ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12, 2016 High of 91 Low of 78 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 OFFICIALS LEAVE CAYMAN WATER OUT TO DRY BUSINESS | PAGE 12 AUTOMATIC TAX INFORMATION EXCHANGE RAISES HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES AFTER SMITH COVE, A BATTLE FOR BARKERS? Pink Ladies to close hospital coffee shop Travers joins Bush in calling for immigration reform Plans for development in national park area JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Just days after sealing a deal to buy part of Smith Cove, government is facing calls to pur- chase another piece of oceanfront real estate to protect it from a planned development. A private landowner, Cayland Group Ltd., is going before the Central Planning Authority on Wednesday with an outline planning application for a 49-room development, bar and pool in the area designated for a future national park. The long-discussed but never-enacted plan for Barkers National Park would involve govern- ment buying land or partnering with private land- owners in the area, including the Dart group, to create a large protected area. According to the Department of Environment’s analysis of the planning application, among the agenda papers for Wednesday’s meeting, the idea of a national park in that area remains a key goal. “The DoE recommends that Government seeks to acquire this land with funds from the Environmental Protection Fund,” the Department of Environment submission states. “The proposed development of this parcel, and the associated infrastructure that will be required to support it, irreversibly undermines the objectives and vision for a National Park.” Last week, public outcry over a plan for a small condo development on land abutting Smith Cove prompted government to use the fund to buy that plot of land to protect it for the public. Lack of volunteers among reasons 35-year run comes to an end NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@pinnaclemedialtd.com After serving coffee, cakes, burgers and sandwiches to patients, visitors and staff at the Cayman Islands Hospital for 35 years, the Pink Ladies Coffee Shop is closing. The Pink Ladies announced “with sadness” Tuesday that its management and operation of the coffee shop will end on Dec. 16. The premises will be handed back to the Health Services Au- thority by the end of the year. In a statement, the volunteer organiza- tion said, “The decision to close has been extremely difficult and has not been made lightly, but has come about as we have seen a steady downturn in the number of volunteers available to assist in the running of the Coffee Shop and our as- sociated trolley service, along with the increasing costs of running a business.” Pink Ladies Director Jane Moon told the Cayman Compass that the coffee shop, which serves breakfast and lunch five days a week, ideally needs around 20 volunteers – two per shift – throughout the week to run the service. “Now, we’re down to about half a dozen volunteers,” she said. The costs of running the coffee shop have increased and with fewer volunteers, paid staff were needed to operate it, she Attorney says influx of foreign experts needed JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Leading attorney and financial services advocate Anthony Travers took to the stage alongside former Premier McKeeva Bush at a Cayman Democratic Party rally Monday night to call for a more open immigration policy. Both Mr. Travers and Mr. Bush criticized government’s lack of action in dealing with hundreds of permanent resi- dency applications and said the approach had to change. Mr. Bush hinted at a possible plan, if his party is elected next year, to ditch the controversial rollover policy, though he said the party manifesto had yet to be finalized ahead of election campaign season. Mr. Travers said the financial services industry is facing stiffer competition on the international stage than ever before and an influx of new foreign experts is needed to ensure the survival of the sector, which he said contrib- utes $300 million annually to the government’s budget. “The current immigration system is simply ineffective to get us where we need to go. We need to rethink that very carefully,” he said. Mr. Travers, senior partner of Travers Thorp Alberga and former chairman of Cayman Finance, said Cayman needs the whole spectrum of financial services experts living and working in Cayman to help comply with new international regulations and grow the industry in new areas. “You simply can’t say to these people who are experts in their field, ‘you can come here for seven or eight years but then we may roll you over. We may not, but maybe we will.’ It doesn’t work and it hasn’t worked. “The sort of protectionist legislation which we have had here needs to be rethought. It Volunteers and staff at the Pink Ladies Coffee Shop at the Cayman Islands Hospital Tuesday. The 35-year-old coffee shop is scheduled to close on Dec. 16. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Anthony Travers talks to the crowd at the CDP meeting in West Bay on Monday. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12, 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. MASTERMINDS (PG13) 1:10 | 3:30 | 7:10 | 9:30 THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN (R) 12:50 | 4:10 | 7:20 | 10:00 THE BIRTH OF A NATION (R) 12:40 | 3:40 | 6:50 | 9:45 STORKS (PG) 12:30 | 3:30 THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (PG13) 6:45 | 9:40 MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME (PG13) FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN 3D 1:00 | 4:00 2D | 7:00 | 9:50 2D DEEPWATER HORIZON (PG13) 1:15 | 4:10 | 7:15 | 10:05 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15th, 8PM BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH - WEDNESDAY - Liquor Licensing Board chairman quits after 10 months BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The chairman of Grand Cayman’s Liquor Licensing Board has resigned after 10 months in the position. Commerce Minister Wayne Panton confirmed Monday that Campbell Law had left the board, citing other pressing responsibilities. “His resignation letter indicat[ed] that he is doing so with immediate effect on the basis that he has time constraints, given his in- volvement in a new business venture,” Mr. Panton said. Mr. Law was appointed in January to replace Mitchell Welds, who had served more than a dozen years as chairman. On Tuesday, Mr. Law told the Cayman Compass the reasons for his departure. “I am about to start a new business venture and have handed in my notice at my current job to do so,” he said. “Along with that, I have re- signed from the liquor board as I do not think it will be possible to put in the time required to chair the board while I set up this new entity. “The role of chairman often requires daily input and decisions and requests that have to have a 24- hour turnaround. I would not want to be in a situa- tion where a licensee was put in an adverse position because I was not able to deal with their request in a timely manner. “I also envisage that one of the revenue streams of the new business may create some conflicts, and I am a great believer in a board that has none.” When Mr. Law was ap- pointed in January, three other former board mem- bers were replaced by government, leaving Noel Williams as the lone re- maining legacy member. None of the other board members has resigned. Minister Panton said at the time that there had been a “perceived lack of con- fidence” in the old liquor board and that government was seeking to restore con- fidence. He denied that