ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY MARCH 17, 2016 Road User If luck isn’t on your side, BritCay is. Extra benefits come without having to pay more premium if you insure your car with BritCay. BritCay also has a great reputation for settling claims fast. Ask for a quote. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky FREE $10 Million ASSET PROTECTION! with motor cover* *private motor insurance cgigrp Dart buys former Hyatt resort Also acquires Beach Suites, Britannia golf course JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Dart group has bought the old Hyatt resort, the nine-hole Britannia Golf Course and the Beach Suites hotel, which will close following the sale. The historic Hyatt hotel, once an icon of Cayman’s tourism industry, has not been redeveloped since sustaining significant damage during Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Embassy Investments, the current owner of all three properties, had announced plans to transform the concrete shell of the old hotel into a new resort and conference center. Those plans have now been shelved. Dart Realty’s Chief Executive Officer Mark VanDevelde said the acquisition fol- lows years of on-and-off discussions be- tween the two parties. He could not say at this stage whether the Hyatt building will be redeveloped or demolished, or what will happen to the Beach Suites. “We have no definitive redevelopment plans as yet,” he said. “In the coming months, we will care- fully study the site, explore the options and master plan its integration into Camana Bay,” he said. Jan Bertelsen of Embassy Investments confirmed that Beach Suites, on Seven Mile Beach, would close in September. He said the company’s staff would be offered sever- ance packages and would get help in finding new employment opportunities. Staff were informed of the decision in a series of meetings Wednesday afternoon. According to Dart, they will be offered opportunities at the new Kimpton Seafire POLICE: NO EARLY 911 CALL ON MISSING BOATERS Phone records, 911 logs cited to refute family claim JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Police and emergency call center offi- cials have refuted claims from relatives of five people missing at sea that a 911 call was made to report the incident several hours ear- lier than has officially been acknowledged. Citing records from the telephone com- pany and 911 call logs, officials denied that a call had been made at 8:29 p.m. on the night of the incident – more than three hours before police say they were first informed about the missing boat at 11:57 p.m. Their comments came after family mem- bers of the victims circulated images of their own cellphones which appeared to show calls to 911 earlier on Sunday evening. The family also released a joint statement questioning the police’s explanation and time- line of how and when they responded to the emergency on March 6. SEIZED DIRT BIKES STOLEN FROM POLICE STATION Multiple security breaches since last summer BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Five illegal dirt bikes confiscated during police operations earlier this year were stolen from the rear yard of the George Town Police Station sometime over the weekend, police re- ported Tuesday, following questions about the theft from local news outlets. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service revealed that three other dirt bikes went missing from behind the police station on Feb. 29. Three of the eight bikes that were stolen were recovered Tuesday in George Town. “These bikes were recently confiscated as part of a police crackdown on off-road bikes around the island and were chained with pad- locks in a fenced area in the rear yard,” said RCIPS Chief Superintendent Kurt Walton. “Thieves cut through the chain and the fence locks to gain access to the bikes.” It appears the culprits climbed over the PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Doctors buy Tomlinson hospital CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Doctors from Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital, along with other in- vestors, finalized a deal Wednesday to buy the hospital from its founder, Dr. Steve Tomlinson. Dr. Yaron Rado, one of the new owners, said the deal has been in the works for four years. “It has taken a lot of persis- tence,” he said, “but now is when the real work starts.” Dr. Tomlinson will remain at the hos- pital, focused solely on treating patients. “I sincerely believe it is in the best in- terest of our islands that the physicians and medical practitioners, all of whom are deeply attached to CTMH, are able to con- tinue to grow the hospital,” he said in a press release. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » The Beach Suites on Seven Mile Beach will close in September. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY The old Hyatt building has been empty since it was damaged in Hurricane Ivan in 2004. From left, David Pellow, Dr. Yaron Rado, Dr. Steve Tomlinson and Nadine Tomlinson-Brown announce the sale of Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital on Wednesday. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY MARCH 17, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Sponsored by: SATURDAY, MARCH 19th 8PM LONDON HAS FALLEN (R) 1:20 I 4:00 I 7:00 I 9:25 ZOOTOPIA 3D (PG13) 12:30 I 1:00 2D I 3:00 I 3:30 2D I 5:30 7:15 2D I 8:00 I 9:45 2D THE BROTHERS GRIMSBY (R) 12:50 I 3:00 I 5:10 I 7:20 I 9:30 GODS OF EGYPT 3D (PG13) 12:40 I 3:30 2D I 6:50 I 9:50 2D EYE IN THE SKY (R) 1:10 I 3:40 I 7:10 I 9:55 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. © y x *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - THURSDAY - Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) Sports department honors women with health and wellness events KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Department of Sports is honoring women this month with events fo- cused on women’s health and fitness. On Tuesday, the de- partment hosted a free Women’s Health, Wellness and Nutrition Presentation at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex and is in- viting women to a demon- stration and workout with CrossFit 7 Mile on West Bay Road on Saturday. “Every women’s month … we try to honor women and also try to make the public more aware of what’s going on and try to increase awareness of and participation in sports, to get more women involved,” Merta Day, sports coordi- nator for women, said. “We thought, we’re oftentimes focusing on a lot of phys- ical activity, so we need to start including some more wellness.” This year, the depart- ment has partnered with the Cayman Islands Cancer Society for the presentation on women’s health. The event on Tuesday began with a presenta- tion on the human papil- lomavirus (HPV) and cer- vical cancer by TrinCay’s Kirk Donald, a medical technologist. Data on the incidence of cervical cancer and HPV in the Cayman Islands is not available, but Mr. Donald said that based on the 600 to 700 patients he has seen in three years working at TrinCay, the terri- tory is doing well in pre- venting the spread of the sometimes cancer-causing HPV infection. Mr. Donald said he has come across 72 patients with atypical cells of un- determined significance, a common abnormal Pap test result that can be a sign of a present HPV infection. The medical technolo- gist said that once a woman becomes sexually active, or turns 21, she should get a Pap test every year. In the past, it was recommended that women get a Pap test every two years. The Cayman Islands Cancer Society provides free