ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Monday February 22, 2016 High of 84 Low of 75 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. ABCDE NATIONAL WEEKLY Worst Week Jeb Bush 3 Politics Disorder in the high court 4 Military Navy looks to the stars again 17 Opinion $100 bills abet crime 23 PAGE 12 WHAT A DIVIDED AMERICA HEARS WHEN SPEAKS THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2016 . IN COLLABORATION WITH THE WASHINGTON POST What a divided America hears when Obama speaks In Focus | page11 CayMan Heart Fund’s red dress gala TAKE DOWN 7/26/ 15. Price plus applicable tax. Price may vary outside the 48 continental United States. For a limited time only at participating re staurants. ©P opey es Louisiana Kit chen, Inc . 2015 All Righ ts Reser ved . POPE YES 2015 JUL Y – NE W HUSHPUPP Y BUT TERFL Y SHRIMP P OP – POLE SIG N MECHANIC AL SIZE: 42” X 68” AC TU AL FINAL TRIM SIZE: 42” X 68” COL ORS: 4/C OL OR PR OCESS / PINK DIEGUIDE DOES NO T PRINT FONT S: FUTUR A B T, ME TR O BD#: AFC-15-7629 DA TE: 5.15.15 POPE YES 2015 JUL Y – NE W HUSHPUPP Y BUT TERFL Y SHRIMP P OP – POLE SIG N MECHANIC AL SIZE: 42” X 68” AC TU AL FINAL TRIM SIZE: 42” X 68” COL ORS: 4/C OL OR PR OCESS / PINK DIEGUIDE DOES NO T PRINT FONT S: FUTUR A B T, ME TR O BD#: AFC-15-7629 DA TE: 5.15.15 NEW! Spat deepens between DoE and Paul Allen JaMes WHittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Paul Allen’s company Vulcan Inc. issued a statement Saturday accusing Cayman’s Department of Environment of “delaying ap- proving or implementing action” on a remedi- ation plan to repair a large swath of coral al- legedly damaged by the anchor of Mr. Allen’s yacht, MV/Tatoosh, in mid-January. The statement also avoided the issue of liability for the time being. “Paul G. Allen and Vulcan’s focus is on re- pairing the coral, and we have stood ready and willing to do so for more than two weeks in the area identified by the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and its experts,” the statement read. “We are ready to put aside issues of liability, to be resolved later, to fix the coral now before it degrades further. By contrast, the Department has continued to delay approving or implementing action on the remediation plan, while attempting to im- pose broad obligations on Vulcan that have no basis in Caymanian law.” Emergency salvage work began last week to repair an area of coral reef impacted by the Microsoft co-founder’s mega-yacht, despite the ongoing dispute between the billionaire and the Department of Environment over the scale and source of the damage. DoE staff began the most urgent work after receiving an independent coral restora- tion expert’s assessment of the site. The department said it was still in discus- sions with Paul Allen’s company Vulcan Inc. over its proposed remediation plan. In its statement, Vulcan, expressed frustra- tion at the failure of the DoE to sanction its ex- perts to get on with the work, suggesting that delays impacted the likely success of the project. “The issues cited by the Cayman govern- ment as reasons for the continued delay are Canover Watson appeal filed Three Court of Appeal sessions scheduled for this year Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Defense attorney Ben Tonner confirmed on Friday that an appeal has been filed on behalf of Canover Watson, who was found guilty earlier this month of various fraud- related charges. Mr. Tonner instructed lead counsel Trevor Burke for the trial. On Feb. 4, a jury returned unanimous verdicts against Watson on two charges of conspiracy to defraud, one charge of fraud on the government, one charge of conflict of interest and one charge of breach of trust by a public official. Also unanimous was a not guilty verdict on a charge of money laundering. On Feb. 5, Grand Court Justice Michael Mettyear sentenced Watson, 45, to seven years imprisonment. The charges against him arose from an investigation into the 2010 award of a public hospital contract for a swipe- card payment system, known as CarePay, for Cayman Islands National Insurance Company customers. Watson was chairman of the Health Services Authority board of directors at the time the contract was awarded. He was accused, along with his business partner and friend Jeffrey Webb, of orches- trating a scheme that skimmed hundreds of thousands of dollars from the contract. It was not immediately known when the appeal would be heard. The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal has not yet met this year, but three ses- sions are scheduled for 2016: April 4 – 22; Aug. 15 – Sept. 3; and Oct. 31 – Nov. 18. push across cayman Arielle Rausin gets support from local cyclists soon after the start of the Push Across Cayman competition early Sunday morning. Ms. Rausin and two other competitors with disabilities, Ryan Chalmers and Mary Kate Callahan, pushed their race chairs 55 miles – from Camana Bay, then around the eastern half of Grand Cayman – in the event organized by the Stay-Focused organization. – photo: taneos ramsay Fundraising seeks to prevent Hewitt bankruptcy tad stoner tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Supporters of Gordon Hewitt and former West Bay political candidate Velma Powery-Hewitt last week launched a fund- raising appeal to defray court costs of nearly $140,000, in- curred in the couple’s 2013 chal- lenge to candidate Tara Rivers’ election to Legislative Assembly. The appeal on the GoFundMe. com website seeks $150,000 in an effort to prevent the bank- ruptcy of the West Bay couple in the wake of a 13-page, March 13 decision last year by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie ordering Gordon Hewitt to pay court costs for Ms. Rivers – now min- ister for education, employment and gender affairs. While that order did not specify the amount or time frame, a two-page Jan. 29, 2016, petition named US$138,666.79, giving Mr. Hewitt, 79, until April 14 before the court convenes an in-camera hearing to declare the couple bankrupt. The fundraising commit- tee’s Anne Briggs said only that it was “a sad situation,” and that she had learned of it on PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Monday February 22, 2016 • Cayman Compass SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. © y x *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - MONDAY - ZOOLANDER 2 (PG13) 12:50 I 3:15 I 7:30 I 10:00 DEADPOOL (R) 1:00 I 3:30 I 7:00 I 9:30 KUNG FU PANDA 3 3D (PG) 12:20 I 2:40 2D I 5:00 I 7:20 2D I 9:40 50 SHADES OF BLACK (R) 1:30 I 4:10 I 7:40 I 10:10 THE BOY (PG) 1:20 I 4:30 I 7:15 I 9:35 HOW TO BE SINGLE (R) 1:10 I 3:50 I 7:10 I 9:50 Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) Cuban migrants took illegal Cayman ‘vacation’ Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two Cuban migrants pleaded guilty on Friday to landing without permis- sion of immigration officials, telling the court they had turned themselves in after their money was spent. Ennier Guillermo Alverez Puig, 27, and Liodanis Sanchez Barrio, 26, said they each had US$500 when the boat they were in ran aground on Jan. 31 in the Beach Bay area of Bodden Town. Crown counsel Scott Wainwright said the boat had contained approxi- mately 25 Cuban nationals. Barrio, Puig and two others came ashore and immedi- ately fled and hid in a bushy area. They were at large for 16 days. Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez asked, through an interpreter, why the men had run. The men re- plied, “We never ran. We just walked toward the streets.” In their interviews with authorities later, the men said they did not know anyone on the island. They decided to split into two groups of two. The magistrate asked them what was their inten- tion. “To know the island,” they replied. They said they had de- cided to leave the boat when it was not working. Each had US$500 which they had brought from Cuba. They bought food “at different cafeterias,” they said. They walked around the streets and on the beach. They slept in the bush. When the magistrate asked where they had been, the interpreter listened to their replies and told the court, “They were all over …. We just wandered around until our cash was finished.” The magistrate com- mented, “Essentially, they just wanted a vacation.” A summary of facts in- dicated that police ap- prehended the men in the Prospect area. The men told the court they had called to the police at Lantern Point [in the Prospect area]. In passing sentence, the magistrate said what was most distressing was that, after their boat ran aground, the men deliberately did not wait for officials to arrive, but decided to treat them- selves to a 16-day vacation. They were on the street, wandering around and out in the public domain. “That is such a security risk be- cause there was no docu- mentation of them being on the island,” she pointed out. She described as disap- pointing the men’s noncha- lant, “I really don’t care” kind of attitude. The magistrate said she thought they did not realize the seriousness of what they had done. She pointed out that the Immigration Law serves a vital purpose and has strict penalties, which the courts will apply. She sentenced each man to three months imprison- ment and advised them of their right to appeal. They were also recommended for deportation on completion of sentence. In a statement released shortly after the sentencing, Acting Chief Immigration Officer Bruce Smith thanked the court for the prompt ac- tion. “We believe this sen- tence should be a deterrent to other migrants who land illegally,” he commented. “The department will ensure that illegal immigration is met with strong action.” ‘Chopped,’ budding chefs style Students from Cayman International School show off the desserts they made during one of the Bon Vivant Budding Chef after-school classes. The students are paired up in teams and compete in challenges similar to those on the television show ‘Chopped.’ They create dishes using specific ingredients and their imagination, under the guidance of chef/instructor Maureen Cubbon from Bestlife Wellness Solutions, pictured behind the girls. The lessons cover the use of ingredients, healthier recipes, and planting and using garden herbs. They also have a recipe book they update weekly. - Photo: AlAn MArkoff Five Cubans repatriated The Immigration depart- ment sent home five Cuban migrants Thursday, part of a wave of 135 people from Cuba who have landed on Cayman’s shores since the beginning of the year. The department said 130 migrants from Cuba remain in Cayman awaiting repatriation at the Immigration Detention Center and the commu- nity centers in Bodden Town and East End. Several others have been sentenced to jail terms between 10 days and three months for trying to evade authorities after they landed. Cuban migrants have been passing through Cayman’s waters in high numbers this year, sailing to Honduras in hopes of traveling north through Mexico to reach the United States. The uptick in migration from Cuba is from fears that the U.S. “wet-foot, dry- foot” policy could come to an end as relations improve between the two countries. The Cold War-era policy gives Cuban nationals spe- cial immigration status in the U.S. Jury noTICe The Grand Court jury re- port date has been changed. All Grand Court jurors who are in the Jan. 13 - April 5 session are advised that the report date of Monday, Feb. 22 has been changed. Jurors are now to report for duty on Monday, Feb. 29 at 9:45 a.m. Jurors are urged to call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up-to-date information. The two Cubans sentenced two three months imprisonment last week came to shore illegally near Beach Bay in this boat on Jan. 31, and then proceeded to avoid capture for 16 days. - Photo: ChArlES DUnCAn CUbA’S DiSSiDEnt CrACkDown AhEAD of obAMA’S hiStoriC viSit Even some sup- porters of President Barack Obama’smoves to strengthen relations with Cuba are questioning the timing of his planned visit to the Communist island next month, after arrests of dissidents by Raul Castro’s government reached a five- year high. Obama vowed Thursday that he’ll promote human rights during his historic visit, the first by a sit- ting American president since 1928. But more than a year of warming rela- tions between the na- tions, separated by just 90 miles, have so far failed to slow the Cuban gov- ernment’s crackdown on political dissidents. © 2016, Bloomberg3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday February 22, 2016 181003-Ad-Compass-JrPg-Cannes.indd 11/28/16 3:49 PM Elizabeth Pitcairn soars with red violin ALAN MARKOFF amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com Classical violin soloist Elizabeth Pitcairn wowed the audience playing her famous red violin at her Cayman Arts Festival per- formance Saturday night at the Cayman Islands Baptist Church in Savannah. The American-born vi- olinist was accompanied on piano by her childhood friend, Cayman Arts Festival Artistic Director Glen Inanga, whom she met when they were both 14 and at- tended the same music camp at the Luzerne Music Center in New York. The pair performed two sets, the first comprising two sonatas, one by Mozart and one by Debussy. “It’s one of my all- time favorite pieces,” she said of Debussy’s 1917 “Sonata in G Minor.” After the intermission, Ms. Pitcairn took time to talk about her red Stradivarius violin, which was made in 1720, the final year of Antonio Stradivari’s golden period of violin making. The violin, which is said to have inspired the 1998 film “The Red Violin,” was purchased for her at a Christie’s London auction in 1990 when she was only 16 years old. “At the time, no violin had sold for as much as a million dollars and the re- serve price was $1.2 million,” she said, adding that the vi- olin eventually sold for more than $1.6 million on the very last bid. Ms. Pitcairn said she did not have the violin with her during her first years at college. “My mother didn’t think it was a good idea to keep it in my college dorm room,” she said laughing. “But [the violin] has been with me ever since.” She explained that the violin has undergone many modifications and repairs over its almost 300 years, but much of the original body – including all of the back – is the original maple from Bosnia. In the hands of such an accomplished musician, the violin, which was made for the largest 18th cen- tury concert halls of Europe, soared in the small church venue, where even the most delicate of notes had power and grace. She said she calls the vi- olin “Felix” because it was owned by German composer Felix Mendelssohn, a sonata from whom she played after intermission. “It’s not often played in concert,” she said of the 1838 “Sonata in F Major,” “but I heard it once in concert and fell in love with it.” Other pieces she played after the intermission in- cluded John Corigliano’s “The Red Violin Chaconne,” which came from the film; “It Ain’t Necessarily So” from the opera “Porgy and Bess”; and finally, the technically difficult “Hora Staccato,” which Ms. Pitcairn said required her to develop “a twitch” to properly perform. In a rarity in classical concert performances, Ms. Pitcairn fielded questions from the audience before playing her final songs. One question she was asked dealt with how she avoided repetitive stress in- juries and Ms. Pitcairn ad- mitted that as she has gotten older, she’s had to deal with injuries from her playing posture and the fact that playing a violin is very an- gular to begin with. She said that four years ago she started going to a chi- ropractor. That began her healing process and she con- tinues to improve. She said that many musicians have similar problems. “Many musicians have to play through pain,” she said. The Cayman Arts Festival runs this week, with events every day, culminating with the performance of Moroccan-born percussionist Mokhtar Samba and large band on Friday at the First Baptist Church. Violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn plays accompanied by Glen Inanga on the piano during her concert for the Cayman Arts Festival at the Cayman Islands Baptist Church on Saturday night. – Photo: AlAn MArkoff Coconuts take center stage at pedro festival Alan Hurlston and Elmond Bodden chop coconuts for a line of people Saturday at Coco Fest at Pedro Castle. Hundreds turned out to sample the rum, candies, tarts and other coconut-based treats. The festival also featured coconut bowling, live music and other entertainment. - Photo: ChArles DunCAnThe 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” Cayman must move on its 650 stagnant PR applications The hundreds of unheard applications for permanent residence aren’t just an administrative logjam; collectively they constitute a potential human rights issue of great peril to the Cayman Islands. The government’s crisis is a self-inflicted one, the result of a plan that appears to be more oriented around politics than sound and fair immigration policy. There is no other rational explanation for the first sentence from a news story published in Friday’s Compass: “Although nearly 650 applications for perma- nent 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.” You read that correctly. Not only have zero PR appli- cations been approved; zero PR applications have been denied. In other words, all of the applications — and by extension the thousands of human lives associated with the paperwork — remain in limbo. (There were a handful of applications that were dismissed for obvious legal reasons, such as not meeting deadlines.) As we have argued before, Cayman has every right to institute a strict immigration policy, even one that makes it practically impossible for any work permit holder to “graduate” to resident status, so long as it conforms to its own constitutional principles, its laws withstand tests from local and international courts, and it operates according to clear and transparent rules. The Progressives’ strategy of inviting applications for PR, then not acting on any of them, fails to meet each and every one of those benchmarks. As far as surmising motivations, we will offer up the simple thesis that the Progressives wish to avoid political consequences for granting PR (which eventually can lead to Caymanian status and voting rights) to a significant number of “foreigners.” The politicians in power may want voters to believe that they have seized firm control over Cayman’s immi- gration policy and have tightened restrictions on potential new residents for the benefit of existing Caymanians. In fact, the opposite is true. Consider Cayman’s Chief Justice Anthony Smellie putting officials “on notice” about potential injustice in Cayman’s immigration system. What the Progressives have done is to put the 650 PR applicants and the gov- ernment on a collision course that terminates at the courthouse. In other words, the executive/legislative branch threatens to cede authority over Cayman’s immi- gration policy to the judiciary. (And judge’s rulings, like judge’s gavels, can be powerful and blunt.) Does any of this sound familiar? In 2003, then-Leader of Government Business McKeeva Bush found himself in just such a situation when a local justice sparked an initiative to give Cayma- nian status to any of the country’s long-term expatriate residents who took their cases to court. “If those people had taken it to court, the floodgates were going to have to be opened,” Mr. Bush recalled during a 2012 interview. “I said, ‘that’s a dangerous thing.’” Under extreme pressure, the government’s solution was the implementation of the revered (by some) and reviled (by others) Cabinet status grants, resulting in the en masse minting of 2,850 new Caymanians by Cabinet and hundreds of others through the Immigration board. Given the benefit of hindsight, we (like Mr. Bush) don’t know if that was the best possible path for the govern- ment to take, but it seems to have been far superior to doing nothing and risking the possibility of 16,000 to 17,000 long-term residents becoming Caymanian over- night, with little to no vetting. Perhaps this Progressives administration hopes to “stall” action on the hundreds of outstanding PR applications until after the 2017 elections, and push the pile of paperwork onto the lap of the next elected government. If so, that is a most cavalier, cruel, and reckless approach. The lives of these long-term residents remain in abeyance, hostage to a system which, demonstrably, has failed them – and is failing our country. Monday February 22, 2016 • Cayman COmpass EU membership debate The Telegraph (london) A quarter of a century ago, John Major headed to Maastricht for a crucial summit that led to the cre- ation of the European Union and paved the way for a single currency. This was an epochal event that mer- ited a two-day debate in the House of Commons before the Prime Minister set off, bolstered by a majority of more than 100 for his nego- tiating position. What a contrast with now. David Cameron is preparing to go to Brussels this week for what is arguably the most important meeting attended by a British premier since Maastricht and the Commons is not even sitting. More than that, last week’s Cabinet has not been convened because 16 ministers are away during the parliamentary recess. It is extraordinary that what has been portrayed as a sig- nificant moment for the UK’s relationship with Europe is taking place with virtually no parliamentary input. This is, after all, a par- liamentary democracy. Constitutionally, the sover- eignty of Westminster trumps the outcome of the refer- endum. The 1975 referendum on the Common Market had no direct legal effect, though the Labour government made clear that it would be bound by the result, as has Mr. Cameron for the EU vote ex- pected in the summer. There are impondera- bles, however. If there was an “Out” vote on a low turnout and the government fell, an- other administration could be re-elected intent on staying in the EU. A new par- liament would not be bound by decisions of its prede- cessor. However fanciful such an outcome might appear, the ramifications are hard to pre- dict, another reason why it is odd that Parliament has ef- fectively been bypassed by this whole process. Mr. Cameron has also largely sidelined the Cabinet – not surprisingly per- haps given the divisions among his senior minis- ters. Downing Street an- nounced last night, how- ever, that there will be a meeting on Friday to con- sider the package that Mr. Cameron expects to agree in Brussels. This will free Eurosceptic ministers in- tending to campaign against the deal to set out their stall immediately and is a sen- sible move since the Prime Minister would have faced a weekend of complaints from opponents that he was not playing fair. A statement to the Commons is planned for Monday but a debate should follow. Although we all have a vote, on such a momentous matter we should hear the views of our representatives. © 2016, Telegraph Media Group LeTTeR To The ediToR hold false accusers accountable Well-known entertainer Bill Cosby has been accused by multiple women of inde- cent assault and the world is watching it unfold. Here it is, proof that mis- fortune can pay anyone an unexpected visit. What if some of us were to believe one or more of these women have fabricated these stories? Must the al- legation be true? False rape allegations are uncommon and are estimated between 2 to 10 percent, but the fact is they happen, and another fact is they can damage the lives and reputations of the falsely accused. Could it be? Is it possible that the general public can be manipulated into plausible- sounding narratives? Are we to believe these women are so thoughtless that they would accuse innocent men of this wrongdoing? Perhaps they are attempting to alleviate condi- tions of personal or social dis- tress? Fame and money are two very common motives and rape allegations give rise to several contradictions. We try not to assume a man accused is a rapist but we are not trying to assume the woman accusing is a liar. Cases of malicious fabrica- tions by people who are un- stable or mentally ill exist in today’s world; it is difficult, if not impossible to identify the right kind of non-victim even if allegations are later identified as baseless and not credible. In a study completed by Dr. Tim Grant of the University of Leicester and Russell Norton of HM Prison Channings Wood, it was discovered that “rape myths constitute ste- reotypical beliefs about rape … which may arise through media amplification of sensa- tional cases of rape.” It is high time our law and order realize that hordes of misguided women are fabricating sexual assault charges that lead to inno- cent men being arrested and prosecuted. The police need to consider carefully the cir- cumstances in which claims of sexual assault are made, and discussions on false al- legation narratives and the proper approaches to the in- vestigation and prosecution of sexual offences needs to take place. Consideration of how to handle false accusers has to better managed; otherwise, seemingly credible victims will unfortunately continue to point fingers at “guilty- looking” targets. Authorities make the deci- sions about whether charges could be dismissed or if prosecution of the accused should continue. There are possible markers for distinguishing between true and false rape allega- tions, but in the interest of the public, we deserve better, and more effort has to be made. Otherwise, we can expect a prolonged waste of time for the police and the justice system and false accusers will continue to ruin lives. m. anderson5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday February 22, 2016 ESSO and the ESSO Logo ar e trademarks of ExxonMobil Corporation and ar e used under license. TO OUR GRAND PRIZE WINNERS! CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR BI-WEEKLY WINNERS AND THEIR FRIENDS: ABOVE PICTURE: GRAND PRIZE WINNER DELL CHRISTIAN RIGHT PICTURE: From left to right – Rosalind Robinson, Sales & Marketing Manager of SOL Petroleum Cayman Ltd, grand prize winners Dell Christian & Philip Wright and Alan Neesome, General Manager of SOL Petroleum Cayman Ltd. Esso’s Win with a Friend Promotion was a resounding success and undoubtedly one of the most exciting promotions to date. Dell Christian and his friend Philip Wright each drove away with the grand prize of a Suzuki Grand Vitara and Suzuki Swift! 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ESSO and the ESSO Logo ar e trademarks of ExxonMobil Corporation and ar e used under license. TO OUR GRAND PRIZE WINNERS! CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR BI-WEEKLY WINNERS AND THEIR FRIENDS: ABOVE PICTURE: GRAND PRIZE WINNER DELL CHRISTIAN RIGHT PICTURE: From left to right – Rosalind Robinson, Sales & Marketing Manager of SOL Petroleum Cayman Ltd, grand prize winners Dell Christian & Philip Wright and Alan Neesome, General Manager of SOL Petroleum Cayman Ltd. Esso’s Win with a Friend Promotion was a resounding success and undoubtedly one of the most exciting promotions to date. Dell Christian and his friend Philip Wright each drove away with the grand prize of a Suzuki Grand Vitara and Suzuki Swift! Our bi-weekly customers also won BIG with FREE fuel, FREE groceries and FREE staycation packages after spending $25 in fuel and completing a fun, friendly challenge at participating Esso stations. WINNERS OF A SUZUKI GRAND VITARA & SUZUKI SWIFT Selected from Esso Four Winds Service Station ANTHONY SYMILO Selected from Esso Shedden Road David Richard SUZIE MCKNIGHT Selected from Esso Industrial Park Fay Whittaker PAUL THOMAS Selected from Esso Industrial Park Melbourne Warren COLLIN BARBOW Selected from Esso Industrial Park Mark Ebanks SUE SANTEDICOLA Selected from Esso Red Bay Carmen Trickett TEMAR CLARKE Selected from Esso Red Bay Racquel James-Irving MELISSA THOMAS Selected from Esso West Bay Road Jessica Powell FITZROY WILLIAMS Selected from Esso Mike’s Walkers Road Dave Clair TAJ HAYE Selected from Esso Shedden Road Gillian Roffey LOOK OUT FOR THE NEXT BIG ESSO OFFER, WHERE YOU GET A CHANCE TO WIN. ESSO and the ESSO Logo ar e trademarks of ExxonMobil Corporation and ar e used under license. TO OUR GRAND PRIZE WINNERS! CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR BI-WEEKLY WINNERS AND THEIR FRIENDS: ABOVE PICTURE: GRAND PRIZE WINNER DELL CHRISTIAN RIGHT PICTURE: From left to right – Rosalind Robinson, Sales & Marketing Manager of SOL Petroleum Cayman Ltd, grand prize winners Dell Christian & Philip Wright and Alan Neesome, General Manager of SOL Petroleum Cayman Ltd. Esso’s Win with a Friend Promotion was a resounding success and undoubtedly one of the most exciting promotions to date. Dell Christian and his friend Philip Wright each drove away with the grand prize of a Suzuki Grand Vitara and Suzuki Swift! Our bi-weekly customers also won BIG with FREE fuel, FREE groceries and FREE staycation packages after spending $25 in fuel and completing a fun, friendly challenge at participating Esso stations. WINNERS OF A SUZUKI GRAND VITARA & SUZUKI SWIFT Selected from Esso Four Winds Service Station ANTHONY SYMILO Selected from Esso Shedden Road David Richard SUZIE MCKNIGHT Selected from Esso Industrial Park Fay Whittaker PAUL THOMAS Selected from Esso Industrial Park Melbourne Warren COLLIN BARBOW Selected from Esso Industrial Park Mark Ebanks SUE SANTEDICOLA Selected from Esso Red Bay Carmen Trickett TEMAR CLARKE Selected from Esso Red Bay Racquel James-Irving MELISSA THOMAS Selected from Esso West Bay Road Jessica Powell FITZROY WILLIAMS Selected from Esso Mike’s Walkers Road Dave Clair TAJ HAYE Selected from Esso Shedden Road Gillian Roffey LOOK OUT FOR THE NEXT BIG ESSO OFFER, WHERE YOU GET A CHANCE TO WIN. Casuarina trees removed around South Sound dock Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com People who questioned the removal of casuarina trees in South Sound last week got their answer from Ken Thompson, one of the owners of Davenport Development. Mr. Thompson told the Cayman Compass on Friday that the company received permission from the Ministry of Planning, which went through the National Roads Authority and Caribbean Utilities to have the trees removed. He said Davenport, which is building the Vela condo- minium development right across from the South Sound dock, was told by govern- ment to remove the bigger trees that were closer to the sea because they were dam- aging the parking lot and sea wall at the dock. The ones on the roadside were re- moved to make way for new utility poles. Casuarinas, known lo- cally as weeping willows, are fast-growing, invasive ever- greens that thrive in coastal areas. They are not native to Cayman. “We thought we were doing a good thing, but people seem to be upset abut the whole thing,” Mr. Thompson said, in explaining why the trees were removed. “The smaller trees across the road from Davenport Development have to be re- moved – not for us, but to ac- commodate how Caribbean Utility’s lines would run in the redevelopment of the area,” Mr. Thompson said. “The three light poles that are actually positioned there are in a bad place. The land is very long for the lines to run from pole to pole, so CUC wanted to move the sec- tion in the front of Davenport to the other side of the road in the re-development of the South Sound dock,” he said. He also said Davenport has given government the beach property alongside the dock for expansion. “In the redevelopment of the South Sound dock, gov- ernment wants to put in a 10- foot sidewalk, which would run up the road to the other development taking place. In the long term the new light poles would facilitate all the people who run, jog and enjoy that stretch of road,” he said. The dead casuarina tree lying in the water on Davenport’s property was cut up and taken away, Mr. Thompson said. Stuart Mailer of the Cayman Island National Trust said casua- rina trees, although messy at times, do provide shade for those who visit the beach. “Casuarina trees are not a Cayman native tree. They are also called the Australian pine. In some countries they are considered to be inva- sive and illegal to plant,” he said. “They are very beautiful and feel good when the wind blows through them. “They provide good shade, but there are two things against them in a coastal set- ting,” Mr. Mailer said. “Right along the beach they don’t provide the shore stability that the seagrapes do and they get undermined very easily in rough seas. The other thing is – they litter the ground with needles and sup- press the growth of other na- tive vegetation. It is always a shame to lose any trees. I per- sonally like the trees and they provide shade and people that use the dock would like to have a bit of shade.” Mr. Thompson said his company was willing to pro- vide government with native trees such as seagrape and co- conut trees when redevelop- ment begins at the dock. A stump is all that’s left of one of the five Casuarina trees cut down near the road by the under-construction Vela condominium development. – Photos: Jewel levy A casuarina tree near the water was also cut down because its roots were starting to damage the parking lot.Monday February 22, 2016 • Cayman Compass 6 DISTRICT DAYS District Days George Town Baby bunnies make their debut GeorGe Nowak With Easter only a month away, Bella the rabbit could not have timed her delivery any better. Last week she gave birth to four baby bunnies at the Equestrian Center in George Town. Students at the riding center could not be more excited as they share in the care of the new arrivals. On Saturdays, the Equestrian Center is a pop- ular spot for youngsters, as it offers pony rides and a petting zoo. Goats, a donkey, a mini pony, rab- bits, dressage class horses and, of course, chickens roam the property, not to mention some pesky un- wanted green iguanas. In the Feb. 23, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Compass, George Town news included: “The Annual Agricultural Show again attracted an excellent dis- play of exhibits – vegetables, flowers, pot plants, handicrafts, cakes, preserves, etc. “Although there were perhaps not quite so many exhibits this year, the standard was good and there were some really outstanding items. “In his speech prior to declaring the show open, his honor the Administrator reminded the large audience that for many years ag- riculture has been a neglected in- dustry in the Cayman Islands and, consequently, we have in recent years been spending about 175,000 pounds or half a million dollars annually on fresh produce im- ported from abroad, some of which could and should be diverted into Caymanian pockets.” In the same issue, George Town correspondent Miss Frances wrote: “The George Town Youth Club is anxious to raise sufficient funds with which to buy two guitars and a set of drums in order to form a dance band exclusively for the use of the club. Donations from the public, however small, will be gratefully received. “Mr. and Mrs. D.V. Bendall, from the British Ambassador’s staff in Washington, arrived on the 21st for a short holiday. “Willis McLaughlin, Chief Eng. from the ‘Yankee Clipper’ arrived on Wednesday from St. Maarten, Dutch West Indies. “Mr. E.H. Arch, Jr. arrived on the 11th. It is expected that he and his wife will take up residence here in the near future. “We are happy to have Mrs. Lillie McTaggart home after spending a short time in Jamaica where she went for a check up on her leg, the report on which was a good one. “Mr. and Mrs. Lee Funk arrived from Kingston on Saturday the 12th. Mr. Funk is the pharmacist and who owns The Drug Store in George Town.” 50 years ago: agriculture show and comings and goings John Gray students hone interview skills Focusing on exuding pro- fessionalism, aptitude and motivation, Year 11 students at John Gray High School recently took part in mock interviews as part of the school’s Career Activities Week. The event was de- signed to inform students about the prospects available to them in the workforce and what it takes to be competi- tive in a global marketplace. A press release states the interviews, which took place on Wednesday, Feb. 17, were intended to help the students prepare for future careers when they leave school. Representatives from a number of local businesses conducted simulated job in- terviews with the students, asking questions they would expect real-life candidates to answer. Appleby, Cayman Airways, Creative Tech, CUC, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Health City, Maples and Calder, Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, Public Works Department, Red Sail Sports, the Turtle Farm and Walkers all took part. The mock interviews tested the students’ com- munication skills, ability to write a coherent resume and cover letter, attention to dress code and professional ap- pearance, and the confidence to ask relevant questions. “The idea behind the in- terviews was to provide stu- dents with an opportunity to demonstrate their inter- viewing skills, and to re- ceive constructive feedback from industry professionals,” said careers services man- ager Heather-Ann Cahill, who is based at the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre and helped organize the event. “Additionally, stu- dents were able to network with company represen- tatives. They received ex- cellent advice, information and guidance as they pre- pare to apply for summer employment or upcoming internship positions.” The career week also fea- tured a motivational speech by Olympic swim coach Bailey Weathers Wednesday, and a visit by Minister of Education Tara Rivers and Ministry Chief Officer Christen Suckoo to the Career Fair held on Thursday, Feb. 18, which featured over 30 employers from a range of sectors. At the fair, Year 11 stu- dents were encouraged to present themselves prepared to network and discuss pos- sibilities of internship oppor- tunities during the summer holidays. Year 9 students who attended were encouraged to gather information and ad- vice on the subjects required for particular career paths, as they finalise their options for CXC/IGCSE examinations. sophie scott holds one of the new baby bunnies born recently at the equestrian Center. - Photo: GeorGe Nowak student ariaya russell is interviewed by Beth Hiryok, training manager from red sail sports.Jordana Clarke, head of training and development at Walkers law firm, interviews student Allena Rankine.CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days George Town Seafarers elect new president JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association has elected a West Bay sea cap- tain as its new president. Captain Owen Farrington, 81, was elected president, along with a new council board on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at a general meeting held that evening at the Seafarers Hall in Prospect. He replaces outgoing pres- ident Ivan Farrington. Elected as vice president was John Douglas, Andrew Eden was elected secre- tary, and Ludivene Dilbert is now treasurer. Rosemary Anderson, Louis Ebanks, Cecile Merren, Ola Powery and Capt. Charles Ebanks were elected as members of the governing council. The Seafarers Association is a nonprofi t organization established for the benefi t of the seamen of the Cayman Islands, their spouses and families. New president Mr. Farrington, who has been involved with the associ- ation since its inception in January, 1994 when it had just 12 members, and had previously served as president from 2001-2013, said Tuesday night he was looking to move the organi- zation forward with some positive changes. He said he had heard some very negative things and he was hoping to change that. “I have some good plans for the seafaring members, just give me some time,” he said. “If you are asked to serve on a committee, think about it before just saying no,” he told mem- bers. He also underscored the importance of the free health benefi ts seafarers were receiving from gov- ernment, and to do their best to assist in any way they could so the benefi ts would continue. With the association now reaching 500 mem- bers and still growing, Mr. Farrington reminded mem- bers the Cayman economy was in a soft spot and they had to look at up- holding the vision state- ment of looking after each other. “Keep a check on your fellow seamen so they do not feel so alone, and let us fi ll that void if they do not have a family,” he said. Outgoing president Ivan Farrington and members of the Seafarers Association congratulated Mr. Farrington on his new role. “I have some good plans for the seafaring members, just give me some time.” OWEN FARRINGTON Poses with roses, all for a good cause at UCCI Love was in the air at the Valentine’s Spring Affair. Hosted by the Tropical Gardens Omega Leo Club of UCCI, the Valentine’s event took place on Friday, Feb. 12. The fundraiser had University College of the Cayman Islands students giving donations to have their photos taken in a booth specially decorated for Valentine’s Day. “It’s our signature event to bring awareness of the Leo Club in the community,” said Leo Gabrielle David, vice president of the club. Proceeds from the fund- raiser go toward funding the club’s many community and university projects. The club was fi rst started in 2013, and now has more than 20 active members. Throughout 2014-2015, the club members participated in 42 proj- ects and activities, with more than 330 service hours contributed by its members. Several of the club’s projects have special focus on the environ- ment, children, UCCI, the island- wide community, breast cancer awareness, fundraising, and joint projects with the Lions, such as the “Reading is Cool” program. Signature Omega Leo initia- tives include the Winter Fete held in December to mark the end of exams, the Valentine’s Spring Affair, and Culturama held in conjunction with UCCI’s World Day, an event packed with food, music and heritage, held in May. One of the club’s recent major contributions to UCCI are alu- minum recycling bins. As of 2015, the club has strived to hold regular beach cleanups on the last Saturday of each month, and to focus its attention on proj- ects impacting the environment, children and special needs. For more information on Tropical Gardens Omega Leo Club of UCCI, visit its Facebook page. Throughout 2014-2015, Tropical Gardens Omega Leo Club members participated in 42 projects and activities, with over 330 service hours contributed by its members. Members of the governing council, from left, Ola Powery, Cecile Merren, Rosemary Anderson, vice president John Douglas, president Owen Farrington and Louis Ebanks. – PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY Outgoing Seafarers Association president Ivan Farrington, right, congratulates new president Owen Farrington. Leo Lindsay Blair, Anthony Christian and Jennell Johnson pose for a picture in the booth.Anthony Christian, Leo Vice President Gabrielle David and Taylor Christian smile for the camera.8 LOCAL NEWS Monday February 22, 2016 • Cayman Compass PremierHealth BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town.Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, Cayman Brac. Tel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Ltd. acts solely as an agent on behalf of various insurers; it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. More and more of your claims get the green light automatically ! You got 57% claims settled automatically first with BritCay. More claims get the green light automatically with BritCay. Local providers have free access to our health plan portal. 1 in 3 online visits are by providers, helping over half of claims to be submitted electronically. 96% of claims are settled in 5 days. BritCay budgets for high volumes of claims. We pay more claims, more accurately and quicker than any other local health insurance provider. CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky cgigrp In 1984, BritCay joined Colonial Group International (CGI). In 1995, BritCay was the first company to offer Cayman residents an overseas network option with world class facilities. It was the first of many changes to come.notable firsts! Men take a stand in women’s shoes Kelsey JuKam kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Hundreds came out to Camana Bay Thursday eve- ning to support the men of Cayman as they took a brave stand – in women’s shoes. The event, called “Walk In Her Shoes,” raised more than $53,000 for the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, which provides shelter and support to women who have been af- fected by domestic violence. Participating men wearing all manner of high- heeled women’s shoes – from sky-high, sequined pumps to more sensible kitten heels – were tasked with walking up to five laps up and down Market Street in Camana Bay. The men were encour- aged to secure sponsorships for each lap, and for every $100 a participant raised, he was allowed to reduce his walk by one lap. “The was the very first ‘Walk in her Shoes’ event, so we didn’t know what to ex- pect,” Crisis Centre director Ania Milanowska-Sedgley said. “We were all amazed with how successful this event was, even the public that was standing around and watching it … everybody loved it.” One of the event orga- nizers, Michelle Lockwood, who sits on the fundraising committee for the Crisis Centre, assumed that maybe the event would draw 20 or so participants, and she was blown away when more than 70 men showed up. The highest individual fundraiser, Matthew Crawford, raised al- most $8,000. “It completely overwhelms me how much support that we have and how much the guys want to do this,” Ms. Lockwood said. “Our other events are quite popular, but this one was specifically for men … I think it’s great that the guys had an opportunity to speak out against domestic violence in their own way.” By the end of the event, Ms. Lockwood said she had already received sev- eral requests that it become an annual fundraiser. Ms. Milanowska-Sedgley said they will most likely time the event next year to co- incide with International Women’s Day, as she thinks it will be a “brilliant” way to get men involved in the day’s celebrations. “Events like this, they take a huge load off our shoulders,” Ms. Milanowska-Sedgley said. She said the Crisis Centre has to raise $300,000 a year just to cover basic oper- ating costs, which increase every year with the number of women seeking assis- tance from the organiza- tion. She said the number of clients supported by the Crisis Centre has more than doubled since 2012, with 113 clients served last year. Currently, the center is shel- tering five women and six children. Ms. Milanowska- Sedgley said she thanked the men for daring to “put on those shoes.” “To me if a man is pre- pared to do that … they are the real men, because they just feel comfortable in their own skin and they’re just happy to do it,” she said. “They were happy that they were somehow included and they could show their sup- port for the Crisis Centre.” Participant Shaun Tracey donned a pair of pink peep- toe slingbacks for the event, and he went the extra mile, matching the shoes with a flowery pink frock. But he found that making three laps in heels was no cakewalk. “I didn’t practice, ex- cept around the office be- forehand,” Mr. Tracey said. “Walking in heels was diffi- cult, very difficult.” He said many of his col- leagues at Campbells spon- sored him, and he was glad to do what he could to help the Crisis Centre. “It’s an important charity,” Mr. Tracey said. “Domestic violence can affect anyone, from any background.” For more photos of the ‘Walk In Her Shoes’ event, see page 10. The Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman were among the participants of the ‘Walk In Her Shoes’ fundraising event staged by the The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre. – Photo: Maggie Jackson The Cayman Islands Medical and Dental Society honored Cayman’s former Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kiran Kumar with a long-ser- vice award at its annual gala. Dr. Kumar served in his public health role for 33 years before retiring in July last year. He now teaches commu- nity medicine at NRI Medical College in southern India. He first joined Cayman’s Department of Health, which later became the Health Services Authority, in 1982. Dr. Kumar served as both the director of public health and as the medical officer of health. Among his duties in those roles was heading up primary healthcare services at the public health clinics and overseeing Cayman’s vaccination programs, as well as dealing with health- related travel alerts. Dr. Kumar has served in a number of other roles in Cayman’s medical field. He was chief medical officer from October 1992 to May 1995, acting chief executive officer of the Health Services Authority from October 1992 to April 1993, chairman of the Health Practitioners Board from October 1992 to May 1995 and again acting chief medical officer from July 2007 to July 2008. In 2006, he was named as a recipient of the Cayman Islands Certificate and Badge of Honor in the Queen’s New Year Honours for his services to Cayman’s public health. The Medical and Dental Society held its gala at Pappagallo’s Restaurant on Jan. 31. Dr. Kumar’s daughter, Sailaja Alla, accepted the award on her father’s behalf. Medical Profession honors dr. kuMar Dr. Kumar Sailaja Alla, daughter of Dr. Kiran Kumar, accepted the long-service award on his behalf from Cayman Islands Medical and Dental Services president Dr. Virginia Hobday, left, and vice president Dr. Enoka Richens, right.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Monday February 22, 2016 Dr. Wayne R. Porter MD F.A.A.D. Dermatologist call : 946-9020 between 9am to 5pm Dees Plaza #282 on Crewe Road, GT He will be in office from Feb 22nd - 26th, 2016 Visiting Sports Medicine Physician specializing in non-operative musculoskeletal & joint conditions. Dr. Melissa Mascaro MD Cayman Clinic @ 439 Crewe Road, GT Is available for consultation from Friday February 26 – Tuesday March 1, 2016 (Including Saturday) Call: 949-7400 between 8:30am to 5:pm to make an appointment insufficient to prevent this remediation from moving ahead,” the statement said. “We have agreed on the methodology to be followed, the physical area to be re- paired, and the materials to be used. We once again call on the Department to join us now in the repair effort of the coral reef, which is the most pressing matter at this time.” Gina Ebanks-Petrie, di- rector of the DoE, said last week the most crucial time- sensitive work was now being done by its staff as the two parties attempt to come to a satisfactory agreement. She said the delays were down to dis- agreement over the likely scope of the work. “Because Vulcan con- tinues to disagree with the scale and source of damage, as well as the length of time required for the resto- ration effort, details of the remediation plan have not been finalized,” she said. Vulcan is understood to have offered to fund the coral restoration project, though it has not accepted that Mr. Allen’s yacht was responsible for the damage, and appears to dispute the DoE’s assessment of the scale of the destruction. Ms. Ebanks-Petrie said Polaris Applied Sciences, the reef restoration experts hired by Vulcan, had ob- served and assisted with the initial emergency sal- vage works last week. The firm will take over the res- toration work if and when the DoE and Vulcan re- solve their issues and sign a formal agreement. She added that an in- dependent expert had now verified the department’s initial assessment – that an area of around 13,000 square feet, the size of an Olympic swimming pool, was impacted, and 80 per- cent of the coral in that area was destroyed. “Given that Vulcan Inc., the owner of the M/V Tatoosh, disputes the DoE’s initial assessment of the scale of the damage, and furthermore questions whether the M/V Tatoosh is the source of the damage, the DoE contracted with Dial Cordy to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the injured site,” Ms. Ebanks-Petrie said. “We took this action in order to have independent documentation and verifi- cation of the extent and de- gree of damage, and also of the timing of the inju- ries to the coral. The find- ings support the DoE’s ini- tial assessment as to the damaged area, and the cause of the damage,” she said Friday. In a statement Thursday, Vulcan Inc. said it was co- operating with restoration work and urged the DoE to get on with approving its full plan. The company said it had dispatched experts to the Cayman Islands, antici- pating swift approval of its remediation plan. “Unfortunately, more than two weeks have passed and although we have responded promptly and collaboratively to every request from the de- partment on our plan, local officials have not yet given final approval to begin the work.” It urged the DoE, in its public statement, to swiftly approve its plan, saying the company was ready to do its part, despite continuing to insist Mr. Allen’s yacht was not necessarily the cause of the damage. Ms. Ebanks-Petrie said it had responded to Vulcan’s initial proposal within two days and sub- sequent drafts of the re- mediation plan had been exchanged and reviewed since that point. She said the depart- ment was now waiting for Vulcan to respond to its requests for changes to the proposal relating to the scope and source of damage, the estimated length of the restora- tion period and Vulcan’s funding of an independent agent to oversee and mon- itor the restoration work. Second senior prison official dismissed JameS Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A senior prison man- ager has become the second person to be dismissed in the fallout from an internal probe into the planting of a hidden camera in an office at Northward Prison. Nina White, who was a custodial manager at the prison, was dismissed fol- lowing the inquiry by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Eric Bush, chief of- ficer in the ministry, con- firmed that Ms. White “is no longer employed with the prison service.” He declined to give any further details of the circum- stances of her departure. It is understood that the disciplinary action against Ms. White does not relate directly to the planting of the camera but a separate matter that stemmed from the same inquiry. The prison service’s deputy director Aduke Joseph-Caesar was dis- missed in November in con- nection with the planting of the camera. She has since launched a lawsuit contesting the decision. A third prison staffer remains under investigation. The camera, which was switched on and covertly re- cording, was discovered hidden inside an air condi- tioning duct in a manager’s office in April. In the aftermath of the in- cident, prison officials con- firmed that three staff mem- bers had been placed on required leave pending an in- vestigation by the ministry. A second employee has been fired from the prison service after an internal probe. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Spat deepens between DoE and Paul Allen CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “The findings support the DoE’s initial assessment as to the damaged area, and the cause of the damage.” Gina Ebanks-PEtriE, director, Department of Environment the “Caymanians United for our Cayman Islands” Facebook page. “It’s the kind of thing that some people think should go to [London’s] Privy Council,” she said, al- though stopping short of advocating any legal ac- tion. “I just wonder how this helps any Caymanian.” Mr. Hewitt’s 2013 Grand Court case came in the wake of May 22 elections in which Ms. Powery-Hewitt finished fifth in the four- seat constituency. The dual challenge questioned Ms. Rivers’s constitutional eli- gibility to stand for elec- tive office, saying she had regularly used a U.S. pass- port, throwing her na- tional allegiance into ques- tion. Additionally, she had been absent from Cayman more than 400 days in the seven years prior to her registration as an elective candidate. In a July 17-19, 2013, Grand Court hearing, Cayman constitutional adviser and London QC Jeffrey Jowell, supported by local attorney Paul Keeble of Hampson and Company, argued that Ms. Rivers had furthered her education – a constitutional exception to residency requirements – during her 31-month prac- tice at London law firm Allen & Overy, and that her possession of a U.S. pass- port did not indicate di- vided loyalty. When handing down judgment on Aug. 9, 2013, Chief Justice Smellie, ac- cepting the arguments, de- clared Ms. Rivers in compli- ance with the constitution, asserting that Allen & Overy was an educational institu- tion, her U.S. passport was irrelevant to her allegiance and that the Conyers Dill & Pearman attorney was eli- gible to stand for office. He did not indicate costs at the time, but reserved judgment, citing in last year’s March demand for payment Ms. Rivers claim that “it would be neither fair nor appropriate that she should be required to bear them herself …” On Friday, Ms. Powery- Hewitt said she was “abso- lutely overwhelmed with a sense of relief” by the fund- raising effort. Having been deeply affected by the court’s January judgment, Ms. Powery-Hewitt said she was suddenly “on pins and nee- dles” with reason for hope: “I am beginning to be up- lifted by some beautiful young folks taking this up for me” she said. She had worked, she said, with Ms. Briggs and “three or four others,” to de- tail the background of the appeal in 17 paragraphs, carefully focusing her ef- forts on the constitutional principles of the original challenge to Ms. Rivers. “The constitution,” she said, “is not a document for individuals or to be tam- pered with. The question here is ‘what is good gov- ernment’ and no one should be punished for questioning what the constitution means. I am to be put on the street for this? “I hope to bring about a dialogue,” she said, wor- rying that the $140,000 costs of her action would discourage every citizen and “registered voter” who might want to mount a constitutional challenge in the future. “Now anyone that might see a discrepancy [between the constitution and official behavior] will not say any- thing,” Ms. Powery-Hewitt said, employing a popular judicial phrase to forecast the result: “It has a rippling, chilling effect. No one is going to open their mouth. “This is not – and never was – a personal challenge” to Ms. Rivers. Minister Rivers had not responded to requests for comment by press time. It remains unclear if the fundraising appeal has a time limit. The April 14 in-camera hearing, Ms. Powery-Hewitt said, will determine any further steps. “This actually mat- ters quite a lot,” she said. “The judge could ask if I am ready to pay – and if I am, then that would settle any demand for full pay- ment. If not, he could ap- point a trustee, who will go to the Land Registry and compile a list of our assets and liabilities. “That would come back to the court, which will de- cide what can be taken, what cannot and what can be sold. It will come down to whether this is an injus- tice or not.” However, with Ms. Briggs and her part- ners’ efforts, Ms. Powery- Hewitt said, “there is light at the end of tunnel.” Fundraising seeks to prevent Hewitt bankruptcy CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Velma Powery-HewittNext >