Mr. Welds had been replaced for “political reasons.” The Progressives-led gov- ernment waited to replace liquor board members until changes to the local Liquor Licensing Law were made in late 2015, Mr. Panton said. Among those appointed in January was Woody DaCosta, a radio talk show host and political candidate in the 2009 and 2013 general elections. Other appointed members include Magalyn Robinson-Clarke, Wayne Kirkconnell, Ralph Lewis and Philip Tatum. Three civil servants were also appointed to the board, which now has 10 members. All appointments were for four-year terms, begin- ning Jan. 1, 2016. Campbell Law Last-minute meeting called over lawyers bill BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A snap public meeting has been called for Thursday night over the controversial Legal Practitioners Bill, just days before the legislation was expected to come before parliament for a vote. Financial Services Min- ister Wayne Panton said Tuesday that the Progres- sives-led government still expects to bring the 126- page amendment bill for a vote during the current meeting of the Legislative Assembly, which will run through next week. The public meeting is set for Thursday between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Family Life Centre in George Town with Minister Panton and representatives of Cayman’s two major professional law- yers’ associations present. “[They] will explain how the bill promotes and pro- tects the interests of Cay- manian lawyers, while also addressing international compliance standards,” a statement from the min- istry indicated. The new draft of the Legal Practitioners Bill has been the most hotly debated item now before the Legislative Assembly and lawmakers were initially expected to take it up sometime this week. It is likely, since the public meeting is being held on Thursday night, that the bill will have to wait until at least next week. More than 75 percent of the members of Cayman’s two major lawyers associ- ations recently urged law- makers to approve the Legal Practitioners Bill, seeking to update a regulatory code for the legal profession that dates to the 1960s. The Cayman Islands Law Society has said more than 80 percent of its members back the legislation, while the Caymanian Bar Asso- ciation said that 77 percent of its member firms and sole practitioners have also agreed to support the cur- rent legislation. Meanwhile, opposition legislators said that they have fielded numerous calls and messages from Cayma- nian lawyers who oppose the plan but are too afraid to speak out for fear of retribu- tion by their employers. Lawmakers have tried on at least three occasions to revise the lawyers’ bill within the past decade, but all previous attempts have failed for lack of support. The crux of the dispute centers on law firms that wish to expand their pres- ence in overseas financial services markets to remain competitive in what has be- come a global industry, on the one hand, and on the other hand, Caymanian- born attorneys who fear they will be left behind in that expansion and believe that globalization will lead to outsourcing. The legislation is con- sidered critical in preparing Cayman for the mid-2017 Caribbean Financial Action Task Force review of the is- lands’ protections against money laundering and ter- rorism financing. The Legal Practitioners Bill is one of several pieces of legislation that have ei- ther been passed recently or which are due to be consid- ered this month in prepara- tion for the 2017 Financial Action Task Force review. Mr. Panton said the lawyers bill will demonstrate the legal profession’s adherence to the task force anti-money laun- dering recommendations. The public meeting is set for Thursday between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Family Life Centre in George Town.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12, 2016 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. 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” WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman Water CEO Rick McTaggart has raised a serious and concerning issue with the Cayman Islands government: namely, that lawmakers are preparing to vote to overhaul regulation of the country’s utilities (including water), but nobody bothered to consult with Mr. McTaggart’s company, which is one of Cayman’s two water providers. This degree of legislative ignorance, arrogance, or, to be charitable, carelessness is difficult for us to comprehend. We simply cannot understand the mindset of a government that wouldn’t call, email or approach Mr. McTaggart to ask him what he and his company think of a bill that could dramatically alter the competitive landscape of the industry in which they are operating. We don’t know who specifically, amid the sprawling bureaucracy, would be responsible for contacting Cayman Water, though plenty of people would have had the opportunity during the drafting process, including legislative staffers, government lawyers, elected members, responsible Minister Kurt Tibbetts, chief and deputy chief officers, civil servants or even interns. It is worth mentioning that the government-owned Water Authority-Cayman does double duty as Cayman Water’s – and its own – government regulator. (That’s an odd relationship, isn’t it, where your competitor is also your regulator?) Cayman Water and its parent company Consoli- dated Water have been providing fresh drinking water to the people of Grand Cayman for more than 40 years, not only to the residents of this island but also to our tourists. One of the questions that nearly all new visitors to Cayman ask is, “Is the water safe to drink?” In Cayman, in large measure thanks to Cayman Water, the answer has been a resounding “Yes.” In addition, parent company Consolidated Water is a publicly listed company on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (entailing high standards for transpar- ency and accountability), and recently won a 40-year, $500 million contract to supply 100 million gallons of desalinated seawater per day to markets in northwest Mexico and extending into San Diego. We only mention those two facts to illustrate that, at this point, it is not inconceivable that Cayman’s private water company enjoys a superior level of com- munication with the Mexican government than it does with Cayman’s government. What were our officials thinking? Bringing Cayman Water into the loop on utility regulation is no mere trifle. In the realm of correspon- dence, there is a category for niceties and courtesies, such as thank you notes, invitations and Christmas cards. This is not that. The government’s omission casts the entire Utility Regulation and Competition Office legislation into doubt. If the people managing this bill didn’t think to contact Cayman Water, then what else didn’t they think of? (In his letter of protest to the government, Mr. McTaggart points out several apparent flaws in the legislation that, from our layman’s perspective, cer- tainly deserve review or re-evaluation.) If the absence of communication was intentional, then the government has some serious explaining to do. For more than four decades, Cayman Water has been a valued contributor to a mutually beneficial public-private partnership. The question cannot be avoided: If this is the way the government treats its “partners,” why would any investors want to partner with government? Officials leave Cayman Water out to dry MEGAN MCARDLE Growth-wise, the world seems to be in a little bit of a rut. Oh, sure, we’re OK. We just do not seem to be going much of anywhere. Global produc- tion has recovered somewhat since the catastrophe