High of 90 Low of 78 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. FRIDAY JULY 15, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Red carpet cosmetics CayFilm event covers the latest glamorous beauty products B2 Hyatt reunion approaches Staff and friends from around the world fly in for 30th anniversary B7 Food & Drink Food & Drin k Events ■ EVENTS The Brothers Remedy International musical duo returns for Rock the Boat 2. B3 Salty’s and Mike’s Bars Set sail for the Shoppes at Grand Harbour this weekend B5Perfectly Pinot Noir It’s the grape that just keeps on giving B8 STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July Registered Merchant of CaymanGiftCertificates.com UNDO ORDINARY Fine Wine and Spirits for the month of July Kim Crawford Wines from New Zealand 20% OFF Photo: Alan Phaire CAYMAN WEEKENDER The Brothers Remedy EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 JUDGES WEAR WIGS — NOT HALOS ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY JULY 15, 2016 Population: Who lives where 15,52215,781 5,000 6,911 4,166 7,835 476 1,004 313 1,208 West Bay George Town Bodden Town East End North Side DATA: ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS OFFICE Non-Caymanian populationCaymanian population Jailed lawyer faces DUI charges from 2011 After five years and 25 court dates, charges still unresolved JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A corporate lawyer who was sentenced to prison for three years for injuring two tourists in his sports car after a champagne brunch still faces charges of speeding and drink driving that date back almost five years. According to court docu- ments, just after 2 a.m. on Sept. 10, 2011, Simon Courtney was pulled over as he drove his Porsche sports car along West Bay Road. The speed gun clocked his vehicle at 85 miles per hour. A police breathalyzer test in- dicated his blood-alcohol level was nearly double the drink driving limit. Despite at least 25 sched- uled court dates since then, charges of driving under the in- fluence, speeding and dangerous driving in relation to that in- cident have not been adjudi- cated. Courtney has denied the charges, disputing the accuracy of the breathalyzer, and is due back in court next month for the continuation of a trial in front of Magistrate Valdis Foldats. It was while on bail in con- nection with those alleged of- fenses that Courtney struck Richard and Kathy Schubert with his Mustang Shelby GT ‘RACING’ INSPECTOR TO RETURN TO WORK BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Li- censing inspector who drove a 1996 Toyota Supra into a light pole and onto the opposite lanes of Crewe Road Monday afternoon is due back at work Monday, according to depart- ment officials. “The officer remains on sick leave and is expected to return to work on Monday, July 18,” said DVDL Director David Dixon. “Our independent inquiry continues into this incident, while the police conduct their own investigations.” Mr. Dixon did not specify what work the man would be performing when he returns. The RCIPS has not commented on the crash since Monday, beyond confirming their officers were reviewing the incident. According to government chief of protocol MOSQUITO RELEASE HALTED BY LEGAL CHALLENGE KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com The planned release of millions of ge- netically modified mosquitoes in West Bay, scheduled to begin Thursday morning, has been halted after a judge granted a stay late Wednesday. The stay issued by Justice Ingrid Mangatal is pending a judicial review hearing scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in open court. Applications for the stay and judicial re- view were filed by HSM attorneys on be- half of Dwene Ebanks, who spearheads a movement called Caymanians United Against GM Mosquitoes. Mr. Ebanks also started an online petition to suspend the GM mosquito release. The peti- tion has 673 signatures. The Mosquito Research and Control Unit, in collaboration with biotechnology company Oxitec, had planned to release millions of male GM Aedes aegypti mosquitoes as a pre- ventive measure to control the mosquito spe- cies responsible for the transmission of vi- ruses such as Zika, dengue and chikungunya. Cayman by the numbers CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands government agencies collect all sorts of data every day, pub- lishing much of it across more than a dozen websites. Once a year, the Economics and Statistics Office pulls that information to- gether to give people a snapshot of the is- lands by the numbers in the annual Com- pendium of Statistics. The ESO released the 2015 Compendium last week. Cayman Compass reporters pored through the 190-page document to pull out some of the most interesting facts and figures for readers. The Compendium, available in full from the ESO website, goes through population, education, healthcare, housing, crime, the economy and more. Some of the facts: There are more than 60,000 people living in the Cayman Islands. In 2015, 649 babies were born on the islands. Cayman’s public libraries checked out more than 33,000 books last year. The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing gave 1,506 road tests last year, and 1,371 passed. The Postal Service reports that people in Cayman sent more than 334,000 letters last year and received almost 897,000 letters. The average temperature last year was 82.9 degrees, the highest annual tempera- ture in recent years. The hottest month was September, with an average of 85.5 degrees for the month. See page 14 to explore more of Cayman by the numbers. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11 » More than half of Cayman’s estimated 60,413 population lives in George Town, according to data from the end of 2015. The Economics and Statistics Office estimates there were 34,237 Caymanians and 26,176 non-Caymanians on the islands at the end of 2015. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY JULY 15, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 945-2290 • West Shore Center, Seven Mile Beach • 10am to 10pm Fresh, Healthy & Delicious! Cayman Cookin’ Over a Wood Fire! Taste why we’re voted “Best”! If you’re Hungry! Hungry! Come to Chicken Chicken! International Award-Winning Caribbean Chicken! Eat-in!Take-out! Indulge on a feast for 2 to 4 or 6 or more! With an awesome selection of sides to choose from. Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday Tonight! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm Tonight!Tonight! TONIGHT FRIDAY, JULY 15th TOMORROW SATURDAY, JULY 16th Barefoot Man and Sea N’B Starting live at 8:00pm Come for dinner Stay for Dancing Barefoot Man and Sea N’B Starting live at 8:00pm Come for dinner Stay for Dancing Or come to our beautiful Oceanside Bar and listen to the Sweet Sounds of Barefoot Man Or come to our beautiful Oceanside Bar and listen to the Sweet Sounds of Barefoot Man Tarpon Fish Feeding 7:30pm & 9:00pm Nightly Fish FeedingFish FeedingTarpon Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky Salsa Free lessons with Kirk starting Mobile: 345-323-8573 Office: 345-943-8573 / Fax: 345-949-9753 heather.richards@remax.ky / www.remax.ky Heather Richards DREAM WITH YOUR EYES OPEN! Cayman Islands Member of CIREBA 4 b., 3 b, 3,200 sq. ft. 2 b., 1 b / 1 b, 1 b, 2700 sq. ft. Lovely home located in prime location, very close to GT and all major amenities. Income earning duplex always rented. Half acre with mature fruit trees. MLS 406001 Call today! Family Home w/Income Generating Duplex CI $ 595,000 Telecom regulator can require universal service CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s telecom regu- lator now has the power to require phone and Internet companies to pay into a fund for universal service to ensure access for people and busi- nesses in the Sister Islands and the eastern districts. Five years after the Infor- mation and Communications Technology Authority Law’s most recent revision passed, the section for universal ser- vice commenced this month. This section of the law gives the authority the ability to set up the “Universal Service Fund” and can require tele- coms to provide phone ser- vice with free calls to emer- gency services and free Internet access for schools and health facilities. Responding to questions by email, ICTA Managing Di- rector Alee Fa’amoe said, “The term ‘universal service’ is widely used in the regulated telecommunications space to refer to a set of basic services all citizens should be able to access. “Where service providers, operating in a competitive marketplace, are either un- able or unwilling to offer their services [such as in rural or lightly populated areas], a universal service obligation would mean that customers in those areas would still have access to services. Sometimes, these services are provided by one shared network, which may or may not be one of the competitive licensed service providers,” he continued. Mr. Fa’amoe said they are still figuring out how the fee will be collected. He said, “To fund costs associated with emergency communi- cations, some countries have instituted a small charge per month per telephone number. In other cases, licensees pay an interconnection fee to ac- cess a network setup for Uni- versal Service and those fees help pay for the network. “In some cases, a Uni- versal Service Fund is set up to pay for either the network itself, or service delivery to remote areas, or both.” Mr. Fa’amoe said the au- thority will work with tele- coms companies to figure out how universal service concepts could be used to deliver choice to customers in the eastern districts of Grand Cayman and in the Sister Islands. Antonia Graham, with Digicel, said, “We are as- sessing our position while seeking guidance from the regulator as to the objec- tive of the fund and a pro- posal on how it will be raised and administered.” Mr. Fa’amoe said cus- tomers on the Sister Is- lands and in Grand Cay- man’s eastern districts “are still waiting on a choice of service providers. “It’s taken over a decade for service providers to ex- tend their networks beyond just a few miles out of George Town,” he said. New hair-loss treatment for chemo patients at hospital The Cayman Islands Hos- pital has introduced a new therapy treatment that re- duces hair loss among cancer patients who receive chemo- therapy there. The Breast Cancer Foun- dation donated 50 hypo- thermia caps to the hospi- tal’s chemotherapy unit for the purpose of reducing hair loss trauma among chemo- therapy patients through “cold cap therapy.” “It’s nice to be able to offer patients the cold cap treatment,” chemotherapy nurse Andrew Ward said in a press release issued by the Health Services Au- thority on Wednesday. “I am all for anything that will make our patients feel better about themselves.” According to the Health Services Authority, the therapy, using the hypo- thermia caps, involves cooling the scalp of patients for a period of time before, during and after each che- motherapy treatment. The cooling treatment constricts blood vessels in the scalp, and that is believed to de- crease the amount of chemo- therapy medication reaching the cells of hair follicles. With chemotherapy drugs targeting rapidly dividing cells, the cooling is also be- lieved to decrease activity of the hair follicles, reducing the effect on follicle cells and as a result, reducing hair loss. In addition to do- nating 50 hyperthermia caps, the Breast Cancer Founda- tion has also donated to the unit a biometric freezer for cap storage. “Being diagnosed with cancer, any kind of cancer is one of the most fright- ening times in a person’s life,” said Janette Fitzgerald of the Breast Cancer Foundation. “After the initial shock and confusion, most people begin the research phase. Choosing surgeons, oncologists and treatment choices is an ex- tremely difficult process.” “For most,” she said, “the added trauma of losing their hair during chemo- therapy is an added burden they are forced to bear on the journey to becoming cancer-free. The BCF iden- tified that there was a way that we could help to ease that trauma by helping pa- tients keep their hair.” She said cold caps have been used successfully in the United Kingdom for many years. “We wanted to give pa- tients in Cayman the option to try to retain their hair. It is not an easy option, but this method has a very high suc- cess rate,” she said. The purchase of equip- ment was funded by the foundation, with AndroGroup Ltd. handling shipping and delivery for free. The foundation also brought to the island Lizzy Cronin, a trainer from the U.S. and owner of Texas- based ColdCaps.com. “For both male and fe- male cancer patients, the experience of losing their hair as a result of chemo- therapy can be quite emo- tionally traumatic. There- fore, the HSA welcomes and greatly appreciates these do- nations made by the Breast Cancer Foundation in their effort to reduce the chances of this occurring,” said Liz- zette Yearwood of the HSA. “We look forward to our pa- tients utilizing this added therapy and experiencing the benefits it offers.” For more information, visit www.hsa.ky. 3 dead in Jamaica bus crash KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) – Authorities in Jamaica said three people have died and another 17 have been hospitalized due to a bus crash near the island’s southeast coast. Police said Thursday that preliminary investi- gations indicate that one of the bus tires likely blew out and caused the driver to lose control. The driver and two elderly women were killed. Four children are among those injured. The accident occurred Wednesday on a highway just west of the capital of Kingston. El Salvador scraps amnesty law SAN SALVADOR, El Sal- vador (AP) – Perpetrators of human rights violations during El Salvador’s civil war can be prosecuted now that the country’s Supreme Court has struck down an amnesty law. The violations include crimes such as the 1980 assas- sination of Archbishop Oscar Romero. Wednesday’s decision declared the amnesty un- constitutional and said it denied Salvadorans the right to justice and com- pensation for war crimes. Members of the mili- tary, guerrilla fighters and paramilitary death squads had been protected from prosecution for crimes committed during govern- ment’s the 12-year conflict with rebels. Peace accords were signed in 1992. The country’s legislative assembly in 1993 passed the law banning prosecu- tion of crimes committed by the military and leftist rebels during the conflict that claimed 75,000 lives. Some Salvadorans wel- comed the ruling, while others feared it could open old wounds. REGIONAL NEWS ROUNDUP Lizzy Cronin, left, founder and owner of ColdCaps.com, gives the Chemotherapy Unit staff a demonstration on how to properly apply a cold cap, with the assistance of Tori Croft.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JULY 15, 2016 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. FRIDAY JULY 15, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS There are certain phrases one might never expect to encounter on The New York Times editorial page. Ranking high on the list is this one: “Donald Trump is right.” Yet, on Wednesday, there it was — and in a headline, no less. The topic was U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s contemptible forays into presidential poli- ticking. In three interviews with three separate national media outlets, Justice Ginsburg discussed her feelings about Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee. (One word: Disdain.) Mr. Trump responded, saying, “I think it’s highly inap- propriate that a United States Supreme Court judge gets involved in a political campaign, frankly. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it.” Even the liberal Times editorial board had to agree, writing, “Washington is more than partisan enough without the spectacle of a Supreme Court justice flinging herself into the mosh pit.” The conservative Wall Street Journal editorial board’s position was far more forceful: “All of this raises ques- tions about her judgment, her temperament, and her continuing capacity to serve as a judge. She should resign from the Court before she does the reputation of the judiciary more harm.” Following criticism from the left, right and center of the U.S. political spectrum, Justice Ginsburg herself admitted she was wrong. She said, “On reflection, my recent remarks in response to press inquiries were ill- advised and I regret making them. Judges should avoid commenting on a candidate for public office. In the future, I will be more circumspect.” In the future, sure. But this bell cannot be un-rung. We’ll dispense with the peroration on American gov- ernance and instead hone in on something that directly impacts the Cayman Islands — the notion that judges are angels, especially anointed to communicate the Truth down to the masses. Judges, of course, are only human, just like the rest of us. Some are great; many are good; and some have con- siderable room for improvement. The U.S. Supreme Court is no different. It is well- known for being a philosophically polarized body, with four sitting justices bearing the label of “conservative” and the other four “liberal.” Where Justice Ginsburg erred is not in holding her beliefs about Mr. Trump, but in vocalizing her prejudices and puncturing the sacristy of judicial impartiality. When the U.S. media responded with near-universal umbrage, Justice Ginsburg recanted. But would her remorse have surfaced in the absence of public opprobrium? Perhaps that’s a question that can’t be answered. In Cayman, however, it’s one that could not really be asked, at least not about a sitting local judge. You see, our Grand Court Law refers to an offense known as “scandalizing the Court,” which is punishable by imprisonment of six months and a fine of $500. In British law, “scandalizing the Court” refers to pub- lishing material that is likely to undermine public con- fidence in the courts, and “usually takes the form of scurrilous abuse of the judiciary or imputing to them cor- ruption or improper motives,” according to a 2012 U.K. Law Commission paper on the subject. (The same paper points out there has been no prosecution of this offense in England and Wales since 1931.) No specific definition exists in Cayman law. Thus, the offense is murky — and the threat of it chilling to the free press. We at the Compass are constantly consulting with our attorneys to avoid breaking this law because we’re not sure what might constitute an offense. We’re happy to call the chief justice, attorney general, director of public prosecutions, or anyone else in govern- ment who can provide official clarification on this part of the law, but we don’t know who to call, or if, when we do call, we’d ever get a practical “before-deadline” answer. We’re certain the judiciary would agree with us that “murky law” is bad law. The bottom line is, respect can’t be ordered or imposed. It’s earned. The idea that a special class of individuals, such as judges, have been placed beyond criticism is antithetical to the exercise of free speech in a free society. Beyond the usual restrictions on libelous or threat- ening language, etc., our judiciary doesn’t need — nor does it deserve — special rules to insulate its robed members from honest criticism from the democratic public. P.S. Our lawyer advised us this editorial was “probably safe” to publish. Judges wear wigs — not halos America, let’s make tomatoes great GARRISON KEILLOR Special To The Washington Post This is a column about tomatoes. Nothing political, nothing about the bitter con- troversy – Tomato: Fruit or Vegetable? – that has broken up marriages and torn fami- lies apart. A tomato is a fruit, since it is the ovary of the plant, but we don’t put toma- toes on ice cream or on our cereal, do we? No, we don’t. We treat it as a vegetable. We know we’re wrong but we don’t care. You don’t like it, go live in New Zealand. As we rappers would say: It’s on, it’s on, we’re cuttin it, Lil sugar, it’s a tomata scene Eat it red or fry it green Got the anti- oxidant lycopene Same God who made us Human beans Also made tomatas No, this is about the aph- rodisiac powers of the to- mato, which I have experi- enced recently, and if you are offended by frank speech and plain descriptions of sensual moments between consenting adults, then read no further. Go soak your head in a tub of wet kale. Go read Jane Austen. Go watch golf on TV. The Puritans of New England forbade tomatoes (“the love apple”) as stimu- lating carnal desire and that led to the western movement. “Go west, young man,” said Horace Greeley. “Throw off the old garments of shame and repression. Behold and beget!” – or words to that effect – and people did ex- actly that. They hightailed it out of Boston and reached the fertile plains and built houses where nobody could see them and planted acres of tomatoes. I have been eating six fresh tomatoes a day for the past month and women cannot keep their hands off me. It’s gotten to where I must sneak down to the su- permarket at 2 a.m. wearing shades and a blond wig and even so women follow me through the produce depart- ment, whispering things. I went out for lunch the other day with two young women who had brought a couple men along – their drivers, I guess, or financial advisers – and I ordered hal- ibut with a side of so-called “heirloom” tomatoes, which were very fresh and toma- toey, they outshone the hal- ibut, which may have been heirloom or might’ve been a common trailer-trash halibut, and I savored them, lightly salted, four tomatoes, three of them red and one yellowish. It was an excellent lunch, me and two lissome, nubile women and two generic men, and at one point, one put her hand on my thigh. Her left hand on my right thigh. She was saying, “People said Bernie couldn’t win but they weren’t there, they didn’t feel the excitement” but what she meant was “You are a hunka hunka burning love and if we were alone right now, you would be at my mercy.” I felt the other wom- an’s big toe touch my shoe. She had taken her shoes off. She touched my foot and she didn’t withdraw her toe right away. She said, “Your hands are so big. Big enough to wrap them around a to- mato.” I said, “You might be right about that.” Playing her along. Those two young women grew up on mass-market to- matoes genetically engi- neered to have a shelf life of two or three months, a juice- less tomato that tasted like old tennis balls and was strip-mined in Texas and Cal- ifornia, whereas I grew up in a home with a half-acre garden, tomatoes and sweet corn the top crops, and it was common for us, while hoeing, to reach down and pick a to- mato, brush the dust off, and eat it on the spot. As a result, I departed from Calvinism and embraced universalism, whatever that may mean. I put math aside and focused on fiction. In math, you don’t often find a woman’s hand on your thigh. In fiction, it’s al- most inevitable. We did not have the term “heirloom” back in the day but then the mass-market tomato came to prominence, ushered in by a fruit tycoon named Donald J. Tomato, who introduced the Huge Tomato. Big as a breadbox. They were inflated with noxious gases and you took a bite and it went pssssssssssssssssssss. OK, so I lied about there being no politics. So sue me. I dare you. I have a great deal with this paper and am earning millions because ev- eryone loves me. Latinos, Latin scholars, Latvians, you name it. My numbers are out of this world. I play golf in the 60s, my blood pressure is amazing, my PSA fantastic, and my IQ – you wouldn’t be- lieve it. © 2016, Garrison Keillor I grew up in a home with a half-acre garden, tomatoes and sweet corn the top crops, and it was common for us, while hoeing, to reach down and pick a tomato, brush the dust off, and eat it on the spot. 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”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JULY 15, 2016 Specialized plastic surgery Now available Begin your journey today by calling us to schedule a consultation. Limited appointments available. 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With trusted experience and expert advice we will provide you with information to help you make the best choices to give you the best possible outcome. 1 (345) 945-4040 | 1 (345) 640-4040 | healthcitycaymanislands.com6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY JULY 15, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS WE’RE HERE TO CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENTS. CALL FOR HONOUREES FOR CIIPA'S 9TH ANNUAL GALA WHO: Caymanians who have earned Bachelors (Accounting), Masters (Accounting), or Professional Accounting Designation WHEN: 15 October at the Ritz Carlton HOW: Complete the form www.ciipa.ky/awardsgala or email info@ciipa.ky Please submit honouree information by 31 July 2016 RITZ CARLTON CIIPA.KY Robberies rise, burglaries decrease Overall crime up 8.5 percent BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Robberies increased by more than 60 percent while reported burglaries dropped by some 34 percent, according to half-year crime statistics that represent a mixed bag for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. Serious crime numbers fell by nearly 26 percent in the first half of 2016 com- pared to the same period in 2015. However, those num- bers showed a significant rise in both serious assaults and robberies during the period. RCIPS Chief Superin- tendent Kurt Walton said Thursday that most of the robberies involved “mug- gings,” where people in the street were accosted for their belongings. There had been a few business hold- ups as well, he said. “Two stores in West Bay were robbed [earlier this year] by the same individual,” Mr. Walton said. “That indi- vidual is now charged and before the court.” Burglary reports dropped from 322 in the first six months of 2015, to 212 in the first half of this year. Acting Police Commis- sioner Anthony Ennis attrib- uted that drop off in burglary numbers to the fact that 25 suspects were arrested by the RCIPS since the begin- ning of the year, and many of their cases were also before the courts. A number of the people arrested were repeat offenders, Mr. Ennis said, in- cluding one man who has been arrested five times. “The kids of many of these individuals I arrested [as a patrol officer in the RCIPS] … are now committing bur- glaries,” he said. “It’s a gener- ational problem.” Attempted burglary re- ports also fell from 48 in 2015 to 33 this year. There were no homicides in Cayman during the first half of 2016. RCIPS officers were trou- bled by a rise in other crimes, such as thefts, property damage, common assaults and threatening violence. So-called “volume crimes” went up by about 25 percent during the period. Firearms-related offenses nearly tripled during the first six months of this year compared to 2015. Police re- ported 27 incidents of fire- arms discharge, imitation firearms possession and fire- arms possession between January and June. There were just 10 such incidents in the first half of 2015. Mr. Walton said police were seizing an average of three firearms or imitation firearms per month so far in 2016. “We weren’t seeing that previously,” he said. Meanwhile, drugs of- fenses have dropped off so far in 2016. Police made 82 drug-related arrests through June 30, 2016, compared to 113 arrests in the same pe- riod last year. The chief superinten- dent, who will be promoted to deputy commissioner in September, attributed the decrease to a change in po- licing strategy that targeted drug suppliers and importers rather than “street-level” drug dealing. “Should we be focused on a lower level offender?” Mr. Walton asked. “Those who have an addiction?” Traffic The number of traffic-re- lated offenses and traffic ac- cidents increased in the first six months of this year, but fatal accidents decreased, ac- cording to RCIPS statistics. For the first time in a number of years, speeding tickets issued by the RCIPS saw a significant increase. Police cited 757 drivers for speeding between January and June, a 28 percent in- crease over last year. Other traffic-related of- fenses saw decreases in the number of tickets issued so far this year. Drunk driving citations dropped by nearly two-thirds during the first half of 2016. Police cited 66 people for DUI through June 30, 2016 com- pared to 163 people in the same period last year. Cellphone driving of- fenses and tickets for driving without a license also de- clined. Citations for seat belt violations increased in the first half of the year. “The kids of many of these individuals I arrested [as a patrol officer in the RCIPS] … are now committing burglaries.” ANTHONY ENNIS, acting commissioner, RCIPS Police armed units were kept busy in the first half of 2016, as 27 incidents involving firearms were reported. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JULY 15, 2016 Cayman Government – No release without full consent! Oxitec and its partner, the Cayman Islands Government agency, MRCU, plan to release more than 22 million genetically-modified mosquitoes in the Cayman Islands, WITHOUT prior INFORMED CONSENT by residents. The GMO mosquitoes release is a risky experiment — we do not know how GMO mosquitoes will thrive in the wild and what the unintended global consequences could be. They could cause more problems than they solve. The MRCU should be using the least toxic alternatives that are available that don’t have unintended global consequences for our environment and health. Grand Cayman residents deserve prior INFORMED CONSENT and PUBLIC CONSULTATION. The consequences of Oxitec and MRCU’s partnership efforts could be grave. They do not appear to consider possible environmental and health consequences. Oxitec has released its genetically engineered mosquitoes in the Cayman Islands (in 2009 and 2010), Malaysia and Brazil, and there is still no data suggesting their release has been effective in reducing dengue or Zika rates. In fact, Oxitec’s own research suggests that significant GMO mosquito survival in the environment is very likely. This experimental release is being planned without clear benefits or consent and at the likely expense of the environment and people’s health. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has NOT approved the GMO mosquito trial in Florida, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that it only supports limited field trials of the Oxitec GMO mosquitoes in a non-Cayman environment on the basis of strict, rigorous supervision. Oxitec’s trial in the Cayman Islands, in partnership with the MRCU, would make “strict supervision” unlikely. We need transparency, unbiased decisions based on independent sound science, and residents must be fully informed prior to any release. WHO also supports the evidence-based released of the Wolbachia-treated mosquito, which is one of the natural approaches to the issue, with the same supervision guidelines. Had the Cayman Islands Government involved the public on this matter through proper consultation, this option would have been explored and an informed decision made regarding the best option for the country. The environmental and health impacts have not been fully assessed. What would the impacts on the West Bay area of the island be? While it may be worthwhile to attempt to limit the spread of diseases, this experiment has too many unanswered questions. We don’t know if this approach is safe, sustainable or effective. Nevertheless, the Cayman Premier made this announcement on May 5, 2016: “The control programme will begin in West Bay before being expanded throughout the island, subject to the appropriate approvals and funding.” We request that the MRCU indefinitely delay the release of genetically engineered mosquitoes until: • INDEPENDENT STUDIES on the environmental and human health risks posed by GMO mosquitoes have been conducted and the results made public; • Public forums take place that provide balanced discussions on possible risks and benefits. The discussion processes should be genuine, not just platforms for Oxitec to promote its technology; • Mechanisms are developed to allow the community to provide consent or to cancel the proposed experimental release of genetically engineered mosquitoes; • Alternatives to releasing genetically engineered mosquitoes for mosquito or dengue and Zika control have been fully considered, including the possible availability of a dengue vaccine. Cayman residents are being exposed to the Oxitec/MRCU partnership-generated propaganda with incomplete “scientific” data, apparently driven by profit for Oxitec. The release of GMO mosquitoes is part of a risky experiment which has yet to be successful and could cause more harm than good. Residents must be fully informed prior to any release. URGENT ACTION IS NEEDED TODAY: Please inform your friends, family and neighbours and ensure your RIGHT TO BE INFORMED. In the interest of the country, residents must be fully informed with independent assessments prior to any release! For a national petition, sign here: http://bit.ly/NoGMOMosquitoes. Sponsored by Friends of the Earth, U.S. For more information: http://bit.ly/GMOMosquitoInfo Stop the Experimental GMO Mosquito Release in the Cayman Islands8 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY JULY 15, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Lila Miriam Ebanks of West Bay, who passed away on Thursday, July 7th, 2016. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Sunday, July 17, 2016 at Churchill’s Funeral Home, 328 Eastern Avenue, George Town, at 3:00p.m. Interment to follow at West Bay Cemetery. We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Lila Miriam Ebanks of West Bay, who passed away on Thursday, July 7th, 2016. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Sunday, July 17, 2016 at Churchill’s Funeral Home, 328 Eastern Avenue, George Town, at 3:00p.m. Interment to follow at West Bay Cemetery. Sunday, July 17, 2016 at Churchill’s Funeral Home, 328 Eastern Avenue, George Town, at 3:00p.m. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com A Thanksgiving Service will be held on A Thanksgiving Service will be held on We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Clive George Brown of Jamaica and Grand Cayman, who passed away on Sunday, June 26, 2016. Mr. Brown will be repatriated to Jamaica. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Clive George Brown of Jamaica and Grand Cayman, who passed away on Sunday, June 26, 2016. Mr. Brown will be repatriated to Jamaica. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com Condolences can be registered at We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Suzanne M. Schwarz of the U.S.A. and Grand Cayman, who passed away on Wednesday, July 6, 2016. Ms. Schwarz will be repatriated to the United States. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Suzanne M. Schwarz of the U.S.A. and Grand Cayman, who passed away on Wednesday, July 6, 2016. Ms. Schwarz will be repatriated to the United States. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.comCondolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.comCondolences can be registered at We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. George Anthony Fitzgerald of Jamaica, who passed away on Friday, July 8, 2016. Mr. Fitzgerald will be repatriated to Jamaica. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. George Anthony Fitzgerald of Jamaica, who passed away on Friday, July 8, 2016. Mr. Fitzgerald will be repatriated to Jamaica. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. George M. Davidson of Grand Cayman and England. After a brave ght, surrounded by his loving family, George aged 86, peacefully fell asleep on the 12th of July, 2016. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com A wonderful husband to Maureen for 61 years who never left his side, a father to Simeonne, Gillian, Janine, Rebecca and George James. A grandfather to 14 children and great grandfather to 4. Also a friend to many. George’s sense of humour and laughter will leave an unbearable void for his family who loved him dearly. He was a member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses for over 40 years and enjoyed his share in the ministry. We regret to announce the passing of Cicily Delapenha Who departed this life on Monday, 27th June 2016. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, on Friday, 15 July 2016 at 3:00 p.m. Viewing will be held one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow at Garden of Reflections Cemetery. We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Della E. Berry of George Town, who passed away on Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Details for a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Della E. Berry of George Town, who passed away on Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Details for a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of of George Town, who passed away on We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Bill Elvis Myles who passed away on Tuesday, July 12, 2016. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday, July 16, 2016 at the Elmslie Memorial United Church, Harbour Drive at 1:00p.m. Viewing will be from 12:00-12:45p.m. Interment follows at Prospect Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Bill Elvis Myles who passed away on Tuesday, July 12, 2016. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday, July 16, 2016 at the Elmslie Memorial United Church, Harbour Drive at 1:00p.m. Viewing will be from 12:00-12:45p.m. Interment follows at Prospect Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Michael Albert Rollin Gourzong, affectionately known as “Mikey G”, who passed away on Thursday, June 30, 2016. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday, July 23, 2016 at the Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Savannah at 10:00a.m. Interment follows at Eden Cemetery, Savannah. In lieu of owers, donations can be made to Feed Our Future. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com A viewing will be held on Friday, July 22, 2016 at Churchill’s Funeral Home, 328 Eastern Avenue, George Town from 5:30-7:00p.m. A Candlelight Vigil will also be held on Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at 7:00p.m., at the Haig Bodden Football Field, Bodden Town. Please bring a candle. CUBAN BOAT RUNS AGROUND ON BRAC Immigration offi- cials say a boat carrying nine Cuban migrants ran aground on rocks along the west side of the Brac. The nine men were treated for minor inju- ries at Faith Hospital and will be transferred to the Immigration Detention Center on Grand Cayman, ac- cording to a press re- lease. The Immigration Department release said there are now 74 Cuban migrants in de- tention in Cayman. The department re- cently completed an ex- pansion at the George Town detention center, which can now house up to 100 migrants awaiting repatriation. Cayman athlete to tackle US Ironman for charity ALMA CHOLLETTE achollette@pinnaclemedialtd.com Chris Bailey will be taking on an Ironman challenge in the U.S. on Sunday to raise money to help young children with heart problems. Mr. Bailey is one of four athletes who are heading to Racine, Wisconsin, on Friday for the Ironman 70.3 triathlon. The “70.3” refers to the total distance in miles cov- ered in the race, consisting of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56- mile bike ride, and a 13.1- mile run. Each distance of the swim, bike and run segments is half the dis- tance of that segment in an Ironman triathlon. Mr. Bailey, Daniel Cum- mings, Darrel Evans Jr. and Aldo Bertagna, all part of a group of Cayman-based ath- letes known as the Break- away Squad, will be trav- eling to Wisconsin for the triathlon. Mr. Bailey is doing the Ironman 70.3 as part of the “Mountains and Mara- thons Challenge,” an initia- tive led by veteran mara- thoner Derek Haines, who aims to raise $1 million dol- lars for the charity Have a Heart Cayman Islands. The Mountains and Mar- athons Challenge involves multiple marathons and two Ironman challenges, as well as ascents of three mountain peaks by Mr. Haines, Vico Testori and Barry Yetton. The mountaineering part of the challenge was completed by the trio last month. All money raised by the athletes and climbers goes to the Have a Heart Foundation, which pays for operations at Health City Cayman Islands for young children from across the Caribbean, Central and South America. “This is the second Ironman 70.3 I will do this year,” said Mr. Bailey. “It is one of three, with the final one being in Miami in October.” He trains 15 to 20 hours a week, including swimming, cycling and running. “My routine at present … is broken down into three to five hours swimming, six to eight hours cycling and three to five hours running, with a few ‘brick’ sessions, swim followed by bike or bike fol- lowed by run thrown in,” he said. For Bailey, the cycling portion of the course is the part he is most looking forward to. “It’s a relatively flat and fast course, which should help as the Cayman training is pretty flat,” he said. “I enjoy the swim and the cycle, but at 260 pounds, I am a big runner so the knees and hips take some punishment.” “For me,” he added, “it becomes a mental struggle to keep going, forget the hurt and the tired- ness and just keep willing yourself forward.” As well as favoring his knees and hips, he’s had an- other problem along the way – a chest infection. “I recently had to travel for work which took me to three different countries in the space of two weeks, which in itself impacted the training schedule,” said Mr. Bailey. “I then managed to ac- quire [this] ‘wonderful’ chest infection which massively re- stricted my ability to breathe and train. “I have managed to just about get it under control,” he said. “Ironman 70.3 and full Ironman require a dedica- tion to training like no other sport. Endurance racing in three disciplines means three different types of training.” Next up in the Mountains and Marathons Challenge is Shane Delaney, who will take part in an Ironman in Spain in October. After that, it’s Mr. Haines’s turn again, when he will travel to Havana, Cuba, in November for a mara- thon and then run in the Cayman Islands Marathon in December. For more information and how to donate, visit www.MM4HH.com. Mr. Bailey is one of four athletes who are heading to Racine, Wisconsin, on Friday for the Ironman 70.3 triathlon. Chris Bailey, seen here on the cycle stage of an Ironman, leaves on July 15 to show his support for the Have a Heart initiative.9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JULY 15, 2016 It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Suzanne Schwarz after a long and brave battle with cancer. Suzanne passed away Wednesday, July 6th at Shetty Hospital. She was a dear friend, a valuable colleague, and an in nite resource to her customers at Vigoro for over 17 years. Always wonderfully, uniquely, courageously, creatively and passionately herself, she is already greatly missed. Service arrangements have not yet been nalized. Happy 97th Birthday Ms. Frances. Enjoy your rst birthday in Heaven with your Saviour, family and friends. Rest in peace. We can’t believe that you are gone. Your parting has left a great pain in our hearts. We love you and will never forget you. Sadly missed by your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, family and friends. Volunteers complete reef recovery JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Almost two years after a cruise ship dropped anchor on a large patch of coral reef off Grand Cayman, work to repair the damage is sub- stantially complete. A group of volunteers has painstakingly sorted through the rubble to piece the reef back together. Photographs taken in the past month show large pieces of coral, reattached with ma- rine epoxy, thriving amid vi- brant coral colonies on the rebuilt reef. The images contrast markedly with pictures from the weeks after the incident, which showed a white scar where the Carnival Magic’s anchor had sheared off part of the reef. Lois Hatcher, one of the leaders of the reef recovery group, said it had been a marvelous effort involving thousands of man-hours from committed volunteers working in their spare time. “I think it has been a tre- mendous achievement. “I don’t think it mattered to people if there was money involved, they wanted to do it. To a lot of people, this was really important. “Some people ask why it matters so much, but we can’t afford to lose any more coral. Who is going to come and dive on a reef without coral?” She acknowledged it was virtually impossible to restore the reef to its natural state. But, she said, the work to salvage live coral and stabi- lize the reef helped prevent the damage from becoming far worse. She said the initial effort to clear the large amount of rubble from the site was cru- cial to allow the surviving reef to recover. “During the first couple of months in particular, we had a lot of volunteers and a lot of enthusiasm. Everybody worked really hard. “At this point, there is no more restructuring of the reef.” She said there is still “maintenance” to be done, with pieces of salvaged coral being grown in coral nurs- eries to be reattached when they are strong enough to survive. Volunteers will also at- tempt to clear algae from the reef before coral spawning in September to allow the best chance of new coral growth on the reef. Volunteers work to remove rubble in the immediate aftermath of the incident. - PHOTOS: LOIS HATCHER Volunteer Joe Avary dives on the restored reef. Photographs taken in the past month show large pieces of coral, reattached with marine epoxy, thriving amid vibrant coral colonies on the rebuilt reef.Next >