ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2016 DISTRICT DAYS | PAGE 7 FISHING TOURNAMENT REMEMBERS ‘GRESSY’ High of 87 Low of 75 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 FINANCIAL SERVICES: WHAT IS OUR MESSAGE, WHO IS OUR MESSENGER? 180682-B_PRINT-Ad-Strip-ScholarsPage 1 2/24/16 9:55:00 AM Premier: ‘Beneficial ownership’ agreement finalized with UK CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands government and the United Kingdom announced Monday a new agreement on accessing company owner- ship information, that has been in the works since 2013. The agreement, announced in Cayman by Premier Alden McLaughlin just minutes after U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron spoke of the deal in the House of Commons, lays out the details for the new centralized system for Cayman officials to access ben- eficial ownership information. The agreement gives Cayman until July 2017 to get the system up and running. The system, the premier said, will give the Min- istry of Financial Services access to the data in the corporate services companies’ data- bases without the target companies or the service providers knowing. The premier, speaking at a press con- ference Monday morning, said, “These ne- gotiations, and indeed the entire process, which began in 2013 has been difficult and complex, but again, it’s the outcome that’s important: The U.K. has recognized that our system of enhancements meets their criteria for the sharing of information; meets global standards; and is best for this jurisdiction.” The deal does not include a public reg- istry, nor does it create a central gov- ernment-maintained registry. The new system gives Cayman officials access to databases held by the financial services companies. Under the new regime, foreign law enforcement and tax agencies will be able to ask Cayman authorities to gather the information from the system. Compa- nies will not know when law enforcement agencies request a search of the databases or what they are searching for. “It certainly will not be available pub- licly or available directly by any U.K. or non- Cayman Islands agency,” the premier said. The system will allow law enforcement agencies from other countries to request in- formation on money laundering, tax avoid- ance and other investigations. “We don’t want business which is tainted,” the premier said. “If there is bad business here, they would be well advised to migrate somewhere else.” Speaking Monday in the House of Com- mons, Prime Minister Cameron said, “The House should note that that will place our overseas territories and Crown dependen- cies well ahead of many other similar ju- risdictions, and also – crucially – ahead of many of our major international partners, including some states in the United States of America.” A working group set up by the Ministry of Financial Services and Cayman Finance has been studying the new system and, ac- cording to ministry chief officer Dax Basdeo, the group should have a final report on the legal and technical requirements of the new system in the next couple of weeks. “We are going to need to make a number of changes to a range of legislation,” Hamaty: ‘Worst robbery we’ve had’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Tortuga liquor store em- ployee was forced to open a drop safe with a pistol pointed at her head late Saturday during a post-closing time rob- bery that store president Robert Hamaty called the “worst rob- bery we’ve had” at the Cayman Islands specialty foods and li- quor shop. According to Mr. Hamaty, two armed robbers ran up to a store employee and secu- rity guard as they were closing the front grate of the Discount Political leader’s mother passes Faith Bush, 92, remembered as hard worker BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Opposi- tion Leader McKeeva Bush’s mother, Faith Muriel Bush- Ebanks, died Sunday fol- lowing a long illness that had left her bedridden for the better part of the last five years, Mr. Bush con- firmed Monday. Funeral services for the late Mrs. Bush have been set for Saturday, April 16, at 10 a.m. at West Bay’s Wesleyan Holiness Church. On Monday, less than 24 hours after her passing, Mr. Bush, 61, lamented the loss of the woman who he said “taught him everything.” “Faith was my mother and my father,” Mr. Bush said. “For whatever good I am … my mother is respon- sible for it.” Mr. Bush, who became Cayman’s first premier under the 2009 Constitution Order, said his mother and stepfa- ther raised him through his childhood during a time in the late 1950s to early 1960s when times were much leaner and the British terri- tory struggled with a local population of fewer than 10,000 people. At one point during the mid-1950s, historical re- cords reveal the Cayman Is- lands government’s main source of revenue was from the sale of stamps at the post office. “[Mom] grew up in a time when Cayman had nothing,” Mr. Bush said. “Her father died when she was four. My grandmother died in Premier Alden McLaughlin, left, and Ministry of Financial Services Chief Officer Dax Basdeo announce a beneficial ownership agreement with the United Kingdom at a press conference Monday. This Discount Liquors store, owned by the Tortuga Rum Company, was the target of armed robbers Saturday night. – PHOTO: BRENT FULLER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS THE BOSS (R) 1:00 I 3:40 I 7:00 I 9:30 MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 (PG13) 1:15 I 4:30 I 6:50 I 9:55 BATMAN V SUPERMAN DAWN OF JUSTICE 3D (PG13) 12:30 I 3:45 2D I 8:00 THE PERFECT MATCH (R) 1:10 I 4:10 I 7:10 I 9:50 LONDON HAS FALLEN (R) 9:40 ZOOTOPIA 3D (PG13) 12:45 I 3:30 2D I 6:45 9:20 2D SATURDAY April 16th 8PM Sponsored by: 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. - TUESDAY - Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com An inquest into the death of Daniel Mitchell Grant, 21, revealed that he was trav- eling over 88 mph in a 25 mph zone on West Bay Road on the evening of July 29, 2014, when his motorcycle was struck by a Honda CR-V. Mr. Grant sustained mul- tiple life-ending injuries to the chest during the acci- dent and died upon impact in the collision, according to Health Services Au- thority pathologist Dr. Shra- vana Jyoti, who testified at the inquest. The accident occurred in the vicinity of Captain’s Bakery at the intersec- tion of Slate Drive and West Bay Road. According to police ac- counts, the motorcycle was traveling southbound from West Bay toward George Town and the driver of the Honda was traveling in the opposite direction. The driver of the Honda was turning right into Slate Drive from West Bay Road, when it collided with the motorcycle. Accident reconstructionist Vincent Walters, who testi- fied at the inquest Monday, said Mr. Grant was driving a 1000 cc Yamaha motorcycle which he described as “small” and “powerful.” The motor- cycle was not registered to Mr. Grant. Mr. Walters said CCTV cameras recorded footage for the collision, which investi- gators used to determine the speed at which Mr. Grant was driving. He was driving 88.1 mph in a 25 mph zone, Mr. Walters said. Footage also showed that, prior to the collision, the driver of the CR-V has “pa- tiently waited” for a pedal cy- clist to pass before making his turn. RCIPS investigating of- ficer Donovan Chong said during the inquest that one witness had observed Mr. Grant “wheelie” his bike on one wheel before the accident occurred. The driver of the Honda, who had been drinking that evening and was over the legal limit, was originally charged with one count of causing death by care- less driving and two counts of driving under the influ- ence. However, the charge of causing death by careless driving was dropped after in- vestigators determined that the cause of the