Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. High of 90 Low of 78 FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Klocki app is simply complicated Puzzles to keep you guessing B7 Summer Splash Party Get your swimming togs on at Camana Bay this Saturday B3 Music Food & Drink Events ■ ART Surreal talent Artist Yonier Powery launches ‘Life Flow’ exhibition. B5 Learning about a love of music that was founded upon the seas B2 New wines from Old World grapes Lighter choices for the hot months B6 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 Caribbean Country EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 CAYMAN’S COURT OF FIRST RESORT Surreal talent CAYMAN WEEKENDER ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016 JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Tuesday, July 12 – It has already been a long day in Summary Court by the time Kurtney Johnson, an incorri- gible drug addict who has just been sen- tenced to two years in prison for a spree of cocaine-fueled burglaries, rises to give a brief heartfelt speech of thanks. After three years in and out of the drug court, including literally hundreds of coun- seling sessions, Johnson has exhausted his second chances and is heading back to Northward Prison. Instead of venting frustration at the sentence, he gives a vote of thanks to his lawyer, to the probation offi cers, to the magistrate and to the drug coun- selors who have tried to help him. He even thanks the prosecutor. “I appreciate every moment of time you have put into helping me. I hope to make this my last time before you, sir,” he tells Magistrate Valdis Foldats. It’s an uplifting end that adds a mis- leading sense of closure to what has been a long, at times frustrating, but fairly typical day in Cayman Islands Summary Court. Through the course of the day, the pile of mauve manila folders spread out in seven elastic band-bound bundles in front of prosecutor Neil Kumar has steadily diminished. He places Johnson’s 12 fi les with the rest in two large suitcases at his feet. He can close those fi les now, but the other 73 cases will all have to be logged to come back another day. A handful have progressed to the next stage in the process. Several defendants, including a prisoner who refused to leave his cell, did not show. Some reports were not ready, in some cases witnesses were being rounded up, in others the lawyers could not agree on what had already been agreed. The wheels of justice are turning – slowly. The defendants Earlier in the morning, the court bustled with activity as defendants jostled with law- yers, court offi cials and probation offi cers for space in the tiny waiting room. Some arrive dressed for court in shirt and tie, others in work clothes, some straight from the street in low-slung jeans, trainers and gold chains, tattoos creeping around the corner of T-shirts. The docket spreads the gamut of crim- inal activity, from shoplifting a few cartons of Tropical Rhythms fruit juice to posses- sion of child pornography. The cases, all at various stages in the often lengthy court process, range from of- fenses committed in 2013 to crimes from the previous weekend. Among the fi rst up is Dart Realty, called to court over an apparent failure to comply with an enforcement notice over scrap ve- hicles piled up at one of its properties. Dart – one of Cayman’s largest employers – is blaming its tenant, auto parts operator Harold Spence, who does not appear to have shown up for court. The prosecution wants a weeklong ad- journment. Dart’s lawyer Linda DaCosta ob- jects, saying the company had been informed the charges were going to be withdrawn. She seems frustrated. “An adjournment is not going to take this matter any further. Our client has already spent thousands of dollars on legal fees, and for me to come to the court once more is just unnecessary, Your Honor,” she says. The magistrate’s hands are tied, and he orders the adjournment, the fi rst of many for the morning. Lionel Frederick is up for a common as- sault. His lawyer is trying to round up wit- nesses and asks the court’s indulgence for PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11 » A day in the life of Summary Court2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 94-P ASTA [ 947.2782 ] • Marquee Plaza • Everything is made from scratch. • The freshest & nest ingredients. • No deep-frying or microwaving. • Pizza crusts baked in a traditional wood burning oven. Gluten-free crust available. • All sauces are homemade. Harpist Extraordinaire Eugenio Leon Serenades Tableside TONIGHT Friday and EVERY Friday! with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex starting Salsa with DJ Flex starting TOMORROW Saturday, July 23rd 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 “BOOGIE NIGHTS” Music By DJ FLEX Starting at 9:30pm Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics Friday, July 29th Don’t forget NEXT WEEK TONIGHT! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky Dr. Andrea Clare Dermatologist Will be visiting August 6th & 20 th , 2016 FOR APPOINTMENT CALL 949-6631 500,000 people 1 million 2 million Cruise ship arrivals Air arrivals 20022004200620082010201220152000 Annual cruise vs. air arrivals, 2000-2015 Cayman saw steadily more visitors by sea from 2000-2015. The same trend has not been seen with air arrivals. 