High of 90 Low of 78 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Amazing Race 4.0 Are you and your team up to the challenge? B3 Pop art in pop-up shop The STOAK’D collective sets up temporary retail space in Bodden Town B4 Events Food & Drink Art ■ THEATER ‘Fringe’ of f ame Melanie Ebanks and acting troupe take Edinburgh by storm. B7 Test your trivia skills Sign up for the Humane Society pub quiz at Fidel’s on Thursday B2 In the pink Rosé wine should be embraced by both men and women B5 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 Fine Wine and Spirits 20% OFF for the month of August DISCOVER THE TRUE GOLD OF GUYANA. Chose from 3, 5, 6, 8, 12, 15 and 21 years of age. CAYMAN WEEKENDER ‘Fringe’ of fame EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 SCHOOL WOES NOT JUST ‘ON PAPER’ ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 9-year-old completes cross-state challenge Father and son cyclists Tim and Alex Dailey visit a penny-farthing monument along the nearly 500-mile route of last month’s Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, known as RAGBRAI. Alex, 9, and his dad have raised $3,400 for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, Cayman HospiceCare and One Dog at a Time. For more, see page 9. Syed trial put off until 2017 Further delay in UCCI theft case BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former University College of the Cayman Islands President Hassan Syed will not face trial until at least January, following an adjournment of his criminal case that was agreed this week. Syed’s trial on theft, obtaining a pecuniary advantage by decep- tion and obtaining money order by deception charges was set for next month, but it has now been put off until Jan. 30, 2017, ac- cording to Crown prosecutors. Syed is alleged to have taken more than $500,000 from the university. This was at least the third delay for the trial since early 2015. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran said Thursday that the Crown fully intended for the criminal case to proceed on that date. Syed pleaded not guilty in February 2015 to the alleged dishonesty offenses that all relate to his time as head of UCCI between 2006 and 2008. Syed was arrested in Switzer- land in November 2013 in con- nection with the alleged thefts. The new trial date will come more than eight years since he left the Cayman Islands in the wake of an audit that found he had spent tens of thousands of dollars in university money on personal items. He was charged in absentia in 2013. Following his arrest, which was not made public until Jan- uary 2014, Syed was extradited to Cayman in May 2014. He has been free on $400,000 bail since his first appearance in court in late May 2014. Trial dates were postponed in March 2015 and from a tentative date in November 2015, for var- ious court scheduling reasons. No reason was given for the latest adjournment, which was decided Tuesday in judge’s chambers. The Cayman Islands Auditor General’s office advised in 2013 that more than $200,000 listed in government financial state- ments as “accounts receivable from a former UCCI president” CONCERN OVER CHILD ABUSE INVESTIGATIONS JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Child advocates have raised concerns over how sexual abuse allegations are handled in the Cayman Islands in the wake of a judge’s warning that “inexcusable delays” had im- pacted the chances of justice in a recent case. Judge Timothy Owens said last week he was “astonished” that serious allegations of sustained sexual abuse made by an 11-year- old girl against older male relatives had not been investigated more promptly. He ques- tioned why the case had apparently been dropped for 18 months by police and then took another two years to come to trial. He said no one in the trial had been able to explain why that had happened. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service has declined to comment on the delays in the investigation and what action it is taking, until Justice Owens delivers his verdict and final WOMAN CHARGED WITH ARSON AFTER GT HOUSE FIRE CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnacle medialtd.com Letecia Jarrett, 37, appeared in Summary Court on Thursday charged with arson in connection with a house fire in George Town late last month. The defendant is charged that without lawful excuse, she destroyed by fire a number of buildings and their contents at Cruz Lane on July 31. Details allege that she either intended to destroy or damage the property or else she was reckless as to whether the property would be destroyed or damaged. Further, the charge alleges that she was reckless as to whether the life of another would thereby be endangered. Jarrett, of no fixed abode, was repre- sented by attorney Amelia Fosuhene, who expressed an intention to apply for bail. Crown counsel Greg Walcolm indicated that documentation relating to the case would be available later Thursday. Magistrate Grace Donalds then directed that Jarrett be remanded in custody until Friday, Aug. 12, for the bail application. Hassan Syed PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Syed pleaded not guilty in February 2015 to the alleged dishonesty offenses that all relate to his time as head of UCCI between 2006 and 2008.2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Casual indoor & outdoor dining with a local flair. Family friendly & affordable. 94-PASTA [ 947.2782 ] • Marquee Plaza Enjoy Dinner Tonight at Try One of Our Signature Dishes Banana Wrap Snapper Eugenio Leon Harpist Extraordinaire, serenades tableside TONIGHT and EVERY Friday night! Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday Tarpon Fish Feeding 7:30pm & 9:00pm Nightly “BOOGIE NIGHTS” Friday, August 26th Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics Music By DJ FLEX Starting at 9:30pm Salsa 7:30pm & 9:00pm Nightly7:30pm & 9:00pm Nightly “BOOGIE NIGHTS”“BOOGIE NIGHTS” Friday, August 26Friday, August 26 Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics “BOOGIE NIGHTS”“BOOGIE NIGHTS” Friday, August 26Friday, August 26 Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics Don’t forget NEXT Last Friday of EVERY MONTH is almost here! Tonight! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky Salsa Free lessons with Kirk starting This year’s most prolific meteor shower approaches ALEXANDER SLOCOCK aslocock@pinnaclemedialtd.com This weekend, the night sky will offer a spectacular display during what is con- sidered the peak of the Per- seid meteor shower. The annual spectacle, formed by the burning up of tiny rock fragments as they enter the Earth’s atmosphere from space, is named after the portion of sky from which the meteors seem to emanate: the Constellation of Perseus. In reality, the sand- grain-sized rock fragments that form the shower orig- inate from Comet Swift- Tuttle, which last came within proximity of Earth in 1992. Although it will be another 110 years until the comet next passes Earth, our planet annually passes through the dusty debris field that the comet leaves in its wake, causing the natural phenomenon. This year, the shower is predicted to be even more prolific than usual, and in northern latitudes, if perfect weather conditions prevail, people can expect to witness up to 200 meteors per hour. Chris Cooke of the Cayman Islands Astronom- ical Society advises specta- tors to “find a dark, north- facing area to best experience the meteor shower.” The night sky will be at its darkest after the moon sets – at 1:44 a.m. on Sat- urday, and 2:33 a.m. on Sunday. The meteors should be visible, in declining num- bers, through to Aug. 24. The Perseid meteor shower should be visible in the night skies in Cayman. - PHOTO: BLAINE MCCARTNEY VIA AP ADVENTIST CHURCH ASSISTS FIRE VICTIMS The Kings Seventh- day Adventist Church has come to the aid of a family whose Cruz Lane home was destroyed by fire late last month. Five people were left homeless after the fire ripped through their timber-framed houses in central George Town in a suspected arson attack. As part of its commu- nity service response, the church board moved to as- sist the family. Samantha Bodden and her two chil- dren, ages 11 and 6, re- ceived clothing and a gift certificate for a local su- permarket on Sunday, Aug. 7. The church team also held a prayer session for the family. Speaking on behalf of the Kings Community Ser- vices team, Stephanie Jackson said the children’s great-grandmother, Emily Bodden, was a member of Kings Church. Mrs. Jackson said the church is willing to as- sist in all emergency cases in the community that the church serves. The family, which is receiving help from a number of donors, has been relocated to govern- ment-assisted housing in West Bay. Mrs. Jackson said that the task ahead for the family is to rebuild their home, adding that church members are ready to as- sist with labor whenever the family acquires the nec- essary materials. Sally Bodden, Saman- tha’s mother, said, “I thank everyone for what they have done to assist my daughter and grandchildren.” Anyone who would like to assist can call Matthew Leslie on 917-3027. Heroes Day to honor tourism sector Next year’s National He- roes Day will recognize the pioneers of Cayman’s tourism industry, the organizing com- mittee announced Thursday. The Heroes Day ceremony, which will be held on Jan. 23, will honor those chosen from public nominations. The nom- ination period, which begins on Sept. 1, runs until Sept. 30. Members of the public can nominate people they believe have made significant con- tributions to the tourism in- dustry over the years. Premier Alden McLaughlin, who is also minister for culture, said in a press release, “We chose tourism as the 2017 theme because the tourism sector is a vital part of our country’s past, present and future. It is time we recognise the people who are committed to this constantly growing sector, and celebrate their hard work and efforts.” The National Heroes Day Committee will oversee the nomination process. Deputy Premier and Min- ister of Tourism Moses Kirk- connell, who met the com- mittee at its meeting Tuesday, said, “I am so pleased that tourism has been chosen for National Heroes Day 2017. I look forward to the public getting involved to recognise the men and women who have given so much to the tourism community, and who continue to help tourism thrive in the Cayman Islands.” The “Pioneers in Tourism” will receive commemora- tive insignia and certificates at the ceremony. The government’s Protocol Office organizes the National Heroes Day ceremony with assistance from the Ministry of Culture. The award categories are: Early Pioneer: An indi- vidual, alive or deceased, who made significant contributions to the early development and delivery of tourism throughout the Cayman Islands before 1960. Pioneer: An individual, alive or deceased, who made significant contributions to tourism from 1960-2006. Emerging Pioneer: An in- dividual who has made signif- icant contributions to tourism from 2006 to present. Memorial Scroll: A de- ceased person who was a leader or notable contributor to the development and/or de- livery of tourism. Long Service Award: A living individual who may not have been a leader, but a long serving person in the tourism community, who has contrib- uted for 10 years or more. CONMEBOL PROMOTES FEMALE LEGAL CHIEF AS INTERIM CEO ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) – South American gov- erning body CONMEBOL has appointed legal di- rector Montserrat Jimenez as interim director gen- eral, increasing the influ- ence of female officials as soccer recovers from cor- ruption scandals. She joins recently hired FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura as the most senior female administra- tors in the sport. Jimenez, a lawyer from Paraguay, takes on extra duty to help steer CON- MEBOL through turmoil and restructuring. CONMEBOL’s past three presidents were indicted by the U.S. Justice Department last year in an ongoing in- vestigation into wide- ranging corruption linked to broadcasting and tourna- ment hosting rights worth more than $200 million spanning three decades. FATHER OF ORLANDO SHOOTER SIGHTED AT CLINTON EVENT KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) – The fa- ther of the Orlando gay night- club shooter was spotted at a campaign event for Hillary Clinton in central Florida. Seddique Mateen was standing in a crowd behind Clinton during the Monday night event in Kissimmee, south of Orlando. A cam- paign official told The Asso- ciated Press on Tuesday that he was not invited to attend the 3,000-person, open-door public event and that the campaign wasn’t aware he was there until it ended. Mateen told news outlets after the rally that he loves “the United States.” Omar Mateen fatally shot 49 people and injured another 53 at Pulse night- club on June 12. He was killed by law enforcement officers following a three- hour standoff. The father says his family has been cooperating with investigators. During her speech, Clinton expressed support for the survivors of the attack and the loved ones of those killed.