ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY JULY 28, 2016 SPORTS | PAGE 17 FEDERER TO MISS REST OF SEASON, INCLUDING OLYMPICS, US OPEN High of 90 Low of 78 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 THE IMMIGRATION REPORT THE PREMIER DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ RoadUser BritCay’s car insurance travels with you. US$40,000 overseas rental car cover*is free with BritCay motor insurance Lowest deductibles from $200, for no additional premium, fast track auto repairs and fast claims service. Ask BritCay for a quote. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky FREE $10 Million ASSET PROTECTION! with motor cover** **private motor insurance *Collision damage waiver USA/Canada only cgigrp Years after Nation Building grants, churches still building KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com The structure is not vis- ible from the road, tucked a hundred or so feet back, hidden behind temporary ply- wood walls. From the parking lot of the adjoining property, King’s Gym, the view is clearer, though one might still not be able to discern what, exactly, the building is supposed to be. It appears abandoned, not even half-finished, with rebar jutting out of its first floor like a crown of thorns. Inside, the purpose of the building be- comes clearer. The deep, rect- angular hole in the floor is filled with litter: plastic bot- tles, cans, construction refuse. Algae and other plant life have claimed it as their home, but, unmistakably – this is a bap- tismal pool. In March 2011, the Light of the World Christian Fellowship was granted $100,000 from the Cayman Islands government’s Nation Building Fund to as- sist with the construction of a church, which was also to be used as a hurricane shelter. Later it was granted an addi- tional $80,000 from the fund. There is no sign outside of the apparently abandoned construction site next to King’s Gym, but records from the Lands and Survey Department show this property belongs to Light of The World. The Cayman Compass made repeated attempts to contact church leadership to discuss the status of construc- tion, and to determine when, or if, the church might ever be completed. Messages were never returned. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 » PAID LEAVE CONTINUES FOR CONVICTED IMMIGRATION OFFICER BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Cayman Islands immigration officer who pleaded guilty last week to causing death by careless driving will remain on paid leave with the department at least until his sen- tencing date. Nicholas Patrick Tibbetts pleaded guilty on Friday, July 22 to one charge against him in connection with the hit-and-run car crash that killed 59-year-old bicyclist Donnie Ray Connor. Tibbetts’s sentencing was set for Nov. 8 as of last week. Government officials said Tibbetts was placed on required leave [paid suspension] in May 2015 and would remain on paid leave until the court case against him finishes. “Following the conclusion of the court pro- ceedings, a decision will be taken with respect to Mr. Tibbetts’s employment with the Depart- ment of Immigration,” said Ministry of Home KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com When lawyers of opponents to the geneti- cally modified mosquito project filed an appli- cation for a stay and judicial review on July 13 – a review that could have ended the project – Justice Ingrid Mangatal suddenly had more than 598 pages worth of evidence and docu- ments to review. Complicating matters was the time-sen- sitive nature of the project, which had been scheduled to begin July 14. With a stay in place while the case was proceeding in court, three batches of genetically modified mosqui- toes – approximately 150,000 of them – had to be destroyed. On Monday, the judge delivered her ruling and explained the rationale for that decision the following day. “In my judgment, the Applicant has failed to establish the grounds set out in the appli- cation and the relief sought by way of Judicial Review must be refused,” the judge wrote in the draft copy of her 23-page judgment. After Justice Mangatal released the reasons for her judgment, counsel for the applicant JUDGE EXPLAINS MOSQUITO PROJECT DECISION PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Church of God, West Bay, received $550,000 from the Nation Building Fund, but still needs hundreds of thousands of dollars to complete construction of a new sanctuary to replace the one that was damaged in Hurricane Ivan. - PHOTO: KELSEY JUKAM The Light of the World Christian Fellowship was granted $180,000 from the Nation Building Fund to assist with church construction, but much work still needs to be done before the church is complete. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERS2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY JULY 28, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. y x *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - THURSDAY - STAR TREK BEYOND 3D (PG13) 1:00 I 4:00 2D I 7:00 I 9:45 2D THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 3D (PG) 1:10 2D I 3:15 I 7:10 2D I 9:30 GHOSTBUSTERS 3D (PG13) 12:30 I 3:30 2D I 6:45 I 9:45 2D ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE 3D (PG) 2:00 I 4:30 2D I 7:20 I 9:40 2D THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR (R) 1:30 I 4:00 I 6:55 I 10:00 THE LEGEND OF TARZAN (PG13) 12:50 I 3:45 I 6:50 I 9:50 Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) Overhaul of health system for seamen, indigents planned CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Following a highly critical report from the Office of the Auditor General last year and more criticism this year from some members of the Legis- lative Assembly, government plans to overhaul the system of benefits and healthcare for seamen and veterans and medical care for indigents. The Ministry of Commu- nity Affairs plans to put to- gether an outline business case to evaluate the cur- rent programs and create a new government-wide policy for the social as- sistance programs. In its advertisement for a consultant to prepare the outline business case, the ministry did not include other social assistance pro- grams like welfare payments and housing vouchers that were also criticized in the audit report. The report, released a year ago by then-Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick, criticized government’s social assis- tance programs as disorga- nized and with little over- sight and no accountability. In some cases, the audit found, people received gov- ernment assistance “on the basis of political direction.” The audit report states, “there is no overall strategy that sets out the results being sought and the priorities to be pursued with the more than $50 million of public funds appropriated to social assistance programmes.” The Legislative Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee reviewed the auditor’s find- ings and called for a “major overhaul” of the way social assistance programs are run. “The PAC is particularly concerned that the emphasis by the ministry seems to be concentrating on the per- ceived need for substantial, (almost double) additions to staff compliment as a way to deliver services more ef- ficiently and effectively,” Mr. Miller told the Legislative As- sembly, tabling the commit- tee’s report last month. “The PAC would like to suggest that a major over- haul of the procedures and policies, to devolve authority and reduce the bureaucratic duplication that was clearly demonstrated in the public hearings may be a better use of government resources,” Mr. Miller said, reading from the report to the House. The report covers the full suite of Cayman’s so- cial assistance programs