1.5 million Slight drop in air arrivals in 2016 JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Air arrival figures to the Cayman Islands suffered a slight dip in the first six months of 2016. Fears over the Zika virus, the slowdown in the Ca- nadian economy, terrorist atrocities in Europe and the fact that Grand Cayman has effectively “maxed out” its room capacity, were all cited as potential reasons behind the 1.41 percent drop in stay-over visitors. Nonetheless, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkcon- nell remains optimistic about the performance of the tourism sector and pre- dicted that the opening of the Kimpton Seafire Resort in November would bring about a change in fortunes. Even with slightly fewer air arrivals, he said, Depart- ment of Tourism research and average daily room rate data from leading hotels suggest that fewer visitors were spending collectively more money than last year. A total of 210,490 visitors arrived in Cayman by air in the first six months of 2016, compared with 213,493 vis- itors in January-June 2015. Mr. Kirkconnell said air arrival figures rebounded in June this year after a drop in the spring. “What happened in April and May? Zika was blaring through every tourism des- tination and every travel agency in the U.S. “It takes just a little bit to change 1 percent in a six-month period, but from a stay-over standpoint, 1 percent less people, with a 3.5 higher spend, trans- lates to what we want. Less burden on the infra- structure, more money for the economy.” Cruise arrivals were up over the first six months of the year from 908,881 to 973,305, the tourism officials noted. Rosa Harris, director of tourism, said Zika is an on- going concern that Cayman is looking to manage. “We are concerned for the future and the impact of Zika and how that might affect certain groups that travel to the Cayman Is- lands. We know that we are very attractive to the cou- ples market, and for those that are in the phase of their lives that are having families, this directly im- pacts that group.” Stran Bodden, chief officer in the Ministry of Tourism, said there was inevitably some leveling off after two years of strong growth. Data: Department of Tourism Jim Andrews, who studies housing and tourism trends in Cayman and across the Ca- ribbean for Integra Realty Re- sources, has a different take on the drop. In an interview ear- lier this week, he said, “I’d be surprised if people are consid- ering Zika as a major impedi- ment to visiting Cayman.” He said the main culprits for the drop in air arrivals are economic woes in the U.S., U.K. and Europe, and competition from other high-end markets likes Aruba. Despite perceptions about Zika, travel from Cayman’s core U.S. market was actually up in the first half of 2016, with the overall drop attributed to a de- cline in visitation from Canada. Europe and elsewhere. Stran Bodden, chief officer in the Ministry of Tourism, said there was inevitably some lev- eling off in air arrivals after two years of strong growth. “When you have growth of 7 percent [in 2013], then 11 percent [in 2014], then you are going to see that rooms are not available. We are still at negative 1.41 – that is a pretty small decrease,” he said. Based on exit surveys and other data, tourism officials have calculated an estimated spend of $574.1 million for tourists visiting these shores in the 12 months up to the end of June this year. The average length of stay was 6.03 days. “We don’t just count bodies, the economic impact comes in various ways,” said Ms. Harris. Compass journalist Charles Duncan contributed to this story. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Hedge funds representing a group of Puerto Rico bond- holders sued the U.S. terri- tory on Wednesday, saying it violated the terms of a rescue package recently approved by Congress to help pull the is- land’s government out of a dire economic crisis. The federal lawsuit claims the government recently ap- proved measures that allow it to divert hundreds of mil- lions of dollars as it an- nounced the biggest default in the island’s history. The hedge funds contend Puerto Rico is barred from taking those and other actions be- fore the creation of a fed- eral control board that will oversee the island govern- ment’s finances. “The potential for mis- chief is palpable: With bond- holders unable to sue for payment, the Commonwealth could attempt to divert re- sources toward more politi- cally popular interests,” the lawsuit states. It is the first lawsuit filed since Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla announced on July 1 that the government did not have the money to pay $779 million worth of general ob- ligation bonds that are pro- tected by the island’s con- stitution. It is the latest in a string of defaults that oc- curred as President Barack Obama signed a bipartisan bill that in part authorizes a federal control board to ne- gotiate with creditors and restructure some of the is- land’s $68 billion public debt load. The hedge funds accuse Garcia of illegally declaring a moratorium on the gen- eral obligation debt as well as diverting money toward things such as the island’s vastly underfunded public pension systems. The law- suit seeks to stop Puerto Rico from diverting funds be- fore the federal control board is approved. The hedge funds that filed the suit include Aure- lius Capital Management, Autonomy Capital and Co- valent Partners. Grace Santana, Garcia’s chief of staff, said she ex- pects lawsuits but said that creditors who sue the govern- ment will not receive special treatment. “Such litigation is pointless and counterpro- ductive,” she said, adding that it is further straining the government’s resources, which have been hurt by Puerto Rico’s decade-long economic slump. Hedge funds sue Puerto Rico, accuse gov’t of diverting funds 20122013201420152016 Air arrivals Cruise & air arrivals, 2012-2016 (Jan.