ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016 SPORTS | PAGE 17 NATIONAL JUMPING SERIES ENDS ON HIGH NOTE High of 88 Low of 76 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 STANDING WITH THE PARENTS AT SAVANNAH PRIMARY PremierHealth More claims get an automatic green light with BritCay! 57% of your claims were auto-adjudicated first* with BritCay. BritCay budgets for high volumes of claims. We pay more claims, more accurately and quicker than any other local health insurance provider. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp Hospital bad debts reach $90 million HSA debts increase by $20M in one year BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Health Services Au- thority expects to end this month with $90.3 million in “doubtful debts” – hospital bills which have not been paid for at least a year and which have less chance, in the authority’s view, of being collected. On June 30, 2015, the figure for doubtful debts, often called “bad debts,” stood at just over $70 million, meaning those debts in- creased by about $20 million in one year by the authority’s estimates. The $90 million figure contained in the authority’s financial statements is about $10 million higher than the HSA expected to end with by June 30, 2016. A year ago, govern- ment financial planners estimated the total bad debt would be around $80.5 million by this time. According to future estimates, the doubtful debts amount would not be reduced or even contained over the next 18 months of the 2016/17 budget. By Dec. 31, 2017, the provi- sion for bad debts in the HSA budget was ex- pected to be more than $108 million. During the 2012/13 budget, the provision for bad debts at the HSA stood at $45.8 million. Health Services Authority Chief Execu- tive Officer Lizzette Yearwood has repeatedly warned lawmakers that the bad debt troubles would persist in the “near term.” Ms. Yearwood said the hospital system had been “more consistent” in enforcing payments since 2014, particularly with patients who un- derwent elective surgeries. However, the total allowance for unpaid re- ceivables dates back to more than a decade ago, and some of the bad debts date from the 2004-2005 era. Government officials have acknowledged the bad debt accumulation, at least in the public hospital service, is partly due to a MISSING BOATERS REVIEW SUPPORTS POLICE RESPONSE JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A review of the emergency response to re- ports of five boaters missing at sea, including two children, found “no major faults” with the police-led search and rescue effort. The review by U.K. Coastguard Commander Andrew Jenkins concluded that the police de- cision not to launch its helicopter or marine boat overnight was correct, given air crew lim- itations, poor weather and the lack of a de- fined search area. However, Cmdr. Jenkins did raise some concerns about oversight and communica- tions during search and rescue operations in the Cayman Islands, as well as staffing levels in the marine and air support units. Police have only one helicopter pilot, and staffing in the marine unit is less than half of what it is supposed to be, he wrote. His review, carried out over seven days in April, was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. The inquiry was ordered by Governor Helen Kilpatrick amid public outcry about police reaction to the tragedy. Gary Mullings, his nephews Nicholas Watler, Kamron Brown, 11, and Kanyi Brown, 9, and his friend Edsell Haylock were reported missing on Sunday, March 6, after they did not return from a fishing trip to 12 Mile Bank. Their upturned vessel was located 20 miles offshore the following day, but none of its oc- cupants was ever found. The family questioned the speed of the emergency response, in particular the decision not to deploy the police helicopter and marine Dart buys Little Cayman resort JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Dart group has confirmed that it is purchasing the Paradise Villas resort and Hungry Iguana restaurant on Little Cayman. The deal represents the Dart group’s first project on the Sister Islands. Dart im- mediately sought to reassure people on the island, famous for its natural beauty and lack of development, that it would not be attempting a large-scale project on the site. “We share the widely held view that Little Cayman’s charm comes from its quaintness and unspoiled nature. We in- tend to help preserve that character for this and future generations,” said Mark VanDevelde, chief executive officer of Dart Realty. He said the developer has not yet de- cided what it would do with the property. The six beach-side villas are a popular accommodation spot for dive tourists ex- ploring Little Cayman’s Bloody Bay Marine Park. The Hungry Iguana bar and restau- rant is one of only a few nightspots on the island and serves as a de facto airport de- parture and arrival lounge. The purchase of the two properties is the latest acquisition in a busy year so far for Dart Realty, which previously an- nounced purchases in Grand Cayman of PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Paradise Villas and the Hungry Iguana are popular with visitors to Little Cayman. – PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKE2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY JUNE 2, 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. - THURSDAY - X-MEN: APOCALYPSE 3D(PG13) 1:00 I 1:30 2D I 5:00 2D I 5:30 2D 8:30 I 9:30 2D ANGRY BIRDS 3D (PG) 1:40 2D I 4:10 I 6:50 2D I 9:20 NEIGHBORS 2 (R) 1:30 I 4:20 I 7:30 I 10:10 CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR 3D (PG13) 2:00 I 6:30 I 9:40 2D BARBERSHOP 3 THE NEXT CUT(PG13) 1:20 I 4:00 I 7:20 I 9:50 Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) Ice Bar, Smugglers close CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Ice Bar and Smug- glers Rum Bar shut down last week, about 18 months after the Minus5 Ice Bar made its debut. In the corner of the Flag- ship Building at Fort Street and Harbour Drive, the Ice Bar made a bid for cruise ship tourists and locals to cool off in the freezer-like bar with benches, tables and a bar all elaborately carved out of big blocks of ice. Developer Matthew Wight, with NCB Group, said it was the “wrong model for the wrong clientele.” Visitors could rent hats and heavy coats from the bar before going into the freezing enclosure of the ice bar. Shells and sea creatures were frozen into the clear, carved blocks of ice that make the bar and lounge. “The business didn’t succeed,” Mr. Wight said. He explained that Smug- glers Rum Bar, in the same space as the Ice Bar, had been starting to do well on its own, but ultimately there were not enough customers to support the dual venture. He said a lack of foot traffic, parking and residential premises around the businesses made it hard to get cus- tomers in the door. There is a revitaliza- tion plan for central George Town making its way through government to help with just the kind of issues Mr. Wight pointed to. But, he said, “the efforts of the George Town revitalization were not quick enough.” Mr. Wight said all the em- ployees of Smugglers and the Ice Bar have found new jobs either on their own or with the help of his company. TRINITY BROADCASTING’S JAN CROUCH DIES ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Televan- gelist Jan Crouch, who co- founded the Trinity Broad- casting Network with her husband more than four de- cades ago, died Tuesday just days after she suffered a stroke, her family said on the network’s website Crouch, instantly recog- nizable for her mountain of blonde hair, warm smile and long eyelashes, was 78. Her family made the announcement Tuesday on the California-based Trinity Broadcasting Network’s website. “Viewers of the Trinity Broadcasting Network knew her as someone who part- nered with Paul Crouch in the launch and expansion of TBN, and as someone who came into their homes for over 40 years,” Matt Crouch, her son and TBN’s president, said