in the 2013-14 budget year, citing more than $51 mil- lion in spending on the pro- grams. The outline business case will look at expenses on medical care for indigents, seamen and veterans, almost $35 million that year, and benefit payments to seamen and veterans, more than $6.5 million in that budget cycle. Those numbers have con- tinued to go up in the inter- vening years, with almost $80 million slated for so- cial services over the next 18 months and other in- creases to healthcare for re- tired seamen, veterans and for people who cannot afford insurance or treatment. The outline business case is due to Cabinet in November. The Cayman Islands Seamen’s Memorial statue in Heroes Square in George Town – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The Ministry of Community Affairs plans to put together an outline business case to evaluate the current programs and create a new government-wide policy for the social assistance programs. Judge dismisses manslaughter charge against Florida deputy FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – A judge on Wednesday dis- missed a manslaughter charge against a Florida deputy who claimed self-defense in the 2014 fatal shooting of a 33-year-old black man car- rying what turned out to be an air rifle. Circuit Judge Michael Usan ruled in favor of sus- pended Deputy Peter Peraza of the Broward Sheriff’s Of- fice under Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” self-defense law that eliminates a require- ment to retreat – for civilians and law enforcement officers – when facing a dire threat. The now-dismissed man- slaughter charge carries a po- tential 30-year prison sentence. Prosecutors immediately said the decision will be appealed. Peraza, 37, who is Hispanic, testified during a hearing that Jermaine McBean initially refused commands from him and other deputies to drop the authentic-looking weapon and then turned and pointed it toward the deputies in July 2014. Peraza fired three shots, killing him. “I’ve never been so scared in my life,” Peraza testified. In his 36-page order, the judge called the shooting a “tragedy” and noted the on- going national debate in- volving the shootings by police officers of black people and the hostility and threats some- times directed at police. But Usan said that debate has “no place in this court- room concerning this case” and said Peraza’s use of deadly force was justified under Florida law. “This case involves the tragic death of one man and the liberty of another. To allow the conflicting agenda of supporters of either side to invade this legal process would be a far greater in- justice,” he said. Peraza attorney Eric Schwartzreich praised the deci- sion and said the deputy should never have been charged. “All police officers should feel confident that, in this dangerous day and age, they can now protect and serve without fear of being in- dicted,” said Schwartzreich, who represents Peraza along with attorney Anthony Bruno. “Regardless, this case is a tragedy all around. This case was never about race, it was about self-defense.” McBean family attorney David Schoen said he will continue to pursue a federal civil rights lawsuit against the sheriff’s office over the shooting. “It is complete travesty and miscarriage of justice,” Schoen said of the ruling. “It should have been impossible for any judge to take this case away from a jury.” A spokesman for State Attorney Michael Satz said in an email the ruling will be appealed. Peter Peraza, a Broward County sheriff’s deputy, testifies at his trial in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. USAIN BOLT’S MOM SAYS KEY TO KEEPING HIM CALM IS LAUGHTER (AP) – How does the mom of Usain Bolt help the world’s fastest man keep his cool? “We say things that will make him laugh,” said Jen- nifer Bolt as her sprinter star offspring faces down what just may be his last Olympics. At nearly 30, Bolt has six Olympic gold medals from the Beijing and London Olympics. Though he withdrew July 1 from Jamaica’s national meet with a slight tear in his left hamstring, the world record holder in the 100- and 200-meter dash proved his fitness July 22 in the 200 at the London Anniversary Games and deemed himself good to go for Rio. A few days before the London event, his mom vis- ited New York and said in an interview that she was not worried, having long ago learned that calming her own nerves was the best way to soothe Usain. “I know he’s going to get well and everything will be OK for the games,” said the soft-spoken Jennifer, who has been cheering him on since his speed first sur- faced around 12 or 13. “I tell him just stay fo- cused, remember God, re- member to pray and read your Bible,” she said. Usain has come back from injuries before, in- cluding left hamstring problems. When it hap- pened in 2004 at what was supposed to be his first Olympics, in Athens, he did not make it past the first round. He was just 17. “It was a bit scary be- cause we didn’t really un- derstand and know what it was,” Jennifer said. “He had wanted so much to be at the Olympics and he just couldn’t make it.” Usain Bolt wins gold in the men’s 200 meters in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JULY 28, 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. Faced with a significant and complex issue, the default position for Cayman Islands governments (yes, plural) is to commission a report. As the weeks and months drag on, suspicions increase that the osten- sible motive for the “study phase” is, in actuality, something else — to delay. The most recent (and suspicious) example is the consultant’s review of the execution of Cayman’s Immi- gration Law, which was lambasted by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie in a ruling last August concerning the permanent residence process. Following Justice Smellie’s decision, officials hired highly regarded immigration attorney David Ritch to study the issue and write a report. Premier Alden McLaughlin, along with Attorney General Sam Bulgin, have now seen the report — but the premier doesn’t want anyone else to. Premier McLaughlin is claiming the report, paid for with taxpayer funds, constitutes legally privileged advice — a highly specious claim that easily could be addressed with minimal redaction. (The Cayman Compass has filed an open records request that hope- fully will result in the document being made public.) Keep in mind that the parts of Cayman’s perma- nent residence system have been arranged, rear- ranged and manipulated by officials like chess pieces on a chessboard. Purposeful stumbling blocks include subjective points systems, written exams featuring farcical questions, shifting timelines and property own- ership criteria. However, in the end, the new Immigration Law, crafted and approved by Premier McLaughlin and his Progressives government, seems to have worked pre- cisely as our ruling lawmakers intended: Not one person has been awarded permanent residence under the revised legislation since it took effect Oct. 26, 2013. Meanwhile, the lives of more than 600 PR appli- cants and their families are left “on hold.” Officials’ most recent excuse for government inertia has been they were awaiting Mr. Ritch’s consultancy report. The document was submitted in late spring but, as of yet, has not led to any action. In the absence of “the Ritch report,” all we can do is speculate as to what it contains. Here’s our speculation: The report most likely says that every one of the more than 600 applicants in the PR queue would have the legal standing to file suit against the govern- ment for not following its own law. Further, it probably advises that every single one of them would likely prevail in court. The Progressives’ inaction on PR