-June) Cayman saw 3,003 fewer air arrivals in the first half 2016 year-on-year, but 64,424 more people arrived via cruise ship over the same time period. Cruise ship arrivals 400,000 200,000 people 800,000 600,000 1 millionThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JULY 22, 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 22, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS THE TELEGRAPH (LONDON) EDITORIAL BOARD In any job, first impres- sions are important. It is al- ways possible to recover from a difficult debut; but it is more forgivable to mess up in future if the initial outing has been a success. So Theresa May’s confi- dent and fluent first perfor- mance at Prime Minister’s Questions will have come as a great relief to her party and something of a revela- tion to a wider public un- sure of her qualities. From what we have seen so far, it is clear that the Con- servative Party made a wise choice not just in elevating Mrs. May to No. 10, but also in avoiding a damaging two- month leadership campaign. Andrea Leadsom, newly installed in the Cabinet, must have watched her leader’s performance in the Commons yesterday with an even clearer under- standing of why she was right to pull out of the con- test. Indeed, throughout her first week in the job Mrs. May has looked to the manner born. We have no idea yet how she will handle a major crisis or manage her gov- ernment and her party. But while PMQs may look to out- siders like a noisy bear pit, it remains the weekly show- case for a leader to strut their stuff. Mrs. May cer- tainly did that – though, as David Cameron discovered, looking and sounding like a prime minister does not guarantee longevity when events intrude. All sorts of pitfalls await the new premier, especially in handling the vote to leave the EU. To that end, Mrs. May traveled to Berlin and Paris for preliminary talks with Europe’s two most important leaders about how that might be achieved to the advantage of all concerned. Here, again, first impres- sions will prove important; so, too, will any indications that Mrs. May is able to give as to where she wants to end up at the end of the Brexit negotiations. It is too early for her to say anything definitive; but when asked by one Conser- vative MP to rule out any notion of staying in the single market by another means, such as through EEA membership, Mrs. May said her aim was to secure the best trade deal in the national interest. On the vexed question of immigration, she said the concerns of voters, ap- parent in the referendum outcome, had to be ad- dressed; but she also im- plied that a strict target of reducing net numbers to the “tens of thousands” has been replaced by a more sensible aim of achieving “sustainable levels” of in- ward migration. The prime minister is right to avoid any dogmatic posturing on these crucial is- sues. This has been an excel- lent start. © 2016, Associated Press “As the manager of the Performance sits before the curtain on the boards, and looks into the Fair, a feeling of profound melancholy comes over him in his survey of the bustling place. … Yes, this is Vanity Fair; not a moral place certainly; nor a merry one, though very noisy. … When you come home, you sit down, in a sober, contemplative, not uncharitable frame of mind, and apply yourself to your books or your business.” — “Vanity Fair,” William Makepeace Thackeray In our editorials we often refer to stories that appear on the front page of the day’s newspaper. It is far rarer that we refer to a single story that is the front page of the newspaper. Today, however, is such a day. We refer our readers to journalist James Whittaker’s enthralling — and at times, appalling — narrative of a day inside Cayman Islands Summary Court. The specific day is of little consequence, although, in this case, it happened to be Tuesday, July 12. At the Cayman Compass we consider our remit not only to cover “breaking news” as it takes place but also, perhaps more importantly, to report at times on the “ordinary” occurrences that offer insight into our institutions and, by proxy, our people. We did not focus on this courtroom without fore- thought. Summary Court is the starting point for all criminal cases in the country, has jurisdiction over smaller civil matters ($20,000 and less), and hears a variety of other cases, from domestic violence, to drug issues, to traffic matters. For many residents, Summary Court may be their sole point of contact with Cayman’s judicial system; for others, it’s just the beginning. In brief, to peer inside Summary Court is to witness a cross-section of the Cayman population and to observe what happens at the critical intersec- tion between the judiciary and people’s lives, many of which have gone astray. As you can read in our front-page story, Summary Court hosts all segments of society, from the most powerful — the Dart Group — to the least — prisoners already incarcerated. On a daily basis, Summary Court judges such as Magistrate Valdis Foldats (whose performance and patience we applaud) watch, direct and often play a role in scenes of human drama, including tragedy (drug abusers caught in cycles of addiction, crime and reha- bilitation), comedy (the poacher who protests that he didn’t get to keep what he was caught poaching) and outright farce (typically perpetrated by attorneys or officials who appear before the court in order to explain that they’re not prepared to appear). There are glimmers of possible redemption. No one can know if drug addict and serial burglar Kurtney Johnson will straighten out his life after his latest sentencing to Northward Prison, but at least, in one moment, he exhibited the admirable attitude of thankfulness to the litany