ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY APRIL 26, 2016 SPORTS | PAGE 17 UNITED STATES TAKES GOLD AT NORCECA High of 87 Low of 76 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 COPS VS. CRIME: CHOOSE A SIDE West Bay’s Spanish Bay Reef site cleared No development plans yet CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Demolition crews have been working at the Spanish Bay Reef Resort site in West Bay, clearing buildings that have sat vacant for almost nine years. The 67-room resort hotel was originally built in 1972 on 1,900 feet of oceanfront property in the Barkers area of West Bay. There are no redevelopment plans for the site yet, one of the owners said, but there has been some interest in the ocean- front property along Conch Point Road. “The buildings were in a bad state,” said Andreas Ugland, one of the owners who has been hoping to redevelop the property in recent years. “In order to get something started, we need it to look the part.” James Andrews with Integra Realty Resources, a commercial real estate con- sultant, agrees with Mr. Ugland. “It’s a tear-down,” he said, but added that the unique site could prove to be a good spot for a new hotel or dive resort. “There’s really nothing much up there other than Cobalt Coast,” he said, referring to the nearby resort that caters to divers. The owners of the Brac Beach resort re- cently bought Cobalt Coast. “Spanish Bay is a unique little site,” he said. The site has a breakwater jutting out Boatload of Cubans lands in Brac BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Some 21 Cubans landed in Cayman Brac on Sunday and were taken into custody by au- thorities prior to their pending transfer to Grand Cayman. The 12 men and nine women aboard the makeshift craft asked to disembark, saying their vessel was having engine problems. Once the group is sent to de- tention on Grand Cayman, the total number of migrants in Im- migration Department custody – barring any immediate repatri- ations – will be 67. The Immigration Detention Centre in the Fairbanks area of George Town can hold about 60 migrants safely, but several of the illegal immigrant Cubans now being held in Cayman are either being housed in prison or in a hotel due to various circumstances. Prisons Director Neil Lavis, who has oversight responsi- bility for immigration deten- tion, said in late March that two CALL FOR CAYMANIAN INVOLVEMENT IN COASTGUARD REVIEW Amended motion gets unanimous support JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government and opposition legislators reached a rare consensus Monday on a rec- ommendation for Caymanian involvement and oversight in the investigation of the police search and rescue operation for five boaters lost at sea since March. Legislators on all sides unanimously voted to support an amended private mem- bers’ motion to recommend that two Cay- manian justices of the peace be seconded to the inquiry team. Initially, Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush had called for a public judicial inquiry into the police response, saying he was not sat- isfied that the review ordered by Governor Helen Kilpatrick to be conducted by a se- nior British Coastguard commander would be truly independent. After a lengthy debate, Mr. Bush agreed to a compromise with government, amending the motion to request that the governor, along with two Caymanian justices of the peace, one chosen by the premier, one by Mr. Bush, be in- cluded on the inquiry team. Mr. Bush said he was concerned about the transparency and independence of the report, which the governor has announced will be carried out by Commander Andrew Jenkins of the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency because of the involvement of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Mr. McLaughlin, who earlier expressed confidence in the U.K. agency, said he hoped Caymanian involvement in the inquiry team would give an extra layer of confidence and credibility to the review. He acknowledged that the governor has ultimate responsibility for national security and does not necessarily have to accept the recommendation, but he said the 17 elected members had sent a powerful message that it would not be wise for any governor to ignore. Earlier in the debate, Mr. McLaughlin urged the public to hold judgment of the po- lice response until the review was complete. Mr. McLaughlin urged members of the House to support the decisions taken by the governor and wait to see what the inquiry revealed. “The whole issue about search and rescue and whether what we have is adequate in terms of equipment and the training of those operating it, the operational tactics in this PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Demolition crews have been cleaning up the Spanish Bay Reef Resort site in West Bay. – PHOTO: HAMISH HAMILTON PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY APRIL 26, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 640-FILM (640-3456) 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 - MR RIGHT (R) 1:10 I 3:50 I 7:10 I 9:40 THE JUNGLE BOOK 3D (PG) 1:00 I 1:30 2D I 3:30 I 4:00 2D I 6:30 7:00 2D I 9:00 I 9:30 2D THE BOSS (R) 1:00 I 3:40 I 7:15 I 9:50 HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR 3D (PG13) 1:20 I 4:15 2D I 7:20 I 10:00 2D BATMAN V SUPERMAN DAWN OF JUSTICE 3D (PG13) 12:30 I 3:45 2D I 8:00 Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 Family seeks to protect Aussie millionaire’s Cayman property BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The daughter of Austra- lian multimillionaire James Bruce Handford has applied to the Cayman Islands Grand Court to request that Mr. Handford’s remaining prop- erties here be placed into re- ceivership at the direction of the court. The application, filed March 17 under the local Mental Health Law, seeks for the court to appoint Susan van Dijk, or other person “as the court may see fit,” as re- ceiver. Due to court rules, the Cayman Compass could not publish details of the re- ceivership application until after the end of the crim- inal proceeding against Mr. Handford’s former girlfriend Michelle Bouchard. Bouchard, a Canadian na- tional, was sentenced to 12 years in prison this month. A Cayman Islands’ jury con- victed her of 25 of 26 criminal charges related to dishon- esty and theft in what Crown prosecutors alleged was a scheme that resulted in the theft of nearly CI$1.6 million and about US$830,000 from Mr. Handford between May 2010 and October 2012. Forefeiture proceedings re- lated to Bouchard are expected to go forward separately in the wake of her conviction. According to the court ap- plication, the receiver’s job would be to report and ac- count to the court regarding Mr. Handford’s local prop- erties, and the receiver would be allowed to obtain legal and financial advice, to be paid for on an indem- nity basis from Mr. Hand- ford’s properties. Court documents state that Mr. Handford, 88, is cur- rently residing in an aged care facility’s dementia ward. According to court testimony in the criminal trial, Ms. van Dijk said Mr. Handford is in good physical health, but does not understand his condition. It was stated in court that Mr. Handford bought a condo on Seven Mile Beach in 2007 after selling one of his prop- erties in Australia for $23 million to $24 million. The specific assets owned by Mr. Handford in Cayman were not set out in court records. According to the court clerk’s