High of 91 Low of 81 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 CHILD SEX ABUSE: INVESTIGATING THE POLICE INVESTIGATION SPORTS | PAGE 16 OCTOBER ‘FIGHT NIGHT’ TO FEATURE CAYMAN FEMALE BOXER ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 180913_PRINT-Ad-Strip-BOTY-6colxPage 1 11/30/15 12:30:30 PM Immigration report cost $312,000 Report urges $538 million public-private effort on landfill ‘RACING’ DVDL INSPECTOR CASE GOES TO PROSECUTOR BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands government issued six checks totaling $312,470 for a consultant’s review of a 2015 Grand Court judgment that questioned the islands’ permanent residence approval and appeals process. The figure was revealed following an open records request the Cayman Compass filed in July for the cost of the consultancy report by local law firm Ritch & Conolly at the request of Premier Alden McLaughlin. According to the payment records, six checks were issued between Dec. 2, 2015 and May 16, 2016 for “advice upon the recent judg- ment of the chief justice related to two perma- nent residence appeals refused by the Immi- gration Appeals tribunal.” The Compass has also requested a copy of the consultant’s report via the Freedom of In- formation Law. It has not been released. By way of comparison, the consultant’s report cost the government less than the $335,000 spent on a review of the Operation Tempura corruption investigation for former Governor Duncan Taylor in 2011. That review was done by U.K. attorney Benjamin Aina, QC. The consultant’s immigration review cost more than a 2014 report compiled on the Cayman Islands public service by Ernst & Young accountants, which was 240 pages and had a stated cost of $155,000. Premier McLaughlin has said the immigra- tion review was never intended for publication and was meant as legal advice to inform the government administration on what steps it should take to resolve deficiencies in the per- manent residence system identified in Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s Aug. 28, 2015 ruling. The issues identified in the 2015 court judgment dealt with two major areas: First, the actions of the Immigration Appeals Tri- bunal in judging two cases in which non- Caymanians had applied for permanent resi- dence – the right to remain in the territory for the rest of their lives. The tribunal’s actions TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Declaring that existing waste-manage- ment systems are unsustainable, a 201- page draft consultant’s report on the George Town landfill on Monday recommends a $538 million, 25-year public-private part- nership to reduce, reuse and recycle. The outline business case, developed by U.K. environmental consultant Amec Foster Wheeler, recommends the reduction of waste going into the landfill by as much as 95 percent, and includes either remediation or closing of dumps on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. A statement from the Ministry of Health and Culture summarized the options in a seven-point plan naming reuse and refur- bishment of bulky waste, waste electrical and electronic equipment; community recy- cling depots and household waste recycling center facilities; a transfer and bulking fa- cility on each island; composting yard/ garden waste from landscapers and house- hold waste-recycling centers in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac; closing land- fills on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, with waste sent to Grand Cayman for pro- cessing; post-2020 introduction of curb- side yard and garden waste collection; and potential introduction of curbside dry re- cyclable collections and a post-2020 mate- rials recovery facility. Weighing affordability and the com- plexities of implementation and delivery, the consultants conclude that a public-pri- vate partnership offers “the best value for BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The traffic case involving a Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing vehicle inspector who crashed a car he was test driving on July 11 has gone to local prosecu- tors for a ruling. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service confirmed that officers submitted a case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration last week. It is now up to the Crown to determine whether any charges will be pursued. As of last month, the vehicle inspector was still working at the department following a brief period of absence for medical leave, DVDL Director David Dixon said. Civil service officials, including Mr. Dixon, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, Min- istry of Planning Chief Officer Alan Jones and Deputy Chief Officer Tristan Hydes, did not re- spond to queries sent on Aug. 28 about the ve- hicle inspector’s status. The RCIPS and the DVDL are conducting separate investigations into the midday ac- cident during which a 1996 Toyota Supra vaulted a median on Crewe Road and went into the opposite lanes of traffic after knocking down a power pole. The police and the vehicle’s owner, fire ser- vices fleet manager Johnny Salas, have con- firmed that a department vehicle inspector The George Town Landfill. A consultant’s draft outline business plan drawn up for government proposes a $538 million, 25-year public-private partnership to reduce, reuse and recycle. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 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. Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS (PG13) 1:00 | 3:50 | 7:00 | 9:30 KUBO AND THE TWO (PG) STRINGS 3D 1:05 | 3:30 2D | 7:05 | 9:35 2D BLAIR WITCH (R) 12:30 | 2:50 | 5:15 | 7:40 | 10:00 MECHANIC RESURRECTION (R) 1:10 | 3:40 | 7:20 | 10:10 DON’T BREATHE (R) 12:50 | 3:00 | 5:10 | 7:30 | 9:45 BRIDGET JONES’S BABY (R) 1:20 | 4:10 | 7:10 | 10:00 MIAMI (AP) – U.S. health officials said Monday they were ending their stron- gest warning to preg- nant women to stay out of Miami’s Wynwood Arts District. No new cases of mos- quito-borne Zika illness have been reported in that area since early August, and in the past several weeks mosquito control workers have seen only low numbers of the kind of bugs that are the main spreaders of the virus. “The message with Wynwood is it was a huge success,’” said Dr. Lyle Pe- tersen of the U.S. Cen- ters for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC officials credit ag- gressive aerial spraying with naled, an insecticide that targets adult mosqui- toes, and Bti, which kills mosquito larva. “This out- break would have kept going without the aerial spraying,” Petersen said. While the CDC lifted its sternest warning to pregnant women, the agency noted that a mos- quito transmission zone in nearby Miami Beach grew last week from an area of roughly 1.5 square miles to 4.5 square miles, after a cluster of new cases popped up north of earlier reports. But the CDC is not ex- actly advising pregnant women to go to Wynwood. The agency continues to ad- vise that pregnant women consider postponing non- essential travel to all of Miami-Dade County – in- cluding the Wynwood area. Earlier Monday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott visited the Wynwood area north of downtown Miami. In late July the neighborhood be- came the first place in the U.S. mainland to have mos- quitoes transmitting the virus to people. CDC: Aerial spraying helped curb Zika virus NAUCALPAN, Mexico (AP) – Architect Javier Senosiain looks out over his sinuous snake’s nest of a building, which seems to writhe amid a green and tranquil vista on the very edge of Mexico City’s urban sprawl, and re- flects on more than 30 years of building egg- and cocoon- like dwellings that are quite literally out of the box. “When a child is born we put him an incubator, which is a box,” said Senosiain, 68. “Then we put him a playpen. The child is placed in a succession of boxes throughout his life, and then when he dies, he is put in another box.” “The idea here is to break with the box,” he said, pointing to the 10-apartment complex that, like much in the 2-acre compound, looks like a snake with eyes in its body – architectural homage to Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec “feathered serpent” god of light and knowledge. At the project known as the “Nest of Quetzalcoatl,” enormous snakes are con- formed into passageways, bridges, fountains and walls. The people who live here have to get used to passing through gigantic snakes’ mouths to reach surpris- ingly spacious if cave-like dwellings filled with soft angles and curves. Senosiain is not offended by cave comparisons; in fact he kind of likes his homes to look caves. Or wombs. Anything but boxes. He’s used whales, snails, sharks and mushrooms as inspira- tion for previous projects. The buildings often merge into the landscape, some- times half buried. True to his form, Sen- osiain is reflecting on his world view while sitting in a hand-like fiberglass floating chair in the middle of a pond that serves as part of the compound’s water treatment and rainwater collection system. The Nest sits in front of a rare green patch on the city’s outskirts – a graveyard on one side keeps the urban sprawl hemmed in – but from certain angles you can get an eyeful of ticky-tacky ce- ment boxes crawling up bare hillsides, jostling each other shoulder to shoulder and disappearing in the smoggy haze of the distance. It is this reality that Sen- osiain wants to take on, to cure, in a sense. He has just opened a ret- rospective exhibition of his work at Mexico’s premiere cultural venue, the capital’s Palace of Fine Arts, and the display includes a proposal for prefabricated, low-income housing in a shape that can be be compared to an organic Airstream trailer made of concrete or, as he describes it, a peanut. Given the super-light spray-concrete-over-metal- frame design, the homes can just be picked up and placed on a footing with a crane. “You just hook up the light, water and sewer lines, and it’s ready,” Senosiain said. He proposes placing about 60 of these 300-square foot micro- homes (they’re modular and can be combined into bigger houses) together in a neigh- borhood, where no house is more than an eight-minute walk from urban services like schools or stores. So far, no developer has taken him up on the plan, though its time could be near. Mexico’s big low-in- come housing builders were hit by a crisis in 2011 and 2012: Some went bank- rupt, and others came close, after building hundreds of thousands of units of pre- cisely the kind of housing that Senosiain – and appar- ently homeowners – do not like: tiny, rectangular, cookie- cutter boxes placed far out- side city centers, far from services, jobs and schools. Hundreds of thousands of those houses now sit abandoned, and the govern- ment, which financed many of the home buyers, now acknowledges the projects were a mistake. “It wasn’t easy before; there wasn’t any interest,” Senosiain said of his con- tacts with the government’s low-income housing agency two decades ago. “But now, I think it is a lot more likely … I think now there is interest.” That can be said of much of his work. It has attracted so much attention that he is building a visitor center and extensive gardens and plans to turn the Nest complex into an educational park for school visits. ‘Organic architect’ takes hold in Mexico City sprawl BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com An online petition has been circulated asking Cayman Is- lands Governor Helen Kilpat- rick to change the way local police handle child sex abuse cases in the wake of a court verdict last week that cited a “grossly incompetent” investi- gation by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. The petition, filed by Cay- manian Sandra Hill, also asks that the officers responsible for the handling of a par- ticular sex abuse case, in- volving an 11-year-old victim, be dismissed. “These failures are so fundamental … that there should be no other ultimate response but the lawful dis- missal of responsible staff,” the petition states. A Grand Court judge found two defendants – relatives of the girl – not guilty following a non-jury trial in which it was revealed that police inexpli- cably delayed an investigation into the case for 18 months and lost initial notes taken by the investigating officer. Justice Timothy Owen, who delivered the verdict in the case Thursday morning, called the police investigation into the alleged sexual as- sault “grossly incompetent.” The petition asks that the governor’s office con- vene a committee to review the creation of a separate commissioner to handle child sexual abuse cases to “inde- pendently oversee all aspects of child abuse allegations through all stages.” The petition also advo- cates that government create a sex offender registry to be maintained by the child sexual abuse commissioner. Earlier this year, the cre- ation of Cayman’s first Child Safeguarding board was an- nounced at the opening of the Grand Court. Governor Kilpatrick has said that board will provide “an effec- tive mechanism” to coordi- nate child protection issues among social workers, police and other public agencies. “These failures are so fundamental … that there should be no other ultimate response but the lawful dismissal of responsible staff.” PUBLIC PETITION Petition seeks dismissal of police officers in sex abuse case The ‘Nest of Quetzalcoatl’ on the outskirts of Mexico City. Architect Javier Senosiain’s buildings often merge into the landscape, sometimes half buried. - PHOTO: AP Florida Gov. Rick Scott talks with students studying the Zika virus at the Jose de Diego Middle School in Miami. - PHOTO: AP3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 PLATINUM SPONSOR to our Thank ou OCTOBER , The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman www.breastcancerfoundation.ky info@breastcancerfoundation.ky Cnthia Nxon Featuring Celebrity Keynote Speaker and Breast Cancer Survivor PRINT MEDIA SPONSOR Bill allows gov’t to commandeer airwaves during disasters National emergency management system to be created BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Emergency public bul- letins broadcast just before or after a natural disaster, serious public health threat or during a significant man- made disaster would have to be issued by all local broad- cast license-holders, ac- cording to new legislation seeking to govern Cayman’s disaster management. The Disaster Prepared- ness and Hazard Manage- ment Bill, 2016, proposes to create a national emergency management system for Cayman to enable “the gov- ernment to broadcast emer- gency announcements” via any entity licensed by the In- formation and Communica- tions Technology Authority. Precisely how those an- nouncements are to be han- dled would be governed through separate memo- randa of understanding with each of the licensed broad- casters, to be drawn up when and if the enabling legislation is approved by lawmakers next month. “No announcement shall be broadcast on the na- tional emergency notifica- tion system unless it is in writing and approved and signed by the governor or the chairman of the manage- ment council in consultation with the director [of hazard management],” the bill reads in section 8. ‘Protection of life and safety’ “The need to broadcast emergency announcements using all available means is a matter of protection of life and safety of the residents of the Cayman Islands,” Hazard Management Director Mc- Cleary Frederick said. “Not everyone uses the services provided by public services [broadcasters], and it is the responsibility of Hazard Management Cayman Is- lands to ensure that in the event of a disaster everyone has the opportunity to be notified.” Hazard Management Cayman Islands representa- tive Simon Boxall said the agency anticipates the emer- gency announcement system working in a way similar to what most U.S. emergency management agencies use during hurricanes, tornadoes or during “Amber Alerts” for missing children. “We’re really not ex- pecting these announce- ments to be on the air for more than 10-15 seconds,” Mr. Boxall said, adding that he did not envision a situa- tion where content from gov- ernment broadcaster Radio Cayman, for example, would be placed on the airwaves of a privately owned radio sta- tion. Most situations could be dealt with via an on- screen warning or “crawl” across the bottom of a tele- vision screen or, in the case of radio or telecommunica- tions, a text message or pre- recorded announcement. The main reason the emergency announcement protocols are being drawn up, he said, is because many storms or other emergencies occur during off hours at the weekends or over- night, and most local broad- casters aren’t staffed during those times. ICTA Managing Director Alee Fa’amoe said the li- censing authority has rec- ognized for some time that local telecommunications companies and broadcasters were somewhat out of the loop when it came to emer- gency communications. “The joint ICTA [and Hazard Management] teams reviewed current disaster preparedness plans and quickly realized too many of our ICT licensees were tradi- tionally not involved in the former [hazard management] preparedness process,” Mr. Fa’amoe said. “The authority has asked each licensee, in- cluding our FM [radio] broadcasting stations, to develop a disaster or crisis management plan and send it to the authority for review. “Part of that coordination with [hazard management] is the ability to provide the public with information via emergency broadcasts.” The bill states that ICTA licensees that broadcast the emergency messages on behalf of government would not be held liable for the content. Disaster areas Another significant change the bill proposes is the ability to declare specific areas of Cayman “disaster areas” or “hazardous areas.” Previously, Mr. Boxall said, the governor’s of- fice would declare a state of emergency that took ef- fect for all three islands, even if one had not been touched by a storm. The new legislation seeks to narrow that power, desig- nating only certain areas as “no-go zones” in the event of, for example, a major plane crash or serious flooding that significantly affected only one part of Grand Cayman. The law also sets out ar- rest powers for police who spot individuals traveling in a designated disaster area. Anyone convicted of being in those areas without per- mission could face up to a $20,000 fine, a year in prison or both. “We’ve been trying to get this legislation passed for a number of years, at least since 2009,” Mr. Boxall said. Paid leave Another area the bill deals with is paid leave in the event an employee who volunteers for disaster relief services must be called away from their normal job. The bill states that such an employee would be entitled to paid leave at standard rates “up to 10 working days.” Examples of workers af- fected under this section could be Cadet Corps man- agers or senior personnel who are often called upon to man the phones at the emer- gency center during or after a hurricane, or volunteers with the local hazard man- agement council. Hazard Management Cayman Islands would es- sentially provide notices to those employees enabling them to leave work for a set period, the bill states. A boat ends up in the street after 2004’s Hurricane Ivan. The Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Bill seeks to ensure Cayman is ready when the next big storm comes. The Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Bill seeks to ensure Cayman is ready in case another storm like 2004’s Hurricane Ivan should strike.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. 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” WASHINGTON POST EDITORIAL BOARD As you ponder the im- pact on political and eco- nomic freedom in Cuba of the Obama administration’s dip- lomatic opening to that Com- munist-ruled country, keep this figure in mind: $50. That’s how much every American visitor has to pay the Castro regime for a tourist visa each time he or she travels to the island, as the administration is aggres- sively encouraging people to do. Last year, 160,000 people visited Cuba from the United States, which translates into $8 million, not chump change for the financially troubled regime. Those numbers are on course to double in 2016. We make this point to place the latest celebratory headlines about the renewal of scheduled air travel from the United States to Cuba in a broader perspective. If you think the pres- ident’s policy will “em- power” the fledgling Cuban private sector, as opposed to the overbearing state, think again. Easy money from ex- pensive visas is a relatively minor example of the re- gime’s so-far successful ef- forts to reap direct benefit from the new relationship with the United States. Even more important is the fact that the Cuban armed forces own the coun- try’s dominant tourism com- panies, and those firms are expanding their role in antic- ipation of an American influx. As the Associated Press recently reported, the Cuban military has taken over a pre- viously autonomous office that controlled Old Havana, a major tourist attraction, as well as a bank responsible for most of Cuba’s interna- tional financial transactions. Gaviota, a military-owned tourism company, is in the midst of what the AP calls “a hotel building spree,” which Cuba needs because its ex- isting hotels lack sufficient capacity, by far, to accommo- date hundreds of thousands of additional visitors from the United States. To date, Cuban private op- erators had been filling the gap by renting rooms in their homes. The military’s activi- ties show that the regime has no intention of sharing the market with these cuentapro- pistas, as Cuban small busi- nesses are known in Spanish. The Obama administra- tion claims that support for these entrepreneurs is a major aim of its policy; it sees them as a potential source of middle-class pres- sure in favor of democracy. Meanwhile, it authorizes Starwood Hotels, a giant U.S. firm, to join forces with the Cuban state in operating gov- ernment-run hotels. Stripped of the high- minded rhetoric, the funda- mental tendency of the new dispensation in U.S.-Cuban relations is toward collabo- ration between U.S. corpo- rations and military gate- keepers on the island, in which profits take priority over the basic human rights of the Cuban people. If this sounds familiar, it’s because it’s very much like the arrangement that once existed between Washington and the kleptocratic Batista regime Fidel Castro over- threw in 1959. © 2016, The Washington Post TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS “It is totally unacceptable for there to be failings such as these in the investigation of a child sex abuse allegation. I expect the RCIPS to conduct a thorough and objective investigation … to determine what went wrong. Those found responsible for the failings must be dealt with quickly and appropriately.” — Governor Helen Kilpatrick, Sept. 16, 2016 Governor Kilpatrick has spoken with clarity, authority and righteousness. It’s an auspicious begin- ning to an arduous process of truth-seeking. Most of our readers are well aware of what has sparked the governor’s ire: The recent acquittal of two suspects accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl, more than four years after the initial complaint was made to police. While nobody knows what will be uncovered by the internal investigations (one a police review specifically into the aforementioned case, and one a broader audit of all ongoing child abuse cases), it appears obvious that there were significant individual and systemic failings within the police service, which allowed for the case to “go cold.” During trial, Grand Court Justice Timothy Owen skewered the police investigation as “grossly incom- petent,” not only for the inordinate delays, but also for significant gaps in evidence presented in court. The investigating police officer lost notes about the accus- er’s first account of the abuse, allegedly by an uncle and cousin. Then the police never attempted to collect witness statements from anyone living in the house when the abuse allegedly occurred. While we support the launch of the broader audit into child abuse cases by new RCIPS Superintendent Peter Lansdown, any serious probe into these issues must also extend to the Department of Public Pros- ecutions and into the judicial system. How many criminal cases — not just of child abuse — are derailed for reasons rooted in ineptitude, politics, policies, who’s related to whom, who’s friends with whom, or, most broadly, the flawed architecture of the system itself? Certainly, the problems go far beyond the RCIPS. For example, it is deeply troubling whenever we see, apparently against all odds, a case involving alle- gations of abuse or violence (particularly against children, women or other “vulnerable” people) make it from the police, to public prosecutors and all the way in front of a judge — and perhaps even for a guilty verdict to be handed down … only to be accompanied by a sentence so lenient that its deterrent effect fades away before the defendant has sauntered out of the courtroom and back onto the street. On the subject of the RCIPS internal investigations, it is less than ideal for police to be investigating “their own” (particularly when the officers being investi- gated have not been placed on administrative leave). However, those concerns are mitigated by Superinten- dent Lansdown’s position and reputation, and the fact that new Police Commissioner Derek Byrne’s tenure begins in November. The best practice might be to invite indepen- dent experts from overseas to conduct the investiga- tions, but our memories of Operation Tempura and its spin-off Operation Cealt are far too fresh for us to conclude that “outside investigators” are a panacea in these cases. Ultimately, the investigation will be judged not by its procedural setup, but by its thorough- ness, its timeliness, its objectivity and, above all, its unredacted conclusions. Child sex abuse: Investigating the police investigation LETTER TO THE EDITOR Gay marriage debate: policy, or politics? ALRIC LINDSAY We know that many groups have fought for civil rights and other liberties in the past. One example is the right to vote. Another is same- sex marriage, which will now be featured in the 2017 Cayman election campaigns as a key discussion topic. In all likelihood, politi- cians will be egging on voters on both sides of the issue, while pastors will be coming out, armed with their usual quotes about sin and damna- tion. The saddest part about all of this, however, is that the same-sex probe may just be a political diversion. Politicians count on voters and their partners to be emotional. A heated dis- cussion on same-sex mar- riage is guaranteed to draw attention away from un- employment, failed gov- ernment policies, the ever- increasing welfare state, rising crime, broken immi- gration legislation and the delicate state of healthcare. Voters are aware of this, but they will get heated and distracted anyway. The fact is that the govern- ment recently acknowledged the right of a same-sex couple to have one spouse listed as a dependent in con- nection with matters related to the immigration law. The government will now try to pretend that this did not occur and chronicle its attempt to take a hard stance on the issue. This is disingenuous and misleading. If Caymanian voters are not careful, they will unknowingly commit the biggest sin – voting in a party dictatorship which has no goals but its own. Caymanians must re- member their own goals – to get employed, to re- ceive equal pay for equal work, increase awareness as to nature conservation, reducing the cost of living (and not being debt slaves) and eradicating crime. Being embattled in a sex talk during elections will not take us closer to these goals. It will just lead us into a room where we discover after the votes are cast that we have been hoodwinked, bamboozled, hornswoggled and duped. Alric Lindsay is a local attorney. Profits for the Castro regime A heated discussion on same-sex marriage is guaranteed to draw attention away from unemployment, failed government policies, the ever-increasing welfare state, [etc.]5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 GEL MEMORY FOAM MATTRESS 399 $ QUEEN SIZE Located on the corner of Godfrey Nixon Way and Ashgo St. www.MattressExperts.ky Call 947·1708 We have mattresses starting at $99 GEL MEMORY FOAM MATTRESS 399 $ QUEEN SIZE Located on the corner of Godfrey Nixon Way and Ashgo St. www.MattressExperts.ky Call 947·1708 We have mattresses starting at $99 399 $ QUEEN SIZE We have mattresses starting at $99 We have mattresses $99 We have mattresses Bail refused for imitation firearm CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Bail was refused Monday for a man ar- rested on Friday night for possession of ganja and what appeared to be an unlicensed firearm. The gun was tested over the weekend and shown to be inoperable. Daric Donan Ebanks was subsequently charged with possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit an of- fense, namely supplying ganja. He was also charged with possessing ganja with intent to supply. Magistrate Valdis Foldats remanded Ebanks in cus- tody after seeing a photo- graph of an Orion flare gun, which was painted black. He asked if the gun had been tested. Crown counsel Candia James replied that it had been, and was found to be inoperable: that was why he was charged the imita- tion firearm offense. The magistrate accepted that it was an imitation, but indicated that a person at whom the gun was pointed would not know that. Ms. James told the court that police received a report of a person acting suspiciously at a restau- rant on Watercourse Road, West Bay. They responded and saw Ebanks walking away hurriedly. They shouted at him to stop, but he did not. As the officers gave chase, they saw him throw a white plastic bag and a dark ob- ject into the bush. Ebanks was appre- hended and the area was searched. Ms. James said offi- cers recovered the gun and five plastic bags of vegetable matter resem- bling ganja. Ebanks denied knowledge of both the gun and the ganja. Following his arrest, a search warrant was ob- tained for his home. In his bedroom, officers found a black and orange mod- ified flare gun and nine glass jars that had ganja residue in them. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden said Ebanks, 30, had been dealt with by the court in the past week or two for drug charges [he received a non- custodial sentence] and he had heard the magistrate’s warning loud and clear at that time. He denied knowledge of the items in this case and said the jars found in his room were old. Ms. Bodden told the court that Ebanks had been in the area of the res- taurant because he went to get something to eat and then went out back to use the bathroom. She urged the court to consider a 24-hour curfew because Ebanks was a wit- ness in two cases in which he had been the victim of a violent attack and those two defendants were in custody. She also referred to her cli- ent’s medical issues. The magistrate said he would ask the Crown to make prison officials aware of the issues. Ms. Bodden said if she could get the documents in the case in time, she could visit Ebanks in custody and come back to court on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Prep students donate nearly 2,000 books Books to be distributed to government schools Nearly 2,000 books col- lected during a book drive by the Key Club at Cayman Prep and High School and the Student Council members of Cayman Prep Primary School are being distributed at government schools. The book drive was held at the end of the last school year. Two carloads, con- taining 1,913 high-quality books, were collected by vol- unteers and donated to the charity Literacy is For Ev- eryone, known as LIFE. Organizers said in a press release that the books will help with LIFE’s numerous initiatives, including a part- nership with the Ministry of Education to establish “high interest leveled li- braries” for every government school classroom. Brad Wilson, the literacy specialist for the Ministry of Education, said in the re- lease, “It’s wonderful that the Cayman Prep Key Club and the primary school student council took the time to or- ganise, advertise and sort through all the high-quality books they were able to col- lect from the community. “The resources are going to go a long way to help sup- port the joint literacy initia- tives that LIFE and the Min- istry are currently running.” Marilyn Conolly, executive director of LIFE, said the do- nated books would form the “foundation for much needed classroom libraries and re- flect the charitable spirit of young people making a dif- ference locally.” She added, “It is won- derful to see students sup- porting other students, and lifting each other up as a community.” The books are being dis- tributed to government schools, starting with those most in need, LIFE reported. For more information or to donate books, contact LIFE at books@life.org.ky. Two carloads, containing 1,913 high-quality books, were collected by volunteers and donated to the charity Literacy is For Everyone, known as LIFE. From left, Brad Wilson, literacy specialist, Ministry of Education and Marilyn Conolly, executive director of LIFE Ltd. with Key Club members Dinara Perera, Nathan Lambert, Alexandra Rodrigues, Helena Frawley, Lissette Williams-Fernandez, Alisalee Aaron, Zachary Moore, Johnathon Bedasse and Chris Touhey, and Key Club teacher Allison Smith.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days West Bay TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 YEARS AGO Travelers arrive from Swan Island; Charles Orrett passes In the Sept. 21, 1966 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Com- pass, West Bay correspon- dent Leila Yates wrote: “A delightful concert sponsored by the Wom- an’s Guild was held in the United Church hall on the 16th with Rev. Coke as chairman. An action song was sung by some girls. ‘The Mock Wedding’ was put on in which Mr. Arthur Ebanks ably displayed his talent as a Marriage Officer. “Mrs. Harley Jackson and her Sunday School from Mount Pleasant ren- dered a very interesting programme after the wed- ding, ‘Wanting a Cook.’ She had five applicants but not one suited her. Four songs were sung by Betty Ebanks and Carol Ann, which they learned in Canada, which amused everyone. The pro- gramme ended with the benediction by Rev. R. Coke. “The Motor Vessel Day- dream arrived on the 12th from Honduras via Swan Island, bringing Mr. Alstead Glidden, Mrs. John Jef- ferson and children, Mrs. Norman Smith and chil- dren, Mrs. Horace Kelly and son, and Master Allan Ebanks as passengers from Swan Island. “Departures on the 15th were Mr. Calvin Ebanks to his home in New York after spending his vaca- tion here. Mrs. Marson Wal- lace and little daughter Andre to Brooklyn, New York where she will meet her husband and will re- main for an indefinite time. Mrs. Alice Powery to visit her son Byron and family in New York. “Mrs. Lucy Welds has gone to Jamaica to visit her daughter Velona Roberts, whose husband is pastor of the United Brethren Church in Mandeville. “Mrs. George Hydes ar- rived on the 15th from Miami after hearing of her father’s illness. Mr. Con- noly Ebanks came in the same day from National Bulk Carriers. “Arriving on the 18th were Mr. Caleb Orrett for a week’s visit with his be- reaved mother, and Mr. Rayburn Ebanks from Na- tional Bulk Carriers. “Leaving on the 18th for Miami were Mrs. Rita Murray and her daughter Gen, [also] Miss Una Yates and Mr. Benson O. Ebanks Jr. “Mr. Leonard Weyland left for New York on the 18th for medical aid. “Mr. Sherdon Smith ar- rived on the 15th from Na- tional Bulk Carriers. “We regret to report the death of Mr. Charles Orrett, 71 years of age, who died in the hospital on the 16th having taken a stroke on the 13th at home. The funeral service was conducted by Miss Ruth Bowman at the Presbyte- rian Church, Bosun Bay, as- sisted by Rev. John Croft and Rev. R. Coke. Elder S.O. Ebanks read the obituary. He is survived by his wife Lilian, 10 children, Wil- liam, Beverly, Edith, Lilian, Sarah and Carolyn at home, Stanley, Wesley, George and Caleb at sea, one brother Mr. Banker Ebanks, four sisters, 28 grandchildren, and a lot of other relatives. He was a faithful and de- voted husband. His body was laid to rest in Bosun Bay cemetery.” Fire station staff lends a helping hand West Bay’s fire station staff recently came together to help out a member of the community. According to a press re- lease, when staff of the West Bay Fire Station recently heard that Albert Yates was in need of a new television, Acting Station Officer Brian Watler said no one thought twice about helping out. “Albert walks all the way to our station at least three times a day just to check on us, and he lives more than a mile away. He is a great guy, a caring guy who deserved this gift,” he said. Mr. Yates is the caretaker of the Scholars Park and Ed Bush Sports Complex in West Bay. Mr. Watler said when Mr. Yates told fire sta- tion members that his tele- vision was broken and he could not afford a new one, Cayman Islands Fire Service staff immediately began to empty their pockets. “Everyone pulled to- gether what they could and once all of the funds were collected, we were able to get Albert a brand new LG 32-inch HD flat-screen television,” Mr. Watler said. When they gave Mr. Yates the TV, the look on his face was well worth it, he said. “Albert really appreciated it,” said Mr. Watler. “He loves to watch the news and sporting events, so he was extremely happy. He also loves to dance, and when he saw the big TV he just started dancing.” At the recent ceremony marking the reopening of the newly refurbished fire station, Premier Alden McLauglin praised the com- munity spirit displayed by fire service staff. “Our fire service … plays a key role in our community, assisting with school fairs and bringing smiles to chil- dren’s faces when they get on a fire truck and blast the horn and start the lights, or when firefighters help to col- lect donations for a worthy charity,” he said at the event. “In fact, recently the fire- fighters of West Bay bought a television for a community member and friend of the service. I commend every one of you for that kind action. “We aren’t just here to fight fires and save lives. We also like to get involved in the community and do what we can to help and be there for all members of our com- munity, on and off the job.” “We aren’t just here to fight fires and save lives. We also like to get involved in the community.” BRIAN WATLER, acting station officer From left, Acting Sub-Officer Joseph Smith, leading fireman Arden Rivers, Acting Station Officer Brian Watler, Albert Yates with his new TV, fireman Sean Mellaneo, Acting Sub-Officer Devon Chisholm and fireman Jared Ebanks. Premier Alden McLaughlin chats with Albert Yates at the West Bay fire station reopening ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 14. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYDISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days West Bay CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 Rare pigeons, new barracuda at Cayman Turtle Centre At the newly renamed Cayman Turtle Centre: Island Wildlife Encounter, some new arrivals are turning heads. “We have had an un- usual occurrence at the aviary, [with] what appears to be a pair of leucistic ju- venile white-crowned pi- geons hatched by one of our breeding pairs a few months ago,” said the center’s terres- trial exhibits curator, Geddes Hislop. The term leucistic re- fers to leucism, a condition where a partial loss of pig- mentation in an animal re- sults in white, pale or patchy coloration of the skin, hair, feathers, scales or cuticle, but not the eyes. Mr. Hislop said that at first the terrestrial staff thought the chicks were just late in moulting their downy feathers. “But then after observing the birds for over a week with no significant change in plumage, we took a closer look and realized the birds actually had white body plumage,” he said. “A quick search online so far has turned up no records of white plumage occurring in white-crowned pigeons, but a more intensive search may turn up something. Ei- ther way, this is a rare event for this species.” Mr. Hislop said the two leucistic juveniles were meant to be part of this year’s release flock of white- crowned pigeons under the aviary’s captive breeding pro- gram, but will instead be kept on display at the aviary. In another development, it appears there is now a new barracuda “in charge” at the Turtle Centre’s Predator Reef exhibit. Mr. Hislop said the cen- ter’s marine department ac- quired two new barracudas in late June. “These two young preda- tory fish were to replace the ageing iconic 4.5-foot-long great barracuda on dis- play in the Predator Reef ex- hibit affectionately known as ‘Houdini,’ who had been in the exhibit since approxi- mately 2008, which is a very long life for that species of fish,” said Mr. Hislop. Following protocol, the new fish were quarantined for a month before being introduced to the park’s 300,000-gallon saltwater Predator Reef exhibit. During that time, they were trained to take thawed fish on signal from the aquarists in charge of the marine exhibits. “During that quarantine period, the original Houdini finally passed away from nat- ural causes brought on by old age,” said Mr. Hislop. He said that the larger of the two new barracudas, which measured 2.5 feet, was christened the new Houdini by the marine staff. “Once introduced into the relative expanse of the Pred- ator Reef exhibit in early July, the new Houdini proved to be as bold and precocious as his former namesake and quickly became a highlight at the daily predator feeding ex- hibition,” said Mr. Hislop. “He has grown rap- idly to currently just over 3 feet long.” The second, smaller bar- racuda, called “Walt,” at just over a foot long, was much shyer and more reclusive than his exhibit mate and was hardly noticeable during the feeding shows. “Recently, however, ma- rine staff have noticed that the little barracuda has gone missing. It appears that true to their nature, the matter of who is the dominant of the two barracudas was won by the larger Houdini, and he is now the undisputed king of the Predator Reef exhibit, apart from the sharks,” said Mr. Hislop. “May he live as long as his predecessor.” Celebrating grandparents on a special day The Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church recently marked Grandparents Day with a special service. The event on Sept. 11 was organized for the 27th year by church member Ezi- ethamae Bodden. During the service, grand- parents were recognized with a certificate, a poem and bookmarks. It was an especially notable day for one family, as baby Renato Powery paid his first visit to the church. It was also the first time at the church for his grandmother, Tina Gordon Martinez of Colombia, who was visiting her daughter Valerie. For those in attendance, prizes were awarded to the oldest grandfather, won by Varion Ebanks, 88, with mentions going to Rupert Ebanks, 81, in second place, and Edmond Jackson and Rudolph Powery, both 73, tied for third. The winner of the oldest grand- mother award was Carolyn Watson, 78, with Victoria Ebanks, 76, in second place, and Mary Powery and Nelba Ebanks, both 75, tied for third. Winner of youngest grandfather was Darley Powery, at 49, and second youngest was 55-year-old Langlie Powery. The youngest grandmother present award went to Monica Smith, 41, with Bridgett Powery, 44, coming second. Grandparents celebrating birthdays on the day were Erlene Hunte and Danna Morris. Following the service, grandpar- ents were treated to refreshments in the fellowship hall. A resident captured this image of the ‘supermoon’ – a full moon that appears slightly larger tha usual – over Boatswains Bay on Friday. The last full moon of the summer, the harvest moon appears before the autumnal equinox, which marks the official start of fall. The equinox this year is on Thursday, Sept. 22. – PHOTO: ZETA BODDEN Harvest moon over West Bay The new Houdini, left, swims past a tarpon in the Predator Reef. The Predator Lagoon at the Cayman Turtle Centre. Usual plumage of a white-crowned pigeon.These two white-crowned pigeons display speckled leucistic plumage. Tina Gordon Martinez, daughter Valerie Powery, grandson Renato Powery and Mary Powery. - PHOTO: EZIETHAMAE BODDEN.8 HEALTH NEWS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The facts and myths of childhood cancer DR. SARA WATKIN Fortunately, today, for the vast majority of chil- dren who develop cancer the outlook with treatment is good, with overall more than 80 percent of chil- dren surviving their cancer. However, despite these great advances, cancer re- mains the second largest cause of death in children, after accidents. About 1 in 500 children will develop cancer before the age of 14. This sug- gests that in Cayman each year, on average, one or two children will develop cancer, although really the true incidence is unknown. Unlike in adults, cancer in children is rarely due to environmental factors or lifestyle choices. In many children, changes in cell DNA either before birth or in early childhood result in cells later becoming cancerous and growing out of control. The two key reasons why most children with cancer survive today, com- pared to most dying 30 to 40 years ago, are the cen- tralization of cancer care into major centers across the world, and the high quality multicenter clinical trials which have occurred, providing us with a range of therapies we did not previously have. Before any new treat- ment can be made widely available to patients, it must be studied in clin- ical trials (research studies) and found to be safe and effective in treating dis- ease. Clinical trials for chil- dren and adolescents with cancer are generally de- signed to compare poten- tially better therapy with therapy that is currently accepted as standard. Most of the progress made in identifying cura- tive therapies for childhood cancers has been achieved through families agreeing to their children participating in these clinical trials. In children, the two main types of cancer are leukemia and brain tumors. Leukemias, which are can- cers of the bone marrow and white blood cells, ac- count for about 30 percent of all cancers in children. Leukemia can present with bone and joint pain, tiredness, weakness, pale skin, bleeding or bruising, fever, weight loss, and other symptoms. Acute leukemias can grow quickly, so they need to be treated as soon as they are found, typically with chemotherapy. Brain and other central nervous system tumors are the second most common cancers in children, making up around 26 percent of childhood cancers. Brain tumors can cause head- aches, nausea, vomiting, blurred or double vision, dizziness, trouble walking or handling objects, and other symptoms. There are many types of brain tumors and the treatment and out- look for each is different. Although most chil- dren with cancer now sur- vive, the treatment can be very grueling for the child and obviously it’s both a stressful and highly de- manding time for their family too. Many children and their families need lots of support both emotion- ally and sometimes finan- cially too. The Cayman Is- lands Cancer Society helps support families by pro- viding direct financial aid and other services. For more information on the Society or its programs call 949-7618 or email info@cics.ky. Dr. Sara Watkin is a pediatrician and neonatologist. Awards ceremony to honor cardiac survivors The Cayman Heart Fund is hosting a “Heart Heroes Award” luncheon in November to celebrate people who have survived cardiac problems. Five “leading citizens” will share their stories of survival with the com- munity in a bid to bring greater awareness of car- diac diseases to the public, organizers said. Suzy Soto of the Cayman Heart Fund described the event as “a celebration of people’s strength and sur- vival skills to carry them through bad times.” During the luncheon on Nov. 18 at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, video presentations will showcase each per- son’s “brave journey from discovery to recovery.” Tickets cost $50 each or $500 for a table of 10. For more information, contact the Cayman Heart Fund at 916-6324 or info@caymanheartfund.com. General Practitioner Dr. Sarah Cuff has joined Seven Mile Medical Clinic. Dr. Cuff attended Cayman Prep and High School before moving to the United Kingdom to pursue her medical de- gree. She was awarded her medical de- gree with honors from the University of Bristol in 2011. She has a BSc in Interna- tional Health with an interest in dengue fever prevention. Before returning to the Cayman Is- lands, she practiced for five years in the U.K. Since qualifying, she has undertaken additional training from the Royal Col- lege of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She also has experience working with children and in palliative care. Dr. Sook Yin, medical director of Seven Mile Medical Clinic, said Dr. Cuff repre- sents the new generation of Caymanian doctors. She said having Dr. Cuff on the team means that the clinic is now able to provide comprehensive preventive and wellness healthcare, as well as chronic disease management for its patients. A keen sailor and netball player, Dr. Cuff plans to complete a sports medi- cine diploma and to support some of the local sports teams. “I have always looked up to Dr. Yin and it is a privilege to now work along- side her and provide healthcare to the residents of Cayman,” Dr. Cuff said. “I share Dr. Yin’s commitment to commu- nity service and look forward to giving back to the community in any way I can.” New GP joins Seven Mile Medical Clinic Dr. Sarah Cuff Hannah’s Heroes charity head-shave set for Friday For the fourth consecu- tive year, hundreds of people are expected to turn out for the annual Hannah’s Heroes charity head-shave at Cricket Square on Friday. The “Big Shave” event raises money for and aware- ness about child cancer re- search. It is named for 8-year- old Hannah Meeson, who was diagnosed in mid-2012 with anaplastic medulloblas- toma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. After inten- sive treatment with radia- tion and chemotherapy, by May 2014 an MRI showed Hannah’s tumors had disap- peared and the disease was stable. However, the treat- ments led to other health problems for the child. Her parents, Nigel and Gaylene, joined forces with the St. Baldrick’s Founda- tion, which raises money for child cancer research. Since the inception of Han- nah’s Heroes, a St. Baldrick’s Hero Fund, they have raised $1,098,426 for pediatric cancer research to try to find a cure for Hannah and other children who have cancer. The money raised has funded three Hannah’s He- roes St. Baldrick’s Fellow- ship Grants, which com- bined will provide a further six years of research into medulloblastoma. So far for this year’s event, more than 70 people, half of whom are women, have reg- istered to have their heads shaved, said volunteer Nikki Callender. She noted that sev- eral corporate teams have also joined, including Dart, KPMG, MUFG, Maples and Calder and PwC. One woman who has signed up, Caron Murphy, who is seven-and-a-half months pregnant, has already raised $12,500 to shave off her long hair. She is the largest indi- vidual fundraiser so far. To date, for this year’s event, almost $75,000 has been raised, Ms. Callender said. The head-shave event will be at the Wicket Bar in Cricket Square from 5-9 p.m. There will be food and drink specials, a silent auction and balloon prize raffle. It is free to attend and donations are welcome. To donate, visit www.stbaldricks.org/ events/HannahsHeroes. The money raised has funded three Hannah’s Heroes St. Baldrick’s Fellowship Grants, which combined will provide a further six years of research into medulloblastoma. Young heroes: Tayden Grant and Charli Foster, back row, with Beau Shields, Hannah Meeson, Annabelle Reading and Skylar ‘Mimi’ Ebanks - six of Cayman’s child cancer survivors.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 in the case were determined to be a “miscarriage of jus- tice.” Those applications were made under a former version of the Immigration Law. The two applicants were recently granted permanent residence following a re-hearing of their case before the tribunal. The second matter in- volves the current permanent residence system and how points toward that status are awarded to applicants. Currently, applicants are re- quired to secure 110 points out of 215 available in the ap- plication process. Questions have arisen regarding how 15 of those 215 points are to be awarded in the process. Chief Justice Smellie con- cluded in the judgment that there were “immediate and obvious concerns” about the current two-tiered system for awarding permanent res- idence applicants a total of 15 points for their occupa- tion and another 15 points if their job is considered a “pri- ority occupation” according to regulations attached to the Immigration Law. “It is difficult to imagine a policy that could be more opaque, uncertain and prone to arbitrariness than one by which points are to be allo- cated to occupations based upon merely subjective as- sessments of their impor- tance in the context of the local economy,” the chief justice wrote in his 40- page judgment. Premier McLaughlin has said that he would re- veal government’s proposals to deal with the issues de- scribed by the chief justice before the opening of the next Legislative Assembly meeting in October. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Mary Delrose McCoy, affectionately known as “Ma”, of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, who passed away on Tuesday, September 13, 2016. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2016 at the Church of God Full Gospel Hall, Spot Bay, Cayman Brac at 9:00a.m. Viewing will be from 8:30 - 9:00a.m. Interment to follow at Spot Bay Cemetery. Immigration report cost $312,000 ‘Racing’ DVDL inspector case goes to prosecutor Report urges $538 million public-private effort on landfill was driving the car when it crashed. A witness, Me- loney Syms, who is the Cayman Islands govern- ment’s chief of protocol, said the inspector was “zigzagging” in and out of lanes on Crewe Road and appeared to be “racing” in the Toyota. On July 15, Mr. Dixon responded to questions about the incident and the inspector’s status with the department. He returned to work on July 18. “Our internal investi- gations continue and until such time [as they are com- pleted], we cannot make any presumption as to the in- spector’s innocence or guilt,” Mr. Dixon said. “The appro- priate action will be taken when that process is com- pleted. The vehicle inspector remains as a member of staff with the DVDL.” During a Cayman Com- pass interview on July 11, Mr. Salas said he was told by another DVDL inspector at the accident scene that vehicles are typically not taken off DVDL property during inspections. “[The] inspector that ap- proached me after the ac- cident told me he couldn’t understand why the ve- hicle needed to be on the road,” Mr. Salas said. “I am a mechanic. I wouldn’t take a vehicle to the li- censing department if it wasn’t functional.” Mr. Dixon said section 63 of the Cayman Islands Traffic Law (2011 Revision) allows for DVDL inspec- tors to test vehicles “in any place and time.” “DVDL has and con- tinues to test vehicles on public road[s] since the 1960s,” he said. Mr. Dixon said no fur- ther comment would be made regarding the July 11 accident until the police and licensing department’s internal investigations were completed. He did not give a date for when that might occur. money” in a “design, build, finance, operate and main- tain contract,” according to a KPMG financial analysis as part of the report. The report says a public- private partnership that in- cludes support from local government is more likely to attract overseas interest from companies “with a … record of building, imple- menting and operating in- tegrated waste management system solutions.” Additionally, it says, gov- ernment-private sector shared responsibilities “facilitate a high level of risk transfer to the [private] partner,” reducing government’s “internal re- quirements for contract man- agement and monitoring.” By comparison, simply maintaining present man- agement techniques and “a status quo-type system of just landfilling waste on the islands,” the ministry said, would cost $418 million during the same 25-year pe- riod. “For the extra invest- ment … of around $4.8 mil- lion per year,” the ministry said, “the proposed solution will greatly reduce the land- filling of waste, as it will be either reduced, reused, recy- cled or recovered.” Both the ministry and the consultants pointed out that initial plans to mine waste, converting it to energy, were rejected because of “long- term nuisance conditions from mining, such as odors,” which “outweigh the ben- efit of gaining back the small area of landfill space.” “For those who have been saying ‘fix the dump,’ I will point out again that this is what this project is about. But it goes beyond fixing a dump to providing a long-term solution of waste management needs of all three Cayman Islands,” Pre- mier Alden McLaughlin said in a press release. “I am very pleased that we have gotten to this point where we are publishing the draft outline business case for the very first integrated solid waste management plan for the Cayman Islands. “If you ask me [if] I wish we could have gotten to this phase sooner, the answer would be yes, but we have du- tifully followed the steps re- quired by the framework for fiscal responsibility, which mirrors the U.K. Treasury’s Green Book for managing projects such as this. The pro- cess may seem long, but it is sure and will ensure we have the best, most viable solution.” The premier pointed to “dramatically improved” oper- ations at the landfill already “by re-establishing proper practices. Government, he said, has “spent millions of dollars on new equipment, in- cluding a state-of-the-art com- pactor and garbage trucks. “We have also increased our focus on recycling, in- cluding old tyres, and will soon be moving towards composting,” he added. The report envisions a four-year period for “pro- curement and construction” and $106 million in con- struction costs. Work is ex- pected to start no sooner than September 2017. The document projects an- nual operating costs over the 25-year period of $423 mil- lion, partially offset by an- nual revenues during that period totaling $269 million, although it remains unclear if that figure is reduced by the now-discarded effort to mine the landfill’s collected waste. The study pegs annual revenues from converting waste to energy at $108 mil- lion. Collection fees are pre- dicted to top $118 million, and annual tipping costs to gen- erate another $41.6 million. The study does not iden- tify possible partners, leaving the selection to competitive bidding, which could involve subcontracting by local companies. This Toyota Supra, driven by an inspector at the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing, was traveling in the outbound lanes of Crewe Road when it struck a light pole and ended up in the inbound lanes on July 11. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Premier Alden McLaughlin Motorcyclist killed in GT collision A motorcyclist was killed late Monday morning after his motorcycle collided with an SUV on South Church Street in George Town. Canadian Randy Johnson, 62, who lived in Cayman, was pronounced dead at the Cayman Islands Hospital shortly before noon. Police said 911 received a call about the accident, in the vicinity of Eden Road, around 11:30 a.m. The driver of the white Ford Explorer involved in the collision was not in- jured, police said. South Church Street be- tween Boilers and Melmac Avenue was closed after the collision while police con- ducted an investigation. No arrests have been made. The SUV and motorcycle are removed from the scene of Monday’s fatal accident. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >