ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 High of 91 Low of 80 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 SPEAKING UP FOR WEST BAY’S SCHOOLCHILDREN SPORTS | PAGE 18 FALCONS OFFENSE KEEPS BUILDING STEAM IN 45-32 WIN VS. SAINTS Concern over mold at West Bay school Damaged playground equipment removed after parents raise alarm JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Debris and broken play- ground equipment is being cleared and air quality tests carried out at the Sir John A. Cumber Primary School in West Bay following complaints from parents, education officials said this week. Images of broken swings, slides and a water fountain were posted on Facebook last week by parent Sarah Orrett, who is listed on the school’s website as vice president of the Parent Teacher Association. Ms. Orrett also raised concerns that there may be mold in some class- rooms, suggesting it was making children sick. A petition calling for “ade- quate staffing, an environmen- tally safe and healthy learning environment for students and staff” was also launched and had garnered 34 signatures at press time Tuesday. Passengers face inconvenience as airport expands JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Airport officials have urged passengers to be patient and warned there may be months of inconvenience ahead as work on the multi-million dollar expansion of the fa- cility intensifies. Temporary fencing had been installed near the entrance to the check-in hall Monday and passengers were being di- verted around the construction zone on makeshift walkways. Work is taking place to remove the large outdoor canopy that provides shaded cover for passengers waiting to get into the de- parture lounge. In the next few weeks, work will begin on expanding the departure lounge and check-in lobby, as well as con- struction of a new immigration and bag- gage claim area. It is the first time that work on the $55 million terminal expansion, which is expected to take until late 2018 to com- plete, has moved into the areas used by travelers. CIVIL SERVANT RE-EMPLOYED AFTER ADMITTING THEFT CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A civil servant who was re-employed by government after admitting stealing money that was meant to pay for people to be housed in residential care homes was sentenced to 12 months in jail Monday. Loretta Doralyn Grizzel, an executive of- ficer in Department of Children and Family Services in Cayman Brac, pleaded guilty to stealing $16,050 over a two-year period. Grizzel admitted the offending as soon as she was asked about it, defense attorney Waide DaCosta told Magistrate Valdis Foldats. She was suspended from work but was subse- quently asked to come back in the same posi- tion, although not handling cash transactions. The magistrate had asked the circum- stances of the re-employment and sentencing was adjourned until a victim impact state- ment could be obtained. Grizzel had been responsible for collecting and depositing funds received from individ- uals who had family members in residential homes managed by the department. The period of her offending involved 38 ir- regular transactions between May 2012 and August 2014, when she collected cash but did not deposit it. In September 2014, a treasury accountant became suspicious after reviewing the department’s financial records. The Department of Education Services says it is taking action to improve facilities at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School following complaints from parents. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Work on the Owen Roberts International Airport terminal expansion is beginning to impact passengers. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 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. THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (PG13) 12:30 | 3:30 | 6:50 | 9:50 KUBO AND THE TWO (PG) STRINGS 3D 1:05 | 3:30 2D | 7:05 | 9:35 2D THE QUEEN OF KATWE (PG) 1:30 | 4:20 | 7:10 | 10:00 STORKS 3D (PG) 1:00 2D | 4:00 | 6:40 2D | 9:00 WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS (PG13) 1:10 | 3:50 | 7:30 | 10:05 BRIDGET JONES’S BABY (R) 1:20 | 4:10 | 7:00 | 9:55 - WEDNESDAY - Mirco Centre GT caymankarateacademy@gmail.com www.caymankarateacademy.com Telephone: 926-5425 Back to School SPECIAL 2 Week Trial Program Including Uniform $49 for Special Ends Oct 1st RESERVE NOW FIND YOUR BEST DEALS DREAM CAR AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE OVER 10,000 CARS IN STOCK Tel : +81 42 440 3440 | Email : top@beforward.jp www.beforward.jp Shipped to George Town Cayman Islands DREAM CAR AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE DREAM CAR AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE Gov’t looks to outsource prisoner transport Outsourcing intended to reduce demands on prison staff and police CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com New recommendations by prison officials, based on rec- ommendations in the 2014 Project Future report, push the idea of outsourcing pris- oner transport to a private security firm. The prisoner transport report, finalized in April and released to the public this week, states that five prison officers on average are needed to transport pris- oners, taking away the man- power at Northward and Fairbanks prisons needed to keep resources like the li- brary and rehabilitation pro- grams open. The report notes that the current cost for prison transport amounts to $33 an hour, but outsourcing to a pri- vate security firm could lower that cost to $18 an hour. The report, prepared by Prisons Director Neil Lavis, notes that the outsourcing would not lead to cost sav- ings, but instead help with the staffing challenges at the prison. The report states, “It is important to note that if the decision is made to outsource this service, there will be no assumption of a reduction in headcount for either the Prison or Police Services.” It continues, “The Prison Service is currently 18 Prison Officers short and therefore the staff that currently pro- vide court and other escort duties will be redeployed to other duties/responsibili- ties within the Prison, spe- cifically in the areas of of- fender rehabilitation, which will add value to the service being provided.” The report explains that the outsourcing will increase costs initially, but savings would come over the long term “as there will be no need to recruit additional staff within the Prison and Police Services, which would incur a higher cost.” In a press release this week, government said it would explore two op- tions in an outline