Cayman Weekender Dana Leong Editorial | pagE 4 The uTiliTy of Cayman’s new uTiliTies Commission eSTaBLISHed 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – friday february 19, 2016 Push Across Cayman Annual race starts at Camana Bay on Sunday B2 Chernin for the win Ross Chernin trumps Lee ‘Jeb Bush’ Royle B6 Arts Technology Food & Drink ■ music Dana Leong Electric cellist to perform at Cayfest B8 Visual Arts Society Exhibits and music and crafts, oh my! B5Churchill Solitaire When it isn’t just a card game, it’s war B11 Friday February 19, 2016 • Cayman Compass STOLI FLAVOURS2 for $ 56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS2 for $ 56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $ 56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $ 56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 JulyTEQUILA ROSE Strawberry cream fearlessly combined with an exotic tequila thrill. SAVE $ 7 Regular $38.99. NOW $31.99. (valid until until 29 February) Registered Merchant of CaymanGiftCertifi cates.com unday B2 Photo: Salva Mendez High of 82 Low of 73 Rough with wave heights of 5 to 7 feet. A small craft warning is in effect. James whiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Casually dressed and making no effort to conceal their faces, two men walked into a Camana Bay jewelry store Wednesday night and held it up at gunpoint. The pair, who both spoke Spanish during the robbery, ordered staff at Island Jewellers to fill a bag with dia- monds before escaping on a white dirt bike in the direction of West Bay. Though armed robberies have become increasingly common in Grand Cayman, it is the first time the upscale outdoor shopping mall has been targeted. Mark VanDevelde, CEO of Dart Realty, which owns the jewelry store, said, “Another armed robbery in the Cayman Islands is very unsettling and under- mines our islands’ reputation as a safe and secure place to live or to visit. We must come together and take a zero toler- ance approach to crime.” The faces of the suspects in Wednesday night’s robbery were clearly captured on the store’s CCTV cameras, and the images were widely circulated by police on Thursday. According to a statement from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, it was just before 8:45 p.m. when the first of the men entered the store, opposite Books & Books on Camana Bay’s main street, posing as a shopper. Gunmen hold up jewelry store in Camana Bay, escape with diamonds brenT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Although nearly 650 applications for per- manent residence in the Cayman Islands have been filed since October 2013, not a single one was accepted or denied during the past year, according to Immigration Department records. The department said it responded to a total of 15 PR applications last year, requesting more information from the applicants in cases that had not been decided. Another six applications were not heard due to legal difficulties – the application being filed late for example. One application was withdrawn during the year. Other than those cases, no decisions were made during 2015 regarding applicants who are seeking to remain permanently in Cayman. The main cause of the delay involves a legal review undertaken by government fol- lowing an August 2015 Grand Court ruling that questioned certain aspects of the terri- tory’s Immigration Law. David Ritch, the attorney leading the review, said he expected to have his evaluation of the ruling and recommendations of any changes the government might make completed and sent to the premier’s office by next month. The issues identified in Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s Aug. 28, 2015 judgment dealt with two major areas: First, the actions of the Immigration Appeals Tribunal in two cases where non-Caymanians had applied for per- manent residence in which the tribunal’s ac- tions were determined to be a “miscarriage of justice.” Those applications were made under a former version of the Immigration Law. The second matter involved the current permanent residence system and how no permanent residency approvals granted in 2015 brenT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Deputy Governor Franz Manderson has ordered government’s internal auditors to look into events surrounding the award and implementation of the CarePay hos- pital swipe-card contract, in the wake of what were described as “shocking” revelations during former Health Services Authority Board Chairman Canover Watson’s criminal trial. “Based on the details that were revealed during the recent court case … there are con- cerns with regard to how well risks are being managed and whether the right processes are in place to prevent reoccurrence,” Mr. Manderson wrote in an email Thursday. The review, to be conducted by government’s Internal Audit Unit, will look at the “entire procure- ment process for the CarePay system,” including the award of the contract to Advanced Integrated Systems Cayman Ltd., the local contractor. Mr. Manderson said the review would consider “comprehensively” all activities surrounding the bid process and award of the contract. A final report and recommendations are to be submitted to the deputy governor’s office. Watson, 45, was convicted and sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for the fraud scheme he orchestrated with business partner and friend Jeffrey Webb that prosecutors said aimed to siphon $3 million from government coffers. A number of current and former civil servants took the witness stand during the proceedings to give the Grand Court their accounts of what occurred CARePAy HealtH ministry, Hsa face audit PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » CCTV cameras captured images of this suspect standing by the entrance of the store, wearing an Armani exchange T-shirt and carrying a gun. The first robber entered the store around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, posing as a shopper, carrying a shoulder bag and wearing a T-shirt with the logo AXNy91.2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Friday February 19, 2016 • Cayman Compass The HMS Mersey will visit Grand Cayman next week after postponing its previously scheduled call last week because of bad weather. The ship, one of the Royal Navy’s four River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels, is scheduled to be in Cayman Feb. 24-28. During the visit, mem- bers of the ship’s com- pany will conduct an ex- ercise with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Marine Unit. The Mersey will also host an evening recep- tion and tours for local student groups. Several sailors will also take part in a community outreach project on shore. The HMS Mersey is used for boarding oper- ations and if required, humanitarian and di- saster relief operations. The ship left the U.K. in early January and will be deployed on Atlantic Patrol Task (North) until July. 945-2290 • West Shore Center, Seven Mile Beach • 10am to 10pm Fresh, Healthy & Delicious! Cayman Cookin’ Over a Wood Fire! Taste why we’re voted “Best”! If you’re Hungry! Hungry! Come to Chicken Chicken! International Award-Winning Caribbean Chicken! Eat-in!Take-out! Indulge on a feast for 2 to 4 or 6 or more! With an awesome selection of sides to choose from. with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex starting Salsa with DJ Flex starting TOMORROW Saturday, Feb 20th Barefoot Man and Sea N’B Starting live at 8:00pm Come for dinner Stay for Dancing Or come to our beautiful Oceanside Bar and listen to the Sweet Sounds of Barefoot Manand listen to the Sweet Sounds of Barefoot Man “BOOGIE NIGHTS” Music By DJ FLEX Starting at 9:30pm Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics Friday, February 26th Don’t forget NEXT WEEK Friday, Feb. 19th LIVE BAND Friday, Feb. 19thFriday, Feb. 19th LIVE BANDLIVE BANDLIVE BANDLIVE BANDLIVE BANDLIVE BANDLIVE BANDLIVE BANDLIVE BANDLIVE BAND TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT! Playing all the classics! The one & only ManGoJam TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT! Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky Call Lin 5480000 BRITANNIA 3 BED 3 BATH FOR RENT $5500 USD Corner Unit, Furnished, Pool and Golf www.capitalrealty.com.ky Alvin Sluchinski 525.8850 alvin@capitalrealtycayman.com Vendor will pay Stamp Duty 2000 square feet CI$165k MLS#405073 WAREHOUSE FOR SALE Cayman Arts Festival opens AlAn MArkoFF amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Arts Festival 2016 officially opened Wednesday night with a re- ception hosted by Governor Helen Kilpatrick at her resi- dence at Government House. The reception, which was attended by more than 200 people, included a two-song performance by the Cayman Youth Choir and a three-song performance by the Junior String Ensemble chosen from students currently partici- pating in the RBC Wealth Management After School Instrumental Programme. “We thank them for those wonderful performances,” said the festival’s artistic di- rector, Glen Inanga. “They are an example of what the Cayman Arts Festival is really all about. Now in our twelfth year, we are proud to say we are constantly challenged re- sponding to ways in which we can fulfill our mission to en- tertain, inspire and educate.” The 10-day festival fea- tures a variety of inter- national and local musi- cians, as well as visual art at several different Grand Cayman venues. “The Cayman Arts Festival is unique in the level of col- laboration it achieves be- tween local resident art- ists and visiting artists,” Mr. Inanga said, noting that two “fringe” events next week build on partnerships with Cayman’s Visual Arts Society and the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. This year’s festival runs through Feb. 26 and fea- tures five main events, starting with the soloists of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, who performed with the Cayman National Choir on Thursday night at First Baptist Church. Other main events include violin virtuoso Elizabeth Pitcairn performing with Mr. Inanga Saturday night; the “Rising Stars” event that fea- tures performances from local residents selected as final- ists in the Butterfield Young Musician of the Year competi- tion; a sold-out performance of the Joey Alexander Trio on Feb. 25; and the rhythms of Moroccan-born percussionist Mokhtar Samba and his band on Feb. 26. Although the Joey Alexander Trio concert is sold out, the 12-year- old child prodigy from Indonesia, who performed at the Grammy Awards this past Monday night in Los Angeles, will also perform for Cayman’s school students at the First Baptist Church at 11 a.m. next Thursday. There will also be three free educational workshops and master classes for brass, per- cussion and string instruments at the St. Ignatius School music room during the festival. “This is where the real magic happens as these stu- dents get to work with spe- cialists in their instruments who are able to provide them with feedback whilst inspiring them at the same time,” Mr. Inanga said. “I am proud to see how over the years the level of perfor- mance amongst our students has grown tremendously.” The Cayman Youth Choir sings ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ during the Cayman Arts Festival opening reception. – Photos: AlAn MArkoff John Gray High School music teacher Naomi Allnutt leads the Junior String Ensemble chosen from participants of the After School Instrumental Programme, in a performance of a Caymanian folk songs during the opening reception of the 2016 Cayman Art Festival at Government House on Wednesday. HMS Mersey heads back to CaymanMIAMI (AP) – A Florida mother condemned to die for the beating death of her young son known as “Baby Lollipops” deserves a new trial because of inflammatory and improper statements made by prosecutors during closing ar- guments, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The justices tossed out the 2011 murder conviction and death sentence for Ana Maria Cardona, 54, marking the second time the court has reversed her case. Cardona’s original 1992 conviction and death sentence was overturned because prose- cutors failed to disclose key evi- dence to the defense. This time, the court found that Miami-Dade prosecutors crossed the line in closing ar- guments during the second trial, repeatedly attempting to stir up juror emotions and sympathy for the 3-year- old victim, Lazaro Figueroa. Testimony showed the boy had been severely beaten and suffered from chronic neglect, weighing only 18 pounds when his body was found in some bushes in Miami Beach in 1990. Police dubbed the boy “Baby Lollipops” because he was wearing a T-shirt with a lollipop image when he was found. The Supreme Court, in a 28-page decision, said the trial judge erred in allowing pros- ecutors to repeatedly use the phrase “justice for Lazaro” in closing arguments to the jury. Prosecutors were also wrong, the justices added, in describing the defense case as “diversionary” and calling Cardona herself a “drama ex- pert” who belonged on Spanish- language telenovela program. DeAth sentence DroPPeD for MoM of ‘BABy lolliPoPs’The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Friday February 19, 2016 Sweet deals for Valentine’s Day Get it in store today or visit discoverfl ow.ky Conditions apply Postpaid FREE Prepaid $109 Get the Alcatel Pop 3 for as low as... with 1GB dataThe 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” Pound for pound, it could become the busiest public office in the Cayman Islands. Four of Cayman’s regulatory authorities may soon be put under one roof, through the merger of independent bodies that oversee the country’s electricity, fuel, tele- communications and water providers. According to Information and Communications Tech- nology Authority Managing Director Alee Fa’amoe, key responsibilities will likely include cost control, customer complaints and the long-term provision of efficient utility services for Cayman’s future development. Given the prevailing status of our country’s infrastruc- ture, we hope the new “Public Utilities Commission” retains all of its existing telephone numbers, lest busy signals further enrage the inevitable hordes of irritated callers. That being said, the quantity of phone numbers may have little bearing on the chances of a consumer’s call actually being received. The same goes for emails and online forms. That’s because when Cayman’s telephone and data networks go down — as we witnessed yet again this Tuesday — nobody gets through to anybody. The shortcomings in Cayman’s telecom services also apply to electricity, fuel and water, particularly in regard to the capacity of our country’s infrastructure to accom- modate (much less facilitate) significant future growth. Unreliable Internet, intermittent electricity, expensive fuel, an inadequate water system … Those ingredients don’t exactly add up to a “no-fail” recipe for runaway economic success. We, of course, realize that Cayman’s small population and insular geography pose challenges that circumscribe the potential performance and cost-effectiveness of our service providers, according to efficiencies of scale and laws of distance. There exists, however, much room for improvement. Why, for example, does our wealthy country — despite our aspirations toward “First Worldliness” — lack a centralized sewerage system that covers our most populous island, or even, as far as we’re aware, a plan to install such a system? If Grand Cayman’s population is going to surge (so our country can capitalize on economic opportunities afforded by entities such as Dart, Health City and others), septic tanks and deep-injection wells simply aren’t going to cut it. The conglomeration of the four regulators will most likely have little bearing on those bigger questions we face. The immediate reason for the Public Utilities Commis- sion merger seems to be a far more modest one: to save the government $250,000 per year, according to the EY Report (also styled “Project Future”). While any government savings are welcome, that $250,000 is a relative drop in the bucket compared to our public sector budget, which has surpassed $880 million per year. Like the proposed merger of Cayman’s complaints commissioner and information commissioner’s office (which, by the way, don’t have a single permanent com- missioner between them …. Both are still “acting,” as is Cayman’s other watchdog body, the auditor general), the creation of the singular Public Utilities Commission rep- resents the lowest of the lowest-hanging fruit in the EY Report. Savings from those two initiatives don’t even amount to rounding errors, compared to the report’s significant proposals such as outsourcing public sector medical operations, divesting surplus public property and privatizing certain government agencies. Much of