has placed Cayman at great risk, financially and reputationally. If we were one of the PR applicants, we wouldn’t petition the courts just to seek permanent residence — we’d also seek significant monetary restitution for damages. For clarity, please note that this editorial has nothing to do with approval or denial of specific PR applications; rather, it has everything to do with gov- ernment’s applying and enforcing its own laws. If the government refuses to do so, that’s the very definition of a lack of “good governance,” and, consti- tutionally, puts the issue squarely in front of Governor Helen Kilpatrick. She should already have intervened, and now, with this latest provocation, should take charge of this issue immediately. Baroness Anelay of St. Johns, Britain’s new appointee charged with overseeing human rights and the Caribbean territories, should be monitoring this purposeful injustice closely (even more so since many of the PR applicants are British nationals). In the meantime, Premier McLaughlin said this on Tuesday about the permanent residence issue: “I do understand and am deeply concerned about resolving this issue urgently.” Urgently? Really? Mr. Premier, the clock has been ticking since October 2013. Perhaps it’s time to set the alarm. The immigration report the premier doesn’t want you to read 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 findtheirownway” THURSDAY JULY 28, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR Mosquito ‘control’ that doesn’t I am a graduate of the “Gi- glioli university of mosqui- tology” (1969-71). After my studies at the Cayman Islands Mosquito Research and Con- trol Unit under director Marco Giglioli, I became a specialist in mosquitoes and mosquito- borne diseases, working on five continents on a range of nasties: yellow fever, dengue, West Nile, chikungunya, Saint Louis encephalitis and others, plus sorties into malaria, river blindness, ebola and so on. I spent 22 years with the U.S. Centers for Disease Con- trol, including 14 at the CDC Dengue Branch, followed by 12 as Professor at the Pasteur Institute, Paris. All this is not to thump my drum, but to make clear that over more than four decades I have learned a thing or two about mosquitoes and mos- quito control. And perhaps the most im- portant thing I have learned is that we cannot keep pumping insecticide into the environ- ment and hope to win against the mozzies; we may get an occasional victory but as soon as we congratulate ourselves, we learn they are back! During my mangrove- roaming days in Cayman, Marco and I tried to think of ways to get rid of the black salt marsh mosquitoes without using insecticides. We hoped that the thermal fog- gers, ULV machines and even- tually aircraft were stop-gaps: in the end, we would gain vic- tory by somehow exploiting weakness in the enemy. So, are mosquitoes a thing of the past in Cayman? Have you (I nearly wrote we!) been able to get off the insecticide wagon? Obviously not. The MRCU still exists, a far more sophisticated institution with state-of-the-art technology but for the moment, more than four decades after I left, you still have to use insecti- cide, lots of it. How many tons of in- secticide have been poured onto the land in the islands? How many tons of insecticide have seeped into the shallow soil and eventually into the sea? How many insects other than mosquitoes have had to kick the bucket in order that we get less bites? How has this affected other parts of the ecosystem? Your biggest problem was always the black salt marsh mosquito but you now have Aedes aegypti, much more fa- mous because it is the most efficient urban vector of yellow fever, dengue, chikun- gunya and now Zika. When I was on Grand Cayman, another Giglioli pro- tégé, Mike Nathan, had the task of eradicating Aedes ae- gypti from the Brac. It had already been wiped out on Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. Mike succeeded (and went on to be the top med- ical entomologist at the World Health Organization in Ge- neva, Switzerland). But aegypti is back! Not only here: In the 1950-60s it was eradicated from much of the Caribbean. It is back everywhere, and stronger than before. And, as everyone knows, we now have Zika. I knew Zika as an obscure African virus that produced a mild febrile illness with no sequels. Today we all know it can be respon- sible for hideous deformities in infants, something so ap- palling that it rivals the most horrific science fiction movie. Aedes aegypti has been a target of our efforts since 1900, when it was nailed down as the vector of yellow fever. At first, we were suc- cessful, we simply eliminated the places that it breeds. But today our urban environment is far too complex. Or rather, our urban environment is far too cluttered with far to much stuff that is a nursery for mosquitoes, stuff we could throw away instead of letting it rot in our yards. In theory, if we could get rid of those infested con- tainers (surely everyone knows they are the source) we could get rid of the threats of Zika, dengue, chi- kungunya. But in practice, people … are people. Now to the point! If we look at the prevalence and incidence of these three vi- ruses worldwide, it doesn’t take much effort to conclude that our methods of con- trol are not worth a hill of beans. Even in Singapore, a tiny island nation where they spend US$30 million a year on dengue control, they still have lots of dengue and chi- kungunya and now, just re- cently, Zika. What all persons in my profession agree is that we spend millions of dollars dumping insecticides on our populations … and still get sick. Our current methods of control … don’t control. So, there is a desperate need for new and innovative means of attack. At present, there are three major contenders: ■■ A parasitic bacterium, Wolbachia, that spreads through the mosquito population, supposedly making them less able to transmit viruses; ■■ An insecticidal hor- mone called pyriproxy- phen that disrupts the metamorphosis of the mosquito larvae; and, ■■ The transgenic mosquito that Oxitec have produced. I have tested the Oxitec product in my laboratory in Paris and to me it is a really exciting advance, the most promising of all three. That is why I am sad, even frustrated, that some people are spreading rumors and anxiety about its use. Here we have a new approach that is effective but does not use toxic insecticides and it is being rejected as “unsafe” by various people. Here I make a few points: People think of a “sterile male” that stops females laying viable eggs. Not so. The males have a small piece of genetic code (a “gene”) that, when mated with a wild fe- male, produce larvae that cannot survive in nature. That code is unique to the mosquito, to Aedes aegypti, not any other species. Rumors have been launched that the gene can jump to other insects with the same result. Not so. A mos- quito cannot mate with a fly or a butterfly or a bee! So how can the gene jump species? Rumors have been launched that, in Brazil, the mosquito gene inserted it- self into the gene of the Zika virus and this combination is responsible for the hideous microcephaly. This one is re- ally malicious. First of all, the genes of a mosquito are DNA whereas the virus is RNA; you cannot insert one into the other. Secondly, Zika-associ- ated microcephaly appeared nearly two years before the Oxitec trials in Brazil, in out- breaks in Polynesia, particu- larly Tahiti, rather a long way from Brazil! These are the three most common misconceptions over the Oxitec product. There is also a more gen- eralized fear that all geneti- cally modified organisms are somehow inherently dan- gerous, despite the fact that nearly all corn and soy grown in the U.S. is genetically