busi- ness case for outsourcing prisoner transport. The first option is to hire a private company to trans- port prisoners to and from court. The second option adds in using the contractor for transportation for med- ical services as well. The proposal envisions a new class of officer, called a “custody officer” to be trained in prisoner transport and em- ployed by a private company. The security firm would be responsible for hiring officers and buying a vehicle suitable for prisoner transport. Making the argument for outsourcing transport duties, the report notes that either option “would assist with de- mands on Prison staff and police auxiliary, whose skills are desperately required else- where. Other areas of work are being neglected or are suffering as a result of these resources having to be used for escort services.” If government accepts the proposal in an outline business case, the program would require legislative changes to make the out- sourcing legal and recognize “custody officers.” The report notes that the current cost for prison transport amounts to $33 an hour, but outsourcing to a private security firm could lower that cost to $18 an hour. Transporting prisoners from Northward Prison, pictured, or the women’s prison at Fairbanks costs $33 an hour. Prison officials are recommending outsourcing the service to save money. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLER LGBTQ FESTIVAL CANCELED IN HAITI AMID THREATS, GOV’T ORDER PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) – Organizers of a cultural festival in Haiti celebrating the Afro- Caribbean LGBTQ community said Tuesday that it has been called off due to numerous threats of violence and a subse- quent prohibition by a govern- ment commissioner. The four-day Massimadi film, art and performance event was supposed to start Tuesday in the capital, Port-au-Prince, but organizers said it had to be postponed as a prominent Hai- tian cultural institution known as FOKAL and other co-hosts were threatened with arson and other attacks. “FOKAL has been receiving threats of outra- geous violence,” said Lorraine Mangones, executive director of the nonprofit Knowledge & Freedom Foundation. Jeudy Charlot of the gay rights group Kouraj, the main organizer of the event, said he is determined that the arts festival by lesbian, gay, bi- sexual and transgender Hai- tians and their supporters will be held at a later date.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • SHOP & WIN! Receive a raffle entry for every CI$25 you spend at participating Camana Bay locations. 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THURSDAY 5-8PM THURSDAY 5-8PM •••••••••••••••••••••••••• SHOPP ERS’ NIGHT OUT •••••••••••••••••••••••••• AT CAMANA BAY ••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••• AT CAMANA BAY ••••••••••••••••••••••••• AT CAMANA BAY •••••••••••••••••••••••••• AT CAMANA BAY •••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••• OUT •••••••••••••••••••••••••• AT CAMANA BAY OUT •••••••••••••••••••••••••• AT CAMANA BAY ••••••••••••••••••••••••• AT CAMANA BAY AT CAMANA BAY NIGHT OUT OUT •••••••••••••••••••••••••• AT CAMANA BAY OUT •••••••••••••••••••••••••• AT CAMANA BAY AT CAMANA BAY OUT OUT OUT NIGHT NIGHT OUT NIGHT NIGHT OUT NIGHT OUT NIGHT OUT SHOPP ERS’ NIGHT NIGHT OUT SHOPP ERS’ •••••••••••••••••••••••••• SHOPP ERS’ NIGHT •••••••••••••••••••••••••• SHOPP ERS’ NIGHT SHOPP ERS’ •••••••••••••••••••••••••• SHOPP ERS’ SHOPP ERS’ NIGHT SHOPP ERS’ SHOPP ERS’ SHOPP ERS’ SHOPP ERS’ SHOPP ERS’ SHOPP ERS’ SHOPP ERS’ FOI requests at lowest level since law came into force CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The number of requests made under the Freedom of Information Law, giving the public access to government records, is at the lowest level since the law came into effect in 2009, according to a new report from the Information Commissioner’s Office. The annual ICO statis- tics report, released as part of the office’s annual “Right to Know Week” celebrations, show that the Cayman Is- lands government received 404 requests between July 2015 and the end of June 2016. The number is down from 702 during the same pe- riod the year before. Acting Information Com- missioner Jan Liebaers said he is not sure what accounts for the significant drop in the number of FOI requests, but said several factors could have contributed. He said there has been better training for information managers, re- sponsible for FOI requests in ministries and departments over the past year so they can avoid logging duplicate re- quests in the system. He said quick replies to FOI requests do not have to be logged as formal requests, but those responses also do not have to include a notice of appeal. Some information managers, he said, simply do not log the requests into what he acknowledges can be a “tedious” tracking system. “More FOI requests are not necessarily a good thing,” he said, suggesting that part of the drop could be due to government making more in- formation available online without the need for formal requests for things like meeting minutes. Mr. Liebaers said there were positive developments in the freedom of information field over the last year, with government departments re- cording their lowest average response time of 20 days, down from a record high the year before of 31 days. “Overall, government has done well,” he said, com- mending information man- agers for bringing down re- sponse times. The report notes that the drop in the number of re- quests could have helped re- sponse times, but also points to a memo from Deputy Gov- ernor Franz Manderson sent across the civil service about complying with FOI requests. The report states, “Mr. Man- derson expressed his expec- tation that requests for as- sistance from [information managers] be treated as ur- gent by other civil servants. The DG also emphasized that reducing response times [after last year’s poor results] was a priority for him.” The statistics released by the information commis- sioner show that since 2009, 30 percent of FOI requests have been granted in full and another 18 percent were granted in part. A quarter were denied because of an exemption in the law. The figures for the last year show that almost 70 percent of requests were granted either in full or in part. Thirty-two percent were exempted from release or otherwise withheld. Right to Know Week The Information Com- missioner’s annual Right to Know Week is running through Monday, Oct. 3, to promote the Freedom of In- formation Law and teach people how it can be used. “Every year we still talk to people who don’t know