vouchers to women who cannot afford – or whose insurance does not cover – biennial Pap tests. The tests can reveal changes in cells that can indicate cancer or condi- tions that could develop into the disease. Almost all cases of cer- vical cancer are caused by two types of the HPV virus, however Mr. Donald and Cayman Islands Cancer Society Project Coordinator Victoria Anderson said there is an easily accessible vaccine that can protect against the HPV virus. Currently, the cancer so- ciety offers free HPV vac- cinations to girls in the public schools, starting at age 11. Ms. Anderson said boys can also get the vaccine, and the center is looking for more funding to be able to cover the cost of the vac- cine for boys and girls. “Definitely the boys, they do need the vaccine because they are a car- rier of HPV,” Ms. Anderson said. “Any parent who has a boy can go to a health clinic and get the vaccine.” Mr. Donald said the vac- cine should be given to young people starting at age 9, before the onset of sexual activity. Mr. Donald said that while cervical cancer is one of the most curable can- cers, it is still one of the leading causes of death in women because women are not getting checked often or early enough. “Cervical cancer is slow- growing, so there’s ample time for females to check themselves and do their Pap and save themselves from this,” Mr. Donald said. Following the presen- tation on cervical cancer, Andrea Hill, a holistic nu- trition educator, gave a pre- sentation on wellness, gen- eral fitness, sustainable diets and nutrition. Saturday’s session from 1-4 p.m. at CrossFit 7 Mile will feature women performing a workout. Spectators will be invited to try out a few basic CrossFit movements. Beverages and refreshments will be provided. CUBA REPORTS FIRST CASE OF ZIKA TRANSMITTED ON THE ISLAND HAVANA (AP) – Cuban offi- cials announced Tuesday night that they have de- tected the first case of the Zika virus transmitted in- side the country, ending Cuba’s status as one of the last nations in the hemisphere without do- mestic cases of the dis- ease that has been linked to birth defects. State media said a 21-year-old Havana woman who had not trav- eled outside Cuba was di- agnosed with the virus after suffering head- aches, fatigue and other symptoms. On Monday, her blood tested pos- itive for Zika. She remains hospitalized. Cuba had previously reported a handful of cases of the disease in people who had trav- eled to countries with outbreaks of the mos- quito-borne virus, partic- ularly Venezuela, and ap- peared to have contracted it there. Cuba has close ties to Venezuela, a fellow so- cialist country that sends hundreds of millions of dollars a year in sub- sidized oil in exchange for Cuban medical as- sistance that sees many thousands of people travel between the two countries annually. Zika is being investi- gated as a possible agent in cases of microcephaly, a condition in which ba- bies are born with un- usually small heads and brain damage, and also in cases of Guillain- Barre, a rare condition that sometimes results in temporary paralysis. Cuba has thrown more than 9,000 soldiers, police and university stu- dents into an effort to fu- migate for mosquitoes, wipe out the standing water where they breed, with the aim of pre- venting a Zika epidemic. President Raul Castro has called on the na- tion to battle lax fumiga- tion and trash collection, turning the Zika fight into a test of the commu- nist government’s once- legendary ability to mar- shal the entire country behind efforts ranging from civil defense to bigger sugar harvests to disease prevention. In recent days the streets of Havana have been crisscrossed by teams of green-clad sol- diers fumigating houses with mosquito-killing fog. Residents of the cap- ital say fumigators no longer accept excuses of allergies or requests to spray some other day, as frequently happened in the past. Still, neighborhoods like Central Havana, where the patient in Tuesday’s case lives, are filled with decaying buildings, piles of uncol- lected trash and pools of standing water. FIFA sues corrupt officials Seeks at least $2 million from Jeffrey Webb JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com World football governing body FIFA is suing its cor- rupt former executives, in- cluding Cayman’s Jeffrey Webb, in an attempt to claim “tens of millions of dollars” in damages. The association filed pa- pers in a New York court this week claiming that $190 million in assets forfeited by the 41 individuals in- dicted in an ongoing corrup- tion probe should be used to compensate victims, princi- pally FIFA itself. It is also seeking to re- cover salaries and benefits paid to the indicted exec- utives, including just over $2 million from Webb, who has admitted his role in the bribery and kickback scam. The court documents outline some of the crim- inal charges against former FIFA officials, including de- tailing how Webb and his attaché Costas Takkas ne- gotiated a $3 million bribe from sports marketing com- pany Traffic for marketing rights to World Cup quali- fiers in the Caribbean. Webb’s cut, it states, found its way to bank ac- counts in Georgia to enable him to “purchase a small mansion and install a swim- ming pool.” Largely drawn from de- tails in the U.S. Department of Justice indictment, the lawsuit includes an acknowl- edgment from FIFA that of- ficials sold their votes in World Cup bidding contests and that former CONCACAF boss Jack Warner, his gen- eral secretary Chuck Blazer and others were paid a $10 million bribe to vote for South Africa to host the 2010 World Cup. FIFA says its reputa- tion and business relation- ships, as well as its bank balance, have been dam- aged by the actions of its former executives and their associates. It is seeking the return of funds diverted from the organization. Following the release of the victim statement and request for restitution on Wednesday, the organiza- tion’s new president Gianni Infantino said, “These dol- lars were meant to build football fields, not mansions and pools; to buy football kits, not jewelry and cars; and to fund youth player and coach development, not to underwrite lavish life- styles for football and sports marketing executives.” He added that the con- victed defendants had abused positions of trust and caused “serious and lasting damage to FIFA, its member associations and the football community.” “The monies they pock- eted belonged to global foot- ball and were meant for the development and promo- tion of the game. FIFA as the world governing body of football wants that money back and we are determined to get it no matter how long it takes.” The lawsuit states that the corrupt officials’ schemes exploited the ef- forts by FIFA over the years to promote international football and translate the game’s popularity into a commercial success. “Together, the defendants misappropriated FIFA’s re- sources, its brand, and its commercial value to en- large their own bank ac- counts. Their schemes were simplistic, but many in na- ture. In essence, they be- trayed their duties and sold their powers to the highest bidder. Multiple indictments have now been returned that demonstrate varying schemes. Each one of them harmed FIFA, its member associations, the continental confederations, and the game of football.” The lawsuit contains what is understood to be the first public admission from FIFA that some mem- bers of its executive com- mittee regularly sold their votes, manipulating the bid- ding process that decided the host nations for World Cup tournaments. The court documents outline how