modi- fied and that Americans have been eating the stuff for 20 years without problem. I hope this is of interest and, of course, I hope that the Oxitec trial will eventu- ally go ahead. Another important reason that I have written at length is that I owe a debt of grat- itude to Cayman for having launched me onto a long and fascinating career. Thanks, Cayman! Paul Reiter5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JULY 28, 2016 CAYMAN ACADEMY P.O. Box 515, Grand Cayman KY1-1106, Cayman Islands Telephone – (345) 640 2630 Email:caymanacademyschool@gmail.com A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST INSTITUTION Cayman Academy Invites Applications for CAPE Starting 2016/17 Academic Year Cayman Academy is launching CAPE (the Caribbean Advanced Pro ciency Examination) in the 2016/17 academic year. Students with CSEC or equivalent secondary education certi cation are invited to apply. CAPE is equivalent to the British Advanced Levels (A-Levels), both of which are intended for entrance to regional, Canadian, and British universities. Students entering American universities with CAPE quali cations may be eligible for credits and exemptions in selected subject areas. CAPE grants certi cates for individual subjects, a diploma (a cluster of six subjects) or an associate degree (seven or more subjects). Subjects may be studied concurrently or singly. Cayman Academy starts its CAPE programme this year with the business strand, in the following subjects: Accounts Economics Management of Business Caribbean Studies Communication Studies This year, students may select an additional subject from the following options: Pure Mathematics Environmental Science Information Technology Application forms are available from the Registrar, Cayman Academy, telephone: (6402630 or 9267190) email: caymanacademy@gmail.com Deadline for applications is August 12, 2017 An adventurous career brings FCO officer to Cayman BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com In 1989, Matthew Forbes was about three months into his first posting with the U.K.’s Foreign and Com- monwealth Office in Beijing, China, when the Tiananmen Square massacre happened. “We had just been [in the square] a few days before talking to students involved in the protest,” said the FCO career man, who just this month took up his latest job as head of the Cayman Is- lands governor’s office. “Then the troops moved in.” The incident ended in the killing of at least several hun- dred Chinese student demon- strators who were trying to block the military’s advance toward the square. Mr. Forbes survived his first job and – about two de- cades later – ended up back in China, Shanghai this time, as the FCO Deputy Consul General supervising an office of more than 100 employees. One might think going from the metropolitan meg- alopolis of 24 million people to Grand Cayman (popula- tion 60,413) would be a shock to the system, but Mr. Forbes said he had a greater shock moving to Shanghai from the Seychelles (population 93,000) off the eastern African coast, where he served as high com- missioner to Victoria, the capital city. “I did it the other way around that time, that was a shock to the system,” he said. “Small island living is some- thing my wife and I are quite familiar with.” He’s talking really small. During an earlier FCO posting, Mr. Forbes covered the remote Pitcairn Islands in the Pacific, with a population fluctuating between 50 and 80 inhabitants. He has some experience in crisis/disaster manage- ment, starting off with the Tiananmen Square massacre and moving to the perhaps lesser known Pitcairn sexual abuse trial where seven men were alleged to have com- mitted dozens of offenses, some involving underage girls, on the remote island. Another six were prosecuted in New Zealand over the al- leged crimes. In fact, it was then-Pit- cairn Deputy Governor Forbes who argued against legal challenges filed by is- land residents that Pitcairn was not actually a British territory, in what was seen as an attempt to avoid trial over the local sex abuse ac- cusations. Six of the seven suspects were convicted at the end of the trial Pit- cairn hosted. In the Seychelles, then- High Commissioner Forbes had to deal with ongoing Somalian pirate activity and subsequent trials that have since led to 138 convictions for piracy in the 115-is- land archipelago over the past six years. From there, it was on to Shanghai, managing 110 em- ployees in what amounted to an ambassadorial-type role, attempting to support British business interests in one of the world’s largest metropolitan areas. Mr. Forbes, 50, acknowl- edged that he has seen and heard comments since being appointed to the Cayman governor’s office that have questioned why someone like him has accepted that post. He does not look at it that way. “It’s not the size of the country or city you’re serving in,” he said. “[In Cayman], you have to deal with lots of separate elements in gov- ernment. [The appointment] is also a reflection of the im- portance that London put on their relationship with the overseas territories as well.” From the perspective of the governor’s office, it’s a busy time for Cayman. A May 2017 general election, a new police commissioner to nominate, a new ombuds- man’s office to create, and policing and general gov- ernance matters will likely keep Mr. Forbes occupied during his tour here, ex- pected to last between three and four years. There’s also the ongoing Brexit negotiations with the European Union, in which he insists the overseas ter- ritories “must be part of the process.” No one knows just how Britain’s pending depar- ture from the EU will affect the territories yet, but Mr. Forbes said its important “they’re listened to during the negotiations.” This is Mr. Forbes’s first posting in the Caribbean, although he has worked in London as head of the FCO’s Mexico, Central America and Cuba team. He is also a licensed pilot and a diver. Of his four chil- dren, three are “gainfully em- ployed” in the workforce, but he’ll reside in Cayman with his wife and youngest child, a 13-year-old son. Matthew Forbes JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 23-year-old man who slashed an unarmed rival with a knife in a “potentially deadly” attack following a dominoes game in a North Side yard has been jailed for three years and eight months. The victim, who suf- fered deep wounds to his left thigh and buttock, lost so much blood in the at- tack, doctors initially gave him only a 50/50 chance of survival. Maurice Jackson was charged with attempted murder in connection with the stabbing in April. But prosecutors accepted a guilty plea to the lesser charge of causing grievous bodily harm on the morning of a planned trial on Monday. Passing sentence on Wednesday, Justice Timothy Owen said both men had been drunk at the time of the incident and it was almost impossible to get a reliable account of what happened. He said the dispute had initially flared in the after- math of a dominoes game in the yard of a North Side home on April 16. Witnesses had described how Mr. Jackson, armed with a bottle in either hand, had threatened his eventual victim and had to be dis- armed, the judge said. The pair were sepa- rated, but clashed again later in the evening. This time, Jackson, armed with a long-bladed knife, stabbed his victim causing a severe gash, 1 1/2 inches wide and 6 inches deep, to his left thigh, and a similar wound, 1 1/2 inches wide and 8 inches deep, to his left buttock, the court heard. Regardless of who was the initial aggressor in the final dispute, Justice Owen said, Jackson had escalated the conflict by arming him- self with a deadly weapon and using it with force on an unarmed man. “You are solely respon- sible for his life-threatening injuries and it is only be- cause of the exceptional skill of the medical services that he didn’t die from them,” he said. The judge said medical reports showed it was un- clear if the victim would ever recover fully from his injuries and was still at risk of losing his leg. He accepted that Jackson, who is married with a 4-year-old son, was genuinely remorseful and gave credit for his guilty plea. Despite previous con- victions for common as- sault and drug-related of- fenses, he accepted this was Jackson’s first charge of serious violence. “It is obvious you have a serious alcohol problem and that drinking to excess was the main factor behind your criminal, potentially deadly attack on an unarmed man,” the judge said. He said he hoped Jackson would reflect on his behavior and emerge from prison as a “better man.” Man jailed for North Side knife attack The victim, who suffered deep wounds to his left thigh and buttock, lost so much blood in the attack, doctors initially gave him only a 50/50 chance of survival.