High of 80 Low of 71 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft warning is in effect. Silverado Vineyards Furball 2016 Humane Society fundraiser takes on a ‘50s vibe B7 Art Events Nightlife ■ film Artist Charles Long Cayman’s history on canvas B5 Bloomin’ orchids The Orchid Show promises spectacular displays B11 Friday February 26, 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 Oscar Night! Who will take home the statue? B8 Silverado Vineyards Delicious wines, one glass at a time B3 cayman weekender Oscar Night! Editorial | pagE 4 Selective proSecution iSn’t juStice eSTaBLISHed 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – Friday February 26, 2016 Manderson: civil service must resist ministerial pressure brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Deputy Governor Franz Manderson has vowed that civil servants who feel pressured or bullied into allowing elected ministers to take the reins of day-to-day government op- erations will have his support in instances where they say “no.” “Chief officers know that I have their back,” Mr. Manderson told the Legislative Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee Wednesday. “They know that if they feel pressured into doing things they don’t want to do that they can come to me.” Mr. Manderson told the accounts com- mittee, which was in the process of reviewing government actions in various land use agree- ments that the auditor general’s office had termed “unlawful,” that steps had been taken to ensure civil servants’ roles on public proj- ects were clearly defined. He said while it was the government workers’ job to follow policy direction of the elected officials, it was not the job of those elected to engage directly in the implementa- tion of those projects. “Civil servants can be put in a very difficult position, when politicians want to do things their way,” Mr. Manderson said. “It’s a culture change, it’s a role clarity change. People in most cases just want to get the project done. Let’s do it the right way.” Reports from the Auditor General’s Office, released last year, contained examples of min- isterial overreach involving certain public projects in connection with the government’s former Nation Building Fund and various public-private sector partnership agreements. Mr. Manderson said he did not agree with former Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick’s use of the word “unlawful” in connection with the reports. In the four-year operation of the former United Democratic Party government’s Nation Building Fund, for example, Mr. Swarbrick found that most of the program operation Soccer boSSeS vote for reform ahead of election jaMeS Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Leaders of regional soccer federation CONCACAF, including Cayman’s Bruce Blake, met in Switzerland on Thursday to ap- prove a series of reforms that the organiza- tion hopes will put an era of corruption and excess behind it. The changes, intended to bring trans- parency and accountability to the finances of the crisis-hit federation, were approved as the game’s leaders huddled in Zurich ahead of Friday’s vote for a new president of world football. Swiss lawyer Gianni Infantino and Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, a member of the Bahrain royal family, are the leading contenders to replace disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter in an election seen as crucial to the future of the sport. Neither man can count on the support of CONCACAF, traditionally a powerful bloc-vote in such contests. The governing body for soccer in Central and North America and the Caribbean an- nounced Thursday it would not be publicly endorsing any of the five candidates. Cayman Islands Football Association acting president Mr. Blake, who is expected to cast a vote on behalf of the association, did not return calls or emails this week. Revised marine parks plan put forward jaMeS Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new system of marine parks, turning 40 percent of Cayman’s coastal waters into no-fishing zones, has gone to Cabinet for approval. Amended by the Department of Environment after ex- tensive public consultation over several years, the pro- posals were approved by the National Conservation Council on Wednesday. The amended plans involve some compromises with anglers, including expanded fishing areas in Barker’s National Park in West Bay. If approved, the new system will almost triple the “no- take” fishing zones around Grand Cayman. No-take zones will also be significantly ex- panded around Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Gina Ebanks-Petrie, director of the Department of Environment, said the proposal is “balanced and effective” and reflects input HMS Mersey docks in Cayman