High of 87 Low of 76 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Visiting artists join annual event Siegfried and Christer Tepper are a highlight of Singing Christmas Tree weekend B7 Playhouse Family Christmas Grizz and Frizz are back with a cavalcade of Christmas characters B11 Lifestyle Theater Events Epic parties all weekend No matter what your poison, be it live music or DJ mixes, your cup runneth over B2 ■ ART & CULTURE Making of a Geisha Photographer had unprecedented access to an ancient ritual. B8 Cayman Watercolours Calendar Consider this to be the perfect stocking stuffer B6 STOLI FLAVOURS2 for $ 56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July Registered Merchant of CaymanGiftCertificates. com 20% OFF For the month of November (750 ml or larger bottles only) 20% 20% For the month of November For the month of November (750 ml or larger bottles only) (750 ml or larger bottles only) PHOTO: JOHN DAVIES CAYMAN WEEKENDER Making of a Geisha EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 PR APPLICATION DELAYS: THE CONSEQUENCES NOW LOOM LARGER ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2016 Going nuts in December 2016! Going fresh, local, delicious, quick, convenient, crisp, hot, cool, tangy, healthy, juicy, crunchy, spiced, sweet, salty, wholesome, appetising, delectable, flavourful, fruity, heavenly, mouthwatering, scrumptious, savoury, fizzy, organic, full-bodied, gourmet, hearty, satisfying, homemade, indulgent, lean, lip-smacking and yummy grab and go things. Three-year immigration delay in residency case could cost government BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands government could be forced to pay damages following an immigra- tion challenge filed by a local accountant who waited three years for his permanent resi- dence application to be heard. Depending on what the Grand Court de- cides, the case could lead to a number of other challenges from permanent residence ap- plicants who, in many instances, have been waiting between one and three years for hear- ings on their own applications. According to a judicial review request filed last month, accountant Bradley Carpenter, who applied for permanent residence in Oc- tober 2013, suddenly found that his “permis- sion to continue working” status pending ap- proval of his application had been changed to a “visitor’s” permit by the Immigration De- partment. No reason was given in the court records as to why Mr. Carpenter and his wife had their “permission to continue working” designation changed, but they filed a legal challenge Oct. 10, 2016 following that decision. Grand Court Justice Ingrid Mangatal scheduled a hearing to consider the judicial review application concerning Mr. Carpenter’s case for Nov. 8. Four days before the court hearing, Mr. Carpenter was informed that his permanent residence application had been granted. According to Mr. Carpenter’s attorney, Alastair David of HSM Chambers, there was no reason given for why it took three years to hear the residency application. Justice Man- gatal ruled Tuesday that the judicial review application should proceed, despite the fact CRUISE PIER TO GO OUT TO BID THIS YEAR JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A tender for a new cruise and cargo facility will likely go out in December once the final engineering study is complete, according to Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell. He said that study, due early next month, would inform the specifications for a request for proposals which should result in a con- tract being awarded by March next year for the two piers. The piers would be able to ac- commodate four cruise ships, including the larger Oasis class vessels. Dutch firm Royal HaskoningDHV is working on technical designs and costing for moving the piers into deeper water to reduce the impact on coral in George Town harbor. The pivotal issue of how the piers will be funded and the financing formula will be fi- nalized during the bid process, according to Mr. Kirkconnell. Boxing legend Pacquiao coming to Cayman JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Manny Pacquiao, the boxing legend, pol- itician and most famous man in the Phil- ippines, is coming to the Cayman Islands in January to host the Island Rumble boxing event. The multiple world champion will be involved in a boxing exhibition as part of a nine-fight card at Camana Bay’s Festival Green on Jan. 7. He will also visit Health City Cayman Islands and take part in a groundbreaking event for a new boxing gym in Bodden Town during his visit. Promoter Matthew Leslie made the an- nouncement alongside sponsors that in- cluded Sports Minister Osbourne Bodden, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell and Gurps Singh Rai of Dubai-based commod- ities traders SDKA International, which recently set up a business in Cayman and is the title sponsor of the event. U.S. middleweight contender Luis “Cuba” Arias and amateur boxers from Cayman, Jamaica, Cuba, the Bahamas, U.S. and the Philippines will take part in the event, which Mr. Leslie said would also feature other sports and entertainment celebrities. Mr. Leslie said, “This will be one of the largest, most exposed events in the Cayman 14 YEARS FOR STATUS SCAM Citing the vulnerability of vic- tims and the defendant’s previous 56 convictions, a judge sentenced Paul Anthony Hume Ebanks to 14 years in prison for running an immigra- tion scam in which he duped people into paying him for permanent resi- dency or status. See page 9 for full story. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Manny Pacquiao celebrates after defeating Jessie Vargas in a WBO welterweight title boxing match Saturday, Nov. 5, in Las Vegas. The champion boxer is set to visit the Cayman Islands in January for the Island Rumble boxing event. - PHOTO: AP/ISAAC BREKKEN PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman’s Most Affordable Cimboco - A Caribbean Café 94-PASTA (947-2782) Located in the Marquee Plaza Brunch & Breakfast till 3pm Saturday, Sunday & Holiday Monday! with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex starting Salsa with DJ Flex starting with DJ Flex Tuesdays with DJ Flex EVERY SATURDAY TONIGHT! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm Barefoot Man and Sea N’B Friday, Nov18th LIVE BAND NEXT WEEK Playing all the classics! 8:30pm - 11:30pm FIREWORKS TONIGHT FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11th 8:30 The one & only ManGoJam Call 949-2231 or email: info@wharf.ky CORRECTION A story titled “Florida Keys voters reject, and approve, GM mosquitoes,” which ap- peared on page 9 of Wednes- day’s Cayman Compass called Oxitec’s ongoing release of ge- netically modified mosqui- toes a trial. Oxitec points out that the mosquito release is an “operational deployment of the GM technique” rather than a trial. The Cayman Compass strives for accuracy and is committed to correcting errors that appear in the newspaper. Those interested in contacting the paper for that purpose can send an email to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com. Four of the world’s best BMX riders are in Grand Cayman doing demonstrations at the Black Pearl Skate Park as part of Pirates Week. The Red Bull riders, including five-time X Games Gold Medalist Daniel Dhers, shown here, two-time NORA Ramp Rider of the Year Drew Bezanson, and young up-and-comer Kenneth Tencio, were warming up at the park Thursday afternoon. They will be performing at the park Friday. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Third sentencing date set for Cayman’s Webb BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com After two earlier at- tempts to sentence him in connection with the FIFA bribery scandal were put off, Cayman’s Jeffrey Webb is now due to appear be- fore a U.S. federal court judge in May. Webb, 52, is now due to learn his fate in connec- tion with the FIFA probe on May 11 at 10 a.m. in the U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York. A sentencing date set for later this month was delayed following requests from Webb’s New York- based attorneys. Webb pleaded guilty in November 2015 to seven counts of criminal con- duct in relation to what prosecutors said was a de- cades-long bribery racket. Webb pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud conspiracy and three counts of money laun- dering conspiracy. The scheme described by U.S. prosecutors alleged Webb, and others at FIFA – world football’s governing body – solicited bribes from sports marketing Extradition hearing set for Cayman track coach BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com An extradition hearing has been set in the U.S. for a track coach who left the Cayman Islands after being accused of indecently assaulting a minor ear- lier this year. Ato Stephens, 37, is due to appear before U.S. Dis- trict Court Magistrate Jon- athan Goodman on Nov. 29 in Miami, Florida, for a hearing that will, in part, decide whether Stephens will be sent back to Cayman to face charges. Ultimately, the decision to extradite is left to the U.S. Secretary of State’s of- fice, following the court’s decision on whether there is sufficient evidence to sus- tain the charge against an individual in the jurisdic- tion that has charged them with an offense. The court warned in documents produced this week that opportunities are limited for any individual who is the subject of an ex- tradition hearing to present evidence with regard to the specific criminal charges against them, as extradition proceedings are not consid- ered criminal matters in the U.S. federal court system. A formal request for the extradition of Stephens, who faces indecent assault charges involving an un- derage victim in Cayman, was sent to the U.S. Depart- ment of State in October by the British Embassy in Washington D.C. A U.S. magistrate judge ordered earlier this year that Stephens be detained without bond pending any further court appearances in the matter. Stephens was charged in Cayman on June 24 with two counts of indecent as- sault, one charge of gross indecency and one charge of misuse of an Informa- tion and Communications Technology Authority net- work in relation to an un- derage female victim. A criminal complaint filed with the U.S. Court al- leged that Stephens’s of- fenses occurred on at least two occasions between April and November 2015. companies in exchange for di- recting lucrative broadcasting and commercial rights deals for various football tourna- ments to the bribe-payers. Dozens of U.S. banks were used to make those alleged bribe payments to Webb and others, prosecutors said. He faces up to 20 years in prison on the racketeering charge alone. FIFA’s Ethics Committee also found Webb guilty earlier this year of violating general rules of conduct, rules of loy- alty, rules for disclosure and fi- nancial reporting, conflicts of interest and bribery and cor- ruption. He has been banned for life from “all football-re- lated activities on a national and international level.” BMX stunt riders show their skillsThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 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” WILL RAHN The mood in the Wash- ington press corps is bleak, and deservedly so. It shouldn’t come as a sur- prise to anyone that, with a few exceptions, we were all tacitly or explicitly #WithHer, which has led to a certain an- guish in the face of Donald Trump’s victory. More than that and more importantly, we also missed the story, after having spent months mocking the people who had a better sense of what was going on. This is all symptomatic of modern journalism’s great moral and intellectual failing: its unbearable smugness. Had Hillary Clinton won, there’s be a winking “we did it” feeling in the press, a sense that we were brave and called Trump a liar and saved the republic. So much for that. The au- dience for our glib analysis and contempt for much of the electorate, it turned out, was rather limited. This was par- ticularly true when it came to voters, the ones who turned out by the