Trinidadian football official Warner, American Blazer and other co-conspirators secured a $10 million payment in connection with the South African bid to host the 2010 World Cup. “Warner and his co-con- spirators lied to FIFA about the nature of the payment, disguising it as support for the benefit of the ‘African Diaspora’ in the Caribbean region, when in reality it was a bribe,” it states. Jeffrey WebbThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 17, 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” FAYE FLAM It’s been a tough year for science. The American Statistical Association just issued a statement scolding scientists for misusing statis- tical analysis. Scientists con- tinued to fight over an eval- uation of 100 psychological studies, most of which could not be reproduced. Critics have cast doubt on a widely believed psychological theory of human willpower. So yes, science is fallible. Scientists are only human and science is not a synonym for truth. It’s a bumpy, me- andering road that heads in that general direction. That makes skepticism good, up to a point. Beyond that point lie nonsense and superstition. The Earth really is round. So how do you tell what to believe? It’s a very old question. But there’s no need to go back to Plato. Let’s just start in the early 1950s, when the Nobel prizewinning chemist Irving Langmuir laid out a set of warning signs about identifying scientific ideas that might not conform to reality. He gave a handful of examples of what he called pathological science, in- cluding N-rays and mitogenic rays, neither of which exist despite being observed and measured in dozens of peer- reviewed experiments. Something similar may be happening now with a psychological phenomenon known as ego depletion. The theory holds that humans can store up limited sup- plies of self-control. In the seminal 1997 experiment that seemed to confirm this theory, students who were allowed to eat radishes while foregoing a plate of cookies did worse on a subsequent task than students who were allowed to eat the cookies. Many more studies appeared to confirm the conclusion that willpower weakens as it’s used, like a tired muscle. But a new paper reports that recent attempts to replicate the evidence turned up no effect at all. An article in Slate last week called this cause for alarm: “If something this well-established could fall apart, then what’s next? That’s not just worrying. It’s terrifying.” The situation with N-rays was pretty similar, according to Langmuir. Multiple exper- iments not only appeared to confirm their existence but break them down into dif- ferent components whose op- tical parameters were mea- sured with great precision. In the 1920s, hundreds of papers were published on mitogenic rays, which sci- entists thought radiated from plants. Statistical anal- yses seemed to confirm that rays from onion roots would bend the orientation of other nearby onion roots unless they were separated by glass, which was thought to act as a ray blocker. It took years for scientists to come to the real- ization that these phenomena did not exist. But scientists in physics and chemistry have learned from their mistakes. Langmuir saw a pattern to suspect sci- ence, which he reduced to six symptoms. One of the most relevant pertains to statistics – essentially that findings that are later discredited tend to be subtle effects, hard to dis- tinguish mathematically from random noise. Modern statistical tools can tease out subtle phe- nomena, but if not used carefully, they can also fool people into seeing patterns and trends that aren’t there. The American Statistical Association came out this week with a statement out- lining ways that scientists were using statistical tools incorrectly. The association’s director, Ron Wasserstein, said the statement was prompted by concerns that misuse of statistics was con- tributing to a proliferation of questionable results, espe- cially in the social sciences. It was, however, the psy- chology community that rec- ognized there might be a problem. In 2010, a paper claiming evidence for extra- sensory perception got into a respected journal. Alarmed psychologists wondered whether other unlikely re- sults had squeezed through the filters. Sure enough, a controversial paper pub- lished last summer claimed that of 100 psychology exper- iments, only 39 could be rep- licated. That figure has been disputed, ironically, on the grounds that the replicating team made statistical errors. It’s not that social scien- tists are bad at math. They’re not. But statistical anal- ysis can fail from wishful thinking and subtler forms of self-delusion. Physical sci- ence has been around longer and has had more time to learn from past mistakes. It’s also harder for social scientists to recognize an- other of Langmuir’s symp- toms of pathology: “fantastic theories contrary to expe- rience.” This is related to the mantra that extraordi- nary claims require extraor- dinary evidence, which was apparently conceived of by the 18th-century philoso- pher David Hume but articu- lated succinctly by the 20th- century celebrity astronomer Carl Sagan. Physicists today have broad, well-tested theoretical frameworks, and if a claim falls outside, they give it a closer look before believing it. That gives them an efficient means of expelling bunk. For example, several years ago, physicists reported that a particle called a neutrino might have moved faster than the speed of light. Since this would violate Einstein’s theory of relativity, the com- munity was skeptical despite mathematical calculations showing high statistical sig- nificance. The experimenters took a closer look and found a loose cable. Fixing it showed the neutrinos fol- lowed the laws of physics after all. In the late 1980s, physi- cists claimed to have found a groundbreaking new form of energy known as cold fu- sion. Immediately physi- cists around the world tried to replicate it, and some got positive results. It took awhile for the physics main- stream to agree it didn’t exist, but when the stakes are high enough, things eventu- ally get sorted out. Last month, scientists claimed they confirmed Einstein’s theory in the form of gravitational waves, and that result has been more readily accepted. Social science doesn’t have that kind of frame- work. Theories have limited domains. ESP sets off alarm bells because it would re- quire some extraordinary physical mechanism. Ego de- pletion’s extraordinariness is harder to gauge. The psychologist George Loewenstein, who has also written on the reproduc- ibility problem, says the re- cent attention is already catalyzing better practices. That was the purpose of Langmuir’s warning half a century ago. He was not trying to flag cheating, but to explain instances in which scientists were “led astray by subjective effects, wishful thinking or threshold interac- tions.” Loewenstein tells his students to consider not just how to look for evidence that an idea is right, but how they might discover it’s wrong. That’s a critical thinking skill we all can use. Faye Flam writes about science, mathematics and medicine. She has been a staff writer for Science magazine and a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. She is author of ‘The Score: How the Quest for Sex has Shaped the Modern Man.’ © 2016, Bloomberg View Legislative Assembly: Laying out the ‘unwelcome’ mat On Monday, local students convened on the floor of the Legislative Assembly to learn how the Cayman Islands government works in theory. In the outer portion of the building, a young Caymanian journalist was given a lesson in how our government works in reality. Readers, allow us to introduce Alma Chollette. She’s the newest member of the Cayman Compass reporting staff. The issue of Caymanian unemployment, and the lack of opportunities for bright and ambitious young Caymanians, are topics we often address within the pages of our newspaper. With that in mind, we decided to create the new position of “junior reporter” to give a young, intelligent but inexperienced Caymanian the chance to become a journalist. From a competitive field of promising applicants, we chose Ms. Chollette, a gifted graduate of Clifton Hunter High School and UCCI. We hired her in mid- December for a full-time staff position. And we’re delighted that we did. From an employer’s perspec- tive, things couldn’t be going better. Ms. Chollette has turned out to be a productive, enthusiastic and reliable member of our newsroom. For the past three months, Ms. Chollette has been on the job, pursuing the time-honored tradi- tion of learning to practice journalism by practicing it. This Monday, we dispatched her to the Legislative Assembly to cover the mock session of Youth Parlia- ment that is held each year on Commonwealth Day. Ms. Chollette was remarkably qualified for this assignment. Just three years ago, she herself par- ticipated in the Youth Parliament as the third elected member from Bodden Town. Now a professional reporter, Ms. Chollette arrived at the Legislative Assembly. On her way from the entrance up to the gallery, she was waved down by Serjeant-at-Arms J. Kim Evans, a former police officer whose physical prodigiousness renders him an intimi- dating figure, even when he’s not trying to intimidate. Mr. Evans demanded to know what had brought our young Caymanian reporter to the Legislative Assembly. She informed him that she works for the Compass. He insisted on seeing her media pass. She didn’t have one, she said; this was her first time here as a reporter. Never mind that this was not an actual sitting of the Legislative Assembly. Never mind that Ms. Chol- lette was trying to inform the community about positive things her fellow young Caymanians were doing. Never mind that this was an event that the gov- ernment invited the public to attend; or that it was being broadcast on television; or that the only reason she was being questioned was that she happened to be armed with a ballpoint pen. No, Mr. Evans said, he will not allow her to view the Youth Parliament from the gallery. Why? Because. That’s why. Current House Speaker Juliana O’Connor-Con- nolly has, to her credit, abstained from issuing punitive policies restricting journalists’ use of cellphones, com- puters or recording devices. She has treated the press, and the public, with fairness and respect. There is no indication that Ms. O’Connor-Connolly knows anything about this particular incident involving Ms. Chollette and the Serjeant-at-Arms. But she should know — and we’re telling her now. The Legislative Assembly must be the most open and inviting deliberative body, and building, in the Cayman Islands. “The People’s House” is no place for bullying, intimidation and obstruction. THURSDAY MARCH 17, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Trust in science?5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 17, 2016 180904_PRINT2-Ad-QP-IrishJog-17MPage 1 2/18/16 4:39:32 PM Welcome to Cayman’s Tenth Annual Swordfish Tournament The 2016 Cayman Swordfish Challenge is two nights of fishing, 18-19th March. t s a team event with a captain and at least one angler. Entry fee is CI$500 per team of four including the team captain + CI$100 each for any additional anglers. CI$20,000 in Cash Prizes! $5000 Heaviest Total Weight (1 or 2 fish combined) $3000 2nd Heaviest Total Weight (1 or 2 fish combined) $2000 3rd Heaviest Total Weight (1 or 2 fish combined) $2000 Most Releases 1st evening $2000 Most Releases 2nd evening $2000 Heaviest Total Weight 1st evening (1 or 2 fish combined) $2000 Heaviest Total Weight 2nd evening (1 or 2 fish combined) $1000 Single Heaviest Swordfish caught in Cayman Brac $1000 Single Heaviest Swordfish caught in Grand Cayman Registration and Captain’s meeting is on 17th March 6:30pm at The Barcadere (Dock/Weigh Station). More information on how to enter go to www.caymanswordfish.ky or Call King at 345 916 2177 CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Investment & Commerce I Welcome to Cayman’s Tenth Annual Swordfish Tournament The 2016 Cayman Swordfish Challenge is two nights of fishing, 18-19th March. t s a team event with a captain and at least one angler. Entry fee is CI$500 per team of four including the team captain + CI$100 each for any additional anglers. CI$20,000 in Cash Prizes! $5000 Heaviest Total Weight (1 or 2 fish combined) $3000 2nd Heaviest Total Weight (1 or 2 fish combined) $2000 3rd Heaviest Total Weight (1 or 2 fish combined) $2000 Most Releases 1st evening $2000 Most Releases 2nd evening $2000 Heaviest Total Weight 1st evening (1 or 2 fish combined) $2000 Heaviest Total Weight 2nd evening (1 or 2 fish combined) $1000 Single Heaviest Swordfish caught in Cayman Brac $1000 Single Heaviest Swordfish caught in Grand Cayman Registration and Captain’s meeting is on 17th March 6:30pm at The Barcadere (Dock/Weigh Station). More information on how to enter go to www.caymanswordfish.ky or Call King at 345 916 2177 CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Investment & Commerce I Credit card fraudsters attempted almost 400 ATM withdrawals CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Five people who con- spired to defraud local banks attempted to use cloned credit cards almost 400 times within a four-day pe- riod, Crown counsel Toyin Salako said in Grand Court on Tuesday. There were 59 attempts to withdraw cash from au- tomatic teller machines at Butterfield Bank, but most were unsuccessful, she re- ported. Sums totalling $1,800 were obtained. There were 340 attempted withdrawals from Cayman National Bank, she said. The total amount obtained was $16,675 in 51 fraudulent trans- actions that succeeded. If all of the attempts had succeeded, the withdrawals would have added up to $96,765. Ms. Salako was explaining the case against Romanian nationals Ovidui-Giulian Dobrea, 40, Ionut-Catalin Petcu, 27, and Marius- Ioan Bud-Popa, 42; Ayoub Cheaaibi, 22, a British na- tional; and Nytia Tynea Bradley, 26, an American. They pleaded guilty last week to conspiring together with persons unknown to de- fraud the banks by dishon- estly withdrawing cash from ATMs with the use of cloned credit cards between Oct. 31 and Nov. 3. Individually, they pleaded guilty to various charges of converting crim- inal property – cash with- drawn – by using it to make purchases at local stores. Other related charges were also admitted. Ms. Salako noted that all of the withdrawals from ATMs had been in Cayman Islands currency, as at the time there had been a freeze on U.S. cash withdrawals. After hearing details of the offenses and mitiga- tion from defense attorneys, Justice Alastair Malcolm said he would pass sentence on Friday afternoon, March 18. Ms. Salako explained that on Nov. 2, CNB staff reported that two U.K. store cards and two gift cards had been re- tained by ATMs. Genuine credit card data can be em- bossed onto a gift card’s magnetic strip by means of a swipe device with the stolen genuine data down- loaded from information on a computer. Closed circuit television cameras showed images of Cheeaibi and Bradley, alone or together, using the cards. A CNB employee who saw the two on the street followed them to a down- town jewelry