that was rejected out-of-hand by the Progres- sives government, which had commissioned the report. In hindsight, it appears the criteria for consideration of specific proposals consisted of: a) No civil servant loses a job; b) No civil servant experiences a potential incon- venience; and c) No single person from the community raises an objection. Thus, the Public Utilities Commission. The utility of Cayman’s new utilities commission Friday February 19, 2016 • Cayman COmpass From CaymanCompass.Com “US, Cuba agree to resume flights,” Feb. 17 So [Cayman Airways CEO] Fabian Whorms said the “tre- mendous increase” in de- mand that would result if the U.S. allowed unrestricted travel to Cuba would not be immediately met by an in- crease in supply from U.S. carriers? I’d be interested to hear how he figures that out. American Airlines alone has a fleet of over 900 air- craft, of which at least 600 are suitable for services into Cuba. When those routes be- come available, U.S. airlines won’t hang around; they’ll snap them up in weeks. Also remember that Cuba has airports capable of handling everything up to Boeing 747s, so there will be no equipment limitations like there are at Owen Roberts International Airport. This is the same weird logic that says it will take years for Cuba to create the infrastructure for mass tourism, when the country is not only already handling over three million visitors a year, but planning to add over 13,000 new hotel rooms. It’s also like claiming that it will take years for the cruise lines to add destina- tions in Cuba to their itin- eraries, when plans are al- ready well under way for this. And they are not just talking about Havana but several other locations, some of which are likely to feature dedicated cruise resorts. In fact, with the airlift capacity the country offers, it’s not inconceivable that cruise lines will go one step further and use Havana as an oper- ating base. Just because everything here works on the “soon come” rule, people seem to assume it’s the same in Cuba, and that’s a very dangerous outlook. The fact is that when former communist countries open up, the transition is very rapid – I’ve seen it and anyone who chooses to un- derestimate how fast things are likely to change in Cuba is only fooling themselves. David Williams Of course, Cayman Airways will not be worried. They don’t know what to worry about. Never made a profit. Do they think Cubans in America are still going to fly to Cuba through Cayman? No! Everyone flies cheaper than Cayman Airways. Their planes cost twice as much per mile to fly as the new American planes! The good news is that we are more than happy to subsidize Cayman Airways since they will probably lose more money! J Bodden Check out the tourism numbers next quarter! LOL, we hope the numbers re- ported will be right. It’s al- most like the iffy unemploy- ment numbers and consumer price index produced, which are dubious at best. Lots of Americans come to Cayman and then do side excursions to Cuba. Wow, not good. I hope the Ministry of Tourism is listening hard. Cayman is going to need a lot of help in the coming months and hope we don’t become a burden to the U.K. when our economic pillars come crashing down. I’m going back to my prayer sessions right now. Clarence Ebanks “Cuba in Cayman’s backyard,” Feb. 18 We went to Havana for a few days last November. It was a lot of fun except no one had warned us they don’t accept U.S. credit cards. To us, it was a prime ex- ample of the effect of 50-plus years of communism: Cars held together with rubber bands, charming restaurants with very ordinary cuisine, and everywhere looked like it needed a coat of paint. We were followed around a museum by a guard who had offered to take our photo and now demanded a $5 tip. A Cuban taxi driver put it best, “Our government may be communist but the people are capitalist.” Make no mistake, Americans will go there, and so will their cruise ships. With or without a cruise port here. And, of course, they will fly direct when they can. norman Linton “The fishermen of Bodden Town,” Feb. 11 This is some tradition we do not want to lose, and we do not want to see our poor fishermen sitting down on the sand or bending over a CUC line wheel cleaning fish. We need a proper dock with shade which people can use to clean fish, and which provides shade for people waiting in line. Now let’s look at the four kiosk/huts to the west of Bodden Town’s public beach that have been there for four long years, unused. It was promised that fishermen could use them. Instead they are locked up and boarded up, hinges left to rust, and rot away. They were refused to be made of use by our now PPM government. Is that fair to the people of Bodden Town? No, it is not, and as much as we enquire, every MLA has their head in the sand. Twyla Vargas Cubans look out of a window toward the U.s. Embassy in Havana before an event in august 2014, when the American flag was raised at the embassy by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. - Photo:Sarah L. VoiSin/WaShington PoStThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 Cayman Compass • Friday February 19, 2016 Friday February 19, 2016 • Cayman Compass DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days East End North Side GeorGe Nowak “The Michelangelo of North Side,” sculptor David Quasius, known as “Davinoff,” has just completed his latest work. “Spectre the Octopus” is now on display at Davinoff’s Concrete Sculpture Garden on Old Robin Road. All of his sculptures depict Cayman’s fauna on land or below the sea. Offering up hugs, Spectre was designed so visi- tors can pose within the creature’s ten- tacles for a most unusual snapshot. James Bond aficionados will rec- ognize the octopus’s playful name, the moniker of a far-reaching many- armed global criminal organization the super-spy has been up against since “Thunderball” came out in the early 1970’s. Mr. Quasius and his wife Cathy have been visiting the island for extended periods since 1998. Between snorkeling, relaxing and reading, Mr. Quasius keeps busy with his favorite passion – sculpting. The sculpture garden, which is ac- tually the Quasius’s front yard, is open to the public, free of charge. Garnering numerous enthusiastic reviews from visitors, the park ranks as TripAdvisor’s top attraction in North Side. Davinoff’s creations are composed of a formula of rebar, concrete, talent and patience. His artworks usually start from a model and then are recre- ated in large scale. The artist says his next project will be a pair of Cayman parrots, the is- lands’ national bird, who will soon be joining Spectre, Clawdette the Crab, and Ivana the Blue Iguana. Cathy Quasius poses with her husband David’s latest sculpture, Spectre the Octopus.Artist David Quasius with one of his creations. Clawdette the crab, one of the creatures in the concrete sculpture garden. People The Time Forgot GeorGe Nowak Rachel Rankine’s home was located near the old Cayman Diving lodge in East End. She enjoyed playing guitar, though usu- ally her instrument had no more than a few strings. At the time the picture was taken, the photogra- pher asked her to sing him a song. The instrument was un- questionably out of tune, however, that did not matter because she plucked the two strings rather than playing with a typical strum, and her sweet vocals in the re- ligious song she crooned easily outshone the discor- dant instrument’s tones. Ms. Rankine passed away in 1989. In this image taken sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s, she is shown at her front door with her guitar. This photograph is from the book ‘The People Time Forgot’ by George Nowak, available at the National Museum. All proceeds from the sales of the book go toward museum projects. Rachel Rankine Gripping North Side sculptures In most cases, her instrument had no more than a few strings on it. East Ender Rachel Rankine loved to sing and play guitar. - Photo: GeorGe NowakCayman Compass • Friday February 19, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days East End North Side Eastern districts host primary sports day It was “ready, set, go,” for Eastern District youngsters at North Side’s Edna M. Moyle Primary and East End Primary’s joint sports day. Held at the Old Man Bay field in North Side on Feb. 5, students from North Side competed against their East End counterparts in a day of fun and games. “The weather was just beautiful, making it a perfect day to have this event,” said East End Primary teacher Evelyn Pascal, re- porting that sunshine and breezes made for perfect conditions. “All the students had a chance to participate in some way, which was great,” she added. The day featured special games for the youngest students, including scoop and ball, along with a 400m race, egg and spoon races, relays, an 800m race, and a “needle and thread” game. East End Primary emerged victorious, all in friendly competition. Ms. Pascal said the day was great show of sportsmanship from all involved. “The kids had so much fun,” she said. “We are so proud of all the students.” East End team Cordia earned 380 points, while Orchid garnered 321. North Side’s Dolphins earned 313 points and the Sharks scored 272, resulting in an overall score of 701 for East End and 585 for Edna Moyle. Victor Ludorum for East End was Jamal Linwood with 26 points, and for Edna Moyle the honor went to Mickoy Malcolm who also came away with 26 points. Victrix Ludorum for East End was Jehnique Russell with 30 points; Taegen Williams topped the Edna Moyle point scoring with 18. The next sporting event the schools take part in is the all-is- land sports day set for this spring. Parents came out to show their support. Reception students Alberto Rankin, Jakeem McKenzie and Nathaniel Whittaker have fun competing in the scoop and ball race at North Side’s Edna M. Moyle Primary and East End Primary’s joint sports day. Ashleigh Livingston and Brianna Greene of East End Primary School. Year 5 teacher Troy Rodgers along with, from left, Jenique Russell, Gilberto Caraballo and Yorgena Polanco. In the Feb. 16, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, East End correspon- dent Charles Dixon wrote: “Miss Valintine Wood returned form the U.S. on the 7th after spending a few weeks with her daughter. “Also returning were Mr. Rexford Miller who had been employed on the M/V Chemical Trader, and Mr. Denby Rankine who had spent some time in Jamaica with friends. “Mrs. Olga Whittaker and Mr. Harris Conolly departed on Sat. 11th for Jamaica. “The government quarry resumed operations on Monday the 13th. This project provides employment for 5 per- sons from this district.” In the same issue, North Side corre- spondent Nettie McCoy reported: “On Thurs. 10th, the Woman’s Guild held their social tea at the home of Mrs. Beryl Whittaker. Choruses were sung and a bible quiz was led by Mrs. Norma Ebanks. Refreshments were served by Mrs. Whittaker and a very enjoyable so- cial hour was spent. “Arriving home on the 13th were Mr. Winson Miller and Mr. Quinston Connolly to spend their vacation. Both men are employed by N.B.C. “Leaving on the 14th were Mr. Cloden Douglas and Mr. Richard Chisholm, to take up work with N.B.C. “Mr. Robert Brenton of Cayman Kai returned on Sunday having made a trip to the States consequent on the death of his father. We offer our condolences to him and his family. “Also returning from a short trip to the States was Mr. Ralph Coatsworth. We wish him every blessing as he takes up residence in his new home which was recently completed.” 50 years ago: Woman’s guild social tea deemed a successThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 during the scheme between mid-2010 and mid-2013. The testimony at trial included statements indi- cating there was “little scru- tiny” given to the five-year, US$13 million contract for the CarePay swipe-card system for public hospital patients. The heads of the Health Services Authority and Cayman Islands National Insurance Company admitted they had not read the agree- ment before it was signed. A US$2.4 million expense for the proposed expansion of the CarePay card system to private sector insurers and healthcare providers was inserted into govern- ment’s 2011/12 budget, but no contract for the pur- ported agreement ever ex- isted. The system expan- sion never happened, even though a total of US$1.8 mil- lion was paid for it. It was also revealed that Watson, as HSA chairman, was put “in charge” of the CarePay project implementa- tion, involving complex com- puter programming tasks for which he had no spe- cific knowledge or training to assess. This was allowed to occur over the protests of then-hospital informa- tion technology chief Dale Sanders. Mr. Manderson said he had appointed Internal Audit Unit director Deloris Gordon to lead the review, and indicated auditors would be given a “wide man- date” to look into all areas, from the overarching civil service decision-making process down to the bid pro- cess specifics. During the trial, Crown prosecutors alleged that Watson rushed through the original CarePay contract process and later bamboo- zled civil servants – and possibly a government min- ister – into approving funds for the system expansion, even though no contract ex- isted for it. Mr. Manderson said he did not wish to prejudge the Internal Audit Unit’s review, but did indicate that such reviews generally, depending on what they find, can lead to disciplinary action taken against government workers if that is warranted. A somewhat similar re- view was conducted by Internal Audit Unit per- sonnel into various admin- istrative allegations made in 2014 against suspended Chief Immigration Officer Linda Evans. Ms. Evans is on paid leave pending the government’s deci- sion regarding her future employment. Mr. Manderson stressed that the internal audit was not a criminal probe and, in this case, the investigation into Watson and Webb’s deal- ings had already progressed. The audit, he said, amounted to an administrative review of the actions taken by civil servants in relation to the CarePay contract. Friday February 19, 2016 • Cayman Compass Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Eric David Ermando Smith affectionately known as “Ricky”, who passed away on Friday, February 5, 2016. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, February 20, 2016 at the Church of God Chapel, Walkers Road at 2:00p.m. Viewing will be from 1:00-1:45p.m. Interment to follow at Garden of Re ections. We have been asked to announce the passing of Risco Yaris Batten who passed away tragically on Sunday, November 29, 2015. A Graveside Service will be held on Saturday February 20, 2016 at Prospect Cemetery at 2:00p.m. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com ere is no word, no label, no identifying moniker, I am not a widow, not an orphan, not childless, But one child less. One less open laugh and little boy giggle, One less challenging tete-a-tete; One less artful, winking manipulation, One less word of comfort, one less grateful hug. One less chance to embrace a daughter; One less new life to carry your eyes, your chin, your grin, your name, No one word for the pain, the longing, the brevity Of a life meant for living; an old soul meant to grow older than mine; Would there be any one price too high, any sacri ce too great, For one more moment, one more breath, one more warm touch; I grasp desperately and sense the closeness - the ONE just at the ngertips of my heart and mind, Only to realize again and again and again, ere is no “One” - you are gone and I am - less. Forever in our hearts Love you Ty! DADLove you Ty! DADLove you Ty! DADLove you Ty! DAD ere is no word, no label, no identifying moniker, Tyler M. Ramoon October 4, 1995 – February 20, 2015 One Year Less We regret to announce the passing of Morris Fenton Ebanks Who departed this life on Friday, 5th February 2016. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. A funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, 20th February, 2016, at the Veterans & Seamans Center, Cayman Brac, with interment to follow at the Creek Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Miss Carmen Patricia Spence who passed away on Friday, February 5, 2016. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held at The Savannah Seventh Day Adventist Church on Sunday, February 21, 2016 at 2:00p.m. Viewing will be from 1:00–1:45p.m. Interment to follow at the New Pease Bay Cemetery in Bodden Town. Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former Health Services Authority Chief Information Officer Dale Sanders said Tuesday that he did not ac- cept any reward or contract from Cayman Islands gov- ernment ministers as a re- sult of a private meeting in Washington, D.C., in 2013. Mr. Sanders said in a lengthy statement sent to the Cayman Compass this week that issues re- garding the criminal in- vestigation into the hos- pital’s CarePay patient swipe-card contract were “avoided” during the mid- 2013 rendezvous with then- Health Minister Osbourne Bodden and Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell. “We avoided discussing any suspicions of corrup- tion because, at that time, there were only strong sus- picions, no firm proof, and all of us were sensitive to avoid any premature con- clusions,” Mr. Sanders said. “I previously shared my sus- picions about CarePay with Mr. Kirkconnell in a sepa- rate meeting … there was nothing more to discuss. “I never held a con- tract, nor received any sort of financial reward from Minister Osbourne Bodden or Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell as was alleged during questioning by the defense attorney in the trial of Canover Watson,” Mr. Sanders added. Minister Kirkconnell and Minister Bodden were con- tacted for a response to Mr. Sanders’s comments. Neither had responded by press time. Watson’s trial, which ended in a seven-person jury finding the Cayman Islands businessman guilty of fraud and corruption-re- lated charges in the award and implementation of the CarePay card system, re- vealed that at least three current government min- isters discussed aspects of the CarePay contract inves- tigation with witnesses who eventually appeared as part of the court proceedings. During the trial, it was revealed that Mr. Sanders brought corruption concerns to then-opposition party member Moses Kirkconnell in 2011 – alleging that the hospital’s CarePay scheme process had been improperly interfered with by Watson, then the chairman of the health services board. Mr. Sanders said he also men- tioned his belief – without presenting any “hard evi- dence” – that former Health Minister Mark Scotland and then-Premier McKeeva Bush were somehow involved. Watson’s lawyer, Trevor Burke, QC, suggested during trial questioning that the mid-2013 meeting in Washington was an attempt by the ministers, who were elected in the May 2013 gen- eral election, to persuade Mr. Sanders to provide them with “political ammunition” on their foes, Messrs. Scotland and Bush. Mr. Sanders said he and the ministers discussed the CarePay project during the Washington meeting, par- ticularly Minister Bodden’s concerns regarding whether the system might eventu- ally work. Mr. Sanders said he had major doubts about the project for two reasons: First, the insurance claims environment in Cayman was vastly different from the one used in Jamaica, the home base of the CarePay system contractor, and second, there were complex com- puter programming issues involved with processing insurance claims for hos- pital and clinic services, as opposed to processing for pharmacy services. Mr. Sanders said the two ministers also discussed the possibility of his advising government on the “stra- tegic development” of med- ical tourism in the Cayman Islands. The possibility of Cayman’s health services forming a partnership with a larger U.S.-based health- care provider to help lower costs for Caymanians who had to go off island for med- ical treatment was also dis- cussed, he said. “Regarding [the last two topics], I expressed an in- terest in working as a con- sultant for Minister Bodden and Mr. Kirkconnell, but they never engaged me in that capacity,” Mr. Sanders said. Contract details pro- vided by Mr. Sanders on Tuesday indicated that any business arrangements he had maintained with the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority ended in September 2013, shortly after the Washington meeting in mid-2013. An open re- cords request filed for those contracts was initially de- nied by the health authority, which cited an ongoing crim- inal investigation into the CarePay project. After his contract ended in September 2011 as the HSA’s chief information of- ficer, Mr. Sanders signed a one-year consultancy agree- ment, records show. The consulting work included a number of HSA projects ac- tive at the time, including work on the CarePay system, pharmacy upgrades and bids for the main contractor pro- viding the public hospital system’s information man- agement, Cerner. The one- year deal paid up to $10,000 per month and terminated in September 2012. Following that contract, a further one-year consultancy deal was extended through September 2013, records show. This extension paid up to $2,500 per month and was more focused on the rebid- ding process for the hospital information system contract then held by Cerner. “The payments that I re- ceived over the two years in which I served as a consul- tant to HSA totaled $112,250, or an average of $56,125 per year for those two years,” Mr. Sanders said. “My salary as the chief information officer of the Cayman Islands HSA [between 2009 and 2011] was $125,000 a year.” Mr. Sanders said he was sharing the contract infor- mation to clear his name of “any suspicion or wrong- doing” and to clear up any rumors that HSA staffers might be “accountable for any wrongdoing in regard to my contracts.” “I never held a contract, nor received any sort of financial reward from Minister Osbourne Bodden or Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell …” Dale SanDerS, former Health Services Authority IT chief Mr. Sanders CarePay: Health ministry, HSA face audit CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Details of ministers’ meeting with CarePay witness revealedThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Friday February 19, 2016 We regret to announce the recent passing of Alice ‘Jean’ Caldicott A resident of the Cayman Islands from 1977-1992. Wife of the late Bill Caldicott, Jean leaves behind daughters Jenny Bodden and Sally Hendricken; Son-in-laws Steve and Kieren; grandchildren James and Alex; Grand daughter-in-law Olivia and great grandchildren Henry and Florence. Donations if desired, may be made to The Pines P.O. Box 60 Grand Cayman, KY1-1102 For all you were to us in life And all the joy you brought, Your memory is with us in every single thought. The pain we felt at losing you Will never go away, But knowing that you’re in our hearts Helps us through each day. When you were here we always felt that nothing could go wrong, But you’re still our inspiration And your memory keeps us strong. And though our hearts are heavy It’s also full of so much love, And that’s enough to comfort us While you’re in Heaven above. We love and miss you each and every day Ty. Love Mom and Vanessa Rest peacefully. For all you were to us in life And all the joy you brought,And all the joy you brought, The pain we felt at losing you For all you were to us in lifeFor all you were to us in lifeFor all you were to us in lifeFor all you were to us in lifeFor all you were to us in lifeFor all you were to us in lifeFor all you were to us in life And all the joy you brought,And all the joy you brought, The pain we felt at losing youThe pain we felt at losing you Your rst Anniversary in Heaven Tyler Mitchel Ramoon October 4 1995- February 20 2015 You’re Always On Our Mind, Forever in Our Hearts No permanent residency approvals granted in 2015 Gunmen hold up jewelry store in Camana Bay, escape with diamonds points toward that status are awarded to applicants. Justice Smellie concluded that there were “immediate and obvious concerns” about the current two-tiered system for awarding permanent residence applicants a total of 15 points for their occupation and another 15 points if their job is considered a “priority occupation” according to regulations attached to the Immigration Law. “It is difficult to imagine a policy that could be more opaque, uncertain and prone to arbitrariness than one by which points are to be allocated to occupations based upon merely subjec- tive assessments of their importance in the context of the local economy,” the chief justice wrote in his 40-page judgment. Legal delays aside, very few applications for perma- nent residence have been de- cided since the Immigration Law was amended to change the permanent residence system as of Oct. 26, 2013. Of 638 total PR applica- tions filed, 12 have been re- fused. Those refusals oc- curred in 2013 and 2014. Not one person has been approved for a grant of per- manent residence in Cayman since the law changed, ac- cording to Immigration Department records. Other than the 12 outright refusals, one withdrawn ap- plication and another 15 ap- plications that were barred from being heard by law, the remaining 610 applicants for permanent residence that have been filed since late October 2013 are awaiting decisions. Large backlogs in the number of permanent resi- dence applications awaiting processing are nothing new in Cayman. During 2006- 2007, after the initial intro- duction of what is known as the “rollover policy” – a time limit set on a non-Caymanian workers’ residence – more than 4,000 PR applications faced the relevant immigra- tion boards. The number of perma- nent residence applicants de- clined sharply after the new approval system was put in place in late 2013, largely be- cause it became extremely costly for most workers to apply, with PR application fees due up front. “I submitted one where the applicant was a high earner, had two children and a spouse listed as depen- dents and … the total fees submitted with the applica- tion [were] almost $40,000,” Samson and McGrath at- torney Daniel Altneu said in August. While being assisted by staff at the store, the man pulled out a handgun and ordered them to fill a bag with jewelry. As this was happening, the second man, also carrying a handgun, entered the store and stood by the entrance. Police said the men es- caped with a “quantity of diamonds,” though they did not reveal the value of the stolen property. The two men were al- most identically dressed in long blue jeans, dark Armani Exchange T-shirts and base- ball caps. In a statement Thursday, Dart Realty said it was working closely with the po- lice and hoped to bring the perpetrators to justice swiftly. The company praised its staff for their “calm and pro- fessional” behavior during the robbery and said no one had suffered “any serious physical injuries.” “We commend them for their courage and their con- duct during the incident. We hold the welfare of our team, our tenants, customers and visitors to the Town Centre above all else,” said a spokeswoman. She said Camana Bay has 24-hour dedicated on- site security personnel and state-of-the-art monitoring systems, including multiple CCTV cameras, while Island Jewellers, a Dart-owned com- pany, has its own security systems, cameras, training and protocols. Police urge anyone with any information on the incident or the whereabouts of the suspects or dirt bike to call the George Town Criminal Investigations Department at 949-4222 or 649-4222, or the Crime Stoppers Miami-based call center at 800-8477(TIPS). Attorney David Ritch CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Though armed robberies have become increasingly common in Grand Cayman, it is the first time the upscale outdoor shopping mall has been targeted. Police cordoned off the area outside of Island Jewellers in Camana Bay following Wednesday night’s robbery. - PHOTO: NORMA CONNOLLYNext >