millions to deliver not only a rebuke to the po- litical system but also the people who cover it. Trump knew what he was doing when he invited his crowds to jeer and hiss the reporters covering him. They hate us, and have for some time. And can you blame them? Journalists love mocking Trump supporters. We in- sult their appearances. We dismiss them as racists and sexists. We emote on Twitter about how this or that com- ment or policy makes us feel one way or the other, and yet we reject their feel- ings as invalid. It’s a profound failure of empathy in the ser- vice of endless posturing. There’s been some sym- pathy from the press, sure: the dispatches from “heroin country” that read like re- ports from colonial adminis- trators checking in on the na- tives. But much of that starts from the assumption that Trump voters are backward, and that it’s our duty to cata- logue and ultimately reverse that backwardness. What can we do to get these people to stop worshiping their false god and accept our gospel? We diagnose them as racists in the way Dark Age clerics confused med- ical problems with demonic possession. Journalists, at our worst, see ourselves as a priestly caste. We be- lieve we not only have ac- cess to the indisputable facts, but also a greater truth, a system of beliefs divined from an advanced under- standing of justice. You’d think that Trump’s victory – the one we all dis- counted too far in advance – would lead to a certain newfound humility in the po- litical press. But of course that’s not how it works. To us, speaking broadly, our diag- nosis was still basically cor- rect. The demons were just stronger than we realized. This is all a “whitelash,” you see. Trump voters are racist and sexist, so there must be more racists and sexists than we realized. Tuesday night’s outcome was not a logic-driven rejec- tion of a deeply flawed can- didate named Clinton; no, it was a primal scream against fairness, equality, and prog- ress. Let the new tan- trums commence! That’s the fantasy, the idea that if we mock them enough, call them racist enough, they’ll eventually shut up and get in line. It’s similar to how media Twitter works, a system where people who dissent from the proper framing of a story are attacked by mobs of smugly incredulous pundits. Jour- nalists exist primarily in a world where people can get shouted down and disappear, which informs our attitudes toward all disagreement. Journalists increasingly don’t even believe in the possibility of reasoned dis- agreement, and as such as- cribe cynical motives to those who think about things a dif- ferent way. We see this in the ongoing veneration of “facts,” the ones peddled by explainer websites and data journalists who believe themselves to be curiously post-ideological. That the explainers and data journalists so fre- quently get things hilari- ously wrong never invites the soul-searching you’d think it would. Instead, it all just somehow leads us to more smugness, more meanness, more certainty from the re- porters and pundits. Faced with defeat, we retreat fur- ther into our bubble, assump- tions left unchecked. No, it’s the voters who are wrong. As a direct result, we get it wrong with greater fre- quency. Out on the road, we forget to ask the right ques- tions. We can’t even imagine the right question. We go into assignments too certain that what we find will serve to justify our biases. The pub- lic’s estimation of the press declines even further – fewer than one-in-three Americans trust the press, per Gallup – which starts the cycle anew. There’s a place for opin- ionated journalism; in fact, it’s vital. But our causal, profession-wide smugness and protestations of superi- ority are making us unable to do it well. Our theme now should be humility. We must be- come more impartial, not less so. We have to abandon our easy culture of tantrums and recrimination. We have to stop writing these know- it-all, 140-character sermons on social media and admit that, as a class, journal- ists have a shamefully lim- ited understanding of the country we cover. What’s worse, we don’t make much of an effort to re- ally understand, and with too few exceptions, treat the eco- nomic grievances of Middle America like they’re some sort of punchline. Some- times quite literally so, such as when reporters tweet out a photo of racist-looking Trump supporters and jok- ingly suggest that they must be upset about free trade or low wages. We have to fix this, and the broken reasoning be- hind it. There’s a fleeting fun to gang-ups and groupthink. But it’s not worth what we are losing in the process. © 2016 CBS Interactive Inc. FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS On today’s front page, in headline type so large that a legally blind patient taking an eye exam could read it, we share some extremely disconcerting news. It has to do with the risks the country is facing because of its inaction on more than 800 dormant permanent resi- dence (PR) applications. A Grand Court judge this week granted an applicant access to judicial review to determine whether monetary damages should be awarded because of the three-year delay in the immigration process. To be more precise, the story to which we refer concerns an expatriate accountant, Bradley Carpenter, who applied for PR in October 2013. During the time that he and his wife were waiting … waiting … waiting … for their application to be con- sidered, suddenly he found his “permission to continue working” status had been changed to a “visitors” permit (i.e. unable to work). He then did the sensible thing — he lawyered up and filed a legal challenge. Last week, just four days prior to the court hearing, the government notified him that his PR application had been granted. Regardless of the coincidental (yeah, right) timing of the approval, Mr. Carpenter pressed on and had his day in court Tuesday, with the legal complaint evolving into not “what” officials had done, but “how long” it took them to do it. Most importantly, Mr. Carpenter’s attorney is asking the court to determine whether Mr. Carpenter can claim monetary damages as a result of the delay. It seems a perfectly germane question in light of the U.K. Privy Council’s judgment (in regard to a case from Antigua and Barbuda) that taking longer than one year to consider a citizenship application was “likely to be unlawful,” and the fact that Mr. Carpenter’s PR application sat stagnant for three years. The judge thought so, too, and allowed Mr. Carpenter’s suit to advance to a full hearing. Here is the message the court’s action sends to the 800 or so people on the PR list, more than half of whom have been waiting for longer than the Privy Council’s “one year mark”: Under judicial pressure, the government suddenly approved PR for an applicant, who is now being allowed to seek monetary damages for his time spent in legal limbo. (For the public treasury, this could quite quickly become quite costly. Although it is totally hypothet- ical and not in any way related to Mr. Carpenter’s case, say 500 people are granted permanent residence plus $100,000 in legal costs and compensatory damages apiece … That’s $50 million.) Cayman’s queue of PR applicants is wrapping around the block. The government bouncer has now let one person into the exclusive club. Velvet ropes aren’t going to hold this crowd (some of whom are lawyers) for very long. Premier McLaughlin and his government created this issue. They own it — and they will not be able to hold off addressing it until after the next election. Their choices are limited: Will they decide to litigate each of the hundreds of cases, one by one, and (most likely) lose, one by one? Or will they litigate them all in a class- action-style suit, and (most likely) lose them all at once? Some time ago, Mr. McLaughlin commissioned a study, authored by prominent attorney David Ritch, on the issue but promptly sealed the findings on the basis of “legal privilege.” The Compass is attempting to have the report made public via a Freedom of Information request, which Mr. McLaughlin and his government are resisting. Putting the “Ritch Report” aside for the moment, we call on Mr. McLaughlin to share with his fellow Cayma- nians what he and his government intend to do regarding this impending threat not only to Cayman’s reputation — but to our treasury. PR application delays: The consequences now loom larger The unbearable smugness of the pressThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2016 Tanya’sT RECIPES @tanyaskitchengcm years of caring 1980 - 2015 Do Thanksgiving right, with a little help from Tanya's Kitchen Sausage and Ricotta Roast Turkey Apple Crisp6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS www.pwc.com/ky/careers Congratulations! Brianna Wilkerson 2016 YCLA Recipient The partners and staff at PwC Cayman are delighted to congratulate Brianna Wilkerson on being selected as this year’s recipient of the highly prestigious ‘Young Caymanian Leadership Award’. Brianna joined PwC as a scholarship student in 2007 and qualified as a CPA in 2013, passing all exams on her first try. Today, Brianna is an integral part of PwC’s finance team. She is also actively involved in the community and has recently started her own part-time health and wellness business, proving that it is possible to have both a rewarding career at PwC and the flexibility to pursue other personal aspirations. © 2016 PricewaterhouseCoopers, a Cayman Islands partnership. All rights reserved. Congratulations and best wishes as you embark on your year as ambassador to all young Caymanians. ‘Revolting Rhymes’ winners announced Young school-age poets took some of Roald Dahl’s “Revolting Rhymes” and ran with them, putting their own ending to the poems as part of a Literary Month competi- tion in September. The winners of the competition were an- nounced this week. The novel poetry compe- tition was organized by Ca- mana Bay, Books & Books and LIFE (Literacy is for Ev- eryone). Students at schools across Cayman were en- couraged to submit their endings to some of Dahl’s most popular rhymes. A panel of judges chose the winners from among more than 75 entries. The judges evaluated the stu- dents’ poems using a points system based on el- ements such as creativity and style, organization and voice, technical ac- curacy and more, a press release stated. Six winners – a first- and second-place recipient for each poem – received prize packs that included a copy of Roald Dahl’s “Revolting Rhymes,” Books & Books gift certificates and Camana Bay gift cards. Published in 1982, Roald Dahl’s “Revolting Rhymes” was his first collection of captivating comic verse for children. A fairy tale re- written by Roald Dahl is never quite as expected, and this competition gave stu- dents the opportunity to ex- plore Dahl’s imaginative verses and create their own ingenious endings to three famous Revolting Rhymes – “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf,” and “The Three Little Pigs.” Students were asked to create their own original endings using 150 words or fewer to finish the story. Judges looked at how the students used original, imag- inative and amusing ideas to end the fairy tale. The winners’ poems can be seen in full at www.camanabay.com/blog. Second-place winner for ‘Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf,’ Danny Kish of Cayman Prep School reads his poem to his classmates as Year 4 teacher Danielle Callan looks on. Four of the six prize winners came from St. Ignatius Catholic School. Pictured back row, from left, are Marilyn Conolly of LIFE, Bianca Andersen of Camana Bay and Katherine Johnson, Year 6 teacher and Literacy Coordinator from St. Ignatius Catholic School, and front row, Sofie Dons, second-place winner for ‘The Three Little Pigs,’ Culainn Lynch, second-place winner for ‘Cinderella,’ Cornelia Ecke, first-place winner for ‘Cinderella’ and Ava Hickey, first-place winner for ‘Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf.’ Wade Morrison, 10, of First Baptist Christian School receives his first-place prize for his addition to Roald Dahl’s ‘The Three Little Pigs.’ Marilyn Conolly of LIFE, Bianca Andersen of Camana Bay and Janine Nyyssonen, Head of Literacy and Grade 5 teacher at First Baptist Christian School, presented the prize to Wade.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2016 Government approves Smith Cove purchase, Pageant Beach eyed Money to be taken from Environmental Protection Fund to purchase land BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Cab- inet has approved the pur- chase of property adjacent to Smith Cove public beach for US$5.4 million (CI$4.4 mil- lion), Planning Minister Kurt Tibbetts said Wednesday. The price is about US$1.2 million more than a private developer bought the same parcel of land for in 2015. The purchase, made with money from the government’s Environmental Protection Fund, had been approved via a Cabinet paper and a draft contract was being prepared for Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose to sign. Once the purchase is made official, the land would be rezoned as “public open space,” Mr. Tibbetts said. The government agreed “in principle” last month to purchase the property on the northern end of Smith Cove, also known as Smith Barcadere, on South Church Street in George Town to pre- vent the long-time public beach area from being par- tially developed. Mr. Tibbetts told an au- dience of Progressives party supporters gathered at the George Town Seafarers Hall Wednesday night that he was contacted by Central Plan- ning Authority chairman A. L. Thompson about the applica- tion to develop the property and that he had discussions with the developer shortly af- terward. Mr. Tibbetts said it was “a myth” that other en- tities had convinced the gov- ernment to make the land purchase following a public outcry on the issue. “I told the developer [at the time of the meeting] that this was in the country’s best interests,” he said. Premier Alden McLaughlin said in October that the pur- chase agreement with Bronte Development Ltd. would not exceed the cost the developer incurred in the property pur- chase and the costs of plan- ning the development. Publicly available prop- erty transfer records show that a company named TFG Cayman Ltd., which was be- hind a planning application to build condominiums at the north end of Smith Cove, bought the property from a firm controlled by the Dart group of companies last year for US$4.25 million. Although the developer said the buildings would be set well back from the pop- ular beach and its adjacent public areas, the application led to the establishment of a Save the Cove group and a petition that gathered 3,000 signatures in four days. The National Trust also joined calls to pro- tect the area. Pageant Beach During Wednesday night’s public meeting, members of the Progressives party questioned whether another George Town waterfront property might be purchased via the Environmental Pro- tection Fund – Pageant Beach – located along Seven Mile Beach just north of The Wharf restaurant. One attendee at the meeting said residents were concerned about the property “being sold off.” The beachfront property is thought to be worth consider- ably more than the land adja- cent to Smith Cove. Estimates put Pageant Beach’s worth at more than US$20 million. There would be enough money in the government en- vironmental fund to make such a purchase, but it would significantly deplete that fund. According to the 2016/17 government budget docu- ments, the Environmental Protection Fund contains more than $59 million. Minister Tibbetts said the government has looked “sev- eral times” at purchasing Pageant Beach but that the offering price was “three to four times” what the prop- erty was worth. Former MLA Lucille Sey- mour said during Wednes- day’s meeting that she was aware of a private citizen who had offered US$30 mil- lion at one stage during the former Progressives admin- istration (2005-2009) to “keep the property,” but she said that deal never went through. “It would be a good idea if the same good-hearted people who fought for the Smith Cove could do the same for Pageant Beach,” Ms. Seymour said. Mr. Tibbetts said govern- ment would look at the po- tential purchase again to “see if it is possible.” The Cayman Islands government has agreed to pay a private developer CI$4.4 million for a portion of Smith Cove. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Minister Tibbetts said the government has looked “several times” at purchasing Pageant Beach but that the offering price was “three to four times” what the property was worth.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS In loving Memory of Roslin Clarisa General “Clarise”and “IE” 12 Dec, 1932 – 11 Nov, 2015 IE, it has now been one sad year since you left us to be with your Lord and Saviour. You are dearly missed and even though we are still mourning we know that you are watching over us from above. Your memory will alway be with us and in our hearts you will always remain. Sadly missed by, Son Rodney, Daughter Marietta, Grandchildren, Great Grand, Great-Great Grand, Daughter-in-law and other relatives and friends. Bruce Putterill Bruce Putterill, a long-time resident of the Cayman Islands, died at George Town Hospital on Tuesday, 8th November, 2016. Born in Zimbabwe, Bruce moved to his home in Cayman in the early 1980’s from London, where he worked for several years. He had a long and successful career in law as a Partner with the law firm of Appleby. He is survived by his wife, Bobbi Broderick, and other family members including seven grandchildren. Bruce was a founding board member of Cayman HospiceCare. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to HospiceCare in Bruce’s name. Details of a Celebration of Life will be announced shortly. He said nothing had changed in terms of govern- ment’s preferred funding model since the business case for the project was published last year. The fundamental principle, he said, is that it will be built without any govern- ment guarantee. The business case envis- aged that the project could be funded through a combina- tion of the fees that currently go to tender operators, around $5 per passenger, and a share of the $14 per-passenger “head tax” charged by government for every cruise ship visitor. Based on an estimate of two million cruise passen- gers per year, the $5 tender fees would provide a revenue stream of $10 million annually for the dock, which has an es- timated cost of between $150 and $200 million. If government sacrifices a share of passenger taxes to cover construction costs, it would likely have to sat- isfy the Foreign and Com- monwealth Office that there would be a sufficient increase in the number of passengers to divert those fees without seriously affecting overall an- nual revenues. The cruise berthing facility was a key campaign issue for the Progressives at the last election and Mr. Kirkconnell said it was still the govern- ment’s intent to get it done. Despite the fact that cruise arrivals are projected to have grown by 425,000 by the end of the year compared with 2013, Mr. Kirkconnell said that upward trend would not con- tinue without new piers. He said the broader in- dustry trends, including a switch to larger ships, still indicated that without cruise piers, Cayman’s share of the market would decline substan- tially over time. “We know what the cruise lines are saying, we know what our competitors are doing. Taking into account all those factors, and knowing that we have to increase cargo, we have taken the decision to do the cruise facility,” he added. He acknowledged it had taken longer than he had hoped, but indicated the project would soon go out to bid. “We are right in the middle of the last engineering study and we are hoping to get that back early December,” he said. “That should give us the specs for an RFP in December.” He added, “It is long, it is cumbersome, we have dis- cussed with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the progress and the time it takes. We are very aware of the time it takes and the studies that have to be done. That’s best practice, we have to follow it and we have followed it.” As a result, the minister said, the Cayman Islands was in a better position than at any time in the past to get a good deal. Islands. We are expecting a massive crowd of local and international spectators and celebrities. “Sports tourism has been building in Cayman and we want to take it to the next level.” He said negotiations had been taking place for around a year with every- thing falling into place in the last few weeks. Sports Minister Mr. Bodden said the fight night, on the heels of sprinter Usain Bolt’s appearance at the Cayman Invitational track meet last year, would be one of the most high-profile events held on the island in recent memory. “Universally recognized as one of the greatest boxers of all time, Manny Pacquiao, boxer and politician, will be a huge draw, particularly for our Filipino community. “We are glad to show that we continue to punch above our weight in at- tracting the brightest and best of the sports world to Cayman,” Mr. Bodden said. Ann Marie Byrd, president of the Cayman Islands Amateur Boxing Association, said the event would be a huge oppor- tunity for its members. “This is going to be such an inspiration to our kids, to be able to get in the ring with someone like Manny Pacquiao. We have 16 and 17 year olds that will be fighting on the card that night. Words can’t express how important this is for them.” A new ring and equip- ment will be shipped in for the event by SDKA Interna- tional. Mr. Rai, chairman of the company, said it had re- cently expanded into the Cayman Islands and was ex- cited to be involved. “We believe in human ele- vation,” he said. “Being a part of this and the gym is a way for people to escape from their regular daily lives.” Tourism Minister Kirk- connell said the event would help boost tourist arrivals amid a slight slowdown after Christmas. He said it would also create a buzz around the Cayman Islands that will put the islands on the radar internationally. The ring and equipment will stay in Cayman after the event, at the new gym, which is being built next to Bodden Town Civic Centre. Mr. Bodden said a plan- ning application for the fa- cility would be submitted before Christmas to en- able a groundbreaking cer- emony during Pacquiao’s visit. He will also make an appearance on the Brac and at Health City, which is a sponsor of the event. Pacquiao, 37, came out of retirement to reclaim his welterweight title earlier this month. He is the first boxer to win world titles in eight different divisions. He also serves as a senator in the Philippines. Governor awards conservationists Bird field guide author Pa- tricia Bradley was awarded the title of “Conservationist of the Year” in the 2016 Gover- nor’s Conservation Awards. Ms. Bradley, author of three field guides and a British Or- nithologists’ Union check- list, was given the award for her contributions to Carib- bean ornithology. “With over 30 years of tire- less devotion to the birds and the environment of the Cayman Islands, Bradley was instrumental in establishing Cayman’s Important Bird Areas, developing the nature tourism project in the Sister Islands, designing the inter- pretative signage at lookouts on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman and has served as the co-chair of the Society for the Conservation and Study of Ca- ribbean Birds,” organizers said in a press release. Dr. Carrie Manfrino, pioneer of the Central Caribbean Ma- rine Institute’s Little Cayman Research Centre, and Isabelle Brown, keen birder and advo- cate for nature conservation, particularly in Cayman Brac, were also shortlisted for Con- servationist of the Year. Finalists and guests gath- ered at the governor’s resi- dence on Tuesday for the bi- ennial awards. Judges sought candidates who had implemented or con- tributed to a conservation project or activity aimed at protecting biodiversity, wild- life, endangered species or places of environmental sig- nificance, according to a press release. “It is vitally important that we continue to preserve our landscape, our waters, and our historical buildings for future generations,” said Governor Kilpatrick. “While it is not possible to give awards to all those nominated, it is encour- aging to see how much work is being done to improve and support conservation efforts in the Cayman Islands.” Father and son team Heber and Garth Arch, of Arch and Godfrey, received the Corpo- rate Conservation Award for the “careful preservation and renovation” of the company’s office building – a 100-year-old cottage. PwC and Cayman Is- lands Brewery were finalists in this category. Christian Sorensen’s Crystal Caves in North Side took home the title of Tourism Industry Conservation Award winner. (See page 10 for more details.) Diver, strate- gist, hotelier and marketer Keith Sahm, of Sunset House, was runner-up. The Heritage Preserva- tion award went to artist Chris Christian, who, through Cayman Traditional Arts which he started in 2004, teaches children and adults traditional Caymanian pastimes, such as making peppermint candies and creating rope from silver thatch – now implemented in the national curriculum. Runner-ups in this category included young Caymanian en- trepreneur Kimberley Conolly, of The Wick Candles and Scents, and Grand Old House. Local sustainable develop- ment advocate Gabriella Her- nandez received the Lois Blu- menthal Youth Conservationist Award, which recognizes a young person between the ages of 15 and 25 for conser- vation work with native spe- cies, including marine life. Ms. Hernandez’s concerns for Cay- man’s local marine life led her to champion the proposed Ma- rine Parks expansion and raise awareness about issues of en- vironmental sustainability, participating alongside local advocacy groups. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 Governor Helen Kilpatrick, center, with, from left, Governor’s Conservation Awards winners Chris Christian, Gabriella Hernandez, Garth Arch, Ole Sorenson, Christian Sorenson, and Patricia Bradley. - PHOTO: DAVID GODDARD Cruise pier to go out to bid this year CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Boxing legend Pacquiao coming to Cayman CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Sports Minister Osbourne Bodden and event promotor Matthew Leslie spar as they announce Manny Pacquiao’s upcoming visit. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKERThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2016 In Nev er Fading Memo ry of our Beloved Husband, Daddy and Grand-dad 17/8/1940 ~ 11/11/2013 Neville Woodburne Levy It’s diffi cult to think that today marks three sad years since you left us. We didn’t think that two hours after enjoying our devotional hour that you would so quietly slip away. God saw that you were getting tired, So, he called you home to him. But a part of us went with you. You have left so many precious memories, Which we will cherish to the end. Forever in our hearts Loving Wife – Bernice, Children & Grandchildren, Cousin Elizabeth. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. James Cadian Ebanks affectionately known as “Doc”and “Junior”, of West Bay who passed away on Wednesday, November 2, 2016. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Sunday, November 13, 2016 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, West Bay, at 3:30p.m. Viewing will be from 2:30-3:15p.m. Interment to follow at the Boatswain Bay Cemetery. In lieu of owers, donations can be made to the Cayman Islands Cancer Society or Hospice Care. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Malcolm Hayword Ebanks, affectionately known as “Her-wood”, of West Bay, who passed away on Sunday, October 30, 2016. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2016 at Wesleyan Holiness Church, Northwest Point Road, West Bay, at 11:00a.m., with viewing from 10:00 -10:45a.m. Interment to follow at West Bay Cemetery. We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Hadley Cardon Haven of Northward, Bodden Town who passed away on Thursday, November 3, 2016. Details for a Service of Thanksgiving will be announced at a later date. We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Hadley Cardon Haven of Northward, Bodden Town who passed away on Thursday, November 3, 2016. Details for a Service of Thanksgiving will be announced at a later date. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. James Nathan Bush of Honduras & Grand Cayman, who passed away, on Sunday, October 30, 2016. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Sunday, November 13, 2016 at the Church of God Full Gospel Hall, South Church Street, George Town, at 2:30p.m., with viewing from 1:30-2:15p.m. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery. We have been asked to announce the passing of Full Gospel Hall, South Church Street, George Town, We regret to announce the passing of Rea Chappie Who departed this life on Monday, 7 November 2016. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Mrs. Chappie was repatriated to the United States of America. The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Rosita O. Watler regret to announce her passing on Friday, 4 November 2016. A Celebration of Rosita’s Life will be held held at 6:00 PM Wednesday, 16 November 2016 at at Bodden Funeral Service, 117 Walkers Rd. Mr. Carpenter had already been granted permanent residence. “The judicial review [will] proceed in respect of a number of issues, including the legality of the [Cayman Status and Per- manent Residency] Board and the chief immigration offi- cer’s decision not to conclude his application within a rea- sonable period of time and whether or not [Mr. Carpenter] can claim any damages as a re- sult of the board and the chief immigration officer’s default,” Mr. David said. The outcome of the judicial review could have a significant impact on the hundreds of per- manent residence applicants who are awaiting decisions on their own cases. Between Oc- tober 2013 and August 2016, nearly 800 people had filed for that status after having lived and worked in the Cayman Is- lands for at least eight consec- utive years. Well more than half of that number applied for per- manent residence status more than a year ago. The one-year period be- tween the date a permanent residence application is filed and when the government considers it has become a key legal point in the wake of a U.K. Privy Council judgment re- leased earlier this year. In that case, the Privy Coun- cil’s judicial committee over- turned an earlier decision of an eastern Caribbean court, ruling that a 19-month delay in reg- istering an application for citi- zenship was too long and was “likely to be unlawful” when considering the applicant’s human rights, according to the judgment issued Aug. 2, 2016. The case involves a Guya- nese man who was seeking to become a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda by virtue of his marriage to a woman who had already obtained that status. The central question in the court case, previously heard by the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Su- preme Court [Antigua and Barbuda], was whether the period of 19 months it took be- tween the man’s application for citizenship and his sub- sequent interview regarding that application, fell within lo- cally acceptable and legally permissible timelines. In total, it took the man – Clive Oliveira – 27 months from the filing of his citi- zenship application until his grant of Antigua and Bar- buda citizenship. However, the court’s main concern revolved around the length of time it took for his citizenship ap- plication to be registered and scheduled for interview – a pe- riod of 19 months. “We … conclude that a pe- riod of one year, from appli- cation to registration … is in general the outside limit of a reasonable time and that delay beyond that time, absent special considerations, is likely to be unlawful because a fetter on the legitimate appli- cant’s right to be registered,” the court ruled. The council sent the case back to the trial court in An- tigua to assess damages owed to Mr. Oliveira, who was appar- ently left without the right to work while his application was being decided. Mr. David said a full hearing on the potential dam- ages case in Mr. Carpenter’s matter would be scheduled at a later date. For now, he said, Mr. Carpenter and his wife are just glad the board has granted their permanent resi- dence application. “They are delighted to for- mally be able to look forward to permanent residence in the Cayman Islands, a place they love so much,” Mr. David said. Fourteen years for status scam CAROL WINKER ccwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Paul Anthony Hume Ebanks received prison terms totaling 14 years on Thursday after a jury found him guilty earlier this week of 26 counts of obtaining property by de- ception and one count of theft of a passport. With a deduction for time spent on curfew with electronic monitoring, the final sentence was 12 years, nine months. Justice Michael Wood noted that the maximum sentence for obtaining prop- erty by deception is 10 years, but added, “Ten years is not nearly enough.” He pointed out that Ebanks, at age 50, had “an appalling record for dishon- esty” with 56 previous con- victions and that number had now grown to 83. The judge said Ebanks had callously and ruthlessly targeted vulnerable people who were “seeking the Holy Grail of permanent resi- dence or status.” Between June 2012 and December 2014, Ebanks ob- tained various sums of cash, totaling $164,000, from people by falsely repre- senting that the money was required payment for legit- imate grant of Caymanian status or residence. Justice Wood said the individual sums Ebanks ob- tained were not huge, but were significant to the vic- tims who gave him their sav- ings and in some cases bor- rowed money to give him. The judge arrived at a total of 14 years by making some sentences concurrent and some consecutive. Defense attorney Laurence Aiolfi asked the court to give half-credit for the 1,099 days Ebanks had worn an elec- tronic monitor. Crown counsel Toyin Salako did not agree and pro- duced documents to show that Ebanks was compliant only 58 percent of the time. Further, she pointed out, Ebanks had been on 24-hour curfew, which meant staying home except to go to the hospital, visit his mother or consult with his at- torney. But several of his of- fenses had been committed as a result of contacts Ebanks had made while at the hospital, Ms. Salako re- minded the court. Justice Wood deducted one year and three months from the time Ebanks was on curfew, so the final sentence was 12 years, nine months, minus time spent in custody. The judge quoted from a recent decision of the Court of Appeal, which in turn had cited the remarks of Justice Charles Quin in a similar scam case. He said Ebanks’s offenses attacked the integrity of the Immigra- tion Law and tarnished the image and reputation of the Cayman Islands. In contesting these charges, Ebanks had sought to damage the reputation of other people, the judge pointed out. He had ac- cused people of lying, planting evidence or con- spiring against him. The judge described Ebanks’s hypocrisy as breathtaking. Ebanks had said it was not fair that his own status had not been regularized. Justice Wood told him, “Someone less deserving of status is hard to imagine.” The aggravating features of his offending included the fact that he had come out of prison on license less than a year before he began re-offending; he had mul- tiple victims and they were all vulnerable. The judge noted advice Ebanks had received when Justice Zaila McCalla sen- tenced him to six years im- prisonment for identical of- fenses in 2006; she had told him that if he came to court again for similar offending, he would not see the light of day for a long time. “You failed to heed her warning,” Justice Wood told Ebanks. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Three-year immigration delay in residency case could cost governmentNext >