of the financial crisis, but it did not bounce back entirely. Instead, we’re staggering along at a no- ticeably lower rate of growth, both abroad and at home. What’s going on? One theory is that this is simply the aftermath of a fi- nancial crisis. We had a lot of malin- vestment, and now we have a lot of fiscal and monetary problems to work out, and as with a bad illness, it’s going to take a little time for us to get back to 100 percent. A more worrying theory is that this may be the new normal because of the developed world’s aging populations. And that was especially bad because when the popula- tion is aging, that’s when you need growth the most. Most developed nations have made enormous prom- ises to their elderly popula- tions – promises that they could continue to live in the style to which they had be- come accustomed during their working years. Those promises were easy to fulfill when the ratio of workers to retirees was, say, five to one. As that ratio collapses, it gets harder and harder, because each worker has to devote a larger and larger fraction of their income to supporting another nonworking adult. A simple numerical ex- ample may illustrate how im- portant growth rates are to an aging economy. Let’s say we have 99 workers and one retiree, and we want all of them to enjoy the same standard of living. Now say each worker can produce $100 worth of stuff. If each of our workers do- nates $1 apiece to the retiree, everyone gets $99 dollars. But now let’s say nine more people retire over the next nine years. Now we have 90 workers, generating total output of $9,000 a year. Split 100 ways, everyone gets $90 instead of $99. As more people retire, the math gets worse and worse. Eventu- ally, the workers may well say “You non-workers are on your own.” Of course, this example is a static economy. Make those workers more productive, and things get very different. If the economy is growing by just 2 percent, and people re- tire at the same rate, we can maintain this system indefi- nitely with neither workers nor retirees getting poorer. On the other hand, if growth falls to 1 percent, then over time, incomes start declining. Gross domestic product is going up, but in- come is falling. That’s ob- viously undesirable – and it’s also politically unstable. Which is why we need pro- ductivity growth now more than ever. Unfortunately, a new paper suggests that now is when we’re least likely to get it. Economists have long known that economies were likely to slow down as the population aged, simply be- cause the size of the work- force declined. Economic growth is composed of two compo- nents: workforce growth and productivity growth. If those numbers fall, so will the growth rate. But most commentary on this has focused on the workforce component. Nicole Maestas, Kathleen J. Mullen and David Powell suggest that two-thirds of the reduc- tion in the growth rate actu- ally comes from falling pro- ductivity, with the shrinking labor force playing a compar- atively minor role. Why might this be true? If you think about it, it’s not that surprising. Growth comes from innovation, and innovation is risky. If you’re young, you have longer to re- cover, and longer to enjoy the fruits of a lucky bet, than you are if you’re 55. We should expect aging societies to shift toward a more stable, less in- novative, equilibrium. Unfortunately, thanks to all the promises we’ve made, that equilibrium does not look all that stable. If both workforce growth and pro- ductivity growth fall at the same time, most of the world’s developed nations are going to find themselves in deep crisis as they try to stretch a shrinking income to fulfill promises to retirees. One obvious answer is to import a younger workforce, and thereby shift the demo- graphics of the nation back toward a higher-growth equi- librium capable of meeting those demands. But workers are not undifferentiated blobs of human capital that all produce exactly the same amount when plugged into the economy. It’s not clear to me that replacing a retiring $100,000-a-year CPA with a young $26,000-a-year roofer is a net benefit to the So- cial Security system, even if you assume that the roofer boosts economic growth by allowing others to spend more time making money and being productive. Of course, it’s possible that we’re on the verge of technological breakthroughs that will allow us to replace massive amounts of human labor, making us so rich that we will not have to worry about the health of our re- tirement systems. But that was been predicted for centu- ries and has not materialized. In the meantime, when you’ve made promises as big as the ones we have, it’s probably not safe to sit back and hope for the best. Megan McArdle is a Bloomberg View columnist. © 2016, Bloomberg View Growth comes from innovation, and innovation is risky. If you’re young, you have longer to recover, and longer to enjoy the fruits of a lucky bet, than you are if you’re 55. Retirees pay the price for falling innovation5 LOCAL&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12, 2016 At Honda We Care About YOUR SAFETY ATTENTION HONDA DRIVERS: Please be aware that we have a recall under way to repair airbag inflators, at no cost to you, in certain Honda vehicles. If you have a Honda vehicle that is within the year range listed below, please contact us to see if your vehicle needs immediate attention. Thank you from the Honda Family. HOURS OF OPERATION CONTACT INFORMATION CALL (345) 949-5525 DISTRIBUTOR’S NAME Car City MONDAY - FRIDAY 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM VISIT www.carcity.ky EMAIL service@carcity.ky CERTAIN AFFECTED MODELS 2001–2015 AIRBAG INFLATOR RECALL SAFETY *Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants. Airbag deployment with inflator rupture* SATURDAY 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM At Honda We Care About YOUR SAFETY ATTENTION HONDA DRIVERS: Please be aware that we have a recall under way to repair airbag inflators, at no cost to you, in certain Honda vehicles. If you have a Honda vehicle that is within the year range listed below, please contact us to see if your vehicle needs immediate attention. Thank you from the Honda Family. HOURS OF OPERATION CONTACT INFORMATION CALL (345) 949-5525 DISTRIBUTOR’S NAME Car City MONDAY - FRIDAY 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM VISIT www.carcity.ky EMAIL service@carcity.ky CERTAIN AFFECTED MODELS 2001–2015 AIRBAG INFLATOR RECALL SAFETY *Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants. Airbag deployment with inflator rupture* SATURDAY 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM At Honda We Care About YOUR SAFETY ATTENTION HONDA DRIVERS: Please be aware that we have a recall under way to repair airbag inflators, at no cost to you, in certain Honda vehicles. If you have a Honda vehicle that is within the year range listed below, please contact us to see if your vehicle needs immediate attention. Thank you from the Honda Family. HOURS OF OPERATION CONTACT INFORMATION CALL (345) 949-5525 DISTRIBUTOR’S NAME Car City MONDAY - FRIDAY 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM VISIT www.carcity.ky EMAIL service@carcity.ky CERTAIN AFFECTED MODELS 2001–2015 AIRBAG INFLATOR RECALL SAFETY *Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants. Airbag deployment with inflator rupture* SATURDAY 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM At Honda We Care About YOUR SAFETY ATTENTION HONDA DRIVERS: Please be aware that we have a recall under way to repair airbag inflators, at no cost to you, in certain Honda vehicles. If you have a Honda vehicle that is within the year range listed below, please contact us to see if your vehicle needs immediate attention. Thank you from the Honda Family. HOURS OF OPERATION CONTACT INFORMATION CALL (345) 949-5525 DISTRIBUTOR’S NAME Car City MONDAY - FRIDAY 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM VISIT www.carcity.ky EMAIL service@carcity.ky CERTAIN AFFECTED MODELS 2001–2015 AIRBAG INFLATOR RECALL SAFETY *Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants. Airbag deployment with inflator rupture* SATURDAY 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM At Honda We Care About YOUR SAFETY ATTENTION HONDA DRIVERS: Please be aware that we have a recall under way to repair airbag inflators, at no cost to you, in certain Honda vehicles. If you have a Honda vehicle that is within the year range listed below, please contact us to see if your vehicle needs immediate attention. Thank you from the Honda Family. HOURS OF OPERATION CONTACT INFORMATION CALL (345) 949-5525 DISTRIBUTOR’S NAME Car City MONDAY - FRIDAY 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM VISIT www.carcity.ky EMAIL service@carcity.ky CERTAIN AFFECTED MODELS 2001–2015 AIRBAG INFLATOR RECALL SAFETY *Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants. Airbag deployment with inflator rupture* SATURDAY 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM At Honda We Care About YOUR SAFETY ATTENTION HONDA DRIVERS: Please be aware that we have a recall under way to repair airbag inflators, at no cost to you, in certain Honda vehicles. If you have a Honda vehicle that is within the year range listed below, please contact us to see if your vehicle needs immediate attention. Thank you from the Honda Family. HOURS OF OPERATION CONTACT INFORMATION CALL (345) 949-5525 DISTRIBUTOR’S NAME Car City MONDAY - FRIDAY 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM VISIT www.carcity.ky EMAIL service@carcity.ky CERTAIN AFFECTED MODELS 2001–2015 AIRBAG INFLATOR RECALL SAFETY *Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants. Airbag deployment with inflator rupture* SATURDAY 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM At Honda We Care About YOUR SAFETY ATTENTION HONDA DRIVERS: Please be aware that we have a recall under way to repair airbag inflators, at no cost to you, in certain Honda vehicles. If you have a Honda vehicle that is within the year range listed below, please contact us to see if your vehicle needs immediate attention. Thank you from the Honda Family. HOURS OF OPERATION CONTACT INFORMATION CALL (345) 949-5525 DISTRIBUTOR’S NAME Car City MONDAY - FRIDAY 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM VISIT www.carcity.ky EMAIL service@carcity.ky CERTAIN AFFECTED MODELS 2001–2015 AIRBAG INFLATOR RECALL SAFETY *Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants. Airbag deployment with inflator rupture* SATURDAY 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM Vote approves legalization for medical purposes BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A legislative vote Monday has cleared the way for cannabis oil to be pre- scribed in the Cayman Is- lands for cancer patients and other medical issues if the government can find a legal supplier. Lawmakers approved a key second reading of a bill that will amend the Misuse of Drugs Law to allow the sub- stance, derived from the mar- ijuana plant, to be prescribed by local doctors and carried by Cayman pharmacies. However, Premier Alden McLaughlin said the legisla- tion may require some com- mittee-stage amendments be- fore final passage to address concerns raised by some law- makers – including the pre- mier himself – about supply and importation. No one in the Cayman Is- lands currently manufac- tures the oil, and importing the drug from the U.S. could prove difficult, if not impos- sible, due to federal prohi- bitions on the international transport of such substances. “I support what the gov- ernment is endeavoring to do, I’m just not sure it is going to be possible,” North Side MLA Ezzard Miller said. Caymanian Dennie Warren Jr. first brought the issue to the Progressives-led government political caucus last year after finding out chemotherapy and radia- tion treatments for his wife, who has stage 4 lung cancer, would not be effective in treating the disease. Mr. Warren said Monday night, after passage of the bill, that he was not certain where cannabis oil might le- gally be imported from cur- rently. However, he said sev- eral countries, including Jamaica and Canada, have given indications that they were considering legalization for medical purposes. “It’s better to have [the local] law in place, so we’re ready for it when it happens,” Mr. Warren said. All present lawmakers supported the passage of the amendment bill to allow for the legalization in Cayman, despite the difficulties with supply that could arise. “I would like to thank all of the members for their sup- port of the bill,” Mr. Warren said. “It is my view that the members of the House do not yet fully comprehend the sig- nificance and the importance of today’s decision to move this legislation forward. “Science, I believe, will one day give cannabis the credit it deserves in a number of areas. It feels good to know that the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands had the courage to be in the fore- front of this very important development.” Some concerns have been expressed about whether passage of the legislation may be the first step toward the legalization of ganja in Cayman, but both major po- litical parties indicated that was not something their members would support. “I think for now, we’re going as far as perhaps we can go,” Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush said. Premier McLaughlin noted earlier this year in the Legislative Assembly that the government would support a proposal to legalize cannabis oil, stating that he would rather the government erred “on the side of hope” in this particular issue. “[Mr. Warren] felt this op- tion would give his wife some hope,” Mr. McLaughlin said. Cayman Islands legislators approved the legalization of medical cannabis oil on Monday. Government uncertain how to legally obtain cannabis oil FORMER COSTA RICAN FOOTBALL CHIEF PLEADS GUILTY IN FIFA PROBE NEW YORK (AP) — The former head of the Costa Rican soccer federation pleaded guilty on Friday to conspiracy and other charges accusing him of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to award lu- crative marketing contracts. Eduardo Li became the latest soccer official to plead guilty in a scandal that’s shaken FIFA, the sport’s gov- erning body. It’s believed sev- eral of the officials are co- operating in the sprawling U.S. investigation. Appearing in fed- eral court in Brooklyn, the 57-year-old Li detailed through a Spanish inter- preter several schemes in which he pocketed a fortune in under-the-table payments between 2007 and 2015 in exchange for using his au- thority to influence soccer- related business deals. In one deal, Li said he was offered $500,000 to award marketing rights for qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup, sched- uled to be held in Qatar. He said he ended up getting $300,000, which he chan- neled to the bank account of a business partner to pay a real estate debt. In another, he said un- named intermediaries in Panama gave him $237,000 in cash to give a U.S. com- pany the rights to sponsor uniforms for the Costa Rican national team. “I knew it was wrong of me to accept such undis- closed payments,” Li told U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Sister Islands WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 YEARS AGO Discipline issues raised at PTA meeting In the Oct. 12, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Cayman Brac corre- spondent Lilian Ritch wrote: “Welcome home to our seamen arrived recently on vacation from National Bulk Carriers: Ordway Bodden of Spot Bay off Bulk Petrol, Horace Christian of North East Bay off the Petra Sea, and Davylee Tibbetts of Creek, 2nd engineer of the Richard. “We congratulate Michael Collins, son of our Medical Officer of Health, who sum- mered with us, on gaining English and Biology in the GCE O level. He has returned to Munro College in Jamaica to pursue the sciences for the 1967 exam. “Mr. Tom Hubbell of Grand Cayman touched down at the Gerrard-Smith Airport on the 2nd, en route to Jamaica. He was flying solo on Aeronca Chief N 3534 E. He is working in Jamaica temporarily for Is- land Helicopters Ltd. “Regular monthly PTA meetings were held in the three schools on the 3rd and 4th. “At Spot Bay, the lead- ership of the Girls’ Brigade Company, which is sponsored by the PTA, was under review. Assistant leader Miss Orlane Brown has been transferred to the staff of the West End Primary School. Miss Azeith McLean, secretary and Miss Zelmalee Chisholm, staff member, volunteered to serve. The leader is Mrs. Melanie Robinson, the president. “The Creek meeting was very well attended. Presi- dent Mrs. Gwen Hayes pre- sided. The District Com- missioner, Mr. D.H. Foster, gave a vitalising address on the function of the PTA to the benefit of the child. He emphasised that for- mation of character begins from birth, hence the child expresses what he has learnt at home. When the child enters school, it is to the benefit of the child for parent and teacher to seek to understand each other. During his experience in of- fice with all the schools and the children of our commu- nity he cited indisciplines which had been brought to his attention, including be- haviour beyond the class- room and the school prem- ises. He suggested open days for parents to see the school at work, courteous frank contact of parent and teacher, and the influ- ence for good that the PTA can be. Mr. Foster’s talk was well received. “The president opened the meeting to informal dis- cussion. Many spoke. In her closing remarks, the pres- ident paid tribute to the teaching profession of the school throughout her as- sociation with it over many years and thanked all for their attendance and contri- butions making the meeting a valuable one. “The officers of the West End PTA elected at the be- ginning of this term, are: President Mrs. Sheila Ritch, Vice President Mrs. Carmen Scott, Secretary/Treasurer Mrs. Carrie Christian, As- sistant Secretary/Treasurer Mr. J.A. Ryan. “The Motor Vessel Adier called by on the 5th and took on three boats and six men and went on to Grand Cayman to discharge a cargo of 1,100-odd tons. “Capt. Harold Banks of the Rock joined the Motor Vessel Danginn as Master on Aug. 25. The Chief Officer is Mrs. Ellis Walton of the Creek. He has been on her close to two years. “Mrs. Elda Dacres and Mr. Henley Scott of West End wish to thank relatives, friends and acquaintances for all kindnesses shown them and expressions of sympathy in their recent bereavement.” Flow announces Brac broadband upgrade A local Internet provider says it has improved band- width in Cayman Brac. In a press release, Flow an- nounced that fiber upgrades across the island mean broad- band customers in Cayman Brac can now obtain speeds of at least 15 Mbps. “Numerous studies have found that, in general, broad- band deployments have a positive impact on economic growth,” said Flow Cayman’s customer experience director, Daniel Tathum. “We’ve been working hard to run fiber across Cayman Brac and I’m delighted that we have now completed the work. Our Fiber To The Node tech- nology allows our customers to receive higher broadband speeds to their homes and businesses with the added benefit of being able to take advantage of our state-of-the- art Flow TV product.” The release states that technology operations team supervisor and Bracker Twayne Foster led the team carrying out the installa- tion. In addition to the broad- band upgrades, all residen- tial phone lines have been moved to a new telephone switch platform, which is an- ticipated to improve resiliency and user features, according to the company. “We really appreciate the commitment and ac- tion from Flow to bring sig- nificant improvements to the telecommunications in- frastructure in Cayman Brac,” said District Commis- sioner Ernie Scott. ”Everyone understands the impact of a faster broad- band connection and that it is a dynamic tool for stimulating growth in the economy.” New helipad for Faith Hospital A new helipad at the Brac’s Faith Hospital is pro- viding the island with a much needed dedicated emergency landing site. At an opening ceremony held on Monday, Oct. 3, visiting U.K. Overseas Territories Min- ister, Baroness Joyce Anelay, and Governor Helen Kilpatrick cut the ribbon on the hospi- tal’s new emergency helipad. “This dedicated emergency landing site for Faith Hospital is a milestone for the Sister Islands’ healthcare delivery. It has already proved to be a huge benefit for our patients presented with cardiac emer- gencies,” said Dr. Srirangan Velusamy, director of the Sister Islands Health Services, in a press release. The release notes that re- sponse time is critical for acute heart patients; the sooner they receive treatment, the better their chance for a positive outcome and survival. The now fully operational helipad will be used by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service helicopter for patients with medical emergencies who need to be airlifted to Grand Cayman for further treatment. The RCIPS helicopter also assists in bringing units of blood and specialist doctors to Faith Hospital to help sta- bilize trauma patients be- fore transporting them to Grand Cayman. “Healthcare is a field of constant change and we are blessed in the Cayman Is- lands to be able to offer acute cardiac services on par with developed countries,” noted Lizzette Yearwood, CEO of the Health Services Authority. Located to the rear of the hospital, the helipad also of- fers greater convenience and improved privacy for patients, according to the HSA. Prior to its installment, the hos- pital’s parking lot had to be cleared for the RCIPS heli- copter to land. “As you can imagine, this would result in inconvenience for other patients and visi- tors and draw a lot of atten- tion to the scene, which could possibly infringe on patient privacy. So the obvious thing to do was to designate an area for this purpose,” said Ms. Yearwood. However, due to the prop- erty’s limited space, Faith Hospital had to seek an al- ternative solution. The hos- pital reached out Robert Hurlstone, the owner of the property on which the he- lipad is now located, who agreed to donate the land. Mr. Hurlstone said he was willing to do whatever he could to play a part in making sure the helipad was possible since he had experi- enced the critical importance of a timely transfer to Grand Cayman for his own health. Once the property was secured, power lines were moved, the land was cleared, the surface was paved and in- spections were carried out to ensure the helipad met fire code standards. “I thank all the stake- holders who made this a re- ality, especially Mr. Robert Hurlstone who generously donated the land,” said Dr. Velusamy. “Faith Hospital’s Emer- gency Helipad project is a great model for public-pri- vate partnership aimed at improving healthcare for the people of the Cayman Is- lands,” added Councilor for Health Roy McTaggart. Baroness Joyce Anelay and Governor Helen Kilpatrick were joined by government officials and members of the Health Services Authority at the helipad ribbon-cutting. - PHOTO: JAMES TIBBETTSDISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Sister Islands CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12, 2016 OBITUARY Mary McCoy, Little Cayman tourism pioneer, remembered The following was read by Deputy Premier and Sister Is- lands MLA Moses Kirkconnell at the Service of Thanksgiving for Mary McCoy (Aug. 18 1936 – Sept. 13 2016). The service was held at the Church of God, Full Gospel Hall, Spot Bay, Cayman Brac, on Saturday, Sept. 24 and officiated by Pastor Joel Scott. Mary Delrose McCoy (nee Scott) was born on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 1936. She was the first daughter and third child of 10 children of Pastor Carl E. Scott (deceased Oct. 1, 2002) and Mrs. Violet R. Scott (de- ceased Sept. 6, 1971). Mary was also preceded in death by her husband of over 53 years, Mr. Samson Sylvester McCoy (de- ceased June 9, 2010) and three of her brothers: Mr. Lelan Scott, Mr. Osley Scott and Mr. Evelyn “Prince” Scott. Mary attended school in Spot Bay, Cayman Brac, and helped her mother care for her younger siblings. She was an active member of her father’s church – this same church, here in Spot Bay, Cayman Brac and the Church of God Baptist in Little Cayman. Mary fell in love and was married to Samson Sylvester McCoy of Cayman Brac, on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 1956. God blessed them with six loving children, Maxine the eldest and only girl, followed by Craig, Carl, Christopher, Croy and Charles. Mary was a loving and dedicated wife and mother, when Sam decided to settle from his life as a seaman, when his fourth child and third son Chris was born in 1966. She continued to sup- port him by remaining in Cayman Brac for several more years while her children at- tended school. “Sammy,” as she lovingly called him, had been offered a job in Little Cayman. The McCoy family, with Mary as the matriarch, was ac- tive in the establishment of Pi- rate’s Point Resort (after Sam had a stint at the Southern Cross Club) and then with the establishment of their own family owned and operated tourism property – Sam Mc- Coy’s Fishing & Diving Lodge in 1983, now known as McCoy’s Lodge. Mary and Sam were true ambassadors for Little Cay- man’s tourism industry. Mary and Sam worked side by side, so that the McCoy’s Lodge became known for its delivery of Caymanian service to locals, fishermen and divers from all around the world, and a place where you can buy pro- pane, gasoline and diesel. Mary was the primary chef, in addi- tion to being the accommoda- tions operator, bookkeeper, con- cierge and island tour guide. She was a genuine Cayma- nian host for over 40 years. Life was not easy in those days but Mary persevered and built a successful business with Sam to support their growing family. Many international guests will recall their first real taste of stewed conch, fish, Cayman- style lobster, to name a few, and then later on, for her famous Saturday night barbecues with chicken, ribs and all the fix- ings. Even after a hard day of catering to guests, cooking, guiding tours, and pick-ups and deliveries from the airport, she was eager to join guests at the Oceanview Bar for a chat and to watch the sun set on the ho- rizon. She was the last person to leave the party, as she al- ways made sure the place was cleaned and locked up. Every Sunday morning she was up and dressed for church and, whenever she was in Little Cayman, she sang with her daughter Maxine as a duet during the service. Recently, Mary celebrated her 80th birthday on Aug. 18, 2016. She was teased by Chris as having a week-long or more celebration, with a boat trip and dinner in Cayman Kai just days before her birthday, a large family gathering (dinner and dancing) on the day she turned 80, and then a barbecue in Little Cayman the following Saturday night, again with many family and friends in attendance like the old days. In her normal fashion, Mary looked like the Queen of the McCoy family that she truly was. Mary loved music and was truly talented in being able to play several instruments, in- cluding the guitar, accordion, piano, organ and horn. She was known for always being per- fectly groomed and dressed for any occasion, with matching jewelry, styled black hair and fashionable makeup. The week that Mary passed, she was staying with Chris and his family, and had the opportu- nity to spend time with several of her sons and grandchildren, of which she loved nothing more than to tell stories of how she and “Sammy” raised their children between the Brac and Little Cayman. Left to mourn her passing are her children: Maxine, Craig, Carl, Chris, Croy and Charles (“Chip” as he is called); her brother Roosevelt Charney “Dinks” Scott and his family; sisters Blossom Scott, Maple “Singer” Edwards and Bonnie Bodden and their families; daughters-in-law Dorita, An- nette, Nicoela and Yolanda McCoy; son-in-law Waid Moore; grandchildren: Vicki and hus- band Bobby, Miguel and wife Joanna and Arrowe; Diego and Xavier and wife Demi; Rhyann and fiancé Laura and Kyle; Paxton and Logan; Arren, Arianna, and Arion; and Na- than and Natalia; great-grand- children: Kai and Samson, Jo- vian, James, Jhade, and Miguel Jr.; and lastly little Dylan; as well as a host of other McCoy and Scott families and many, many friends both locally and internationally. We will always love and miss you, Mummy/Ma/ Grandma Mary/Mama Mary/ Way Way/Aunt Mary/Ms. Mary (all the names you answer to) but we all know you had a grand reunion with your good Lord and all of your loved ones who have gone on before. Ship salutes Sister Islands in honor of Mary McCoy CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Hoegh Trooper, a 656-foot-long cargo ship, rerouted to pass close to Cayman Brac last week and blew its whistle 10 times to honor Little Cayman’s Mary McCoy, a pioneer in tourism on Little Cayman who passed away last month. Raymond Scott orga- nizes ships to pass by the is- lands whenever a seaman or his wife dies, and blow the whistle in their honor. The Hoegh Trooper was traveling from Ghana, its last port of call, to Mexico, loaded with 4,791 cars and pickup trucks and one exca- vator, according to Mr. Scott, who spoke with the cap- tain of the vessel. The cap- tain and his crew were from the Philippines. Mr. Scott said he asked the ship to pass by the Sister Islands and blow its whistle “as a salute and re- membrance of the great lady Ms. Mary McCoy.” He said he was unable to get a ship to come by when Ms. McCoy passed away on Sept. 13. Mr. Scott said the Hoegh Trooper was one of the big- gest vehicle carriers in the world, with a capacity for 6,500 cars. He said an even bigger sister ship, also owned by Hoegh, is sched- uled to pass by Grand Cayman this week. Raymond Scott speaks via radio with the captain of the Hoegh Trooper as the ship passes by the Brac. - PHOTO: HEIDI KISS Mary Delrose McCoy Mary McCoy, left, with her grandson Waid Arrowe Moore, and daughter Maxine McCoy-Moore, in 2011.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Henry William Dixon April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014 Henry William Dixon April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014April 22, 1973 – October 12, 2014 Until we meet again. Those special memories of you Will always bring a smile. If only we could have you back For just a little while. Then we could sit and talk again Just like we used to do. You always meant so much And always will do. The fact that you’re no longer here will always cause us pain. But you’re forever in our heart Until we meet again. Sadly missed by Pamela, Gordon, Tricia, Sherry, Nieces and Nephews Travers joins Bush in calling for immigration reform should not be problematic to solve this issue. The financial services providers I am talking about do not need to come here and vote, they do not need Caymanian status. “They do need to know they can come here, bring families here, buy houses here and have a long-term ca- reer here and that their chil- dren can be integrated here and can remain here. If you can’t give them that assur- ance, they simply don’t need to come here, and without them, I can tell you with ab- solute certainty, the financial services industry we have here, bit by bit by bit, will de- cline and wither on the vine.” He said it is wrong to as- sume that because the fi- nancial services industry has always been in Cayman, it necessarily needs to re- main here. He said the island needs a new influx of experts, from merchant bankers to re- insurance experts, insisting much-needed new busi- ness could not be enticed to Cayman with the current im- migration policy. And he claimed the roll- over is to blame for the loss of 1,000 jobs, half of them Caymanian, in the fund ad- ministration industry, which he said has decamped to Canada. In that instance, he said, an effort to protect local jobs has actually caused more unemployment. “Paradoxically, as work permits increase in the island, Caymanian unemployment goes down – this is an irrefut- able fact,” Mr. Travers added. “We have to have a system by which we can in- troduce foreign experts and give them reasonable secu- rity of tenure in a way that ensures we can integrate CDP rallies party faithful in West Bay JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former Premier Mckeeva Bush and his one-time education minister Rolston Anglin publicly buried the hatchet Monday night as they ap- peared on the same political stage for the first time since their acrimonious split prior to the 2013 election. Mr. Bush said it was time to put the “past in the past” as he confirmed that he, Mr. Anglin, Bernie Bush and Capt. Eugene Ebanks are the four Cayman Democratic Party candidates for West Bay in the next general election. The “no votes for the cutthroats” rhetoric was gone, as Mr. Bush, speaking at a party rally, urged West Bayers to vote for Mr. Anglin in 2017. “Yes, we had a disagreement in 2012, but who goes through life without disagreements? We must join forces to fight this PPM government,” he told the crowd. “Having Rolston back in the fold will help this country. We need unity. Wherever you are voting when that time comes, if Rolston is there, you vote for Rolston.” Mr. Anglin was part of a break- away group that formed a minority government, parting ways with the party, then known as the United Dem- ocratic Party, after Mr. Bush was ar- rested in late 2012. Mr. Bush was re-elected; Mr. An- glin and some others who broke from the party were not. Mr. Bush was later cleared of corruption charges relating to the use of his government credit card in casinos. Mr. Anglin said they had put their differences behind them a long time ago. He said there was no an- imosity over the “cutthroats” cam- paign slogan that was used against him in West Bay in 2013. “It is all in the past, and at the end of the day that was a good campaign strategy for when I left,” he said. “People that can’t mend fences are people that can’t get anywhere in life.” After a speech at the CDP rally Monday at the Heritage Square parking lot, Mr. Anglin said he was enjoying being back in the political fray and looking forward to chal- lenging the government’s record on education and finance. Looking ahead to the election and the possible inclusion of indepen- dents on the ballot, he told the crowd, “Don’t be fooled by the games. If you are not running with the Cayman Democratic Party, you are running with the PPM, you are running with Alden McLaughlin.” The CDP also confirmed at Mon- day’s meeting that under the new “one man, one vote” system, McKeeva Bush will run in the West Bay West constituency, Bernie Bush will run in West Bay North, Mr. Anglin in West Bay South and Captain Ebanks in West Bay Central. Describing the new system as an attempt to confuse voters, Mr. Bush urged West Bayers to vote for which- ever CDP candidate is in their district. “There is a new system coming for voting. They have done that to mess with your mind,” he told the crowd. Captain Ebanks repeated the message, urging supporters to vote CDP, regardless of who is running in their district. “A lot of people have said they are not voting if they are not in my area or they are not in McKeeva Bush’s area,” he said. “Staying home is the same as voting for the PPM. You must come out and vote for our team mem- bers in order for us to get the govern- ment back and be able to help you.” One-time foes reunite as election looms McKeeva Bush speaks at the rally in West Bay. Rolston Anglin says it is good to be back in the political fray. – PHOTOS: JAMES WHITTAKER Caymanians into the job op- portunities they will create.” Describing Mr. Bush as a “man of great vision,” Mr. Travers addressed a crowd of around 80 to 100 supporters of the Cayman Democratic Party (formerly known as the United Democratic Party) at the Heri- tage Square parking lot by the four-way stop in West Bay. Introducing Mr. Travers to the crowd, the opposition leader, said, “No person has defended Cayman’s financial services industry more intel- ligently and more effectively than Tony Travers.” And he endorsed some of his views on immigration, claiming government’s inac- tion on hundreds of perma- nent residency applications since taking office could re- sult in a lawsuit. “We have to fix our im- migration system,” Mr. Bush said. “It is not working for us because government has messed with it too often. It is not helping local business nor is it helping foreign busi- ness, nor Caymanians, nor expats generally. “It is a bad, bad policy and when the government is sued and the floodgates of thousands are opened be- cause government places no value in people who bought apartments and homes and those who worked here for 20 years, those who have the wealth to create wealth for us – perhaps when the law- suit comes, they will realize.” “We need the people who will bring the wealth – em- brace wealth or reap poverty,” he told the crowd. Asked after the event if he planned to abolish the rollover, if elected, he said his party is still working on the details of its immigra- tion platform. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 After Smith Cove, a battle for Barkers? The Department of Envi- ronment’s recommendation is that they do the same for land in the Barkers area, as well as potentially purchasing other lots in the vicinity. The plan to make the Barkers area into a national park has been around since the 1990s. The proposed park was even dedicated by Britain’s Prince Edward on a visit to the Cayman Islands in 2003, and signs were put up indicating the area was a national park. However, the legal powers to create a designated pro- tected area did not exist until the passage of the National Conservation Law, stalling the process. And while government has bought some of the land, there are still several private owners with significant land holdings in the area. If it wants to proceed with a national park plan, government will have to ne- gotiate purchases or land protection agreements with those owners. One such longtime land- owner is Cayland Group Ltd., which has filed an application to build 24 one-bedroom units, 12 duplexes, a manager’s unit, tiki bar, casual dining bar and pool on its 10-acre coastal lot. The application would also ultimately involve filling in a pond for car parking, ac- cording to the Department of Environment’s analysis. In its submission to the Central Planning Authority, the landowner argues that since the application is for “outline planning permission,” those concerns do not come into play at this stage, and suggests it is simply asking for the broad concept to be approved before proceeding with a full application. The Central Planning Au- thority indicates in its notes that the landowner has been advised of several deficien- cies in the plans, including the lack of a recent high- water mark survey. It also highlights concerns about the proximity to the mangrove buffer zone, vehicle access to the site, and the im- pact on plans for a future national park. The Department of Environ- ment, in its submission, also raises concerns that the road infrastructure needed for such a development would be out of keeping with the low-impact vision for a national park. “The original concept for the proposed park was based on Barkers pristine and isolated location and the diversity of the natural surroundings,” it states. Quoting from a concept note dating to the 1990s, it states the intent of the park would be to “provide a much needed area for relaxation and eco-friendly, family type activities …. The park would primarily be used for low-im- pact recreational pursuits for the public in a natural envi- ronment …. It is envisioned that there would be limited vehicular access to the park with cars being restricted be- yond a certain point.” The concept note adds that the park could be used for low- impact activities such as snor- keling, fly fishing, bird watching, sailing, windsurfing, picnics and camping, with users asked to pay a fee toward upkeep and monitoring of the area. It states, “The Barkers National Park would provide a safe, quiet and relaxing sanctuary in a natural en- vironment for families to enjoy for years to come, and would be an area set aside to promote healthy human interaction with nature.” The Department of Tourism supports the De- partment of Environment’s analysis, suggesting approval from environment officials should be granted before any such development proceeds. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12, 2016 Pink Ladies to close hospital coffee shop said. The coffee shop cur- rently has five staff members. “The coffee shop is run as a service as much as we can; we don’t run it commercially. We try to maintain the lowest prices we can, but we can only do that if we have the volunteer labor,” she said. She added that closing the coffee shop means that the group’s members will have more time to devote to other volunteer activities, such as hospital visits and working with the Pines Retirement Home and the National Council of Voluntary Organisations. “We are a volunteer group …. Running a business is not what the Pink Ladies should be doing,” she said. The group has a member- ship of about 100, with 30 to 40 active members. The Pink Ladies group was founded in September 1980 by Olive Miller and Evelyn Andresen. In February 1981, Mrs. Andresen proposed the concept of the “Pink Hibiscus Coffee Shop” at the hospital “as a means of fundraising and offering a valuable ser- vice there,” the statement said. After government pro- vided a building (formerly the dental office at the front of the hospital) and equipment, and the National Council of So- cial Service (now the National Council of Voluntary Organ- isations) supplied a loan, the coffee shop opened for busi- ness on July 1, 1981. At the time, the statement points out, the facilities were very small, with room for only two people to serve be- hind the counter and space for six or eight customers to buy food for takeaway. Meals were prepared at home and donated by the volunteers on their shift. In 1987, the Pink Ladies Coffee Shop moved to its cur- rent, larger premises in the hospital. The first employee manager was Christine Boyko and although the business was a bigger operation, it was still manned by volunteers. That changed in 1997 when it became necessary to em- ploy more staff. In addition to the coffee shop, the Pink Ladies have a trolley service, which was started by Jan Archbold in 2003. Business put up for bids Ms. Moon said she un- derstood the Health Services Authority was keen to have a dining facility at the site and plans to put the business out to tender. Lizzette Yearwood, CEO of the Health Services Authority, confirmed that the hospital is in the process of preparing a tender, with the aim of pub- lishing it on Oct. 21. “The Pink Ladies have pro- vided a valuable service to the staff and guests of the HSA over the years and we are pro- foundly grateful to them and look forward to supporting them in their other commu- nity efforts,” she said. The organization pointed out that closing the hos- pital coffee shop does not mean the end of the Pink La- dies, stating that they would continue to host the annual Christmas Tea and Bazaar. That event will be held at the Arts and Recreation Centre in Camana Bay on Dec. 3. “It has been our pleasure and an honor to offer our ser- vice to the staff, patients and visitors of the hospital for 35 years and we are most grateful to the numerous volunteers who have assisted us, the cus- tomers who have supported us and our hard working team of employees,” the Pink Ladies said in the statement. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 This article in the Caymanian Compass on July 3, 1981, reported on the opening of the Pink Ladies Coffee Shop two days earlier. WHO URGES COUNTRIES TO RAISE TAXES ON SUGARY DRINKS GENEVA (AP) – The U.N. health agency on Tuesday recommended that countries use tax policy to increase the price of sugary drinks like sodas, sport drinks and even 100-percent fruit juices as a way to fight obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. The World Health Or- ganization, in a statement timed for World Obesity Day, said that the preva- lence of obesity worldwide more than doubled between 1980 and 2014, when nearly 40 percent of people globally were overweight. In a 36-page report on fiscal policy and diet, WHO also cited “strong evidence” that subsidies to reduce prices for fresh fruits and vegetables can help improve diets. It said that tax policies that lead to a 20-percent increase in the re- tail prices of sugary drinks would result in a proportional reduction in consumption. Drawing on lessons from campaigns to fight tobacco use, WHO says imposing or increasing taxes on sugary drinks could help lower con- sumption of sugars, bringing health benefits and more in- come for governments such as to pay for health services. The health agency has long recom- mended that people keep intake of sugar to less than 10 percent of their total energy needs. “Consumption of free sugars, including products like sugary drinks, is a major factor in the global increase of people suffering from obesity and diabetes,” says Dr. Douglas Bettcher, who heads WHO’s department for preventing non-communicable diseases. “If governments tax products like sugary drinks, they can re- duce suffering and save lives.” The World Health Orga- nization receives funding from Bloomberg Philanthro- pies, which supports raising taxes on sugary drinks to re- duce consumption. The International Council of Beverages Associations, which represents Coke and Pepsi, said in a statement that it is disappointed that the “discriminatory taxation solely of certain beverages” is being proposed as a solution to the “very real and complex challenge of obesity.”Next >