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 go to discoverfl ow.ky/tv or visit your nearest Flow store. *Flow terms and conditions apply. with Flow TV Save 50% off your TV package* and enter to win fabulous prizes Catch all the action from Rio Olympics 2016 – and access exclusive content. go for gold this summer OFFICIAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS PARTNERThe 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. 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” We’ve all heard of, “No more pencils, no more books” — but no more paper? We’re not referring to the schoolyard chant signaling the beginning of summer vacation, but to concerns raised by Cayman Islands parents about the consistent scarcity of basic supplies in government schools. In January, representatives from the country’s Parent Teacher Associations met with education officials and dis- cussed, among other things, “a recurring issue of a lack of paper at schools.” In a country which is one of the world’s wealthiest, which built a single high school at a cost of more than $110 million and which will spend $100 million on public educa- tion this year alone — how is that even possible? In the face of shortages, teachers’ initial solution was to ask parents to please send extra classroom supplies. Education officials didn’t like that strategy — not because schools begging parents for paper is a bad idea (which it is), but because it made the government look bad. Optics are important, but they shouldn’t enter this equation. Schools lacking paper doesn’t just look bad. It is bad. (Here we’ll note that it took the Compass five months, and an appeal to the Information Commissioner’s Office, to wrest the notes from January’s public meeting from the grasp of education officials, who, true to form, undertook to bury the embarrassing records from public view.) The members of our ruling Progressives government, meanwhile, are attempting to take political advantage of a shameful situation they helped create. Last Saturday, the Progressives held a “Back to School Bash” at their party headquarters on Crewe Road where elected lawmakers distributed — you guessed it — free school supplies to the children of their supporters. The pre-event announcement features a photo of Premier Alden McLaughlin handing over a bag of supplies to one such youngster. This is the same Mr. McLaughlin who, as education minister, championed the construction of Clifton Hunter High School — our country’s $110 million-plus monument to hubris. Officials should have shaved $10 million or $20 million from that shiny edifice on Frank Sound Road, and spent it elsewhere: say, on paper — lots of it. As for the remarks from current Education Minister Tara Rivers — who said the meeting was a “great way to facilitate dialogue …” — we’ll just observe that if Minister Rivers were a teacher emanating this kind of substance- less blather in front of a classroom, no one could blame the students for drifting off to sleep. Cayman’s education problems, however, go far beyond Premier McLaughlin, Minister Rivers or this current crop of lawmakers. Consider Clifton Hunter: On the outside, the school is a modern-looking, even beautiful, structure. But inside the building, the same old problems plaguing Cayman’s school system remain unattended to. Fifty years ago, our country’s leaders made the serious mistake of not making public education the number one priority of the Cayman Islands. In 1965 and the years after, when the beginnings of the modern Cayman were taking root, the first thing offi- cials should have done was to examine the school system, realize that the education of the day would not prepare Caymanians for the jobs of Cayman’s future, and refuse to settle for anything less than world-class schools. They, and subsequent governments, did not do that. Instead, they chose to protect a select number of high- ranking education administrators — at the expense of genera- tions of Caymanian children — and for decades allowed them to preside over a continually underperforming school system. With each passing day, and each failing student, Cayman needs dramatic education reform more than ever. The fact that there will be no quick, easy or cheap solution only serves to underscore the urgency of the situation. This brings us to a tale told by the late Linton Tibbetts, who was perhaps the greatest entrepreneur in Cayman’s history. Linton was a boy on the Brac, and his father was urging him to help him plant some trees. Reluctant to undertake the labor, Linton informed his father that, according to his calculations, the trees would not reach full maturity for 50 to 100 years. “Well,” Linton’s father replied, “we’d better get started.” School woes not just ‘on paper’ FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS BLOOMBERG VIEW EDITORIAL BOARD Nobody said quitting the European Union would be easy. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May has declared that “Brexit means Brexit,” but Britain still hasn’t de- cided what it wants. There’s not much clarity in the rest of the EU, either. As a Bloom- berg survey of officials across the union makes clear, its 27 other members have their own ideas about how they want Brexit to play out and where to draw red lines. This process is going to take time – longer than the two years the Article 50 exit process provides. Britain’s dithering since its Brexit referendum has been widely noted, but clarity in London may not speed things up much, given the “com- plex patchwork of priorities” among EU policymakers that the Bloomberg survey found. Officials in Germany, Por- tugal, the Czech Republic and other countries insist that to be granted full access to Eu- rope’s single market, the U.K. would have to accept the EU’s rules on free movement of workers. That’s a condition Britain’s government would find hard to accept. A few of the other EU