CAYMAN WEEKENDER International models EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE ‘$233 ARREST’ AT THE AIRPORT ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY MAY 20, 2016 High of 89 Low of 76 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet Millions of GM mosquitoes to be released Permit approved by conservation council JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The National Conservation Council has granted permit approval for the release of up to 22 million genetically modified mosquitoes in Grand Cayman over the next nine months. The council approved the import of the eggs and the release of the mosquitoes ahead of a trial project to fight the disease-spreading Aedes aegypti mosquito in West Bay. U.K. biotech company Oxitec will hatch and process the eggs at a laboratory in a refur- bished shipping container on the compound of Cayman’s Mosquito Research and Control Unit on Red Gate Road. Up to 600,000 male mosquitoes, modified so their offspring die before reaching adult- hood, will be produced for release every week throughout the trial period, starting mid- June. It is hoped that the genetically modi- fied strain, through weight of numbers, will out-compete the resident males for mates and crash the population. The council approved the permit ap- plication at its meeting Wednesday, saying there is likely to be no negative impact on Cayman’s natural environment. In an interview with the Cayman Compass on Thursday, William Petrie of the Mosquito Control and Research Unit sought to allay public fears, insisting his unit, the Conserva- tion Council and the Department of Agriculture have done their due diligence. “There is a tremendous amount of work that we have looked at. We are certainly not being BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Warning citations were handed out to more than a dozen vendors along Seven Mile and West Bay Public Beaches over the past week as the Department of Commerce and Investment responded to long-standing complaints about unlicensed or even dangerous activities in the popular tourist areas. On Thursday, a week after the first round of tickets were handed out – telling vendors to cease operations within 14 days or face fines – most of the Seven Mile Beach vendors re- mained operational. “Some of us got homes and mortgages, where are we going to find the money to feed our kids?” said Andre Woodman, one of the admittedly unlicensed vendors who rents everything from beach chairs to Jet Skis on Seven Mile Public Beach. Mr. Woodman’s brother Reuben displayed a copy of the warning citation he received from a commerce and investment enforcement officer on May 12. The ticket stated that the business the brothers own – Ride with Us Motorsports – was operating without a valid license. The warning states: “By way of this no- tice, the department is offering you an oppor- tunity to become compliant with the requisite sections of the law. You are hereby given 14 days to cease the above identified infraction. Failure to comply will result in a notice of a ticket or fine under section 35 of the law and legal action may be taken …” Department of Commerce and Investment Head of Compliance and Enforcement Claudia Brady said the department’s officers issued UNLICENSED 7MB VENDORS TOLD TO CLOSE OR FACE FINES JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Free divers from around the world produced literally breath- taking performances at the an- nual Deja Blue competition in the Cayman Islands last week. Performing feats that seem to defy the laws of physics and human biology, free divers hit depths in excess of 70 me- ters on a single breath at the competition. The eventual winner, China’s Jessea Lu, held her breath for a staggering seven minutes in one discipline at the event, dubbed the “Ironman of free diving.” Free divers take breath away PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Fame the Musical Musicians Ltd. brings a classic to the stage B5 Choir competition Schools sing for Big Brothers Big Sisters B6 Beauty Music Theater ■ FASHION International ‘Marie Claire’ magazine features Cayman women B7 Travel essentials Beauty products for the global jet-setter B4 FRIDAY MAY 20, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS STOLI FLAVOURS2 for $ 56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July TORTUGA 5 Year and 12 Year Premium Gold Rum 20% OFF Registered Merchant of CaymanGiftCertificates. com The Month of May Early bird Buy your Cayfilm tickets now B3 International models Photo: Cortez Vernon Men’s winner Tom Gilmore ascends from a dive. - PHOTOS: JOAKIM HJELM/WWW.JOAKIMHJELM.COM Cayman resident Mark Tilley finished third in the men’s competition, hitting 73 meters in one event. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 20, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Mobile: 345-323-8573 Office: 345-943-8573 / Fax: 345-949-9753 heather.richards@remax.ky / www.remax.ky Heather Richards DREAM WITH YOUR EYES OPEN! Cayman Islands Member of CIREBA Fantastic Find! Family home recently renovated featuring large great room for entertaining and relaxing. Walks out onto patio w/hot tub. Big yard, fully fenced and landscaped. A definite must see!! MLS 405404 CI $384,000 Prospect Drive Home CARIBBEANCAFEA Lunch /Dinner 11am-10pm Daily A Residential • Commercial • Industrial 936.5625 (LOCK) r.deadbolt@hotmail.com Residential • Commercial • Industrial 936.5625 (LOCK) Rob Ward Certifi ed Locksmith FAST, RELIABLE ONSITE SERVICE Eugenio Leon Harpist Extraordinaire, serenades tableside tonight and every Friday night! Harpist Extraordinaire, serenades tableside Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday Tonight! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm Tonight! TOMORROW Saturday, May 21st Barefoot Man and Sea N’B Starting live at 8:00pm Come for dinner Stay for Dancing Or come to our beautiful Oceanside Bar and listen to the Sweet Sounds of Barefoot Man Friday, May. 20th LIVE BAND tonight and every Friday night! Friday, May. 20th LIVE BANDLIVE BAND TONIGHT!TONIGHT!TONIGHT! Playing all the classics! 8:30pm - 11:30pm The one & only ManGoJam Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky Salsa Free lessons with Kirk starting ALMA CHOLLETTE achollette@pinnaclemedialtd.com A young Caymanian and a third-generation watchmaker are working together to hone skills as finely tuned as the precise movements of a well- made timepiece. Marc Brown, 22, has been working with his mentor Adrian Fernandez at Island Companies for two and a half years, starting as a complete novice who now “can put anything together.” “It’s amazing. I learn something every day,” said Mr. Brown, who the com- pany chose for the ap- prenticeship after running an advertisement. The company was seeking young Caymanians inter- ested in learning the skills of watchmaking “and out of few, we chose Marc … because he is focused and shows interest to learn,” Mr. Fernandez said of the former John Gray High School student. Watchmaking was not a vocation Mr. Brown had considered, but now his enthusiasm shows. “Never did I think I’d come across a profession I’d love so much,” he said. “All I could do [with a watch] before this job was to tell the time,” he laughed. “Now I can put anything together.” He can now ser- vice most quartz and mechanical watches. “This profession is very meticulous, very hands-on and detailed,” he said. “[Mr. Fernandez] has made learning fun. He’s friendly and knows what he’s doing. Plus, he makes learning easy,” Mr. Brown said. After four years as an apprentice, Mr. Brown, like his mentor, will have the opportunity to attend work- shops in Switzerland. The mentor Although Mr. Fernandez has 21 years’ experience as a watchmaker, he continues his own training. Later this month he will attend the es- teemed Watchmakers of Swit- zerland Training and Educa- tional Program. Mr. Fernandez, who is from India, comes from a long line of watchmakers dating to around 1890. The first in his family to study the art of watchmaking was his grandfather, Joseph, who learned the trade from a British priest in India. In 1901, his grandfather opened what would become the family’s watchmaking workshop, Joseph Fernandez & Sons. Now run by Mr. Fer- nandez’s uncle, the work- shop still operates in Kollam, Kerala, India. Mr. Fernandez’s interest in watchmaking began when he was 15 and started taking timepieces apart at the family business. “I used to visit our family workshop on a weekly basis, and there I started learning the basic things,” he said. He earned a bachelor of commerce degree in college, but by that time, “watch- making was already in my blood,” he said. At age 21, he enrolled in the Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program, and worked in Switzerland, Dubai, Holland and India before moving to Cayman in 2012. When he was hired by Is- land Companies for a watch- maker position, he and his family moved here. “We all came together to the island without even seeing the place before,” he said. “I made some friends through Facebook and did research before arriving and got to know this is a paradise.” His precision work is “simply brilliant,” said Bob Nickoles, zone sales manager for Island Jewellers. “I’ve watched [Mr. Fernandez] as- semble a watch that was in 250 pieces.” Marc Brown and Adrian Fernandez in the workshop. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Carrying on a watchmaking legacyThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 20, 2016 discoverfl ow.ky Conditions apply. you get Cloud space to record as many shows as you want at the same time. Plus you never lose any recording even if the power goes out. This is TV on your terms. Call 1-800-534-7253 for a free in-home demo. why Flow TV?The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” FRIDAY MAY 20, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The curious case of the ‘$233 arrest’ at the airport On her way out of the country, a Cayman Islands visitor — a “soccer mom,” no less — was arrested at the airport and forced to spend the night in police custody … over a disputed debt of $233. That’s not exactly the kind of marketing tale that supports our tourism moniker, namely “Caymankind.” We aren’t privy to all the details of the situation, but based on what we do know, the situation looks bad, and it makes our country appear petty, at best. (It is reminiscent of the public relations disaster that followed the now-famous Customs Department’s seizure of a wedding dress; only potentially worse.) Here are the facts, as we understand them: • Fuambai Ahmadu had an agreement to stay at a guest apartment in West Bay from Monday to Saturday last week, as she watched her son play football in the Cayman Airways Invitational Youth Cup. • She either left or was evicted from the apartment on Wednesday, following a dispute with the apart- ment owner over the method of payment. The owner wanted cash up front; she wanted to pay by credit card or cash at the end of her stay. • On Saturday at the airport, after she checked her bags and cleared security, she was approached by police officers. • Ms. Ahmadu told police she had not paid for her stay. Officers gave her the option to pay right then and there — but she chose not to. • Officers then arrested her. She spent the night in custody. She appeared in Summary Court on a charge of obtaining services by deception, which was dismissed after she handed over an envelope of cash through her lawyer to the pros- ecutor, who was acting as an intermediary for the apartment owner. Now, we aren’t siding with Ms. Ahmadu or the apartment owner on the matter of the disputed debt. Our concern, rather, is with the arrest and confine- ment of Ms. Ahmadu by law enforcement (who, by the way, have a record of allowing people facing far more serious allegations to flee Cayman.) In Cayman, there are numerous bill collectors, law firms, and maybe even street toughs who specialize in collecting unpaid debts. Certainly we have no shortage of debtors on the island. Many, if not most, companies have long lists of aging receivables. Which raises the question: Why should businesses go to all the trouble and expense of employing attor- neys and bill collectors if they can just ring up the police and have the suspected debtors arrested — or, even more elegantly, have police or prosecutors simply demand the cash on the creditor’s behalf, under threat of imprisonment? According to an official statement from police, “The status or position of a given person, and whether he or she may be a resident or visitor, is irrelevant as to whether circumstances such as these warrant an arrest.” In that case, police may want to consider arresting every single resident who owes money to the public hospital system. It might put a dent in the estimated $80 million in unpaid bills and be a real boon to our treasury. As importantly, it could lead to a massive boom in construction because of the sudden demand for thou- sands of new prison cells. PHELIM KINE In May 2015, Rodrigo Duterte invited my colleagues and I for some rest and relax- ation in Davao City, the me- tropolis in the south of the Philippines that he has over- seen as mayor for almost 30 years. “To all the bleeding hearts of U.S.-based [Human Rights] Watch,” Duterte wrote in a statement. “You want a taste of justice, my style? Come to Davao City, Philip- pines, and do drugs in my city. I will execute you in public.” That threat was in re- sponse to the Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticism of Duterte’s public support for the gangland-style killings as a form of crime control. A 2009 HRW report inves- tigated the cases of some of the hundreds of people – in- cluding children as young as 14 – murdered by death squads in Davao City and other cities in the Philippines. Though there is no hard evi- dence of Duterte’s direct role in ordering the killings, we found proof that Davao City officials and police were di- rectly involved. (And Duterte himself has never shied away from publicly applauding the targeted killing of what he calls “criminals.”) Duterte’s response to HRW was no one-off, career-ending, slip-of-the-tongue. Rather it embodies the key elements of his political rhetoric, which lumps together crime and universal human rights (and their advocates) as twin toxic threats to Philippine society. The 71-year-old Duterte de- livers that message in crude, hyper-aggressive language that’s as lurid as it iss unre- pentant. “Forget the laws on human rights,” Duterte told a rapturous crowd of more than 300,000 people on the eve of the May 9 presidential elec- tions, which Duterte won in a landslide, with an estimated nearly 40 percent of the vote. “If I make it to the presiden- tial palace,” he said, “I will do just what I did as mayor. You drug pushers, holdup men, and do-nothings, you better get out because I’ll kill you.” Duterte’s successful presiden- tial campaign against four other candidates was built on