of officials who are trying to help him. Summary Court, like the world, is crowded, motley and, well, worldly. There is much activity but often little progress. What does move forward creeps slowly, in fits and starts. There is far too much counterproduc- tive over-reasoning, and vast quantities of red tape can bind even the magistrate’s hands. The court- room contains a volatile ecosystem that balances erudite phraseology and Byzantine procedures against common sense and very real personal consequences. The need for wholesale reform seems undeni- able, but none, we are saddened to report, currently appears to be on the horizon. Cayman’s court of first resort FROM CAYMANCOMPASS.COM “Cayman Airways seeks another new plane,” July 21 It is nice that we are up- grading our fleet to some- thing that the Wright brothers might not have flown. But does it make eco- nomic sense or is this just a way to make certain politi- cians look better for the up- coming elections? Hmmm … J. Bodden I support a new plane, or new planes. Why fix an old frock when it is already worn? It will only tear again. Besides that, money is only enjoyed when spending it. Twyla Vargas “Five Cayman athletes ready for Rio,” July 20 Congratulations to all these standouts. This is a just reward for all their efforts over many years. I wonder, though, why the swimmers were only just notified of their selection, so close to the Games. In any event, I wish them all the best as it makes the Cayman Islands proud to be represented at the pinnacle of the sporting calendar. Roger Davies “The police need backup from the community,” July 19 Absolutely correct. In every one of the se- rious crimes that have taken place in the last few years, I have no doubt that the per- petrators are well known to their friends and neighbors. Yet their crimes are qui- etly forgotten and no help is given to those who could lock these criminals up. No doubt these are the same people who then attack the police for not doing their job. I, too, long for the past. When I could drive into our driveway without needing to scan the bushes for a hidden home invader. When I could leave our home without setting the burglar alarm. When we could feel to- tally safe about using a gas station, ATM or grocery store late at night. But those days won’t re- turn unless the public de- cide to give up for justice the criminals in their midst. Norman Linton The prime minister’s first impression 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” [A]s David Cameron discovered, looking and sounding like a prime minister does not guarantee longevity when events intrude.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016 Name of financial institution: CICSA Cooperative Credit Union Ltd Address of financial institution: P.O. Box 1450 58 Huldah Ave, George Town Grand Cayman KY1-1110 Change of name, if any, of the financial institution: None The public is also hereby given notice of the following – 1. Unless one or more of the following transactions are effected on a dormant account listed above on or before 31 December 2016, the monies in the dormant account will be transferred to the general revenue of the Islands without further notice – a) increase or decrease the amount held in the financial institution; b present the passbook or other record for the crediting of interest or dividends in respect of the items enumerated in section 4(6)(a) and (b) of the Dormant Accounts Law, 2010; c) correspond in writing with the financial institution concerning the monies; d) in the case of a trust, make a claim under the trust; or e) otherwise indicate an interest in the monies as evidenced by a memorandum concerning the monies written by the financial institution. 2. Subject to the Dormant Accounts Law, 2010, on the transfer of the monies in the dormant account to the general revenue of the islands, the dormant account holder will no longer have any right against the financial institution to repayment of the monies transferred, but the dormant account holder will have against the Government such right to repayment of the monies transferred that the dormant account holder would have had against the financial institution. 3. Any interested person should contact the financial institution mentioned above to establish if that person is a dormant account holder. Corinne Glasgow Chief Executive Officer Dated this 12th day of July 2016 “Interest paid by a financial institution on monies held in the financial institution shall not be regarded as a transaction which increases the amount held in the financial institution pursuant to section 4(5) of the Dormant Accounts Law, 2010”. Member Number Date Opened Member Number Date Opened Member Number Date Opened Member Number Date Opened Member Number Date Opened Member Number Date Opened 1072 18-Oct-83 4748 26-Jan-98 15503 29-Dec-00 39172 27-Apr-04 49288 29-Jun-05 59931 16-Feb-07 192401-Jan-99486301-Jan-991883820-Jun-014004828-May-045118526-Oct-056045912-Mar-07 203730-Mar-90507605-Aug-981999229-Aug-014049317-Jun-045163121-Nov-056115017-Apr-07 211523-Aug-90519715-Oct-982251705-Feb-024317409-Nov-045302503-Feb-066579721-Dec-07 2180 11-Jan-91 5240 01-Jan-99 22939 04-Mar-02 45005 06-Dec-04 53496 23-Feb-06 65862 27-Dec-07 223826-Apr-91918305-Nov-992380422-Apr-024540108-Dec-045779425-Sep-066588831-Dec-07 228327-Jun-911057929-Jan-002487724-Jun-024682107-Jan-055803210-Oct-066794208-Apr-08 266801-Mar-931256713-Jun-002965224-Mar-034683907-Jan-055804010-Oct-066916117-Jun-08 3923 12-Jul-96 12815 10-Jul-00 34496 14-Nov-03 47506 15-Feb-05 58214 24-Oct-06 69971 13-Aug-08 416210-Jan-971442320-Oct-003626919-Jan-044810830-Mar-055973306-Feb-077003715-Aug-08 