High of 88 Low of 76 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 RETURN TO SENDER: CAYMAN’S POLICY ON CUBAN MIGRANTS BUSINESS | PAGE 12 GOVERNMENT AGAIN TRIES TO REGULATE NONPROFITS ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY MAY 25, 2016 #203 Alissta Towers, 85 North Sound Road, Grand Cayman KY1-1109, T: + 1 (345) 949-9744 E: Aleisha.Lalor@caribbeanalliance.com www.caribbeanalliance.com VENDORS NEED PERMISSION TO USE PUBLIC LAND BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Trade and business licenses cannot be granted to Grand Cayman’s Public Beach ven- dors, or anyone else operating on Crown land, without prior approval of Cabinet, the head of the Department of Commerce and Investment confirmed Tuesday. Responding to a burgeoning controversy over enforcement notices recently issued to more than a dozen sellers on Seven Mile and West Bay public beaches, most of whom have been oper- ating without legal licenses for years, department director Ryan Rajkumarsingh told the Cayman Compass there is no way for those small busi- nesses to obtain a license simply via application if they wish to sell their wares on public property. According to section 18 of the Trade and Busi- ness Licensing Law: “Where the applicant will be carrying on business in a public place, [he or she must have] evidence of approval of the relevant authority to carry on business in such a place.” “You can’t just pull up in front of the Glass House [former government administration Judge: Stratas should be ‘community democracies’ Castaways’ Cove owners win legal battle JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Vacation home owners have won a legal judg- ment against the developer of East End’s Castaways’ Cove in a landmark case that ensures stratas must be run as “community democracies.” Justice Ingrid Mangatal struck down bylaws that law- yers argued gave Thompson Re- sorts Ltd. a “permanent con- trolling interest” in running the beachside holiday resort. The case was brought by U.S. resident Carl Clappison on behalf of multiple owners who believed they were being overcharged by Thompson Re- sorts’ Kel Thompson, who con- tracted his own company to manage Castaways’ Cove, which forms one part of Wyn- dham Reef Resort, prior to the sale of any units. According to an affidavit from Mr. Clappison, the va- cation home owners felt they were being charged unreason- ably high strata fees, essentially subsidizing the Reef Resort, which Mr. Thompson oper- ates on the same property with shared facilities. When they questioned the fees and rejected the strata’s an- nual budget plan, Mr. Thompson invoked bylaws giving the Department of Environment declines to endorse releases TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com In a surprise move, the Cayman Turtle Farm released 15 green sea turtles at Barkers Beach at the weekend, marking the renewal of a pro- gram suspended since 2012 after international questions about the animals’ medical fitness. In a press release issued Monday, the farm said it had marked World Turtle Day “with a slate of special observances and activities” on May 23. “This past weekend, we celebrated by relaunching our turtle release program with a celebratory turtle release of 15 beautiful lively yearling green sea turtles off Barkers Beach in West Bay with microchip tags that are discoverable globally. “Cayman Turtle Farm has satisfied itself Turtle farm restarts release program HOWELL NAMED TO TOP MINISTRY POST BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Wesley Howell is about to become a very busy man. The 30-year veteran civil servant, who is steering Cayman through its first general elec- tion under a new single-member districts voting system as elections supervisor, was officially named Tuesday as chief officer of the govern- ment’s largest ministry. Mr. Howell is replacing current chief officer Eric Bush, who accepted a position earlier this year as head of the Cayman Islands London Of- fice. Both appointments take effect on July 1, 2016. Mr. Howell has been serving in a deputy chief officer position in the ministry for the last four years and was widely expected to be Mr. Bush’s replacement. The Ministry of Home Affairs, which main- tains oversight responsibility for police, immigra- tion, fire services, computer services and prisons, Yaremis Hydes releases a yearling turtle. Michael Nixon and his 2-year-old son Grayson release a turtle from the Cayman Turtle Farm on Monday at Barkers Beach in West Bay. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY MAY 25, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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. - WEDNESDAY - X-MEN: APOCALYPSE 3D (PG13) 12:40 I 2:00 2D I 3:50 I 5:40 2D 7:00 I 9:00 2D ANGRY BIRDS 3D (PG) 1:00 2D I 4:10 I 7:10 2D I 9:40 CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR 3D (PG13) 1:00 I 3:40 2D I 6:30 I 9:30 2D THE NICE GUYS (R) 1:15 I 6:50 THE JUNGLE BOOK (PG) 4:00 I 9:50 BARBERSHOP 3 THE NEXT CUT(PG13) 4:20 I 7:10 I 9:45 Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) All eligible Cayman Is- lands voters who wish to participate in the May 24, 2017 general election must meet a Dec. 31, 2016 regis- tration deadline to get on the voters’ list, the elections office announced Tuesday. If an early election is not held, then April 1, 2017 will be the date the “register of electors” comes into force prior to the election. Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell said in order to get on the April 1, 2017 list, voters must register by Dec. 31. “I encourage [voters] to check whether they are now included on the register,” Mr. Howell said. “It will be updated every quarter until the April 1, 2017 list, which will be the last update prior to the elections.” A number of MLAs, in- cluding East End represen- tative Arden McLean, have criticized these deadlines in the past, stating it means voters have to register nearly five months before an election in order to vote. If the regular election schedule is maintained, the current parliament will be dissolved on March 28, 2017. Nomination day will be March 29 for all eligible can- didates, and on March 31 the elections office will announce the list of candidates. Premier Alden McLaughlin has suggested that he could opt for early elections following the de- fection of some of the Pro- gressives-led administra- tion’s backbench MLAs, but the premier has made no definitive statements on the matter since. Dec. 31 deadline for election registration Voters who want to vote in the May election must register by Dec. 31 to be eligible. Two men in court for loaded gun One man remanded, one granted bail with conditions CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two men appeared in Summary Court on Monday, charged with pos- session of a Lorcin semiautomatic pistol and six rounds of live ammu- nition without a license. Chief Magistrate Nova Hall granted conditional bail to Mat- thew Anthony Whittaker, 25. She remanded Wayne Alphanso Bella- fonte, 24, in custody, noting that the Crown’s evidence was different as it pertained to each defendant, al- though they were charged jointly. Crown counsel Kenneth Fer- guson said the event that led to the men’s arrest was a report by a female that