ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY JUNE 15, 2016 BUSINESS | PAGE 12 CAYMAN DEVELOPMENT BANK TURNS AROUND FINANCIAL RESULTS High of 89 Low of 76 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ALDEN AND THE EY REPORT: WE WERE WRONG Cayman Turtle Farm: Island Wildlife Encounter Discover the adventure at the Join us with our resident rates CI $10 Adults CI $ 4 Children 786 Northwest Point Road, West Bay, Grand Cayman info@turtle.ky | www.turtle.ky | +1 345 949 2894 +1 345 949 2894 / Cayman Turtle Few EY report ‘priorities’ under way Project future focuses on other areas BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Recommendations from a September 2014 government consultant’s report by the Ernst & Young accounting firm have been pared down to 57 areas which the civil service in- tends to “progress,” according to a report re- leased last week. Many of the recommended projects set out in the 2014 EY evaluation that government now intends to carry forward were not con- sidered “priority” proposals by EY in its 240- page review. A total of 38 government initiatives under the “Project Future” banner are listed by Cayman Islands officials as being in prog- ress, with one proposal completed and an- other seven in the “project execution phase,” according to the June 8 report. The remaining 30 projects are listed in the government’s report as being in planning, ini- tiation or conceptualization phases, according to the review compiled from reports from the various ministries and government portfolios released by Premier Alden McLaughlin’s office. Another 18 projects identified under the Project Future heading have not yet been pro- gressed, according to the report. “The potential for Project Future to impact on government and the services it provides is huge,” Mr. McLaughlin said during a speech to the Legislative Assembly last week. The lone project listed as completed in the June 8 report was the transfer of the Cayman Islands London Office from its former civil service home in the Home Affairs Ministry to the Cabinet Office. This was initially rec- ommended by EY as a lower priority item in the “other recommendations” section of its 2014 report. A number of projects being managed under the Project Future effort address what were termed “priority 1” recommendations by EY. GOVERNMENT PAYS $18 MILLION TO FUND PENSIONS BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands government will give an extra $18 million to its Public Service Pen- sions Board to “catch up” what a 2014 finan- cial evaluation said it should pay toward the main civil service retirement fund for most older government workers, Finance Minister Marco Archer said last week. Financial advisers from the Mercer con- sulting firm recommended in January 2014 that the government increase the amount paid on behalf of civil servants participating in the defined benefit portion of the government’s retirement savings plan. The defined benefit plan provides a monthly pension for civil ser- vice retirees and their surviving spouses. In April 1999, it was closed to incoming civil ser- vice employees. Mercer actuaries noted in the January 2014 report that government should be paying 16.3 percent of civil servants’ salaries toward the pension contribution, rather than the 12 percent it was paying for members of the de- fined benefit plan. The report did not recom- mend increasing contributions for the defined contribution part of the plan, which operates like a 401K savings account. Mr. Archer said Cabinet had accepted the increase to the contribution rates recom- mended in the Mercer report and that an addi- tional payment of $18 million would be made by June 30 “in order to catch up with the in- creased contribution rates as recommended.” The $18 million should “make whole” the additional contributions needed for Newly trained lifeguards help keep swimmers safe Teenagers train in school program JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A squad of newly trained lifeguards from the Cayman International School could be used to help make Cayman’s public beaches safer, their instructor believes. The 16 lifeguards were on patrol at the Flowers Sea Swim on Saturday. They completed their training in a semester-long course at the school. Stephanie Hogan, a new aquatics teacher at the school and an international lifeguard instructor trainer, said the teenagers had been through intensive training on life- saving skills. She would like to broaden the course to train more lifeguards to work on Cayman’s beaches. “I just felt bringing that type of program to this island would be a really cool option for high school students to walk away with a really tangible qualification that would be relevant in their world,” she said. Though the Cayman Turtle Farm and some private hotels use lifeguards, there are none on the public beaches. The Red Cross has advocated for government to em- ploy lifeguards at some of the island’s bus- iest beaches. “You just don’t see lifeguards on the is- land like you do in other beach communi- ties around the world,” Ms. Hogan said. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Beach patrol: The squad of newly trained lifeguards gets ready for action before the Flowers Sea Swim. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY JUNE 15, 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 - WARCRAFT 3D (PG13) 1:00 I 4:00 2D I 7:00 I 10:00 2D ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS 3D (PG) 1:10 2D I 4:20 I 7:15 2D I 10:00 X-MEN: APOCALYPSE3D(PG13) 12:45 2D I 3:45 I 6:50 2D I 9:45 NOW YOU SEE ME 2 (PG13) 12:40 I 3:50 I 6:45 I 9:40 ANGRY BIRDS (PG) 1:30 I 4:10 I 7:10 I 9:30 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES OUT OF THE SHADOWS 3D (PG13) 1:20 I 4:00 2D I 6:50 I 9:40 2D Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) Sponsored by: SATURDAY, JUNE 18th 8PM Visiting Sports Medicine Physician specializing in non-operative musculoskeletal & joint conditions. Dr. Melissa Mascaro MD Cayman Clinic @ 439 Crewe Road, GT Is available for consultation on Saturday June 18th & Monday June 20th, 2016 Call: 949-7400 between 8:30am to 5:pm to make an appointment Disabled swimmer shows ‘true grit’ JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Of the nearly 1,000 swim- mers to cross the finish line at the Flower’s Sea Swim on Saturday, few can have dis- played more courage and te- nacity than Nikki Christian and Scott Ruby. Ms. Christian, who has ce- rebral palsy and is wheelchair- bound, was towed from start to finish by family friend Mr. Ruby, who completed the race pulling a kayak. Ms. Christian, 25, had to train hard to de- velop her core muscles to stay upright in the kayak. Mr. Scott has overcome his own obstacles, losing more than 150 pounds since 2009, going from being se- verely overweight to be- coming a skilled and com- mitted endurance athlete. The duo completed the Cayman Islands marathon together and are building toward an Ironman, supported by a team of volunteers in a group called “Nikki’s Voice.” Mr. Ruby