ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2016 High of 90 Low of 80 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ‘TAKING ATTENDANCE’ AT CAYMAN’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS SPORTS | PAGE 17 NEARLY 100 TURN OUT FOR CUC SEA SWIMS 180913_PRINT-Ad-Strip-BOTY-6colxPage 1 11/30/15 12:30:30 PM Connolly: Why I do not send my children to public school JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former education councilor Winston Con- nolly has acknowledged he does not send his own children to government schools because he does not believe standards are high enough. Mr. Connolly, speaking during a Legislative Assembly debate last week on school capacity, called for the “desegregation of schools” and the opening of new charter schools. He said the level of government schools needs to improve so that parents will choose private schools only on religious grounds. “I am a member of this government and I have chosen not to put my children in the school that I went to, which is Savannah Pri- mary. I have chosen to put them in another school. Let’s just get it out there. “As a parent, I want to ensure my children have the best access to education, interven- tion and all the other things that we are not currently providing, in my opinion, in gov- ernment schools. “I can’t take that chance and I won’t apol- ogize to anybody for what I do as a parent for my kids.” He challenged legislators on all sides to work together to create a government school system that parents would be happy to send their children to. CIVIL SERVICE PULLING EMPLOYEES OFF PAID SUSPENSION Deputy governor wants internal proceedings for ‘gross misconduct’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands government service is bringing back to work some employees who were suspended as a result of suspected criminal activity and instituting internal dis- ciplinary proceedings against them for “gross misconduct” after they return. The internal proceedings were initiated as a way of potentially removing the workers from the government payroll for certain unre- lated incidents of administrative misconduct, even if their criminal court cases continued to drag on, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said Saturday. Mr. Manderson said the move was made in response to public concern over the dozens of civil servants who remained on “required leave” – fully paid suspension – for years, in some cases, without court matters being re- solved. In June, there were 31 active required leave cases, according to reports made to the Legislative Assembly. An email Mr. Manderson sent to civil ser- vice chief officers in November 2015 stated that the Ministry of Finance, in particular, had “a number of customs officers on required leave as a result of [suspected] criminal ac- tivity and it’s our intention to use their cases as a test case.” Waterfront development approval quashed JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Construction work on a new tourism de- velopment on the George Town waterfront appears to be continuing, despite the Plan- ning Appeals Tribunal’s decision to quash permission for the project. The development, which includes a tour operator ticket sales area, rest rooms and a mobile food truck area, is planned for a section of oceanfront land across from the Waterfront Centre on North Church Street, close to a small beach area. The project, initially turned down by the Central Planning Authority, was approved with some modifications in April 2015. Neighboring landowner Chris Johnson has successfully appealed the decision and is now calling for the buildings to be demolished. Developer Kel Thompson did not respond to requests for comment on the de- cision, but workmen were still on site con- tinuing construction on Saturday. In a decision published last week, the appeals tribunal says the Central Planning Authority, which initially rejected but then reconsidered and approved the application, has since accepted that it “fell into error” when it allowed a variance to the setback requirements by reference to regulation PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » The development under construction on the George Town waterfront includes a tour operator ticket sales area, rest rooms and a mobile food truck area. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 REGIONAL NEWS TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 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 ACCOUNTANT (R) 4:00 | 7:00 | 9:50 MASTERMINDS (PG13) 1:15 | 4:15 | 7:15 | 10:00 THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (PG13) 6:45 | 9:40 THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN (R) 12:50 | 3:30 | 7:30 | 10:05 STORKS (PG) 1:30 | 4:20 MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME (PG13) FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN 3D 12:45 2D | 3:45 | 6:40 2D | 9:30 DEEPWATER HORIZON (PG13) 12:40 | 3:40 | 6:50 | 9:45 - TUESDAY - CAYMAN CRICKET TALENT ID COMBINE WOMEN, UNDER 19s, SENIORS NOVEMBER 19TH SMITH ROAD OVAL 11:00 A.M North Carolina buildings take $1.5B hit from Matthew floods RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – Flooding spawned by Hurricane Mat- thew has caused $1.5 billion in damage to 100,000 homes, businesses and government buildings in North Carolina, according to a state estimate. The figure represents one of the first detailed analyses of damage from the storm, and it’s part of a growing picture of Matthew’s fi- nancial impact. With floodwaters yet to recede in some communi- ties, officials say the number could fluctuate. “I do think that there may be more out there,” John Dorman, an assistant state emergency management di- rector, said of whether the number could grow. Dorman said the state’s computer modeling combines property records, topography and stream gauges to esti- mate how many feet of water have affected a given building – and how much damage that water caused. The state also used manned aircraft and drones to verify projections. Damage estimates for buildings where the water only reaches the base of the foundation can be as low as $200 to $300, while estimates for buildings in which the water reach several feet are much higher, Dorman said. The system uses property tax values that are updated reg- ularly and other calculations to estimate damage. The figure released this weekend is one piece of the overall picture of how the storm affected the state. For example, it does not include the cost of repairing dam- aged roads and bridges or replacing belongings inside damaged buildings, which are often covered by insur- ance policies. This week, North Caro- lina Gov. Pat McCrory plans to release a detailed plan of how North Carolina will rebuild, including how to pay for the effort. Even before the extent of the flooding was known, real-estate and insurance re- search firms had estimated that damage from Hurricane Matthew would be at least several billion dollars across multiple states. In North Carolina, the hurricane dumped more than a foot of rain 100 miles inland, causing massive flooding in the eastern part of the state. Towns such as Princeville, Lumberton and Fair Bluff were inundated. Meanwhile, in South Car- olina, emergency officials are still closely watching the swollen Waccamaw and Little Pee Dee rivers. Hurricane Matthew was blamed for killing at least 43 people in the United States – 26 of them in North Carolina – with most deaths caused by flooding. In Haiti, at least 500 storm-related deaths were reported. Beyond estimating losses, North Carolina’s software di- rected rescue crews to areas where flooding was dan- gerous, and prompted evac- uations of inmates from two facilities, Dorman said. The computer mapping project began in the years after Hurricane Floyd in 1999. The state remapped North Carolina’s flood plains and collected data on more than 5 million buildings in the state. “This is also helping to save lives and be operational, as opposed to just damage information,” Dorman said. In North Carolina, the hurricane dumped more than a foot of rain 100 miles inland, causing massive flooding in the eastern part of the state. Floodwater surrounds the intersection of U.S. 70 and N.C. 