countries might be less insis- tent on free movement, but all have axes to grind: contribu- tions to the EU budget, the City of London’s rights and obligations, Ireland’s border with Northern Ireland, sov- ereignty over Gibraltar, fish- eries, farming, shipping, power plant subsidies, access to universities, the rights of Britons living in the EU, the rights of EU citizens living in Britain, and on and on. Many EU governments want Britain to clarify its po- sition – and they have a point. The U.K. can’t expect to be treated as a fully committed member of the union any longer. Its status as a soon-to- be non-member should be for- mally recognized without fur- ther delay. But two years from that point will not be time enough to settle on the design of a long-term relationship. The way forward is to un- link those two things: First, exit. Later, settle on a long- term relationship. And in be- tween, conduct a transition on no fixed timetable that tem- porarily preserves most of the rights and reciprocal ob- ligations of EU membership. To be sure, this approach wouldn’t bridge the gaps be- tween Britain and the EU-27, or make an extraordinarily complex separation any sim- pler. But it would at least allow for a more orderly dis- cussion, which is in every- body’s interests. Equally important, it would allow for clarity on the key point, and soon. Britain and Europe can agree that Britain will quit the EU in short order, without rushing a negotiation that will take time to get right. © 2016, Bloomberg View Moving UK, EU ever closer to Brexit MEGAN MCARDLE There’s a lot of interesting data on Europe’s wave of ref- ugees in Pew’s latest report. But here’s a piece of infor- mation that is not so much interesting as disturbing: Only 27 percent of those ref- ugees are female. In every age group, from nearly every country of origin, women are greatly outnumbered. And the difference is even more pronounced for immigrants from Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subconti- nent. Gambia, Bangladesh and Pakistan, for example, sent virtually no women at all. Over all, refugee men outnumber refugee women nearly two to one. There are two scenarios that can unfold from this fact. The first is that destina- tion countries simply end up with an imbalance between the number of men and women in their populations. That would be a problem; even slightly out-of-whack gender demographics can have substantial social im- pacts. The refugees – already predisposed to experience isolation, disconnection and disaffection from their host society – will thus also bear the desperation of men who have little hope of forming a long-term relationship with a woman and starting a family. This is a recipe for disaster. So why not allow addi- tional women to emigrate from these men’s countries of origin? This would aggravate another set of problems. Just last year, several of the more popular destina- tions for immigration saw their foreign population shares increase by more than 1 percentage point. (The U.S. has long been the world’s most popular destination for immigrants. For comparison, it saw a similar increase over 10 years, from 2005 to 2015.) To allow enough additional women to fix the gender im- balance would imply some- thing like another half-per- centage-point increase, over a very short period of time. I am, as I have frequently noted in this column, a big fan of immigration. But cul- tures, particularly homoge- nous cultures, do need some time to absorb and assimi- late the migrant flows. Last year’s refugee wave strained both the political and social systems of many countries. Increasing it by half again, or a third again, in short order, might bring those systems to the breaking point. Unfortunately, at this point there aren’t any good options left. The people are there; Europe cannot go back and demand a more gender- balanced migrant wave. It could deny the bulk of those applications and send most of those men back where they came from. But that’s un- likely; both EU refugee policy and a lot of the political class are publicly committed to sheltering a lot of these people. It would be difficult indeed to suddenly back- pedal on those commitments. It would also be politically difficult to radically increase immigration (by women) as a response to the wave of im- migration (by men). But a short-term political challenge is far preferable to a sim- mering societal meltdown. Bloomberg View columnist Megan McArdle writes on economics, business and public policy. For more columns from Bloomberg View, visit www.bloomberg.com/view. © 2016, Bloomberg View I am, as I have frequently noted in this column, a big fan of immigration. But cultures, particularly homogenous cultures, do need some time to absorb and assimilate the migrant flows. Europe’s migrants: Too many men British Prime Minister Theresa May has declared that ‘Brexit means Brexit,’ but much remains unclear. - PHOTO: BLOOMBERG/CHRIS RATCLIFFEThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 nsurance Managers Association of Cayman IMAC EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION FORMED IN 1994 RAISED OVER $2.9 MILLION ASSISTED 38 STUDENTS CHLOE TATHUM BSc degree in Movement Science at Penn State University ERICA POWELL BSc degree ( Honors ) in Early Childhood Education from Florida International University CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2016 GRADUATES MYA SCOTCHMAN Psychology at Plymouth University AARON FARRINGTON Psychology at Plymouth University JULIAN JERVIS Biology at St. Lawrence University, New York KAYLA SOLOMON Early Childhood Studies at the University of Portsmouth ASHLI WELCOME Veterinary Medicine at Szent Istvan University in Budapest LESHONTAE MISSICK Medicine at International American University in St. Lucia MARTYNNA BERRY Communication and Media Studies at Carleton University AMY THOMPSON Hospitality Management at Portsmouth University ALEXANDRA ARTUCH English Literature at the University of East Anglia SHANTELLE ELLIS Tourism Management at University College Birmingham WHITNEY GENERAL Medicine at Bristol University KATLEN BUSH English Education at Indiana Wesleyan University MIRIAM MASCAL International Business at University of Tampa THE FUND IS ALSO CURRENTLY SUPPORTING6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cautions for pregnant women as Zika found locally CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The mosquito-borne Zika virus is perhaps best known and most feared for causing severe birth defects in babies whose mothers contract the disease while pregnant. Now that Cayman’s Public Health Department has confirmed two cases of Zika contracted locally on Grand Cayman, doctors on the island are telling pregnant women and their spouses, and couples hoping to conceive, to be vigi- lant about not getting bitten by mosquitoes. Dr. Suzanne Muise, an ob- stetrician and gynecologist in George Town, said she’s telling her pregnant and hoping to be pregnant pa- tients, “Avoid mosquito bites in any way possible, short of moving to the Arctic.” She said most of the ad- vice people already know: wear bug spray and long clothes, do not go walking along a canal when the mos- quitoes are prevalent. Dr. Muise said she is giving patients all the infor- mation she can so they can weigh the risks themselves. But, she said, the virus has moved so quickly through the Americas that in many cases, the research is not there. “We don’t know so much of the information that would help us understand the actual risk.” “I can’t think of any dis- ease that we’ve had in re- cent times that has caused so much concern,” she said. The World Health Or- ganization in February de- clared an international Public Health Emergency, calling on researchers and doctors to focus their attention on the Zika outbreak that began last year and is now in 69 coun- tries and territories, with the Cayman Islands being the latest addition to that list. The WHO reports local Zika transmission in almost every country in South and Central America and the Ca- ribbean. Public health offi- cials in the United States an- nounced recently that they found Zika transmitted lo- cally in a neighborhood in Miami. Dr. David Stone, an OB/ GYN with TrinCay Medical Centre, said the first thing he tells patients is “they prob- ably don’t have Zika.” But they should be aware that Cayman is now “an active transmission environment.” He said there is some re- search, particularly a study of a Zika outbreak in Poly- nesia, that showed about 1 percent of pregnant women who became infected had ba- bies born with microcephaly. “We don’t have a concrete study with experience in the Caribbean or South America,” he said. But he stressed that few pregnant women who become infected have ba- bies born with microcephaly. “The data doesn’t suggest 50 percent or 100 percent inci- dence,” he said. Both Dr. Stone and Dr. Muise agree that patients need to judge the risks them- selves, and those decisions can be hardest for couples trying to conceive. Dr. Stone said he had some patients who have decided to delay trying to conceive. For her part, Dr. Muise said, “I have lots of patients trying to conceive. I say, ‘It may not be a bad idea to con- sider delaying.’” “It’s difficult to tell someone, ‘Sorry, you can’t start a family yet,’” she said. Dr. Samuel Williams-Ro- driguez, director of primary healthcare for the Health Ser- vices Authority and Cayman’s leading public health official, seconded what the other doc- tors said about bug spray and long sleeves. Responding to questions by email, Dr. Williams-Rodri- guez said, “Our advice is to avoid mosquito bites at home and abroad; there are coun- tries in the region with major outbreaks of Zika, pregnant women should avoid trav- eling to these countries. Adopt safe sexual practices (wear a condom); for couples trying to conceive, [it] is even more important for them to avoid mosquito bites.” Prenatal testing There are currently two different standards for testing pregnant women for Zika. In the U.S., guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention say pregnant women in areas with active Zika transmission should be tested for the virus at their first prenatal visit, and again in the second tri- mester. WHO and Pan-Amer- ican Health Organization guidelines, on the other hand, say that pregnant women should only be tested if they show symptoms of Zika. The Cayman Islands falls under the WHO guidelines, but both Dr. Muise and Dr. Stone said they prefer the U.S. standard. Both said pregnant women can elect to get tested and have samples sent to a lab in the U.S., but many in- surance companies will not cover that cost. “I hope that will change,” Dr. Stone said. Dr. Williams-Rodriguez, with the HSA, said he con- sulted with the WHO and its Pan-American counterpart and those organizations con- tinue to advise testing preg- nant women only when they show symptoms. He said in an email, “The CDC in the USA is recom- mending tests for pregnant women with symptoms or a risk of exposure to the Zika virus; however, we are guided by WHO/PAHO and not CDC.” US ISSUES ZIKA TRAVEL ALERT TO CAYMAN Public health officials in the United States is- sued a warning Thursday that pregnant women should not travel to the Cayman Islands. Addi- tionally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned people traveling to Cayman to wear insect repellent and long-sleeved shirts and long pants. The CDC warns that U.S. travelers returning from Cayman who may have contracted Zika need to be careful not to spread the virus when they get home. The travel warning states, “Many people in- fected with Zika virus do not feel sick. If a mos- quito bites an infected person while the virus is still in that person’s blood, it can spread the virus by biting another person. Even if they do not feel sick, travelers returning to the United States from Cayman Is- lands should take steps to prevent mosquito bites for three weeks so that they do not spread Zika to uninfected mosquitoes.” Health officials: Use bug spray, clean yards CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com What is Zika? Zika is a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which also carry dengue, chi- kungunya and yellow fever. Symptoms are gener- ally mild and many people do not even know they have contracted the virus. However, the virus can be dangerous for pregnant women. Some babies born to women infected by the Zika virus have had birth defects, primarily microcephaly, character- ized by a small head and underdeveloped brain. Zika began a rapid spread through South and Central America and the Caribbean last year and is now in more than 62 countries and territories. Cayman’s public health officials confirmed local cases of Zika this week. The World Health Organi- zation declared a public health emergency in Feb- ruary as the virus continued to spread. In Brazil, one of the hardest hit countries, there has been an increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neuro- logical disorder that could lead to paralysis and death, according to the WHO. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zika was discovered in 1947 and is named for the Zika Forest in Uganda. There have been several outbreaks of Zika since then in Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. Aedes aegypti According to Cayman’s Mosquito Research and Control Unit, the Aedes aegypti “is a very domesti- cated mosquito. It is found associated with human habitation, breeding in water drums, guttering, buckets and discarded trash. It can be controlled by house and business owners by simply clearing up any water holding containers or making sure that water is not allowed to stand for more than a couple of days in e.g. bird baths, pet water bowls, plant pots, etc.” The black-and-white-striped Aedes ae- gypti mosquito bites mainly during the day and late afternoon. Don’t get bit The best way to avoid Zika is not to get bit by the mosquitoes. The virus can also be con- tracted through sexual transmission. The WHO recommends that people in infected areas use condoms or abstain from sex, especially during pregnancy. Public health officials recommend: ■■ Using bug spray containing DEET, IR3535 or icaridin, except for babies under two months ■■ Wearing clothes that cover arms and legs ■■ Using window and door screens ■■ Using mosquito netting to cover ba- bies under two months when they are in carriers and strollers Symptoms According to the CDC, many people who con- tract Zika show no symptoms or very mild symp- toms. The symptoms may last for two to seven days and include mild fever, skin rash, conjuncti- vitis, muscle and joint pain, and headache. Keep windows and doors closed or make sure there are screens installed to keep mosquitoes out ZIKA-CARRYING MOSQUITOES LOVE TO BREED IN STANDING FRESH WATER Water trapped in old tires is one of Aedes aegypti’s favorite places to breed Cover boats and trash cans so water can’t collect and give the mosquitoes a spot to breed Make sure gutters aren’t clogged Tip out dog bowls, empty bird baths, and make sure there isn’t standing water in plant pots or buckets Cover cisterns to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs along the side of a home Treat pond and pool waterThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 NEW 413 Eastern Avenue P.O. Box 10132 Grand Cayman, KY1-1002 Cayman Islands Tel: 345.945.1771 Fax: 345.949.5880 Email: kdlorders@ksl.ky www.kirkdistributors.ky NOW AVAILABLE ISLAND-WIDE *Reduction by one third of the calories than full sugar colas in GB, due to 37% sugar reduction, thanks to the presence of Stevia Extract. Coca-Cola Life is available in 500ml PET, 1.75L PET, 330ml can, 6x330ml cans and 8x330ml cans. ©2014 The Coca-Cola Company, Coca-Cola Life, the Dynamic Ribbon Device and the Conture Bottle are registered trademarks of the Coca-Cola Company.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS On behalf of the Owners, Management and Staff of Pizza Hut, we regret the passing of our Restaurant Manager, Deborah Bodden on Friday August 5, 2016. Deborah worked at Pizza Hut from when we opened our doors in September 1987 until May 2016. May her soul rest in peace. was “uncollectable” and should be written off the public sector ledger. According to the auditor general’s report on the ac- tivities of statutory authori- ties and government-owned companies, an amount of $211,390 was carried for- ward from former UCCI President Syed. Previous reports com- pleted by former Auditor General Dan Duguay stated Syed charged more than US$50,000 of jewelry on the credit cards he was issued by UCCI. In addition to the jewelry, auditors said, Syed used his UCCI credit cards to pay for thousands of dol- lars’ worth of goods at de- partment stores in Toronto and London, including for furniture, spa treatments and for a week-long stay at a villa in France that he purchased at a Rotary Club auction in May 2007. Mr. Duguay’s report stated that an estimated US$294,000 in credit card transactions could not be adequately substan- tiated as UCCI’s expen- diture. However, some of the unsubstantiated credit card charges were subse- quently identified as per- sonal expenses to Syed and deducted from his salary. Between December 2006 and March 2008, the UCCI accounts department de- ducted US$119,390.18 from Syed’s salary. At the time, Syed’s salary was US$13,412 per month – US$160,944 per year – al- though it appears he re- ceived a $3,466 bonus in December 2006. When the Auditor Gen- eral’s Office reviewed the expenditure of UCCI for the financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2007, it discovered the unsubstantiated transac- tions and requested UCCI supply the necessary sup- port records. The matter first became public when Opposition Leader McK- eeva Bush raised questions about it in the Legislative Assembly in 2008. judgment in the case, likely some time in September. The sensitive case, in which neither of the defen- dants can be named to pro- tect the identity of the child, was heard by the judge, with no jury, last week. Whatever the verdict, which remains to be de- cided, counselors and youth workers say better commu- nication between the various agencies responsible for child protection is needed, as well as more accountability when things go wrong. Dr. Taylor Burrowes, a counselor who runs a sexual trauma recovery program at the Wellness Center, said, “When we hear our court judges say, ‘I don’t know why this happened,’ we have a problem on our hands. I would like to see a review of the legal processes, proce- dures, and policies for child abuse investigations by a collective of professionals working with the police and the legal department.” Though she believes there have been improvements in the reporting of abuse, and more cases coming to court, she said that only a fraction of allegations sexual abuse ever made it as far as the trial stage. “I want to understand how we can improve and ex- pedite their investigations and court proceedings so that the child victims and their