espousing political positions that are disturbing as they are unlawful. He has man- aged to convince a plurality of the Philippine electorate that he “will solve drugs, crimi- nality, and corruption in three to six months” – by whatever means necessary. For its report, HRW inter- viewed death squad insiders – relatives and friends of death squad members with direct knowledge of operations – as well as journalists, commu- nity activists, and government officials who provided de- tailed corroborating evidence of the death squads’ opera- tions. Most of the triggermen were either former commu- nist insurgents who surren- dered to the government, or individuals who joined the death squads to avoid being targeted by the group. Their handlers, called amo (boss), were usually police officers or ex-police officers who provided the gunmen with training, weapons and am- munition, motorcycles, and information on the targets. (Death squad members often carried .45-caliber handguns, a weapon commonly used by the police but normally pro- hibitively expensive for gang members and common crim- inals.) After the killings, po- lice stations were tipped off, ensuring that officers would respond slowly, and enabling the death-squad members to escape the crime scene. Duterte has done little to distance himself from alle- gations of involvement in the death squads. In May 2015, he publicly admitted his ac- tive complicity: “Am I the death squad? True. That is true,” he said, only to retract his admission days later. Over the past few decades, he has made numerous statements attempting to justify killing suspected criminals. In 2001- 2002, Duterte would announce the names of “criminals” on local television and radio; some of those he named would become victims of the death squads. Philippine au- thorities have yet to success- fully prosecute anyone for any of these murders. Meanwhile, the killings continue, and copycat death-squad opera- tions have emerged in other Philippine cities. Duterte’s electoral vic- tory will obligate him, after he takes office in June, to ex- tend the human rights protec- tions embodied in the consti- tution to all the people of the Philippines – even those he considers “criminals.” The de- parting Benigno Aquino ad- ministration failed to address impunity for the government’s rights violations. The combi- nation of a lack of political will to investigate and prose- cute abuses by state security forces; a corrupt and politi- cized criminal justice system; and a legacy of “patronage pol- itics” – whereby wealthy indi- viduals and private companies help finance political cam- paigns with the expectation of favors – has harmed the rights of many Filipinos. These prob- lems now fall to the Duterte administration to tackle. But Duterte’s statements both before and during the presidential election have raised grave concerns that his administration will result in a serious regression of human rights. In past speeches, Duterte has described his murderous tactics as a key plank of what he insists has been an effective governance strategy. “What I want to do is instill fear,” he told reporters in February 2009. “If you are doing an illegal activity in my city, if you are a criminal or part of a syndicate that preys on the innocent people of the city, for as long as I am the mayor, you are a legitimate target of assassination.” He extended that strategy to his presidential campaign platform on a near-biblical scale, promising the mass kill- ings of tens of thousands of “criminals,” whose bodies he would dump in Manila Bay. Hopefully, that pledge was mere electioneering bombast. Phelim Kine is deputy director in the Asia division at New York– based Human Rights Watch. © 2016, Foreign Policy Justice by assassination “If I make it to the presidential palace,” [Duterte] said, “I will do just what I did as mayor. You drug pushers, holdup men, and do-nothings, you better get out because I’ll kill you.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 20, 2016 6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 20, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Students travel to robotics competition Hoping for victory against U.S. teams A team of five John Gray stu- dents flew to the United States on Thursday to compete with some of the best American underwater ro- botics teams. In March, Jai Dixon-McKenzie, Najae Gordon, John Tatum, Zeb Yanez-Bush and Ethan Stewart, known as the Bolts, won the SeaP- erch science and technology chal- lenge to build and operate a re- mote submersible vehicle. That victory secured them a place in the U.S. competition. Excited and nervous about the trip to the competition, held at Louisiana State University, Ethan Stewart said, “It’s a good step for our education and puts us a step forward in the electronic world and, hopefully, we will do good.” All of the Year 10 students get- ting ready to board the plane Thursday were optimistic about their chances, saying they expected to win, despite having to