said Ms. Chris- tian is his inspiration. “She is the heart and soul of this group; we just loan her our bodies. She smiled the whole way. She was having a blast and so were we,” said Mr. Ruby, who swam with his friend Jessica Jackson in support. “The motivation lies with Nikki. When you see someone who wants to do it but just doesn’t have the physical ca- pabilities, any inclination you have to stay in bed just pales into comparison with her de- sire to get out,” he said. The group swam an hour ahead of the field, so the en- tourage and the kayak would not affect the other swim- mers or vice versa. “We are so happy to be included, and we thank the Flowers [family] and the or- ganizers,” said Mr. Ruby. “To allow us to compete is a step in the right direction for cerebral palsy awareness and the awareness for all people with disabilities,” he added. “We are letting them know that their par- ticipation is wanted, appre- ciated, even needed. If you are feeling that is a daunting start line, look up at that kid. This time last year, she had no thoughts of being in a sea swim. True grit, a little bit of love and determination, that’s Nikki’s voice.” Ms. Christian’s father, Raymond Christian, said the events have helped his daughter, who graduated from Triple C School in 2009, get a new lease on life. “It is about trying to keep her mentally and physically active. She is wheelchair- bound, so the more outdoor activity we get her involved in makes sure she doesn’t get bored.” Minister: GT road projects ‘absolutely necessary’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Road widening projects along George Town’s Esterley Tibbetts Highway and Lin- ford Pierson Highway must be completed in short order un- less residents want to suffer through the traffic troubles seen a decade ago in the outer districts, Planning Minister Kurt Tibbetts said last week. Along the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, the Dart group of companies has committed to widening the now two-lane stretch of road to four lanes between Camana Bay and a proposed new roundabout just north of the Lakeside apart- ments. Government is ex- pected to fund the remainder of the two-lane road expan- sion from Lakeside to the But- terfield roundabout. The new roundabout in the middle of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, Mr. Tibbetts said, is planned to provide a cut- through for motorists traveling from the Owen Roberts Inter- national Airport who want to bypass the Industrial Park. If the Dart group completes its part of the expansion long before the government-funded section is done, commuters heading into and out of town along the Esterley Tibbetts Highway’s two-lane stretch of road between Lakeside and the Butterfield roundabout will encounter bottlenecks. “It is unfair to expect the road to get that far and not be finished,” Mr. Tibbetts said. Traffic jams are already plaguing drivers coming from the eastern side of the island, who merge into one lane on the Linford Pierson Highway after passing Tropical Gar- dens, Mr. Tibbetts said. The Linford Pierson Highway is also proposed to be expanded to four lanes. “The traffic in the eastern districts is now at the point where they’re experiencing the difficulty that they used to ex- perience … before the East- West Arterial was built,” Mr. Tibbetts said. The two road widening projects “are the projects that we have to complete and we can’t take our time to do it,” the minister said. “These are works that are absolutely necessary.” The government has bud- geted about $3.4 million for islandwide road con- struction in the upcoming 2016/17 budget proposal. The National Roads Au- thority will oversee both lane expansion projects in George Town, although the Dart group plans to hire its own construction firm to complete the work, Mr. Tibbetts said. There are other, less sub- stantial roadworks planned in George Town which Mr. Tib- betts said would create “proper interconnectivity” as part of the downtown district’s revi- talization. The Linford Pierson and Esterley Tibbetts Highway widening projects will allow traffic to get in and out of the downtown area more easily, the minister said. Other road changes in downtown George Town as part of the revitalization will make some traffic lanes one- way only and close other roads to vehicle traffic entirely, Mr. Tibbetts said. “But you can’t do that un- less you create other ave- nues that the traffic can get in and out of where they’re going,” he said. St. Vincent and Grenadines PM to speak on terrorism issues at UCCI lecture series The prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, will speak about international terrorism and the extent to which Ca- ribbean countries could be affected by their levels of preparedness, on June 16 at the University College of the Cayman Islands. The prime minister will also outline the region’s plans to counter terrorism. “Citizens need to be educated about this phenom- enon and must know what contingencies their govern- ments have put in place. If they are not satisfied with these, they must demand more from their governments,” said Livingston Smith, chairman, UCCI Social Sciences Depart- ment. The lecture is the latest installment of UCCI’s Distin- guished Lectures Series. “This is an excellent time to discuss, learn and explore various possibilities with a regional head of government such as Prime Minister Gon- salves,” Mr. Smith added. Before serving as prime minister, starting in 2001, Mr. Gonsalves practiced law be- fore the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, concentrating on constitutional, criminal, administrative, matrimonial and real property law, as well as tort and contract law. He has also published pa- pers about trade unions, com- parative political economy and developmental issues. “We are delighted that Prime Minister Gonsalves has accepted our invitation to discuss such a timely and relevant issue,” UCCI board chair Lemuel Hurlston said. Prime Minister Gonsalves is the fourth speaker in the lecture series, following Trevor Munroe, executive director at National Integrity Action, Jamaica; Baroness Patricia Scotland, Common- wealth secretary-general; and Washington-based lawyer Jack Blum, an expert on white-collar financial crime and international tax evasion. Mr. Gonsalves will speak at 6 p.m. at UCCI’s Sir Vassel Johnson Hall. The event is free and open to the public. Scott Ruby celebrates with Nikki Christian after their finish at the Flowers Sea Swim on Saturday. – PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER The “Nikki’s Voice” duo power to the finish line. Kurt Tibbetts Ralph GonsalvesThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JUNE 15, 2016 Cle arance Sale!! (On Already Low Prices) After Cash Back prices from: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. “But we single out one person, in particular, for special praise and recognition — Premier Alden McLaughlin. “Premier McLaughlin is the captain of the HMS Cayman. At the risk of jeopardizing his political career, the