families can experience less retraumatization by the court process, more frequent justice through sentencing, and we see the guilty of- fenders given suitable sen- tences and rehabilitative treatment to actually help our community reduce and maybe even eradicate child sexual abuse,” she said. Michael Myles, a member of the Youth Anti-Crime Trust, said greater accountability and penalties were needed for agencies that failed to act appropriately once abuse was alleged. “Until agencies and per- sons working for them are held accountable, it will not matter how many laws we implement,” he said. The Children Law makes it mandatory for people working with children to re- port suspicions of abuse, while the Red Cross has em- barked on an awareness campaign and also offers “darkness to light” training – a program that helps adults identify and intervene in child abuse cases. In the case last week, it emerged that the girl had first reported allegations that she was being abused to a volunteer in an after-school club. It was only after a re- port was made to police that the investigation stalled, the court heard. Speaking generally and in his capacity as a Youth ACT member, Mr. Myles said there were still gaps in training, as well as inefficiencies and lack of communication among government and commu- nity agencies with respect to child abuse and child pro- tection. He said more strin- gent background checks were needed for anyone working with children. “There are too many per- sons who are working with children who are not trained in child protection,” he said. “Unfortunately, these chal- lenges will continue to hinder investigations and the safety of our children.” A Pan American Health Organization report released in May 2015 based on a se- ries of surveys with 955 young people, aged 15-19, re- vealed that one in five girls reported that they had been sexually abused, while one in six children had been physi- cally assaulted by an adult. At the time, the police’s Family Support Unit, the main investigative body for child abuse, had had just 41 cases referred since Jan- uary 2014 – a 17 month pe- riod. Updated statistics were not available from the RCIPS this week. Dr. Burrowes, who has op- erated a sexual trauma re- covery program for victims of abuse for more seven years, believes there is still a large gap between the instances of abuse and the number of of- fenders brought to justice. She said, “The program has seen 70 referrals of sex- ually abused youth and few of them have had posi- tive outcomes from criminal proceedings. “I would like to find out how many child sex offenders have been put in prison and what is the percentage of cases brought to court that end with a conviction?” The Department for Public Prosecutions does not keep statistics on conviction rates for sexual abuse or any other offense. Dr. Burrowes echoed the judge’s concerns about delays in the recent case. Though that incident was an ex- treme example, she said, it frequently took too long for cases involving abuse of chil- dren to come to court. She said lack of physical evidence, the reluctance of children to give evidence and the potential impact on the child’s mental health were often cited as reasons for de- lays in such cases. Speaking generally, she said, “I think we need to have a more sensitive threshold for justifying legal action for child sexual abuse, and rest the decision making power with the court. A traumatized child often does not want to have to tell their story out of fear or shame. “In other jurisdictions, child disclosure is not mandatory. “Overall, I believe the legal system places too much responsibility on the child victim. If the parent or school counsellor or teacher has been told about the abuse directly from the child, I believe their state- ment or one from a reliable witness should be used to validate a robust investiga- tion immediately.” On the other side of the coin, Dr. Burrowes believes there should be more access to rehabilitative treatment for offenders. Dr. Sophia Chandler, a psychologist who works with victims of sexual abuse at the Cayman Islands Hos- pital, previously told the Cayman Compass that many instances of child abuse go completely unreported to adults and only emerge in anonymous surveys like the PAHO report. “The vast majority of sexual abuse is within fam- ilies or the close friendship circle. For the child, reporting it means totally disrupting what has been the norm in the family,” she said. “A lot of children do a cost/benefit analysis and de- cide they may not be be- lieved. There really is a dis- connect between the amount of abuse happening and what breaks through to the courts.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Concern over child abuse investigations Child protection advocates say child sexual abuse cases are under-reported. - PHOTO: FILE Syed trial put off until 2017 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Mr. Duguay’s report stated that an estimated US$294,000 in credit card transactions could not be adequately substantiated.9 LOCAL NEWS JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A large nesting turtle was rescued after being dragged off a West Bay beach by poachers – the fifth recorded instance of suspected turtle poaching this year. Responding to a tip from a member of the public, in the early hours of Wednesday, Chief Con- servation Officer Mark Orr followed drag marks in the sand leading off the beach and into the bushes where he found the turtle lying on its back with its flippers tied together. The turtle, which had previously been tagged by researchers, was released and returned to the ocean but the culprits were not caught. Mr. Orr said they were not on the scene when he found the turtle. “I am not sure if I dis- turbed them in the act as I was searching on the beach or if they had pulled the turtle up out of sight and gone to get a truck or some assistance in carrying it off,” he said. Mr. Orr said the latest incident was particularly concerning as it appeared to be a case of poachers stra- tegically targeting a nesting beach, rather than an op- portunist crime. “There is no other reason for them to have been on that beach at that time of night,” he added. The Department of En- vironment has enforcement officers policing the beaches overnight during nesting season while researchers are