7246216-Dec-087252016-Dec-087323922-Jan-097324722-Jan-097575408-Jun-097576208-Jun-09 7579610-Jun-097602625-Jun-09 The public is hereby given notice that CICSA Cooperative Credit Union Ltd holds the following dormant accounts: NOTICE THE DORMANT ACCOUNTS LAW, 2010 (Section 6)DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days East End North Side FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Shelter found for homeless man Darney McLaughlin lived at East End beach on and off for the past 12 years JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A homeless man who had been living rough on East End Heritage Beach now has a new place to call home. Last week the Cayman Compass featured a story about 61-year-old Darney McLaughlin, who said he had been homeless for more than a decade. A few days after the story ran, the government’s Children and Family Services department took action. “They just came to the beach one day and said, ‘That’s it, let’s go,’ Mr. McLaughlin said. “They helped me pack and moved all my things.” Hooked on drugs most of his life, Mr. McLaughlin took to the beach when he could no longer afford a place to live and where, he said, he would not mess up anyone else’s life. For the past 12 years on and off, Mr. McLaughlin has been homeless. He admitted people tried to assist him on many occasions, but he did not feel right inflicting the problems of his drug ad- diction on others, especially families. He just wanted a little place to call his own somewhere in East End. “I had nowhere else to go,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “I wasn’t harming anyone on the beach, but I guess it didn’t look good to others.” Now relocated to a one- bedroom rental on John McLean Drive – his first per- manent home since 2004 – Mr. McLaughlin seems happy. “Life is real good for me now and I give God thanks,” he said. “I love it … and I even have hot water too.” A fitting song – “Oh happy day, when Jesus washed, he washed my sins away” – blasted from the big screen television as Mr. McLaughlin watched from the comfort of his new queen size bed. In the kitchen, the cup- boards are stocked with food, and cases of water are stacked in a corner. On his bedside table lie books, cheese puffs, biscuit snacks and a Bible. A few days earlier, Mr. McLaughlin’s bed was a piece of foam and old blanket on a tacky beach chair. A row of his suit jackets hung from the rafters of the beach ca- bana and his surroundings were littered with old items. At his new home, Mr. McLaughlin said, he now knows the comfort of a soft bed, hot shower, food in the cupboards, and how many in the community are rooting for him. His suit jackets now hang neatly in a row in a walk-in closet. “Now I don’t have to worry about waking up soaking wet and a place to lay my head. I didn’t mind the beach but having somewhere of my own is better, and then I am ill too,” he said. Mr. McLaughlin suffers from heart and high blood pressure issues, and has a pacemaker. “I seldom go out now … I am sick, there are times I go out at night but it is very rare … once I get more DVDs to watch movies, I am all right,” he said. Not a person usually to ask for handouts, Mr. McLaughlin said he would welcome any donated DVDs to help keep his days occupied as he fights his addiction. “The drug use is still a struggle though,” he ad- mits, but is quick to add, “It’s coming along slowly but not as bad as what it used to be. I try not to think about it … after being on it for so long, it becomes a habit … and you know habits are hard to break. The thing is, when you’re used to something, it is difficult and you will fall back on it. “It’s the one thing that I hate and the one thing that I do. I don’t know how to explain that.” Living on the beach, Mr. McLaughlin would find odd jobs around the place, which he said he used to feed his habit. “I seldom work much for that same reason, it just goes right back into drugs and I have nothing to show for it,” he said. He advises young people to “go to school and keep off drugs.” “It’s not the way to go … anyone can do drugs but it does not help you in the long run,” he said. Years ago, Mr. McLaughlin said, he wanted to teach kids about the dangers of using drugs. It did not happen, but he feels happy now he is get- ting his story out in another way. “I am working on getting myself together, then I will decide where I want the rest of my life to go from there,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “I’m still struggling with the drugs and it’s hard to think that far right now despite my good intentions. My in- tentions have always been to be a good person despite my bad habits.” Darney McLaughlin watches television in his new home on John McLean Drive. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY “Now I don’t have to worry about waking up soaking wet and a place to lay my head. I didn’t mind the beach but having somewhere of my own is better …” DARNEY MCLAUGHLIN 50 YEARS AGO: Girls’ Brigade exchange group heads to East End In the July 20, 1966 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, East End correspondent Charles Dixon wrote: “Gail McIntyre and Susan McBride from Canada, who are visiting the Girls’ Brigade, spent six days in this district, two of which were at the Tor- tuga Club through the kind- ness of Mr. and Mrs. Eric Bergstrom. “Born on July 12 to Mr. and Mrs. Bradford Connor was the precious gift of a son. Mother and 8 pound baby are doing well. “Mr. Nelson Christian left on the 16th to seek med- ical aid in Jamaica. He was accompanied by his wife and sister. “Also on the flight was Dayton McLaughlin, who re- ceived injuries to his eye while working on