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days George Town THURSDAY JULY 28, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 YEARS AGO: Road repairs applauded, but outstanding issues linger In the July 27, 1966 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town correspondent Haig Bodden wrote: “The filling in of the holes on the Bodden Town road is a job to be com- mended. But it is unfortu- nate to see that the work has stopped at Crewe Road. That only proves what a former member of the Leg- islative Assembly opined years ago, that the island begins at West Bay and ends at Crewe Road. “It is not incredible that the road repair equipment should have become allergic to any point beyond Crewe Rd., as from its earliest functioning it has been used only west of the Mason- Dixon Line. “There are a few potholes along the road which will soon be insurmountable even by the heaviest type of earth-moving equipment. It is perhaps a good thing that the delicate and vulner- able asphalt machines and rollers are kept as far as possible from these fathom- less pits. “If all that has been said about potholes had been committed to print the world itself could not contain the books that would need to have been written. But it seems like only a very di- minutive portion ever reaches the ears of the powers that be. The setting up of a pot- hole committee might not be a bad idea, providing that the members have not al- ready built up an immunity to the bumps and growls emitted from fellow sufferers who have undergone a wave of shock treatment on the wheels of torture. “Several years ago, the bituminous cup overflowed and spewed a little strip of tarmac from Crewe Rd. to the cemetery in Bodden Town. It is indeed a pity that the blacktop died out there, although a cemetery is sometimes a convenient place to die. “No one has ever been able to answer satisfacto- rily why hundreds of drums of asphalt were left to dis- integrate along the road from the Bodden Town cem- etery up to the big pond at Meagre Bay. Using con- servative estimates any schoolboy can calculate that the asphalt which has gone to waste in this manner could have paved the road for many miles. It is quite obvious that a blunder in high places was committed. However, this is one time that the evidence of some- body’s idiosyncrasies re- mains a monument for ev- eryone that hath eyes to see. “One of those days some- body’s phone is going to ring continuously with com- plaints from these forgotten districts. Of course, that too depends on whether the tele- phone lines will extend be- yond Crewe Rd. Perhaps one had better wait and see.” Pedro Castle will be hosting its first gospel con- cert this weekend when 2010 Grammy Award winner and popular Christian artist Jason Crabb takes to the stage on Sunday, July 31. Organizers say the concert is being held as an aware- ness event about the im- portance of early childhood learning. All proceeds will be going to Launch Pad Enrich- ment Centre in Savannah, a preschool serving kids aged 3 months to 4+ years. Originally from Kentucky, Mr. Crabb is a well-known gospel singer who began his career singing with his siblings as part of the Crabb Family. Moving between genres including gospel, country, pop and southern gospel, he won a Grammy for his first solo album in 2009, and has won 21 Dove Awards as well. He just released his fifth solo album and Reunion Records debut, “Whatever The Road,” considered to be his most personal album yet. In addition to singing, Mr. Crabb also writes children’s books. “From my experience at- tending events at Pedro in the past, I really like the venue, particularly the beau- tiful outdoor setting, and thought it would be per- fect for an event like this,” said concert organizer Dwayne Euter. He said Mr. Crabb was pleased to have been con- tacted to headline the event, and had joked that per- forming at the venue over- looking the sea was “The perfect place for a Crabb.” “This is the first time we have a Christian singer of this caliber come to the Cayman Islands, so we are very honored and excited to be part of bringing him here. We have received lots of pos- itive feedback on the con- cert so far, and are expecting a great turn out,” said Mr. Euter, who is manager at Cayman radio station Praise 87.9 FM and has worked as a gospel music producer. “Jason is looking for- ward to being here because he sees us, Cayman, as part of his family. He sees that he has family in many parts of the world and wants to share the love with all of us through his music.” Mr. Euter said he hopes that having the concert at Pedro will entice residents and visitors alike who may not be familiar with the lo- cation to check out the his- toric site, and perhaps gain a newfound apprecia- tion for its potential as a music venue. “When Dwayne came to us with the Jason Crabb concert, we knew Pedro Castle would be the perfect location,” said Pedro Castle operations man- ager Debbie Bodden. “The warm and welcoming ambience of the grounds, along with the scenic ocean views are perfect for the genre of music Mr. Crabb is famous for,” she said. “We are also looking forward to having a con- cert of this size at Pedro, and are excited to partic- ipate in more concerts of this nature in the future.” Tourism Attraction Board Acting CEO Patrick Thompson was hoping that a diverse crowd would turn out for the unique event. “We [are] very much looking forward to wel- coming the entire commu- nity – Christian and non- Christian – to our beautiful grounds,” he said. The concert starts at 6:30 p.m., gates will open at 5 p.m. Tickets can be pur- chased at the Seventh-day Adventist Conference Office or the Christian Enlighten- ment Centre (945-1252), both located in George Town. Gospel artist Jason Crabb will be performing at Pedro St. James. Grammy winning Grammy winning Grammy winning Gospel artist Gospel artist to perform at PedroDISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Bodden Town CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JULY 28, 2016 Guineps deliver a bumper crop JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com It’s guinep time again, and unlike this year’s meager mango harvest, guineps have turned out to be the bumper crop. Guinep sellers are making the most of the bounty, now widely available at the roadside, gas stations and fruit stands throughout the district. Addictive and wonderful, the fruit, somewhat like a cross between a lychee and a lime, has the unique flavor of a sweet sour orange and is a member of the soapberry family of plants. Most local grown-ups have memories of spending endless days during summer vacations slurping down guineps – a tra- dition