premier has staked his legacy on the faithful execution of this report. “This is Cayman’s moment of opportunity, and it is also Premier McLaughlin’s defining moment. “Because his cause is just and his path may be politically dif- ficult, he needs, and deserves, the support of his countrymen. “He certainly will have ours.” — Cayman Compass, “EY Report: A test of our will and courage,” Sept. 12, 2014 “I am not sure of [the Compass’s] agenda, but they are wrong in principle, they are wrong in policy and they are wrong in practice.” — Premier Alden McLaughlin, Legislative Assembly speech, June 8, 2016 Last Wednesday, our Premier stood before the Legisla- tive Assembly and unveiled a progress report on “Project Future,” one year and nine months after the unveiling of consultants’ recommendations. As evidenced by the excerpts we have re-printed at the top of this editorial, at the time the EY Report was released, we placed ourselves squarely in the Premier’s corner and urged the entirety of the Cayman Islands to do the same. Since then, Mr. McLaughlin has turned away from the practical goal of reforming the civil service, and instead has rhetorically turned against the Compass and the consul- tants from EY. (As if we had any power except to express our opinion — in support of the Premier and his government. As if EY had done anything except to offer up the firm’s time and resources, at practically pro bono rates, for the good of the country. As if it weren’t Premier McLaughlin’s idea in the first place!) Also during that time, despite numerous speeches and the formation of multimember committees, the Progressives government — out of the scores of recommendations put forth by EY — has managed, over nearly two years, to enact exactly one: the transfer of the Cayman Islands London Office from the Home Affairs Ministry to the Cabinet Office, at a cost savings of, ahem, negligible. Last week, the Premier said the Compass Editorial Board was wrong to declare that the EY Report appeared to be going nowhere, and as a refutation released a progress report, which is the subject of a Page One news story today. Let’s examine what the Progressives’ idea of “progress” really consists of: • Outsourcing portions of the Health Services Authority and controlling bad debts — “not yet progressed” • Selling excess Crown land, properties and buildings — “business case” being formed • Reforming CINICO — “not yet progressed” • Cost-sharing for civil service healthcare — “business case” being formed • Merging Cayman Brac’s two elementary schools — put on hold • Changes to Education Law to allow for academy-style schools — “not yet progressed” • Sale, outsourcing or restructuring of Cayman Turtle Farm — “not yet progressed” • Privatize Water Authority, Port Authority and Radio Cayman — not accepted • Privatize landfill operations — still under review • Privatize Cayman Airways — not mentioned in progress report • Privatize postal service — strategic assessment to be conducted • Merge offices of the complaints commissioner and infor- mation commissioner — planning stages • Improvements to National Roads Authority operations — strategic assessment being finalized • Increase civil service retirement age to 65 — bills to be voted on shortly • Merge electricity, telecommunications, petroleum and water services regulators into a single utilities commis- sion — legislation under consideration • Merge Internal Audit Unit and Human Resources Unit — business case under way • Restructure Tourism Attractions Board — strategic plan being formulated. Regular readers of Compass editorials probably know that we are not often forced to admit that we were in error. However, when Premier McLaughlin accused us of being wrong about the EY Report, we can’t help but remember our support for him and his Progressives government when the report was released. We weren’t wrong about the EY Report — but it appears we may have been wrong about the Premier. Alden and the EY report: We were wrong The U.K. should vote to leave the European Union on June 23. The EU suffers from chronic slow growth thanks to a smothering bureau- cracy and single currency that fits the needs of the continental economy like stilettos on a ballerina. Consequently, the U.K. is shackled to a European economy locked in ruinous cycles of debt crises and high unemployment – espe- cially among young people and immigrants. Resentment towards Brussels’ undemo- cratic and dysfunctional de- cision making processes makes genuine reforms all but impossible. To the extent the U.K. has thrived it is because it has managed to opt-out or avoid some of the most damaging elements of Brussels’ impe- rial charade – the euro and Schengen Area. The latter es- tablishes passport-free travel and removes border checks on the continent, but still im- poses on all EU members the immigration policies of the most open or least capable EU states. Greece and Hungary have been unable to effectively limit and process Syrian and other Middle East refugees, and Germany – which profits immensely from the euro at the expense of its southern neighbors – is in the unusual position of having labor shortages. Once in Germany, immigrants can pretty much go where they please – in- cluding the U.K. – after they have been granted papers. Berlin, not Brussels, makes London’s immigration policy! Divorces are tough. Being the smaller party, the U.K. has been threatened, if it leaves, it will be denied free access to EU markets on the favorable terms enjoyed by non-EU members Norway and Switzerland. President Obama – who favors stability over sorting out new relationships – has warned the U.K. it would have to wait until after a pending free trade agreement with the EU is completed to negotiate with the U.S. These are ill-conceived threats. The U.K. is the second largest and most open market in Europe. It is decid- edly freer of informal non- tariff barriers to imports commonplace in Germany. It is a vitally important export market for Ireland, the former Eastern Bloc EU states and even Spain and Portugal. Anti-EU sentiment in Spain and elsewhere would fire up if the German impulse to punish the U.K. prevailed in Brussels. Among former Eastern Bloc states, the blow of losing the U.K. market and Brussels’ ear turned deaf by Berlin would make them more vulnerable to Moscow’s power and influence. The U.S. has a strong se- curity interest in a united and prosperous U.K. A policy to cut it out of trans-Atlantic free trade discussions would encourage nationalism in Scotland and weaken the U.K. economy, its capacity to sus- tain its military and support Washington, for example, in the Middle East. London’s financial center is the heart of the U.K. economy, and it is increas- ingly handicapped, like Wall Street, with an overreaction to the financial crisis by EU regulators. While London might bleed some business on the continent to Dublin, its infrastructure of knowl- edgeable bankers and insti- tutional relationships across the globe are not easily du- plicated in Ireland. On the continent, banks are still sad- dled with bad loans from the financial crisis that Brussels and the European Central Bank are too inept to address. London’s financial sector has reinvented itself before – notably after the demise of the British Empire following World War II. Going forward, its real opportunities and competitors are in Asia and New York. U.K. financial houses have done so well, not because of moribund EU markets and burdensome bureaucracy, but because its regulators are less politically motivated and radicalized by anti-cap- italist sentiment than for ex- ample, Elizabeth Warren, and are simply more transparent and reliable than their coun- terparts in Asia. In the end, the U.K. is too important to be genu- inely punished for exercising its sovereign prerogative to leave the EU and as history has proven time and again, too savvy once focused on a challenge to be denied a suc- cessful and prosperous future. Peter Morici is a professor at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. He served as chief economist of the U.S. International Trade Commission from 1993-1995. He tweets @pmorici1. WEDNESDAY JUNE 15, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Brexit: UK should vote to leave EU PETER MORICI London’s financial center is the heart of the U.K. economy, and it is increasingly handicapped, like Wall Street, with an overreaction to the financial crisis by EU regulators. 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 EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JUNE 15, 2016 Finance minister: Budget surplus helping Caymanian people BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands gov- ernment has received “great criticism” in recent months for maintaining more than a $100 million operating sur- plus in its annual budget, despite increased spending during the same period on education, social welfare and healthcare programs, Finance Minister Marco Archer said. Mr. Archer said, according to critics “who meant govern- ment no good,” the large sur- plus has been taken as an in- dication that “somehow this government is cruel, out of touch and does not care for the people.” During budget debates, Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush and Bodden Town MLA Alva Suckoo both said that $30 million worth of targeted tax breaks by the Progres- sives-led administration had not “reached the consumer” so far. Mr. Bush has often said the government should spend more of its surplus funds to assist needy Caymanians via social and church programs. “Did anyone ever take the time to look at the numbers?” Mr. Archer asked during his response to the Legislative Assembly budget debate on Friday. “To those who would say the government is just building a surplus and not caring about the people, I would say that is not correct. “But it is irresponsible to promise more than the country can reasonably af- ford. To do so, we run the risk of taxing people to death in order to afford what we’ve promised that is more than reasonable.” The $30 million in tax re- ductions, which include a cut to Caribbean Utilities Company diesel import duty rates, fee reductions for li- censed importers and fee waivers or reductions for small business licenses, were made possible by the healthy operating surplus the govern- ment maintained, Mr. Archer said Friday. He also acknowledged that the operating surplus had to be used to pay for other crit- ically important items, in- cluding government debt principal repayments that cost tens of millions each year. “In giving those tax breaks, we are also reducing the size of the surplus and we are giving back to the people what is due to the people,” Mr. Archer said. “Surplus is set aside for productive use. It isn’t something that I sit down and gloat over.” Mr. Archer compared budget figures from the former United Democratic Party administration to the current 2015/16 budget man- aged by the Progressives-led coalition, seeking to show that government had actually increased spending for social programs while maintaining the budget surplus figures. During the 2010/11 budget, the finance minister estimated that $41.2 mil- lion was spent on social se- curity and welfare programs by the UDP government. In the current 2015/16 budget – which ends June 30 – he said that figure was estimated at $59.7 million. Education and employ- ment-related spending was $83.3 million in the 2010/11 budget, compared to $93.6 million in the current fiscal year. Government spending on public health operations and programs was $80 million in 2010/11, compared to $88.4 million this year, he said. “This government is no less concerned about the people who are in need of as- sistance and in some cases … we are more concerned, if that is reflected in the budget,” Mr. Archer said. “An- alyze that, comprehend that, and then, refute that.” There were objections raised to portions of the finance minister’s speech by opposition and indepen- dent members after Mr. Ar- cher’s repeated references to “Harvard economists” that he said appeared to occupy the opposition half of the Legislative Assembly. At one stage, Mr. Suckoo, an independent, noted that his master’s degree in business administra- tion had come from Syra- cuse University in New York State, not Harvard Univer- sity. Mr. Archer later apol- ogized to anyone who had been offended. Minister Archer said he preferred to err on the side of caution when estimating the budget operating surpluses, because no one could predict precise surplus figures each year, given Cayman’s system of indirect taxation on eco- nomic transactions. “No government, for all the time of the Cayman Is- lands existence, has been or will ever be able to say ex- actly what the surplus will be,” he said. “If the economy performs as expected, we are close to what we expected.” Finance Minister Marco Archer. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERS “It is irresponsible to promise more than the country can reasonably afford.” MARCO ARCHER, finance ministerWEDNESDAY JUNE 15, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 6 DISTRICT DAYS District Days West Bay Students reflect on primary school years Students who will soon be moving on from West Bay’s public primary school recently took some time to look back on their expe- rience and offer words of thanks and advice. The Year 6 students at Sir John A. Cumber IB Primary School have written notes of reflection and appreciation on their journey through pri- mary school. They also in- cluded words of advice to the remaining students, ac- cording to a press release. Many described their pri- mary school years with such terms as enjoyable, pleasant and fun. They enjoyed their learning experiences, espe- cially the Primary Years Pro- gramme Exhibition, music, visits to the library and the computer suite and phys- ical education. They par- ticularly liked how they were challenged by their teachers to try harder and to do their best. In their notes, they en- couraged the remaining students to work hard, listen to their teachers and always do their best. To them, the exhibition was an opportu- nity to demonstrate indepen- dence, confidence, respect and cooperation. They ex- pressed appreciation to the several mentors and parents who provided guidance in the process. In addition, they ex- pressed gratitude to all the volunteers who assisted them throughout their pri- mary school years, the majority of whom are from The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Literacy is for Ev- eryone (LIFE), Cayman Is- lands Trust Company, Sir John A. Cumber Primary School Parents and the en- tire school community. Many of the students are moving on to John Gray High School. Speaking about the PYP Exhibition, Janani Kumar said, “It was a wonderful ex- perience. It has made me be- come a better communicator and more knowledgeable. It has also helped to build my self confidence.” Raeanne Ebanks, Shanee Carridice, Hashawn McK- enzie, Shinelle Johnson and Camille Wright all agreed with Janani. The students also re- flected fondly on the Cayman Heritage Crafts af- ternoons with Chris Chris- tian and his team. “It was fun,” said Joel Sutherland. Regular library user Jeliyah McClean said she is going to miss borrowing books there. An avid reader, Jeliyah is leading the stu- dents in the number of books borrowed and read so far this school year. The students thanked their mentor, as well as Steve Coles, the PYP coor- dinator and deputy prin- cipal, their Year 6 teachers and all the other teachers for their guidance in the PYP Exhibition and also throughout their primary school years. The Year 6 Smith class with teacher Rhuel Smith.The Sir John A. Cumber Year 6 Griffith class. The Sir John A. Cumber Year 6 Henry class.The Year 6 Bush class with teacher Shequita Bush. In the June 15, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, West Bay correspondent Leila Yates wrote: “Quite a number of folk arrived at the weekend. Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Jackson from Miami where Mrs. Jackson went for medical aid. She did not require sur- gery, and feels much better; Mrs. Davis Borden and two children, who were visiting with her husband in the USA; Mr. Elroy Ebanks and family who have made their home in Tampa for quite a while, and are here visiting relatives and friends; Mr. Wenzel Ebanks who worked on the Marine Clipper; Mr. Elton Ebanks who resides in New York on a short vacation; and Mr. Howel Ebanks from the U.S. after hearing of his mother’s illness. “News has been re- ceived of the death of Mr. Lenord Weynard’s mother – 107 years, 3 months of age in New York. Mr. Weynard went to visit her a month ago and is still there. She was up and around until a few months ago. “Miss Grace Ebanks who is a student at Wilson Col- lege in Pennsylvania is here on holiday, with her cousin, who has never visited the island before. “Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Ebanks Jr. and her brother left on the 11th for their home in Tampa, Florida after a 17 day visit. “Mr. and Mrs. Kesley Wallace left on the May 29 to spend their 12th wedding anniversary in Jamaica on the 3rd of June, combined with a business trip. They returned on the 5th. “Leaving on the 9th for Jamaica to seek medical aid were Mrs. Ida Rivers and Mrs. John Ebanks. John ac- companied his wife. “Returning on the 9th was Mrs. Elsa Ebanks, who lives in Jacksonville. She is here on a visit. “Miss Sharon Farrington, who attends Forest Lake Academy in Orlando, is here on holiday. “Mr. Rivington Powery on vacation from S.S. Venus where he is third engineer. “Mrs. Murphy Smith left on the 5th to attend the graduation of her son Clifton from Andrew Jackson High School in Jacksonville, Florida. “Miss Alva Ebanks, of Northwest Point is home after spending one year in New York with her son, Lewiston and his family. “Mrs. Bell Bodden re- turned on the 8th from the U.S. where she was visiting with her children. “Mrs. Abram Ebanks is a patient in hospital with a fractured hip which re- sulted from a fall in an en- deavour to lie in her ham- mock. Mrs. Ebanks’ sight has failed for quite a while. “Mr. and Mrs. Caleb Or- rett were the happy par- ents of their third child, a girl, named Sarah Louise, weighing 8 pounds, 13 ounces at birth. Besides the new baby, the Orretts have two other children, Vaughn aged 5 1/2 years and Nina aged 4 years, and are at present residing in Brooklyn, New York. “Father’s Day, June 19 is being looked forward to with much interest at the Presbyterian Church of Boatswain Bay, where the 7:30 p.m. service will be completely carried through by fathers. The subject is ‘Fathers – their influence in the home, church and com- munity.’ All fathers are cor- dially invited.” 50 years ago: Numerous visitors make for a busy weekIn the June 15, 1966 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Cayman Brac correspondent Lilian Ritch wrote: “Throughout the pe- riod [of the impact of Hurri- cane Alma, June 5 to 7th] our greatest concern was for the two vessels in the storm and for our own Capt. R.C. Foster at the West End who was very ill. “Wednesday [June 8] morning dawned clear. Soon the American Coast Guard plane flew in for Capt. Bertie. Then there was a boat pulling down towards the Kirktrader. Mrs. Alesia Van Zandt and her brother, Mr. Leonardi Carter had answered the mercy call from the Kirktrader that there was a sick man on board. Heavy seas made it impos- sible for a boat to put out from the Creek to the vessel. The Carters went to Spot Bay and waited while Messrs. Scott and Dixon of Spot Bay pulled to the ‘Trader’ and back bringing Mr. Charlie Bush, of Roatan, Spanish Honduras, a diabetic who was in serious condition. The Carters took him to the clinic where he was attended by resident nurse Gwen Service and detained. Mrs. Agatha Foster and Mrs. Millicent Dilbert gave insulin and Mrs. Delmah Jackson vol- unteered to be night nurse and on Thursday Mr. Bush was much recovered. He and his wife, Mrs. Ellie Mae Bush of West Bay and four month old baby were the guests of Mrs. Spencer Bodden of Creek. “This week we all join to say a very hearty welcome to Mrs. Gwen Service who arrived on Friday the 3rd to take up duty as Resident Nurse for two years, and to Dr. and Mrs. Collins who ar- rived on Thursday the 9th. We understand and hope it is true that Dr. Collins is on full time service as our district medical officer. “Public meetings were held [at Stake Bay on May 30 and Spot Bay on June 2] by MLA Mr. K.P. Tibbetts at which … medical services [were discussed]. “The report that Dr. Col- lins is to be appointed only from Thursday to Sunday of each week has for the past month has been disturbing public peace of mind, [and] his continuous flights out for medical aid over the past six months have only empha- sized the inadequacy. “Many feel that with the constructive putting together of our resources and commu- nity cooperation there is no reason why we cannot have a working medical and public health programme, on a base of a resident doctor, nurse and a small hospital unit.” CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JUNE 15, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days Sister Islands Alicia Carter GEORGE NOWAK This image, taken around the early to mid- 1980s, shows Alicia Carter behind the counter at her father’s small store, which was in the area known as Creek, on Cayman Brac. The store, A.E. Carter and Company, sold a va- riety of dry goods, such as sugar, flour, canned foods, and produce farmed on the nearby bluff. In her younger days, Ms. Carter spent much of her time in Cuba before returning to the Brac to operate the store for her father. She never married and passed away in 2006. This photograph is from the book ‘The People Time Forgot’ by George Nowak, available at the National Museum. All proceeds from the sales of the book go toward museum projects. Little Cayman home to rare iguanas Along with a few hu- mans, Little Cayman is home to some special animals, in- cluding the largest red-footed booby colony in the Western Hemisphere, along with a land creature similar but dif- ferent to its blue cousin in Grand Cayman. The Little Cayman Rock Iguanas (Cyclura nubila cay- manensis) found solely on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are a subspecies of the Cuban Rock Iguana. According to literature from the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, the iguanas are gray-brown with black markings, red eyes and a row of spines from the back of the head to the tip of the tail. The male is larger than the female and has sub- stantial jaw muscles, giving it a very strong bite. They are vegetarian, foraging for fruits, flowers and leaves, and can reach five feet in length. They tend to live alone and discourage other iguanas from entering their chosen area. “When feeling threatened, iguanas turn themselves side- ways to the foe, draw them- selves up as high as possible on their four legs and flatten their bodies laterally so that the area they expose to their opponent is as large as pos- sible,” says the Trust, adding that fierce fights can occur, es- pecially during mating season among males who are aggres- sive from a very early age. Mating season is usually around the first two weeks of May, when females select an area with enough food sup- plies to sustain them and which is also suitable for a nest. The eggs will not hatch if they get too hot, too wet or too dry. Males roam widely and can cover the territories of many females, ready to mate with each as they come into season, with the largest and strongest males mating most frequently. Six weeks after mating, the female will excavate her nest in a patch of earth and lay up to 20 eggs. Carefully backfilling the tunnel, she then guards her nest site for a few more weeks. After 10 weeks spent incubating, the eggs begin to hatch. About eight inches long at birth, the hatchlings wait for all their siblings to emerge, drawing nourishment from their egg sac before exiting the nest as a group using their joint strength to dig their way to the surface. Once out of the nest, how- ever, they quickly scatter into the undergrowth and fend for themselves, vulner- able to their main predators – birds and snakes. Since the first humans settled Cayman Brac, the is- land’s iguana population has been decimated by pet dogs and feral cats which prey on nestlings, and as cars and human development have en- croached on nesting habitat. Little Cayman’s iguana population remains healthy for now, though it faces threats similar to those on the Brac. In recent years, the National Trust has been working to establish pro- tected nesting areas in an effort to offer the animals a degree of safety during breeding season. A new green iguana eradication program has helped to ensure that in- vasive species does not fur- ther threaten these rare creatures.Cars pose a serious threat to Little Cayman’s iguanas. GRADUATIONS AND SUMMARY COURT COMING UP Upcoming events in the Sister Islands include grad- uation celebrations and Summary Court. The Layman E. Scott Sr. High School graduation dinner (by invitation only) takes place on June 16. On June 18, the Layman E. Scott Sr. High School graduation ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre. The Creek & Spot Bay Primary School Year 6 School Leaving Ceremony and End of Year Awards start at 10 a.m. on June 20 at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre. The Development Con- trol Board Meeting takes place on June 21. On June 22, the driver’s license written exam is of- fered from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at the District Administration Conference Room. On June 23, the Little Cayman Vehicle Licensing visit will take place from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Little Cayman District Office. On June 23 and 24, Sum- mary Court will be held. 50 years ago: Sea rescues recounted and medical inadequacies highlightedThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY JUNE 15, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The government’s June 8 re- port updates their status. Health Services Authority The EY consulting report recommended outsourcing a number of medical services and that government get control of the public health agency’s burgeoning “bad debts” – patients’ bills that are more than a year old, the total of which now stands at $90 million. According to the govern- ment report issued last week, the review of the Health Ser- vices Authority operations would be done and “a re- formed HSA model” would be considered, along with alter- nate options for outsourcing the government’s health pro- vider entirely or in a combi- nation public-private health- care partnership. However, this project status was listed as “not yet progressed” on June 8. The provision for hos- pital patient “bad debts” is being reviewed, and the gov- ernment report indicated an “early stage draft” plan had been submitted. A strategic assessment of the issue is expected to be completed this month. Land sales The 2014 consulting re- port recommended that $150 million could be made from the sale of excess Crown land, properties or buildings for which government had no current or future use. Premier McLaughlin earlier said that estimate was quite high, and noted Cabinet had preliminarily identified a much smaller number of properties to offer for sale. Planning Minister Kurt Tibbetts said last week that a list of Crown properties for sale would be distrib- uted shortly to Legislative Assembly members prior to their being offered on the market. The June 8 report indi- cated that a business case for the property sales was being progressed. CINICO The EY report made sev- eral recommendations re- garding the government’s in- surance company, CINICO, including that the public sector insurer eventually be moved into the private insur- ance market or that govern- ment consider restructuring its healthcare coverage to “pool” risks across the entire local insurance market. The report also recom- mended that civil servants pay a portion of premiums for their own healthcare. Government officials have set a date of 2018 to implement what they call “cost-sharing” proposals for healthcare. A business case for that proposal is being progressed, according to the government report. There is a plan to review the operations of CINICO with the aim of diversifying its range of products and services, but no mention is made of private sector out- sourcing or joint ventures. That proposal had not been progressed as of June 8. Education The 2014 consulting re- view proposed a range of options for public schools in Cayman, including “fran- chising” of schools, which could entail a private sector takeover or a manage- ment outsourcing contract. It also sought the merging of elementary schools in Cayman Brac. Proposals for the merger of Cayman Brac schools have been put on hold to allow the construction of the new John Gray High School in George Town to proceed, according to the Ministry of Education. Changes proposed for the Education Law in Cayman, expected to come before the Legislative Assembly in its current meeting, will allow for greater community con- sultation and input into school curricula and conduct in schools through “execu- tive decision-making author- ities” that are to be estab- lished by Cabinet. This recommendation is listed as not yet pro- gressed in the June 8 gov- ernment report. Turtle Farm The EY reviewers gave three options for the loss- making Cayman Turtle Farm: Sell, lease to a private sector operator or restructure to ef- fect savings. According to the govern- ment’s Project Future up- date: “This project will ex- amine options for the future ownership and/or operation of the Turtle Farm as a whole or in parts.” The examination refer- enced in the June 8 report had not progressed. Other recommendations Cabinet members did not accept EY proposals to privatize Water Authority or Port Authority operations, whether through sale or lease arrangement. The planned expansion of the Owen Roberts Inter- national Airport in George Town is being done, but not as a public-private part- nership arrangement as EY had suggested. Suggestions to privatize landfill operations made in the EY 2014 report are being reviewed as part of gov- ernment’s effort to create a national waste man- agement policy. Privatization options for Cayman Airways are not in- cluded in the Project Future plan of action as of June 8. Plans to sell the govern- ment radio station, Radio Cayman, were also rebuffed by the administration. Postal services The possibility of priva- tizing a government-run postal service may be imple- mented, at least partially, by the Project Future review. EY consultants suggested commercializing mail de- livery as has been done in the U.K. and Australia for what is “no longer a core gov- ernment service.” According to the government’s Project Future report: “This project will an- alyze the current and future markets in which the Na- tional Postal Service operates, forecast potential revenue and consider strategic re- sponses, including the poten- tial for partnering arrange- ments with related private sector providers.” A strategic assessment for the postal service has been approved by Cabinet. Ombudsman office The merger of the offices of the complaints commis- sioner and the information commissioner has been ac- cepted by Cabinet, with a target completion date of De- cember 2016. The suggestion made up one paragraph in the “other recommendations” section of the 2014 EY report. About $205,000 in savings is expected to come from the offices’ merger. However, gov- ernment budget documents state that an expenditure of about $300,000 in the next 18-month budget cycle will be needed to create and run the new ombudsman’s office. The project was listed in the project planning stages, with a strategic assessment approved by Cabinet. Roads authority Improvements to the Na- tional Roads Authority were suggested as part of the EY consultant’s report, with an eye toward private sector takeover or management of the agency. “This project will examine opportunities to make the current in-house NRA opera- tions more effective and effi- cient and consideration can also be given to extending the use of external contrac- tors,” according to the gov- ernment’s June 8 evaluation. A strategic assessment for the proposal was being finalized, Project Future managers noted. Accepted recommendations Among the EY report rec- ommendations that govern- ment has accepted: ■■ Increasing the civil ser- vice retirement age to 65. Two bills to effect that change are being brought to the Leg- islative Assembly in the current meeting ■■ Creation of a utilities commission. This en- tity, which will merge the electricity, telecom- munications, petro- leum and water services regulators is expected to be approved in leg- islation later this year ■■ The combination of government’s Internal Audit Unit and Human Resources Audit Unit is being studied in an outline business case ■■ A restructuring of the Tourism Attractions Board and its operations is under way, with the agency’s offices having moved to Pedro St. James in Savannah. The board is expected to produce a strategic plan by the end of next month. Few EY report ‘priorities’ under way CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 budget years, the fi- nance minister said. No pay cut Mr. Archer stressed that none of the addi- tional contributions to the pension system would be coming from civil servants’ pockets. “This is the liability of the Cayman Islands gov- ernment and not a liability of the civil servants and public servants,” Mr. Ar- cher said. “It will not result in a pay cut.” According to Mercer es- timates, the taxpayers will be receiving a hefty bill for the payment of civil ser- vice pensions over the next two decades. The consul- tants advised the govern- ment to pay an additional $16 million a year for the next 20 years to help settle funding deficiencies in the civil servants’ defined ben- efit retirement plan. The recommended $16 million per year contribu- tion by government would be in excess of normal an- nual pension contribu- tions made on behalf of em- ployees during the period. The unfunded liability in the retirement plan is asso- ciated with the defined ben- efit (monthly pension) retire- ment plan. ‘Strong investment performances’ The Mercer report does not blame the operations of the Public Service Pen- sions Board for the deficit. Rather, it congratulates fund managers for “strong investment performances” in recent years. However, those strong earnings were offset by retirees living longer than expected, the cost of benefits pro- vided and the lower con- tributions made on behalf of employees. “The [defined benefit] plan has reached a mature stage where the benefit payments being paid out of the fund are expected to grow rapidly and will begin to exceed the con- tributions being made into the defined benefit part of the plan,” the Mercer re- port indicated. “By 2024, benefit payments are pro- jected to exceed contribu- tions by about $15 million per year and by 2034, this difference will have grown to $35 million per year.” Depleted by 2024 The pensions board re- ported just last month that unless government in- creased employee contri- butions to the main civil service retirement fund, the defined benefit pen- sion plan would be de- pleted by 2024. Public Service Pen- sions Plan actuaries have estimated that the civil servants’ defined benefit retirement plan was un- derfunded by between $166 million and $226 mil- lion, meaning the plan’s as- sets would be significantly lower than its liabilities when estimated over a 20- year period. “This is the liability of the Cayman Islands government and not a liability of the civil servants and public servants. It will not result in a pay cut.” MARCO ARCHER, finance minister CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Government pays $18 million to fund pensions CAR THAT HIT PEDESTRIANS WAS UNDER SPEED LIMIT CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The car driven by defen- dant Simon Courtney was traveling at less than the speed limit when it hit two pedestrians along West Bay Road, a Grand Court jury heard on Friday and again on Tuesday. Accident reconstructionist Collin Redden explained how he took two sets of measure- ments to calculate the speed at which Courtney drove between The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, where he had attended a champagne brunch, and Villas of the Gal- leon, where the accident oc- curred shortly after 5 p.m. on Jan. 25, 2015. One set of measurements resulted in an average speed of 37.59 miles per hour; an- other set, taken between two points, resulted in a speed of 39.38 mph. The speed limit at the time was 40 mph, Mr. Redden said. The speed limit on the road has since been reduced to 25 mph. The car involved, a Mus- tang Shelby GT 500, was described by Mr. Redden as “high performance.” In his opinion, the collision could have been avoided if the driver had applied the throttle “in a much gen- tler manner,” taking into account the wet road conditions and the high-per- formance vehicle. Mr. Redden also ex- plained distinctive features of the “super charged” ve- hicle and the tires rec- ommended for it by the manufacturer. Justice Malcolm Swift and a jury of four men and three women were ex- pected to hear from an ex- pert called by the defense on Tuesday afternoon. Courtney is charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on pedes- trians Richard and Kathy Schubert, and dangerous or reckless driving. Marco ArcherThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JUNE 15, 2016 FLOWERS SEA SWIM 2016 PHOTO CONTEST TAG YOURSELF ENTER TO WIN • A private charter for up to 15 people on Cayman Private Charters’ 44 ft. ‘Paradise Breeze’ catamaran AND • A three course dinner (of their choosing) for 4 people at Ristorante Prima to include one bottle of Prosecco and two bottles of wine FIND YOUR PHOTO AT www.caymancompass.com/contests ENTRY DEADLINE: Tuesday, June 21 “One of my goals would be to help that become more prev- alent on the island. “We know that people drown at public beaches every year. I responded to an emergency involving a six- year-old boy here at Public Beach. It’s really scary.” The lifeguards provided support from the beach and from Jet Skis in the water during the swim on Saturday. The students, from Years 9 to 11, trained in shallow and deep-water rescue, CPR, dealing with spinal injuries and rescuing conscious and unconscious victims, as well as honing their own swim- ming skills in twice-weekly sessions at the Cayman Inter- national School pool. Karina Cornelssen, 16, one of the students on pa- trol on Saturday, said, “It’s a really good opportunity; we never had it before. We are surrounded by water, so we definitely needed more lifeguards.” She said it is also useful to know she could help if someone got in trouble at the beach. “Now we feel like we could actually do something if there was an emergency.” Newly trained lifeguards help keep swimmers safe CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Karina Cornelssen, 16, one of the newly trained lifeguards, keeps a watchful eye on competitors during the Flowers Sea Swim. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Arrest warrant ordered after store manager misses court Craig Gaskill was allowed to leave jurisdiction CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Justice Malcolm Swift or- dered a warrant for the ar- rest of Craig Austin Gaskill on Tuesday morning after the defendant failed to appear in Grand Court on Friday for a mention of his case. Crown counsel Toyin Salako said Gaskill, 44, who is charged with two counts of obtaining by deception while employed at Kirk Market as store manager, was given permission to travel to the United States. His bail conditions were varied so that he had to pro- vide his travel itinerary, pro- vide three sureties totaling $22,500, return his passport by June 9 and answer his bail on June 10. Justice Swift indicated that he only had an email in- dicating that Gaskill’s father had suffered a stroke. Defense attorney Laura Larner provided further in- formation about the older man’s condition. She under- stood that Gaskill was about to get on the plane last week to return to Cayman when he received word that his father had been re-admitted to hos- pital and so the defendant did not board the plane. “The illness of a parent is extremely stressing,” she pointed out. “Under the cir- cumstances, one doesn’t al- ways make the best decisions. We have had information from him indicative of his in- tention to return.” There were issues in- volving care and insurance, she noted. Justice Swift said he would issue a warrant for Gaskill’s arrest, not backed for bail. He added that if Gaskill returns, he will consider re-bail. Ms. Salako also urged the court to activate the sure- ties. She said people need to understand their responsi- bility when they agree to un- dertake that a defendant will attend court. Justice Swift said he would order that the sureties be notified. He said he would fix a date for them to attend and explain why the sums pledged should not be forfeited. One of the charges Gas- kill faces alleges obtaining $509,975.50 between March 11, 2013, and Nov. 5, 2015, by falsely representing that he had a master’s degree in business administration. The second charge is that he obtained property worth $34,315.54 between April 6, 2014, and Nov. 5, 2015, by falsely representing that he was authorized to buy the property with a corporate credit card. Informal records kept by the Cayman Compass show that the question of travel had been raised ear- lier this year. Attorney Alice Carver had applied in Sum- mary Court for permission for Gaskill to travel because he was unable to work while awaiting trial and he had been living off the charity of friends. Further, his wife and children had returned to the U.S. and the defendant was being deprived of his right to family life. The Crown had objected to the application. The charges were com- mitted to Grand Court on April 21. Several bail variation hearings were held; June 10 was set as a mention for a trial date to be fixed.Next >