258 in Kinston, North Carolina, on Sunday as the Neuse River remains flooded following Hurricane Matthew. - PHOTO: AP RED TIDE, HURRICANE DELAYS MAY CUT INTO STONE CRAB HARVESTS NAPLES, Fla. (AP) – A lin- gering red tide and Hurri- cane Matthew may cut into early stone crab harvests, according to fishermen in southwest Florida. The stone crab season began Saturday and runs through May 15. The Na- ples Daily News reports that Hurricane Matthew de- layed the setting of thou- sands of crab traps along the Gulf coast. When fishermen were able to set out for stone crabs, they found murky waters and more dead fish left by a red tide algae bloom that has caused thousands of fish to wash ashore since early October. Damas Kirk of Kirk Fish Co. in Goodland says that instead of hurting stone crabs, the red tide actu- ally helps them avoid fish- ermen’s traps. “When the whole bottom is covered with food, why would they bother get- ting into our traps?” Kirk said. “They’re opportunistic eaters. What’s bad for one thing is good for another.” Stone crab landings have been rebounding over the past few years from 1.9 mil- lion pounds in the 2013-14 season, the lowest catch since Florida fisheries man- agers started keeping track of catches in 1986. The 2014-2015 catch was 2.2 million pounds. Last year, high harvest totals and warmer water temperatures kept stone crab prices low. Warmer temperatures allow fish- ermen in Florida’s Pan- handle to harvest later into the season, increasing competition for southwest Florida crabbers. Stone crabs can be har- vested more than once for their claws, which must be at least 2-3/4 inches long. Once the claws are re- moved, the crabs go back into the water. The overall harvest will depend on how long the red tide lasts and whether it returns later in the season, Kirk said. “Sometimes it feels like it blooms when there’s more freshwater running into the bays, but I’ve seen it bloom without freshwater. It’s al- ways there,” he said. Man sentenced to 20 years for shooting at George Zimmerman’s vehicle SANFORD, Fla. (AP) – A Florida man who fired at George Zimmerman’s vehicle during a road-rage confron- tation has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. The Orlando Sentinel re- ports that at the sentencing hearing Monday morning, Zimmerman said 38-year-old Matthew Apperson showed no regard for human life during the May 2015 confrontation, and even seemed joyful be- cause he mistakenly thought he had killed Zimmerman. Zimmerman is the former neighborhood watch volunteer who was acquitted of second- degree murder after fatally shooting unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012. Apperson was convicted by a Seminole County jury last month of attempted second-degree murder, armed aggravated assault and shooting into a vehicle. Ap- person testified at trial that he acted in self-defense after Zimmerman flashed a gun. Zimmerman disputed that. The 2014-2015 catch was 2.2 million pounds.3 LOCAL NEWS Government keeping ‘watching brief’ on school numbers JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new primary school in Bodden Town is not part of government’s immediate plans and is not needed at this stage, based on projec- tions for likely student num- bers in the near future, Edu- cation Minister Tara Rivers told legislators last week. Ms. Rivers acknowledged there has been a rise in stu- dent numbers in the growing district, but said the increase is not enough to support spending an estimated $11.5 million on a new school. She added that the overall school population is not growing at a significant rate, and any additional needs could be addressed in the short term by tweaking school catchment areas. The minister was speaking in response to a private mem- bers’ motion from indepen- dent legislator Alva Suckoo calling for a third primary school in the district to be built by 2018. She said, “Given the anal- ysis conducted by the min- istry of this issue thus far, I have been advised there is not an actual case to be made to establish the building of the new school at this stage. “The ministry commits to further exploring the need, but we certainly can’t commit to an additional school in Bodden Town by 2018.” Mr. Suckoo agreed to amend his motion, which eventually drew unani- mous support, to remove the timeline. Ms. Rivers said she had asked the ministry to main- tain a “watching brief” on pop- ulation trends, particularly in Bodden Town, the Cayman Is- lands’ fastest growing district. She said student numbers are on the increase in the dis- trict and are down elsewhere in the Cayman Islands, partic- ularly in George Town, which she attributed to families moving out of the capital. Despite that trend, she said, projections of student numbers suggest schools in the district are equipped to handle the increase. “Even where some schools have increased in size, they currently remain within in- ternationally recognized norms as they relate to accommodation and staffing. Overall, if the trend continues where overall numbers don’t rise significantly, but major demographic changes are maintained, it may very well prove necessary to review the catchment areas as an imme- diate response.” She said a new school would add nearly $8 million a year to the education budget in staff, supplies and services. To justify that expenditure, she said, government would need to show that overall numbers are significantly and consistently on the increase at a level that could not be ac- commodated within the ex- isting schools. She said a more detailed analysis would take place to investigate capacity issues across the system in response to the legislators’ concerns. Mr. Suckoo acknowledged the timeline in his initial mo- tion was problematic given that government recently passed an 18-month budget without allocating funds for a new school. But he said a long-term plan for new school capacity is needed as the is- land, and in particular the Bodden Town district, con- tinues to grow. “I understand there is still capacity in the schools and we are not at critical levels yet,” he said. “This motion is calling for some forward thinking, some planning. We need to have a plan. The development that surrounds us, the growth we are experiencing, the growth in new people coming to live here, all those things are inter- linked and we need a big pic- ture that we can work from,” Mr. Suckoo’s motion also calls for resources and at- tention to be allocated to ad- dressing the flaws highlighted in a series of baseline school inspection reports last year. Ms. Rivers said government is already doing this and has allocated resources for 50 new positions, while schools have individual improve- ment plans based on the in- spection reports. She added that this is not a knee-jerk reaction to the reports. “The action taken was in response to these inspec- tions, but remember, I called for these inspections and we were very proactive in taking a detailed look at what these issues are,” she said. “We rec- ognized you can’t solve a problem until you recognize you have one.” CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2016 Man charged with firearm, drugs offenses Two women granted bail CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man was remanded in custody after appearing in Summary Court on Monday, while two young women with him were granted bail with stringent conditions. Javier Howell, 24, was charged with possession of an unlicensed Smith & Wesson handgun found in his vehicle on Friday, Oct. 14, and possession with intent to supply cocaine also found in the vehicle. Emily Patrick, 19, and Al- exandra Stasiuk, 20, were charged in connection with items found in the apartment they shared at Lantern Point. Neither woman had pre- vious convictions. Crown Counsel Candia James said that Patrick was Howell’s girlfriend. Ms. James said two 9-mil- limeter pistols were found in Howell’s vehicle along with four rounds of ammu- nition. The second pistol has not yet been test-fired, so a charge has not yet been laid, she told Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez. She described the amount of cocaine as “fairly large,” noting that there had not yet been time to get a laboratory certificate for it. Fingerprints were discov- ered on one of the firearms and the Crown expected a report shortly. Her objections to bail in- cluded the fact that Howell had six previous convictions for failing to surrender to bail, for which he was fined $50 each. She pointed out that the seriousness of the charges meant that this de- fendant was not entitled to bail under the Bail Law. Howell, of a Bodden Town address, said he was rep- resenting himself; he asked for an electronic monitor and curfew, saying he had a very supportive parent. The magistrate said she was not minded to grant bail at this time, but would leave the matter open. She remanded Howell in custody until Wednesday, Oct. 26. Attorney Jonathon Hughes spoke on behalf of Patrick. He said she was present when police searched the apart- ment. One live round of ammunition was found in a laundry basket where clothes had been thrown. She had no knowledge of any of the illegal items, Mr. Hughes said. She had simply allowed Howell to stay in her apartment and was now ter- rified by the situation. She had gotten herself inadver- tently mixed up in the affairs of her boyfriend. Patrick had done well in school and hoped to pursue further education in the U.K., the attorney advised. She had lived with her parents until June, but wanted to ex- perience independence and so moved in with Stasiuk. If granted bail, she would move back home with her parents, he told the court. Ms. James said the case against Stasiuk was slightly different. A clear plastic bag containing 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition was found in the bottom drawer of a bedside table in Stasiuk’s bedroom. There was also a small quan- tity of ganja. Attorney Ben Tonner said Stasiuk had answered the front door of her apartment around lunchtime on Friday and it was no exaggeration to say that what happened since had been like entrap- ment in a nightmare. She knew nothing about the am- munition found in her room and did not put it there. Mr. Tonner said Howell had been in the apartment many times and she was not always present. Further, there was a key hidden so that the apartment could have been entered by anyone and anyone could have put the ammunition in her room. He pointed out that police did not go to the property for either woman; they went for Howell after receiving intelligence. Ms. James noted that fur- ther charges were pending because of ganja found in a common area of the apart- ment. The attorneys indicated they had not had time to take instructions regarding charges relating to drugs or drug utensils. The magistrate set bail conditions for the two fe- males to include a curfew from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekdays and 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekends. They are to re- port to a police station daily, surrender travel documents and reside with their parents. A cash bond or surety in the sum of $5,000 each was also required. They are to have no contact with Howell. Ms. James asked that these defendants be fitted with an electronic monitor, but none was available. The situation is to be reviewed when they re- turn to court on Oct. 26. TEACHER WHO WAS ACQUITTED LOSES JOB JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A John Gray High School teacher who was found not guilty of indecent as- saults on students has lost his job at the school, offi- cials confirmed. The teacher, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was unanimously acquitted last month on charges that he had assaulted three fe- male students. He had been accused of touching one of the girls in her groin area and the other two on their breasts during a class. The teacher denied there had been any physical con- tact – even accidental – with the girls, testifying that he had been working at his desk on a mock exam paper while the students worked on other projects. Despite being cleared of the alleged offenses, the teacher has lost his job. He had been teaching at the school since 2010 and had been on paid leave since the allegations against him were made in January 2015. Christen Suckoo, the chief officer in the Ministry of Education, confirmed that a decision had been taken in March of this year not to renew his contract when it ended in July 2016. At the time the decision was taken, the teacher was still on bail awaiting trial. Mr. Suckoo said, “The decision was made placing the needs of the students and staff first, given that his being out of school for an indefi- nite period of time meant that alternative provision had to be made to ensure that the students received the proper instruction. The Department (of Edu- cation Services felt that the situation needed to be stabilized by providing a full-time teacher to give the students, particularly exam students, the best chance for success.” MISSING TEEN BACK HOME A West Bay teen- ager who was reported missing over the weekend was found safe, the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service reported Monday morning. Public alerts went out Sunday after 18-year-old Jamar Radcliffe Ebanks had not been seen for more than 48 hours. No new primary school for Bodden Town Education Miniser Tara Rivers The Courthouse Building in downtown George Town. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe 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” ‘Taking attendance’ at Cayman’s public schools Winston Connolly has done it again. The George Town lawmaker’s “Diogenes” gene has re-activated — meaning that Mr. Connolly has gone and said something amazingly honest, with no regard to the political consequences. We admire and applaud him for that. This time around, the “unspoken rule” of Cayman Islands government that Mr. Connolly has violated is admitting … no, declaring … that he sends his own children to private school and that he won’t send them to government schools until or unless they are signifi- cantly improved. For context, Mr. Connolly is formerly the govern- ment’s councilor for education, working directly with Education Minister Tara Rivers. To us, that suggests that Mr. Connolly is one of the most knowledgeable individ- uals in the Cayman Islands on education issues, giving added heft to his endorsement of the private educational system over the public offerings. We, of course, would never criticize someone for offering what they feel to be the best possible educa- tional opportunities for their children. If Mr. Connolly believes his children can get a better education at private schools than the government schools, and he can afford to send them there, who — certainly not us — could blame him? We would do the same. But Mr. Connolly went further, treading where few, if any, of his elected colleagues have dared to go. He challenged the wisdom of the government running a purposefully segregated school system where Cayma- nians go to one set of schools (public) and expatriates (approximately 50 percent of the population) must attend another (private). “We need to desegregate our schools,” he said. “It is ludicrous to think that when our kids finally interact at 18 or 19 in the workplace that they are suddenly going to come together and hold hands and understand each other culturally. We are setting ourselves up for a lot of social problems.” Although Mr. Connolly didn’t mention it, the exclusion of expatriate children from the public schools places an enormous, and unfair, financial burden on foreign families with school-age children. Through duties, fees and other local taxes, they are already paying for the schools their children are not allowed to attend. The inequity of this is obvious. Further, the cost of sending a child — not to mention two or more children — to a private school is enormous. In fact, it is prohibitive to many of the families whose bread- winners are here on work permits. It is not an exaggera- tion to report that the cost of sending three students to a mid-tier private school in Cayman exceeds $25,000 annually. To send one 12th grader for one year to Cayman International School costs $19,000. For families of means, these schools no doubt provide “value for money,” but most parents — expatriate or local — simply cannot afford such expenditures. TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR ‘The most successful STEM Conference to date’ I write to express appre- ciation for your coverage and Friday’s editorial of the re- cent STEM Conference held at UCCI and request that you record this message on your editorial page. It would be most re- miss and ungracious of me not to publicly acknowl- edge the conscientious ef- forts of Dr. Bill Hrudey in not only being the archi- tect behind this initiative, but in continuing to lead at these conferences. While he works with a great organizing committee and is supported by generous sponsors, it is his inimitable style and boundless passion for the promotion of science in these islands which de- serves credit. I offer, on behalf of the University College, our most sincere appreciation to those schools and the Caymanian public which gave their overwhelming support to this event. The conference spon- sors and presenters belong in a special category. Time and space do not permit my listing every name; suf- fice it to say however, that your contributions have not gone unnoticed. J.A. Roy Bodden, President, University College of the Cayman Islands Put Scottish independence up for a vote (eventually) BLOOMBERG VIEW EDITORIAL BOARD Only two years ago, 55 percent of Scots voted to re- main in the United Kingdom, which was then part of the European Union. Since then, the U.K. has decided it does not want to be part of the EU, so Scottish nationalists now want another vote. If their fellow Scots agree, they should get it. Just not yet. Scotland has legitimate concerns. Some 62 percent of Scots voted to stay in the EU in the June referendum on Brexit, compared with 48 percent in the U.K. overall. Meanwhile, U.K. ministers are signaling they will pri- oritize curbing immigra- tion over access to the single market, and Prime Minister Theresa May is packing her negotiating team with euroskeptics. The U.K. shouldn’t deny the Scots another referendum if they demand one. By now, however, the dangers of such votes are clear. Despite the different outcomes, the 2014 Scottish independence cam- paign was depressingly sim- ilar to this year’s Brexit de- bate. Both were short on economic facts, long on po- litical scaremongering, and damagingly divisive. Surely the main issue over any proposed departure from the U.K. is economic – and there, what’s happened since 2014 reinforces the risks of going it alone. Scotland is re- liant on trade with the U.K., the main market for the bulk of its 76 billion pounds (US$92 billion) of exports: By far the bigger eco- nomic challenge, however, is the collapse in oil prices. Scotland’s share of North Sea oil revenue was 76 mil- lion pounds (US$101 million) in 2015-2016, down from 2.25 billion pounds a year earlier. As a result, its budget deficit for the most recent fiscal year was 9.5 percent of gross do- mestic product, more than double the U.K. shortfall. Finally, there is the ques- tion of exactly what Brexit will look like – and here, it’s just too soon to know. True, the rhetoric from 10 Downing Street is at worst discouraging and at best con- fusing. But the final shape of the agreement, which won’t be known for several years, is relevant to any de- bate over Scottish indepen- dence. Besides which, it’s not at all clear that a vote to leave the U.K. will automati- cally mean Scotland gets to stay in the EU. The abiding desire of many Scots for independence isn’t just about economics, of course. But it’s essential that Scottish voters be fully informed about the poten- tial economic consequences of secession. © 2016, Bloomberg View Bill Hrudey talks about the sun to St. Ignatius students Joshua Weaver, 14, Charles Henderson, 11, and Oisin McGeough, 13, during the recent STEM Conference at the University College of the Cayman Islands. – PHOTO: MATT LAMERS5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2016 Government hires consultants for five-year tourism plan The Cayman Islands gov- ernment has hired Wash- ington, D.C.-based company Solimar to draw up a five- year “National Tourism Plan” for the islands. The company was chosen in a competitive tender pro- cess which began in April, the Department of Tourism announced in a press release. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said in the re- lease, “The [National Tourism Plan] will provide a frame- work for tourism develop- ment and management that will support the tourism strategic goals and solidify a well-managed plan for the Cayman Islands tourism in- dustry. Sustainable tourism development will be the foundation of the NTP, which will take into account global tourism trends and market opportunities. “All these considerations now are critically important; the decisions made will form as a catalyst of purposeful growth and success for fu- ture generations.” Department of Tourism officials said the new tourism plan would “provide recommendations as to the way forward for the advance- ment of the Cayman Islands’ tourism industry beyond the current tourism devel- opment plans.” According to the request for proposals, among the ele- ments the consultants will be concerned with is how to ad- dress the impact of an antici- pated increase in cruise ship passengers on the overall sustainable tourism product. The request for proposals notes that George Town and Seven Mile Beach have changed dramatically over the past 30 years and “there are indications that the scale and nature of development is beginning to deter tourists.” The five-year plan is due to begin next year and continue to 2021. Director of Tourism Rosa Harris said she encourages all stakeholders, partners and interested parties to engage and participate in the devel- opment of this new plan. “There will be a range of public consultation oppor- tunities as we advance the drafting of the NTP,” she said. “As an industry, we must conduct a multi-sectorial ap- proach to ensure the process is comprehensive and focused on maximizing value. Ulti- mately the goal is to provide a tool to manage the tourism industry and propel our suc- cess through providing a dis- tinctive high quality product and promoting it effectively.” Consultants from Solimar International are expected to visit the Cayman Islands throughout the duration of the consultancy, beginning this month. The company is described as a “specialist consulting and marketing firm” that examines how “sus- tainable tourism can stimu- late economic growth while conserving natural resources and cultural heritage.” The company has been involved in tourism con- sultancy projects in several countries, including Jamaica, Mexico, Sri Lanka and Nepal. “Ultimately the goal is to provide a tool to manage the tourism industry and propel our success through providing a distinctive high quality product and promoting it effectively.” ROSA HARRIS, director of tourism Tourists check out cruise ships in George Town harbor. The government has hired a U.S. consultancy firm to help draw up a National Tourism Plan for the Cayman Islands. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Nearly 100 young art stu- dents took part in Walkers Art Club this month at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. The extracurricular art education program offers students of all ages and abil- ities weekly art classes to help enhance their skills and expose them to local and in- ternational artists. During the free classes, art teachers instruct the bud- ding artists and encourage them to express themselves through age-appropriate projects, themes and skills. The classes and course materials are spon- sored by Walkers. The program includes six clubs – Foundation, Pri- mary, Secondary, Teens, Cayman Brac, and Light- house Club for students with learning difficulties. Due to the success of the Walkers Art Club program, a new Foundation club has been created this term for students in grades 1 to 3, or- ganizers said. “It has been an exciting start to the year for students in the Walkers Art Clubs. Al- ready they have participated in activities such as print- making and life drawing, they have explored the use of pos- itive and negative space, and have collaborated on group drawings. The year is off to an inspired start,” said National Gallery intern Jessica Ebanks. During this term, students in the program will also ex- plore the National Gallery’s latest exhibition “Speak to Me – Understanding the Lan- guage of Art,” as well as works from the National Art Collec- tion, with gallery curators and educators. Among the mate- rials and techniques that will be explored throughout the program will be watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, clay and cray-pas, and various methods in print-making. Managing Partner of Walkers’ Cayman office, An- tonia Hardy, said, “As the Walkers Art Club embarks on its 12th year, one of the most rewarding aspects of the program has been watching students grow from preschool through to high school level. This pro- gram enables children from schools throughout the is- land to interact and make friends whilst gaining a solid foundation in visual arts and going on to achieve great things. It truly is a program that inspires the next genera- tion of creative thinkers.” Places in the program are allocated on a first- come, first-served basis. If classes are full, students are placed on a waiting list and accepted when spaces be- come available. To find out more, email info@nationalgallery.org.ky or call 945-8111. Art club a draw for students Some of the young students who are taking part in Walkers Art Club at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days West Bay TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Community contributions recognized The Seventh-day Adven- tist Church, West Bay re- cently held its annual Com- munity Guest Day, honoring businesses and organizations working to help those in need in the district and beyond. Hundreds were in at- tendance at the event held on Oct. 15 at the Sir John A. Cumber School Hall. The hall is serving as a temporary home for the 500 member Church as it awaits the com- pletion of its new facility, under construction, that re- places its previous loca- tion which was destroyed in Hurricane Ivan. The Lightbearers Club, the youth arm of the church, seated the guests and presented a drill display, and awards and gifts were pre- sented to the Foster family of Foster’s Food Fair IGA, ac- cepted by Woody Foster; the Crisis Centre, accepted by director Ania Milanowska- Sedgley; and to the CAYS Foundation, accepted by De- nise Williams-Watson. “Every year, for many years running now, we rec- ognize groups and individ- uals for their various con- tributions to the people of West Bay, with the recipi- ents voted on by the church community,” said Sab- bath School superintendent Paula Mendez. She said that Foster’s has been a consistent donor to not only the West Bay community but also to the church itself, providing food for its vacation Bible school and other camps, as well as providing gift certificates for the youth in the Light- bearers Club, which or- ganizes activities such as hiking and camping. This year, the Foster’s 35th Anniversary Year of Giving has been focusing on giving back to the commu- nity through various means, including highlighting one charity a month that serves Cayman, and recognizing and assisting individuals throughout the islands that exemplify the caring ethos. The campaign has raised more than $105,000 from customers for local charities. The Crisis Centre was also honored at the event. The organization is Cay- man’s only dedicated non- profit providing emergency shelter for abused women and their children, a 24-hour toll free crisis line, ongoing support and counseling programs for children and youth, as well as conducting outreach activities. The third organization honored at the event was the CAYS Foundation, a nonprofit group serving children and youth, which operates two therapeutic programs, the Frances Bodden Children’s Home and the Bonaventure Boys Home. A CAYS press release states the Frances Bodden Children’s Home is designated for children in need of care and protection, and the Bonaventure Boys Home addresses the treat- ment needs of adjudicated boys. The CAYS programs focus on group interaction and positive personal devel- opment and use a strength- based approach rather than punishment and isolation, and focus on giving troubled youth and children struc- ture, support, understanding and empathy in a humane and nurturing environment, with the objective of re- turning them to their fami- lies or to the community with the skills they need to be suc- cessful members of society. “Every year … we recognize groups and individuals for their various contributions to the people of West Bay.” PAULA MENDEZ, West Bay Seventh-day Adventist Sabbath School superintendent Church clerk Dean Barnett, right, presents a certificate to Denise Williams-Watson of the CAYS Foundation.Foster’s representatives Sabrina Foster, Woody Foster, Chi Chi Foster, Tanya Foster and Stephanie Foster with their award. Director of the Lightbearers Club Chamayrane Williams presents an award to Woody Foster. In the Oct. 19, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, West Bay correspon- dent Leila Yates wrote: “On the 14th the leaders of the Girls’ Brigade accompanied the girls on a cy- cling trip to Galleon Beach Hotel where they received a warm welcome from the manager, Mr. Ainsley. Some of the girls went sea bathing. They report an enjoyable time. “Arriving on the 16th from the U.S. were Messrs. Alford Smith from New York where he visited his children, and James Ebanks, North West Point, from his job. Mrs. Cornelius Hydes returned after visiting for two months with rela- tives in the U.S. “At the inauguration of the West Bay Civic and Cultural Organization, meet- ings were held on the second Monday of every month. The attendance began to decline, it was then decided the atten- dance might improve if it was held on a quarterly basis. Due to officers being on vacation during the summer it was five months that no meeting was held. Notices were sent to all the churches that a meeting was scheduled for the 10th, which is the usual procedure to remind the community. “However, one person and two offi- cers were the only ones who came. Since the people of this community take such a disinterested stand, is it any wonder that such actions as those which oc- curred at the West Bay Government School Buildings recently happen. Folks, please wake up for the betterment of our district. “Mr. Joseph Smith returned on the 13th from his job in the U.S. “Passengers departing for the U.S. on the 16th were Mrs. Alvin Ebanks accom- panied by her daughter Darlene to visit relatives in Miami, Mrs. Julie Panton to visit her children, Mr. Denniston Powery to work on S.S. Bulk Oceanic, Mr. Carley Ebanks to his job in Pennsylvania, and Mr. and Mrs. John Bonsek and two chil- dren Brian and Brenda. They visited rel- atives here and have returned to their home in Miami. “Mr. Alden Ebanks paid a short visit home and left on the 13th to return to his job with Jacksonville Ship Yard. “The Swan Island plane came in on Saturday bringing Mr. and Mrs. Harry Bush as passengers. Leaving on Sunday were Messrs. John Jefferson, Norman Smith, Spurgeon Glidden and Randolf Moore. “The Motor Vessel Day Dream left on the 12th for Spanish Honduras taking Mrs. Spencer Bennett, Mr. Alstead Glidden and Mrs. Sarah Smith as pas- sengers for Swan Island.” 50 YEARS AGO: Girls’ Brigade visits Galleon Beach Hotel West Bay’s Elections Office registering officer is now available to as- sist district residents with registering to vote in next year’s general election. The West Bay regis- tering officer is Bethany Powery-Ebanks, who can be reached on 516-4402. Ms. Powery-Ebanks can be contacted by those wishing to vote in the up- coming general election to confirm whether they are the voter list and are therefore eligible to vote, a press release states. Voters who have changed their address and no longer reside at their previously listed ad- dress, or have changed their name or occupa- tion, can consult with Ms. Powery-Ebanks to en- sure they are registered properly so they are able to vote in May 2017. The Cayman Compass has reported that all el- igible Cayman Islands voters who wish to partic- ipate in the May 24, 2017 general election must meet a Dec. 31, 2016 regis- tration deadline to get on the voters’ list. If an early election is not held, then April 1, 2017 will be the date the register of electors comes into force before the election. If the regular elec- tion schedule is main- tained, the current parlia- ment will be dissolved on March 28, 2017. Nomina- tion day will be March 29 for all eligible candidates, and on March 31 the elec- tions office will announce the list of candidates. REGISTERING OFFICER TAKING VOTER QUERIESDISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days West Bay CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2016 Sir John A. Cumber students step up for Haiti When the staff and stu- dents at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School learned of the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew, par- ticularly to Haiti, they immediately sprang into ac- tion to do something, how- ever small, to assist those who were affected. With the help of their par- ents and the encouragement of their teachers, stu- dents collected a variety of items to donate to the relief efforts, including clothing, nonperishable food items, sanitary items, batteries and paper towels. The drive was spear- headed by Year 5 teacher and head of juniors Courtney Perrin, and head of infants Dewayne Bennett. They have both expressed appreciation on behalf of the principal, students and staff to the parents and general school community for their generosity and overwhelming support of this worthwhile cause. The items will be passed on to one of the nonprofit collection agencies for ship- ment to Haiti. Volunteer team helping out at Sir John A. Cumber The men and women of The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cay- man’s Bar Jack restaurant have been taking the ex- pression “many hands make light work” to heart by as- sisting Sir John A. Cumber Primary School. The resort’s Community Footprints Initiative gives employees the opportunity to make valuable contributions to a selected project or ser- vice in the community. In recent months, led by the restaurant’s food beverage supervisor Camila Costa, the Bar Jack group, along with other volunteers from the hotel, have been donating their time, with some giving up portions of their off-days, to volunteer at the Sir John A. Cumber library. The team has been assisting with shelving and reorganizing books, making space for new and additional stock, wiping and dusting where necessary, and placing barcode and spine la- bels on books. “This can be an arduous task, given the system’s re- corded material collection of over 25,000, and serving a pa- tron population of over 700,” noted Sir John A. Cumber teacher and library resources coordinator Annette Vaughan. Members of the team as- sisted on scheduled days throughout the school year last year as well, and a group came in on Aug. 29 to help prepare for the beginning of the 2016-2017 academic year. “Their diligence hasn’t gone unnoticed,” said Ms. Vaughan. Minister of Education Tara Rivers, who was vis- iting the school at that time, took notice of their work, and along with Principal Paul Samuel, expressed apprecia- tion for their untiring contri- butions and commitment to the educational development of the students. “It is very rewarding for us to assist, and see that those contributions are ben- efiting the school and our community,” said Ms. Costa. “This project started so small, with one planned visit to the library. And suddenly our Community Footprints Team, especially the Bar Jack team got so motivated, that it became part of our routine to be there very often, many times, even weekly to assist in whatever Annette Vaughan, the library or the school needs,” she said. “It’s been a pleasure to work with John A. Cumber school. They are always very appreciative of our work and we are willing to main- tain this partnership for as long as we can.” Sir John A. Cumber students along with teacher Courtney Perrin, with just some of the donations they collected for Hurricane Matthew relief efforts in Haiti. Volunteers from The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman at the Sir John A. Cumber library.Volunteers get ready to help out at the library.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. TUESDAY, OCT. 18 SILENT WITNESS MARCH: 5:30 p.m., from the Old Government Administration Building to the Courts parking lot. The event raises awareness of violence by paying tribute to its victims. For more information contact Family Resource Centre, 949- 0006, email frc@gov.ky or visit www.facebook.com/ FamilyResourceCentre. GEORGE TOWN PIRATES WEEK: The George Town Heritage Committee invites all interested person who would like to be part of the George Town float for the Pirates Week parade and George Town District Day to come to a meeting at Central/Scranton Park, 7 p.m. George Town District Day is Tuesday, Nov. 15. ZIKA PUBLIC MEETING: Doctors and government officers invite the public, especially pregnant women, to a meeting at the Bodden Town Civic Centre, 5:30-7 p.m. RUN2ZERO: Cayman AIDS Foundation hosts its fourth annual 5K and 10K Run2Zero Community Awareness Walk/ Run on Oct. 23. Today is the deadline to take advantage of group rates for all organizations that register 10 or more people. The group rate is $15 per person; individuals are $25. Contact noel@caf.ky or visit the CAF office at Unit #21 Caymanian Village, North Sound Road, or call 946-3029. CHAMBER COURSE: Immigration and Permanent Residence. 9-11 a.m. $175 for members, $225 for future members; Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square; register online www.caymanchamber.ky. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 19 BULLY-PROOF YOUR CHILD: 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. Family skills session at Family Resource Centre in the Compass Centre, junction of North Sound Road and Shedden Road. Children welcome to attend. Please register to participate. For more information, contact 949-0006, email frc@gov.ky or visit www.facebook.com/ FamilyResourceCentre. CHAMBER COURSE: Building Trust Skills. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. $350 for members, $400 for future members; Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square; register online www.caymanchamber.ky. THURSDAY, OCT. 20 SEAFARERS ASSOCIATION: Members are advised that there will be a general meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Seafarers Hall, 11 Victory Ave., Prospect. Buses will be provided from West Bay Town Hall at 6 p.m. QUIZ NIGHT: Starts at 7 p.m. at Fidel’s. Quizmaster is Nicola Walsh. Fundraiser for Humane Society. CHAMBER COURSE: Communicating effectively. Today and tomorrow. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. $225 for members, $300 for future members; Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square; register online www.caymanchamber.ky. TRIPLE C DINNER: Tickets are on sale for the 75th Anniversary banquet at the Triple C School office and the Family Life Centre. Evening includes music, history of the school, special gifts, live and silent auction and 3-course dinner. $75 per person. Tables are for sale for $750 and there is also the opportunity for corporate sponsorship (platinum, gold, silver or bronze). Contact Nathania Mayers at development@ triplecschool.org for more information about being a sponsor or to reserve a table. FRIDAY, OCT. 21 PIRATES WEEK CORPORATE T-SHIRTS: Today is the deadline for companies and businesses to order Pirates Week T-shirts. Two designs are available, with the choice of the organization’s logo appearing on the reverse side. Orders and payment must be submitted to the Pirates Week Office by today. Shirts will be available for pick-up by Thursday, Nov. 10. Purchase 25+ shirts and receive a 10 percent discount. For more information, call the Pirates Week Office at 949-5078 or email info@piratesweekfestival.com. SATURDAY, OCT. 22 NCVO RADIO/TELETHON: From 7 p.m. at Prospect Playhouse. Annual fundraiser for the National Council of Voluntary Organisations. Program will be aired on Radio Cayman and Cayman 27. Donations/pledges can be brought to the theatre or phoned in. For more information or to make a donation in advance, contact Janice Wilson at the NCVO on 949-2124, 525-3976 or ncvo@ncvo.org.ky. SUNDAY, OCT. 23 CATBOAT CLUB: The Premier’s Cup race will be sailed on a course offshore the Catboat Club in George Town (next to the Lobster Pot) at 10 a.m. RUN2ZERO: The 5K/10K walk/run starts at 7 a.m. at Smith Cove, South Sound. Register with Cayman Active or CAF office at #21 Caymanian Village, George Town, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays (closed on Thursday). Late registration at 5:30 a.m. Registration booth at Smith Cove. Pre- registration $25. Group rates, $15 for 10 or more. Children, $10. ANNUAL CUT-A-THON: Eclipze Hair Design & Day Spa hosts the annual Cut-A-Thon in support of breast cancer awareness. Volunteers from various salons and spas will be at Eclipze, suite 6103-D, 10 Market Street, Camana Bay from 2-6 p.m. offering services at a reduced rate, including wet cuts, mini manicures, eyebrow threading and a $1-a-minute massages. All proceeds donated to the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens Breast Cancer Awareness Fund in aid of Breast Cancer Month. MONDAY, OCT. 24 REVIVAL: Red Bay Church of God (Holiness) invites everyone to Revival Services tonight through Oct. 30. 7:30 p.m. nightly except Oct. 30, which will be at 6 p.m. No service on Saturday, Oct. 29. Guest speaker will be Pastor Glarmon Grant better known as Brother Bo Bo. TUESDAY, OCT. 25 ZIKA PUBLIC MEETING: Doctors and government officers invite the public, especially pregnant women, to a meeting at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School Hall, West Bay, 5:30-7 p.m. THURSDAY, OCT. 27 AGRICULTURE AND OUTDOOR LIVING EXPO: At the Arts and Recreation Centre (ARC), Camana Bay. 10 a.m.- 8:30 p.m. Free admission. FRIDAY, OCT. 28 PIRATES WEEK GOLF: Scheduled for today. The Pirates Week Festival Office seeks sponsors for its Charity Golf Classic. Any businesses and individuals interested in sponsoring financially or with services or products may contact piratesweekgolf@gmail.com or call Samantha on 936- 4766. Team registration for the four-person scramble is also open. Register at www.caymanactive.com. SATURDAY, OCT. 29 HARBOUR NIGHTS: Harbor Nights on the Waterfront offers free entertainment from 6 p.m. This is a George Town revitalization effort hosted by Quincy Brown and featuring local bands such as by Regeneration, Beneil Miller & The Firesquad, Stuart Wilson, Andy Blake, Rico, Rolando & Cinco, DJ Mix Master, DJ Don 1. Harbour Night specials will be available at participating area establishments. Local food vendors and entertainment throughout the evening. DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross mobile thrift shop will be in North Side, junction of the Hutland and North Side Roads, near Chisholm’s Supermarket. Available items include ladies’ accessories and bags, clothing and shoes for men, women and children, linens, household items and more. ARTISAN MARKET: Pedro Castle. Hershey Halloween event, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visual Arts Society annual Christmas arts and crafts sale, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact artisansmarkets@ visualartcayman.com. SUNDAY, OCT. 30 OLDER PERSONS: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church invites all to the Older Persons Month Celebration Service at 11 a.m. MONDAY, OCT. 31 ANTI-BULLYING: The Family Resources Centre is sponsoring an Anti- Bullying Poster and Song Competition. Today is the deadline for submissions. For more information on this and other FRC initiatives, contact 949-0006, email frc@gov.ky or visit www.facebook.com/ FamilyResourceCentre. TUESDAY, NOV. 1 ZIKA PUBLIC MEETING: Doctors and government officers invite the public, especially pregnant women, to a meeting at the North Side Civic Centre, 5:30-7 p.m. SATURDAY, NOV. 5 MUSIC OUTDOORS: All are invited to a free concert by The Singrays in the amphitheater of Dart Family Park, South Church Street, at 5:30 p.m. They will sing some of their favorite arrangements of standards, jazz, pop, and modern tunes. Admission is free, but donations to support the National Trust are welcome. More information at www. facebook.com/singrays or email singrays.ky@gmail.com. TUESDAY, NOV. 8 STEWARDS OF CHILDREN: The Red Cross “Darkness to Light” is a free training program, 6:30-9 p.m., for parents, teachers and others who work with or provide services to young people. Gain knowledge and skills to prevent child sexual abuse; recognize signs of abuse and learn how to react responsibly. Pre-registration is required. Contact vrm@redcross.org.ky. ZIKA PUBLIC MEETING: Doctors and government officers invite the public, especially pregnant women, to a meeting at the East End Civic Centre, 5:30-7 p.m. GENERAL INTEREST VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Classes offered Mondays in mixed mediums. Tuesdays, figure drawing with live model. Thursdays, color theory. For more information, email workshops@ visualartcayman.com. CERAMIC OPEN STUDIO: Every Wednesday from 9 a.m. till 7 p.m. until Dec. 14; also first Sunday of the month, 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. Watler House at Pedro Castle. Contact openstudio@ visualartcayman.com. PARADE OF LIGHTS: The annual holiday event featuring a Christmas concert, boat parade and fireworks display is set for Dec. 3 at Camana Bay. Anyone interested in participating in the parade should phone 333-6560 or email c27paradeoflights@ gmail.com. AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM: The Light of the World Church after-school program has resumed. Children ages 6 to 12 are supervised by qualified, experienced teachers from 3:30 p.m. The focus is on homework, with special emphasis on literacy and numeracy. The fee is $25 per week and includes a snack. For more information, call 926-1541. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards, etc., in good condition always needed. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The George Town Heritage Committee is looking for people who would like to take part in the George Town float in the Pirates Week parade and George Town District Day. Those interested are invited to a meeting at Central/Scranton Park at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2016 “I think the litmus test for all of us in this room is that we should try to say we need to go back to the days of when the choice between a public and pri- vate school was either reli- gion or the different veins that you are going to, either the U.K. or the U.S. Until we get to that stage, we haven’t accomplished what we should be setting out to do in education.” Mr. Connolly, an in- dependent legislator who served with the Progres- sives-led government as a councilor in the Min- istry of Education before switching to the opposi- tion benches, said a bi- partisan plan is needed that would integrate the children of Cayma- nians and foreign workers in new schools. He said Cayman needs to partner with the pri- vate sector to grow school capacity and to im- prove the standards in schools generally. “We need to desegre- gate our schools,” he said. “It is ludicrous to think that when our kids finally interact at 18 or 19 in the workplace that they are suddenly going to come to- gether and hold hands and understand each other cul- turally. We are setting our- selves up for a lot of so- cial problems.” He added, “We need to add capacity. The things we want to do as a country will no doubt include more people coming here, espe- cially the type of people we want to attract. Not all people coming to these shores can afford private schools. Some of them will want and need to put their children into public schools. “Private schools are at capacity, they have waiting lists; public schools are nearing capacity. “We don’t, as a country, have the money to build the school infrastructure that we need and to replace some that are in bad need of replacing. “We need to continue dis- cussions about public-pri- vate partnerships and actu- ally bring them to fruition. “Cayman is still a very attractive place, but our ed- ucation system needs to be equally attractive.” “I believe that we have no choice but to take this ac- tion, given that three years is the average time it is taking for criminal cases to be con- cluded,” Mr. Manderson wrote. “Moreover, this action sends all the right signals to the public and staff.” The deputy governor in- dicated that legal advice from the solicitor general was obtained before taking the decision. Asked last week for more information about the paid suspensions, Mr. Manderson said the number of govern- ment workers on required leave has been reduced by at least five since the No- vember memo was sent and that the number should shrink further shortly. “Our goal is simple – re- duce the use of required leave across the civil ser- vice,” he said, adding that government managers are also looking at ways to reduce the length of time employees who must be sus- pended and removed from their jobs can continue to re- ceive full pay. “Right now, a devoted and high-performing em- ployee of many years who suffers a serious illness, such as cancer, can only count on receiving extended sick pay for a finite amount of time,” Mr. Manderson said. “A person who is before the court facing criminal charges has no end date for when their pay may cease. This cannot be right.” Cases requiring suspen- sion and ultimately termi- nation of civil servants will not always require the em- ployees to be placed on “gardening leave” and in some instances, Mr. Man- derson said, it might not be in the public interest to re- move someone from pro- ductive work they could perform in another office or department while their matters are settled. He said civil service managers would have to consider a number of fac- tors, including whether the employee’s removal is needed to facilitate a crim- inal or disciplinary in- vestigation, whether the employee involved is con- sidered a threat to others, whether the alleged miscon- duct would “erode public confidence” in the civil ser- vice, or whether the person would be disruptive if they continued to work. The deputy governor said senior civil service man- agers are aware that in some cases, the employees under investigation will be exoner- ated. However, he questioned whether many government workers on suspension are truly “motivated” to bring their matters to an end, since they continue to re- ceive full pay. “We are considering amending our laws to in- troduce gradual pay reduc- tions and finally, to terminate pay for employees who are on leave and facing criminal charges before the courts over prolonged periods,” he said. “We are purposely tack- ling this issue so that the al- leged misconduct of a few does not compromise the reputation of thousands of hard-working, professional, passionate and honest men and women within the civil service.” 8 (13) of the Development and Planning Regulations. The decision states that the planning permission is “quashed and set aside.” Mr. Johnson welcomed the decision, but complained that building work was con- tinuing at the site. “I am pleased to see that common sense has finally pre- vailed and that the Appeals Tribunal made the decision to rule against the Thompson building application,” he said. “We believe that the Thompson land in question is far too small to develop, but moreover, the develop- ment detracted from the vista and aesthetic appeal of the natural ironshore coastline which is an intrinsic part of the character of George Town.” Mr. Johnson, who lodged an objection when the ap- plication was filed, had ar- gued that it would negatively impact plans to construct a boardwalk and beau- tify the area. He said there were nu- merous problems with the de- velopment, including the car park, which he said was built too close to the road, a septic tank too close to the ocean, and the development itself, which he said was too close to neighboring properties, without necessary permis- sion being obtained from the adjoining landowners, him- self included. He said, “The building and the wall, both of which are eyesores should be pulled down and the ‘car park’ should be dug up.” The decision does not necessarily mean that the de- velopment cannot ultimately go ahead. The Central Plan- ning Authority will have to re- consider the application and make a new decision or issue an enforcement notice. Mr. Thompson also has the right of appeal to the Grand Court. Mr. Johnson said the beach and ironshore area was used by Caymanians, residents and tourists alike and should re- main available for public use. While Mr. Thompson has consistently declined to re- spond to requests for com- ment on the development, his mother Mary Thompson wrote to the Cayman Com- pass in June to defend the de- velopment and condemn Mr. Johnson for his complaints. She wrote, “While we wel- come expatriates from all countries to Cayman (some of which have become what we call ‘paper Caymanians’) and have lived very peace- fully together, there are some who have come to con- clude they have priority over born Caymanians. “Mr. Chris Johnson is making a disturbance because of a building that we are le- gally erecting on our long held property, which when completed, will be another benefit to tourism. “While my husband (the late Norberg Thompson) and I are born Caymanians and are some of the largest Cay- manian developers, it appears that Mr. Johnson is not satis- fied by the decision granted by a board comprised of Cay- manians (the Cayman Islands Central Planning Authority), and now seeks to have priority and impose his will over born Caymanians, who have done much to develop our country which has afforded many ex- pats like him the opportunity to gain work and the right to live here in Cayman today.” Mr. Johnson said his com- plaints related to the inappro- priateness of the development. He added, “Regrettably this issue generated con- siderable antagonism as re- gards ‘paper Caymanians’ and others, which was never my intention and most unfortunate.” The National Roads Au- thority and the Department of Environment also raised some concerns during the ap- plication process. The Department of En- vironment wrote, “The pro- posed works will irrevers- ibly detract from the vista and aesthetic appeal of the natural ironshore coastline in this area which is an in- trinsic part of the character of the George Town water- front, and which is becoming increasingly rare.” Chris Johnson successfully appealed the decision to grant planning permission for a waterfront development next to his own land. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Waterfront development approval quashed Civil service pulling employees off paid suspension CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Deputy Governor Franz Manderson CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Winston Connolly EU STEPS UP PRESSURE ON CONGO TO END UNREST Pushes for elections in 2017 LUXEMBOURG (AP) – The European Union stepped up pressure on the Demo- cratic Republic of Congo on Monday to end vio- lence in the country, saying it is ready to impose sanc- tions to end the unrest in the east of the vast na- tion and to push for elec- tions next year. The 28 EU foreign min- isters said in a statement the bloc “will use all the means at its disposal, in- cluding individual restric- tive measures” against those who commit violence and human rights abuses. Dozens of people died in Kinshasa in September after security forces clashed with anti-govern- ment demonstrators op- posed to delaying long-an- ticipated elections. Fighting in the east is also worry. Separately, the chief pros- ecutor of the International Criminal Court said she has sent a team to Congo to urge representatives of political parties to show restraint amid the crisis. Prosecutor Fatou Ben- souda said the team will call on politicians and others to ensure that they and their supporters “re- frain … from committing any act of criminal vio- lence against individuals and property, and take the necessary measures to prevent the commission of such acts.” Bensouda said her pros- ecutors are closely mon- itoring the situation in Congo and that anyone who “commits, orders, in- cites, encourages, or con- tributes in any other way to the commission of crimes” could be held liable. The International Crim- inal Court is a court of last resort that only steps in if a country where crimes are committed is unable or un- willing to prosecute. Connolly: Why I do not send my children to public schoolNext >