many children heartily still embrace and enjoy. You eat guineps by put- ting one into your mouth, piercing the thin skin of the fruit with your teeth, and then squeezing the skin to pop the creamy pulp inside. The fruit can be sweet, tart or tangy, or what some lo- cals call “sour-wha.” Some sprinkle a little salt on the “sour-wha,” but the sweet ones need no condiments. Be sure not to swallow the seed, spit it out after re- moving the pulp. Also, be careful with the juicy pulp as it can leave a dark brown stain on clothes. Guineps are full of po- tassium and vitamin C and can be combined with other fruits to create a refreshing tropical drink. Caution should be taken, as guineps must be ripe when eaten, otherwise they contain toxins. Because of the large seeds, they pose a danger to small children as they are a potential choking hazard. The guinep trees grow wild in pastures, and many homes boast a tree in the yard. Most people will let you pick from their trees – but re- member to ask nicely first. Picking and eating guineps is one of my great childhood memories. My favorite tree was in Kate Berry’s backyard in Big Rock, Bodden Town. It was the sweetest tree in our neck of the woods, but Ms. Berry kicked up a storm whenever we raided the tree on our way home from school. Plenty of times, the boys got caught up in the tree when Ms. Berry came out the back door after hearing the commotion outside. At first, she would shake the limbs to dislodge the boys, and when that did not work, she threatened to call their parents. Sometimes, she just sat under the tree until nightfall, waiting for the boys to come down. They would often remain up the tree until Ms. Berry got tired of waiting. We saw it as good fun, and although Ms. Berry seemed like a cantankerous old lady, she meant us no harm and loved us like her own. The thatch workers GEORGE NOWAK Using silver thatch to make baskets, hats, fans, brooms and, of course, rope is quickly becoming a thing of the past. There was a time when making rope was an important part of the Cayman Islands’ economy. Now only a few continue the tradition, mainly for dem- onstration, to show how it used to be done. Shown in this photo, taken in the late ‘70s, are the hands of an unidenti- fied lady in the district of Bodden Town toiling at her daily task of cutting thatch. They were working hands – hands that built up calluses and eventually became hard as dried leather. They were scarred and hardened with the evidence of countless bumps, bruises and cuts in- flicted over the years. Per- fumed hand creams and nail polish were simply unheard of to these hard-working ladies. 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. Nyla Mahadeo, Marilyn Nasirun and Aaron ‘D-Docta’ Solomon dive into some guineps at the farmers market. - PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY The pulpy fruit can be sweet, tart, tangy or really sour.8 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY JULY 28, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Three years on, fire service remains short-staffed Hiring to begin this year BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Chronic short-staffing problems that led to a one- year overtime bill of nearly $1 million for the Cayman Is- lands Fire Service still exist at the department, three years after government au- ditors identified the issue and managers promised to correct it. Fire service representa- tives said Wednesday that there are plans to hire new recruits, as well as place cur- rent firefighters who qualify in higher-ranking positions, within the current govern- ment budget, which runs from this month until De- cember 2017. Fifteen new recruits will be hired following a recruit- ment process to begin this year. While that is under way, an internal promotion re- view will be undertaken to fill some long-vacant middle management roles, according to fire service human re- sources managers. After the initial hiring process, the service plans to request funds be released for additional hiring of new re- cruits. The current govern- ment budget has “funded” a total of 33 currently vacant jobs within the fire service. The internal audit unit re- view that first revealed prob- lems with fire service staffing in 2013 showed 40 vacant positions out of a total 168 within the service. Essen- tially, the report stated that the fire service was run- ning its standard operations while being down about one quarter of the staff it needed. Eighteen of the va- cancies were in the line of duty within either aerodrome (airport) or domestic (land- based) fire services. To fill the vacancies and continue to staff local fire stations around the clock, firefighters were continu- ally brought in on over- time pay, leaving the govern- ment with a bill of between $500,000 and $1 million for overtime which the govern- ment was forced to pay in a lump sum during the 2013/14 budget year. According to a 2015 re- view of the fire service done by U.K. consultants, many times, the firefighters staffing stations on overtime were not responding to calls during the period because none came in while they were working. The consultant’s review stated that whether or not there was a fire emergency, crews still had to staff the stations, leading to more fire- fighters working more hours at either regular rates or time-and-a-half (overtime) rates. Meanwhile, the fire ser- vice was making an average of just more than two calls per day. As of Tuesday, the fire ser- vice reported total vacancies of 38, two fewer than it had during 2013. Twenty-three percent of the available posi- tions remain vacant. According to fire service managers, 33 of the 38 va- cant jobs have been “funded” within the current 2016/17 budget. New recruits are ex- pected to fill entry-level fire officer positions while more senior fire staff are moved up the ranks via the internal re- cruitment process. The Cayman Islands gov- ernment has budgeted to hire new firefighters in previous years, but has not done so. The consultant review, done by U.K. Fire and Rescue Advisor Peter Holland, noted that volunteer firefighters could be used, as they are in the U.S. to some extent. An- other option would be the U.K.-style use of “retained duty” (off duty) firefighters on an as-needed basis. Retained duty firefighters are staffed and trained to the same stan- dard as other firefighters, but they’re only called in when emergencies dictate. In some situations, Cayman could look at bringing in its current fire service staff for extra-time duty. “It ought to be quite at- tractive to local firefighters to earn more money” on a re- tained duty basis, Mr. Hol- land said. Ministry of Home Af- fairs officials have previously balked at the idea of a volun- teer (unpaid) fire service, but indicated that government could consider a hybrid of the U.S. and U.K. systems. Firefighters forced to move from WB station BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com West Bay fire crews, as well as their vehicles and equipment, will be re- sponding to emergen- cies from the Ed Bush Sports Complex for the next several weeks. The Cayman Islands gov- ernment said this week that the move is to “accommodate extensive repairs” to the sta- tion. Work started on Monday and is expected to finish up in about six weeks. A government statement indicated there should be no impact on fire service re- sponses due to the move and reminded residents with emergencies to always call 911, rather than the local fire station or any other emer- gency responders directly. Cayman Islands Chief Fire Officer David Hails reported in June that significant mold damage was found in all three Grand Cayman fire sta- tions, including West Bay. Mr. Hails’s comments came in response to ques- tions asked in the Legisla- tive Assembly’s Finance Com- mittee about mold present in the West Bay Fire Station that one lawmaker claimed was “growing out of the air conditioning unit” inside the buildings. “The situation with the mold at West Bay is inherent throughout all the fire sta- tions, not only in West Bay,” Mr. Hails said. Mr. Hails said in June that it appeared one of the problems was that air con- ditioning units had not been replaced since September 2004’s Hurricane Ivan at var- ious locations. He said AC re- pair and potential replace- ment would be required at all locations throughout the fire service. The Cayman Islands Fire Service operates three sta- tions on Grand Cayman: one at the Owen Roberts Inter- national Airport, another on Frank Sound Road, North Side, and the third along West Bay Road in West Bay. Firefighters put out a pole fire in May last year. The Fire Service remained 23 percent understaffed as of this week. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Red Bay roundabout ahead of schedule Traffic woes should be over by early next week CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Work on the Red Bay roundabout has squeezed traffic to and from Savannah and the eastern districts into one lane and several detours, slowing commutes to a crawl for several days this week, and backing traffic up for miles. The good news is that the project to widen and re- build the roundabout is al- most two weeks ahead of schedule and the National Roads Authority plans to lay down the final paving this weekend or Monday, according to NRA senior engineer Edison Jackson. The work began more than a month ago to widen the roundabout to three lanes and workers are changing the angle of the roundabout to slope in- wards, meant to make the road safer for motorists. The roundabout originally sloped outwards, making it easier for vehicles to slide off the road. “Things went better than we expected,” Mr. Jackson said. With all the factors that go into widening a roundabout that remains open to traffic, including un- derground utilities, shifting traffic patterns and unpre- dictable summer weather, he said a combination of thorough planning and luck helped the project go quicker than initially anticipated. Mr. Jackson said he orig- inally planned to pave the road by Aug. 20, but now that could be done as soon as Monday, depending on the weather. The diversions on Sham- rock Road and through Prospect Point will con- tinue until the roundabout is completed. Linford Pierson next The National Roads Au- thority has plans for more work in the area in the coming years, including widening the east-west arte- rial from the Dr. Tomlinson Roundabout to Grand Har- bour. Roads crews have al- ready started clearing along the Linford Pierson Highway for a widening project there. Mark Scotland, heading the Linford Pierson project for the National Roads Au- thority, said the first phase of the project will be to widen the highway to four lanes with a median from the Silver Oaks Roundabout at the First Assembly of God Church to Agnes Way, a little more than a mile. Mr. Scotland said plans to widen the rest of the highway are still in the works, with some negoti- ations still ongoing with landowners along the road. “Some property issues are ongoing,” he said. He said he expects crews will be out in the coming week to start excavating the areas that have been cleared to pre- pare the land for the utility and paving work to come. The National Roads Authority says work on the Red Bay roundabout is running ahead of schedule. - PHOTO: CHARLES DUNCANThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JULY 28, 2016 To the love of my life Mrs Juanita Whittaker It’s been one sad and lonely year since you have been gone. How I wish you were here with me where you belong. It’s been one year since I watched you take your last breath. One year since your eyes closed in death. The memories of that night will never go away, They are as fresh in my mind as if it was yesterday. Sweetheart, although you are not with me any longer, Every day my love for you keeps growing stronger and stronger. So, plum... although death has torn us apart, You will always be in my heart; because I will forever love you. From your broken hearted husband, who loves you so, - Glenn - How I wish you were here with me where you belong. It’s been one year since I watched you How I wish you were here with me where you belong. We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Francisco Eden-Diaz of Cuba and Grand Cayman, who passed away on Friday, July 22, 2016. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Thursday, July 28, 2016 at Filadel a Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 4242 Rosemary Street, off Marina Drive, Prospect at 4:00p.m. Viewing will be from 3:00-3:45p.m. Interment to follow at the Prospect Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com Affairs Acting Deputy Chief Officer Michael Ebanks. “That decision will be taken in accordance with the Public Service Man- agement Law and Per- sonnel Regulations.” Mr. Connor was struck and killed early on April 23, 2015 along the Linford Pierson Highway by a ve- hicle which left the scene of the accident. His body was discovered shortly after by a passing cyclist. Tibbetts was arrested on April 26, 2015 after po- lice received information regarding a damaged ve- hicle that was suspected of having been involved in the fatal crash. Tibbetts’s attorney, Amelia Fosuhene, requested a social inquiry report be completed on her client be- fore his sentencing date. The immigration officer is one of 31 Cayman Is- lands civil servants iden- tified by Deputy Governor Franz Manderson in June as being on required leave. Typically, longer periods of suspension from the civil service involve matters before the court, Mr. Man- derson said. The longest such case he was aware of had been ongoing for about four years. Mr. Manderson said, if convicted of a crime or of a serious administrative vio- lation, civil servants can be “separated” – terminated – from the government. asked for an additional stay in order to have time to ap- peal. The judge refused the stay, and the project – a col- laboration between Cayman’s Mosquito Research and Con- trol Unit and Oxitec – can now begin at any time. “I understood the urgency of the application, since the application sought, amongst other relief, a stay of events and actions scheduled for the very next day,” Judge Mangatal wrote. “However, I also understood the weighti- ness and importance of the subject matter to the public bodies concerned, and in- deed, to the public in general. “It is because the planned operation appears to be ex- tremely time sensitive in a number of ways, and alleg- edly involves the critical issues of public health and the envi- ronment, that I have taken the step of expediting the substan- tive hearing in such a height- ened way,” she wrote. The applicant, Dwene Ebanks, sought a judicial re- view of the May 18 decision of the Department of the En- vironment, acting on behalf of the National Conserva- tion Council, to permit the import and release of up to 22 million genetically modi- fied mosquitoes in West Bay. The project which aims to re- duce the Aedes aegypti spe- cies that transmits dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Mr. Ebanks, who spear- heads a group called Caymanians United to Sus- pend GM Mosquitoes, started a petition to suspend the project two months ago. The challenge was made on five grounds: that the re- spondents failed to carry out an independent risk assess- ment of the consequences of the proposed release; that there was a flawed reliance on an October 2009 risk as- sessment; that