Bellafonte had pointed a gun in her face. This alleged in- cident prompted police to attend at the parking lot of the Fete Night Club around 3 a.m. on May 7. Officers spoke to Bellafonte and Whittaker was nearby. Bellafonte had a set of keys and he was asked which vehicle the car key was for. He indicated a Ford. However, the officer noted that the key was for a Honda Civic and saw one such ve- hicle two spaces over. He shone a flashlight into the Honda and saw what appeared to be the handle of a handgun near the driver’s seat. A trained firearm officer was alerted and came to the scene. Both Whittaker and Bellafonte were shown the firearm before it was photographed and removed from the vehicle. When questioned, Bellafonte first said the vehicle belonged to a relative of his, but Whittaker was driving it. He said he had been washing the car in North Side and then left Whittaker alone in it while he went to take a shower. They then drove to the nightclub, picking up two other men in Bodden Town. Bel- lafonte said he did not know the men and could not describe them; when they got to the club the two men disappeared. He also denied threatening the female. Later Bellafonte admitted that he lied about Whittaker driving the vehicle. Whittaker in his interview said he was picked up in Northward and two other males whom he did not know were already in the car. He said he was not alone in the car at any time and he did not drive it. He suggested that CCTV could show who the driver was. Mr. Ferguson said there was no fingerprint or DNA evidence to link Bellafonte or Whittaker to the firearm. Both men denied knowl- edge of it. Defense attorney Laura Larner sad Bellafonte initially lied about who was driving the car out of fear of the driver. She emphasized that CCTV was extremely important ev- idence and questioned why it had not been disclosed. She applied for bail on behalf of Bellafonte, pointing out that he had no convictions for firearms, violence or failure to surrender. He had a job and the support of a respectable, hard-working family, she said. The magistrate denied bail, noting that the car keys were in Bellafonte’s possession and that strengthened the case against him. Defense attorney James Stenning was successful in his application for bail on behalf of Whittaker. He said the evidence was tenuous and there was no link to the gun other than the fact that Whittaker was a passenger in the car. Even the co- defendant had confirmed that Whit- taker was not in control of the car. Mr. Stenning called the case circumstantial, “with too many holes to hold someone in custody until trial.” The magistrate granted bail with conditions that included one or two sureties of $10,000 total; curfew between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.; and wearing an electronic moni- toring device. Ms. Larner repeated her request that the Crown pursue the CCTV evidence and Mr. Ferguson said he would ask police to do so. The matter is scheduled to be mentioned again on May 31. The defense attorney emphasized that CCTV was extremely important evidence and questioned why it had not been disclosed. Police cite ‘proactive patrol stop’ CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A driver stopped by po- lice on May 19 was granted bail on Tuesday following his appearance in Summary Court for charges that in- clude possession of cocaine with intent to supply. Few details were given when Derek Darnell Wilson Jr., 27, came before Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez. However, a press release, titled “Proac- tive patrol stop yields drug arrest on West Bay Road,” was issued by police on May 20. It indicated that, on the evening of May 19, officers had observed a vehicle leave a parking lot on West Bay Road, near Lawrence Boulevard, and then proceed along the road in a suspicious manner. They stopped the vehicle, spoke with the driver (Wilson), and subsequently searched his person and vehicle. “In the course of this search, a quantity of white powder re- sembling cocaine and vege- table matter resembling ganja were found,” the release stated. Wilson was arrested and charged with possession of ganja, possession of cocaine with intent to supply and simple possession. He was also charged with consump- tion of ganja and cocaine. The magistrate asked how much cocaine was involved, since no weight was specified in the charges. Defense attorney John Furniss replied, “Sixteen packages.” He applied for bail, sug- gesting that Wilson could surrender his passports and be required to wear an elec- tronic monitor. He asked for two weeks in order to give him time to get the papers in the case and talk with the defendant. Hearing that no moni- tors were available, the mag- istrate directed Wilson to re- port to the police station daily until one is available. He is also to stay at a speci- fied address, provide a surety in the sum of $950, and sur- render his Caymanian and American passports. The matter was set for mention again on June 7. Fabian Oliver Thompson, 33, appeared in Summary Court on Tuesday, charged with possession of an imi- tation firearm with intent to commit an offense. The alleged offense was resisting arrest on Jan. 20 near his residence in Bodden Town. Defense attorney Laura Larner said Thompson worked as a fire officer, ap- peared to be of good char- acter and denied being in possession of a firearm. Ms. Larner was holding the matter for attorney Prathna Bodden, who was in the Grand Court, so Mag- istrate Angelyn Hernandez adjourned the case until June 14. The magistrate granted bail of $1,000 with a local surety. Bail granted on cocaine, ganja charges FIREMAN CHARGED WITH IMITATION FIREARM OFFENSE The Law Courts Building in downtown George Town.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY MAY 25, 2016 Deloitte Discovery First Relativity Certified Administrators on Island Carly Dignam, Manager - CFE, RCA Carly has over 8 years’ experience assisting clients with eDiscovery management as well as developing processes, complex workflows and best practices. She has served as eDiscovery project manager on multiple large-scale government and multi-district litigation matters. Her previous experience includes forensic investigations and vendor selection in various industries, with particular focus in oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, financial services, government and technology. Carly is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and was the first professional in the Cayman Islands to achieve the Relativity Certified Administrator (RCA) certification. Ryan Pull, Manager - CPA, CFE, CMA, RCA Ryan has over 6 years’ experience in the public and private sector and specialises in financial investigations, litigation and discovery support and data analytics. He also has experience working in forensic investigations and discovery, dealing with complex fraud both locally and internationally, as well as assisting in the gathering, analysis, interpretation and reporting of financial data for management in multiple industries including oil & gas, financial services and consumer products. Ryan is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and recently obtained his Relativity Certified Administrator (RCA) certification. The partners and professionals at Deloitte are proud to congratulate our colleagues Carly, Ryan and John on obtaining their RCA certification Meet the Deloitte Discovery team Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) does not provide services to clients. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a more detailed description of DTTL and its member firms. Deloitte & Touche is an affiliate of DCB Holding Ltd., a member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. © 2016 DCB Holding Ltd. and its affiliates www.deloitte.com/ky In the photo, left to right Sitting: Ryan Pull, Carly Dignam. Standing: Kyle Parsons (Associate), John White, Nick Kedney (Director), David Foster (Manager), Mike Penner (Partner). John White, Senior Manager - ACE, EnCE, RCA With over 10 years’ experience in public and private sectors, John specialises in international electronic discovery and digital forensic investigations. His previous experience includes forensic investigations for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in the USA as well as multi-district civil litigation and federal criminal investigations for a multinational oil and gas company. John is an AccessData Certified Examiner (ACE), EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE), Certified Cellebrite UFED Mobile Device Examiner, and recently obtained his Relativity Certified Administrator (RCA) certification. Deloitte Discovery provides eDiscovery services to corporate legal and IT departments, their outside counsel, government agencies, and others. With our experienced team of eDiscovery, computer forensic, IT security, data analytics, and information system specialists, we help clients address the data related complexities associated with corporate, regulatory, civil and criminal investigations, litigation, eDiscovery, and general information governance, through the delivery of a comprehensive set of services and solutions. Hosted directly from our Discovery Data Centre located in Grand Cayman, Relativity is our primary processing, review and analytics platform. Our Relativity Certified Administrators combine data analytic, forensic and investigative skills with industry leading technology, and assist clients and their counsel develop meaningful and actionable information from their data.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. WEDNESDAY MAY 25, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS On a picturesque beach in South Sound, there is an abandoned boat. The waves pound upon its boards and planks. Scattered on the sand are dozens of con- tainers, for provisions and unspent fuel. Near the bow of the makeshift wooden vessel, a simple message is painted in three capital letters: “USA.” The photograph of the Cuban boat on the front page of Tuesday’s newspaper is an image of a dream deferred. The 43 Cuban migrants who arrived in Grand Cayman on May 6 will not achieve their goal of escaping their home country and reaching the United States … at least not this time. For now, they have been detained by Cayman Islands immigration officials, who currently have 116 Cuban migrants in custody in various locations around the island. What follows next is a bureaucratic waiting game, with the probable result being transportation back to Cuba by air, and then, perhaps, some day, more attempts to flee. It is important to understand the tremendous risks that these people take when they fling their lives upon the mercy of the sea. For the migrants who head south from Cuba, if and when they finally reach land in Central America, their journey has just begun. From there they face an arduous trek of 1,500 miles or more — on foot, by car, on trains … any way possible — across multiple borders, facing natural elements, gov- ernment officials and organized criminals; until they maybe, at last, attain their Promised Land, of the Free, of Opportunity, etc. It is just as important to recognize the rewards that — perhaps aren’t actually received — but that these migrants anticipate, and upon which they have pinned all their dreams, and all their hopes. The experiences of the disappointed Cuban migrants who wash ashore in Cayman are very dif- ferent from what happens to those who do success- fully reach the U.S. The New York Times recently published a story based on interviews with a group of a dozen Cubans who made landfall in the Florida Keys. The men expressed gratitude in two equal measures — for being in America, and for no longer being in Cuba. “What you have here is a nest of hope,” one migrant said. “What you have there is a nest of scorpions.” Instead of an immigration detention facility, the Cubans who reached Florida were taken to a nonprofit assistance center run by the Roman Catholic Church. They were put up in a motel in the short term. Half were to be transported to Las Vegas, Nevada, to find work, and the other half to Austin, Texas. The dreams of these dozen were, in fact, realized. As has been related in The New York Times and many other news sources, Cubans are saying that they are more afraid than ever that if they don’t get out of Cuba now, they may never be able to enjoy the special protections still being extended to Cuban migrants by the U.S. (i.e., “wet-foot, dry-foot”). In Cayman, we are witnessing the effects of the nascent U.S.-Cuban thaw, and the turbulent diplo- matic and political currents, in the form of the swelling numbers of migrants whose journeys end prematurely in our waters or on our shores. The agreement Cayman has in place with Cuba, to detain the migrants and have them returned to the land from which they tried to flee, is far from ideal. It is, to many Cayman residents, undesirable or even dis- tasteful. It is also expensive. But, unlike the vast nation of the U.S., Cayman cannot possibly accommodate even a small portion of the Cuban migrants who might wish to stay. Although the conditions in Cuba may be the source of the problem, Cayman is the recipient. Unfortunately, that doesn’t look to change, unless or until the U.S. alters its policies on accepting Cuban migrants (and extinguishes their beacon of hope). The problem of how to handle Cuban migrants may remain one for which Cayman may not have an adequate solution. Return to sender: Cayman’s policy on Cuban migrants Checked bags should be free FREDRICK KUNKLE The airlines could do something today that might ease your wait in airport se- curity checkpoint lines to- morrow: Stop charging fees for checked baggage. Up until now, the wrath of air travelers has been fo- cused on the Transporta- tion Security Administra- tion, and not without reason. Government watchdogs have documented several crit- ical lapses at the TSA in re- cent years, such as under- cover operatives managing to make it through check- points with illegal weapons and phony bombs and in- adequate vetting of aviation employees before issuing them security credentials. Members of Congress have accused the agency of not adequately planning for the crush of travelers this spring, despite ample warning that record numbers of people would be flying. But TSA also has a tough job. In recent years, Congress also has cut its budget while the number of air travelers has increased. TSA Adminis- trator Peter Neffenger, who took over less than a year ago, has made tightening se- curity a priority. And they’re trying to ease the crunch: earlier this month, the TSA announced a 10-point plan to reduce wait times by in- creasing staff and rede- ploying officers. The agency plans to add 768 new officers by June 15. But consider this: even without considering attrition – which runs about 23 per- cent, Neffenger has said - the addition of 768 new officers to a force of about 43,000 se- curity officers amounts to a staffing boost of less than 2 percent. Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade group, said last week that based on first quarter data, the volume of passengers is expected to exceed the pre- vious all-time high set in 2015 by 4 percent. That suggests that no matter what the TSA does right now, if you’re planning to travel this summer, you might as well bring a copy of War and Peace to keep you company in the security line. So now it’s airline indus- try’s turn to step up. A good start would be going cold turkey on checked baggage fees. As far back in 2010, The Washington Post profiled a traveler, when told what it would cost to check her suit- case, instead ran into a store at Reagan National Airport, bought a US$6 nylon bag, stuffed everything she could into it from her suitcase, put other stuff in a Whole Foods tote, and then called her mother to pick up the bag. Does anyone seriously doubt that people would use carry- on wheelbarrows if they could just to avoid paying to stow a suitcase? Earlier this month, Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Edward J. Markey, D- Mass., urged the airlines to stop charging baggage fees this summer because of the crazy lines at airports. The senators, in an open letter, cited the TSA in saying that baggage fees may drive an additional 27 percent of baggage toward passenger checkpoints – and they mean those big ol’ lumbering bags on wheels that flight atten- dants and passengers have to wrestle into overhead bins just before takeoff. The senators also said, citing an investigation by the members of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Com- mittee, that the airlines jacked those fees up by 67 percent from 2009 to 2014. The senators also noted that airlines began imposing those fees in 2007 as fuel prices peaked. And yet the fees have remained despite a freefall in the price of oil. “You can take some ac- tion right away,” the sen- ators’ May 10 letter says. “One simple solution – even if it is not a panacea – is well within your companies’ control: suspend bag fees for the summer.” Why just this summer, by the way? Why not always? And, hey senators – why not pass a law to that effect, since the airlines are just about the only people who dispute that the fees have had the unintended conse- quence of driving people to almost any length to avoid paying them? “Bag fees are not the cause of the excessive wait times we are seeing now,” A4A spokeswoman Jean Medina said. In an email, she said that Chicago Midway Inter- national Airports is predom- inantly served by an airline that does not charge bag- gage fees and yet it has been the site of very long lines. Having people check baggage, she said, will only exacerbate the current crisis, noting that thousands of pieces of bag- gage have been stranded, as happened this year in Miami and Phoenix. She also pro- vided a chart based on TSA data that she said shows that the number of checked bags per passenger has not changed since 2010. And she took a parting shot at Congress, too, noting that since a TSA fee was in- stituted in 2013, Congress has diverted US$13 billion of those funds over 10 years to- ward other spending instead of security. “This is not a bag issue,” Medina writes. “The issue is this: TSA needs to properly align its manpower and re- sources with the need.” In the meantime, she also said airlines have hired ven- dors to assist the TSA in a supporting role, such as by moving bins and staffing exit lines. A few days ago, American Airlines an- nounced that it would spend US$4 million of its own money on contractors to help manage checkpoint lines and speed up screening. All of which is very nice. But if the airlines really wanted to show how much they cared, they’d take away the baggage fees for checked luggage so that all you’d have to worry about is taking off your shoes. Fredrick Kunkle runs the Tripping blog, writing about the experience of travel. © 2016, The Washington Post PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY MAY 25, 2016 DVANCE UTOMOTIVE LTD. A 945-9191 / 925-4992 Email: salesmanager@advancechevrolet.com Facebook/advancechevrolet www.advancechevrolet.com 113 Owen Roberts Drive (Airport Rd) SALES SERVICE PARTS FIND NEW ROADS TM CHEVROLET CAMARO 2016 MID-YEAR BLOW OUT SALE !!! -LT- TRIM- WAS: $41,650 NOW: $38,150 -LS TRIM- WAS $14,195 NOW: $13,095 -LT TRIM- WAS: $14,700 NOW: $13,340 -LS TRIM- WAS: $42,555 NOW: $39,995 -LT TRIM- WAS: $49,700 NOW: $46,700 Limited availability - in-stock vehicles only - call now !!! $3,500 SAVINGS UP TO $3,000 SAVINGS UP TO $1,360 SAVINGS CHEVROLET SPARK CHEVROLET TAHOE Auditors: Gov’t not shopping around BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands gov- ernment’s internal auditors could find no evidence that bids went out for 18 sepa- rate payments totaling nearly $1.5 million in various public sector procurements during the 2013/14 financial year. The audit of central gov- ernment spending, recently released by the Portfolio of the Civil Service on its web- site, revealed that the 18 pay- ments were processed within a number of departments and ranged from $580 to more than $440,000. “Based on these findings, we determined that … enti- ties did not comply with the financial regulations as it per- tains to government’s pro- curement policy,” the Internal Audit Unit reported. In a separate review, done specifically on the Cayman Is- lands Fire Service, auditors tested a sample of 20 transac- tions. There was no documen- tation to state why a particular vendor was hired over another in any of the cases. “This … makes it difficult to obtain assurance that value for money was received for goods and services procured by the [Cayman Islands Fire Service],” the report noted. Bidding and procure- ment is an issue with which the government service has struggled in recent years. The deputy governor’s office has set up a central procurement office within the civil service to combat different sets of rules that are often observed depending on the department doing the purchasing. Typically, purchases or contracts that exceed $250,000 must go before gov- ernment’s Central Tenders Committee for approval. How- ever, smaller purchases of $50,000 or more must also be evaluated, according to government regulations, at least to the extent that three separate purchasers are con- tacted for price quotes. In addition, where pur- chases over $20,000 are made on the basis of a single source bid, those bids must be evaluated by a department tenders committee. In the case of the fire ser- vice, the Ministry of Home Affairs maintained its own policy that departments should receive three quotes for any purchase between $1,500 and $10,000. Auditors were informed that these bids were mainly being done “over the phone” at the fire service and no records were kept of them. The four government de- partments responding to the auditor’s comments all agreed to follow recommendations regarding bidding require- ments in the future. Former Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick’s office is- sued a series of reports dating back to 2011 that blamed government for a non-trans- parent, politically driven bidding process that led to public money being wasted in large quantities. The head of government’s central procurement office, Craig Milley, advised govern- ment last year that it needed to move away from “the siloed procurement approach,” which is precisely the situation de- scribed in the Internal Audit Unit’s reports from 2014. Probably the most promi- nent example revealed by the auditor’s office of failed pro- curement was revealed last year, when Mr. Swarbrick’s of- fice stated $30 million spent in relation to the construction of Clifton Hunter High School in North Side provided little or no value to taxpayers. The spending led to the high school property being overvalued by up to $40 mil- lion, according to Acting Au- ditor General Garnet Harrison. By comparison, the amounts detailed in the In- ternal Audit Unit’s reports are much smaller, but audi- tors said they would continue to monitor government pur- chasing to ensure compliance with the rules is achieved. Cayman Islands-based conservationist and artist Guy Harvey received the Sea- farers’ House International Golden Compass Award on May 21 at a gala dinner in Fort Lauderdale. The award is given each year to those “who have achieved distinction in the maritime world, those whose vocation or avocation has been the sea, or those who have ministered to or otherwise as- sisted seafarers,” according to a press release from Florida’s Seafarers’ House. The event at the Hyatt Re- gency Pier 66 raised more than US$300,000. “Ninety percent of world trade is carried by the global shipping industry and the Seafarers’ House helps to care for the hard working men and women who keep this industry moving. Your support is crucial to their success and I thank ev- eryone for their contribu- tions to the cause,” Mr. Harvey told the crowd. “The sea ... can be a place for fun and recreation, or a place for quiet reflection,” he added. “It can sustain civili- zations, or be a community’s greatest threat. It powers the global economy and the global climate. And, one thing is for certain, the planet’s health and people’s health are dependent on main- taining healthy oceans.” Seafarers’ House Execu- tive Director Lesley Warrick, who presented Mr. Harvey with his award, said money raised at the event would go toward “furthering our mission to offer refuge, re- sources, renewal and respect to the maritime community.” Past award recipients in- clude international seafaring hero Capt. Richard Phillips; Joseph Farrell, Resolve Ma- rine Group; Roberto Giorgi, V-Ships; Dan Sten Olsson, managing director and CEO, The Stena Group; Adam Gold- stein, Royal Caribbean Inter- national; Stein Kruse, Hol- land America Line; Capt. Nicola Arena, MSC Cruises; and Thomas B. Crowley, Jr., Crowley Maritime Corp. Seafarers’ House in Port Everglades, Florida, offers a place where mariners can connect with their communi- ties and families, relax, seek guidance and get emergency help if needed. Guy Harvey receives seafarers’ award Seafarers’ Executive Director Lesley Warrick hands the award to Guy Harvey.WEDNESDAY MAY 25, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 6 DISTRICT DAYS District Days Sister Islands The Central Carib- bean Marine Institute’s new “Cull-inary” weekends are providing a fresh take on controlling the inva- sive lionfish population in Little Cayman’s waters. Participants will dive with CCMI scientists on lionfish culls, gain insight into the science behind the problem fish, and over the weekend enjoy the catch prepared in a variety of delicious ways. The weekend packages, which include a Friday- Monday round-trip fare from Grand Cayman, as well as all food, diving and accommoda- tions, also include a lionfish culling licensing course for those who need a license. “This event came about when we were looking at world oceans day in June and what we, as CCMI, could do over and above the work we currently do as a research station,” said the institute’s operations di- rector, Peter Quilliam. “We wanted to involve the community and also have some fun, while at the same time [incorporating] some se- rious research. It was a big ask, but the logical activity was lionfish culling,” he said. “We created the ‘Cull- inary’ weekends where we can remove a lot of lionfish from areas we don’t normally focus on around the island, involve more of the general public in the research dis- coveries we are making, and then we want to showcase the culinary aspect of these fish as well,” he said. “Our lionfish scientist, Alli Can- delmo, creates a hot lionfish dip that is so good it has to be eaten to be believed!” Mr. Quilliam noted that CCMI has rented all of Little Cayman’s Sunset Cove re- sort for the summer, so the institute can host the groups from there. “Accommodations include twin share rooms, the run of the resort, and we might even be able to run sunset cruises as well,” said Mr. Quilliam. “Our focus for this pro- gram is to have fun, but also, on the serious side, [to high- light] the importance of erad- icating this invasive species. It is also a great way to intro- duce people to the research work we are doing, all while we feast on the fish we have caught that day.” Mr. Quilliam said the plan is to do four dives over the weekend with cook-ups each evening. He noted that spaces are limited, so interested par- ticipants are encouraged to book as early as possible to reserve their spot. For more information, call Peter Quilliam on 948-1094 or send an email to manager@ reefresearch.org. CCMI education manager Tom Sparke captures a lionfish off Little Cayman. The Cull-inary weekends will be held at the Sunset Cove resort. In the May 25, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Cayman Brac correspondent Lilian Ritch wrote: “On Sunday, May 15, Mr. K.P. Tib- betts, MLA for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, returned after a fort- night’s absence during which he at- tended the 1966 C.P.A. Registered Conference in Trinidad and Tobago. “Mr. Tibbetts’ special thought on the trip is how far Trinidad and To- bago went in extending their hospi- tality. The Governor General, Sir Sol- omon Hoy Choy and Lady Hoy Choy and the people left nothing undone to make the visit of the delegations a happy and successful one. “He had a special word of ap- preciation for them and also for the Hon. Donald Sangster, Deputy Prime Minister and the Government of Ja- maica for their hospitality … “The synopsis of the whole meeting was the possibility of a Caribbean economic union … This was Mr. Tibbetts’ first experi- ence abroad on a government del- egation and the first occasion on which Cayman Brac formed part of such a delegation. “Cable & Wireless (W.I.) Ltd. in progress with their scheme for the islands are detailing Mr. Temple Tatum, Wireless Operator at Stake Bay, to a course of training in the cable offices in Jamaica. Sunday 15th Mr. Arthur Chung arrived as a temporary replacement. “Temple Tatum has been oper- ator for a year. An old boy of the Spot Bay Primary School, his head- master, Teacher Oliver Hill, gave him his first lessons in Morse code to build up his interest in telegraphy after he left school. Subsequently he attended the Liberty High School for one year. When he was called on to relieve Mr. Tibbetts in 1964, he studied with him for six months. “When Cable & Wireless came to the islands last year he applied for training and we congratulate him on gaining this opportunity. He is an active member in Church of God Full Gospel Hall, particularly in work among the young people. “A new company of the Girls’ Bri- gade has been organised in Cayman Brac under the leadership of Mrs. Orlene Brown. “Meetings are held at the Spot Bay Primary School on the last Monday in each month. At the mo- ment 30 girls are attending, di- vided into four age groups, each with its own leader.” 50 YEARS AGO: A historic trip to Trinidad Workforce community outreach on Brac Representatives from the National Workforce De- velopment Agency will be on Cayman Brac this week to meet with the public and assist with online registra- tion for employers and job- seekers. This will include resume preparation, in- terview preparation and other job search activities. The dates are Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition, a workshop on communications skills will be held on Thursday from 9 to 11 a.m. and a workshop on conflict reso- lution will take place from noon to 2 p.m. To register, call 945-3114 or email nwda.training@gov.ky. Walk-ins to the Department of Labour and Pensions of- fice at 256 Creek Road are also welcomed. Labor and pensions information and inquiries The Department of La- bour and Pensions of- fice at 256 Creek Road, Cayman Brac, will open on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to assist with inquiries and complaints about labor and pensions mat- ters only. No appoint- ments are necessary. The department will also be holding a question- and-answer session at its office on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. for employers and employees. Child Month movie night The Department of Children and Family Ser- vices is inviting fami- lies in Cayman Brac to a movie night on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre. A part of the Depart- ment’s Child Month cel- ebrations, the movie night offers a fun and exciting way to share quality time by watching a family friendly movie. Popcorn is available. For more information, contact the Department of Children and Family Ser- vices on 949-0290 and 948-2331 or dcfs@gov.ky. Coming up in the Sister Islands A number of families attended the Department of Children and Family Services’ ‘Parents and Children Evening’ Child Month event at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre on May 19. District Commissioner Ernie Scott discussed the importance of being a good role model and about following this years’ Child Month theme of ‘Shaping Our Children’s Future.’ The speaker on the evening was social worker Bouvia Ferguson, who reviewed different types of discipline and parenting styles and the impact that each of them can have. Participants also enjoyed games and prizes and catering by the Brac Reef Beach Resort. – PHOTO: ANNIE ROSE SCOTT Parenting night held on Brac Cull-inary weekends comingCAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY MAY 25, 2016 DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Sister Islands Brac customs offi cers receive refresher training Customs laws, proce- dures and techniques were the topics at a recent work- shop held on the Brac. Eleven Cayman Brac customs offi cers received refresher training in various customs and related laws, general procedures and techniques at the workshop on April 11-15 at the Cayman Brac Heritage House and at the District Administration Building. The training was con- ducted by Deputy Collector of Customs Marlon Bodden and Assistant Collector of Cus- toms Philip West of Grand Cayman Customs, Border Pro- tection Portfolio. When they completed the workshop, the participants received certifi - cates from Collector of Cus- toms Charles Clifford. “I am delighted with the quality of refresher training provided,” said Mr. Clifford. “While the offi cers were well experienced even before the training, refresher training and effective upskilling are vi- tally necessary from time to time. To effectively negotiate the complex world we live in, we need awareness and fo- cused strategies.” Mr. Bodden said mod- ernized training is critical not only to refresh offi cers’ knowledge, but also in main- taining consistent perfor- mance by retaining the poten- tial of the organization and outcomes as a whole. While in Cayman Brac, Mr. Clifford met with Deputy Pre- mier and Minister of District Administration Moses Kirk- connell and District Com- missioner Ernie Scott to dis- cuss reporting and budget arrangements for Cayman Brac Customs. “I am grateful to the Hon- orable Deputy Premier and the District Commissioner for the courtesies extended to me during my brief visit to Cayman Brac, and I look for- ward to working with them as we seek to ensure consis- tency in our customs opera- tions across all three of our islands,” said Mr. Clifford. Mr. Clifford also had strategy meetings with Cayman Brac Port Man- ager Dale Christian and the offi cer in charge of the Cayman Brac Police, In- spector Wendy Parchment. Anyone with information relating to crime can contact the customs tip- line on 1-800-534-8477 or Crime Stoppers on 1-800-8477 (TIPS). “While the offi cers were well experienced even before the training, refresher training and effective upskilling are vitally necessary from time to time.” CHARLES CLIFFORD, collector of customs At age 5, Joshua Burke Jr. was the youngest registered angler. He is pictured with tournament organizers Steve Bodden, left, and Kenny Ryan.Lamar Jackson won the top prize for his Yellowfi n Tuna. Organizer and Weigh Master Kenny Ryan signs off on the catch from team Le Soliel d’Or. - PHOTOS: CHEVALA BURKE Junior Anglers Alston and Shawn Briggs with their winning wahoo.Collin Wilson and Charles Ebanks show off their yellowfi n tuna.Kaleigh Thompson on team Let Um Talk caught the 3rd heaviest wahoo. Brac Jackpot anglers reel in winners A total of 31 boats and more than 100 registered an- glers took part in the 2016 Cayman Brac Jackpot fi shing tournament over the recent Discovery Day long weekend. The contest, held from May 13 to 15, saw 28 boats fi shing around the Sister Is- lands, reeling in some im- pressive catches in a variety of categories. Considered to be the longest running fi shing tournament in the Cayman Islands, the Jackpot is held annually on the Discovery Day weekend from Friday to Sunday, and the awards dinner is always the Sunday night after the tournament has concluded, this year held at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort on Sunday, May 15. Anglers can fi sh on all three islands, and many an- glers come over by boat from Grand Cayman for the weekend to support the event. Event organizers noted the minimum weights for dolphin [mahi mahi] and wahoo were 15 pounds and 20 pounds for yellowfi n tuna. A total of nine dolphin, 19 wahoo and 12 yellowfi n tuna were weighed in a the tourna- ment, with top prize of $4,000 for the heaviest eligible fi sh caught in the Sister Islands going to Lamar Jackson, on the Trouble Maker II team, for his yellowfi n tuna which weighed in at 44.2 pounds. The prize for heaviest dol- phin caught in the Sister Is- lands at 40.1 pounds went to Nicholas Elliott on team Mangrove Run, and the prize for heaviest wahoo caught in the Sister Islands at 39.6 pounds went to Leon Dilbert on Whistlin-n-Ridin. Other catches of note were made by 5-year-old Joshua Burke Jr., the tour- nament’s youngest angler, on team Nuff Badness, and Alston and Shawn Briggs on team Scarem Scarem came away with the Junior An- gler prize for heaviest eli- gible fi sh. The tournament’s overall heaviest dolphin and heaviest yellowfi n tuna were both caught off Grand Cayman, by Ka- trina Stewart and Brandon Cunningham, respectively. The top prize of $4,000 for the heaviest eligible fi sh caught went to Lamar Jackson, on the Trouble Maker II team, for his yellowfi n tuna.8 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY MAY 25, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS building] and try to sell snacks,” Mr. Rajkumarsingh said. “There’s no difference between that and selling chairs on the beach.” Within the past decade, ven- dors selling everything from beach chairs, to sodas to Jet Ski rides have appeared on Public Beach. As the number of unlicensed opera- tors has grown, complaints from surrounding property owners in- creased. Several of the vendors told the Compass in recent inter- views that they are aware of their unlicensed status, but they said at- tempts to apply for a license were either rejected or never answered. Mr. Rajkumarsingh said Tuesday that a fresh round of warn- ings is due to be issued to un- licensed vendors shortly as the Department of Commerce and In- vestment goes through the process of fining the vendors and eventu- ally taking them to court if they do not stop operating. Public Beach on Tuesday morning was sparsely populated, but beach chairs and flotation de- vices rented by the vendors were still stacked up there. Mr. Rajkumarsingh said, prior to warning citations being issued to vendors on May 12 and again on May 17, DCI officials had a meeting with beach vendors in late April to warn them about what was coming. New enforcement powers granted to the department’s officers, as well as some additional staff members, have allowed for greater policing of unlicensed vendors, he said. He denied that the govern- ment had ulterior motives for clearing the beach, as some vendors recently suggested. “We’ve been dealing with this for years,” he said. “We are seen as the bad guys, but we’re just enforcing the law. Otherwise, you’re going to have a Wild, Wild West sit- uation out there. What is going to stop the next person from coming out there and selling?” Some public beach vendors have argued that, at some point, they were given a trade license which the government later refused to renew. Mr. Rajkumarsingh said Tuesday the earlier approvals had largely been given because the ven- dors either did not state they were operating on Seven Mile Beach, or had failed to adhere to certain terms specified in the license. For instance, some of the ven- dors agreed to remove beach chairs or flotation devices from the Public Beach area at the end of each business day, but he said this clearly was not being done. Trade and Business Licensing Board Chairman Garth Arch and Acting Deputy Chairman Michael Belfoure said Tuesday that the board is bound by the law in is- suing licenses to vendors, and that no licenses would be issued “if someone is not in compliance.” Mr. Rajkumarsingh said Tuesday that it was not known whether any of the beach vendors operating on Seven Mile or West Bay public beaches provided health insurance or pensions for their employees. He said, without a trade and business license, the department has no in- formation on those issues. He sug- gested the Department of Labour and Pensions could investigate the beach operators on its own, but in any case, they were all oper- ating illegally if they did not have a business license. Compromise At the moment, negotiations are under way between the vendors and government officials about a com- promise. The details have not been finalized, Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell confirmed Tuesday. Mr. Kirkconnell has sug- gested that space at the new farmers market in central George Town or on the downtown water- front craft market could be made available to some vendors, al- though they obviously cannot rent beach chairs there. With regard to the beach-based vendors specifically, Mr. Kirkconnell said government would like to work out some arrangement to allow them to continue working on an “in- terim” basis while finding a more permanent home. He said he ex- pects an agreement can be reached prior to any of the vendors having to show up to answer citations in court. “The government has given this issue a priority,” Mr. Kirkconnell said. “We’re trying to listen to the vendors and understand what’s going on. The issue here is not the government trying to penalize small businesses.” Mr. Kirkconnell said tourism- related arrivals have increased by a total of 400,000 people per year since 2013, which has presented an opportunity for local ven- dors, but it is an opportunity that needs to be taken care of without annoying visitors or beachfront property owners. “We need to balance and manage [people’s] expectations,” he said. Local markets The Trade and Business Li- censing Law exempts any Cayma- nian farmers selling agricultural products, artisans, craftsmen, self- employed Caymanian fishermen and religious and charitable bodies from having to obtain a license. Therefore, many of the vendors at the farmers market in George Town do not maintain licenses for their operations. Vendors at the downtown craft market are gov- erned under the Tourism Attraction Board, rather than by the Trade and Licensing Board. Mr. Rajkumarsingh said he is aware that some of the indi- viduals operating at the farmers market do have trade licenses as they do not fall directly under the agriculture exemption. Vendors need permission to use public land developer an automatic majority in any poll, and pushed the budgets through, the court documents indicate. The judge ruled last week that those bylaws were “ultra vires” [meaning be- yond legal powers] and that the Strata Ti- tles and Registration Law envisioned “a democratic, inclusive process” enabling “majority rule, and allowing the propri- etors to make collective decisions.” She said the owners were entitled to a say in how the complex was run. Justice Mangatal declined a sepa- rate request that an independent admin- istrator be appointed to take over run- ning the complex, saying the owners’ complaints did not meet the high legal threshold for such an extreme remedy. She said she was not satisfied that “substantial misconduct or mismanage- ment” had been proven on the part of the strata’s executive committee, controlled by the developer, and suggested that many of the problems would “fall away” once the “offending bylaws” were re- moved and a new democratically elected committee was chosen. Residents had