in a written statement. “To thou- sands of orphans around the world, and those orphaned in spirit, she was Momma Jan, quick with a smile, a gift, and a word of encouragement.” A spokesman for the net- work did not immediately re- turn a phone call. Jan and Paul Crouch started the network in 1973 by renting air time on an in- dependent California station. Trinity officials say its pro- gramming is now carried by over 5,000 stations. TBN bills itself as the world’s largest Christian TV network. The network announced last week that Jan Crouch had suffered a stroke in the Orlando area, where TBN owns the Holy Land Experi- ence theme park. Paul Crouch died in 2013. A year before his death, The New York Times chronicled the lavish living of Paul and Jan Crouch with ministry money. Their life- style, according to the news- paper, included multiples homes, corporate jets and thousand-dollar dinners. Florida to get $5 million from failed visual effects studio TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Florida will only get back a small portion of the mil- lions it invested in a failed visual effects film studio whose high-profile bank- ruptcy was used in the con- tentious 2014 election be- tween Gov. Rick Scott and Charlie Crist. State and local govern- ments in April reached a settlement in a compli- cated legal battle that in- volved filings in bank- ruptcy court as a well as a civil lawsuit filed in St. Lucie County. A bank- ruptcy judge approved the settlement earlier this month and the payments are expected to be made over the summer. The state in 2009 agreed to invest $20 million with Digital Domain, which had promised to create about 500 jobs at a Port St. Lucie animation studio and a West Palm Beach film school. But the com- pany filed for bankruptcy in 2012. Florida sued Digital Domain at the direction of Scott, whose re-elec- tion campaign mentioned the lawsuit in a TV ad critical of Crist since the former governor had signed off on the initial deal to help the company. Under the settlement, which was first reported by TCPalm.com, Florida will receive an estimated $5 million, but only about $3 million is expected go back to taxpayers. That’s because lawyers hired by the Scott administration were entitled to 25 per- cent of any money won by the state. Other court costs and fees also need to be paid off, according to Erin Gillespie, a spokeswoman for the Department of Eco- nomic Opportunity. During the more than two-year-old legal fight, Florida has also gotten back the rights to $20 mil- lion in film production tax credits that were initially pledged to Digital Domain. “The bottom line is that we got the state back money they never thought they would get,” said William Scherer, the Fort Lauderdale attorney who led the legal battle for the state. While Florida’s law- suit contended the initial deal to benefit Digital Do- main was a “de facto Ponzi scheme” Scott’s own in- spector general concluded that no laws were broken. Under the settlement, Florida will receive an estimated $5 million, but only about $3 million is expected go back to taxpayers. The Minus5 Ice Bar and the adjacent Smugglers Rum Bar closed down last week. - PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKE (AP) – Donald Trump is losing business to Mexico – a prestigious golf tournament at his Doral resort in Florida. The tournament chairman of the former Cadillac Cham- pionship, one of the four World Golf Championships that attract the best players in the world, said the PGA Tour has informed him the event is leaving next year for Mexico City. Trump said Tuesday night in a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity that he had just heard the PGA Tour was taking the tournament out of the Miami area. “They’re moving it to Mexico City, which, by the way, I hope they have kid- napping insurance,” the pre- sumptive Republican nom- inee added. PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem was on his way to Ohio for the Memorial and was expected to discuss the change Wednesday afternoon. Trump criticized the tour in a statement Wednesday, calling it a “sad day for Miami, the United States and the game of golf” to leave Doral after 54 years and go to Mexico. “No different than Nabisco, Carrier and so many other American companies, the PGA Tour has put profit ahead of thousands of Amer- ican jobs, millions of dol- lars in revenue for local com- munities and charities and the enjoyment of hundreds of thousands of fans who make the tournament an an- nual tradition,” Trump said. “This decision only further embodies the very reason I am running for president of the United States.” Butch Buchholz, brought in last year as the tourna- ment chairman to help pro- mote the event, told the Miami Herald that the tour is leaving for Mexico because it could not find a title sponsor. Cadillac’s sponsorship ended this year, and it chose not to renew. The tour has spent a year trying to find a replacement, and it became more diffi- cult as Trump gained noto- riety with his caustic com- ments during his presidential campaign. That began with Trump’s announcement that he was running, when he said Mexico was sending its unwanted people to the United States, and that in many cases they were “crim- inals, drug dealers, rapists.” Trump purchased Doral in 2012 and poured $250 mil- lion into renovations. PGA Tour event to leave Trump’s Doral resort for Mexico next year Donald Trump, center right, drives around the golf course to watch the final round of the Cadillac Championship tournament in March. – PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016 No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. -Aesop In December 2015, we embarked on our 35th anniversary “Year of Giving”. Originally, it was meant to be a way to give back to the community which has so lovingly and unconditionally been loyal to us. We are six months in, and the “Year of Giving” has evolved into so much more. It has become a vehicle for charities to tell their stories, to share who they are and how they function with the community. You see, raising money for charities is important, but awareness is what we strive for. Without awareness, the charity could not grow and create a better, more unified Cayman. The “Year of Giving” has reignited the drive to preserve Cayman by highlighting the importance of recycling, distributing over 2,000 recycling bins to homes and schools, and reaching nearly 55% of the population who may not otherwise have understood how recycling affects the future of Cayman. We have encouraged people to pay-it-forward by sharing their winnings with neighbors and friends who may not be as fortunate or are dealing with difficulties. This idea, this practice of helping others, is so ingrained in the company’s culture that extending “We Care” to everyone we come in contact with just comes naturally. We paid for customers ' groceries in December, encouraged community compassion in February, raced through the Strand to raise money for charities in March, provided free bus rides and Wi-Fi and have a slew of campaigns centered on giving back scheduled for the remainder of the year. Because of your generous support and your commitment to our island, we have raised over $60,000 for local charities, and we are beyond excited to see the final impact we have at the end of the “Year of Giving”. What happens when the “Year of Giving” comes to a close on November 30th? We will continue to embrace the policy that has become our culture. We have always believed in giving back to the community, always. There is a lot of need in Cayman, and our policy is to try and help as many people as we can. It began with David Foster and we are going to continue doing what he started. Yours in caring, commitment and community, The Team at Foster’s Food Fair - IGA #WECAREThe 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. THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS LAURA HANBY HUDGENS Any discussion about the problems in American educa- tion – and what is to blame for these problems – will likely include one or all of the usual suspects: inadequate and unequal funding, a lack of resources, underpaid and overworked teachers, over- testing, poverty and heavy- handed legislation. As a teacher and the mother of four public-school- educated children, I can tell you that all of these things have negatively impacted our schools. All of these things are problems. But there is another problem, one that is plaguing many of America’s class- rooms and jeopardizing the future of our children, yet it is rarely addressed – at least not as it should be. That problem is apathy. In class- rooms all over the country, the teacher cares more about her students’ grades, learning and futures than they do. Teachers are expected to combat apathy by continu- ally finding new and innova- tive ways to reach students – through multimedia lessons, group work, games, alterna- tive assessments or what- ever it takes. To ensure stu- dent engagement and skill acquisition, we must teach to the individual learning styles, interests and abili- ties of each of our students. If a student cannot learn the way we teach, we must teach the way he learns – times infinity. Sadly, all the attempts to dazzle and awe eventually wear some teachers down. They burn out. They leave a profession they are good at and once felt called to. However, the loss of good teachers is not even the worst effect of the be-all-things-to- all-people mentality. The real danger is that this way of thinking has shifted the re- sponsibility of learning, and of caring about learning, from the student to the teacher. Because it isn’t just adminis- trators and parents who be- lieve that it is a teacher’s job to make learning fun. Kids believe it, too. As a result, we have a generation of students who think that if a lesson or an assignment or a class is not interesting, if it isn’t en- gaging and fun and inspiring, then it simply isn’t worth caring about. It’s a teacher’s job to make all learning ex- citing. If the teacher has not lived up to her responsibility, why should the child? In a workshop I recently attended, teachers were told that kids are attracted to video games because of the constant feedback – the prog- ress, praise and prizes. We were encouraged to design our instruction more like a video game. How else can we expect to hold their attention? That is a frightening men- tality because it has created a generation of consumer learners. Many students do not see education as a privi- lege. They see it as a product. And if they don’t like the salesperson, if they aren’t im- pressed with how it’s pack- aged, they aren’t buying. But our kids have to learn to be self-motivated because at some point in every per- son’s life, either at school or in a job or in a marriage, he or she will have to buck up and say, “This is hard. This is boring. I don’t want to do this. But I’m doing it anyway. And I’ll do my best.” So how do parents and ed- ucators teach kids to be self- motivated? There are no easy answers. But there are two things that need to happen. First, we have to change the national conversation about education. This does not mean that educators should stop trying to improve instruction, but it does mean that there have to be more conversations about the role students play in ensuring their own learning. Teachers, parents, administrators and, of course, the students have to start making self-moti- vation an educational focus and priority. Self-motiva- tion should be the new ed- ucational buzzword – every bit as prevalent and pow- erful as any we’ve seen shape our classrooms in the last few decades. In the meantime, teachers and parents need prac- tical strategies for encour- aging students to take re- sponsibility for their own learning. That is the second thing that has to happen. On a basic level we need to help our kids develop habits and discipline that will lead to academic success. Unfortunately in a con- sumer-oriented educational system, words such as habit and discipline have all but gone by the wayside. We em- phasize concepts like dif- ferentiation, higher-order thinking, cooperative learning and data-driven instruction over student responsibilities like organization, persever- ance and hard work. The good news (at least for kids) is that the best hope for developing any habit is to start small – especially when good habits need to replace bad ones. This is the same approach I take with my students who struggle with apathy. I en- courage them to start small, to start with one class and to give 100 percent in that class. I talk to them about specific strategies: Sit in the front. Take notes. Ask ques- tions. Be organized. Do all the work. Find a study partner. It might be difficult for a strug- gling student to take on that kind of responsibility seven periods a day, but often stu- dents are willing to commit to 100 percent in one class. And when students expe- rience hard-won success in one class, they will be em- powered by that success and likely apply that newly learned work ethic to other classes and pursuits. Success breeds suc- cess, and success is an excellent motivator. Not only does success mo- tivate, but it can also inspire, and here is where we move from sheer determination to passion – the true goal of ed- ucation. No matter how in- novative the instruction, it’s unlikely that a student will grow to love a class if he is just getting by. The fact is that it’s rare that even the most brilliant teacher can motivate an ap- athetic student to embrace a lifetime of learning. On a re- ally good day, we can spark a child’s interest in the lesson. But in the long term, the de- sire to learn and improve has to come from within. Unless we change the way we approach education to in- clude an emphasis on stu- dent responsibility, and un- less we give our students the basic tools they need to ac- cept that responsibility, we really haven’t taught them much at all. Laura Hanby Hudgens is a part-time high school teacher, a freelance writer and a mom of four. Special to The Washington Post Savannah Primary School has an aspira- tional logo that includes an inspirational message: “THE BEST ALWAYS.” Oh, the irony … Savannah Primary School also has a Parent Teacher Association that could be – should be – the model for involved and engaged parents everywhere who refuse to sit passively by as the education of their children (translated: the future of their children) is torn asunder by low standards, low expectations and under- allocated or misallocated resources in the classroom. It’s one thing when under-motivated, apathetic students are failing. It is quite another when the school system itself is failing. This PTA took the old-fashioned “sign-here petition” and modernized the model by posting it on the Internet where (in combination) more than 300 supporters signed their names to the plea for resources. (There are only around 500 students in the school). The petition (call it what you will – a call to excel- lence or a call to arms) was presented Tuesday to Chief Officer Christen Suckoo in the Education Ministry. As a first step, Education Minister Tara Rivers should meet with the PTA to discuss their concerns. The opening sentence of the petition states, “We, the parents of Savannah Primary School students are gravely concerned at the unsatisfactory level of academic achievement and the increased behav- ioural related issues within the school. This is as a result of inadequate staffing resources being allocated to the school.” Parents had the option of including commen- tary as well as their signature, and this is what one parent wrote: “Two of my daughters have attended Savannah. My last one is currently attending. I have cried many nights watching my oldest daughter struggle and not having the resources she needs. I was told over and over not to seek tutoring because she was OK and that tutoring would only confuse her. The classes are too big and one teacher for the juniors is not