a barbed wire fence. “Mrs. Hortencia Bell and daughter arrived on the 16th from Jamaica to spend a few months with her parents.” In the same issue, North Side correspondent Nettie McCoy wrote: “After a very enjoyable holiday with his mother and other relatives, Mr. Charles Chisholm and his family left on Sunday morning for their home in Port Arthur, Texas. Even though the holiday was a short one, the children especially enjoyed every minute of it. “Leaving also on Sunday 17th for Jamaica were Mrs. Harvey Whittaker and her sister-in-law Phyllis. Mrs. Whittaker has taken her little daughter to Jamaica for med- ical aid. “Mr. John Wesley Ebanks returned on the 14th from Freeport Bahamas, where he went on a short business trip. “Returning home on the 16th was Mr. Franklin Smith, who has been hospitalized in Chicago for the past few weeks. He was on the S.S. Imperial St. Lawrence and is now on sick leave before re- turning to his ship. “Ezzard Miller cele- brated his 14th birthday on the 16th with a party which was held at his parents’ home. Quite a few of his friends and school mates attended the party and he received several useful gifts. The party was also in honour of two of his uncles who had birthdays as well, and as a farewell function for his Uncle Charles and family who were on holiday. “Visiting in the district on Sunday were Capt. and Mrs. Oliver Kirkwood who came in on BWIA en route to Cayman Brac. Iris came to visit her father and rela- tives at North Side before going on to Cayman Brac. They now reside in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.”DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days East End North Side Lemmie McLaughlin GEORGE NOWAK Lemmie McLaughlin never did go to sea like most men of the eastern districts. He was, however, known as a very hard worker, shifting between farming, fishing and handy work for other residents. This image, shot in the late 1970s, is the photo that was chosen for the cover of the book “The People Time Forgot.” Mr. McLaughlin holds an oil lantern and coffee cup; he had no electricity and had invited the photographer into his home for a cup of fresh rainwater. He passed away at the age of 72 sometime between 1987-1988. 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. CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016 Farmer recalls early days of agriculture JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Farming is not for ev- eryone, but for one East End farmer, it’s been his entire life. James Welcome’s long- time commitment to farming was recognized early this year when the government gave him a long service award at the 2016 Heroes Day celebration for his ded- ication to agriculture in the Cayman Islands. “We were raised up in farming,” said Mr. Welcome. “And he gives most of it away,” interjected his friend Armand Dilbert, sitting with Mr. Welcome recently under the shade of mahogany trees. “The more you give, the better it grows … I just shared a 28 pound pumpkin with people in the commu- nity,” countered Mr. Welcome. Mr. Welcome recently collected more than 1,000 pounds of yams from his farm in Winters Land, off Farm Road. He described Winters Land as a beau- tiful pasture where the land is rich, with good soil and plenty of water. From the age of seven, Mr. Welcome began working the land with his father, making the long trek from the village of East End to Alley Land in Colliers – a trip of more than four miles each way – to tend the grounds. Mr. Welcome recalls making the journey by donkey, and staying some- times more than two weeks inland, working the farm with his father. Other farmers, he said, traveled there by horse or boat. “No one in town had a watch, so we had to leave very early and by the crowing of the roosters. Farming in earlier years was a family business; everyone pitched in, even the ladies,” said Mr. Welcome. According to Mr. Wel- come, the women would cut thatch tops and twist rope after helping to tend the land. His grandmother was killed while watching their farm for poachers. He said it was before his time, but he heard she had caught someone red-handed stealing provisions from the ground. Her husband found her when he returned. It was a rough life for families, surviving mostly on food they grew on the farm, wild agoutis, or fish when the men made the trek down to the sea. The fish was used to make Caymanians’ fa- vorite dish – fish rundown. The women also grated bull- rush to make porridge, and fried brown stick cassava to make bammy. Mosquitoes were the bane of the farmers’ lives back then. “You could not see your hand in front your face for the mosquitoes,” Mr. Wel- come recalled. Sometimes, they had nothing to light a fire with and had to bear the mosquitoes until morning. Those who had canvas ham- mocks would wrap them- selves up inside to sleep, to keep from been bitten. Even the donkey could not be tied up for fear the insects would smother him by morning.To prepare the land, a pick was used to plant the seeds or potato slips, and the bush and weeds were chopped away with a machete. Once it was ready, the produce was loaded on the donkey and taken to the dory for trans- portationto East End vil- lage. Some was also sold to tenants of the old Tortuga Club. When the dory arrived on the village beach, the farmers would share what was on board; some was dis- tributed and the rest was buried in the ground next to the house floor until it was needed. “We never had refrigera- tors or coolers [in] those days. The produce was buried and [we] kept the ground wet so it would not spoil …. It could last there for months like that before it was used,” said Mr. Welcome. Even though his farm life has been rich and fulfilling, Mr. Welcome said, it had its challenges, especially in the days when there was very little equipment and trans- portation and most work was done by hand and with a donkey. Today, one of his bigger challenges is theft. “The last time, they stole 13 bunches of bananas and hundreds of stems of cassava, broke into my home, smashed it up and took my shotgun I used to kill agouti,” he said. He’s disappointed with young people who grew up seeing their parents make a living from farming, yet do not even know where to start when it comes to farming, and are not interested in learning it either. “Even if you cook it, they don’t even have the ambition to eat it,” Mr. Welcome said. From the age of seven, Mr. Welcome began working the land with his father, making the long trek from the village of East End to Alley Land in Colliers – a trip of more than four miles one way – to tend the grounds. Farmer James Welcome, right, and friend Armand Dilbert show off a bunch of green bottlers to visiting friend David Bray. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY8 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Happy Birthday Adam Today is your birthday, in heaven above Our blessings we send,on the wings of a dove Not just for today, but everyday hereof We think of you always, with all of our love. Love Always, Mommy, Daddy, Sisters, Brother & Friends We regret to announce the passing of Florence Wanjiku Who departed this life on Monday, 27th June 2016. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Mrs. Wanjiku was repatriated to Nairobi, Kenya The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Faithie Carabell Tatum “Miss Faith” regret to announce her passing on Wednesday 13 July 2016. Interment will follow in Spot Bay Cemetery. Funeral Services will be held at the Aston Rutty Centre, Cayman Brac on Sunday, 24 July 2016 at 2:00 p.m. Viewing will be held one hour prior to the service. We regret to announce the passing of Sharolyn Williams Who departed this life on Wednesday, 22th June 2016. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Mrs. Williams was repatriated to Sarasota, Florida The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Funeral Services will be held at Veterans and Seaman’s Centre, Cayman Brac on Sunday, 24 July 2016 at 10:00 a.m. Leon Cummings Lazzari regret to announce his passing on Wednesday 13 July 2016. Interment will follow in Spot Bay Cemetery. Cayman Islands veterans to honor Governor Thomas Russell Ceremony set for Sunday BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The late Cayman Islands Governor Thomas Russell is well remembered for his seven years as one of the British Overseas Territory’s favorite leaders. Not so many know the stories of his service during World War II in the British infantry, where he fought in Algeria, Sicily and mainland Italy until his capture during street fighting. Some of those stories will be recounted on Sunday, when the Cayman Islands Veterans Association will hold a remembrance cere- mony for the late governor at Elmslie Church in George Town. Mr. Russell died in his native Scotland at age 96 on July 4. Fellow veteran and long- time friend Graham Walker provided the Cayman Com- pass with a copy of Governor Russell’s prisoner of war re- cords from a German POW camp in Poland after the young Scotsman’s capture in Tarranto, Italy, during heavy street fighting. “He was hit in the upper left thigh by a German heavy machine gun bullet,” Mr. Walker said. “This bullet severed his thigh bone, and being unable to move, and in agony, he was captured.” The POW records from Stalag IV in Poland listed Mr. Russell as Kriegsgefanger [prisoner of war] No. 40009. Mr. Russell’s records detailed all sorts of personal informa- tion war prisoners were not required to give, including his mother’s maiden name, his home address, his reli- gion, his weight and so on. Although Mr. Russell was surely under some du- ress after being captured, Mr. Walker suspects the young governor-to-be prob- ably just gave over all this in- formation voluntarily. “He gave more informa- tion than he should have done,” Mr. Walker said. “He was just too bloody helpful.” It seems Mr. Russell was treated fairly well, as pris- oners of war go. “German surgeons fitted a steel plate in his thigh joining the two halves of the thigh [bone] together,” Mr. Walker said. “Field hospitals being what they are worldwide, they could only place him on a stretcher in a field with a mass of other casualties. Two German soldiers, both injured themselves, walked down the line and offered him some booze and some cigarettes. He was grateful to accept this kindness from two SS soldiers.” About 30 years later, Mr. Russell became the third appointed governor of the Cayman Islands and served a record seven years in that post until December 1981. In 1978, he founded the Cayman Islands Veterans Associa- tion, of which he remained a member until his death. “The Cayman Islands was truly his second home and we all looked forward to his visits, especially at Christmas-time when he at- tended our Christmas par- ties,” Veterans Association President Dale Banks said. “Having been instrumental in its founding, he was very proud that CIVA remained self-supporting, even as our numbers decreased from the original membership in excess of 150 to today’s 54.” Sunday’s ceremony at the Elmslie Cenotaph will be held at 10 a.m., followed by the 10:30 a.m. church service. The general public is wel- come to attend. Funeral services will be held Aug. 4 in Melrose, Scot- land. Mr. Walker said he will be attending as a rep- resentative of the local veterans