raised concerns about what they viewed as excessive charges for services such as beach cleaning and maintenance, as well as the administra- tion of properties in a “rental pool.” They also highlighted a lack of transparency over finances, including the absence of audited accounts. Justice Mangatal wrote, “It is ob- vious that there have been personal clashes between Thompson Resorts Lim- ited, in particular Mr. Kel Thompson, Mr. Clappison, and other owners. It is also plain that the preparation of ac- counts and accountability has been less than satisfactory.” But she said many of those problems came about because Thompson Resorts had, on numerous occasions, used the by- laws to “carry resolutions and approve accounts when there is objection or dis- agreement by other proprietors.” She suggested that removing the by- laws should be enough to empower the residents to deal with the issues raised themselves, without the need for an ad- ministrator to take control. The origins of the dispute date to 2003 when Thompson Resorts Ltd., the devel- oper and at that time the sole owner of all the units in Castaways’ Cove, amended the strata bylaws to include clauses giving it an automatic majority in all owner votes for 50 years or until all the units were sold to third parties. According to the evidence of Mr. Thompson, it is not uncommon for de- velopers to include similar provisions at the outset of a development to enable them to ensure consistency of opera- tions in resort stratas. James Kennedy of Samson and Mc- Grath, who brought the case on behalf of the residents, said the ruling would im- pact how developments are structured in the future. He said it gave important protection to anyone who bought a home in a condo complex. “Developers often reserve the power to control the Strata Executive Com- mittee and to vote down purchasers on matters of importance to all owners when registering a strata and owners can get stuck with losing all power until the developer sells all the units or a pre-determined period, usually of five or more years, expires. “This ruling ensures that when you buy a unit in a strata, you have a right to a say in how it is run from the outset and can ensure the developer is working in ev- eryone’s interests and not just their own.” Mr. Clappison, who shares ownership of a unit in the complex with his wife and two other couples, said he was pleased with the result of the case. “It allows the owners of the strata to take our first steps towards self-gover- nance and bringing our costs under con- trol, with hopefully a corresponding in- crease in our property values.” Mr. Thompson said the bylaws of Cast- aways’ Cove were fairly typical of strata developments in Cayman. He said devel- opers needed to have control, particularly during the construction and sales period, to ensure the quality, the theme and the manner in which the resort is operated. “This is going to have a serious im- pact on strata development in the Cayman Islands,” Mr. Thompson told the Cayman Compass. “If that is determined to be ultra vires, then I suspect it is going to affect strata developments in the future. Developers are going to be reluctant to do it.” Judge: Stratas should be ‘community democracies’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Although Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Public Beach was sparsely populated Tuesday, beach chairs used by unlicensed vendors remained stacked high. – PHOTO: ALAN MARKOFF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 has about 1,100 workers and an annual budget of more than $90 million. Mr. Howell has said previously that, if called upon for the chief of- ficer’s post, other min- istry staffers would step in to fill the role during the period of the general elections. Cayman has set an election date of May 24, 2017, although there has been wide speculation that the vote may be called ear- lier than that. The newly appointed chief officer has served on law enforcement, im- migration and informa- tion technology projects during his time with the ministry, speaking before the United Nations in Ge- neva regarding migrant is- sues and steering through the construction of the new police custody suites in Fairbanks, George Town. He also served as deputy director of govern- ment’s computer services for 13 years. Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said Tuesday that Mr. Howell’s promo- tion caps off a career that started in the computer services mail room as an unpaid intern. “To support this up- ward trajectory, he ac- tively pursued suitable educational qualifications and practical experience,” Mr. Manderson said. “At the same time, he has benefitted from his ministry’s strong com- mitment to leadership development.” Mr. Bush, the de- parting chief officer, said Mr. Howell would set “high standards” in the ministry. “I have tremendous faith in his capability as a leader,” he said. Mr. Howell was se- lected out of nine candi- dates for the chief officer job. The interview panel consisted of Mr. Man- derson, dms Offshore In- vestment Services founder Don Seymour and Solomon Harris managing partner Sophia Harris. Howell named to top ministry post CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY MAY 25, 2016 More than $10,000 raised by charity series JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Bad backs and creaking joints did not stop some of Cayman’s soccer legends from dusting off their boots to raise money for recovering addicts Monday night. Some of the island’s most well-known people, including Sports Minister Osbourne Bodden and Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, rolled back the years and turned on the style for the charity football match in aid of the Hope for Today Foundation. Quick-footed Minister Bodden formed an unlikely midfield alliance with his one-time political rival Mark Scotland to help Bodden Town secure a 2-1 win over the West Bay old boys. Mr. Bodden, who describes him- self as a former “midfield general” showed he hadn’t lost his touch with some pre- cocious flicks and tricks. Brent Hydes, who runs the Hope for Today Founda- tion, said the legends soccer match series has raised more than $10,000 to help fund the halfway house, which helps recovering drug and alcohol addicts get their lives together. So far, West Bay, for whom Mr. Hydes and Mr. Man- derson made cameo ap- pearances, has lost all three games in the series. But Mr. Hydes said he was happy for the team to keep losing if it keeps raising money for the cause. “The result doesn’t matter. We had more than 300 people out for the game and everyone had fun. It speaks volumes that ev- eryone turned out to play and support the foundation. I think it shows the commu- nity recognizes we have to come together as a country to fight substance abuse.” He said he believes the rematch, scheduled for July, will be a different story, with West Bay ex- pected to have key men, fire- fighter Henry Ebanks and soccer coach Arden “Cheeky” Rivers, back in the side. 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Onlylyl frfrf omromrRpoints Business spendPersonal and family spend Old boys turn on the style in football fundraiser The Bodden Town Legends – PHOTOS: JAMES WHITTAKER The West Bay LegendsNext >