also out gathering data and providing information on al- leged incidents of poaching. Mr. Orr said there were at least two other incidents in which poachers had been scared off this year and two more in which they appeared to have been successful. He said enforcement of- ficers had discovered drag marks where the turtles had been taken off the beach and were also investigating reports of black market turtle meat being sold. He said his officers were actively patrolling beaches where poaching activity was suspected. Offenders face the pos- sibility of fines of up to $500,000, the confiscation of their equipment and up to four years in jail. He added, “These are people that don’t care about our heritage or our wildlife. They are simply looking for fast, easy bucks.” This incident had a happy ending. The turtle re- turned to the beach the fol- lowing night to lay its nest. “We sat up all night, keeping watch while she nested,” Mr. Orr said. “Seeing her head back to the sea safely was a beautiful feeling.” Nesting turtles typi- cally lay three to six times in nests during a season, re- turning to the same beach each time. This turtle had previously been tagged by researchers and had laid two nests during the season. CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 2016 We regret to announce the passing of Deborah Wilkinson Who departed this life on Friday, 5 August 2016. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. A funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, 13 August, 2016, at North Sound New Testament Church. Viewing will be held from 10:00-10:45 a.m. Prior to the service Interment will follow in Prospect Cemetery Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Gloria Joyce Adlam who passed away on Sunday, August 7, 2016. Details for a Memorial Service will be announced at a later date. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Dominic Daniel McField, affectionately known as “Appy”, “General” and “Big D” of George Town who passed away on Sunday, July 31, 2016. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Sunday, August 14, 2016 at the Lion’s Community Centre, Crewe Road, George Town at 2:00p.m. Viewing will be from 12:00-1:30p.m. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery. We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Richard Anthony Jones of East End and St. Mary, Jamaica who passed away on Wednesday, August 3, 2016. Mr. Jones will be repatriated to Jamaica. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com Condolences can be registered at: Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Inez Sylvia Moncrieffe of Bodden Town, who passed away on Sunday, August 7, 2016. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Tuesday, August 16, 2016 at Webster Memorial United Church, Bodden Town at 4:00p.m. Interment to follow at New Pease Bay Cemetery. Father and son cycle for Cayman charities ALMA CHOLLETTE achollette@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nine-year-old Alex Dailey has surpassed his goal of fundraising for charities in Cayman after cycling with his dad across the U.S. state of Iowa. Alex and his dad Tim Dailey, who took part in the Des Moines Register’s [a newspaper in Iowa] Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, also known as RAGBRAI, have so far raised US$3,400, surpassing their initial goal of US$3,000. The father and son team, joined by Sarah Burton, also from Cayman, biked through eight towns in Iowa on Team Animals USA, with about 14 members. More than 20,000 cyclists took part in the ride, starting in Glenwood and ending in Muscatine. “When we first started talking about it, we thought to try and bike for charity,” said Mr. Dailey. “We started with the goal of US$3,000 on Gofundme.com and thought we could get $1,000 each,” for Cayman HospiceCare, Cayman Islands Cancer So- ciety and One Dog at a Time. “Now we’ve gotten way past our goal, with $3,400,” he said. Alex, who took up biking about a year ago, was one of the youngest on the seven-day ride that also fea- tured skateboarders, in-line skaters, tandem bikers and even a penny farthing, which Rick Stumpff of Branson, Missouri, has ridden for the past five years in RAGBRAI. Some pets were also towed along, Mr. Dailey noted. “There were lots of kids,” Mr. Dailey said. “We know of at least one 8-year-old that was riding on his own with his grandfather.” Event organizers change the route every year. The Daileys completed a southern route, with more hills, but shorter than the northern route. Climbing the hills and covering between 40 and 70 miles a day made for a chal- lenging ride. Alex said the journey was tiring, but he liked the food along the way, the scenery and the hilly ride. Assisted by a support bus each day, the Daileys – and other riders – were welcomed by people in the small towns along the way. Since they only rode during the day, they slept in towns or sometimes some odd places, including tents near the highway (where they listened to trains and 18-wheelers all night) and once, inside a dress shop. They also showered in a kennel. The RAGBRAI organizers approach people in the towns along the route, seeking places to accommodate riders, and “virtually no one says ‘no’ because it’s such a big thing and RAGBRAI is well known,” said Mr. Dailey, “so they want to help.” It was quite an experi- ence for Mr. Dailey, and for Alex, who will start Year 5 at Cayman Prep in the fall. “It was interesting to see the many industries that go on in the small towns and how people make a living and how their lives are,” said Mr. Dailey. They also met riders from as far afield as Colombia and New Zealand. “We weren’t the only internationals, but it was certainly of interest to them to have someone from Cayman, and in a lot of cases, particularly the towns, didn’t know anything about us,” he said. They are now back in Cayman, but their fun- draising effort is still under way. For more information, call Tim Dailey at 916-8005 or email tdailey@candw.ky. Mr. Orr said the latest incident was particularly concerning as it appeared to be a case of poachers strategically targeting a nesting beach, rather than an opportunist crime. Nesting turtle rescued from poachers Alex Dailey and Sarah Burton lead the pack at one point. Alex Dailey accepts a $300 donation from Tracey Ebanks of Cayman Water.Next >