store. Police were notified and investi- gations led to the other de- fendants. They had all been staying in adjacent rooms at Treasure Island Resort. Items found included cloned credit cards with gen- uine card data on magnetic strips, two laptop computers, cellphones and a small re- mote camera used to record customer transactions at ATMs. Cash seized totalled CI$12,342 and US$1,202. One of the laptops seized contained credit card data. Police were able to retrieve messages from a “Mr. B” who gave instructions on how to make the withdrawals. Mr. B said if the defendants were greedy and tried to withdraw a card’s daily limit, “the card will die sooner.” They were also told to “keep trying” with rejected cards. The amount of money ob- tained did not lessen the de- fendants’ criminality, Ms. Salako suggested, because they intended great harm to Cayman and the banking community. Their offending highlighted the vulnerability of the credit card system, she said. “Before 2013, we did not have this kind of offending in the Cayman Islands,” she said. Ms. Salako submitted that the Cayman Islands were being deliberately targeted because of weaknesses as far as credit card withdrawals from ATMs were concerned. Discussions with Mr. B made reference to London time and card daily limits expressed in British pounds. Ms. Salako said the pass- ports and fingerprints of all five defendants were sent to the U.K. and authorities there provided informa- tion as to previous convic- tions. Dobrea and Bradley had none; the other three had various convictions for dishonesty. The Law Courts building in downtown George Town. Ms. Salako noted that all of the withdrawals from ATMs had been in Cayman Islands currency, as at the time there had been a freeze on U.S. cash withdrawals.THURSDAY MARCH 17, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 6 DISTRICT DAYS District Days Bodden Town In the March 16, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass the newspaper reported: “We much regret that due to pressure of professional and domestic commitments, Mr. A.B. Hunter has found it impossible to continue acting as our Bodden Town correspondent. “We thank him very much indeed for his services in this capacity and trust that he will be able to contribute articles from time to time in columns in the future.” 50 YEARS AGO Bodden Town correspondent resigns Easter activities kick off this weekend Parents are encouraged to bring their kids to a morning of fun and games at the Bodden Town public li- brary this weekend. In the spirit of the upcoming Easter holiday, the library’s Jerome Evans says the Day of Easter event on Saturday, March 19, is designed for kids ages 1-8, The morning will feature a variety of activities in- cluding story time, and musical chairs, as well as snacks, bunny pet- ting and the chance to meet with a costumed rabbit. This free event will run from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In Savannah, kids ages 5 and under are invited to a story time and Easter egg hunt at the Cayman Islands Baptist Church Children and Youth Center. The event takes place 10–11:30 a.m. In addition to story time, activity stations will feature crafts, face painting, races and cookie decora- tion for the kids. Kids are encour- aged to bring their own baskets. Also on Saturday, the Newlands Seventh-day Adventist Church is hosting a guest appreciation day from 9:30-11 a.m. Kicking off the Easter weekend, on Thursday, March 23, the Bodden Town Primary PTA will be holding a fish fry from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the school. In Savannah, kids ages 5 and under are invited to a story time and Easter Egg hunt at the Cayman Islands Baptist Church Children and Youth Center. The Bodden Town Public Library will be holding Easter fun and games for kids on Saturday, March 19. GEORGE NOWAK Tooksie Whittaker lived on Old School Lane in Breakers. She hated speeders and would recall for guests an ac- cident which took place in her younger days: “Them people drive to fool nowadays. Long time ago, a woman named Jessie crashed right into my fence with her horse. That’s what we called a saddle slide,” she would say. In her later days, Ms. Whittaker would get weekly visits from the govern- ment nurse. The nurse would leave her tablets, but once the nurse left, Ms. Whittaker stored them away in a huge cookie jar. Instead, she re- sorted to natural medicine by placing bush leaves under the brim of her Pac-man cap. She passed away in 1994. This photograph is from the book ‘The People Time Forgot’ by George Nowak, available at the National Museum. All proceeds go toward museum projects. Adina ‘Tooksie’ Whittaker People The Time Forgot Adina ‘Tooksie’ WhittakerCAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 17, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days Bodden Town ‘God’s gem’ honored by church community JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A member of the Bodden Town Church of God has been honored for more than six decades of service to the same church. In recognition of her faithful service, the dozens of well-wishers from the church community surprised “Sister” Ginger Solomon with a re- ception on Sunday, March 12, at the Family Life Centre on Walkers Road. Now 87, Ms. Solomon has been part of the congrega- tion since the 1950s. Over the years, she has served the church as an elder, fill- in pastor, Sunday school teacher, usher, choir girl and church caretaker. As the dedications rolled in, “disciplinarian” and “prayer warrior” were among the words used to describe Ms. Solomon, who was also praised by Church of God Pastor Winston Rose for being dependable, loyal and dedicated to God and the Bodden Town congre- gation, as well as a “God’s gem” to his family. Tributes from friends and family noted her com- mitment to God and his principles, and that she was a wonderful friend to people as far away as Haiti, the United States and Jamaica. Ms. Solomon’s straightfor- ward, no-nonsense attitude proved a foil to church mem- bers who tried to get her out of the house on Sunday to at- tend the function. She gently refused to go, as she nor- mally would not leave the house on Sunday after church was over, and it took a lot of convincing before she agreed to accompany them. Earlier life Ginger Loretta Solomon grew up in a family home on Manse Road, Bodden Town, with her mother Nessie, older sister Valma, her aunt Dosa and sometimes her aunt Letita Gordon and cousin Carl, according to her close friend Mary Lawrence. Ms. Solomon enjoyed a happy childhood filled with constant activity. Her mother and aunts were all great cooks who believed in doing things the “proper” way, tal- ents Ms. Solomon inherited. Perfection was also some- thing she strived for, and practiced throughout her life. Ms. Solomon attended the Town Hall School where she excelled in her studies. Always proud of her inde- pendence, to everyone’s sur- prise she learned to drive and bought herself a car. She also loved to travel and some- times would take off just for a weekend, or to visit a newly added Cayman Airways des- tination. During her life, she made trips to London, Europe, the Holy Land, the Far East, the Caribbean and South America, both as a missionary and as a tourist. When religion came to Manse Road, first with the Latter-Day Saints and then the Church of God, Ms. Solomon was one of the first to enlist. Early on, she and her best friend, the late Floris McCoy, were sin- gled out as leaders, and the young women were sent to Bible School in Jamaica for training in leading Sunday school, church services and playing