accident was due to the excessive speed at which Mr. Grant was driving the motorcycle. Jurors at the inquest heard the testimony of three witnesses, Dr. Jyoti, Mr. Wal- ters and Mr. Chong, be- fore the inquest recessed for lunch. Jurors were due to hear other witness state- ments, read by Queen’s Cor- oner Eileen Nervik, who is presiding over the inquest, Monday afternoon. The accident occurred in the vicinity of Captain’s Bakery at the intersection of Slate Drive and West Bay Road. Inquest begins into 2014 death of motorcyclist Seven new airport security staff start work After a week of intensive training, seven Airport Secu- rity Unit recruits will begin work at the Owen Roberts In- ternational Airport this week. The Cayman Islands Air- ports Authority recruited Cay- manians Darvin Watson, Gerald Horton, Daniel Hydes, Ricardo Conolly, Ronaldo Douglas, Jehu Rivers and Chase Green on April 8. The recruits averaged 98 percent in their final exams, according to a press release from the Airports Authority. “This was the highest scoring class that we have had so far,” said Shane Both- well, the Airports Authority’s chief security officer, in the re- lease. “I would like to congrat- ulate the young officers for all their hard work, and I wish them success in the future.” The seven new officers will begin working at the air- port on April 12, where they will carry out duties in “safe- guarding civil aviation op- erations within the Cayman Islands against unlawful in- terference,” the release stated. From left, Cayman Islands Airports Authority Chief Security Officer Shane Bothwell, aviation security instructor Delia Roper, recruits Darvin Watson, Gerald Horton, Daniel Hydes, Ricardo Conolly, Ronaldo Douglas, Jehu Rivers and Chase Green, and aviation security instructor Owen Bailey. GRAND COURT JURORS REPORT DATE CHANGED All Grand Court ju- rors who are in the April 6 to July 5 session are asked to report for jury duty on Wednesday, April 13 at 9:45 a.m. The Jury Informa- tion line on 945-5072 has the most up-to-date information. FERRY OPERATORS DISCUSS CONNECTING CUBA WITH FLORIDA PORTS TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Ferry op- erators interested in car- rying cargo and passengers to Cuba have opened dis- cussions with officials at several Florida ports. Such service has not yet begun because the Cuban government has not ap- proved a U.S. ferry to use one of its ports, but ferries are expected to be a pop- ular way to travel and ship cargo from Florida to the Caribbean island. Jorge Fernandez, CEO of Havana Ferry Partners of Fort Lauderdale, tells The Tampa Tribune that the company recently met with Cuban government officials and is optimistic it will re- ceive permission to set sail as early as June. Fernandez is interested in sailing from Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Key West, but he also has been ex- ploring ports in the Tampa Bay area. Port Manatee would be preferred over ports in Tampa and St. Pe- tersburg, he said, while in Cuba a landing in Havana would be preferred over the port in Santiago. A ferry from Port Manatee would take roughly eight hours to reach Havana. That’s 90 minutes closer than St. Pe- tersburg and three hours closer than Tampa. Ferry service would be cheaper than baggage fees for a flight for passen- gers bringing bulk goods to family in Cuba, said Phil Richards, president of Havana Ferry Partners. Tickets would cost roughly $290, and the first 40 to 60 pounds of baggage would be free, he said. Havana Ferry Partners owns one ferry, a 40-meter, high-speed, wind-piercing Catamaran that can trans- port as many as 400 pas- sengers but no bulk cargo. It likely would leave from Key West, Richards said. The company is ex- ploring options for vessels that can carry cargo from other ports. “A ferry oper- ation makes profits on the cargo and not on the pas- sengers,” said Port Man- atee Executive Director Carlos Buqueras. PUERTO RICO GOVERNOR DECLARES EMERGENCY AT GOV’T BANK SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla announced Saturday that he has declared a state of emer- gency at the Government De- velopment Bank aimed at en- suring that Puerto Ricans continue to receive essential government services. The governor said he is- sued an executive order Friday to halt the erosion of the bank’s dwindling liquidity by only allowing withdrawals to fund necessary costs for health, public safety and education services. The order does not call for a morato- rium on the bank’s principal or interest payments. Garcia said the gov- ernment bank is in talks with creditors regarding a nearly $423 million payment due in May. The order is the first taken under the Puerto Rico Emer- gency Moratorium and Fi- nancial Rehabilitation Act enacted last week, which gives the governor emergency powers to deal with the fiscal crisis, including the ability to declare a moratorium on all bond payments. “The GDB’s financial con- dition has continued to de- teriorate and, absent the measures ordered in this ex- ecutive order, there is an im- minent risk of a drastic de- crease in GDB’s liquidity in the immediate term. This, in turn, would jeopardize the provision of essential ser- vices by the commonwealth,” the order states. It notes that the government and creditors are in discussions to address the government’s immediate li- quidity challenges and to as- sure its debt service is sus- tainable over the long-term. Because restructuring could take time, “the com- monwealth has a duty to take any and all actions rea- sonable and necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of its residents by ensuring the continuation of essential services,” the order adds.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2016 NOTICE TO THE MEMBERS OF CAYMAN NATIONAL PENSION FUND LTD. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given of the Annual General Meeting of Members of the Cayman National Pension Fund Ltd. to be held Thursday 5th May, 2016, in the Cayman National Building, 4th Floor Board Room, Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman at 4pm. The Agenda is set out below: AGENDA 1. Review the Minutes of the last Members Meeting held on the 3rd March, 2016 and any matters arising. 2. Receive Audited Financial Statements for the period ended 30th September 2015. 3. Report from Investment Committee. 4. Trustee Elections: Herb Strickland retires by rotation and is eligible for re-election. 5. Any other competent business. Government to review mental health facility business case JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A residential mental health facility could save gov- ernment money in the long term, Dr. Marc Lockhart said following the presentation of the business case for the project to government caucus. Dr. Lockhart, the chairman of the Mental Health Com- mission, said the KPMG re- port showed the project was feasible. The report will be released publicly once it has been reviewed by Cabinet. Dr. Lockhart said the busi- ness case looked at potential sites for the facility, which, if approved, would feature cot- tage-style accommodation across a 10-15 acre area. The report also analyzes the prevalence of mental health disorders in Cayman and suggests options for the treatment program that the facility would need to offer. Dr. Lockhart said a suc- cessful long-term residential mental health facility would likely include occupational and vocational programs to help reintegrate patients back to the community. “It would need to have a strong rehabilitation com- ponent. It is not just a case of warehousing people and putting them on medica- tion,” he said. He acknowledged there would be a large cap- ital cost to build the fa- cility but said government would make substantial savings elsewhere. “What we did on Monday was to give Caucus an overall view, which was primarily done by KPMG, showing that it is feasible and where it would save money. “We are currently spending a lot of money to send people overseas and keep them there indefinitely. We have approximately 15 people being treated for se- rious mental health disorders in Jamaica and the U.S. and the numbers are increasing. We have just sent two or three more in the past month. “Some are homeless, some go in and out of our inpatient unit, some live with family and friends, others are in prison,” Dr. Lockhart said. “It makes sense from a fi- nancial perspective as well as a clinical perspective to have a facility here.” Around 60 people still in the Cayman Islands are clas- sified, under the Elections Law, as unable to vote be- cause of mental illness, he said. A further 20-30 people are classified as not functioning adequately enough to participate in social activities. He said the meeting with caucus on Monday was positive. “The next step is to make some adjustments and for- mally present the finished report to Cabinet,” he said. “I can’t say what the final decision would be but the re- ception was positive. There were a lot of good ques- tions and they seemed re- ceptive to it.” Second suspect charged in NS visitor robbery Man charged with handling stolen goods A second man has been charged in connection with a January robbery in which an elderly property owner was punched in the face on Grand Cayman’s North Side. The man, 24-year-old Jevonie Ricardo Brooks, was arrested Friday and was scheduled to appear in court Monday on a charge of handling stolen goods taken in the Jan. 11 robbery at the “So Se- rene” property on Rum Point Drive. According to court re- cords, Brooks is accused of dishonestly receiving a gold necklace with a di- amond horseshoe pen- dant, valued at $17,000, knowing or believing it to have been stolen. The necklace is the property of the woman who was a victim of a robbery in Rum Point on Jan. 11. Bail granted Defense attorney John Furniss applied for bail on Brooks’s behalf. Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats granted it, but or- dered that Brooks wear an electronic monitor, ob- serve a curfew from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and report to the West Bay Police Station on Mondays and Fridays. His next court appear- ance was set for April 26. The other suspect, David McLaughlin Mar- tinez, has been charged with robbery and causing grievous bodily harm in connection with the inci- dent, and is remanded at Northward Prison. Teenager arrested in car-into-house smash A 16-year-old male was arrested last week in con- nection with an accident on the George Town waterfront where a car was driven into an abandoned house, ac- cording to police. The teen was arrested on suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident and driving without being li- censed. He has been released on police bail. Police said the crash hap- pened late on April 6 when a Honda Civic with three people riding in it veered across North Church Street and slammed into the aban- doned home at 127 North Church Street. Police said the driver fled before police arrived. The two passengers in the Honda were seriously hurt. Both re- mained hospitalized Monday awaiting surgery. Dr. Marc Lockhart A teenager has been arrested in connection with an incident last week when a Honda Civic crashed into an abandoned house next to Da Fish Shack on the George Town waterfront. – PHOTO: CHARLES DUNCAN Brooks is accused of dishonestly receiving a gold necklace with a diamond horseshoe pendant, valued at $17,000. Currently, the only mental health facility in the Cayman Islands is the eight-bed Mental Health Center at the Cayman Islands Hospital. - PHOTO: CHRIS COURTThe 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. TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Financial services: What is our message, who is our messenger? When asked about the main risks to their organization that they must manage, leaders of large corporations, regardless of the industry, almost always name their single most important asset: their reputation. Benjamin Franklin observed it takes many good deeds to build a reputation and only one bad one to lose it. Meanwhile, offshore financial centers appear to be facing an endless string of bad deeds and an image that devolves from shady to dodgy to criminal, depending on the level of media interest. Positive mentions of offshore financial centers are almost nonexistent. In fact, we are hard pressed to name a single one. Is it possible the financial services industry in Cayman, and in other offshore financial jurisdictions, has simply given up, perhaps thinking their public relations challenge is insurmountable? (We except from that observation Cayman’s one-man public relations maelstrom Anthony Travers, who tire- lessly, and continuously, defends these islands and the offshore industry, in general. Following the release of the “Panama Papers,” while Cayman was largely silent, Trav- ers’s voice was heard on BBC radio and far-reaching CNBC. He also penned and got published letters to news- paper editors, including the influential Financial Times.) Two days after the “Panama Papers” story broke internationally, Cayman Finance sent out a statement. Being in the communications business ourselves, we can state with authority that in today’s nearly instant news cycles, two days is an eternity. A day later, the IFC Forum, a lobbying group for offshore law firms, finally gave birth to a statement, pro- claiming not all international financial centers are the same, and the ones in the British territories are better and more transparent than the rest. Ho-hum. In sum, our message has been: We are not Panama. We are not secretive. We are not a tax haven. And, most puzzling to outside observers, we are not offshore. The latest fashion, among the government and financial services crowd, of “renaming” offshore finan- cial centers “small international financial centers” is a nonstarter. It is playing, and not very successfully, with euphemisms. We must ask ourselves this question: Are we ashamed or embarrassed about the very industry – offshore finance – that contributes more than half of the revenue to the Cayman Islands treasury? Why are the stories not being told of offshore centers facilitating international trade, reducing complexity in international mergers and acquisitions, channeling cross- border investments, holding cash for large corpora- tions as safe havens, helping companies in the devel- oping world access the capital markets, eliminating double taxation for fund investors, enabling financial structures fit for a globalized economy and ensuring that corporations remain competitive and as a result secure jobs onshore? If the offshore industry cannot confidently articulate why it is important in the global economy and ultimately to onshore economies, others, such as the Tax Justice Network, Global Witness or Oxfam, will happily fill the void with sometimes hair-raising “research” and tell the world why offshore is corrupt and criminal, if not down- right immoral. The reality is that Cayman is, and historically has been, amateurishly inept in telling its own story. Poli- ticians, public relations “professionals,” and industry practitioners routinely issue such sanitized, anodyne “statements” that, to any serious editor, they are virtually worthless. Instead of protecting their reputation by establishing proper media relations, the government and financial services firms in the offshore space have ceded the media coverage almost entirely to hostile activist groups. Let us close with this question: Is there anyone on this island in government, in public relations, or in the finan- cial services industry who can even name, or is on a first- name basis with, the editor of the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, or the financial editor of The New York Times or The Washington Post? We did not think so. How to spice up the Democratic debate JENNIFER RUBIN As with the Republicans’, the Democratic debates have become rather predictable and therefore un-revealing. The moderators ask varia- tions of the same questions; the candidates give variations of the same answers. That does not mean there is a lack of material. There is plenty to ask at this week’s debate. From Hillary Clinton, we would like to know: - Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, says going into Libya was a mistake. Why is he wrong? - What, if anything, in ret- rospect would you have done differently with regard to the Egyptian uprising against Hosni Mubarak? - Should we cut off aid to the Palestinian Authority if it continues to incite violence and refuses to come to the negotiating table? - You’ve said you would go beyond President Obama’s executive orders on immi- gration. However, a federal court has blocked his actions. Why would your executive orders succeed? - Would you put any Re- publicans in your Cabinet? If so, who? - Hasn’t the recent cease- fire in Syria given Bashar al- Assad a new lease on life? Isn’t this a big win for Russia and Iran as well? - What would you do on taxes, healthcare and the rest of your domestic agenda if the Republi- cans have House and/or Senate majorities? - The teachers unions have opposed a number of school reforms including charter schools, which you previously supported. Are you willing to stand up to them when they op- pose reform measures that have proven successful? On what issues? - Would you have made the grand bargain budget deal with then-House Speaker John A. Boehner, R- Ohio? Would you go back to the Simpson-Bowles deficit- reduction plan? If not, how would you address the debt? - The economy is growing at a little more than 2 percent a year. Is that good enough? If not, how would you pro- mote economic growth? - Sen. John McCain, R- Ariz., is called a “maverick” for opposing his party on some issues. Are you a mav- erick? On what issues do you depart from the conventional liberal position? Then there is Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). We would like to know: - You do not have a spe- cific plan for breaking up the banks. Why not? - Do you really have no position on whether Israel should go back to the so- called pre-1967 borders? - What responsibility does Hamas have for conditions in Gaza? - You accused Israel of in- discriminate bombing in the Gaza war. Are you saying Is- rael committed war crimes? - Why would you be any better on opposing trade deals than Donald Trump? - Each of President Obama’s secretaries of de- fense have argued we are spending too little on national security. Are they wrong? On what basis do you think so? - There is no scientific evi- dence the Keystone XL Pipe- line is an environmental threat. Are you denying sci- ence on this issue? - Is global warming our biggest threat? Greater than terrorism? - Do we need to lower the corporate tax rate? If not, aren’t we losing jobs to other countries where businesses choose to locate? - What would you do if Russia invaded one of the Baltic states? - Other than corporate “welfare” and defense, are you willing to cut any gov- ernment spending? Aren’t subsidies for green energy corporate welfare? - Is Medicaid a well-run, effective program, or does it need to be reformed? How? Jennifer Rubin writes the Right Turn blog for The Post, offering reported opinion from a conservative perspective. © 2016, The Washington Post Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will face off in a debate again this week. – PHOTO: AP 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 find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2016 SPECIAL FEATURE COMPLIMENTARY SPOT RED COLOR. Additional spot color or full color will be charged at regular rates. FULL PAGE 10.333”W x 15.8975”H B&W $960 Full Color $1360 HALF PAGE 10.333”W x 7.8975”H QUARTER PAGE 5.066”W x 7.8975”H B&W $240 Full Color $440 B&W $480 Full Color $780 ADVERTISING RATES AND SPECS The feature will highlight Scotiabank’s achievements of the past fi ve decades as well as the bank’s commitment to supporting the community where we live and do business. Be part of this milestone publication! AD SPACE DEADLINE: Wednesday, April 13th Contact 949-5111 | sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Scotiabank & Trust (Cayman) Ltd. is celebrating its 50th Anniversary as a chartered bank in the Cayman Islands. To celebrate this special occasion, the Cayman Compass will be publishing a souvenir newspaper feature on Thursday, April 21. CCTV did not catch NS burglars Camera nighttime images are poor quality, police officers say CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Police officers told North Side residents last week that closed-circuit television cameras on the streets of the district had failed to capture useful images of burglars who had broken into a home in mid-March. At a public meeting on Thursday night, residents heard that CCTV cameras were able to provide good images during the day, but not at night. Asked specifically about a burglary in the Rum Point area during the early hours of Saturday, March 19, Ser- geant Davis Scott said of- ficers reviewed tapes from the camera system, but they were of poor quality. “We tried to track [traffic move- ment] but we couldn’t get good images,” he said. Mr. Scott was accompa- nied by Deputy Commander for the Eastern Districts Chris Richards. Mr. Richards explained that the problem had to do with the infrared capabilities of the cameras. He said that image resolu- tion at night was not good because of poor lighting. A member of the audi- ence pointed out that the cameras are not the direct responsibility of the police. The system is a responsi- bility of the Security Centre and police can only request updates or repairs, he said. District MLA Ezzard Miller said North Side had raised funds for a camera system years ago, but that system was replaced by gov- ernment. Then Finance Com- mittee had voted “a couple of million dollars” to up- grade the cameras. To have them working from time to time was not good enough, he said. The meeting, held at the Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre, was called by the North Side District Council as its regular monthly meeting. The first topic was policing, or as Mr. Miller put it, “lack thereof.” When there were fewer than 200 officers on the po- lice force, North Side had three, Mr. Miller pointed out. They worked in the district and got familiar with the people. “Now, the more po- lice we get, the fewer there are in the [eastern] districts,” he said. He also noted that there have been at least five area commanders for the eastern districts since 2009. “Every time we get somebody who seems interested, the chief finds a way to move him,” the MLA asserted. He said he had been given the excuse that North Side does not have much crime: “We say North Side wants police as a deterrent.” He welcomed back Mr. Scott, who was a resident of- ficer in the district 30 years ago, knew the people and was respected by them. Mr. Scott had since retired, but was brought back to active duty to head a proactive, high-visibility patrol team for North Side, East End and Bodden Town. Mr. Miller appreciated the effort, but added, “I don’t know what to do to get po- lice in the station,” a refer- ence to the refurbished po- lice station near the junction of North Side Road and Hut- land Road. Private members’ motion These problems were part of why East End MLA Arden McLean and he had brought a private