office, a hearing in the matter is set for mid-May. At- torneys for Ms. van Dijk have asked that proceedings in the case be held in private or that reporting restrictions be put in place by the court. Ms. van Dijk did not re- turn emails seeking com- ment on the receiv- ership application. Solar halo visible in George Town A type of solar halo, referred to as a 22° halo, was visible in George Town on Monday morning. The optical phenomenon, pictured here with the Cayman Islands National Museum in the foreground, is caused by sunlight refracted through millions of ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Vaccine week will include free immunization clinic KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands is joining other members of the Pan American Health Organi- zation to mark the 14th anni- versary of Vaccination Week in the Americas. The theme is “Go for the gold! Get vaccinated!,” de- signed to build on the mo- mentum leading up to the celebration of the Summer Olympic Games in Brazil in August 2016. Since the initiative’s in- ception in 2003, more than 580 million people have been vaccinated during campaigns conducted as part of the Vac- cination Week, according to nurse Angela Graham, man- ager of Cayman’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation. “As a matter of priority, we will continue to promote vaccination through advo- cacy, education and commu- nication activities during this week,” Ms. Graham said. This year, Vaccination Week runs through April 30. As part of the week, the Cayman Islands Public Health Department will host a special Saturday clinic to assist all children and adults in need of vaccinations. The clinic will be held at the Public Health Depart- ment from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adults in need of tetanus boosters, healthcare workers who need vaccines, or people who are planning overseas travel within the next three weeks are invited to attend. No appointment is neces- sary, and vaccines will be given on a first-come, first- served basis. Children who need vac- cinations, including those with missed or outstanding doses, can also receive im- munizations at the clinic. Parents will be contacted to schedule appointments. Over the years, the Cayman Islands Public Health Department has devel- oped and maintained an ex- tensive vaccination schedule, which a coverage rate of 95 percent for most vaccines. Nevertheless, according to Ms. Graham, “There are still some children who do not complete their vaccine schedule, thus leaving them- selves and other vulnerable groups at risk. “We are encouraging par- ents to make and keep ap- pointments with health- care providers to ensure their child is up-to-date on all shots.” Vaccination Week has the support of Premier and Minister of Health Alden McLaughlin, who said in a message marking the week that “vaccination is an act of love.” The premier noted that the countries in the Amer- icas have been “world leaders in the elimination and con- trol of vaccine-preventable diseases. The region was the first to eradicate smallpox in 1971 and polio in 1991. Cayman’s own immuniza- tion program is more than 60 years old and has eliminated smallpox, polio, neonatal tet- anus, diphtheria, pertussis, measles and rubella. “As we commemorate the history of this important service in our region, I am pleased that the Cayman Is- lands is among the leading countries that offer free vac- cines to all children through our Public Health Depart- ment,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “I urge all parents to check their children’s immu- nization records and to en- sure that their immuniza- tions are up to date,” Mr. McLaughlin said. The premier said that while the island can take pride in its high immuniza- tion rates, there is still work to be done. “To achieve higher rates in immunization, we must continue to share responsi- bility and foster and main- tain partnership between healthcare workers and par- ents and guardians alike,” he said. “Government is com- mitted to this collaboration to protect the people of the Cayman Islands.” MAN AND WOMAN CHARGED FOR PISTOL, AMMUNITION CAROL WINKER Cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two people arrested for a firearm on Saturday, April 23, appeared in Summary Court on Monday. Kylan Junior Hunter, 31, and Juliette Elean Latham, 28, are charged that on April 23 they had possession of a Smith & Wesson semi- automatic pistol without a firearm license. They are further charged with possession of 11 rounds of 9mm ammunition. A press release from po- lice indicated that the de- fendants were arrested by officers of an armed po- lice unit that had been on patrol along West Bay Road. The arrests took place in the vicinity of a night club parking lot. The defendants have separate addresses in George Town. Attorney Amelia Fos- uhene appeared for Hunter. Latham told Magis- trate Valdis Foldats that she would be represented by at- torney Dennis Brady. How- ever, since Ms. Fosuhene works with Mr. Brady’s firm, she said she would as- sist by contacting Mr. Brady and then another lawyer Latham named. Hunter was remanded in custody until May 3. Latham is due back in court April 26. MAN FACES IMITATION FIREARM CHARGE CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Jonathan Welcome, 22, appeared in Summary Court on Monday, charged with possession of an imi- tation firearm and another offense arising from an incident in George Town on April 17. In court, Crown counsel Neil Kumar said papers were not ready to give to defense attorney Prathna Bodden. Ms. Bodden asked Mag- istrate Valdis Foldats to have the matter brought back on Wednesday, April 27, so that she could make a bail application. Welcome faces two charges. The first is having an imitation firearm at School Road with intent to resist arrest. Details of the second charge are that on Sunday, April 17, at School Road, he used threatening, abu- sive or insulting words or behavior toward two po- lice officers with intent to cause the officers to believe that immediate, unlawful violence would be used against them. The magistrate re- manded Welcome in cus- tody and ordered that he appear via video link on April 27. James HandfordThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 26, 2016 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. TUESDAY APRIL 26, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Few things in life are as simple as “good guys” versus “bad guys.” That includes the often complex struggle to achieve law and order in society. However, in its purest form, the conflict between the police as an institution and crime as a phenom- enon has only two dimensions. We know whose side we’re on (and we’re proud to declare so publicly) — the police. As for the allegiance of our legislators … well, they’ve been more reticent than declarative. At minimum, the deficiency of our leaders’ support for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, par- ticularly as our country seems to be experiencing an increase in sensational violent crime, sends an extremely troubling message of which our resident population should take heed, and which our foreign investors and visitors will surely take notice. Recall the uproar from independent and opposi- tion lawmakers when the majority government refused to attend an emergency meeting they had called on April 13 in order to criticize police management and actions. With only eight minority members present out of the 18 MLAs, they simply did not have the numbers needed to constitute a quorum and hold the meeting. (Those topics have been picked up in a session of the Legislative Assembly that started Monday.) Next, consider the RCIPS Outstanding Service Awards event held Saturday evening. The purpose of the annual event is twofold: to honor the “best of the best” from the rank-and-file of the police service; and to raise money for the Police Welfare Fund, which goes to assist RCIPS members and their families in case of trag- edies such as injury, illness or death in the line of duty. Remember, the event has little to do with Police Commissioner David Baines or top RCIPS manage- ment, and has everything to do with recognizing courage, sacrifice and selflessness by those who have dedicated their lives to ensuring the safety of Cayman’s public. Yet, when it came time to “establish protocol,” the list of elected dignitaries in attendance was shamefully short — not even close to a quorum. Out of the 18 MLAs, only two — two — were there to support our brave men and women in uniform. Those were, for the record, Premier Alden McLaughlin and George Town MLA Joey Hew. Here’s who didn’t show up: • Minister Marco Archer • Minister Osbourne Bodden • West Bay MLA Bernie Bush • Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush • George Town MLA Winston Connolly • West Bay MLA Eugene Ebanks • Bodden Town MLA Anthony Eden • Minister Moses Kirkconnell • East End MLA Arden McLean • George Town MLA Roy McTaggart • North Side MLA Ezzard Miller • House Speaker Juliana O’Connor-Connolly • Minister Wayne Panton • Minister Tara Rivers • Bodden Town MLA Alva Suckoo • Minister Kurt Tibbetts On lawmakers’ calendars, the RCIPS gala should rank among the most significant public events of the year. After all, these police officers are the very people charged with ensuring the safety of our islands (still one of Cayman’s most desirable attributes) and enforcing the laws that our legislators create. (For those MLAs who may protest they had legiti- mate reasons and were simply unable to attend, we will be pleased to publish any explanatory excuses they wish to offer their constituents.) In the meantime, let us present you with Shaquille O’Neal. No, the former NBA star was not in the audience at the RCIPS event Saturday night. At least not in person. But “Shaq,” who is a well-known supporter of police officers in the U.S., and now Cayman, did take time to record a video of himself issuing a mea culpa for his absence. (His reason: His job as a national NBA analyst requires him to work from an Atlanta TV studio during the ongoing NBA playoffs.) Mr. O’Neal also donated two autographed basketballs, which raised about $2,500 at auction to benefit the Police Welfare Fund. An American celebrity with no direct connection to the RCIPS except for his sense of professional respect, Mr. O’Neal put forth more effort on behalf of our police service Saturday night than did 16 of Cayman’s elected lawmakers. That fact speaks volumes. For the sake of Cayman’s future as a viable society, it behooves our MLAs to raise their own volume, and to proclaim in a single stentorian voice that they do support our police and that they do esteem public safety above politics and personalities. Cops vs. crime: Choose a side Fight or die Last week, the nation’s largest coal company, Pea- body Coal, declared bank- ruptcy, as have many other coal companies in the past few years. They were victims of the development of fracking technology, which greatly increased the supply and re- duced the cost of natural gas, but they were even more vic- tims of President Obama’s stated war on coal. The of- ficials of the coal industry could not do much about the fracking revolution, but they allowed themselves to be un- fairly and irresponsibly pillo- ried by the green lobby and the Obama administration. Over the years, I have watched many industries, companies and individuals be destroyed by unwarranted at- tacks, and even entire coun- tries maligned. But I have also been impressed by those that have successfully fought back. Just contrast the reaction of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the coal industry. Many wish to demonize guns and restrict gun ownership, rather than deal with the people who misuse them. The NRA and other groups that seek to protect Second Amendment rights engage in a continuing ac- tive, vigorous, educational and communications effort. They also engage in a rapid response effort to react to the predictable calls for re- strictions on gun ownership when a terrorist or men- tally ill person engages in a shooting. As a result, Amer- icans’ rights to own guns have largely been preserved. Contrast the actions of the NRA with the coal in- dustry. Coal companies were given fair warning that Mr. Obama was serious about going after them. They should have engaged in a massive educational campaign to ex- plain how they had cleaned up smokestack emissions and provided inexpensive, re- liable electricity. The one re- maining “pollutant” is carbon dioxide – also known as plant fertilizer. Carbon dioxide is a tiny but natural part of our atmosphere (only 0.04 per- cent) without which life as we know it would be impos- sible. It is not known what is the optimal level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. What is known is that the additional amount cre- ated by coal-fired plants in the United States will have almost no discernible effect on global temperatures, but it does stimulate plant growth. And what is also known with a high degree of cer- tainty is that hundreds of thousands of workers in the coal industry will lose their jobs (this has already happened) and that elec- tricity prices will soar for millions of Americans (this is also happening), which, in turn, has the greatest negative effect on low-in- come people. The point is that it was possible to de- fend coal power production in an honest manner, using sound cost-benefit analysis – and the tepid effort by the coal industry to do so was obviously insufficient. The coal industry has unneces- sarily lost tens of billions in market value, greatly hurting their stockholders, pensioners and employees. Much of this could have been avoided if they had spent a few hundred mil- lion educating the Amer- ican public on the ben- efits of coal rather than allowing themselves to be demonized by the radical environmentalists and the Obama administration. At the moment, both Wall Street and the offshore finan- cial jurisdictions are being demonized by left-wing pol- iticians and their media al- lies. Yet, most of those who are attacking Wall Street and the offshore industry have no idea what they really do, and what benefits they pro- vide to the global economy. During the past decade or so, the attacks on the big banks have resulted in reg- ulations that caused the big banks to grow bigger at the expense of smaller banks, while at the same time being less able or unwilling to ser- vice their smaller and more entrepreneurial customers, hurting economic growth and employment. The “Panama Papers” rev- elations caused the predict- able cast of left-wing or- ganizations and media to demand further restrictions on, or even an end to, the offshore financial industry. The big-government inter- national organizations, such as the Organization for Eco- nomic Cooperation and De- velopment, sensing an oppor- tunity, almost immediately came out (as if it were all co- ordinated) with proposals to increase their own “oversight” – a transparent attempt at a bureaucratic power grab. Few people have any real sense of the services that the offshore financial centers provide the world economy. Most people, because of the movies, novels and media, think of them as a place for bad people to go to hide their money. Yes, some of that does occur, but most of these activities are legal, le- gitimate and necessary. The operative question is this: Are the several dozen so-called offshore financial centers enlightened enough to mount a vigorous defense against the know-nothing statists as have the Second Amendment advocates, or will they go the way of the coal industry and apologize for their mere existence, even though they provide nec- essary services that make the world economy function better with higher levels of job creation? In an effort to increase economic literacy, several of us have come together to pro- duce a series of documenta- ries on successful countries, industries and companies, called “Improbable Success.” Destructive economic policies by governments are almost always a result of economic ignorance from those who report on the economy and the people who fail to hold power-hungry politicians and bureaucrats to account. Richard W. Rahn, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. © 2016, The Washington Times RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHN 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” Are the several dozen so-called offshore financial centers enlightened enough to mount a vigorous defense against the know-nothing statists [...] or will they [...] apologize for their mere existence[?]5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 26, 2016 Digital Ship Maritime CIO Forum will discuss the on-going role of IT and communications in the shipping industry with a special focus on: • How is innovation in communications driving the future of shipping? • Technology for the new maritime landscape • Cyber security and future-proofing your IT infrastructure • The future of unmanned vessels • Innovating and investing in the industrial Internet of Things • Big data and analytics to drive innovation, competitiveness and growth • Putting information security onto the boardroom agenda • The Digital Age - maximising efficiencies with next generation solutions for the maritime market • Harnessing disruptive innovation in the maritime sector WISTA and NAMEPA Seminar – The State of the Marine Environment, headlined by marine wildlife artist and marine biologist, Dr. Guy Harvey, and featuring special guest, Colin P. Young of IMO Regional Maritime Adviser Caribbean, will focus on various environmental issues facing the region including: • The emissions challenge for shipping • Port initiatives • Communicating with the public • Technological advances • Prediction and monitoring of pollution and other hazards using simulators, as utilised by the US Coast Guard, built by Transas Transas’ vision is to lead the way in creating an ecosystem of harmonised integrated solutions in safety, navigation and ship operations. In creating these solutions Transas unites global maritime stakeholders in the future of e-Navigation and operations. True to its vision, Transas has introduced THESIS, the Transas Harmonised Eco System of Integrated Solutions. THESIS is a flexible data resource where Ship, Fleet Operations, Academy (simulation & training) and Ship Traffic Control can all be connected to the ecosystem on a cloud based shared data platform. Transas will present its THESIS concept at the conference including a simulation of the Port of George Town. Presentations by Frank Coles - CEO of Transas on (i) Caribbean Port and Coastal Monitoring and Ship Traffic Control and (ii) on Pollution and other hazards prediction and monitoring using simulators, as used by USCG, built by Transas. The Mare Forum 4th Cayman Islands Shipping Summit will focus on the future trends of shipping, the trade and trade patterns affecting shipping, and the yachting business in the region. This conference will explore the imperatives for the Caribbean blue waters, the maritime infrastructure, profitable investments and business opportunities locally and in the Caribbean region, with a special focus on: • The Big Picture. Geopolitical considerations – the future of the American hemisphere, trade patterns, oil and gas renewables and shipping markets outlook. • Profitable investments and business opportunities • Imperatives for the Caribbean waters • Yachting – looking ahead • Doing business in the Cayman Islands To get more information on the event, to register as a delegate or find out about sponsorship opportunities please visit: www.CaymanMaritimeWeek.com or email info@caymanmaritimeweek.com or call +1-345-815-1665 Conference Overview Cayman Maritime Week 2nd - 4th May 2016 - Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort IMS Five years later, no law governing CCTVs BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com It has been nearly five years since the Cayman Islands govern- ment began installing closed-cir- cuit television cameras to mon- itor public rights of way on Grand Cayman and in that time, no legisla- tion governing the use of those de- vices has been approved. According to the CCTV code of practice from 2011: “At present, there is no statutory framework for the regulation of CCTV use, ei- ther government or privately oper- ated in the Cayman Islands. The code does not have the binding ef- fect of legislation.” It was assumed that government, shortly after the implementation of the monitoring system, would put the Data Protection Law into ef- fect, but it has not. Lawmakers are expected to consider the legislation for the first time in the Legislative Assembly this week. Acting Information Commis- sioner Jan Liebaers said last week that the CCTV governance issues were identified years ago by the working group that drafted legis- lation related to data protection. A report from that group in 2014 stated: “The current gap in appli- cable legal provisions related to the use of CCTV and the need for pri- vacy protection in the context of some of the international agree- ments which the Cayman Islands is subject to, suggest[s] that a Data Protection Law is long overdue.” Mr. Liebaers said the use of CCTV cameras in public rights of way is one of the major issues that needs to be addressed with the advent of data protection in the Cayman Islands. “CCTV is operating in a legal vacuum,” Mr. Liebaers said. “The code of practice [for CCTV] refers to the fact that the system would be governed by data protection.” However, if the operation of CCTV cameras – including public complaints about their use – is to fall into the remit of the informa- tion commissioner’s office, the des- ignated authority to administer data protection in the Cayman Islands under the new legislation, the office must be given the proper staff and training, Mr. Liebaers said. “If we’re going to enforce this, we need to do it credibly, like we do with Freedom of Information,” he said. “I don’t want [data protection] to be a box-ticking exercise, but government needs to put some resources behind it if they don’t want that to happen.” Data protection laws generally set out how government and private sector entities should handle per- sonal information and records given to them in the course of business. The law establishes privacy protec- tions for individuals and gives them the right to access details of how their personal information is being processed by the entity. Videos and information com- piled on public right-of-way CCTV cameras are typically processed and viewed at the 911 Emergency Communications Centre for traffic management or the prevention and detection of crime. The 2011 code of conduct gov- erning the use and operation of the Cayman Islands public CCTV system states that “no camera is to be hidden or obscured” from public view. The code, gazetted on Dec. 19, 2011 and approved by Cabinet members in July 2011, states that signs will be clearly placed and vis- ible to the public when they enter an area covered by CCTV. This in- cludes transportable or mobile cameras that will be used from time to time in connection with the CCTV system. Those signs identify: first, who is responsible for the CCTV system; second, its purpose; and third, details of who to contact about the cameras. “The use of covert processing, in- cluding the removal or failure to pro- vide signs, is prima facie a breach of the fairness requirement [in- cluded in the CCTV Code of Con- duct],” the code states. “The installa- tion of a CCTV camera is considered to be overt unless it is installed in a manner whereby its presence is de- liberately intended to be concealed.” There are exceptions made in the code where CCTV public surveil- lance is used specifically for the pre- venting or detection of crime. “In keeping with [the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service] policy pertaining to covert surveil- lance, such covert surveillance is not covered by this code of practice,” the code reads. Those instances of co- vert surveillance must be approved by an RCIPS officer holding the rank of superintendent or above and would also have to be agreed on by the manager of the electronic moni- toring centre. Only specially trained staff will be allowed to operate the cameras during such operations. “Targeted surveillance is not cov- ered by this code and views into residential premises and office ac- commodations will, as far as pos- sible, be excluded from the field of vision,” according to the code. “Every effort must be made to pre- vent close up views into windows of living accommodations.” Closed-circuit television cameras watch over Harbour Drive in George Town. – PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAYTUESDAY APRIL 26, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 6 DISTRICT DAYS 50 years ago: Girls’ Brigaders to visit Canada In the April 27, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, West Bay corre- spondent Leila Yates wrote: “Congratulations to Betty Ruth Ebanks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ar- thur Ebanks and Carol Ann Ebanks, daughter of Mrs. Dell Ebanks both of West Bay No. 3 Company, who have been selected for the Girls’ Brigade Ca- nadian exchange visit. These have been two faithful girls from the garden days of the Girls Guildry and now they are Brigaders. They have always achieved credits in their bible exams, Sunday school and guildry and as two hard working jolly girls they are well de- serving of the opportunity to represent Cayman abroad. “Their third child and second daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Williams on the 18th. Mr. Leslie Tibbetts left on the 17th to resume his job on the S.S. Florida. Mrs. Cleo Moore left on the 21st to obtain medical aid in Jamaica. Messrs. Gideon Rivers and Carson Smith have gone to U.S. to take up jobs with the Overseas Corporation. “Mr. Kirkwood Ebanks left on the 17th to work for National Bulk Car- riers on the S.S. Ore Neptune. Cpl. Kirksy Wallace returned to his duty in the Army after spending two weeks va- cation at home. “Special services were held in the Pilgrim Holiness Church on Friday and Saturday nights. A group of 27 ladies from the Missionary Societies of the Church were guests. They gave their experiences in India, Africa and other places. They rendered special music in song and their Director, Miss Meeks, spoke on behalf of the group, telling how happy they were to be able to visit our island. Special features were again given in the Sunday morning worship. They left on the 24th. “Returned with much improved health on the 23rd from Jamaica was Mrs. Una Thompson who went there for medical attention. Arriving the same day was Mr. J.P. Powell from Jamaica where he combined a busi- ness trip with a checkup on his eye condition.” District Days West Bay Sir John A. Cumber athletes honored Athletes from Sir John A. Cumber Primary School re- ceived special recognition and appreciation for their efforts on April 7 during the school’s weekly general assembly. The competitors finished in third place overall at the 2016 Inter-Primary Track and Field championships, which were held on March 16-18. “Our athletes tried their best and we are very proud of them,” said the school’s physical education teacher, Timothy Eastman. At the meet, student Umar Gordon set a Inter- Primary record for the 800m with a time of 2:39.1. There were some other notable first-place finishes, including Stephen Watson and Joel Sutherland, who placed first in high jump and shot put, respectively. The team also placed first in the 800m sprint medley. International Night In other school news, Sir John A. Cumber students, friends and families came together to celebrate Inter- national Night on April 9. Classes and school clubs and organizations show- cased food, culture, cus- toms and folklore from various locales, including the United States, England, the Caribbean islands and Mexico. “International Night is celebrated annually and at- tracts participants from various countries within the community,” said teacher Annette Vaughan. The event is organized and coordinated by the school’s cultural committee, headed by Diana Varona. Among those who assisted was Chris Christian from Cayman Traditional Arts. “This function promotes international-mindedness among the student body,” said Ms. Vaughan. Sir John A. Cumber Primary School athletes strike a familiar pose in celebration of their third-place finish at the 2016 Inter-Primary Track and Field competition on March 16-18. - PHOTO: ANNETTE VAUGHAN Sir John A. Cumber Rainbows and Brownies club members and leaders, along with parents and visitors, hosted the Mexico booth at the school’s recent International Night. Boatswain Bay Presby- terian Church, Women in the Church will hold its bi- annual Ladies/Teen Girls Conference and Retreat May 13-15. The conference will fea- ture guest speaker Lori Wolfe. “Lori and her husband Rich are no strangers to BBPC,” notes a flyer for the event. “Rich is the Carib- bean regional director with Mission to the World (to which Pastor Ron is con- nected). Lori was here six years ago, helping lead our ‘Love Languages’ workshop at the church. “She lived in the Phil- ippines for a time as a missionary and now re- sides in Colorado Springs where she teaches English, public speaking and bible to middle and high school students. She is a popular women’s bible study and retreat speaker. She is looking forward being with us for a time of worship and mutual encouragement in our personal walks of faith in Jesus.” To raise money for the event, the group will hold a fundraising bake sale on April 29 at Scotiabank, Cen- tral George Town, at 10 a.m. The church website notes: “The women of Boat- swain Bay are an active and integral part of the life of the church. They plan and coordinate church fel- lowships, sponsor church family activities and are in- volved in church and com- munity service projects.” For more information, please contact Conference Chairperson Eziethamae “Zeta” Bodden at 916-1559. Competitors received gold, silver and bronze medals, and in recognition for their determined efforts during the competition. FUNDRAISER SET FOR BOATSWAIN BAY GROUP Reception teachers at the Brazil booth, from left, Jackie Hydes, Jessica Willis, Patricia Bodden, Thresia McLean and Ruhaines EbanksCAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 26, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days West Bay BASIA MCGUIRE bmcguire@pinnaclemedialtd.com A group of determined divers recently did their part for Earth Month in the waters off the West Bay coast, offering up their skills in the fight against the invasive lionfish. Their efforts on April 23 netted 129 fish, with a com- bined weight tipping the scales at nearly 60 pounds. The culling event was organized by dis- trict dive shop Divetech, which operates out of Lighthouse Point. “Lionfish breed vora- ciously, and they are able to spread far and wide as their eggs float on the surface,” noted Divetech Reservations Manager Emma Nicholsby. “They are voracious eaters, and the problem is that they eat the juvenile fish that act as reef cleaners, the fish that play a huge role in reef health by eating algae off the corals and en- sure the health of the reefs.” The “reef grazers” being targeted by lionfish have been identified in recent scientific studies, including a landmark study released in 2014 by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the United Nations Envi- ronment Programme, as a key factor in the decline of coral reefs in the Caribbean. The report, “Status and Trends of Caribbean Coral Reefs: 1970-2012” analyzed 35,000 surveys across the Caribbean showing that the region’s corals have de- clined by more than 50 per- cent, and stressing the im- portance of reef cleaners in making reefs more resil- ient to stresses including climate change. “When the lion- fish problem was identi- fied, Cayman jumped very quickly on the issue,” said Ms. Nicholsby. “Out diving, you don’t see a lot of lionfish these days, considering, especially in areas that are regularly culled, because of that.” Ms. Nicholsby said that the Divetech cull was a boat dive as the aim was to target areas that had not received much attention recently. “For instance, after a few months of people not diving the north wall very often due to the rough weather over the winter, there might be quite a few out there,” she said. She also noted that be- sides being aggressive hunters, the lionfish are being spotted at depth, deeper than most divers go, allowing them to evade capture. The fish that are suc- cessfully captured on culls are kept for human con- sumption rather than left in the water. Ms. Nicholsby explained the idea is to prevent local fish populations from get- ting used to being fed lion- fish collected during culls. “The restaurant onsite at Lighthouse Point, Vivo, serves the lionfish to cus- tomers, so it’s definitely not going to waste,” noted Ms. Nicholsby. “Really, it’s probably the greenest, most sustainable fish you can eat in Cayman.” Vivo owner Michele Zama enthusiastically de- scribed the lionfish bounty the restaurant received over the weekend. The restaurant prides it- self on its sustainability, featuring many locally sourced ingredients in its dishes, which for the most part are vegan or vege- tarian, with lionfish being one notable exception. “This was a huge amount of fish to get; we have been serving lionfish nonstop ever since we got it in on Saturday,” said Mr. Zama. “We are very conscien- tious about where our in- gredients come from and also about not wasting food. With all this lion- fish we have, we are right now trying to come up with dishes we can serve now while it’s still fresh, and also will be potentially making soup which we could freeze, so we can en- sure nothing goes to waste.” Vivo’s current offerings include lionfish curry, lion- fish fillet and pan-seared li- onfish sandwiches. “It really is a delicious fish, and we are grateful we are able to serve it knowing we are doing a good thing for the planet,” said Mr. Zama. Ms. Nicholsby noted there was no charge for the dive, as is the case for most lionfish culls. “We do culls quite often, including corporate events, but this one was a special one for Earth Month,” she said, noting participants could either act as spotters or cullers. “You do need to take a course to get a culling li- cence, which we actually offer at Divetech,” she said. “You must also apply again for a spear license, to har- poon the fish.” The fish are collected in buckets, then put on ice, be- fore being transformed into delicious fare by Vivo. “We have been culling the fish for about eight years now, and this is def- initely an ongoing problem here,” said Ms. Nicholsby. “Through culls like these across Cayman, however we do seem to be keeping the lionfish population in check, which is encouraging.” The cullers on their boat.A bounty of lionfish on its way to diners at Vivo restaurant. Back on shore, the cullers show off their successful catch. Bumper lionfish cull during Earth Month8 LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY APRIL 26, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Enormous recovery for green sea turtles TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Green sea turtle nests have reg- istered an enormous recovery on Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts, as well as, according to Cayman’s Department of the Environment, on local beaches. In the past year, nests have in- creased 20-fold in Cayman and 138-fold along Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts. As numbers have grown, the U.S.-based National Oce- anic and Atmospheric Adminis- tration has upgraded the Florida population from “endangered” to “threatened.” Meanwhile, DoE volunteers last week found the breeding season’s first turtle nest as part of the an- nual survey of 60 miles of Cayman beaches. The nest was in the vi- cinity of Spotts, although officials declined to reveal more precise de- tails, wishing to preserve the integ- rity of the location. “The nest was on the south coast of Grand Cayman,” said Janice Blu- menthal, DoE research officer with a Ph.D. in biological sciences. “It was found by volunteers,” she said, “and organized beach moni- toring starts May 1. It was a logger- head nest, so not quite as big as a green turtle nest.” NOAA’s Dennis Klemm, sea turtle recovery coordinator for the South- east region, said numbers for indi- vidual turtles remain inexact but can be extrapolated. “We don’t have accurate esti- mates of numbers of individuals,” he said, adding that they can be generalized from “new record-high nest numbers.” Fish and Wildlife surveys, he said, show that from 1989 to 2015 nest numbers grew from a low of 267 nests at regularly surveyed Florida beaches to a record 27,975 in 2015. A Fish and Wildlife index of 27 Florida counties – including Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Sarasota – shows an alternating an- nual pattern of highs and lows be- cause, Mr. Klemm said, green turtles have alternating high and low years of nesting, but “the highs keep get- ting higher and the lows keep get- ting higher as well.” “[Florida’s] 2015 statewide nest count for green turtles was 37,341,” he said, clarifying that NOAA sur- veys the same “index beaches” an- nually, while the statewide count draws on a less standardized can- vass of more nesting areas. Ms. Blumenthal said she was gratified by the increases: “It is ex- tremely encouraging to see recovery trends from other green turtle pop- ulations, including Florida – where numbers from index beaches in- creased from a low of less than 300 nests in 1989 to a high of nearly 30,000 nests in 2015. “In the Cayman Islands, we have also seen an encouraging increase in nesting numbers from less than 10 green turtle nests when DoE monitoring began in 1998 to more than 200 green turtle nests in 2015,” which she declared a “record year” for the Cayman Islands. “During daytime nesting beach monitoring surveys, DoE staff and volunteers found and marked 437 nests … This was 242 nests in Grand Cayman, 34 nests in Cayman Brac, and 161 nests in Little Cayman.” Still, Ms. Blumenthal cautioned that while the statistics point to im- provements, “it is important to re- member … absolute nesting num- bers are still very low – and each turtle lays several nests per season. “While the number of nesting fe- male green turtles in the Cayman Is- lands is still critically low, the trend in Florida shows that with sufficient protection, green turtle populations such as ours can recover.” Cayman Turtle Farm Chief Re- search Officer Walter Mustin said only about 100 turtles made up Cayman’s wild breeding numbers, “and that means about 50 females, and because of poaching, you prob- ably have only 48, and that could even be down to 46 or 47, so it’s a pretty delicate population.” Each release is tagged, and while it takes years before released tur- tles return to breed, Mr. Mustin said at least some have made their way back from Florida. “Those that have returned were released 35 years, 40 years, ago,” he said. “Some have come from Florida. Others have come from as far away as Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and Venezuela.” New tagging systems based on genetics will enable a much closer tracking: “We can see what per- centage of ‘our’ genes are showing up in the Florida populations,” he said. Turtle Farm Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer Tim Adam said populations had also im- proved in Hawaii. The increases were a result of “good protection, con- tinued monitoring and increasing scientific knowledge and attention. Given all that, they can come back.” Mr. Klemm said the improve- ments not only to Florida’s previ- ously endangered breeding popula- tions, but also to the entire set of 11 distinct populations globally is “a result of past and current conserva- tion efforts.” Early bans on egg hunting and fishing expanded in 1991 to the cre- ation of central Florida’s 900-acre, 20-mile-long Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, protecting green sea turtles and loggerhead turtles. Later measures, Mr. Klemm said, have included “turtle excluder” de- vices in shrimp trawls, other fishery regulations such as gillnet prohi- bitions, better regulation of beach lighting and better management of beaches. Ms. Blumenthal agreed, pointing to a 2014-2016 Darwin Initiative Study of turtle nesting in Cayman, “document[ing] that green turtles released from the Cayman Turtle Farm in the 1980s return to nest on our beaches and replenish our nesting population. “Other factors contributing to the nesting increase include changes in fishery legislation to prevent adult turtles from being harvested and better protection of nesting turtles on the beach through enforcement efforts,” she said. “As turtles are highly migratory, turtles in the Cayman Islands pop- ulation are also affected by conser- vation efforts in other jurisdictions, such as reductions in harvesting and fishery bycatch.” “We have seen an … increase … from less than 10 green turtle nests … to more than 200 …” JANICE BLUMENTHAL, research officer, Department of Environment A turtle nesting in the Cayman Islands, where increasing numbers of turtle nests have been recorded in recent years. - PHOTO: MARK ORR Turtle tracks, traditionally called Batabano in Cayman, left in the sand by a nesting female. – PHOTO: GARY REDFERN CCMI scientists share research with top ecologists KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Central Caribbean Marine Insti- tute researchers recently joined some 400 top marine ecologists at the 45th Benthic Ecology Meeting in Portland, Maine, to present their findings on Cayman’s marine ecosystems. CCMI research technician Hunter Hughes presented the research in- stitute’s findings on the impact of the 2015 El Niño warming event on Little Cayman’s corals. The weather phenomenon, which has been occurring more frequently in the past 50 years, caused dra- matic coral bleaching in the Cayman Islands last fall. “Sea surface temperatures in- creased through the summer and the Caribbean experienced the highest prolonged temperatures since 2009, causing corals to pale and bleach,” Mr. Hughes reported at the conference. When corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as tem- perature, the algae that covers the coral’s tissue leave. Without the algae – which is the coral’s primary food source – corals can die. They can also lose their color, becoming white or very pale and more suscep- tible to disease. Scientists at the National Oce- anic and Atmospheric Administra- tion (NOAA) have been predicting mass bleaching since the summer of 2014, and it was feared a that such a situation would occur in Cayman. In Grand Cayman last fall, coral bleaching was so dramatic that it could be seen by helicopter crews flying over South Sound. Signifi- cant coral bleaching was also oc- curring around the Brac and in Little Cayman. According to a CCMI press re- lease last month, almost 60 percent of corals surveyed after the peak of the bleaching event in October had changed color. According to the paper pre- sented by Mr. Hughes at the con- ference, relief arrived in October in the form of storms and high winds that churned the water, cooling it and halting the bleaching progress. Now the corals surrounding Little Cayman are recovering. Mr. Hughes was joined at the con- ference by interns who participated in the Research Experience for Un- dergraduates program at CCMI, which is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation. Interns Aimee Cook, Lizzy Monaghan, Olivia Reda and Abby Treadwell gave written and verbal presentations on a variety of topics, including ancient corals and sea urchin densities. Interns Olivia Reda, Abby Treadwell, Lizzy Monaghan, Aimee Cook and CCMI Research Technician Hunter HughesThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 26, 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. SOME CANDW.KY EMAIL ACCOUNTS COMPROMISED Password change recommended Hackers have taken advan- tage of the candw.ky email platform to steal sensitive in- formation from some email accounts, authorities said. The Cayman Islands Cy- bersecurity Incident Re- sponse Team issued a warning recently that it had confirmed some indi- vidual email accounts had been hacked. The cybersecurity group, part of the Information and Communications Technology Authority, does not know how attackers gained ac- cess to the email accounts, according to a press re- lease. The regulator said the hackers use the “filter” func- tion on the email platform to forward emails that include bank account numbers or other sensitive information. “These filters cause emails which contain certain words (e.g. ‘account’, ‘payment’, ‘wire’, ‘password’) to be redi- rected to a third party,” the cybersecurity team notes in the statement. The regulator advises candw.ky users to remove any filters from their accounts and change their passwords. While it is unclear how the attackers got into the email accounts, the in- vestigators suspect that hackers could have gotten passwords through scam emails that trick people into giving up their email ac- count information or install malicious software. matter and the operational decisions that were taken are all part of what I believe this inquiry will encompass …. “It may well be that the report concludes with major criticism of the way the matter has been handled; none of us know. I believe we should have confidence in the U.K. Maritime and Coast- guard Agency and give their commander the opportu- nity to conduct this inquiry and present it to the whole country.” Mr. Bush’s original motion called for an independent in- quiry into the rescue opera- tion. Since he filed the motion the governor announced Mr. Jenkins’s review. However, he persisted Monday, saying he was not satisfied with a written re- port and called for a full judi- cial inquiry, with the oppor- tunity for lawyers to question witnesses in a public setting. “I am not satisfied with an inquiry that has every possibility of going nowhere,” he said. “This is not just about a boat accident. It is about five souls lost. What we need is an open judicial inquiry, not a report at the behest of the governor, who believes the police commissioner deserves our confidence and trust.” He said the report would inevitably go through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before it was made public, and suggested that other public inquiries had re- sulted in a “whitewash.” Mr. Bush added, “We can’t do anything about five souls lost. Pray to God it were not so. Pray to God, somehow, we will find those persons, but we must get to the root of what happened.” Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said he believes the U.K. Coastguard com- mander’s review, which is scheduled to begin this week, will provide a sufficient level of independence to achieve the accountability that Mr. Bush and other members are asking for. He said that Mr. Jen- kins has nearly two decades of relevant experience and has no connection to the Cayman Islands, to the gov- ernor’s office, to the police or the civil service. “We are achieving exactly what everyone wants here, using this method that the governor has agreed to. We are getting an independent person to come in to review the entire incident and we commit to making it public.” As the members con- tinued to debate the mo- tion Monday, Mr. Bush and Mr. McLaughlin negoti- ated a compromise that led to the amendment late in the afternoon, which was unanimously backed by all present. Several legislators spoke on the motion, many of them expressing condo- lences for the families of the five people missing at sea since March 6. The boat had been on a trip to 12 Mile Bank, west of Grand Cayman. The craft was re- covered, but none of those aboard have been found. Three men, Gary Mullings, Edsell Haylock and Nicholas Watler and two children, Ka- mron and Kanyi Brown, ages 11 and nine respectively, were on board. Cubans who were serving time for illegal landing in the islands were at Northward Prison. Four other migrants, in- cluding a pregnant woman and a juvenile who appar- ently made a trip with a parent from Cuba earlier this year, are being kept in a hotel, Mr. Lavis said. The pregnancy pres- ents a specific set of dif- ficulties for local law en- forcement officials, both medically and legally. Women past 28-weeks of pregnancy are sometimes not allowed to fly due to risks of entering prema- ture labor. Also, if the child is born in Cayman, it has the potential to be- come “stateless,” since it typically would not be given Caymanian status and Cuban authorities might not accept the child back into their country. Both issues present prob- lems with repatriation. The number of Cubans being housed on Grand Cayman awaiting repa- triation was between 130 and 140 earlier this year, forcing the department to use local community cen- ters in the less-populated eastern districts of Grand Cayman to provide shelter for them. The number of Cuban arrivals began falling off in February and by the end of March the local community centers had been cleared out, officials confirmed. Typically, the Cuban boaters are classified as economic migrants, fleeing poor wages in their home country and seeking entry to the U.S. via Central America and Mexico. If the migrants come ashore, or inform Cayman authorities that they wish to be taken into custody, they are housed at the de- tention center to await their repatriation – a process that often takes months. In recent months, with more Cuban arrivals, the repatri- ation process has been un- able to keep up. “International law pro- hibits the Cayman Islands from facilitating illegal mi- gration,” a statement from the department noted Monday. “The Immigration Department notes that the restriction on assistance is in part due to the dan- gerous and potentially fatal journey which such indi- viduals face.” into the ocean from the days before coastal works licenses were required. “It’s a nice protected bay to get in and swim and teach diving,” Mr. Andrews said, adding to the attractive- ness for potential developers and investors. The breakwater juts out from the coast and protects an inlet carved into the iron- shore where boats can dock. The site fronts both iron- shore and sandy beach, di- vided at the breakwater. The hotel closed in 2007 and went up for sale. Mr. Ug- land, with Bay Reef Holdings Ltd., bought the property that year. “But then 2008 came and the whole thing got put on hold,” Mr. Andrews said, referring to the recession that hit financial markets around the world. Mr. Ugland has been making plans for the prop- erty for years. In 2010, he told the Cayman Compass about plans to rebuild the 50- room hotel and add another 50 rooms. According to Mr. Ugland at the time, the plans were to develop a private, quiet resort spread out over the large property to cater to scuba divers. Since 2008, hotel con- struction projects have started coming back online. Dart’s Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa on Seven Mile Beach is on track for a November opening. Treasure Island, on the other end of Seven Mile Beach, has new owners and will soon have the Margarita- ville brand as a Miami-based developer works on reno- vating the resort. There has also been move- ment recently on a five- star hotel in Bodden Town at Beach Bay, and at the Ironwood development in Frank Sound. Boatload of Cubans lands in Brac CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Call for Caymanian involvement in Coastguard review West Bay’s Spanish Bay Reef site cleared CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The buildings being demolished have sat vacant for almost nine years. – PHOTO: HAMISH HAMILTON “The buildings were in a bad state. In order to get something started, we need it to look the part.” ANDREAS UGLAND, one of the owners The regulator advises candw.ky users to remove any filters from their accounts and change their passwords.Next >