the piano. The two were also care- takers of the church, often making sure the church was clean, the gas lights were ready, and the mosquito re- pellent and smoke pots were in place. Sunday School les- sons, planning programs for service, conducting re- hearsals for children and young people for spe- cial events like Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day and Convention, ringing the church bell and making sure everyone was there on time, visiting the sick and shut-ins and spreading the word of God also became their responsibilities. Ms. Solomon took her re- sponsibilities seriously, and when Ms. McCoy decided to pursue further education abroad, Ms. Solomon took up the slack. Even when she started work at Caribbean Utilities Company, her church re- mained foremost in her life. Ms. Solomon joined the com- pany in May 1970, working in several departments as the company developed, and earning the respect of the staff and all those she came in contact with. She retired on April 29, 1999, after 29 years of “faithful and loyal service.” On Heroes Day in January 2010, she received the Queen’s Badge and Certificate of Honour. Since her retirement from CUC, her life has been to- tally committed to the work of the church, including the development of the new complex which will also serve the community as a hurricane shelter. As the church grew, Ms. Solomon has grown with it, holding positions of re- sponsibility and trust, not just within the Bodden Town congregation but on the national level in the General Assembly. A dedication to young people Growing up under her strong discipline and Christian influences, Janet Lawrence, Mary Lawrence’s daughter, said Ms. Solomon and church sister Diana Whittaker exemplified the true meaning of the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child” long before the phrase became popular. “The behavior of some kids in the community tol- erated … today would not have been accepted 40 years ago. You were never allowed to get out of line, she would always cast that stern look of disapproval and immediately tell you to behave,” said Ms. Lawrence, noting the children knew their parents would al- ways find out if they mis- behaved. “I still don’t know how she did it. There weren’t any phones and you couldn’t drive,” she said. Among her treasured mem- ories involving Ms. Solomon are the youth meetings held at the Lawrence family home and at the parsonage. Among the corned beef sandwiches and swanky drink, she said, it was there that many char- acters were shaped and lives were influenced. Ms. Solomon was dedi- cated to youth, and was al- ways there for church pic- nics, camps, Bible school, Convention, sunrise ser- vices, youth fellowship and reaching out to the girls in the Girls’ Home. As succeeding generations have come to Bodden Town and the church, Ms. Solomon continued to dedicate herself to building the bridges that take young people from child to teenager to adult. “She never had any chil- dren of her own, but the com- munity’s children were all her children,” said Ms. Lawrence. “When they grew up and started having kids, Ms. Solomon adopted them the same way. Their childhood memories of her are the same as their parents’. Ms. Solomon’s light and legacy is evident every day in the lives she touched and influ- enced for generations,” said Ms. Lawrence. Added Mary Lawrence, “Her relationship and em- pathy with young people made us regard her as a “Mother in Israel.” The Church of God community gathered to celebrate the contributions of Ginger Solomon. Samuel Rose hugs Ms. Solomon for the part she played in his life growing up.Norma and Bill Jackson present Ms. Solomon with a plaque on behalf of the congregation.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY MARCH 17, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS You were a Dad and Grandfather who was so special And who was loved so very much, And brought so much happiness, To the many hearts you touched. You were always kind and caring And so understanding too, And, if help was ever needed, It so freely came from you. You were a gift to all the world And brought joy to everyone, And life has never been the same Ever since you have been gone, One sad year ago. Forever in our hearts, we miss you. Randy, Kerry, Danielle, Ashley and Amanda You were a Dad and Grandfather who was so specialYou were a Dad and Grandfather who was so special resort, depending on interest and suitability. “I am pleased that the Grand Cayman Beach Suites staff, which includes many talented and long-serving Caymanians, will have the opportunity to be consid- ered for employment with our group of companies,” said Juliet Du Feu, vice president of human re- sources at Dart, who previ- ously worked in human re- sources for the Hyatt. The Dart group is al- ready at various stages of development on a variety of projects across its ex- tensive land and property holdings in the Seven Mile Beach corridor. Once the Kimpton con- struction project is com- plete, the developer will begin work on a five-star hotel on neighboring prop- erty and has announced plans for a resort district linking Seven Mile Beach to new restaurants and ameni- ties on the North Sound. The company is also con- tinuing with plans for a dra- matic expansion to Camana Bay. That project involves the creation of two new un- derpasses and the rerouting of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, which will be ex- panded to four lanes. While Dart has yet to re- veal its plans for the newly acquired properties, the de- veloper had previously dis- cussed a potential partner- ship with Britannia to create an 18-hole golf course next to Camana Bay. In an interview with Cayman Compass sister publication the Cayman Islands Journal in May last year, Mr. VanDevelde discussed the possibility of Dart, which also owns the North Sound Golf Club, having a hand in as many as three courses in that area. At the time, the company was contemplating a part- nership to expand the nine- hole Britannia course into an 18-hole course, largely using the neighboring “Limestone” property, which it acquired in 2006. In its heyday, the lavish Grand Cayman Hyatt Britannia Resort was fa- mous for its manicured grounds and exotic gardens and attracted Hollywood cameras for the shooting of the movie “The Firm.” In 2014, Embassy Investments had submitted plans to expand the Beach Suites and revive the Hyatt, linking the two venues through a pedestrian bridge. It has now abandoned those plans, deciding instead to sell both properties. “I know the hospital has a strong future under the gov- ernance of this experienced CTMH team, and I am proud to pass the baton to this new generation of leaders.” Dr. Tomlinson named the hospital for his mother, who died shortly after her son broke ground on the Walkers Road facility. Dr. Rado called the sale a “generational change” and told the Cayman Compass, “We do have some big plans.” He said the new owners are keeping those plans to them- selves for the time being. He said most of the doctors at the hospital, as well as some outside investors and business people in Cayman, bought shares. Patients will not see any changes with their doc- tors, nurses and staff, he said, but they will see some changes soon, which he de- scribed as a “streamlining” and “face-lift” to the hospi- tal’s operations. “We will be more compet- itive than we were before,” said Dr. Rado, a radiologist at the hospital. “We have some ambitious growth plans and now we have financial support; the next few years represent a tremendous opportunity to build on Chrissie Tomlinson’s history of exceptional health- care,” he said in a statement announcing the sale. In the short term, Dr. Rado said, “We will assess more than doing big things. “Doctors look after pa- tients, that’s what we do best,” he said in an interview after the sale was announced. He emphasized that that is what the new owners plan to continue doing. Dr. Rado said the new owners “took over the hos- pital as it is,” including keeping the staff and taking over all existing contracts. Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital was opened as a private, for- profit hospital in May 2000 by Dr. Tomlinson. The 18-bed hospital specializes in sur- gery, with 26 doctors and 120 people on staff. Earlier this year, the group of doctors advertised for Caymanian investors to help buy and run the hospital, with a goal of raising about $30 million to purchase the hospital and its assets. The ad said the capital from investors would be used to “purchase the real estate upon which the hospital is located, purchase shares in the operating companies, in- cluding equipment and sup- plies, employ the requisite expertise and provide addi- tional capital for upgrades during the first year of opera- tion of the business.” In an interview last year, Dr. Tomlinson told the Cayman Compass that the hospital has about 120 major cases a month. Doctors buy Tomlinson hospital Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital is under new ownership. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Dart buys former Hyatt resort The Dart group is already at various stages of development on a variety of projects across its extensive land and property holdings in the Seven Mile Beach corridor. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Dr. [Steve] Tomlinson will remain at the hospital, focused solely on treating patients. KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com For years, the Cayman Heart Fund has been working to reduce the in- stance and impact of car- diovascular disease in the Cayman Islands. Two events this weekend aim to support its cause. On Friday, the Cayman Heart Fund and Florida- based hospital Baptist Health International are hosting the Ruby Luncheon, a semiformal event at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort. Attendees are asked to wear red attire to the fund- raiser, which begins at 10:30 a.m. with a women’s expo. Lunch begins at noon, when keynote speaker Dr. Yvonne Turner Johnson will speak on “Secrets of a Woman’s Heart.” Dr. Johnson is the co-medical director of the Emergency Department at Baptist Health South Florida and the emergency director of the Heart Attack Unit at South Miami Hospital. Tickets are $50 per person or $450 for corporate tables of 10. Proceeds will help pay for a new ambulance to add to the Emergency Medical Service’s fleet. The event is part of the Cayman Heart Fund’s annual International Symposium. On Thursday, the symposium begins with an educational program for medical professionals. Seven international hos- pitals are bringing doctors who specialize in some as- pect of cardiovascular dis- ease to give talks to local health professionals. On Saturday, a free Heart Smart Health Fair runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Arts and Recreation Center at Camana Bay. It will in- clude exhibitions from in- ternational health organiza- tions and free cardiac risk screenings, including blood pressure, body mass index and blood sugar and cho- lesterol checks. Individuals interested in these screen- ings should not eat or snack for 10 hours prior to the screening. The Cayman Islands Diabetes Association will provide free HBAC1 testing. Individuals with long-term diabetes are encouraged to take the test. Those who register to become a blood donor at the event will receive a free plant courtesy of Vigoro Nursery. HEART HEALTH FOCUS OF WEEKEND EVENTSThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 17, 2016 We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Joyce Brenda Holness affectionately known as "Brenda" of School House Road, George Town who passed away on Thursday, March 10, 2016. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Friday, March 18, 2016 at the Church of God Chapel, Walkers Road at 2:00p.m. Viewing will be from 1:00 until 1:45p.m. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Friday, The statement included a claim that Pauline Mullings, the mother of one of the missing men, Gary Mullings, had called 911 on Sunday evening and “pleaded with police to find the babies who were in the boat.” The statement also claimed a second call, lasting roughly 40 seconds, was made at 10:42 p.m. from the phone of Melody Mullings-Brown, the mother of the two boys Kamron, 11, and Kanyi, 9, who were on board the boat. “It is befuddling to us that the calls at 8:29 p.m. and 10:42 p.m. have not been ac- knowledged and further we query why those calls did not result in any police ac- tion,” said the family state- ment, accompanied by pho- tographs of the cellphone screens, showing the call de- tails, including time, date and duration. They cite the calls, among other concerns and questions, as further ev- idence of their allegation of “police inaction” on the night of the incident. In a joint statement on Tuesday evening, the Department of Public Safety Communications, which has responsibility for the Emergency Communications Center, and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service main- tained that no call had been made to 911 to report the missing boat before 11:57 p.m. that night. The statement claimed a call was made from one of the cellphones in question at 8:29 a.m. the following morning – exactly 12 hours later than claimed. It said a transcript of this call, which including a statement from the caller that their family member “went out on a boat yesterday”, would be made public, though that had not happened by press time Wednesday. According to the state- ment, “This number was checked through the 911 call log systems, which de- termined definitively that no 911 calls were received from this number anytime on Sunday, March 6. “However, a call was received by 911 from this number the following morning, Monday, March 7 at 8:29 a.m.” Screenshots from the phone said to have made the Sunday evening call include details of three other unre- lated calls, made around the same time that night. Police say they obtained information from the phone provider which indicates the times reflected for all four calls is inaccurate. “These calls are actually identified as being 12 hours after the photo reflects, based upon provider toll data,” ac- cording to the joint statement from police and 911. The search of 911 logs did find evidence of a 40-second call from the phone of Ms. Mullings-Brown, timed at 10:52 p.m. on Sunday evening. But police say no in- formation was relayed during the call. “This is what can be re- ferred to as an open line, that is, there is no substantive con- versation, but instead just an open recording of 40 seconds of ambient sound in the prox- imity of the telephone,” police said in the statement. The statement continued, “The 911 Communications Centre has the critical duty to receive and respond to all emergency calls from the public. It is critical that public confidence in the Centre is not undermined by misrepre- sentations or manipulation of technical equipment. “The RCIPS categorically denies allegations that it has failed to respond or withheld information regarding this tragic incident.” Three men, Gary Mullings, Edsell Haylock and Nicholas Watler and two children, Kamron and Kanyi Brown, have been missing at sea for 11 days after they did not return from a fishing trip on March 6. Their capsized boat was found the following morning, approximately 20 miles offshore. Since the incident, police have faced criticism from the family, and in the commu- nity, for the speed of their re- sponse. The police helicopter was not launched until around 8:30 a.m. on Monday. In previous interviews, se- nior police officers have said the weather conditions made an offshore helicopter mis- sion impossible on Sunday night and that time was re- quired early Monday to de- termine where to begin looking for the missing craft amid conflicting reports of where it was last sighted. The family, in their state- ment, questioned why marine unit boats were not deployed on the night of the incident, pointing out that private sea captains joined the search “without hesitation.” Citing previous incidents where police search and rescue operations had been mounted in rough conditions, they say they cannot understand why marine officers were not sent out till Monday morning. The family has also publi- cized a map of the police he- licopter’s movements on the Sunday night, which they say undermines the credibility of police’s claim that they checked out reports of a boat flare sighted off North West Point on Sunday evening. Based on the flight pat- tern and timings, they claim the helicopter does not hover over the area for a signifi- cant period of time. The re- cords do show the helicopter in the vicinity of North West Point. Police insist they did check the report of a flare and found nothing. According to the family’s statement, “It is our belief that such a short flyover was not and could never consti- tute a search for our family.” Governor Helen Kilpatrick said last week she would ap- point an independent person to investigate the police re- sponse, following a request from Police Commissioner David Baines. Mr. Baines said his officers had acted appro- priately and professionally, but that he was requesting the inquiry in the interests of transparency. The family, in their state- ment, said they welcomed a public inquiry but would like it to be an independent judi- cial inquiry headed by a judge selected from a shortlist pro- vided by all parties involved and with the family able to in- struct its own legal represen- tatives to ensure the inquiry is “fair and transparent.” “With independent scru- tiny, if the timeline we are presenting is found to be true and if the issues we raise show significant failings on behalf of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, then those responsible should have the fullest sanctions available brought against them,” the statement said. Police: No early 911 call on missing boaters CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Seized dirt bikes stolen from police station back wall of the police sta- tion, took the dirt bikes from where they were being kept and then simply walked out the main gate which opens via a motion sensor. No code or key card is required to exit the fence, only to enter. CCTV cameras that mon- itor the backyard area of the main police station are in- stalled and are supposed to record the premises 24-7. However, Mr. Walton said those cameras did not appear to be working on either Feb. 29 or this weekend when the dirt bikes were taken. Police officers have now been stationed to monitor the backyard lot around the clock. Additional chain link fencing with barbed wire is being installed on top of the concrete wall that encircles the facility and a night time lock will be placed on the lot entrance, police said. Mr. Walton said the dirt bike thefts represent just one of the many problems police are encountering in a con- demned station building that is no longer fit for that pur- pose and is essentially dete- riorating around them. “The rear yard of George Town Police Station was orig- inally intended as a carpark, not a police compound,” said Mr. Walton. “The security for this area has been a problem for us since the 1990s. We continue to struggle with the limitations of providing 21st century policing with a building that was long ex- ceeded its building life span.” Drugs theft In addition to the recent thefts of dirt bikes, a signifi- cant quantity of cocaine and ganja was stolen from a po- lice container in the back yard of the police station last July. After initially reporting that nothing had been taken in a July 13, 2015 break- in outside the police sta- tion, the RCIPS confirmed in September 2015 that “a quan- tity” of illegal drugs was taken from an evidence container there. The container was used to store “old evidence” and “drugs awaiting disposal,” po- lice said at the time. The police also stated in September that the “actions of those responsible” for fol- lowing evidence handling and storage procedures at the police station would be re- viewed. Police Commissioner David Baines has publicly stated since then that police officers were being investi- gated in connection with the drug thefts. Under formal questioning in the Legislative Assembly by Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson revealed that 24 kilograms of cocaine and 33 kilograms of ganja were stolen from the container. Mr. Manderson indicated that the drugs were not intended to be used as evidence in any on- going investigation, but had been set aside for destruction at the earliest opportunity after having washed ashore. Building problems known Commissioner Baines and Ministry of Home Affairs Chief Officer Eric Bush have both spoken repeatedly in the past five to six years about the need for new and/or im- proved jail cells and police station facilities generally, in George Town and in West Bay. However, funding for those improvements has not been available as Cayman has struggled through budget difficulties in recent years. Concern regarding the police jails was practi- cally the first public state- ment made by Commissioner Baines after he took the job in June 2009. “There was a real issue … about West Bay, actually the station, the size of the com- munity, and the demands facing it is another area,” he said following a meeting with Cayman Islands Cabinet members. “We’ve raised with the governor the state of the central [George Town] lock- up and detention facilities on [Grand Cayman] which, if we’re going to prefer obli- gations under human rights legislation, need to be ad- dressed and fairly quickly.” Mr. Bush said more re- cently that, going back to 2008, plans for a modern po- lice holding facility were set for the proposed Bodden Town Emergency Centre. However, in early 2010, plans for the $15 million combined police, fire and medical response station were “delayed indefinitely” due to a lack of funding. “We planned to build the new jail at the Bodden Town Emergency Centre, but due to the economy it just couldn’t happen,” Mr. Bush said. Since that time, govern- ment has installed modular units in the Fairbanks area of George Town for prisoner de- tention. Those modular units just opened for police use this weekend, officials confirmed. In 2015, the Progressives-led administration proposed moving the George Town Police Station to a new facility, but that has not occurred. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Dirt bikes were stolen from this enclosure behind the George Town Police Station. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERS A photograph of a cellphone screen circulated by the family of the missing boaters appears to show details of a 911 call made by a family member at 8.29 p.m. on Sunday, March 6.Next >