Anjah Jackson, 7, and Larry Lewis, 6, salute with Warrant Officer 1 Justin Fowle and LH Seaman Bartle on board the HMS Mersey on Wednesday as groups of students toured the ship. The River Class offshore patrol vessel is in George Town until Sunday to support U.K. Overseas Territories in the Caribbean. During the visit, the ship’s crew will take part in an exercise with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Marine Unit and conduct a community outreach project. – Photo: matt lamerS PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS Friday February 26, 2016 • Cayman Compass A C A R I B B E A N C A F E Leap Year Breakfast Brunch Monday the 29th. 7.30am ~ 3pm. with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex starting Salsa with DJ Flex starting “BOOGIE NIGHTS” Music By DJ FLEX Starting at 9:30pm Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics TONIGHT Friday, February 26th “BOOGIE NIGHTS”“BOOGIE NIGHTS” Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics TONIGHT Friday, February 26thFriday, February 26th FINALLY, THE LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH HAS ARRIVED! TONIGHT! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm Harpist Extraordinaire Eugenio Leon Serenades Tableside Tonight Friday and every Friday! Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky OPENING HOURS: Monday to Saturday 11.30am - 10pm Sunday Buff et 11.30am - 3pm Sunday Dinner 5pm - 10pm Queen’s Court Plaza, West Bay Road, SMB t. (345) 949 7955 e. info@ThaiOrchid.ky Thai Orchid’s Weekend brunch is a well loved traditi on in Cayman and Thai Orchid off ers their own version of the weekend indulgence. Come and Celebrate with us Our 20th Anniversary Live Music for the Month of March SATURDAY & SUNDAY BUFFET Speeding offenses increased 79 percent Kelsey JuKam kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com The number of road deaths tripled in 2015 com- pared to 2014, according to statistics released Thursday by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. Police reported 12 fatal road accidents in 2015. Inspector Adrian Barnett, head of the RCIPS Traffic Management Unit, said a number of factors contributed to this “trou- bling statistic.” “The fact is that drinking and driving, speeding and the general failure of drivers to pay attention to what they’re doing continue to be the main causes of fatal acci- dents,” he said. In response to the rise in fatal road accidents last year, RCIPS reconfigured the Traffic Management Unit by providing offi- cers for dedicated duty to the unit in order to in- crease traffic enforcement and assist with accident investigations. “With these resources and targeted enforcement, we hope to see a positive change in this statistic a year from now, but we need the public to work with us to reach that result,” Mr. Barnett said. Speeding offenses spiked to 1,181 cita- tions in 2015, a 79 per- cent increase from 2014, when 658 speeding cita- tions were issued. Police attributed the jump to increased enforcement. Police attended 1,068 non-fatal traffic accidents last year, a slight decrease from 2014. However, police are not required to attend minor traffic accidents, as drivers involved in those may simply exchange in- surance information. Police estimate there were ap- proximately 2,230 minor traffic accidents last year. The statistics reflect a 36 percent drop in DUI charges last year. However, some DUI cases from November and December are pending, so the number of charges may increase as those cases are processed. Overall, the total number of traffic offenses in 2015 decreased slightly from 2014. Police recorded 5,358 traffic offenses in 2014 and 5,006 last year. “The fact is that drinking and driving, speeding and the general failure of drivers to pay attention to what they’re doing continue to be the main causes of fatal accidents.” AdriAn BArnett, head of the RCIPS Traffic Management Unit Road fatalities triple compared to 2014 Throughout Grand Cayman on Friday and Saturday, more than 225 volunteer fundraisers will be collecting money for Cayman HospiceCare. In their distinctive green T-shirts, the fundraisers will fan out across the island at 18 locations from West Bay to Kaibo for the annual “Flag Day.” The volunteers with their collection jars will be found at a variety of stores, restaurants and commu- nity centers, including A.L. Thompson’s in George Town and Savannah, Bayshore Mall, Cost-U-Less, all the Foster’s Food Fair IGA stores, Hurley’s, Icoa, Kirk Market, Kirk Home Centre, Uncle Bill’s and the Cayman Islands Hospital. The fundraising effort will go on from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days. As in previous years, Governor Helen Kilpatrick was the first donor, officially opening Flag Day. Danielle Coleman of Cayman HospiceCare said, “All donations go towards the operational costs of Hospice. We rely on dona- tions and fundraising activ- ities to ensure our services remain free of costs to all persons living with a ter- minal end-stage illness in the Cayman Islands.” She added that govern- ment provides HospiceCare with a $50,000 grant a year, “but with operational costs of $1,800 per day, events like this are crucial to continue our services.” Hospice provides free end-of-life care and works closely with patients’ fam- ilies to provide support. Among the services it pro- vides are a clinical volunteer program, a lunch club, music therapy, animal therapy, art therapy, counseling, yoga, therapeutic massage, reiki, acupuncture and a bereave- ment program. Two-day fundraiser begins for hospice Surrounded by staff and volunteers of Cayman Hospice Care, Governor Helen Kilpatrick, fifth from left, drops the first donation of this year’s Flag Day fundraiser into HospiceCare chairman Chris Duggan’s collection box. Recruiters from four Canadian boarding schools will be in the Cayman Islands next week for a one- day recruitment fair. The fair will be from 5:30–8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort. At the event, organized by four of the 26 Canadian Accredited Independent Schools, families can meet with representatives from Appleby College, Lakefield College School, Bishop’s College School and St. Andrew’s College, located in Quebec and Ontario. “Known for individu- alized programming, ad- vanced placement (AP) courses, enriched arts, ath- letics, international ser- vice and leadership op- portunities, these schools offer a uniquely Canadian boarding experience,” orga- nizers of the fair said in a press release. They continued, “Canadian boarding schools are home to students from over 28 countries who are drawn to the safety and security of life in Canada with its culturally diverse and welcoming communi- ties. Promising students from around the world have chosen to attend an ac- credited boarding school in Canada to prepare them for the demands and expecta- tions of university.” Quoting 2013 OECD sta- tistics, the event organizers pointed out that Canada scores the highest among English-speaking nations in mathematics, science, and reading scores. For more information, visit www.boardingleaders.ca or contact Felicia Neil at fneil@lcs.on.ca. Canadian sChools reCruiting Cayman studentsThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Friday February 26, 2016 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” Friday February 26, 2016 • Cayman COmpass In September 2013, an employee of architect Burns Conolly complained about improper payroll deductions for medical insurance. Nearly two-and-a-half years later, the matter finally has been put to rest by a Cayman Islands judge — for the grand total of $714.42. During those two-and-a-half years, Mr. Conolly hired legal counsel. He appeared in court. His reputation suffered. His company, the Burns Conolly Group, is no longer operational. And all for a relatively modest sum, that (please pay attention to this) he had already tried to reimburse to the employee in the form of a check sent last year. The check was returned to him by Cayman’s Legal Department. (Talk about a “bounced check”!) Presiding Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez said, “I […] see no purpose in proceeding where the defense indicates willingness to pay and [the offense] was due to an accounting error.” Neither do we, Your Honor. Neither do we. Defense attorney Michael Alberga said, “The end result is good. Justice is served.” Pardon us, Mr. Alberga, but we’re not certain we agree. In June 2013, then-Complaints Commissioner Nicola Williams produced a bombshell report on Cayman’s private sector pension system, showing that more than 1,100 local businesses were delinquent in paying their employee pensions. Government’s response to this “national crisis” (to borrow the former commissioner’s phraseology), was, at best, tepid … and, at worst, had the appearance of being selective. A great number of cases were settled administratively, while a handful were pushed all the way through the court system, with the result of no significant penalties being levied. Now, we realize that nonpayment of health insur- ance and nonpayment of pensions are not the same thing, but the circumstances are similar. We cite Ms. Williams’s report on pensions because it illustrates the extent of the common problem of employers mishan- dling — or even misappropriating — their employees’ benefits. (In the most extreme situations, we have likened those offenses to outright thievery.) Given the “target-rich environment” in which our public prosecutors exist, we can’t completely quell our suspicions that, perhaps, Mr. Conolly may have been singled out because of who he is — an outspoken personality and political figure — rather than what he did — the matter of $714.42. Remember, that’s money Mr. Conolly tried to pay back, but that the Legal Department wouldn’t allow him to, instead preferring to haul him in front of a judge — or more specifically, his attorneys (Mr. Conolly was not present at this last hearing) — along with seven … yes, seven … witnesses. Thankfully, Magistrate Hernandez was presiding over the court that day, and, exercising sound rea- soning and common sense, summarily aborted the entire charade. We aren’t saying that delinquent employers shouldn’t face consequences for not paying their employees what they’re due. We also aren’t saying that Mr. Conolly should have enjoyed an exception to the rule of law. What we are saying is that the government should not endeavor to “make an example” out of a single person, while refusing or being unable to enforce the law in a uniform and universal way. In other words, selective prosecution is not, and does not bring about, justice. Selective prosecution isn’t justice Brexit on the ballot London EvEning Standard We can be grateful to London Mayor Boris Johnson for one thing: his declara- tion of support for Brexit has galvanized the entire debate about staying in or leaving the EU. What had threatened to be a lackluster national ar- gument in which the camps argued over statistics and the small print of the Prime Minister’s Brussels deal has, at a stroke, turned into some- thing altogether more inter- esting: a passionate debate about sovereignty, about the place of parliament and na- tional autonomy. Michael Gove’s move to the Brexit camp gave the Leave campaign greater in- tellectual heft; now there is energy and risk in the mix too. Not everyone appreci- ates risk, of course: sterling fell after the news of Mr. Johnson’s support for Brexit and credit agency Moody’s has warned that Brexit would badly affect the U.K.’s rating. This is not to say that the Mayor’s involvement will be decisive when it comes to the outcome, although, as we have already reported, his participation may well cancel out the corresponding influ- ence of the Prime Minister on the other side. People are quite likely to vote on instinct, from caution, out of a sense of identification with one side or another, rather than on the follow-my-leader principle. Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayoral candidate, outlines some of the cogent argu- ments why it is, for him, in London’s best economic in- terests to remain in the EU; he will speak for many who feel Brexit is a risk too far. Interestingly, his pro-EU views are shared by members of the Mayor’s own family. Yet any democrat should be glad, in the first place, that this referendum is happening at all, and in the second that it is now going to be con- ducted by some of the most eloquent and engaging fig- ures in public life. The nature of the EU has changed so fundamentally since the last referendum 40 years ago, it is right that the people should have the chance to decide whether they support the EU project as it now stands. And given the huge importance of the issue it is good that we have persuasive figures on both sides to argue the case. The four months to June 23 promise to be genuinely exciting. A fair, hard-fought campaign is in the interests of us all. © 2016, London Evening Standard Obama’s historic gesture to Cuba toronto Star It’s been a lifetime since Calvin Coolidge steamed into Havana Harbour to cheering crowds in 1928 aboard the famed dreadnaught USS Texas, and hailed the “sover- eign, independent, free” Cuban people. Few Cubans alive today will recall the last time a serving American president set foot on the island. Yet they will soon get the chance. In a rare, hopeful turn in Cuban-American re- lations, President Barack Obama plans to pay his own visit on March 21. This historic gesture is intended to normalize rela- tions between the Cold War adversaries after more than half a century of enmity and embargo. It can only buoy Havana’s democratic reform movement and offer Cubans hope for a better life. There was a day when a U.S. president would court political disaster by pressing the flesh with President Raúl Castro in an election year. But that risk has diminished. Public sentiment has shifted dramatically in favour of nor- malizing relations. A majority of Americans now have a favorable view of Cuba and see the cruelty of punishing its people in a futile bid to bring down the regime. As Human Rights Watch reports, the Cuban government still brooks no real opposition from the island’s 11 million people. It has suppressed criti- cism and repressed dissent in recent years with thousands of arbitrary short-term ar- rests, firings from jobs, public shaming and physical vio- lence. There’s a lot to dislike. But as the Star has argued before, efforts by 10 succes- sive U.S. presidents to unseat the regime in Havana have demeaned a superpower, dis- credited Cuban reformers and impoverished the island. With every passing year the embargo became more pointlessly vindictive, as the U.S. traded briskly with Communist China, with com- munist regimes in Vietnam and Laos, even to a limited extent with North Korea. Only Congress can fully lift the embargo. That’s be- yond this president’s power. But Obama is right to make good on his promise before he leaves office. Cuba’s democrats and re- formers will be cheered by this visit as they press for credible elections, indepen- dent courts and a more open economy. And the government will no longer be able to cite U.S. hostility as a pretext for “defending the revolution” by intimidating critics and sup- pressing human rights. © 2016, Toronto Star Yet any democrat should be glad, in the first place, that this referendum is happening at all, and in the second that it is now going to be conducted by some of the most eloquent and engaging figures in public life. [The U.S. president’s visit] can only buoy Havana’s democratic reform movement and offer Cubans hope for a better life.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 Cayman Compass • Friday February 26, 2016 6 LOCAL NEWS Friday February 26, 2016 • Cayman Compass DCI_EIGHTH PAGE SPOT CYAN_ CFP AD_LIQUOR LICENSE EXT NOTICE.indd 12/17/2016 4:23:01 PM DCI_EIGHTH PAGE SPOT CYAN_ CFP AD_LIQUOR LICENSE EXT NOTICE.indd 12/17/2016 4:23:01 PM Liquor licence holders who are planning events, and who therefore want to extend the operating hours of licensed premises, are reminded to submit their requests in writing to the Liquor Licensing Board no fewer than seven business days prior to the event date. Letters can be submitted to the board via email, to gdixon@dci.gov.ky; or via the Business Licensing Counter, located on the first floor of the Government Administration Building, between 9am to 4pm, Mondays to Fridays. Board Chairman Campbell Law said the reminder will help licence holders to receive timely decisions, which will help them with their event planning. When requests are submitted too close to the desired event dates, there isn’t sufficient time to notify all related parties and Government departments, and this causes delays in making and communicating decisions to applicants. The Department of Commerce and Investment (DCI) provides administrative and compliance support for the Liquor Licensing Board. As such, DCI trade officers will visit premises with extended-hour grants, to ensure compliance with grant conditions. Persons may submit written correspondence to the Chairman, Liquor Licensing Board, Ministry of Financial Services, Commerce and Environment, Government Administration Building, Box 126, Grand Cayman, KY1-9000. applebyglobal.com/cayman WE BELIEVE THAT CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME At Appleby, we believe that charity begins with helping our own community. We believe that we can make a difference. On 14 March any non-profit organisation with an interest in child and family welfare, animal welfare and educational programmes can bid for funding from the Appleby Cayman Charity Day committee. Organisations wishing to participate in the Appleby Cayman Charity Day must be able to demonstrate a genuine need for financial assistance and identify how the funds will be used. Interested? Find out more at applebyglobal.com/caymancharityday where you can download our application form and request an appointment. Deadline for receipt of applications is close of business Wednesday, 9 March 2016. Following guilty verdict, Bryan urges Caymanians to assist police Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Kenneth Bryan does not agree with the outcome of his criminal trial this week, but he says he does not want his experience to influence how others deal with the police. “I’ve been told my [court] case is going to be another example of why the public is not going to help the police,” Bryan said. “I don’t want that to happen because crime in this country is a serious thing and I know the po- lice cannot solve the crimes by themselves. “It’s bigger than me. I may not be happy with the results [of the trial], but it’s not about Kenneth. I need the community to work with the police.” Bryan, the former po- litical assistant to Premier Alden McLaughlin, was placed on 12 months’ proba- tion Wednesday after being found guilty of disorderly conduct and assaulting po- lice. No conviction was re- corded. Bryan was ordered to pay court costs of $400. The 35-year-old was charged after an incident outside Dream Night Club in October 2014. He pleaded not guilty and has always said he was trying to assist police, who had intervened in a fight on scene during the early morning hours. “I stand by [my state- ments] that I did not assault the police,” Bryan said. “But they need all the help they can get from us. I want to turn this into a positive, not a negative.” Bryan said he planned to reach out to Royal Cayman Islands Police Commissioner David Baines next week with some ideas regarding how po- lice could make inroads in some of the disadvantaged George Town neighborhoods, where he is from. “I don’t want there to be another ‘Kenneth Bryan’ sce- nario,” he said. “I want to talk to people about how to as- sist the police when situa- tions come up. I don’t want someone to be in the same situation when they see an injustice or what they think is an injustice.” Bryan, who said he in- tends to run for election the next time around in the cen- tral George Town district, said attempts to bring the police and the George Town community together could be a growing experience. “If I want to be seen as a serious candidate for election, my personal issues have to be put aside,” he said, adding that he intends to carry that philosophy forward into the political arena as well. “I don’t trust [Premier] Alden [McLaughlin], but if I have to work with him to do the best for my people, I will,” Bryan said. Future political plans Bryan officially resigned from the Progressives po- litical party Thursday and said he would not run for election with them. He said he would probably run as an independent. He admitted Thursday that he still harbors some re- sentment, not about the fact that he was fired from the premier’s office after being charged with a crime, but about the way it was handled. “[Mr. McLaughlin] could have been more honest with me about his intentions,” he said. “I was let go [following a meeting] and within 24 hours someone was hired. “He had already planned a replacement before he did it. This is not something you expect from a man you fought for and helped put in the position of the premier- ship today.” Bryan was cred- ited during the 2013 general election with winning votes for the Progressives party in George Town district, partic- ularly in the poorer, urban areas, although he did not win a seat in the Legislative Assembly himself. He said he was warned by other former Progressives offi- cials prior to the election not to run with the party. “Now that I know … they only wanted to use me for the purpose of [getting] votes, I wouldn’t have done it,” Bryan said. Moving forward to 2017 (if the election is not called before then), Bryan said his main focus would be on un- employment, which he be- lieves the current govern- ment did not focus on early in its term, and greater support for the financial services industry. “The financial industry is under attack by the U.K. and the U.S., and [govern- ment] doesn’t put enough priority on protecting it,” Bryan said. “If we lose it, we lose Cayman.” Kenneth Bryan “It’s bigger than me. I may not be happy with the results [of the trial], but it’s not about Kenneth. I need the community to work with the police.” Kenneth BryanThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Friday February 26, 2016 CAMANA BAY WELCOMES POLO BY NKY Discover style at the Town Centre’s newest retailer. POLO by NKY carries a full range of men’s, women’s and children’s fashion, as well as luxury home goods from Polo Ralph Lauren; the brand that has defined American style for the past 40 years. Shop RL apparel, footwear, handbags and accessories for the entire family and add a touch of classic elegance to your home with RL luxurious candles, photo frames, crystal and towels. POLO by NKY offers the current collections released globally to all Ralph Lauren stores at U.S.-competitive prices. Browse the Polo Ralph Lauren collection today and treat yourself or find the perfect gift for that someone special. Located on The Paseo Mon-Sat 10am-9pm 345.949.8173 / NKY@cfg.ky / CaymanFashionGroup.com CAMANABAY.COMThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Friday February 26, 2016 • Cayman Compass SHENNI VANESSA PAMELA DaCOSTA February 27, 1978 – November 19, 2014 Your broken hearted Parents Marlene & Ashton Bodden and all your Family. SHENNI VANESSA PAMELA DaCOSTA Dearest Shen, Today is your 2nd Birthday in Heaven Down here we miss you so Another sad day to get through As on with life we try to go For all you were to us in life And all the joy you brought Your memory is with us In every single thought A dark cloud descended Over our world that day For the loss of you Shen ere are no words we can say ey say time heals all wounds We really don’t think that’s true We’ll just have to learn to live With the pain of losing you Dearest Shen, you are just as much a part Of our lives today on what would have Been your 38th Birthday, as you were On your 36th Birthday celebration, that Was your last Birthday on Earth. We love you so much, we miss you so much. We regret to announce the passing of Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page Ms. Wilson will be repatriated to the USA, for funeral services. Gail Wilson Who departed this life on Sunday, 14 February, 2016 We regret to announce the passing of Denvil Roy Mitchell Who departed this life on Sunday, 21st February 2016. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. A funeral service will be held 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, 5th March, 2016, at the Wesleyan Holiness Church, West Bay. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the N.C.V.O. Interment will follow in Jamaica. was done “outside the gov- ernance framework” when it doled out $13.2 million to churches, community pro- grams and scholarships. Some of the payments rep- resented legitimate public project expenses, auditors said, but they noted there was no formal process to apply for disbursements from the fund. The report found former Premier McKeeva Bush and his former chief of staff Leonard Dilbert had di- rectly approved certain payments from the Nation Building Fund, while civil service managers insisted they only “wrote the checks” the premier wanted them to. In many cases, the record- keeping attached to pro- gram disbursements was so poor auditors couldn’t tell what the money was spent on. “Checks were being sent out on the basis of just an email,” Mr. Swarbrick said. “There’s likely some value from the payments that were made, but there’s no way to assess that.” Mr. Swarbrick alleged that government acted un- lawfully and “without proper authority” in signing two of the Cayman Islands largest-ever private sector development projects. The original National Roads Authority agreement, which paved the way for construc- tion of the Kimpton hotel on Seven Mile Beach and per- manent closure of a sec- tion of West Bay Road along Seven Mile Beach, was ne- gotiated by elected minis- ters “without the knowl- edge or assistance of civil servants,” the audit office reported. In the case of the agree- ment on Health City Cayman Islands, often re- ferred to locally as the “Shetty Hospital” after its founder Dr. Devi Shetty, auditors stated: “No ap- proval from the Legislative Assembly was sought, even though the agreement com- mitted government to hun- dreds of millions of dollars in tax, duty and fee conces- sions and contained obliga- tions for infrastructure up- grading and expenditure.” Although he disagreed with the term “unlawful,” Mr. Manderson essentially confirmed the auditor’s as- sertions on Wednesday. “How could things get to that point?” George Town MLA Roy McTaggart asked. “What happened here?” Mr. Manderson said the efforts represented a gov- ernment “wanting to get things done.” However, spe- cific negotiations on the deal should have been led by civil servants, he said. He also added that it was “unfair” to blame civil ser- vants for “secret” negotia- tions taking place that they knew nothing about. “It’s incumbent on the civil servants to put their foot down and say … I’m not comfortable with this,” Mr. Manderson said. “In some cases, this didn’t happen.” George Town MLA Winston Connolly, putting quibbling over the wording of the auditor’s report aside, questioned whether anyone would be held accountable for these issues. “Politicians are held to account by the pre- mier and the public,” Mr. Manderson said. “On the civil service side, that is my responsibility.” Public Accounts Committee Chairman Ezzard Miller asked whether the civil service would then take the blame – rather than politicians – if the implementation of a project “goes bad.” “I accept that, sir,” Mr. Manderson said. from every section of the community. She said re- search shows that greater protection is needed to re- verse the decline of Cayman’s marine environment. “We believe that should these proposals for enhanced marine parks, which have been widely discussed for the last several years, not be im- plemented, we risk ecosystem collapse, local fishery extinc- tions, coastal infrastructure exposure and negative im- pacts on our tourism and economic growth,” she said. The revised proposals, presented at Wednesday’s meeting, follow a series of public meetings last year. In West Bay, in particular, the original plans proved contro- versial, with some fishermen upset at the extent of the no- take zones. “People must have rec- reation,” West Bay MLA McKeeva Bush said at the meeting. “Many people still go out to catch a meal.” During Wednesday’s meeting, Ms. Ebanks-Petrie said the department had shifted some of the no- fishing zones, particularly along the West Bay coastline, in an effort to compromise with anglers. Council member Davey Ebanks said he was happy with the changes. “As the most avid fish- erman on the council and the representative for West Bay, I can say that every single concern that was raised at the meetings has been ad- dressed in an amicable fashion. Congratulations on a great job.” Ms. Ebanks-Petrie ac- cepted that not everyone would be satisfied. But she said the revised proposals represent the best efforts of the department to accommo- date concerns, without losing the environmental benefit. A Department of Environment report on the feedback from public meet- ings and written consulta- tions outlines the key themes that emerged during the con- sultation process. One common suggestion was for fishing restrictions to be placed on non-Cayma- nians only, through an en- hanced licensing system. But the Department of Environment said this was not likely to be effective and would be difficult to police and costly to implement. “Heavy fishing pressure had been identified as the largest directly manageable impact on our marine re- sources. A truly conservation- oriented licensing system will therefore require restricting not only non-Caymanian fishers but also Caymanians,” the report stated. Others suggested spe- cies-specific controls such as exist for conch and lob- ster, rather than large no- take zones. The DoE stated this “diz- zying array” of regulations would be hard for the public to follow and would require constant monitoring of fish- ermen on all three islands. “Our firm position is that marine reserves are the most effective and efficient tool for the protection of our marine resources,” said Ms. Ebanks-Petrie. Addressing concerns about enforcement, she said the proposals did not change the area that the depart- ment’s enforcement officers had to cover. Expansion of no-fishing areas has been achieved in large part through up- grading “replenishment zones” where line-fishing was previously allowed, to what will now be known as “marine reserves.” The new regulations for marine re- serves extend the definition of “no-take” from the shore- line to a depth of 150 feet. The boundaries of the marine reserves will be clearly marked, once ap- proved. The DoE is also working on a GPS-enabled smartphone app which will allow boaters to check if they are in a marine reserve at any time and view the regulations that apply. “Given that they have a variety of biological, fishing, economic and management benefits, the DoE believes that an enhanced system of marine parks is the optimal management tool to ensure the Cayman Islands marine resources are better able to resist or recover from ex- isting and emerging threats,” Ms. Ebanks-Petrie said. Revised marine parks plan put forward CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Manderson: Civil service must resist ministerial pressure CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Phone book recycling under way Collection bins are in place throughout Grand Cayman for people to drop off their old phone books for recycling. The books will be shipped off island and recycled as part of the Cayman Islands Yellow Pages annual commu- nity recycling program “Yellow2Green.” The campaign, which began this week, continues until March 18. Since the recycling pro- gram began, it has kept more than 150,000 direc- tories out of the George Town Landfill, according to the Cayman Islands Yellow Pages. The program includes the Yellow2Green School Challenge, in which pri- mary schools can com- pete to win cash prizes. Prizes for the school that collects the most direc- tories per student body are $1,500 for first place, $1,000 for second place and $700 for third. Also, each primary school will reward the class that collects the most directories with a sandwich party, and the top three students across the entire program will win gift certificates for Books & Books. Yellow2Green recy- cling containers are in nine locations throughout the island: Foster’s Food Fair stores, Hurley’s Supermarket, Mail Boxes Etc., Regal Cinemas at Camana Bay, and at the Yellow Pages Office. According to a press re- lease from Yellow Pages, the directories will be shipped to GreenFiber, an insulation manufacturer in the United Sates. “GreenFiber will con- vert our recycled phone books into a material that will be used for home in- sulation that aids in en- ergy efficiency,” the com- pany stated.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Friday February 26, 2016 IF YOU ARE A YOUNG CAYMANIAN AGED 18 TO 30 WITH A GREAT IDEA FOR A NEW BUSINESS, THEN 2016 IS THE YEAR YOU CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN! 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