enough. The materials needed for the kids are not available ….” Indeed, we are aware that teachers at Savannah Primary have implored parents to help out by donating basic supplies, such as paper, to the school. Frankly, this should never happen in a country which collects nearly $1 billion in revenue each year. Something is very wrong with our national priorities. Further, these pleas for minimal resources must be seen in the context of the $100 million-plus price tag for the construction of Clifton Hunter High School where no expense was spared on the physical plant while basic needs of the education system – including the hiring of top teachers and support staff – went begging. When diagnosing the ills of an educational system, Cayman, unfortunately, fits the all-too-familiar pattern: Enormous (but ineffective) outlays (Cayman’s cost of educating one student for one year ranks among the highest in the world), misallocated resources, migration of influence from principals and teachers to central administrators and bureaucrats, and a breakdown of discipline and student behavior at the schools. To these maladies, Cayman adds another: the seg- regation of public schools that purposely isolates local students from their expatriate neighbors. (So much for the value of “diversity.”) It may take nothing less than a parental (meaning voter) uprising to put a stop to such practices that are so lethal to learning and so harmful to our young people. The parents of the students at Savannah Primary School have made a good start. They, and we, must no longer accept second-class public education in our first-class country. Standing with the parents at Savannah Primary Fixing apathy in schools 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 • THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016 Launched in 2007, the RBC Blue Water Project™ is a 10-year global charitable commitment of CAD $50 million to help provide access to swimmable, drinkable and fishable water, for generations to come. Learn more about creating a Blue Water future at rbc.com/bluewater Water is one of the world’s most precious natural resources, fundamental to life on the planet. Now, more than ever, protecting such a vital part of our existence is a responsibility that we owe not only to ourselves, but to generations to come. Let us all do our part, RBC and YOU, to conserve this essential resource – water. It’s All About You Celebrating RBC Blue Water Day For the world and for Panton: Loophole meant no prosecution for reef damage CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A loophole in the Marine Conservation Law prevented the Cayman government from pursuing charges against the Carnival Magic cruise ship or the local pilot who caused a ship anchor to destroy about 16,000 square feet of reef in 2014, Environment Minister Wayne Panton told the Legis- lative Assembly Wednesday. The Marine Conserva- tion Law, which has since been replaced by the Na- tional Conservation Law, made it an offense to destroy reef intentionally. Since the cruise ship dropped its an- chor in the wrong place by accident, Mr. Panton said, it was not a legal offense. The new National Conser- vation Law makes any coral destruction illegal, regardless of intent, with that section of the law having come into ef- fect in April 2015. Mr. Panton, responding to a question at the Legisla- tive Assembly, said there had been five major incidents of reefs damaged by vessels since his government came to office in 2013. He told fellow legislators, “Either through recklessness, or through negligence or in- competence, vessels have an- chored, and instead of having their chains within sand bottom and having their an- chor in clear sand bottom, they end up either anchoring on a reef or anchoring near the reef and having the chain put out too long, coming back and damaging live coral.” These incidents, he said, “reflect perhaps good inten- tions but bad executions.” Mr. Panton added, “This is a reflection of an unfor- tunate reality that these risks will exist.” The new National Conser- vation Law makes it an of- fense for anyone who “directly or indirectly cuts, carves, in- jures, mutilates, removes, dis- places or breaks any under- water coral or plant growth or formation in Cayman waters.” The Carnival Magic de- stroyed about 16,000 square feet of live coral in late August 2014. In the widely reported incident, a pilot with Bodden Shipping directed the ship to drop anchor in the wrong spot, causing the anchor and chain to destroy a large swath of coral off Don Foster’s Dive shop in George Town. Mr. Panton said the ship had requested an alternate site to anchor because of the weather that day. The minister said gov- ernment had not pursued charges against the ship or the pilot because they had not intended to damage the coral. Carnival and its insur- ance company ultimately paid more than $100,000 to help repair the damage. Since the incident, a vol- unteer-led effort has been working to rebuild the reef. Lois Hatcher, one of the leaders of the reef re- habilitation effort, said they are “99 percent done” with the restoration. “All of the heavy work is done now,” she said Wednesday. They are still working on attaching small pieces of coral and doing maintenance work around the site. As for the lack of pros- ecution, Ms. Hatcher said, “Nobody ever intends to destroy a reef.” She added, “That’s a big loophole and it allows people to be irresponsible.” The new National Conser- vation Law closes that loop- hole, but, Ms. Hatcher said, it’s still up to government to enforce the rules. Carnival Magic’s anchor and chain, dropped by mistake on a reef off George Town, caused major damage to the coral in the area in August 2014. BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A law regulating Cayman Islands pawn shops and goods exchange businesses passed by legislators in late 2014 came into force on Wednesday. The Secondhand Dealers Law proposes fines and jail time for store operators who do not tell police when stolen goods are offered for sale in their establishments. Premier Alden McLaughlin said in 2014 that the long-de- bated legislation was brought to the House as a measure to restrict thieves from selling stolen goods at pawn shops. “The new law will place ad- ditional controls on what has been a too obvious point of disposal in the Cayman Is- lands – cash for gold and pawn shop establishments,” he said at the time. Police crime statistics noted, as early as 2012, a big increase in burglaries and thefts which RCIPS Chief In- spector Brad Ebanks blamed – at the time – on a prolif- eration of pawn shops and cash for gold-type businesses. Local pawn shop dealers de- nied that allegation at the time and said they had com- mitted to work with police to halt illegal fence activities. Among the provisions con- tained in the law: ■■ Allowing police to in- spect pawn shops without a warrant ■■ Requirements for store managers to record every transaction using sur- veillance cameras and keep photos of all prop- erty, along with personal information of sellers ■■ A ban on transactions be- tween secondhand dealers and anyone under 18 ■■ Pawn shops must have “proof of ownership” along with photo ID from anyone selling property worth more than $200. PAWN SHOP RULES COME INTO FORCETHURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Bodden Town Cox Lumber celebrates first anniversary JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Activities including horseback riding were part of the anniversary celebra- tion at Cox Lumber Company in Bodden Town on Saturday. The Cox team invited customers to the day of cel- ebrations, which also fea- tured face painting, food, a clown, balloons, a bouncy castle, water slides and dis- counts on everything in the store for the day. Mike Stevens, who man- ages the Cox Eastern Av- enue store in George Town and the store on Lake Des- tiny Drive in Bodden Town, said the store wanted to do something to give back to the community on its first anniversary in Bodden Town. He thanked the attendees for coming out to help them celebrate. “We really are a family-oriented company and wanted families to come out and enjoy the day, see the store and to let people know that we carry more than just building materials. We have everything you would need to build a house, from rein- forcing steel to silverware,” said Mr. Stevens. Throughout the day, fami- lies turned out for the event. Many went for 10-minute horseback rides, led by a guide from Cowboy Town Stables in Savannah. The Cox facility in Bodden Town has two ware- houses, including an inte- rior and exterior door shop, an asphalt-paved lumber yard and an 11,000-square- foot retail store. The store was a long-time dream of the late Linton Tib- betts. Last year, his grandson Kyle Hooker dedicated the store to the memory of his grandfather. “We really are a family-oriented company and wanted families to come out and enjoy the day.” MIKE STEVENS, manager Water slides, a clown and balloons were all part of the fun day. Tyrece Whittaker visited the face painting booth to get a tiger look. Sasha Barnett and baby Julianna Hurlston get a balloon from one of the Cox staff members. Families enjoyed a number of activities at the Cox lumber family fun day.Clown Mark Haden could not resist getting a ride on one of the horses. In the June 1, 1966 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town correspondent Haig Bodden wrote: “On Friday night five films about the mosquito were shown at the Town Hall, Bodden Town. “The work of eradi- cating or reducing mosqui- toes is divided into three parts i.e. research, control and proper education of the public. “Dissemination of infor- mation about the mosquito is a most vital part of the programme. Unlike other projects in the past where Caymanians have been kept in the dark about their own welfare, it is commendable that so much light is being shed on this subject. A large crowd consisting mostly of children turned out to see the pictures, though two of them had been shown the previous week. “The mosquitos which are now at the height of their power, attended in swarms, [as if] to draw at- tention from the object of study. Of course, they de- feated their own purpose as their very presence accen- tuated the necessity of get- ting rid of them. “Through the benevo- lence of some unknown angel of mercy, a fog ma- chine was used to spray the Town Hall yard be- fore the films began. Ev- eryone was delighted to see this implement making its first appearance in Bodden Town for the season and so affording a measure of tem- porary relief. “A disease-carrying mos- quito is Public Enemy No. 1 and should be taken dead or alive. Many people were horrified to view the awful predicament of victims suf- fering from the ravages of mosquito-borne diseases. “It is understood that Mr. Willie Wood of Bodden Town was much disturbed and over-anxious when his cow in calf did not come in from Jamaica on Saturday evening. Scheduled to ar- rive by charter flight along with a number of other an- imals was this cow which belongs to a special breed, the Jamaican Red. Selkirk Watler had also expected to have three cows among the arriving animals. “Willie Wood, an ardent livestock farmer, has al- ways been a strong advo- cate of the improvement of beef raised in this island. At a meeting held in the Town Hall many months ago, at which His Honour the Ad- ministrator was chairman, Mr. Willie suggested, among other things, that a small bulldozer be procured to help the farmers in clearing their land. “This well thought out and ably presented plan has been discarded on the dump heap of political in- action. Mr. Willie should not feel disheartened as that heap will soon be too high to hold more of their castaways. “It is ironical that at the same meeting the sug- gestion was made for the first time that a travel tax be imposed on departing passengers. That pro- posal was scooped up with alacrity, and was passed through the Legislative As- sembly with the greatest expediency.” 50 years ago: Mosquitoes and agriculture are hot topics7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016 Released murder convict back in jail for burglary offenses Defendant blames drugs for relapse CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A convict released from prison three years ago after serving 24 years for murder was sentenced Monday to four years imprisonment for two burglaries. Philip Glennon Ebanks, now 51, pleaded guilty to a burglary committed on May 15, 2015 and a second bur- glary on Oct. 16, 2015, both in West Bay. He was re- leased from prison “on li- cense” (conditional release) in May 2013. Ebanks initially denied the first burglary offense and was granted bail with conditions that included the wearing of an elec- tronic monitor and a curfew. Brought to court on Nov. 11 for the second offense, he has been in custody since. “I’ve never done bur- glary unless I was on drugs,” Ebanks told Magistrate Valdis Foldats. “If I hadn’t touched drugs, I would still be in the community.” Informal records kept by the Compass indicate he had been back in the community since being given a conditional release on May 16, 2013. Murder conviction In 1989, when he was 24, he was convicted of mur- dering West Bay shopkeeper Una “Miss Che-Che” Yates. Ms. Yates was found fatally shot in December 1982 in the living quarters that adjoined her small store. In 1989, the only sentence for murder was the death penalty. However, Ebanks had not yet turned 18 when Ms. Yates was murdered, and so he was ordered to be de- tained “at the Governor’s [now the court’s] pleasure.” Prison escape In November 2001, Ebanks and another in- mate escaped from North- ward Prison by cutting through several fences with a small pair of pliers. They were captured within two or three days, but had com- mitted one commercial and four residential burglaries in that time. Their attorneys noted that they had taken special care to choose unoccupied premises to make sure that no one would be endangered, but the sentencing magis- trate said victims had lost their “sense of security … [and] peace of mind” along with stolen goods. In February 2002, she imposed terms of seven and a half years for each. Ebanks’s sentence was up- held on appeal. At his sentencing hearing this week, Ebanks told the court, “I know I have a background that’s messed up. I know I have a lot of things to change. I wish I could get to do it outside, in the community.” He pointed out that, when he was released, it was with a lot of conditions: he was doing so well that these con- ditions “got less and less. I want to go back on that track. I don’t know why I touched drugs,” he said. Defense attorney Lee Halliday-Davis enlarged on Ebanks’s plea, asking for him to be placed in a halfway house again with electronic monitor and curfew so that he could continue his rehabilita- tion. She also urged the court to consider that the first burglary was more of an opportunistic “smash and grab” offense. Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson said the offense oc- curred when the apartment window was smashed. A woman’s purse and a man’s wallet were removed from a table under the window. The magistrate said Ms. Halliday-Davis had per- suaded him that this bur- glary could be treated as more of a theft, since only the burglar’s hand had gone inside. The second bur- glary was far more serious, he pointed out, with the 76-year-old victim awakened in the middle of the night by an intruder in his bedroom. Ebanks repeated his ex- planation that he committed the burglary only because he was on drugs. The magistrate re- plied, “What can be more frightening than a healthy, strong man on drugs in my house when you’re not in your right mind?” For the protection of the public, he said, the message had to be, “You can’t commit crime without consequences.” For Ebanks, the aggra- vating factors of his of- fending was that both bur- glaries occurred at night and the residents were home. “Residential burglaries vi- olate our right to be se- cure and feel secure in our own home,” the magistrate pointed out. “That sense of security is shattered by a burglary.” Also aggravating the second offense was that it was committed while Ebanks was on license and on bail for the first burglary. The mitigating factors, as enumerated by Ms. Halliday- Davis, included Ebanks’s ef- forts to rehabilitate him- self. However, when he had been at the Caribbean Haven residential treat- ment center, he had been obliged to leave because an infraction. After transfer- ring to a halfway house, he had been obliged to leave there for not obeying house rules; then he was allowed to stay in a private resi- dence. The second burglary was committed days after this last change in bail con- ditions. She also cited her client’s guilty pleas. “To release you today would be contrary to every- thing in the law,” the mag- istrate said. “I feel it would be inappropriate to release you today.” With a starting point of five years for the second burglary, he increased the sentence to six years be- cause of the aggravating fac- tors, but then gave Ebanks full credit for his guilty plea, even though it was not im- mediate. That one-third discount brought the sen- tence down to four years and he imposed two years for the “smash and grab” burglary, making this term run concurrently. For the protection of the public, the magistrate said, the message had to be, “You can’t commit crime without consequences.” The Law Courts Building in downtown George Town. New surveillance rules make it illegal to disclose warrants Surveillance can now be used in court CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com New regulatory changes make it illegal for compa- nies and others to disclose when they receive a warrant to intercept telecommunica- tions messages. The changes also clarify when the governor can issue a warrant for electronic sur- veillance and gives judges the ability to allow evidence from wiretaps or other in- terception into court. Amendments to the In- formation and Commu- nications Technology Au- thority Regulations on intercepting telecommuni- cations, published in the Cayman Islands Gazette on Friday, tighten law en- forcement surveillance rules and require police to destroy the records after they are no longer needed for criminal investigation and prosecution. ICTA declined to com- ment on the regulatory changes but said the reg- ulator plans to release a joint press statement with the Ministry of Home Af- fairs and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service to clarify what the new regula- tions mean. That statement had not been issued as of press time Wednesday. The Governor’s Office declined to comment. Tightening warrant rules A one-word change to the surveillance rules cur- tails the governor’s ability to issue warrants for electronic surveillance. By inserting the word “only” into “The Governor may only issue a warrant,” the governor is now restricted to issuing warrants for five reasons. To issue a warrant, the governor must show the surveillance is, as spelled out in the regulations, “in the interest of national se- curity; for the purpose of preventing or detecting se- rious crime; to avert an im- mediate threat to human life” based on international agreements for mutual as- sistance; or “to safeguard the economic well-being of the Islands.” The new rules clarify what can be considered a “serious crime.” The regu- lations describe “serious crime” as a crime that for which an adult could be ex- pected to receive a prison sentence of three years or more, involves violence or “substantial financial gain” or “is conducted by a large number of people in pur- suit of a common purpose,” which could include orga- nized crime and similar gang activity. Use in court Evidence from wiretaps and other types of communi- cations interception can now be used in criminal pros- ecutions with the permis- sion of a judge. Previously, the material collected by police was not permitted in court and did not receive any oversight from a judge. The new rules allow the evidence gathered through surveillance to be used by prosecutors while building a case, and then can be used in a criminal prosecution if a judge finds “that the excep- tional circumstances of the case make the disclosure es- sential in the interest of jus- tice.” A judge can also order that the evidence from wire- taps or other intercepted communications be made available only to the judge. Illegal disclosure The new rules also make it illegal for someone who receives a warrant, for ex- ample, a telephone company or Internet service provider, to tell anyone about the ex- istence of the warrant or what is in it. There are ex- ceptions to the disclosure rule, primarily to get legal advice or to share the war- rant with other people who need to know about the sur- veillance in order to help law enforcement get access to the information. Pun- ishments for violating the new law can include sum- mary convictions with fines up to $10,000 and up to six months in jail or both, or if convicted on indictment someone can face up to two years in prison and a fine up to $20,000. Destruction of records The new regulations re- quire the police commis- sioner to make sure ar- rangements are in place to destroy any records of intercepted communica- tions. The amendments say the information will be de- stroyed “as soon as the in- tercepted communication is no longer needed.” Evidence from wiretaps and intercepting other types of communications can now be used in criminal prosecutions with the permission of a judge.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 units until 8:30 a.m. Monday. The incident, according to 911 logs, was first reported at 11:57 p.m. on Sunday. The timing of this initial call was also disputed by some family members, but Cmdr. Jenkins’s review found no evidence of an earlier report to police. In his report, Cmdr. Jen- kins writes, “The conclusions from the review found no major faults with the search and rescue response to the incident either with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice or the 911 emergency service centre. “Information gathering was appropriate as was search planning both at the outset and as the inci- dent progressed. The deci- sion to not launch either the police helicopter or Cayman Guardian during the hours of darkness was concluded to be correct once all the factors had been considered.” The report largely en- dorses the public statements made by police at the time to explain their actions. Citing a lack of moonlight, wors- ening weather conditions and the flight logs from an ear- lier helicopter foray, the com- mander noted the decision not to deploy the helicopter on an offshore mission was based on “sound reasoning by experienced duty opera- tional officers.” “Safety of the search and rescue crews should al- ways be of paramount im- portance, considered and weighed up against the likely chance of a successful out- come. Both crews have indi- cated that had a position of the craft been known or even approximated to a more ac- curate area and within safe travel distances, then it is likely that there would have been further conversation re- garding an immediate launch despite the potential risks to crew,” the report states. It also concludes that re- strictions on the police pilot’s flying time and the need to narrow down the search zone meant a late start Monday was justified. “One of the key areas of community concern is why a first light search was not completed. Starting the search at sunrise (0640) as opposed to at 0830 would have meant that the police aircraft captain was brought in early and thus would not be able to fly all day without going home again due to lim- itations on duty hours,” the review states. It notes that the marine unit could possibly be de- ployed earlier in future inci- dents and then directed to a more precise location, once it is at sea. The report sug- gests, however, that the time between sunrise and the launch of the rescue units was appropriate. “In terms in search plan- ning, the time before deploy- ment was used to good ef- fect to look at all the factors of the incident, obtain ad- ditional phone records and locations, create a search plan using available tidal and wind vectors and, using local knowledge, a search box was created.” The Coastguard com- mander raised broader con- cerns about lack of search and rescue resources in the Cayman Islands. “The Police Air Unit cur- rently have one pilot avail- able and although there is a vacant position for a second pilot, this has not yet been filled, which means that the unit is always reliant on the one pilot to fly. “If he becomes unavail- able due to restriction of hours or potentially illness for example, then the aircraft will be sat on the ground and unavailable for search and rescue or any other missions. “The Joint Marine Unit also have resourcing chal- lenges with 14 current staff out of 37 positions available to perform all duties in- cluding customs, search and rescue and immigration. This can be a challenge to provide crews to deploy especially in protracted incidents where crews returning from a mis- sion will require sufficient downtime to recover. Any type of search is extremely tiring and additional resources may assist with the prosecution of incidents and allow crews to receive adequate rest.” The review also high- lights issues with the ma- rine unit’s equipment, in- cluding search and rescue vessel The Cayman Guardian, which broke down during the operation. The boat’s FLIR camera is unserviceable and its radar system is described by the marine commander as inefficient. “These defects should, if possible, be rectified to en- sure that when crews put to sea they have the very best chance of a successful mission,” Mr. Jenkins advises. The report briefly ad- dresses the issue of the al- leged early 911 calls, noting that the 911 center did re- ceive a call from a cellphone belonging to the missing boys’ mother at 10:42 p.m. on the evening of the incident, which, based on the content, was assumed to be a pocket dial. No mention is made of an earlier call alleged by some family members. The review did find that 911 operators erred initially in their response to reports of a flare sighted off North West Point from the Maca- buca restaurant in West Bay. The call was wrongly as- sumed to be a duplicate of an earlier call of flares sighted in the North Sound. “Although this error was picked up by the police air- crew just a few minutes later and the caller re-con- tacted for further details, there were inevitably delays in response,” the report notes. “It is also the case that had 911 not been able to get back in touch with the first informant, then vital and critical information may have been lost. It should be the case that each and every 911 call is treated as an in- dividual and unique call un- less the operator is abso- lutely certain that the time, location and circumstances are already being dealt with. This instance has already been noted by the 911 centre and steps put in place to re- mind operators to confirm all details and treat each case on its own merits.” The report also highlights more general issues with the coordination of communica- tions during a rescue effort between 911, police and the Port Authority, which puts out emergency briefings on VHF channel 16, the inter- national distress, safety and calling channel. THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS decision made several years ago not to take debtors to court. The unpaid debts in- creased to their current level following a government de- cision to “scale down” collec- tion efforts by the Treasury Department’s debt collection unit, Financial Secretary Ken- neth Jefferson confirmed. “Perhaps as far back as 2010, a decision was made by the then-government that … the unit was told not to pursue the collection of debts through the courts,” Mr. Jef- ferson said. Mr. Jefferson said other efforts were being made to collect the amounts due. He said that can take the form of telephone calls to the debtors and writing let- ters to them to remind them they are due to pay the gov- ernment. The government, in certain cases, can place a charge against a property for payment of a past-due med- ical bill. The government’s own evaluation in relation to the unpaid debts in the public hospital system noted: “This position is not sustainable.” The government advocated addressing the health au- thority debts as a “high pri- ority” via a system redesign to ensure bad debts do not con- tinue to accumulate. That acknowledgement came in 2014. About the only thing gov- ernment can do, according to Acting Auditor General Garnet Harrison, is write off the debts – accept that they will never be collected and agree to lose the money. “If the full provision is eventually written off, the Health Services Authority will have written off at least $120 million in receivables in the last nine to 10 years,” Mr. Harrison confirmed in a previous report to the Legis- lative Assembly. “Ultimately, the financial performance and position of the Health Services Au- thority reflect the rising cost of providing healthcare and the challenges in collecting its revenues.” Hospital bad debts reach $90 million The Cayman Islands Hospital. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the Beach Suites, the old Hyatt Hotel, and the Bri- tannia golf course, and the acquisition of the Dragon Bay lands bor- dering the North Sound, which it previously held on a leasehold agreement. Mr. VanDevelde said Dart is committed to pre- serving the character of Little Cayman, as well as its reputation as a nature- based tourism destina- tion with world-renowned diving and conservation research efforts. “Although we have no immediate plans for the properties included in the purchase, we are excited about having the opportu- nity to explore sustainable options,” he said. A team from Dart will meet with the manage- ment and staff of the resort, which has 12 employees, in the coming weeks before it closes in August for its annual break, he said. “Our immediate pri- ority is to gain a better un- derstanding of the busi- ness operations and inspect the facilities,” Mr. VanDevelde said. The properties, pre- viously owned by busi- nessman Ken Hall, are on the southern coast of Little Cayman, adjacent to the is- land’s runway. Marc Pothier, who man- ages both businesses, said he is excited about the op- portunity for the island. “I have great expecta- tions that this place will be- come even better than it has been,” he said. Dart buys Little Cayman resort CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The purchase represents the Dart group’s first project on the Sister Islands. Missing boaters review supports police response On March 8, marine police recovered the boat on which the five missing boaters had been aboard. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Kanyi BrownKamron Brown9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016 Cayman seeks one-time $261M debt payoff BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Although the deadline for payment is still more than three years away, Cayman’s government is projecting that it will be able to pay off a US$312 million [CI$261 mil- lion] loan all at once at the time it becomes due in No- vember 2019. The loan derives from a 2009 public bond offering by the former United Dem- ocratic Party administra- tion. Then-Premier McK- eeva Bush has often said he was forced to engage in borrowing at that time simply to pay recurring ex- penditures of the former People’s Progressive Move- ment government that had accumulated an operating deficit of CI$81 million the year prior (2008/09). The so- called “bullet loan” or bal- loon payment loan requires the full amount to be paid off at the date of maturity, Nov. 19, 2019. “It is projected that the 2019 bullet bond can be re- paid fully with govern- ment’s bank account bal- ances in November 2019, without the need for ex- ternal borrowing to do so,” a statement from Finance Minister Marco Archer’s of- fice issued Wednesday read. “If the government decides to repay the bond fully from its bank account balances, such a payment will not adversely impact other government planned operations.” The amount due – $261 million – is close to half of all the debt held by Cayman’s central government. The payment is due midway through the term of the next elected government and Minister Archer has ac- knowledged that he may or may not still be the finance minister, or even in politics at all, depending on what hap- pens in the next election. The government’s other option would be to refinance a portion of the loan through further borrowing, although that would require taking out more debt. Cayman’s govern- ment has not engaged in any long-term borrowing since it signed the Framework for Fiscal responsibility with the U.K. in late 2012. U.K. Overseas Territories Minister James Duddridge has pushed Cayman to pro- duce a proposal on how it plans to “manage the refi- nancing of the Cayman Is- lands government’s re- maining debt” including the $261 million bullet loan. Cayman’s total central government debt, which once reached more than CI$600 million, was a major factor in the U.K. taking away di- rect control of budget pro- posals from local legislators during the UDP government’s term and implementing strict financial controls now en- shrined in local law and known as the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility. “I am sure you will agree that robust debt management strategy is an integral part of good financial planning,” Mr. Duddridge wrote to the pre- mier earlier this year. According to government’s 2015/16 budget documents, the vast majority of the cen- tral government’s debts – more than CI$350 million – will come due within the next two to five years, the term of the next elected government. Mr. Archer said the Pro- gressives administration es- tablished, during its first year in office, what’s known as a “sinking fund” to help re- tire the 2009 bond debt. Ac- cording to budget records for this year, more than CI$18 million has been placed in that fund. However, it is proposed in budget records for the up- coming year that about $12 million from the sinking fund be used to pay off other gov- ernment debts. The “sinking fund” is not linked solely with any one particular debt of the govern- ment and, it can be used in the process of repaying any loan,” the statement from Mr. Archer’s office read. “It is projected that the 2019 bullet bond can be repaid fully with government’s bank account balances in November 2019.” MARCO ARCHER, finance minister MLA calls governor’s Throne Speech ‘pathetic’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Calling the annual speech that opens Cay- man’s Legislative Assembly budget meeting “substance- less,” North Side MLA Ez- zard Miller questioned Wednesday how the govern- ment had handled its budget process in recent years. Mr. Miller said he re- called times during his previous terms in the as- sembly “when the whole country looked forward to” the governor’s annual Throne Speech. “It is unfortunate that the Throne Speech has been diminished, relegated to such a substanceless speech as we’ve had in the last two or three years, particularly this year,” he said. “[The 2016 Throne Speech] is so short in length and sub- stance, relevance, policy, guidance and plans that it can only be described as pathetic.” In recent years, a brief Throne Speech by Governor Kilpatrick has been fol- lowed by a lengthy budget policy address from Premier Alden McLaughlin and then by a detailed review of gov- ernment’s budget by Min- ister Marco Archer. Mr. Miller pointed out that this year’s address to the House by Governor Kil- patrick was eight pages long while Mr. McLaughlin’s was 48 pages and Mr. Archer’s was 28 pages. Other issues arose during House proceedings Monday during the gover- nor’s speech that Speaker of the House Juliana O’Connor-Connolly said amounted to “disrespect for Her Majesty’s government.” Ms. O’Connor-Connolly declined to “itemize” the infractions she said oc- curred both inside and out- side the assembly chamber Monday, but noted there was a procedure set out to address misconduct under the Legislative Assembly Standing Orders and that she would entertain any motion brought regarding the infractions. During the ceremonial vote to accept the Throne Speech Monday, some law- makers voted “no.” It was also noted that at least one legislator walked out of the chamber during the gover- nor’s speech. Ms. O’Connor-Connolly said she wished to record her “deep disgust for what transpired on Monday.” No further discussion of the issue was heard during the assembly proceedings. Cayman joins fight against online child porn Anonymous reporting mechanisms in place JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands has joined a global initiative to help stamp out child por- nography on the Internet. The campaign, rolled out in the British Overseas Terri- tories on Wednesday, allows people to anonymously re- port images of child sexual abuse online. The content can then be examined by experts who seek to block public access to the site or have it removed completely. The initiative, launched by British charity the In- ternet Watch Foundation, involves police, govern- ment and private businesses hosting a portal on their websites to allow users to make reports to the charity. Detective Superinten- dent Mike Cranswick, who spearheaded the project in the Cayman Islands, said, “Child pornography is sexual abuse, plain and simple. Every time these im- ages are viewed there is a re-victimization of the child. “While we have no in- dication that this content has been produced here in Cayman or that it involves children in the Cayman Is- lands, people in Cayman may unintentionally come across such content from elsewhere surfing the In- ternet. We want them to know that there is some- thing positive they can do when they see this on- line, they can report it and they can report it completely anonymously.” International cooperation Once reported to the In- ternet Watch Foundation, the images are viewed by experts who liaise with in- ternational law enforcement agencies to remove the con- tent from the Internet. In cases where the content cannot be removed, police, in some countries, work with Internet service pro- viders to block access. Mr. Cranswick said police were seeking to partner with the Infor- mation and Communica- tions Technology Authority and Internet service pro- viders to make blocking such sites an option in the Cayman Islands. Anyone who finds dis- turbing images of child sexual abuse online and re- ports it through the portal would not be liable to pros- ecution themselves. Mr. Cranswick said this particular project was tar- geted at removing content and helping investigate people who created and dis- tributed child pornography, rather than tracing viewers. He added, “If this helps close down one site or rescue one child, it will have been worth it.” Goal to remove online images of abuse Harriet Lester, the In- ternet Watch Foundation’s technical projects officer, who is working with the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service on the project, said the initiative was a step toward the charity’s goal of removing images of child abuse from the Internet completely. She said, “We’re looking forward to helping Cayman make its corner of the In- ternet a safer place.” The initiative is funded through the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Cyber Security Capacity Building Program. The campaign, rolled out in the British Overseas Territories on Wednesday, allows people to anonymously report images of child sexual abuse online. Finance Minister Marco Archer delivers the budget address at the Legislative Assembly on Monday. – PHOTO: MATT LAMERS Detective Superintendent Mike CranswickNext >