there was a failure to carry out a public consultation; that there was a “predisposition” to grant ap- proval; and irrationality. The purpose of the judi- cial review was not to deter- mine the merits or demerits of the project, “no matter how controversial they may be,” the judge wrote. “That is a matter for the appropriately quali- fied and mandated public bodies,” she said. The judge wrote that she had to respect the National Conservation Council’s de- cision and “only interfere if solid grounds have been made out that there has been breach of the rights of a cit- izen, including fundamental human rights.” “In my judgment, the Ap- plicant has failed to estab- lish the grounds set out in the application and the re- lief sought by way of Judicial Review must be refused,” the judge wrote. She said the respon- dents’ evidence showed that the National Conservation Council and the Department of Environment considered the potential risks before granting approval, and found that there was not a failure to consult with the public be- fore the council’s decision. She noted that meetings took place in public and there was notification to the public via the media in advance of the National Conservation Council’s decision, that rele- vant information was avail- able on the Department of Environment’s website, and that there was “quite intense public outreach carried out in West Bay.” “It should be noted that although proper consulta- tion is important, there must be a cut-off point as we do not live in an ideal world,” the judge wrote. “It is also the case, that at the end of the day, there is no telling whether everyone will agree on the course to be adopted.” In response to an asser- tion by the applicant that the signing of a partnership agreement on the project prior to the submission of the MRCU’s application to the National Conservation Council raised concerns that the council’s “discretion may have been fettered,” the judge wrote that the applicant’s statement amounted to “no more than speculation.” She also noted that the project was not the first time such a release would occur in Cayman. In 2009 and 2010, genetically modified mosqui- toes were released during a trial project in East End. “For the future, when planning to use any new technology, which, unlike the [genetically modified mos- quitoes] has not already been introduced to the Islands, a non-binding survey … might well be considered to have some benefit and go a far way in enabling the public to feel a part of a process be- fore implementation,” the jus- tice advised in her written draft judgment. The judge also advised that the Department of En- vironment and the National Conservation Council begin to develop the “criteria, pro- cedures and subsidiary legislation” for determining whether the introduction of alien or genetically modi- fied species might cause any harm to natural resources and for regulating and con- trolling such populations and introductions. Mosquito Research and Control Unit Director Bill Petrie said the unit was “very pleased” with the judge’s de- cisions and “anxious to get on with the job.” “I think we can all agree … that the work done by the court, by the jus- tice was very, very impres- sive, the amount of mate- rial that was consumed and digested in a fairly short period of time on a fairly technical matter,” he said. Applicant Mr. Ebanks said he thought his side had been able to present a “strong case.” He said the lawyers would review the matter to determine whether to pro- ceed with an appeal and that either way, resistance to the project would continue in some form. “We believe that the re- lease of 22 million genetically modified mosquitoes in West Bay didn’t have the local population’s consent,” Mr. Ebanks said. “I’m sad that it went the way that it did, but hopefully those agencies will understand that they cer- tainly have to pay much more importance to the public.” Churches to start campaign for ‘family life’ JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Church leaders revealed plans Wednesday for a cam- paign in support of “tradi- tional values” against the backdrop of an ongoing debate over rights for same-sex cou- ples in long-term relationships in the Cayman Islands. In a statement, released on behalf of multiple Cayman Is- lands churches, a joint com- mittee of pastors said they were taking a “united stand” on the “biblical basis for the establishing and ordering of family life.” The campaign, which the pastors said would be “edu- cational and spiritually en- riching,” will begin with a rally at the Lions Centre on Sept. 11. The announcement comes just days after former law college professor Leonardo Raznovich won the right to be included as a dependent on his same-sex partner’s work permit. It also comes amid an on- going debate about the re- quirement for the Cayman Is- lands to update its legislation to create a framework to ac- knowledge same-sex partner- ships, in order to comply with established case law through the European Court of Human Rights, the highest court of ap- peal for the territory. The Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission has said that current leg- islation is discriminatory and would not withstand a legal challenge. In their statement, the pas- tors say they are particularly concerned about what they de- scribe as a “movement to effect cultural changes in Cayman from outside the territory.” Alson Ebanks, senior pastor of the George Town Church of God Chapel, said Caribbean societies are facing “cultural colonialism and ideo- logical imperialism,” which he described as an extension of what occurred in slavery. The group says it is not limiting the campaign to the issue of homosexual rela- tionships, but is broadly con- cerned about “all lifestyle choices that run counter to Bible-based values.” “Alternative lifestyles in- clude the disintegration of traditional marriage due to rising divorce rates,” Pastor Ebanks added, saying the churches’ opposition incorpo- rated the “gamut of pre-mar- ital and extra-marital inti- macy, to same-sex unions and even to pedophilia.” Bishop Nicholas Sykes said what is happening in Cayman is an example of the collapse of the Christian basis for so- ciety in the West. He said the ministers took comfort from the fact that some societies were pushing back, citing the rejection of same-sex marriage and civil unions in a refer- endum in Bermuda. The campaign is led by the Cayman Ministers’ Associa- tion, as well as the Adventist and other churches. The joint statement, which also includes endorsements from Pastor Torrance Bobb, chairman of the Cayman Min- isters’ Association, Pastor Jeff Shion O’Connor, president of the Cayman Islands Confer- ence of Seventh-day Adven- tists, and Pastor Jeff Jefferson of the Ebenezer Adventist Church, indicates the cam- paign will be a long-term ef- fort to raise awareness of bib- lical teachings on family life. “The aim is to join forces locally and regionally to pro- vide a platform for promoting traditional values, particularly in view of perceived efforts to change cultural values region- ally and locally.” The Sept. 11 rally will in- clude speeches from Pastor Pastor Ebanks, David Gibbs, a lawyer with the U.S. National Center for Life and Liberty, and Brendan Bain, a doctor and church elder described as a pioneer in treating AIDS pa- tients in Jamaica. Paid leave continues for convicted immigration officer Judge explains mosquito project decision “Following the conclusion of the court proceedings, a decision will be taken with respect to Mr. Tibbetts’s employment with the Department of Immigration.” MICHAEL EBANKS, acting deputy chief officer, Ministry of Home Affairs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >