized …” Mr. Parker is planning to open the pharmacy from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. but is willing to take feedback from members of the com- munity on what hours suit them best. The pharmacy will not feature a drive-thru, where customers can pick up pre- scriptions from a service window, but he says that those customers who are not very mobile can call ahead to request their med- ication, and when they reach the building, staff will take the medication outside for them. Horsing around makes for memorable fire safety talk A recent visit by the Cayman Islands Fire Services to the Cayman Riding School on Hirst Road in Savannah was a hit with young riders and firemen alike. The four firemen and two fire trucks from the George Town headquarters were on site on Saturday, Feb. 13, to conduct a ses- sion on fire prevention and safety for children attending the British Pony Club riding program, which runs on Saturday afternoons. Participating children, age 5 and up, learn all there is to know about the care, riding and welfare of horses. Riding school owner and instructor Tracey Surrey noted one of the topics cov- ered is fire safety and the session left the 25 young riders extremely well in- formed about the operations of the Fire Service and how to prevent fires, not just around the riding stables but also at home. Though tackling a se- rious topic, the firemen had the chance to horse around, taking up the students’ chal- lenge to mount up. “The children asked if the fire officers were brave enough to fight fires, were they brave enough to ride a horse, and discovered the answer is yes,” said Ms. Surrey. “We are so grateful to the officers for giving up their time and coming along to Cayman Riding School,” she said, noting that the visit was one of several lessons tack- ling important safety issues. “It is so important that we teach fire prevention and all sorts of safety issues to our children – it is never too early to learn. We recently held a Human First Aid course and before that an Animal Welfare session with a local vet as part of the British Pony Club program. Our young children have gained a wealth of prac- tical knowledge that they can take with them into their daily life.” For further details on the school, email Tracey Surrey at CaymanRidingSchool@gmail.com or visit its Facebook page at www. facebook.com/CaymanRidingSchool. The pharmacy is slated to open by the end of May. - Photo:Jewel levy Cayman Riding School students with officers from the Cayman Islands Fire Service.John Ebanks shows Michael Smith how to work the hose. Acting lead fire fighter Daniel Bernard takes a ride on one of the club’s horses, as, from left, Acting Station Officer Roy Charlton, fire fighter Marvin Menendez and fire fighter John Ebanks look on.Cayman Compass • Thursday February 18, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days Bodden Town 50 years ago: a play, fellowship and visitors In the Feb. 16, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town cor- respondent Arthur Hunter wrote: “Many persons will recall the hi- larious comedy that was staged a the local Town Hall on New Year’s night. By popular demand the presentation is being repeated at Bodden Town on Tuesday night next and will be taken to George Town on the night of Wednesday 23rd. The proceeds of the George Town presentation will be do- nated to the Preparatory School Fund. “The United Church Woman’s Guild branches of the eastern districts will hold their annual fellowship day at Bodden Town on Friday next. The so- cial hour will take place at 4 p.m. in the Industrial Centre. A public meeting will be held in the Bodden Town church commencing at 5:30 p.m. The program will be made up of items from all the branches and a guest speaker will discuss the subject ‘Jesus our Unity.’ “On Wednesday last, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Blackford of Jacksonville, Fla., ac- companied by Mr. Marshall Claggett, arrived to spend a short vacation in this town. They stayed at the home of Mr. Denham Wood in Pease Bay. They are enchanted with Grand Cayman and no doubt we shall be seeing lots more of them in the future. “Among the arrivals for this town during the course of last week was Mr. Cassidy Jackson who has been at sea for the last 14 months. He arrived on Sunday last. Also arriving on the same day were Mr. and Mrs. John Ropes. Mrs. Ropes is the former Phyllis Thompson. The Ropes are annual visi- tors and are in the process of building a winter home in this town.” Orchid blooms a love for one BT resident Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The connotation of exclusivity that orchids and their cultivation carry is reflected in the fact that they are some of the most exquisite and expensive flowers in the world. For Florence Wood, 76, of Bodden Town, growing orchids is a fasci- nating hobby she has grown to love. Defying any elitist stereotypes, the orchid aficionado is utterly down to earth when it comes to discussing her treasured plants. “My orchids are just like mischie- vous little children. When the wind blows and I don’t watch them, they will tear each other’s blooms off,” she said. “That’s when I have to change the baskets round to give them space to play and frolic.” In Ms. Wood’s garden on Carmen Boulevard there are many other types of plants, such as ferns, lilies, bougainvillea and showers of gold, but these days it’s the orchids that are the real stars. Ms. Wood said she always liked gardening but she did not get started growing orchids until fairly recently, after she collected some or- chid clippings from her sister. “My sister called one day to say she needed help with re-potting, and when I finished I saved the clippings and brought the little pieces home and sprouted them,” she said. “My orchid hobby started from there – that was about five to six years ago,” she said. This year’s flowers are only now coming into full bloom due to the cool weather. March is the peak of blooming season for many orchids. Most are of easy culture and bloom in March, although depending on weather con- ditions in any given year, blooming season can be earlier or later for any species or hybrid. But overall, according to the American Orchid Society, the most common reason that orchids fail to bloom is insuf- ficient light. Ms. Wood’s orchids actually re- quire little care. Just four times a year, she sprays them with a mist of water mixed with plant food. “Orchids are considered air plants so instead of watering them, I give them a blast of mist,” said Ms. Wood. Around the property, orchids that are not affixed to trees hang in pots from the branches of a neem tree in Ms. Wood’s front yard, producing a kaleidoscope of colors; others sit in pots around the garden. “When members of the Cayman Orchid Society came by, they said they never saw orchid stems looking so large and beautiful,” said Ms. Wood. “I could only say it must be the nutrients they are getting from the neem tree.” Ms. Wood’s passion, like her flowers, only continues to grow as each year passes. “Orchids are my pride and joy,” she said. “I just play with them … they love me and I love them back. None answer back, they just turn and show me their beautiful colors.” from the branches of a neem tree in Ms. Wood’s front yard, producing a kaleidoscope of colors; others sit in “When members of the Cayman Orchid Society came by, they said they never saw orchid stems looking so large and beautiful,” said “I could only say it must be the nutrients they are getting from the Ms. Wood’s passion, like her flowers, only continues to grow as “Orchids are my pride and “I just play with them … they love me and I love them back. None answer back, they just turn and show me their beautiful colors.” Florence Wood and Pedro Watler admire the orchid blooms hanging from a neem tree.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Thursday February 18, 2016 • Cayman Compass Giant leaps for Caribbean tourism, small steps for Cayman Islands Lightning knocks out Internet CONCACAF drops kickback lawsuit revenue coming in. “We have no more rooms, our rooms are full, so we’re going to be flat now until November when the Kimpton opens. It is not a fair assess- ment to look at Cayman and say because we didn’t have 6 percent growth that we’re not doing well. “You need to look at the whole package and say ‘room rates are up, they’re doing ex- tremely well.’” International tourist trips to the region grew by 7 per- cent to 28.7 million visits, according to analysis from the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Visitors spent an estimated $30 billion, a 4.2 percent rise over the $28.8 billion spent in 2014. Speaking at a press conference in Barbados Tuesday, Caribbean Tourism Organization secretary gen- eral Hugh Riley attrib- uted the growth to im- proved global economic conditions, falling oil prices, rising seat capacity and per- sistent marketing by the member countries. The tourism organiza- tion is predicting further in- creases of around five per- cent regionally for 2016. The biggest gainers last year were Cuba, Aruba and Barbados, which all saw in- creases in arrival figures in excess of 10 percent. Mr. Riley said there had been increased demand from all key source markets, par- ticularly the U.S., which ac- counts for 50 percent of Caribbean holidays. Arrivals were also up from Europe and Canada and travel within the Caribbean region reached an all-time high. Despite the political and economic challenges faced by many South American coun- tries, that source market con- tinued its rapid growth in 2015, generating 2.1 million visitors to the Caribbean, an 18.3 percent increase over 2014. Mr. Kirkconnell said Cayman’s main focus re- mained on the U.S. for the time being. Once new hotels are built and more rooms are available, he said, the islands would be marketed more heavily in other areas. “Our rooms are full, our daily rate is going up. When we get more rooms we will attack South America, we’ll go after Europe,” he added. Mr. Riley said the re- gion as a whole is defying expectations. “The pace of growth of Caribbean tourism outper- formed every major tourism region in the world,” he said. “Our region has set new arrival and spend re- cords in 2015, far surpassing expectations.” Despite some concerns about the impact of the Zika virus, he believes the growth can continue. He added, “The Caribbean cannot be complacent. We must continue to grow our traditional markets, strengthen emerging ones and penetrate new sources as we target the 30 million ar- rivals mark.” was responsible for fixing the damage from Tuesday’s lightning strike. Pamela Small, spokes- woman for Logic, said the carrier fixed the issue by 9 p.m. Tuesday and restored service. In an email, she wrote, “Maya-1 is one of the two fibre systems that provide communications to Cayman. The failure dete- riorated Logic Internet ser- vice and prevented off-net- work phone services.” The Cayman Islands, and the rest of the Caribbean, connects to the mainland and to the global Internet through a web of undersea cables. The Maya-1 cable runs from Florida, around Cuba, and lands in Cancun, Honduras, Grand Cayman, Costa Rica, Panama and Columbia. Cayman has an addi- tional route into the global Internet through a cable running from the Brac to Jamaica and into a net- work running through the eastern Caribbean. parties had agreed to “release the claims they asserted against each other in pending proceedings.” The spokeswoman for the company said, “Neither side made any payment to the other in connection with the settlement.” In the original lawsuit filed against Cartan and its affiliates, CONCACAF alleged that kickbacks were paid to Webb in the form of a “fic- titious gift” to the Cayman Islands Football Association’s Center of Excellence. CIFA received matching $600,000 loans from Cartan and another company Forward Sports, signed by its then general secretary Bruce Blake, ostensibly for work on the Prospect field. In the case of Cartan, the lawsuit alleged this was not a gift, but payback to Webb for helping orchestrate an “outrageously lucrative agreement” for the company with CONCACAF. “Cartan never provided any material amount of services to CIFA, nor did Cartan widely publicize its fictitious charitable gift – which is what typically would be expected of a cor- porate sponsor,” the lawsuit alleged. “That is because it was not a gift at all, but yet another form of graft and illicit dealing between [the lawsuit defendants] and Webb.” Mr. Blake, now acting president of CIFA, has ac- knowledged he signed the loan agreements, but had no part in the negotiations over the loans. He said he believed they were to be loans to CIFA to assist with paying down on its loan with Fidelity Bank. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cloned credit cards case sent to Grand Court Defendants are charged with conspiracy to defraud CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two men charged with conspiracy to defraud in relation to cloned credit cards will appear in Grand Court on March 11. Canadian nationals Adam Mokdad, 21, and Hakim Benamara, 25, ap- peared in Summary Court on Tuesday, when they were advised that conspiracy to defraud is a Category A offense, meaning it can be dealt with only in the higher court. The men are charged with conspiring together with others unknown to defraud local retail banks by agreeing to use cloned credit cards to dishonestly withdraw cash. The offense allegedly occurred between Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. The men were ar- rested after the Financial Crime Unit received a re- port from a local bank re- garding suspicious cards that had been retained by one of its automatic teller machines. The longer than usual adjournment was set to enable the men get their legal aid applications “sorted out and finalized,” attorney John Furniss said. He has been repre- senting Mokdad. Attorney Crister Brady has been approached on behalf of Benamara. The defendants were remanded in custody until their next court appearance. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Tourists may be abundant on Cayman’s beaches as local tourism figures continue to grow, but compared to regional statistics, Cayman’s tourism growth figures are relatively low. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Supreme Court may face extended period with 8 justices WASHINGTON (AP) – Is eight enough? The Supreme Court has managed to function effec- tively at less than its full nine-member strength for two extended periods in the past 50 years. The question now is whether the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in the middle of the court term and a polarizing presidential campaign will make it harder for the justices to get their work done. Scalia’s colleagues will mourn their longtime friend and fellow justice this week before resuming their work on a lineup of cases fraught with political implications. Their test will be whether they can reach decisions in cases in- volving abortion, labor unions, President Barack Obama’s healthcare law, voting rights, immigration and other topics without reaching an inconclu- sive 4 to 4 vote. Adding spice to the mix is the unusual makeup of the court, with four liberal- leaning Democratic appointees and four conservative-leaning Republican appointees. One of the term’s big- gest cases will be argued on March 2, when the jus- tices weigh whether Texas’ strict regulation of abortion clinics impinges on a wom- an’s constitutional right to an abortion. Scalia would have been a sure vote to sustain the regulations. If Senate Republicans hold fast to their vow not to confirm anyone Obama nominates, then the Supreme Court will operate with eight justices not just for the rest of this term, but for most of the next one as well. High court terms begin in October, and the 80 or so cases ar- gued in the course of a term typically are decided by early summer. The court would be un- able to issue nationwide rul- ings on any issue in which the justices split 4-4. “That would essentially be put- ting the Supreme Court in gridlock for two terms,” said Elizabeth Wydra, president of the liberal Constitutional Accountability Center. Some Supreme Court law clerks who worked at the court when there was a pro- longed vacancy recalled that business proceeded apace, without additional tension and only a handful of split decisions. At the same time, the justices postponed con- sideration of some major cases while they awaited a new justice. “The main impact of an eight-man court that term … was that the court de- cided few cases involving sig- nificant constitutional law,” Taylor Reveley, a law clerk for Justice William Brennan in 1969-70 and now presi- dent of the College of William and Mary. The most notable of the deferred cases may have been challenges to the death penalty, according to Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong’s book “The Brethren.” Harry Blackmun joined the court in May 1970, after the Democratic- controlled Senate rejected President Richard Nixon’s first two choices. It was an- other two years, after the re- tirements of two more jus- tices, before the court took up the issue and struck down every state death penalty statute. The Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. - PHOTO: FILEThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 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. Cayman Compass • Thursday February 18, 2016 Love always, Mom, Dad, Uncles, Shanté, Rosie, Samantha, Mr. D., Godfather Kevin, cousins ‘Skinny’ & ‘Jeesa’ 4 Sad Years Away From Us Aidan Cupid We will never understand why you were taken from us so soon, but God has better plans for you. A little Angel in heaven looking down on us. Your loving memories will forever live on in our hearts May you continue to RIP 8th Mar, 2007 - 18th Feb, 2012 THURSDAY, FEB. 18 A WALK IN HER SHOES: Fundraiser for the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, where sponsored males will strut in high heels to raise money and awareness of this charity, which aids victims of domestic abuse. 5:30 p.m. on Market Street, Camana Bay. For more details and how to participate, contact Michelle at 925-6347. GARDEN LUNCH AND LECTURE: At the National Gallery. Lunch and lecture on “En Mas’ – Carnival and Performance Art of the Caribbean.” Lunch inspired by the exhibition and its New Orleans roots. The complimentary lecture begins at noon and lunch is served until 2 p.m. CHAMBER COURSE: “Employment, the Hiring Process” presented by Huw Moses, 9–11 a.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $175. Future members $225. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: “Basics of Budgeting” presented by Terry Carson, today and tomorrow 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $225. Future members $300. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, FEB. 19 CELEBRITIES TESTIMONY: David Lewis, former lead singer for Atlantic Starr, an American band that scored several hits on the R&B charts from the late ‘70s through the ‘80s and ‘90s, and his wife Marian, a former Ford Modeling Agency runway model, will speak about their conversion experience at the George Town Seventh-day Adventist Church at 7 p.m. All are invited. Admission is free. ‘THE RED VIOLIN’: Meet and greet violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn, 6-7 p.m. at Cassia Court, Camana Bay. Screening of the movie “The Red Violin” follows at 7:30 p.m. Regal Cinemas. For more details, visit caymanartsfestival.com. FISH FRY: St. Ignatius School canteen, Fridays during Lent. Serving from 5-8 p.m. Dine in or carry out. Menu includes mahi- mahi for $10 or snapper, $12, with all the trimmings. Proceeds are for religious education and youth ministry. SATURDAY, FEB. 20 COCO FEST: Pedro Castle grounds, noon till 4 p.m. Coconut festival celebrates the coconut and its ties to Cayman culture and heritage. A fun-packed day for all the family with activities including music, film, art, crafts, food, face painting and more. The Visual Arts Society has organized student art display and will have art works for sale. Admission is free for children, $5 for adults. TEEN MAZE: Navigate through rewards and consequences of daily choices teens make. A life- size board game, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Family Resource Centre. Not suitable for under 12. Contact the Family Resource Centre for registration form. 949-0006 or frc@gov.ky or facebook. com/familyresourcecentre. CAYMAN OUTREACH ASSOCIATION: Dinner meeting, 7:15 p.m. at Triple C School Auditorium. Guest speaker is Bishop Richard McKenzie. Admission is $15. For details call Raphael Bodden at 925-7798. SUNDAY, FEB. 21 ART EXHIBIT: Visual Arts Society art exhibit at Watler House Studio, Pedro Castle grounds. Featuring more than 40 pieces on sale from local artists, plus student art display. Noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Contact 546-9422 or visualartcayman@yahoo. com. OFF THE BEATEN TRACK: 50K ultramarathon and relay. 6 a.m. start at intersection of Pinehurst Road and Esterley Tibbetts Highway. Solo runners, US$100; teams, US$300. Register at www.offthebeatentrack.ky. Registration will also be accepted at the Governors Square Boardroom on Friday, Feb. 19, 4–7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 20, 9 a.m.–noon. MONDAY, FEB. 22 MUSIC AND ART: Visual Arts Society and Cayman Arts Festival reception. Live music, and art. Watler Cottage at Pedro Castle. 5:30 8:30 p.m. Admission is free. TUESDAY, FEB. 23 LABOUR AND PENSIONS BRAC OFFICE: Representatives of the Department of Labour and Pensions will be in Cayman Brac today and tomorrow to assist with inquiries from employees and employers, answering queries about the Labour and Pensions Laws, Occupational Safety and Health, and the recently announced minimum wage which comes into effect on March 1. The DLP office at 256 Creek Road will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments can be made by calling 244-4008 or by emailing gene.hydes@gov.ky. Walk-in inquiries are also welcomed. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24 CONSERVATION COUNCIL MEETING: The National Conservation Council will hold a general meeting 2-5 p.m. in the ground floor meeting room (1038) of the Government Administration Building, Grand Cayman. Open to the public. The agenda of the meeting will be available at the Department of Environment website, www.DoE.ky. MUSIC AT NATIONAL GALLERY: The Cayman Arts Festival makes its way to the National Gallery. Program of African and Caribbean music begins at 6 p.m.; doors open at 5 p.m. for viewing of “En Mas’” exhibit. Free admission. CHAMBER COURSE: “Situational Leadership” presented by Xenia Goddard, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $350. Future members $400. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. THURSDAY, FEB. 25 BRAC COURT: Summary Court will be held today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. in the Aston Rutty Civic Centre. CHAMBER COURSE: “Immigration – Permanent Residence, Work Permits and Status” presented by Nick Joseph, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $350. Future members $400. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. WORKSHOP: “Enhancing the Value of Micro and Small Businesses,” presented by James Andrews of Integra Realty Resources, 5:30- 7:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Free. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, FEB. 26 HOSPICECARE FLAG DAY: Today and tomorrow at numerous locations around the island, volunteers will collect donations for Cayman Hospicecare. Anyone who wishes to volunteer should contact chc@candw.ky. BRAC PAGEANT: The Creek and Spot Bay Primary PTA Committee presents “The Most Amazing Parents Pageant,” 6:30 p.m. Aston Rutty Centre. Entry fee is $25. For more information, contact Sharissa Ritch at 924-1861. CAREERS, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING EXPO: From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in UCCI’s Multipurpose Hall. Free admission. Businesses interested in exhibiting should contact Nicola Burke at 743-9129 or email membership@ caymanchamber.ky. SATURDAY, FEB. 27 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The National Festival of the Arts needs volunteers for all kinds of jobs, from setting up to selling tickets to modeling costumes and more. Shifts are 3-4 hours (between 7 a.m. and noon). Volunteers receive free entry to the festival, complimentary refreshments and an opportunity to give back to the community. Contact www.artscayman.org or admincncf@candw.ky or 949-5477. RED SKY AT NIGHT: In celebration of the Cayman National Cultural Foundation’s Red Sky at Night, the National Gallery will be open to the public for a late night viewing of the exhibition “En Mas’ – Carnival and Performance Art of the Caribbean,” 4-10 p.m. Admission is free. PRINCESS TEA PARTY: Girls Brigade National Council annual fundraising event. Venue is Audrey Whittaker’s residence, 1237 Frank Sound, North Side. 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 and available now from any Girls’ Brigade officer. BRAC AGRICULTURE: The annual Cayman Brac Agriculture Show takes place at the Agriculture Grounds on The Bluff. Contact Chevala Burke or Marcia Rankin, 948-2222. BRAC CRUISE SHIP: The cruise ship MV Serenissima will visit Cayman Brac, 2-10 p.m. MONDAY, FEB. 29 PAINTING OPEN STUDIO: For adults who want to work independently. 12:30-4 p.m. Mondays until March 21. Watler House Studio at Pedro Castle. $10 for members of Visual Arts Society, $15 for non-members. Materials, instructions not included. Contact visualartcayman@ yahoo.com. SATURDAY, MARCH 5 PAWS IN THE SAND: Dinner at Rum Point restaurant to raise money for Protection of Animal Welfare Society. Tickets are $125 per person, with free ferry service leaving SafeHaven Dock at 5 p.m. for cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. Includes Broadway show, silent and live auctions. Tickets from Lighthouse restaurant or contact 916-1731 or 916-3957. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Elizabeth Pitcairn, whose violin is said to have inspired the film ‘The Red Violin,’ will be at Cassia Court, Camana Bay, on Feb. 19 to meet and greet fans. She performs the next day at Cayman Islands Baptist Church as part of the Cayman Arts Festival.Next >