members’ motion asking for a “lack of confi- dence” vote in the manage- ment and governance of the police service, he said. He emphasized that the mo- tion does not specifically refer to Police Commissioner David Baines. Mr. Miller referred to the U.K. system of local po- licing authorities and said Cayman should have a sim- ilar authority, with repre- sentatives from each district to set policy and make sure police understand the crime that is going on in the var- ious communities. The police budget for 2015 was $34.9 million, he noted. For 2016, $35.3 mil- lion has been budgeted, he said. Mr. Miller said he re- gretted hearing that gov- ernment will not attend the emergency meeting of the Legislative Assembly called for April 13. He said Speaker of the House Ju- liana O’Connor-Connolly had made the decision to call the special meeting to deal with two items of business, in- cluding the police motion. “I can promise you – any time the Speaker summons me, I will be there,” he told his constituents. “We say North Side wants police as a deterrent.” EZZARD MILLER, MLA North Side resident John Smith talks with Deputy Area Commander Christopher Richards while Rhoda Smith makes a point to Sergeant Davis Scott at Thursday night’s district meeting. – PHOTO: CAROL WINKER Ezzard Miller6 DISTRICT DAYS TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS In the April 13, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, the paper reported: “On the morning of Tuesday, April 5, the Volkswagen Micro Bus CI347 owned by Mr. J.D. Macdonald was to be seen parked outside the home of Mrs. Adelade Hydes on the North West Point road at West Bay. This was damaged with a badly dented roof, shattered glass, grazes to both sides of the bodywork and a blown-out right front tire. “Upon enquiry, it was ascertained that Mr. Macdonald, a resident of Crewe Road, had reported to the po- lice that at 3 a.m. the same day he had been driving his Volkswagen along the West Bay road in the vicinity of Mr. Lear Grimmer’s new house, heading toward George Town, when the right front tire blew out and the vehicle overturned and ended up facing in the opposite direction. “As the vehicle landed on its wheels, he had restarted the engine and drove very slowly back into West Bay with the object of returning to the house occupied by Mr. Jack Graham and Mr. Bill Bennett where he had earlier been visiting. “He reported that he had been able to drive as far as the home of Mrs. Adelade Hydes where the vehicle had stopped, and he had walked the rest of the way to Mr. Graham’s house, where he received attention to minor injuries and was then driven to his own home. “Mr. Macdonald told the police that he was alone in the vehicle at the time of the accident. A handbag belonging to Miss Pansy Gay Bush was recov- ered from the micro bus where it was found parked by Constable Parchment of West Bay police station. When this was returned to the owner, she said that Mr. Macdonald had given her a lift to her home prior to the accident and that she had, inadvertently, left the handbag in the vehicle. “A curious feature of this acci- dent is that no one who has investi- gated the scene where the vehicle is reported to have overturned can find any marks of any kind pinpointing the spot where the accident happened.” 50 years ago: Van accident bit of a mystery District Days West Bay Kimpton to showcase maritime history Boat will embark on a third life as the design focal point in the hotel lobby. JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Kimpton Seafire Re- sort and Spa, now under construction on Seven Mile Beach, will feature an eye-catching piece of Cayman maritime history when completed. “Blew Bayou” is just waiting for her final coat of blue paint from Captain Kem Jackson, a West Bay resident who specializes in catboat restoration, before it will be hoisted in the air and suspended from the ceiling of the hotel’s main lobby, in preparation of its scheduled opening in November. “Kimpton is renowned for its inspired design that imbues each hotel location with a whimsical sense of place. The Kimpton Seafire design team appreciated the streamlined shape and cul- tural resonance that make a catboat an ideal sculptural installation,” said Jackie Doak, chief operating officer of Dart Realty, which is de- veloping the Kimpton resort. The hotel’s design team, Powerstrip Studio, in con- sultation with Dart Re- alty, said since the catboat is such a significant part of Cayman’s heritage, the authentic Caymanian cat- boat would be the ideal de- sign feature for the lobby of the hotel. Carefully crafted from the curved branches of Cayman’s plop-nut, fiddle- wood or mahogany trees, catboats played a major role in nearly every facet of life in the Cayman Islands, serving as the islands’ taxis, pickup trucks, buses and fishing boats, from the early 1900s through to the 1950s. On the hunt to find a catboat to restore, Dart Realty got lucky in 2015 and was able to purchase one of the last surviving original catboats on is- land, the “Blew Bayou.” “They brought the boat to me and said they wanted her fixed up and for her to look really beautiful, and they said they had picked the right man to do it,” said Mr. Jackson. “I told them I hope so.” “Dart has a long- standing relationship with the Cayman Catboat Club and can think of no one more qualified to restore this unique piece of Cayma- nian Heritage than Captain Kem,” said Ms. Doak. Mr. Jackson believes the “Blew Bayou” was built around 1990 by cat- boat builder Elford Dilbert, who originally built it as a fishing vessel. It then lay forgotten for several years until it was restored in 2009 by Rommell Ebanks, who raced it in the annual Cayman Islands Catboat Regatta until 2015. After claiming a second place finish, it was retired from competition. Kimpton rep- resentatives say they look forward to offering the boat a third life in its new role as the hotel lobby’s design focal point. Mr. Jackson said the small vessel is the stan- dard catboat color blue, with 14 interior ribs. “It is restored with a special West System epoxy, which will help to preserve it,” he said. “It’s not the type of glue we would use on a cat- boat that would be going in the water, but this one will just be on display.” As the vice president and master builder at the Cayman Catboat Club, Mr. Jackson is excited about the work he has done so far on this example of local crafts- manship and history. For the past several months, he says, he has strived for per- fection in restoring the boat, so that when it is displayed at the hotel, it will be able to represent an important piece of Cayman history for years to come. Kem Jackson puts seats in the catboat that will grace the foyer of the Kimpton Hotel. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYCAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days West Bay Catch-and-release fishing tournament held in memory of avid Barkers Bay fisherman Gressmon “Gressy” Ebanks The sun was out and the fish were biting on Easter Monday, making for a perfect day for a fishing tournament held at Barkers in West Bay. Put on in memory of avid Barkers Bay fisherman Gressmon “Gressy” Ebanks, the catch-and-re- lease tournament proved a big draw for fishing aficionados young and old keen to test their skills and en- gage in some friendly rivalry. Organizer Eziethamae “Zeta” Bodden said the day’s activities in- cluded remembering those who have passed on, and those missing at sea. “At the outset, Henderson Hunte prayed for a safe and enjoy- able day, and we held a moment of silence for the five persons missing at sea,” said Ms. Bodden, refer- ring to the local boaters who went missing on Sunday, March 6. Tournament participants were also encouraged to be good stew- ards of Barkers. “Rudy Powery reminisced on his younger days living in the Barkers area, stressing the importance of preservation of the area for our fu- ture generations, our heritage and culture,” said Ms. Bodden. Those in attendance included Mr. Ebanks’s family and friends, along with West Bay MLAs Cap- tain Eugene Ebanks, Bernie Bush and Tara Rivers. “It was wonderful to see so many there, including many fami- lies with three generations repre- sented, sharing in the tournament, bonding, and enjoying the sea and sand,” said Ms. Bodden. “We had Mr. Rudy Powery with his son Newton, and grand- sons Nathan Powery, Alonzo and Andre Connor, and we also had Mr. Elvia Powery and his daughter La- verne Connor and granddaughter Alissa Connor,” she said. “We also had Mr. Hen- derson Hunte with son Mark and grandson Nathan, Gressy’s sister Ms. Clearstaine Ebanks, with her daughter Lavern and grandchildren Nevon and Onella, and Mr. Dawson Ebanks with son Deon and grandson Daniye’l, as well as Mr. Araunah Powery with daughter Judith Dodds and granddaughters Angie and Allie.” Ms. Bodden reported that after Mr. Powery blew the conch to start the tournament, Dawson Ebanks caught and released the first fish, earning him a plaque and a Stingray City trip for two from Captain Marvin’s. “Gwenda Williams caught and released the second fish, to win a Stingray City trip from Oh Boy Charters. Racking up a winning total of four fish caught and re- leased was Alvin Brown, who cred- ited Mr. Ebanks for teaching him the skills that netted him the top prize. Mr. Brown received a Foster’s Food Fair gift card and a commemo- rative T-shirt. “It was a wonderful tourna- ment and a nice way to remember Gressy,” said Ms. Bodden. “Everyone enjoyed the day, the refreshments and a time of togetherness.” Organizer Eziethamae “Zeta” Bodden said the day’s activities included remembering those who have passed on, and those missing at sea. Alvin Brown caught and released the most fish. Araunah Powery gives a blessing to his son Malachi’s boat. - PHOTOS: ZETA BODDEN Astor Ebanks holds a photo of his late uncles, Gressmon and Burnis Ebanks. Clotheslines made for a perfect outdoor gallery for photos remembering Gressmon Ebanks.Participants gathered for a group photo. Tournament remembers ‘Gressy’Tournament remembers ‘Gressy’The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13 BOOKENDS CLUB: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Books & Books. All are invited to join a discussion of “American Pastoral” by Philip Roth. The Bookends Club gathers on the second Wednesday of every month and new members are always welcome. SATURDAY, APRIL 16 BRAC LIBRARY: All are invited to Reading with the Rotarians 10 a.m. till 12 noon, Cayman Brac Public Library. SLOW FOOD DAY: Market and chef demonstrations 10 a.m. till noon, The Paseo and Bon Vivant at Camana Bay. Locally minded chefs will partner with local growers to transform ingredients straight from the farms into delicious fresh dishes. Guests can watch the chefs at work and taste their creations, then shop for seasonal fruits and vegetables. This event is free and open to the public. EARTH DAY CLEANUP: Participation by Chamber of Commerce is 7–10 a.m. Seeking volunteers. Resources will be provided while supplies last. Register at www.caymanchamber.ky. CERAMICS – RAKU: Class with Alan Darvil, 10:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at the Susan A. Olde Art Studio, National Gallery Education Centre/Gardens. Cost is $150, materials included. Traditional and contemporary techniques using horsehair and other combustible materials to fire pieces of bisqueware (provided). No pottery experience necessary. To register, email education@ nationalgallery.org.ky or call 945-8111. SUNDAY, APRIL 17 MEMORIAL WALK: 5K walk in support of the Dr. J. Hugh Cummings Memorial Scholarship Fund. 6:30 a.m. From the ICCI Campus in Newlands. Registration forms available on campus or via Cayman Active online www.caymanactive.com/ icci5K. BRAC 5K CHALLENGE: The Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge. 6:30 a.m., from Museum to Catboat Plaza and back. The event aims to raise $50,000 to help Cayman Heart Fund in its drive to buy a new ambulance. It is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Registration takes place April 7, 8, 14 and 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the District Administration Building. Visit www.odg.gov. ky/DG5K for the registration form and further details. TUESDAY, APRIL 19 SEAFARERS ASSOCIATION: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association advises all members that there will be a General Meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Seafarers Hall, 11 Victory Ave. Prospect. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20 STUDENTS’ FILM MAKING: The Cayman National Cultural Foundation has extended its registration deadline until today for students wishing to enter their short films in the Young Image Makers competition. Anyone interested can submit films to CNCF offices behind Harquail Theatre by 5 p.m. Registration forms can be downloaded at www. artscayman.org/young-image- makers. For more details, email info@artscayman.org. FLOETRY: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Books & Books. All are invited to join Cayman’s poets and performers as they share their work during an open mic night of poetry and readings. Free admission. THURSDAY, APRIL 21 BRAC COURT: Summary Court is held in the Aston Rutty Civic Centre from 10 a.m. today and tomorrow. PUB QUIZ: Humane Society’s fundraiser at Fidel Murphy’s. 7 p.m. $10 per person, maximum of six people per team. Call 949-5189 to reserve a table or contact sarah.dyer.81@gmail.com. CHAMBER COURSE: Immigration, Work Permits (BVPs, TWPs and RERCs), by Nick Joseph. 9-11 a.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $175, future members $225. Register online at www. caymanchamber.ky. SUNDAY, APRIL 24 REVIVAL SERVICES: Red Bay Church of God (Holiness) holds Revival Services April 24-29. Sunday, 6 p.m. Weeknights 7:30 p.m. Guest speaker is Rev. Leon George of St. Croix, USVI. All are welcome. 5K CHALLENGE: The Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge takes place in Grand Cayman. The event aims to raise $50,000 to help Cayman Heart Fund in its drive to buy a new ambulance. It is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Registration takes place on April 7, 8, 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and April 21 and 22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Government Administration Building. Visit www.odg.gov.ky/DG5K for the registration form and further details. TUESDAY, APRIL 26 CHAMBER COURSE: Time Management and Productivity, by Catherine Tyson. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $150, future members $225. Register online at www. caymanchamber.ky. THURSDAY, APRIL 28 FREE SME WORKSHOP: Unlock your Retail Potential – Tips & Tricks for Success, by Savage Consulting. 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Register online at www. caymanchamber.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: Intellectual Property Basics – Copyright, Trademarks and Patents, by Sophie Davies. 9-11 a.