association. Mr. Russell was awarded the Order of the British Em- pire (1963), Commander of the British Empire (1970) and the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George (1980). In 2012, Prince Philip appointed Mr. Russell as “vice president for life” of the Royal Commonwealth Ex- Services League. Mr. Russell’s term as gov- ernor was extended three times, and eventually led to him serving seven years in office. He was Cayman’s lon- gest-serving governor. In modern times, gubernato- rial terms are typically three years, with a potential one- year extension. A young Thomas Russell’s German POW record was provided to the Cayman Compass this week. The late Gov. Thomas Russell www.ndc.ky If your drug use isn’t a problem for you, it is for our communities!9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JULY 22, 2016 property. vehicle. contents. travel. Get Smart. Get Saxon. Get up to 25% off. Visit saxon.ky for details smart.insurance means we use smart technology to save you time and money. C AY MA N ISLA ND S V E T E R A N S A S S O CI AT IO N C.I.V.A Businesses bemoan immigration complexities BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com While customer service and friendliness at the Cayman Is- lands Immigration Depart- ment has improved in recent months, complex regulations and administrative practices that serve to stymie local busi- nesses have not, according to a recent survey by the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber conducted in- terviews during mid-June with 23 employers in the islands who are responsible for the jobs of about 2,500 workers, to determine how the Immigration Department was performing in handling work-related requests for companies that employ non-Caymanians. All responses were kept anonymous. “The [work permit] catego- ries were a dominant source of challenge for [the busi- nesses that participated],” the Chamber review stated. This is a problem the gov- ernment itself has flagged, noting earlier this year that a work permit processing system at the Cayman Islands Immi- gration Department that in- cludes about 5,000 different job categories must be clarified. Civil service managers said in March that even Immigra- tion Department employees are baffled by seemingly simple is- sues of how a job should be categorized and what a busi- ness must pay for the work permit if they hire a non-Cay- manian to do it. The business owners sur- veyed also noted that work permit fees charged for jobs within specific industries can vary widely, and companies are never quite sure what they might have to pay. For instance, in the legal profession, the annual permit cost for a bookkeeper is $4,600, but the same permit cost for a clerk, bookkeeping/accounts is $1,050. In the publishing in- dustry, a graphic designer’s annual permit costs $6,000, while a graphic artist’s permit costs $4,743.75. In the hairdressing, beauty treatment and personal ser- vice activities industry, a non-Caymanian administrative assistant costs $1,575 to em- ploy, but in the legal profession that administrative assistant’s annual permit costs are $2,100. In the programming and broad- casting industry, a work permit for a sales representative/agent costs $2,100 per year while in the landscaping and gardening business, a sales representative permit costs $1,050 per year. There is also the prohibi- tion in law against a non-Cay- manian employee performing a job other than the one they are permitted to do while at work. This is not entirely prac- tical, according to business owners who participated in the Chamber survey. “If a business was under- staffed one night due to sick- ness, and [a] bartender was to make a drink and then ser- vice it to the customer, they would then be performing two jobs [bartender and waiter] and would therefore be vio- lating their work permit,” the responses provided to the Chamber noted. Businesses urged govern- ment to simplify its current permit system, or at the least, re-train the employees respon- sible for implementing it. In most cases, however, compa- nies felt sympathetic to front- line immigration officials who had to wade through the bu- reaucracy as best they could. Difficulties with the cur- rent jobs classification system, which replaced the old “skill-based” permit eval- uation method, are found on both sides of the immigra- tion fence. Former Ministry of Home Affairs Chief Officer Eric Bush said in March that employers often complain of being overcharged for certain jobs, simply because a work- er’s title has changed from what it was during the last employment period. It’s not unusual for weeks to be spent in a “back and forth” between the Immigration Depart- ment and a private sector em- ployer over the actual cost of a permit, he said. “The system that we have that’s based just on job title alone is very prob- lematic for the department. It is problematic for the cus- tomers,” Mr. Bush said. In other areas, the job clas- sification system and permit issuance was being “exploited” by agencies that continued to employ and renew workers on temporary (three or six-month) work permits with few, if any, consequences. “Some [participants] went as far as arguing that a complete overhaul was needed in rela- tion to the current regulations, while others maintained that certain processes and regula- tions in place were illegal,” the Chamber survey report noted. “Others stated that the regu- lations needed to be altered to prevent manipulation and abuse by certain individuals and that these rewritten reg- ulations need to be enforced.” Immigration Department headquarters on Elgin Avenue in George Town. – PHOTO: CHRIS COURTNext >