FOI exists,” Mr. Liebaers said. “You really have important rights under the FOI Law.” The Information Commis- sioner’s Office has a number of events scheduled for the week. There will be a public outreach push at the Market at the Cricket Field from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, and again in the lobby of the Government Administration Building Friday morning to talk to the public about FOI. There are also events scheduled for civil servants on Grand Cayman and on the Brac. Acting Information Commissioner Jan Liebaers DOOR-TO-DOOR EMPLOYMENT SURVEY TO BEGIN Interviewers with the government’s Economics and Statistics Office are set to begin a new survey on employment in the Cayman Islands on Sunday. ESO workers plan to visit 1,401 randomly se- lected households across the islands over the next four weeks. They will be asking questions about employment, wages and demographics to get sta- tistics for the biannual La- bour Force Survey. The interviews are con- fidential and information on individuals is not pub- lished, according to the ESO. The data collected will be compiled to get a pic- ture of Cayman’s workforce and economic well-being. The ESO began doing two surveys per year on the labor force in 2015 to give a better picture of the economy. Previously, gov- ernment economists and statisticians had done one survey each year, in the fall. The last report, re- leased in the spring, found that there were al- most 42,000 people in the Cayman Islands work- force, with a 3.9-percent unemployment rate.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” BLOOMBERG VIEW EDITORIAL BOARD A “Digital Single Market,” like a single currency, is one of those grand European ideas that sounds better than it works. Take, for ex- ample, the European Com- mission’s clumsy attempt to use copyright law as a cudgel against U.S. interlopers such as Google and Facebook. One provision of a new bill proposed by the European Commission accords pub- lishers the right to a license fee whenever a news aggre- gator such as Google News uses even a snippet of the publisher’s content. Currently aggregators pay no such fee. Who would that license fee benefit? Not readers: It would only make the publishers’ work harder to find. Not the aggregators, whose value proposition depends on of- fering its customers the widest possible array of information. Publishers seem to think they will be the main benefi- ciaries – they lobbied heavily for the right to charge a fee – but it’s not at all clear they will be. When German pub- lishers tried to force aggre- gators to pay license fees in 2014, applying legisla- tion that came into effect the year before, Google News re- fused and stopped carrying snippets of German arti- cles. Publishing giant Axel- Springer found that traffic from Google News plum- meted by 80 percent during the two-week cut-off. Pub- lishers relented and waived the fee. Spain tried a similar approach in 2015, with pre- dictable results. News aggregators are dis- rupters of course, but they are also saviors: They can grow (and globalize) a small local audience. Certainly pub- lishers have to find new ways to adapt and make a profit. Seeking protection under the guise of copyright law is not the way to do it. The commission’s copy- right proposal is not com- pletely without virtues. It would allow for cultural heri- tage institutions to distribute works no longer available to the public, for example, and would clarify legal uncertainty around the use of copyrighted materials by teachers and re- searchers. But making these exceptions is very different from creating new rights. In general, the commission needs to take a lighter touch. It’s now up to the European Parliament and member governments, as they review the proposal, to make sure it does. © 2016, Bloomberg View WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Sir John A. Cumber Primary School — The Petition: “To Provide Adequate Staffing, an Environmentally Safe and Healthy Learning Environment for Students and Staff.” Is this what it takes, really, to get Cayman Islands education officials to provide our children with facilities that meet bare minimum standards for cleanliness and safety? Apparently so. Parents of Sir John A. Cumber students were, it seems, as flabbergasted as we are by the presence of broken playground equipment and “suspected” mold in two classrooms at the primary school in West Bay. After parents met with the principal, created an online petition and circulated photos of the school online, the Ministry of Education issued a statement filled with the charac- teristic platitudes and bureaucratic pabulum — i.e., “one can imagine that the maintenance needs at schools are constant and voluminous” … “we can safely say that gen- erally all of our schools are kept in good condition” … In practical terms, the bottom line is that Principal Paul Samuel took the parental concerns to the education ministry, which is now addressing the issues. According to the ministry’s statement, “The first step is the removal of debris and the broken playground equipment.” (Someone, please explain how that sentence is compat- ible with the previous assertion that “schools are kept in good condition.”) As for the possible mold, contractors “deep cleaned” two classrooms and the air conditioning systems, and the Department of Environmental Health will now test the air quality in those and nearby classrooms. How can issues as obvious as broken equipment, “debris,” and mold be present in a primary school in a country as wealthy as ours, within a public educa- tion system as well-funded as ours? And, for the record, smack in the backyard of Education Minister Tara Rivers, who is an elected representative of West Bay? Then again, Minister Rivers’s electoral catchment area had no bearing on the profusion of mold in the West Bay Fire Station, either. Lawmakers responded to that envi- ronmental health threat by turning it into an occasion for political posturing — by holding a ceremonial photo- op, attended by Minister Rivers and Premier Alden McLaughlin, to celebrate the reopening of the fire station after the government spent $35,000 on repairs. Remember, too, that the parental outcry in West Bay is occurring in the context of more general protestations (from parents and teachers) against persistent shortages of classroom supplies, including paper, in government schools — a situation that ministerial officials have yet to acknowledge publicly. Our government ought to keep in mind that we live in an age of smartphones, iPads, WhatsApp and Snapchat. Anybody — youth or adult — can transform into an investigative documentarian or reporter with the touch of a button. In this modern world, there’s no sure way to hide anything, especially something as obvious as a broken swing set. At the end of its statement, the ministry encouraged parents to share any concerns they might have with principals, staff or ministry officials. That’s pretty good advice. Here’s some more: Share your photos, stories, tips, concerns or suggestions (critical, positive or just plain interesting) with the Compass. Call us, post us a letter, email us, contact us via Cay- manCompass.com or social media. Or, just walk into our Compass Centre office. If the powers that be don’t seem to be hearing you, we’ll do our best to get their attention. We’ll be your megaphone; we’ll be your publisher. Speaking up for West Bay’s schoolchildren ‘It’s Yours, Just Ask!’ JAN LIEBAERS Acting Information Commissioner I am writing to invite par- ticipation in the annual cel- ebration of Right to Know Week, organized by the Infor- mation Commissioner’s Of- fice from Sept. 26 to Oct. 3. Every year, Sept. 28 is ob- served around the world as International Right to Know Day, to raise awareness of the right to access government records and information, and show support for govern- ment openness, transparency and accountability. In the Cayman Islands these rights and objectives are enshrined in the Constitution and em- bodied in the Freedom of In- formation Law. In the coming days the ICO is hosting events for the general public, the media and public servants, in order to highlight FOI and encourage individuals to know and use their rights under the Law. Even as the FOI Law has been in effect for almost eight years, promoting the information rights of indi- viduals remains an impor- tant and unfinished task. To our surprise, every year we encounter individuals who have never even heard of Freedom of Information, and may not be aware they hold these rights: ■■ the right to request any recorded information held by government ■■ the right to receive an acknowledgment of your request within 10 days, and a full re- sponse within 30 days ■■ if a public authority with- holds anything you asked for, the right to be given reasons under the Law ■■ if access is denied, the right to obtain an internal review by the respon- sible Chief Officer; and, ■■ if you are not satisfied, or suspect that the Law has not been applied cor- rectly, the right to contact the Information Com- missioner and appeal. This year our theme for Right to Know Week is “It’s Yours, Just Ask!” In re-using the same theme from pre- vious years, we seek to rec- ognize once again that it is all too easy to forget that government works for the people, and that informa- tion held by public authori- ties should be open and ac- cessible, either proactively or upon request – although cer- tain types of information can be withheld for legitimate, limited reasons. A number of big changes are afoot in the coming year. The merger of the ICO into a larger Ombudsman’s Of- fice aims to change the gov- ernance of government over- sight, including FOI, but the basic principles of the FOI Law and the rights it grants are not expected to change. While this may very well be the last time that a separate (Acting) Information Com- missioner leads the celebra- tion of Right to Know Week, this time next year we will no doubt once again have occa- sion to reflect upon and cel- ebrate our information rights, by then likely strengthened by a Data Protection Law. In the meantime, the ICO and I continue to work hard to ensure that the FOI Law is applied correctly, and that all parties, both individuals and govern- ment officials, are aware of their rights and obliga- tions, and know where to turn for further informa- tion. Remember: “It’s Yours, Just Ask!” For more on FOI and the Right to Know Week schedule, see: www.infocomm.ky Europe’s Google News tax makes no sense at all5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 Teacher on trial for indecent assault of three students CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The trial began this week of a John Gray High School teacher who has pleaded not guilty to three charges of in- decently assaulting three fe- male students. After a jury of six men and one woman was chosen Monday, Crown counsel Toyin Salako opened the prosecu- tion’s case on Tuesday. She explained that ju- rors would see each girl’s video interview and then the girl would answer questions while sitting in the witness box, with a screen between her and the dock where the defendant sat. She empha- sized that this arrangement was not to be held against the defendant because it was the procedure adopted when any child gives evidence in a criminal trial. Justice Michael Wood said that having a screen in place was standard practice now all over the world for children to give evidence that way. In order to prove inde- cent assault, Ms. Salako ex- plained, the Crown has to prove that the touching of the girls as they described it was intentional; that the na- ture of the touching and the circumstances of it were ca- pable of being considered by right-minded individuals as indecent; that the defen- dant intended to commit the assault. The defendant’s case is that he did not have any physical contact with any of the three girls. “In other words,” Ms. Salako summed up, “they have lied – for whatever reason; each of the young girls has made up the allegations.” The first girl said in her police interview that the touching occurred in the class- room, near the end of class, when she was walking back to her desk after getting papers from a printer. She explained that the teacher walked to- ward her and inappropri- ately touched her after placing his hand on her left leg. After class, she told some friends. After a discussion with them, which she de- tailed, the witness said they spoke to a school counselor later the same day. Defense attorney Steve McField began questioning the girl shortly before noon. The trial continues. Car crash driver was being chased by police A car involved in a two- car collision on early Sat- urday was being chased by police after failing to stop at a traffic checkpoint, police said. The crash, which left five people injured, including two who were hospitalized, re- sulted in one of the vehicles bursting into flames. Police revealed further de- tails of the incident Monday, explaining that officers were conducting a traffic opera- tion on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, when a Nissan Primera drove through the checkpoint around 12:10 a.m. without stopping. When officers followed the vehicle and activated their emergency lights, the driver pulled over, but then took off again once the police officers began to exit their car. Police followed the car, which was traveling at about 35 mph. Once the driver of the Nissan encountered traffic along West Bay Road, he pulled into the turning lane and accelerated to what police described as “a very fast speed.” Moments later, outside the Queens Court complex, the Nissan collided into the back of a white Mercedes- Benz SUV, which then col- lided into a CUC pole. Police said three people were in the Nissan and two in the Mercedes. Members of the public helped po- lice remove the passengers from the Nissan, which had caught fire. All five were injured and given emergency first aid by police and emergency per- sonnel. Two were admitted to hospital. The passenger in the Mercedes was released from hospital Monday, while the 21-year-old driver of the Nissan underwent surgery on Saturday and is still in the hospital in stable condi- tion, police said. The incident is under po- lice investigation. “It is unlawful not to obey a police signal to stop, whether it be at a police checkpoint, by a police ve- hicle with the use of emer- gency lights and siren, or by a police officer in uniform,” said Kurt Walton, Chief Su- perintendent. “We need ev- eryone to take responsibility for road safety.” The National Trust of the Cayman Islands will host its annual general meeting and members evening on Thursday, Sept. 29, up- stairs at the George Town Yacht Club at 606 North Sound Road. The meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Trust members are encouraged to attend to vote for the 2016-17 Trust Council while enjoying hors d’oeuvres. Following a recent amendment to the National Trust by-laws, members can now vote by proxy if they are unable to attend in person. In addition to voting in a new Trust Council, the AGM is held in order to receive the annual report of the Trust’s work for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, and the financial report for the same period. Volunteers, donors and programs are recognized for the work accomplished over the past year. TRUST TO HOLD AGM THURSDAYDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Sister Islands WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 years ago: Students succeed at GCE exams In the Sept. 28, 1966 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Brac Correspondent Lilian Ritch wrote: “We offer congratula- tions to the following na- tives of Cayman Brac who have been successful in the G.C.E. exams in Jamaica: Hyacinth C.A. Lazzari (3) Wolmers, Jennifer L. Foster (4) Hampton, L. Kay Scott (4) St. Hugh’s, and Roy L. Scott (2) Meadowbrook. “Kay’s brother Roy Lewin Jr. passed Geography, Eng- lish language Cr. We bade him bon voyage this week as he returned to Meadow- brook to complete his sub- jects. He filled in holidays very happily at work with the Cable & Wireless (W.I.) Ltd. building construction at Stake Bay. “Visiting over the past fortnight we have been glad to welcome Miss Ann Lee Jervis, eldest child of Mrs. Geris Martin of the Creek, on vacation from New York. Ann is an office secretary and out of business hours she attends the Latin American Institute, taking a language course ma- joring in Spanish. She is the niece of our popular con- stable Willie McLaughlin. “Francois McGilchrist of Jamaica [has been a] guest of Ernest Foster of North East Bay. Francois is on vacation from University where he is a language stu- dent in France. “Captain M.I. Kirkconnell of Tampa has been visiting with his mother, Mrs. Al- vernie and brother Captain Mabry at Stake Bay. “At the Creek, Mrs. Kay Sottan has been with the Theophilus Ritches. “Thursday’s early flight of Cayman Brac Airways brought for the day per- sonnel concerned with our development, and we give them a cordial greeting: “Mike Harvey, super- visor of Cable & Wireless (W.I.) Ltd.; Mike Griffiths, supervisor of construc- tion of the Secondary Modern School buildings; Mr. F. George Emile, sales representative of Rogers and Home Ltd., manufac- turing chemists of Trin- idad, makers of Canadian Healing Oil, etc. Though [Mr. Emile’s] firm has had connection over many years with our merchants, this is the first visit of a represen- tative. [He was observed] in the Post Office enthusing over our stamps and the Cayman Islands crest. “The other two arrivals were Barclays Bank man- ager Lester R.C. Johnson and secretary Miss Gwen- dolee Wood on a routine visit. The name plates at the bank impress us of up-to- date service. ‘R.A. McAuley’ above the desk window meets the eye as one steps in and ‘D.J. Jermyn’ on the desk designates the sub-manager.” Taking strides to breast cancer awareness Getting some exercise and fresh air, along with some friendly competition, the Brac community recently got to- gether to raise funds for breast cancer awareness efforts. Cayman Brac’s Brenda Tibbetts-Lund 5K run/walk project is a joint venture be- tween the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens and the Cayman Brac Lions Club. This year it was held on Sept. 17, with participants making their way from the Brac Reef Beach Resort to Fosters Corner and back. The event kicks off a series of breast cancer awareness ac- tivities across the Cayman Is- lands throughout October or- ganized by the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens. “In the Brac, as a joint project with Tropical Gardens of Grand Cayman this event has been going for approxi- mately 10 years,” said Lions Club of Cayman Brac presi- dent Dionne Smith. “A total of almost 60 per- sons participated in the run/ walk this year. And although it is not a team event, for the first time this year we had a trophy for the corporate group that had the most par- ticipants represented, which went to the Cayman Brac Power and Light Company.” The run/walk was fol- lowed by a forum on breast cancer awareness at the Brac Reef Beach Resort. Dr. Kimon Bonadie from Grand Cayman spoke on cancer awareness and nurse Paula Simpson discussed nutrition. Ms. Smith said a little under $600 was raised from the event, which was orga- nized by several members of the clubs’ health committees. “The Lions Club is com- mitted to hosting events of this nature so that the mem- bers of the community can become more aware and in- formed about breast cancer and cancer-related illness in general,” said Ms. Smith. “Dr. Bonadie pointed out how important it is for indi- viduals to get regular checks and get educated about cancer, as the information continues to change.” The Lions Club of Trop- ical Gardens is marking 20 years of the Lions Breast Cancer Awareness program in the Cayman Islands. Funds raised from go toward breast cancer screening, education programs and assistance with cancer treatment. The club works with the Cayman Islands Health Services As- sociation, Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital, Medlab, the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, the medical commu- nity, government departments and businesses in promoting breast cancer awareness and providing mammograms. On its website, the organization notes some of its achievements in the past 10 years: “Over 9,500 mammogram vouchers, sponsored by our Club, have enabled women to proactively assess their breast health. Lives have been saved,” it states, adding that the club’s efforts have sponsored diagnostic methods like ultra- sound testing. In addition, the website states thousands of people have benefited from educa- tional programs and support during and after treatment for breast cancer. “An approximate 275 in- dividuals have been mean- ingfully assisted with healthcare and other re- lated costs, both at home and overseas,” it states. “There are many cases where assistance is needed with travel expenses, ac- commodation and/or meals while obtaining overseas treatment. Support is also given through the purchase of prosthetic breast forms, bras, etc. At times when vic- tims have been most vulner- able, we have sought to al- leviate financial concerns, enable family members and care givers to be present and understood the importance of the arguably ‘little things’ like a prosthetic bra in re- storing self-confidence.” In Grand Cayman, the North Side Brenda Tibbetts- Lund 5K Memorial Run/Walk will be taking place on Sat- urday, Oct. 1, and the main Brenda Tibbetts-Lund 5K Memorial Run/Walk is hap- pening on Sunday, Oct. 9 at the Holiday Inn Resort. For more information, call 936-1739 or visit www.lctgbreastcancerawareness.com. The Cayman Brac Power and Light team was the largest participating, pictured with Lions Club of Cayman Brac president Dionne Smith, in yellow vest, and Lions Club of Tropical Gardens president Maureen Robinson in pink. Walkers line up at the start line of the Brac’s Brenda Tibbetts-Lund 5K run/walk.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Sister Islands CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 Brac gearing up for Autumn Festival Cayman Brac’s cre- ative community is gearing up for a highly anticipated arts festival. The second Brac Autumn Festival takes place on Oct. 14 and 15 at locations across the island with a variety of events being planned. “We got exciting news today that we have re- ceived sponsorship from the Cayman Islands govern- ment for the visiting artists including poets and musi- cians from Grand Cayman, as well as [an] art grant from the Cayman National Cul- tural Foundation,” said fes- tival co-founder and orga- nizer Simone Scott, who was on the organizing committee that launched the festival in 2015 with Michel Powery and Tisa Dixon, with assistance from other volunteers. The fun kicks off on Friday, Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m. with a Cultural Arts Fair at the home of Dan and Lisa Scott in the Creek. The beautifully restored House #396 was formerly known as the historic Spellman McLaughlin house. “Expect an Arts Maze, a mini Craft Market and performing arts featuring local and visiting authors, poets and musicians,” said Simone Scott. “We are also going to have an ole time skit and songs written by Ms. Allimae Ebanks, performance from Koalition Quadrille, chil- dren’s games, face painting and an autumn-themed photo booth provided by Sean Smith.” Food will also be available for sale. On Saturday, Oct. 15, young people are invited to a poetry event at the Brac Library, open to teens 13 years old and up from 9 to 11 a.m. Kids aged five to 12 are invited to an art workshop hosted by the National Gallery. Bus transportation is being offered to and from the library parking lot. “Pick up starts in Spot Bay at 8 a.m. and in West End at 8:30 a.m.,” said Ms. Scott. Drop off starts at 11 a.m. at the library parking lot, with stops first at West End and then Spot Bay. That night, the festivities will continue at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort with an open mic and canvas night. “There will be open participation by [the] audi- ence of poems, songs and painting, and a contempo- rary performance by Koali- tion,” said Ms. Scott. Artists, poets, authors and musicians confirmed to attend so far include poets Alyson Medeiros, Sophie McKenzie, Kevin Creary and Michel Powery, fine artists Yonier Powery and artist/au- thor Gordon Solomon, and author Taura Ebanks. Ms. Powery will donate an original piece to be auctioned in support of a local cause on Saturday night. “The festival is being made possible by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation and sponsorship from the Ministry of Admin- istration, Tourism and Trans- port,” said Ms. Scott. “Thanks also go to the Brac Public Library, Brac Museum, Dan and Lisa Scott, and Cayman Brac Beach Resort for hosting event venues. The activities are being conducted in partner- ship with the National Gal- lery of the Cayman Islands, Cayman Brac Artists group, and Floetry.” Artists confirmed to attend so far include poets Alyson Medeiros, Sophie McKenzie, Kevin Creary, and Michel Powery, fine artists Yonier Powery and artist/author Gordon Solomon, and author Taura Ebanks. The National Gallery for the Cayman Islands hosted an art workshop at last year’s Autumn Festival. Coming up in Sister Islands: Solid waste open houses With the recent release of a new report on waste solutions for the Cayman Islands, the public is being invited to hear about what is being proposed. Next week, the draft outline business case for the proposed Inte- grated Solid Waste Man- agement System at will be presented at two open house sessions held on the Sister Islands. The sessions will be held next Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the National Trust House on Little Cayman from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre on Cayman Brac from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A questionnaire will be provided at the open house sessions and is being set up on the Ministry of Health website www.min- istryofhealth.gov.ky. A copy of the consul- tation draft outline busi- ness case is also available on the website. Comments should be made by Oct. 7. Find out what’s proposed for the Brac dump at a public open house on Oct. 5. - PHOTO: NORMA CONNOLLY Artists are being welcomed to this year’s Brac Autumn Festival.There will be lots of fun ways for kids to express their creativity.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Remembrance Day When the shadows have departed and the mists have rolled away. We shall know, as we are known, never more to walk alone. In the dawning of the morning of that bright and happy day, We shall know each other better, Valma Hyacinth Ebanks Sunrise April 11th 1931 Sunset September 28th 2004 In loving memory, Husband, children, grandchildren & family “May her soul rest in peace and never be forgotten” Valma Hyacinth EbanksValma Hyacinth Ebanks 1931 1931 2004 2004 Sunset September 28 Sunset September 28 Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Carlos Alberto Yates Rivers affectionately known as “Nicky” of West Bay, who passed away on Wednesday, September 14, 2016. A Graveside Service will be held on Thursday, September 29, 2016 at the Boatswain Bay Cemetery at 3:00pm. We have been asked to announce the passing of at the Boatswain Bay Cemetery at 3:00pm. In a statement Monday evening, the Department of Education Services said school principal Paul Samuel had met with the PTA vice president to discuss the con- cerns. It said the broken equipment was being re- moved while two classrooms, including the air conditioning systems, had been deep cleaned and would undergo air quality tests following the concerns about mold. “The pictures placed on so- cial media this past weekend show specific items which we will address. However, they do not represent the general state of the Sir John A. Cumber Pri- mary School campus or class- rooms,” the statement said. Ms. Orrett wrote in a post alongside pictures appearing to show areas of damp and damage to classroom walls, as well as dilapidated play- ground equipment, that the conditions were “deplorable.” She said her son suffered from ill health because of damp and mold at the school. She could not be reached for further comment yesterday. Fellow parent and former PTA member Shena Ebanks said she was glad the issue had been brought to light and was now being dealt with. “I am in support of the fact that steps are now being taken to get the situation rec- tified,” she said, “but I am dis- heartened that a parent had to speak out this loudly for it to happen. “I don’t care whose fault it is. I am willing to come out and help or fundraise or do whatever it takes to fix it. We need to come together and fix the problems.” The Department of Ed- ucation Services said it would be reviewing the sit- uation and addressing the needs. It said it had begun to take action on Sunday. “The first step is the re- moval of debris and the broken playground equip- ment. Replacement equip- ment is being sourced and further meetings are planned with the principal to establish timelines for addressing prob- lems in the short term,” it said in its statement. The department said it takes any suspicions of mold in school seriously and car- ries out specialized testing to confirm the existence of mold, when necessary. The statement did not explain why the issues had not been identified or ad- dressed over the summer break. “Given the wear and tear associated with op- erating multiple buildings for use by hundreds of stu- dents, teachers, and the wider community, one can imagine that the mainte- nance needs at schools are constant and voluminous,” the statement read. It added, “We can safely say that generally all of our schools are kept in good condition.” Passengers have been warned to allow extra lead time for their journeys. Albert Anderson, CEO of the Cayman Islands Airports Authority, said, “There will be times when it will be very challenging for passengers to navigate through the busy airport, however, we ask that the public be patient with us as we continue to strive to- wards developing a world- class facility.” The airports authority said in a statement that the construction work will be carried out in several sub- phases to enable the terminal to remain fully operational throughout the construction period. It said it was doing its best to minimize dis- ruption to passengers but warned some inconvenience was inevitable. The drop-off curb ac- cess and access to check-in hall doors 1, 2 and 3 are cur- rently closed, and motorists who need to drop off passen- gers are being encouraged to use the short-term parking lot instead. Signs will be in place and customer service offi- cers will also be on hand to help direct passengers, the authority said. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Concern over mold at West Bay school CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Damaged playground equipment at the school was being removed this week. Pictures posted on Facebook by a concerned parent prompted action. Grizzel was arrested and interviewed in October 2015 and made full admissions. She was suspended from work, but was asked to come back in De- cember 2015. Her first court ap- pearance was in April this year and she pleaded guilty in May. On Monday, Crown counsel Scott Wainwright read from the statement of the Depart- ment of Children and Family Services. It explained Grizzel’s current status, saying she was re-assigned to a non-cash-han- dling role on Dec. 1. She had been taken back into employ- ment after Deputy Governor Franz Manderson issued a di- rective titled “Disciplinary pro- ceedings against persons who were placed on required leave,” which stated that individuals placed on leave for disciplinary matters were to be reverted to duty in a different capacity. Mr. Wainwright suggested this was presumably to avoid having to pay workers, in effect, for staying home. Mr. DaCosta, who previ- ously described the defendant as being in desperate personal and financial circumstances, said Grizzel should have been a client of the depart- ment she worked for, “but they perceived it was a conflict and found no ways to assist her.” Grizzel had lived almost like a recluse since this had hap- pened and she had suffered from shingles, a stress-related illness, he said. She had coop- erated with the investigation even before there was police in- volvement, he pointed out. In his reasons for sentence, the magistrate pointed out that this was a breach of trust case. The magistrate said he found no exceptional circum- stances in Grizzel’s case and the amount stolen was not small. “A term of immediate imprisonment is necessary to discourage like-minded indi- viduals who may be inclined to commit similar offenses and to mark publicly the gravity of this type of behavior,” he said. On the basis of the amount stolen, he said the starting point of his sentence was one year. The degree of trust placed in the defendant, the period of offending, and the defendant’s exploiting of the weaknesses in the accounting system all were aggravating features. He accepted that the of- fending was not motivated by greed, but he pointed out that her financial situation had im- proved after she obtained a debt consolidation loan. Many people must cope with domestic problems and financial pres- sures, he pointed out. “Turning to crime to lessen one’s burdens cannot be condoned.” The offending had im- pacted the public, he continued. “She was a civil servant on the front line representing DCFS in relation to the very valu- able services it was providing …,” he said. “Public confidence in our civil service is under- mined when civil servants abuse their positions. Any hint of criminal or corrupt activity in the public sector must be met with a stern response to maintain confidence in and re- spect for the overwhelming majority of civil servants who faithfully discharge their duties with integrity.” On that basis, he said, he would increase the sentence to two years, but subtracted six months for mitigating fac- tors, including Grizzel’s willing- ness to repay the stolen money. He further gave full one-third credit for her guilty plea, bringing the total down to one year – “the shortest term com- mensurate with the serious- ness of the offense.” He granted 18 months for compensation to be paid. Civil servant re-employed after admitting theft CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Passengers face inconvenience as airport expandsThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 Typhoon hits Taiwan, killing at least 4 Strong winds knocked down people and scattered debris as a massive typhoon crossed over Taiwan on Tuesday, killing at least four people and injuring more than 260, officials said. Typhoon Megi is 310 miles in diameter, and delivered heavy rain and sustained winds of 100 miles per hour. Clinton, Trump spar in first debate HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) – Donald Trump aggressively tried to pin the nation’s economic and national security prob- lems on Hillary Clinton in the first presidential debate, belit- tling the former senator and secretary of state as a “typ- ical politician” incapable of delivering the change many Americans crave. But Trump found himself on the defensive for much of Monday’s 90-minute show- down, and the next morning, he spread the blame. He ac- cused moderator Lester Holt of a left-leaning performance and going harder on him than Clinton, even floating the theory that organizers had in- tentionally given him a faulty microphone to set him up. Clinton appeared well pre- pared in the debate, not only with detailed answers about her own policy proposals, but also sharp criticism of Trump’s business record, his past statements about women, and his assertions that Presi- dent Barack Obama may not have been born in the United States. She said his charges about Obama were part of his pattern of “racist behavior.” The Democrat also blasted Trump for his refusal to re- lease his tax returns, breaking with decades of presidential campaign tradition. She de- clared, “There’s something he’s hiding.” Trump has said he cannot release his tax returns be- cause he is being audited, though tax experts have said an audit is no barrier to making the information public. When Clinton sug- gested Trump’s refusal may be because he paid nothing in federal taxes, he inter- rupted to say, “That makes me smart.” The televised face-off was the most anticipated moment in an election campaign that has been historic, convulsive and unpredictable. The can- didates entered the debate locked in an exceedingly close race to become America’s 45th president, and while both had moments sure to enliven their core constituencies, it was un- clear whether the event would dramatically change the tra- jectory of the race. The debate was confron- tational from the start, with Trump frequently trying to interrupt Clinton and speaking over her answers. Clinton was more measured and restrained, often smiling through his answers, well- aware of the television cam- eras capturing her reaction. Trump’s criticism of Clinton turned personal in the debate’s closing moments. He said, “She doesn’t have the look, she doesn’t have the stamina” to be president. He’s made similar comments in previous events, sparking outrage from Clinton backers who accused him of leveling a sexist attack on the first woman nominated for pres- ident by a major U.S. polit- ical party. Clinton leapt at the op- portunity to remind voters of Trump’s controversial com- ments about women, who will be crucial to the outcome of the November election. “This is a man who has called women pigs, slobs and dogs,” she said. The centerpiece of Trump’s case against Clinton was that the former senator and sec- retary of state is little more than a career politician who has squandered opportuni- ties to address the domestic and international problems she’s now pledging to tackle as president. “She’s got experience,” he said, “but it’s bad experience.” Clinton, who hunkered down for days of intensive de- bate preparation, came armed with a wealth of detailed at- tack lines. She named an ar- chitect she said built a club- house for Trump who says he was not fully paid and quoted comments Trump had made about Iraq and about nuclear weapons. When Trump made a crack about Clinton taking time off the campaign trail to prepare for the debate, she turned it into a validation of her readi- ness for the White House. “I think Donald just crit- icized me for preparing for this debate,” Clinton said. “And, yes, I did. And you know what else I prepared for? I prepared to be president. And I think that’s a good thing.” The candidates sparred over trade, taxes and how to bring good-paying jobs back to the United States. Clinton said her Repub- lican rival was promoting a “Trumped-up” version of trickle-down economics – a philosophy focused on tax cuts for the wealthy. She called for increasing the fed- eral minimum wage, spending more on infrastructure proj- ects and guaranteeing equal pay for women. Trump panned policies that he said have led to Amer- ican jobs being moved over- seas, in part because of in- ternational trade agreements that Clinton has supported. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton shake hands during the presidential debate Monday at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. – PHOTO: AP/DAVID GOLDMANNext >