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $175, future members $225. Register online at www. caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, APRIL 29 BAKE SALE: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church Women in the Church (WIC) hold a Cake/ Bake Sale 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. at Bank of Nova Scotia, George Town. Funds raised will assist with the Ladies Conference to be held May 13-15. CONSUMER PROTECTION: Today is the deadline for comments on the discussion paper, “Consumer Protection – Entrenching Consumer Supremacy in Cayman Islands Legislation.” The paper can be viewed on www.lrc.gov.ky. Submissions should be emailed to cilrc@ gov.ky or sent by post or hand to the Director of the Law Reform Commission, 4th Floor, Government Administration Building, Portfolio of Legal Affairs, 133 Elgin Ave., George Town, Grand Cayman, P.O. Box 136, Grand Cayman, KY1-9000. PRESCHOOL FUNDING: Today is the last day to apply to the Ministry of Education for the Early Childhood Assistance Program, which provides early childhood center funding for Caymanian children between 3 years old and Reception age as of Sept. 1 and who meet financial criteria. Application forms can be collected from the Government Administration Building, Department of Education Services or early childhood centers, or download from education.gov.ky/portal/ page/portal/mehhome/ education/earlyeducation. SATURDAY, APRIL 30 LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS: The Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs reminds everyone that applications for the local scholarship program must be received electronically by midnight, April 30. Those wishing to apply should visit the website at www.education. gov.ky/scholarships. The Secretariat can be contacted at scholarships@ gov.ky or phone 244-2482. GENERAL INTEREST JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT: is recruiting volunteers for several programs. Contact JA Cayman at jacaymanislands@ gmail.com or 949-4306. NATIVE SONS: Local artists display 20 years of their work. Free admission. National Gallery on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway. NARRATIVE ART: Classes with a qualified art instructor at Watler House Studio, Pedro St. James, 7–9 p.m. Tuesdays through April. Artists of all levels will explore the theory of narrative art discovering ways to tell stories. Drop-in fee is $25 or $35 for non-members. Contact visualartcayman@yahoo. com or 546-9422. FREE HIV TESTING: The Public Health Department advises the public of extended hours for free HIV screenings offered at the Cayman Islands Red Cross on Huldah Avenue, George Town. The free testing is available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Tuesday. CERAMIC OPEN STUDIO: Visual Arts Society offers Ceramic Open Studio to adults who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere: Wednesdays through April 27, 9 a.m. to noon at the Watler House Studio, Pedro St. James. Drop-in fee is $15 members, $25 non-members. Clay, materials, glazes and firing facilities available. For more information, visualartcayman@yahoo.com. VISUAL ARTS SCHOLARSHIPS: Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Ltd. and the National Gallery will award a four-year scholarship for a student who wishes to pursue an undergraduate degree in the Visual Arts field. Scholarship is worth US$20,000 per year. Application forms, information sheets and additional opportunities for students can also be found on the NGCI website www.nationalgallery. org.ky. Applications can be submitted directly to the NGCI Education Department at education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@candw. ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards, etc., in good condition always needed. PAINTING OPEN STUDIO: For adults who want to work independently. Saturdays through April 30, 3 – 6 p.m. Watler House Studio at Pedro Castle. $10 for members of Visual Arts Society, $15 for non-members. Materials, instructions not included. Contact visualartcayman@ yahoo.com. ARTISANS MARKET: Camana Bay Artisans Market every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society artists display arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale between noon and 8 p.m. near KARoo restaurant. For more information on displaying your work, email info@ visualartcayman.com. REEF RESTORATION: Certified divers are invited to work on the Cayman Magic Reef restoration in George Town. A schedule of work dates and times is posted on Facebook under Cayman Magic Reef Recovery. Dates and times are listed under Events, for volunteers to check and sign up. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed. Tuesdays at the Truman Bodden Complex at 5:30 p.m. for track/field, football and bocce. No experience necessary, just a smile and patience. Wednesdays at Lions Pool 10:15–11 a.m. You do not have to swim, just be able to walk in water chest-deep. Thursdays at First Baptist Church for basketball, 5:30–7 p.m. Saturdays, volunteers needed for Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30–10:30 a.m. Deck support and in-water swimming assistance needed. For more information, contact Penny McDowall at 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www. caymancompass.com/events. All are invited to the Cayman Brac Public Library on Saturday, April 16, from 10 a.m. to noon for Reading with the Rotarians.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2016 Mr. Basdeo said, including the Companies Law. He said once the working group finishes debating the potential legislative changes and delivers its report, the amendments will have to go to consul- tation and then to Cabinet. The premier said the Confidential Relationships (Preservation) Law could be replaced with new data protection legislation. “We are hopeful that this will all be done by September of this year,” he said, so the ministry and its partners can focus on the technical side and get the full system online by the July 2017 deadline. Mr. McLaughlin said the technical details had been reviewed and it is possible to develop soft- ware that would give ministry officials ac- cess to the private data- bases of the corporate ser- vice providers and access to beneficial ownership information. Premier: ‘Beneficial ownership’ agreement finalized with UK Liquors business at George Town’s Pasadora Place shop- ping complex around 10:20 p.m. Saturday. Mr. Hamaty said the guard and the employee were forced back into the store. The unarmed guard was made to lie down on the floor of the business while the fe- male employee was taken to the back of the store to open the drop safe where over- night takings are stored for security purposes. “[The employee] was told if she didn’t open the safe, she’d have her [expletive] head blown off,” Mr. Hamaty said. “The [robbery suspect] was holding the gun to her head while she opened it. This one was unbelievable. They got everything.” No one was hurt and the suspects, who police said were carrying a machete and a handgun, got away on foot. No arrests were immediately reported. Mr. Hamaty’s stores at certain locations around Grand Cayman have been robbed from time to time in recent years. The Pasadora Place Discount Liquors, in particular, has been hit twice before, he said. Certain secu- rity measures, including the installation of guards and closed-circuit monitoring cameras, have been under- taken since those crimes oc- curred, Mr. Hamaty said. One of the security mea- sures involved putting in the drop safe so that store workers did not have to havwe much cash in the register during the night- time opening hours. That did not assist in Saturday’s robbery, Mr. Hamaty said. Another measure, the CCTV cameras, did not help either during the Saturday heist, he said. “CCTV captured every- thing but every one of them was masked … and we can’t even find out which direc- tion they came from be- cause it was too dark,” Mr. Hamaty said. In addition to robberies at Pasadora Place, the Tortuga li- quor chain has seen holdups at its West Bay and Industrial Park stores during the later evening hours in recent years, he said. Other stores along the Seven Mile Beach area and in tourism districts have been more fortunate. It is the later opening hours that most Grand Cayman liquor stores have switched to since 2013 that have led