compete against about 175 from teams from across the U.S. Teacher Desmond White said the boys have been practicing hard and they are looking forward to the competition. “We hope they will do their best and achieve success. “From the activity, the students will enhance their STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] learning. Hopefully, they will come back and motivate others to get in- volved in stem careers,” he said. The competition in Cayman was held as the result of a partnership between Maples and Calder and the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association. Sherice Arman, president of the Women’s International Ship- ping and Trading Association and a lawyer at Maples and Calder, said they are proud to create op- portunities for young people in the Cayman Islands, with the SeaP- erch Challenge being just one of those opportunities. She added that more programs like SeaPerch in the future would serve to encourage children’s enthu- siasm for STEM careers. “It’s a good step for our education and puts us a step forward in the electronic world and, hopefully, we will do good.” ETHAN STEWART, student Holding their prize-winning remote submersible vehicle, the John Gray robotics team give the thumbs-up before boarding the plane at Owen Roberts Airport, Thursday, on their way to compete in a robotics competition in the U.S. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Youth spends holiday giving back KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Eleven-year-old Sophie Elias decided to make the most of her Easter break this year by spending the holiday giving back to her community. The Grade 6 Cayman Prep student raised money for the Cayman Islands Humane Society and the inpatient Mental Health Unit at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Sophie had the idea to create colorful Easter treat jars filled with candy to sell. With a little help from her mom and aunt, the self-run fundraiser was a success. “At the end of her Easter break, after seeing the great results from her hard work, Sophie was so excited she has pledged that her holidays from now on will include assisting others,” said her mother, Charmaine Elias. On May 13, Sophie saw the fruits of her labor when she stopped by the Mental Health Unit at the hospital to toss the first ball into the new basketball net the unit bought with her donation. With only a small outdoor space for patients to use, shooting hoops is a fa- vorite activity among those at the unit, but prior to Sophie’s donation, patients used a hoop made out of a milk carton. Dr. Marc Lockhart, director of Inpa- tient Psychiatry and Behavioural Health at the Health Services Authority, said So- phie’s actions highlight the fact that “we can all help, irrespective of our age.” Sophie Elias spent her Easter holiday raising money for a new basketball net at the inpatient Mental Health Unit. On Friday, she threw the first basketball. – PHOTO: MATT LAMERS7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 20, 2016 ® Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under license. Scotiabank Student Bursary Help fund your future with a US$5,000 Scotiabank Student Bursary. If you are a Caymanian student in financial need and looking to pursue an undergraduate degree in business or finance at a university/college overseas, Scotiabank could help you get there! Now accepting applications from qualified candidates. Find out more today. Go to cayman.scotiabank.com SB_Student Bursary_Compass Ad_JuniorPage_6.822x11.8975.indd 16/8/15 4:02 PM Incident ‘changed my life,’ victim says CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Mark Anthony Sey- mour, 31, was sentenced last week to eight years’ imprisonment after a jury unanimously found him guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The bodily harm, a punc- tured lung, changed the life of Seymour’s victim. “I used to play football, but now I don’t play, as I’m afraid of any breathing dif- ficulties,” the young man said in a victim impact re- port. He was 18 when he was stabbed on Nov. 21, 2015 in the vicinity of Nectar Lounge in the Seven Mile Shops complex off West Bay Road. Justice Charles Quin called it “a serious un- provoked knife attack that caused serious in- jury which could easily have been fatal.” The young man said he was scared that he was going to die. “I didn’t initially re- alize my lung had been punctured when he stabbed me, but then it began to col- lapse,” he said. “I had diffi- culty breathing. It was hard to breathe and I thought I would die.” He spoke of his treat- ment in hospital, which saved his life, and the ex- cruciating pain from having a tube inserted into his lung. Four months later, he still could not do any strenuous activity at work or at home. “This incident has changed my life, since I can no longer do many of the things I used to do. Before I was stabbed, I was doing an apprenticeship for electri- cian work. Luckily, after my weeks off sick and my re- covery period, they took me back,” he stated. However, as Justice Charles Quin read at the sentencing hearing, the victim cannot work to the same extent or same stan- dard because he cannot physically exert himself as much. He lost pay while re- covering and he has been left with a physical scar. “But clearly his work and his ability to earn money has been seriously compro- mised,” the judge noted. In passing sentence, Justice Quin reviewed re- cent authorities and Sey- mour’s record, which in- cluded numerous assaults. Given the aggravating fea- tures of this offense and the defendant’s previous convictions, he concluded that eight years was the appropriate sentence. Seymour, also known as Mark Hilary, told the court he needed the trial tran- script so he could get an ap- peal as quickly as possible because he had not done this crime. He also com- plained that the judge was dealing with him harshly because of his record. “You could easily be going to prison for life,” Jus- tice Quin told him. “It could easily have been murder.” The judge gave credit for time in custody. Later that day, Sey- mour attended Summary Court where he received an additional four months for charges that included driving while disqualified; disorderly conduct at a po- lice station; and causing ha- rassment, alarm or distress. On May 17, he ap- peared in Summary Court via video link on charges of common assault and a reck- less and negligent act. Sey- mour asked for a concurrent sentence and the magis- trate agreed, saying this file should have been before the court the previous week so that totality of sentence could be considered. “You could easily be going to prison for life. It could easily have been murder.” JUSTICE CHARLES QUIN Eight years for unprovoked knife attack Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice are looking for a West Bay resident who was re- ported missing Monday night. He has not been seen in almost a week. Hector Cruz, 40, who is originally from Cuba, was last seen May 14. He told relatives he was going on a fishing trip early on May 15. He also goes by the name Hector Delacali. Police have not been able to determine whether Mr. Cruz ever embarked on the fishing trip, and he has not been heard from since. Anyone with information is asked to call the RCIPS Marine Base at 949-7710. Anonymous tips can also be called into Crime Stoppers at 800-8477. Missing West Bay man sought Hector Cruz BT MAN CHARGED FOR IMITATION FIREARM A man who fled from a police operation in January has been arrested on fire- arms-related charges. The Royal Cayman Islands Police said a 33-year-old man from Bodden Town has been charged with possession of an imitation firearm and resisting arrest. He is due to appear in court on May 24. The charges arise from a Jan. 20 incident during a police operation on Kitty Lane, Bodden Town. Po- lice said a man holding what was thought to be a gun fled from police.8 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 20, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Shari Leslie Wilson who passed away suddenly on Wednesday, May 11, 2016. Details for a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Shari Leslie Wilson who passed away suddenly on Wednesday, May 11, 2016. Details for a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com Details for a Thanksgiving Service will We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Robert Welsh Holton who passed away on Saturday, May 14, 2016. He will be repatriated for burial in Philadelphia, PA. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We regret to announce the passing of Cecil "Egbert" Walton who departed this life on Friday 29th April 2016. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at 10am on Saturday 21st May, 2016, at Elmslie Memorial United Church, Harbour Drive, George Town. Viewing will be from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m. Interment will follow at the Prospect Cemetery. We regret to announce the passing of Cassidy “Lenny” Jackson Who departed this life on Monday, 9 May 2016. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. A funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, 22 May, 2016, at the King’s Seventh Day Adventist Church. Viewing will be prior to the service from 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow in Garden of Reflections Cemetery used as guinea pigs,” he said. He said the process was endorsed by the World Health Organization, which is ac- tively encouraging countries in the Caribbean and Latin America to use new methods to fight Aedes aegypti, the species of mosquito which carries diseases like dengue fever and Zika, for which there is currently no cure. Oxitec has also been asked to provide risk assessments and other data to govern- ments in Brazil and Malaysia over the past few years and is opening production facto- ries in Brazil, the epicenter of the Zika outbreak. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is still going through an assessment of the technology ahead of a release of genetically modified mos- quitoes in the Florida Keys. The Food and Drug Ad- ministration has produced an initial finding of “no signifi- cant impact” and is now solic- iting public feedback. “Oxitec has provided a wealth of information and we don’t need to duplicate all that,” said Mr. Petrie. He said the process could prove pivotal in the global fight against mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, chikun- gunya and Zika. “No one else has a solution that can deal with those dis- eases,” he added. He said he understood public fears around new tech- nology, particularly genetically modified organisms, but said those fears were unfounded. “If you look at all different breeds of dogs and cats, they are genetically modified. It is just that is done through husbandry rather than in a lab,” he said. Though it appears com- plex, he said, the science is well understood. Put simply, it is not possible for a mosquito to transfer its DNA to humans. “There is no biological mechanism if the mosquito bites you, or even if you were to eat a handful of them, for its DNA to transfer into your DNA. It’s the same as if you eat beef or broccoli. You in- gest the DNA, it doesn’t find its way into your DNA.” The intention is to release only male mosquitoes, which do not bite, though it is ac- cepted that a small number of females may be introduced. At its meeting Wednesday, the National Conserva- tion Council unanimously approved the permit for the project. Council Chairwoman Christine Rose-Smyth said Aedes aegypti is an invasive species in the Cayman Islands and eradicating them would not have an impact on the overall ecosystem. She said it is largely an urban mosquito, and research suggests there would be little knock-on impact on predators like birds or bats if it were eradicated. Gina Ebanks-Petrie, di- rector of the Department of Environment, said the process is safer environmentally than more widely used techniques. “The only alternative for suppression of mosquito pop- ulations are pesticides that carry a far greater risk to non- target organisms,” she said. Renaud Lacroix, project manager for Oxitec Cayman Ltd., welcomed the coun- cil’s decision, which extends an earlier permit permis- sion from the Department of Environment. The advent of the National Conserva- tion Law moved the regula- tory approval responsibility to the council. “The technology is envi- ronmentally safe,” he said. “It has been reviewed by regula- tory bodies around the world with no risk found to the nat- ural environment or to the human population.” Despite some public fears of the unknown, he said the project is broadly welcomed. “The responses have been overwhelmingly positive. Most people see the risk of Zika and dengue and they want to be protected.” In a statement earlier this year, the World Health Or- ganization supported the use of genetically modi- fied mosquitoes to fight dis- ease, saying it was encour- aging affected countries “to boost the use of both old and new approaches to mosquito control as the most imme- diate line of defense.” The Mosquito Research and Control Unit and biotech company Oxitec will host a public meeting at the Sir John A Cumber Primary School at 7 p.m., Tuesday, to explain details and answer questions on the project. Millions of GM mosquitoes to be released CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A genetically modified adult mosquito emerges from its pupa. – PHOTO: OXITEC Competitors accumulate points in a series of disciplines, ranging from a basic breath hold face down in a swimming pool to diving to target depths and swimming un- derwater lengths of the Camana Bay pool. The Cayman Islands was well represented. Kurt Randolph, a Cayman resident originally from Ohio, and Mark Tilley, a Cayman res- ident from the U.K., placed second and third, respectively, in the men’s competition. Tom Gilmore of the U.S. was the overall men’s winner. Randolph’s dive of 75 me- ters was the deepest overall in the competition. In all, 19 athletes from six coun- tries competed in the weeklong competition, which saw 13 na- tional records broken across the various disciplines. As the first Cayman Islands cit- izen to compete in the competi- tion, Appleby lawyer Jeremy Walton can count himself among the record breakers. Competing in the pool disci- plines, he set the first national re- cord in the dynamic apnea event – essentially swimming lengths of a pool underwater – at 103 meters, just over four laps of the pool. He said he was pleased to have set some “modest national records,” and hopes the sport can grow in Cayman and that his records will be broken soon. “I would love more people to come and compete so that by this time next year we have a Cayman team taking part and people can come and take those records away and put their names in the record books.” He said lots of people snorkel and spear fish recreationally in the Cayman Islands and he believes the discipline of free diving has room to grow. “A lot of people do it recreation- ally, but with a little bit of technical training … your horizons expand dramatically,” said Mr. Walton. Students of free diving learn basic breathing and relaxation tech- niques that help them resist the urge to breathe and get results that seem to defy science. For some it is a test of en- durance, for others it is a form of relaxation. “I think the best way to de- scribe it [is] as equivalent to under- water yoga – mastering control of your body and mind in order to op- erate in an alien environment,” Mr. Walton said. “Like yoga, it’s physically de- manding and requires your mind to be well-attuned to your body’s sig- nals, but it’s also a mental game and ultimately a blissful experience, es- pecially in the ‘sink phase’ of diving when you’re just drifting down to your target depth.” Randolph’s dive of 75 meters was the deepest overall in the competition. Breathtaking: Jeremy Walton competes in the pool discipline at the Deja Blue free diving competition. - PHOTO: JOAKIM HJELM/WWW.JOAKIMHJELM.COM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Free divers take breath away9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 20, 2016 about 16 warning notices on May 12 and May 17 to indi- viduals who have been op- erating without a trade and business license. She said other citations could be sent out in the coming weeks. The warnings went to a variety of unlicensed vendors, including individuals renting beach chairs, umbrellas, floats and Jet Skis and those selling food and beverages along the beach. Some souvenir sellers on West Bay Public Beach also received warning tickets. A number of Seven Mile Beach vendors, including the Woodman brothers, Daphne Bennett, Michael Morgan and George Brooks, all said they have received warnings. Mr. Brooks, who said he started renting beach chairs and umbrellas on Seven Mile Beach in late 2011, said he submitted an application and documents for a trade and business license at least three years ago with the $25 fee, but he never heard back. The West Bay man said he earns about $800 to $900 a month renting the chairs and doubted he could afford a $500 fine. He also expressed doubts about whether he could find another job. “I had a juvenile record,” Mr. Brooks said. “It was kind of hard for me to get a job. [Beach vending] is the only thing I got to do.” Andre Woodman said his business had a license at one stage but was denied a re- newal. He believes he was not given a trade and busi- ness license because his com- pany was operating on Seven Mile Beach, where a number of condo owners have com- plained about vendors for years. “If you tell [the Depart- ment of Commerce and In- vestment] you’re not selling on Seven Mile Beach, they’ll give you a license,” Mr. Woodman said. The beach vending issue came to the fore again in March when condo owners, including those at Har- bour Heights and the Avalon Condominiums, which are near Public Beach, voiced concerns to government of- ficials about illegal vendors “overrunning” Cayman’s pris- tine Seven Mile Beach. “The very symbol of this beau- tiful island and the magnet that draws both Caymanians and multitudes of tourists is being destroyed before our very eyes,” read an eight-page letter sent to Tourism Min- istry Councilor Joey Hew in March by the Harbour Heights development’s strata management council and signed by council member Bob Loverd. “The beach … does not seem to be regulated by law [and] government officials do not appear to have the authority to act,” the letter states, adding that the re- vamped Public Beach area just south of the Kimpton hotel under construction seems to have become a haven where “unlicensed ven- dors aggressively compete with each other to offer a car- nival of competing services.” The Avalon Condomin- iums strata council sup- ported the Harbour Heights organization’s comments. “We too have observed the gradual, but steady increase in commercial activity at the Public Beach, and for the first time in my nearly 20 years of wintering here, we have had vendors peddling their wares to people on our beach,” said Warren Nock, chairman of the condo management strata. “The beach experience here has been unique in the Ca- ribbean. In addition to the wonderful natural elements, guests have felt welcomed, safe, and left in peace to rid themselves of the stresses and pressures of life at home.” Residents have also com- plained about some of the water sports vendors – par- ticularly those who rent Jet Skis – operating far too close to shore to main- tain the safety of swimmers. The Cayman Compass ob- served one Jet Ski passing near tourists at the shoreline Thursday morning. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Condo owners on Seven Mile Beach say deckchairs hired to tourists are an eyesore.Beach vendor Reuben Woodman holds up a warning notice he got from the government last week. - PHOTOS: BRENT FULLER Unlicensed 7MB vendors told to close or face finesNext >