to a high inci- dence of crime being com- mitted at those stores, Mr. Hamaty said. Previously, the latest most George Town li- quor stores could remain open was 7 p.m. Only smaller mom-and-pop operations in the outer districts were al- lowed to open until 10 p.m. “To be honest with you … I would like to see it revert back,” Mr. Hamaty said. “The later it gets, the more crim- inal element it attracts. It should be across the board, 7 p.m. closing time.” There is nothing pre- venting Tortuga stores from closing earlier than 10 p.m., but Mr. Hamaty said the local liquor business is a competitive environment and notes that many stores will refuse to shut earlier if their competition does not follow suit. Hamaty: ‘Worst robbery we’ve had’ 1953, two years before I was born.” To make ends meet and help feed her family, Mrs. Bush worked as a house- keeper in West Bay for the Farrington family and its patriarch, William “Willie” Farrington. Later on, in the mid-1960s as the local tourism industry began to develop, she took var- ious jobs at Cayman ho- tels, often working two shifts a day. “She was very inde- pendent, a very hard- working woman,” Mr. Bush said. “She would get up at 4 a.m., do her house- work, then go to work and work two jobs.” She instilled that work ethic in her son, Mr. Bush said, and taught him how to sing. According to the opposition leader, Faith Bush was one of Cay- man’s renowned singers in her day. She worked in the local hotel industry until the early 1990s – for about three decades – until a heart ailment and back surgery forced her to re- tire. Mr. Bush said she was wheelchair-bound since the mid-1990s because of health difficulties. In early 2011, the Bush family suffered the tragic loss of Mr. Bush’s only daughter, Tonya Anglin, at age 30. Mr. Bush said his daughter’s untimely passing seemed to worsen his mom’s condition. She was essentially bedridden after 2011, he said. “[Tonya’s death] was a big blow to my mother who was already not well,” he said. “With all the in- vestigations going on [against Mr. Bush and his former United Democratic Party government], she couldn’t handle it.” Mr. Bush said that last Thursday night, his mother went to sleep and never reawoke. Mr. Bush said she was taken to hos- pital Friday and passed quietly on Sunday. As news began to spread around the com- munity, mourners and well-wishers gathered at Mr. Bush’s West Bay home late Sunday and early Monday. Among those contacting the opposi- tion leader was long-time political rival, Premier Alden McLaughlin. “I offer condolences to the Leader of the Oppo- sition, the Hon. McKeeva Bush and his family on the passing of his mother Ms. Faith after a long illness,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “The loss of one’s mother is cer- tainly profound and some- thing with which many of us, including myself, are regrettably familiar. Our thoughts, prayers and considerations are with Mr. Bush and his family during this very dif- ficult time.” “There’s been a real outpouring of support,” Mr. Bush said. “My mother would have liked that.” Political leader’s mother passes Injured biker eliminated from robbery inquiry Roger Johann Wood seriously hurt in police chase JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 20-year-old motorcycle rider, seriously injured in a collision with a police car, is no longer a suspect in the robbery that led to the high-speed chase, according to police. Police confirmed Monday that the rider, Roger Johann Wood, had been eliminated from inquiries into the at- tempted robbery at Smugglers Rum Bar on Thursday night. He was pursued for 11 miles across Grand Cayman by patrol cars, guided by the police helicopter, after being spotted speeding on an unli- censed dirt-bike, close to the scene of the robbery. The chase came to an end near the Lantern Point condo complex when Mr. Wood was thrown from his bike after a collision with a police car. He had surgery on a broken back in Miami on Saturday. His fa- ther Roger Wood said Monday he was hopeful that his son would walk again. A statement from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service on Monday said, “After reviewing all information available, detectives have con- cluded that the man involved in a high-speed chase with officers last Thursday night, April 7, was not involved in the attempted robbery at the Smugglers Rum Bar.” Mr. Wood said his son had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. “I knew he was not in- volved in the robbery. I know Roger well, I knew he wouldn’t be involved in any- thing like that. I don’t excuse him for running from the po- lice but it is wrong what they did. We are definitely pur- suing this,” said Mr. Wood, who has called for an inde- pendent investigation into the chase. He said his son, who broke his back, hip and pelvis in the accident, was in a lot of pain, but had come through a suc- cessful operation on Saturday. He is scheduled for further surgery this week. “We are talking about months of recovery and we don’t know how it is going to turn out,” he said. “The doctors told me people have come in, in a much worse condition than him and have walked out. Hope- fully, it goes well and that’s what happens.” Police pursuit policy The police pursuit policy requires officers to balance the gravity of a suspected offense with the threat to public safety when engaging in chases on Cayman’s roads, raising the possibility that the pursuit of Mr. Wood may have been called off sooner, had he not been speeding in the vicinity of a recent armed robbery incident. A police spokeswoman said, “When pursuing individ- uals suspected of a crime, the decision is made to pursue balancing the safety of the public, the pursued, and the police officer, with the gravity of the offense believed to have been committed and the danger the driving of the pursued person also presents to the public.” She added, “What cannot happen is that officers are disallowed from pur- suing suspected criminals simply because they happen to be going fast and trying to elude capture.” The police chase policy has come under scrutiny in the past, most notably when the family of Bruce Lee Ebanks, who was killed during a high- speed police chase in Feb- ruary, 2008, successfully sued the Government over the death. Justice Alexander Hen- derson ruled that police had not followed proper proce- dures during that pursuit be- cause, in his view, it had not been monitored by a super- visor, as required by the po- lice pursuit policy. Judge Henderson said the “negligent failure to end the pursuit was one factor which contributed to the ac- cident.” The judge indicated that a police supervisor, not directly involved in the pur- suit, is required to make a continuous, real-time assess- ment of whether the chase should continue He said the chase super- visor was required to make that assessment based on the speed of the vehicles, the traffic conditions and the na- ture of the suspected offence and determine “moment by moment, whether the risk is justified by the gravity of the suspected wrongdoing.” Any doubt, he ruled, should be decided in favor of public safety. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The agreement gives Cayman until July 2017 to get the system up and running. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “Faith was my mother and my father. For whatever good I am … my mother is responsible for it.” MCKEEVA BUSH, opposition leader CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “[The employee] was told if she didn’t open the safe, she’d have her [expletive] head blown off.” ROBERT HAMATY, president, Tortuga Rum Company The bike riden by Roger Johann Wood, at the scene of Thursday night’s collision. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYNext >