High of 84 Low of 78 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 TITLE OF EDITORIAL SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX 29 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER TO VOTE ELECTION 2017 ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2016 THE WASHINGTON POST Democrats, you had the worst year in Washington EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 THE TROUBLING ISSUES SURROUNDING THE HEWITT BANKRUPTCY 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. ANIMAL CRUELTY CASES Charges laid in one of 225 reports JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Out of 225 cases investigated by animal control and welfare officers at the Department of Agriculture this year, one is moving forward with criminal charges. The statistics, released under the Freedom of Information Law, include reports of an- imal cruelty and neglect, as well as reports of dangerous or stray dogs, and involve farm animals as well as domestic pets. Julie Arnall-Murray, a volunteer at the Cayman Islands Humane Society for 30 years, filed the FOI request after becoming frustrated with the apparent lack of enforcement action from the department, despite a significant number of high-profile abuse cases this year. She said she was disappointed but not sur- prised to see that less than 1 percent of re- ported cases had resulted in charges. “I was not surprised by it, but I wanted it on paper,” she said. “The statistics show a complete lack of en- forcement. The volunteers pick up the pieces, but nobody seems to give a hoot about en- forcing the law.” Incidents reported to the Cayman Com- pass this year have included a dog that was chained to a tree and starved to death; a dog whose charred body was found dumped on a construction site; and another dog, with a tumor the size of a golf ball, that was said to have been kept in a cage without access to medical care. All those cases were reported to the De- partment of Agriculture, according to animal welfare charities. The Freedom of Information request asked for details of all reports of negligence or cru- elty reported in the last year to welfare of- ficer Erik Bodden and the number that led to court action. ECONOMIC GROWTH CONTINUES FOR 5TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands hit a milestone of five consecutive years of growth, government econ- omists announced Friday, with the gross do- mestic product reaching $2.8 billion in 2015. The Economics and Statistics Office re- leased a number of year-end reports late last week. The ESO reports the economy continued to grow in 2016, recording a 3 percent in- crease in the first half of 2016. In a statement accompanying the new numbers, Finance Minister Marco Archer said the islands’ economy had grown faster than expected so far this year. “I am pleased to note that growth in the first half of 2016 improved on the 1.3 percent growth for the same period in 2015,” he said. “It also exceeds the initial GDP forecast for the year of 2.1 percent, and is the highest growth rate since 2007,” the minister said. While GDP has grown since the 2008 reces- sion, the growth has not kept pace with pop- ulation increases. GDP per capita, a measure of economic activity per person, dropped last year by almost half a percent to $48,167. The ESO notes, “Growth in GDP was outstripped by the 3.6 percent increase in the estimated mid-year population.” The year so far Unemployment dropped again in the second quarter of this year to a low of 3.9 per- cent, according to the report. The Economics and Statistics Office notes 1,612 people were unemployed as of the end of June. At the Mike Brown passes away JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Businessman Michael A. Brown, of Mike’s Ice, passed away Saturday morning at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Although Mr. Brown, 68, had been battling illness for some time, his family said he passed away suddenly after being trans- ported to the hospital. Mr. Brown leaves behind his wife of 44 years, Jo Anne, who runs Celebrations events company, daughters Amanda and Kristin, son Jason, and six grandchildren. Originally from Kingston, Ja- maica, Mr. Brown moved to the Cayman Islands in 1972. He and his father Topper Brown started Mike’s Ice, Cayman’s first ice plant, on Walkers Road in De- cember that year. Mr. Brown was also the Santa, firefighters and Kiwanis bring Christmas cheer Santa Claus arrived early for Christmas at the Airport Park Saturday, traveling on board a fire engine rather than his more regular reindeer sleigh transport. For more than 30 years, the Kiwanis have been hosting ‘Santa’s Landing,’ ensuring that there are gifts galore for local children. For more, see page 5. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Mike Brown2 LOCAL&REGIONAL MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 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. - MONDAY - ROGUE ONE 3D (PG13) 12:30 | 12:50 2D | 3:30 | 3:50 2D 6:30 | 6:50 2D | 9:30 | 9:50 2D MOANA 3D (PG) 12:45 | 3:30 2D | 6:45 | 9:20 2D COLLATERAL BEAUTY (PG13) 1:00 | 4:00 | 7:20 | 10:00 OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY (R) 12:50 | 7:00 ALMOST CHRISTMAS (PG13) 1:15 | 4:20 | 7:05 | 9:50 FANTASTIC BEASTS (PG13) AND WHERE TO FIND THEM 3:20 | 9:40 Tough day, we know, come to the gym! Happy Birthday Christopher Ian Panton Man arrested for teen rape Police arrested a 32-year-old man ac- cused of raping and inde- cently assaulting a teenage girl last week. The man, from Jamaica, was visiting the victim’s home as a guest at the time of the incident, which is al- leged to have taken place on Monday, Dec. 12, police said in a release. The man was arrested and charged, and appeared in court Thursday, Dec. 15. He was remanded to Northward Prison. He is set to ap- pear in Grand Court on Jan. 13, 2017. Venezuela extends use of 100-bolivar bill CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuela’s government on Saturday extended the use of its 100-bolivar bill until Jan. 2, after its decision to pull the banknote out of circula- tion left the country largely without cash, and sparked protests and looting. President Nicolas Maduro said the decision to put Ven- ezuela’s most widely used note back in use came after the promised higher-denomi- nation replacement bills were still unavailable because three planes transporting them were “victims of sabo- tage.” He did not give details of the alleged sabotage. The “new logistics” of rolling out the banknotes, including the 500-bolivar bill, meant that their launch would have to wait, Maduro said in a televised address. Venezuela is plagued by the world’s highest infla- tion, and Maduro made the surprise announcement that the 100-bolivar bill would be replaced a week ago. The note had been the country’s largest denomination but its value against the U.S. dollar has dropped to about 2 cents, down from 10 cents at the start of the year. All week, Venezuelans waited in long lines to deposit their soon-to-be-worthless 100-bolivar notes in banks. When the bill went out of circulation on Friday and the replacement bills had not yet arrived at banks or ATMs, people were forced to rely on credit cards or bank transfers, or to try to make purchases with bundles of hard-to-find smaller bills often worth less than a penny each. Anger at having to deal with an economy even more paralyzed tha usual exploded in social unrest. “Our children are going hungry,” said Lucrecia Mo- rales in Caracas. “We are par- ents who earn money with the sweat off our brows. And now they say it is worthless? We need a solution.” Authorities said there were protests and looting on Friday and early Saturday in at least six cities, including Maracaibo, where police put down looting near a bank building, and the eastern state of Bolivar, where mobs sacked several businesses. Young men waved their 100-bolivar bills in the air and chanted “they’re use- less,” then turned and ran as police fired tear gas can- isters. Dozens of people were arrested. In Caracas, people banged on pots and cursed the gov- ernment’s apparent lack of planning. There was no cash to be seen changing hands-on the street or inside shops. On Saturday, hundreds of government supporters and ruling party members dressed in red shirts marched in Caracas to back Maduro and protest the “economic war” against Venezuela. In addition to putting the old currency back in circula- tion, Maduro said he would extend the closure of the border with Colombia and Brazil until Jan. 2. He has said the move aims to thwart “mafias” who hoard bolivars, leading critics to mock the notion that gangsters would choose to keep their wealth in the world’s fastest-deval- uing currency. Only foot traffic for family visits will be allowed, he said. Despite the closure, dozens of Venezuelans knocked down barricades set up on the bridge between Urena, Ven- ezuela and Cucuta, Colombia to crossover and buy food. The currency chaos comes as the oil-rich nation strug- gles with a contracting economy and empty store shelves. Venezuela has main- tained strict currency con- trols since 2003. A supporter of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, wearing a red beret is flanked by member of the militia during a rally in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday. – PHOTO: AP/FERNANDO LLANO POLICE WARN ABOUT HANDLING CASH IN HOLIDAY SEASON The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service is warning businesses to ex- ercise caution over the busy holiday season while handling larger than usual amounts of cash. In a statement re- leased on Friday, police reminded businesses to ensure that they had se- curity procedures in place when keeping cash on the premises or when staff were carrying money on their person. “In addition to quan- tities of cash that busi- nesses may transact, those in the service in- dustry, such as bartenders and waiters, may also be carrying more cash than usual,” Chief In- spector Richard Barrow, head of the Financial Crime Unit said. “Both businesses and individuals should have safety procedures for how cash is managed and transported, as well as where it is stored, even in the rush of the season, do not shortcut those proce- dures,” he added. A Christmas welcome for airport arrivals ‘Calypso’ the parrot, the mascot of the Cayman Islands Airports Authority, gave travelers at Owen Roberts International Airport a surprise Saturday when he and Santa handed out gifts to passengers and posed for photos. Steel pan players played outside the arrivals hall, while a snow cone machine helped keep travelers cool at the busy terminal. MEXICAN JOURNALIST RELEASES PROBE OF MISSING STUDENTS’ CASE MEXICO CITY (AP) – A Mex- ican journalist released doc- uments Saturday from an internal affairs investiga- tion that criticizes the gov- ernment’s handling of the case of 43 missing stu- dents who prosecutors claim were incinerated by a drug gang in 2014. The documents are from an August investigation by the internal affairs divi- sion of the Attorney Gen- eral’s Office. The documents released by Anabel Hernandez say that the arrests of about a half-dozen key suspects were illegally carried out. Some of the suspects had their rights violated, and many “spontaneously con- fessed” in suspiciously sim- ilar language of partici- pating in killing the students, burning their bodies or dis- posing of them remains. Those suspects gave some of the first testimony about the garbage dump and river where the students were supposedly burned, and the charred fragments of their bodies were dumped. A DNA match between one of those fragments and one of the students, and a partial match to another, represent almost the only physical evidence of the students’ fate. The Attorney General’s Office has said the docu- ments do not represent a formal, finished investiga- tion and lack official validity. The investigator who pre- pared the report has since reportedly resigned. Prosecutors’ behavior in examining suspects, the crime scene and the handling the evidence had previously been questioned by a panel of international experts.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2016 Building material duty freeze extended The government has ex- tended a 15 percent import duty rate on building ma- terials imported to Grand Cayman until Dec. 31, 2017. Marco Archer, minister for finance and economic devel- opment, said, “The construc- tion sector continues to im- prove and has contributed to strong economic growth in 2015 as well as in the first six months of 2016. But raising the import duty rate at this time may dampen the sec- tor’s recovery.” The normal rate of duty on construction materials is between 17 percent and 22 percent. The building mate- rial import duty concession of 15 percent first took effect on Jan. 1, 2011, and has been extended since then. Mr. Archer said building materials are defined as: “All physical components and substances, whether solid or liquid, used in the construc- tion, renovation or restora- tion and forming a perma- nent part of any building or related structure.” Furniture, accessories, electronics and appliances are specifically excluded from the 15 percent conces- sionary duty rate. Sister Islands concessions On Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, a 100 percent import duty waiver on building materials will remain in place until Dec. 31 2020. Also, a 100 percent stamp duty waiver for land pur- chases on the Brac is in place until Dec. 31, as will an im- port duty concessionary rate of 12.5 cents per gallon on the importation of motor gas- oline to Cayman Brac. SIX YEARS FOR POINTING FAKE GUN AT POLICE Gun crime a serious problem says judge JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Gun crime is the “scourge of the Caribbean,” a judge warned as she sentenced a 23-year-old man to six years’ imprisonment for pointing an imitation firearm at po- lice officers. Jonathan Welcome was involved in an armed stand off with police in George Town in April. He escaped after pointing the weapon at officers but was later arrested and was convicted of possession of an imitation firearm with in- tent to resist arrest after a trial last week. Visiting judge Dame Linda Dobbs told Welcome, who she said had a long and unenvi- able list of previous convic- tions, that he was on a slip- pery slope and urged him to use his time in jail to turn his life around. “Think about what you are going to do for the fu- ture. You don’t want to spend the rest of your life in prison,” she said. “It is not being a man, car- rying a gun. Cowards carry guns,” she added. “It takes strength to say no.” Earlier, a jury heard how Welcome, carrying a handgun, was spotted by po- lice on School Road, George Town, in the early hours of April 17. He was pursued by armed officers but fled the scene after pointing his weapon, later discovered to be an imitation firearm, at police and bystanders. Summarizing the evi- dence, the judge said, “The of- ficers were clearly concerned for their safety, taking cover where they could. The two members of the public must have been petrified.” If the weapon had been a real firearm, she said, he would have been automati- cally sentenced to 10 years behind bars. Though there is no similar mandatory min- imum sentence for imitation firearms, she said, there was clearly a correlation. “Gun crime is the scourge of the Caribbean and the Cayman Islands has not escaped this.” She said offenses in- volving firearms had risen in the territory and were be- coming a “serious problem.” An imitation firearm, though clearly not as dan- gerous as a real gun, pos- sesses the same ca- pacity to inspire fear in victims, she added. Previous offences For those reasons, she said, she sentenced Wel- come to six years in prison. Among Welcome’s previous offenses is the robbery of BlackBeard’s Liquor Store in Grand Harbour in 2011. The robbery became famous lo- cally after two bystanders wrestled the weapons off Welcome and his accom- plice, chased and appre- hended them, telling them “Not today, Bobo.” “It is not being a man, carrying a gun. Cowards carry guns. It takes strength to say no.” JUSTICE DAME LINDA DOBBS The government has announced it is extending the 15 percent import duty rate on building materials imported to Grand Cayman until Dec. 31 2017.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” MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS In May 2013, Velma Powery-Hewitt ran for legisla- tive office in West Bay, finishing fifth in the four-member district. The winners included fellow United Democratic Party candidates McKeeva Bush, Bernie Bush and Eugene Ebanks – as well as one independent candidate, Tara Rivers, who would go on to join the Progressives govern- ment in a ministerial position. Following the election, John Gordon Hewitt, Velma’s husband, filed a legal challenge, questioning the eligibility of Ms. Rivers to hold elected office. Mr. Hewitt claimed that he was merely the “token plaintiff” in the constitu- tional challenge, which was actually orchestrated by the UDP, and that he had understood the UDP would pay for all costs incurred on his behalf. We have no reason to doubt the veracity of Mr. Hewitt’s testimony, which was supported in court by attorney and UDP consultant Steve McField. Mr. Hewitt said businessman Renard Moxam (another 2013 UDP candidate) had initially agreed to fund the action but backed out after splitting ways from the party. After Mr. Moxam exited the picture, Mr. Hewitt said further financial support from the UDP never materi- alized, and after the constitutional challenge failed, he was left liable for more than US$200,000 in legal bills incurred by Ms. Rivers for her defense. If true, Mr. Hewitt’s narrative paints a portrait of the UDP abandoning an ally when it came time to pay the piper. This unflattering account of the UDP’s machina- tions could well have negative political consequences during the upcoming 2017 election. The challenge to Ms. Rivers’s eligibility was based on two main arguments: that Ms. Rivers failed to meet Cayman residency requirements because she had been working abroad in London; and that Ms. Rivers possessed a U.S. passport. The case seemed anything but frivolous. In a ruling that is still being discussed to this day, Chief Justice Anthony Smellie determined that Ms. Rivers was eligible to hold office: that her time working at a London law firm was equivalent to studying at an “edu- cational institution,” and that her possession of a U.S. passport did not indicate she was acting “under an obli- gation or obedience to a foreign power.” Since it concerned the validity of anyone’s election to the Legislative Assembly, Chief Justice Smellie’s ruling was “final and not subject to any appeal” to a higher court. As is customary in Cayman’s court system, he further ordered that the loser, Mr. Hewitt, pay the legal costs of the victor, Ms. Rivers. So not only did Mr. Hewitt, now age 80, lose the chal- lenge, he also lost his financial security in what should be his golden years. It seemed to us inappropriate that someone would have to risk their livelihood in order to seek clarification on a constitutional matter from a judge. After all, in Mr. Hewitt’s case, his challenge was not just to the potential benefit of his spouse, but was an important interpretation of the foundational legal document of the Cayman Islands. Since that time, the Legislative Assembly has gone back and “fixed” that section of the law, now allowing challenges to candidates’ eligibility to be brought by the government’s elections supervisor, rather than just by a private individual. Small consolation for Mr. Hewitt. The troubling issues surrounding the Hewitt bankruptcy The Trump Cabinet: Bonfire of the agencies WASHINGTON – Democrats spent the first two decades of the post-Cold War era rather relaxed about Russian prov- ocations and revanchism. President Obama famously mocked Mitt Romney in 2012 for suggesting that Russia was our principal geopolit- ical adversary. Yet today the Dems are in high dudgeon over the closeness of secre- tary of state nominee, Rex Tillerson, to Vladimir Putin. Hypocrisy aside, it is true that as head of ExxonMobil, Tillerson made major deals with Russia, received Rus- sia’s Order of Friendship and opposed U.S. sanctions. That is troubling but not neces- sarily disqualifying. At the time, after all, Tillerson was acting as an agent of Exxon- Mobil, whose interest it is to extract oil and make money. These interests do not nec- essarily overlap with those of the United States. The rele- vant question is whether and how Tillerson distinguishes between the two and whether as agent of the United States he would adopt a tougher Russia policy than he did as agent of ExxonMobil. We do not know. We shall soon find out. That is what confirmation hearings are for. The left has been in equally high dudgeon that other Cabinet picks appear not to share the mission of the agency which they have been nominated to head. The horror! As if these agency missions are somehow di- vinely ordained. Why, they aren’t even constitutionally ordained. The Department of Education, for example, was created by President Carter in 1979 as a payoff to the teachers’ unions for their po- litical support. Now, teachers are won- derful. But teachers’ unions are there to protect benefits and privileges, not neces- sarily to improve schooling. Which is why they zeal- ously defend tenure, pro- tect their public-school mo- nopoly and reflexively oppose school choice. Conservatives have the odd view that the purpose of schooling – and there- fore of the Department of Education – is to provide stu- dents with the best possible education. Hence Trump’s nominee, Betsy DeVos, a long- time and passionate propo- nent of school choice, under whom the department will no longer be an arm of the teachers’ unions. She is also less likely to allow the department’s Of- fice for Civil Rights to con- tinue appropriating to itself the role of arbiter of social justice, micromanaging ev- erything from campus sexual mores to the proper bath- room assignment for trans- gender students. If the mis- sion of this department has been to dictate policy best left to the states and locali- ties, it’s about time the mis- sion was changed. The most incendiary nom- ination by far, however, is Scott Pruitt to head the Envi- ronmental Protection Agency. As attorney general of Okla- homa, he has joined or led a series of lawsuits to cur- tail EPA power. And has been upheld more than once by the courts. Pruitt has been deemed unfit to serve because he fails liberalism’s modern-day religious test: belief in an- thropogenic climate change. They would love to turn his confirmation hearing into a Scopes monkey trial. Repub- licans should decline the in- vitation. It does not matter whether the man believes the moon is made of green cheese. The challenges to EPA actions are based not on me- teorology or theology, but on the Constitution. The issue is that the EPA has egregiously exceeded its authority and acted as a rogue agency uni- laterally creating rules un- moored from legislation. Pruitt’s is the most im- portant nomination because it is a direct attack on the insidious growth of the ad- ministrative state. We have reached the point where EPA bureaucrats interpret the Wa- ters of the United States rule – meant to protect American waterways – to mean that when a hard rain leaves be- hind a pond on your prop- erty, the feds may take over and tell you what you can and cannot do with it. (The final rule excluded pud- dles – magnanimity from the Leviathan.) On a larger scale, Obama’s Clean Power Plan essentially federalizes power generation and regulation, not coinci- dentally killing coal along the way. This is the administra- tion’s end run around Con- gress’ rejection of Obama’s proposed 2009-2010 cap- and-trade legislation. And that was a Democratic Con- gress, mind you. Pruitt’s nomination is a dramatic test of the propo- sition that agencies admin- ister the law, they do not create it. That the legislative power resides exclusively with Congress and not with a metastasizing administra- tive bureaucracy. For some, this reassertion of basic constitutionalism seems extreme. If so, the Obama administration has only itself to blame. Such are the wages of eight years of liberal overreach. Some leg- islation, like Obamacare, will be repealed. Some executive orders will be canceled. But most important will be the bonfire of the agencies. We may soon be secure not just in our puddles but our ponds. Charles Krauthammer’s email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com. © 2016, The Washington Post Writers Group Charles KrauthammerKrauthammer Pruitt’s is the most important nomination because it is a direct attack on the insidious growth of the administrative state. 5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2016 The #1 name in heart care. From routine cardiac care to complex transplants, trust the name affiliated with the nation’s #1 heart program. Cleveland Clinic was ranked #1 in heart care by U.S. News & World Report 2016-17. +1.954.659.5080 l flgps@ccf.org clevelandclinic.org/flgps Santa arrives by fire truck to spread holiday cheer JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Santa Claus arrived on Saturday on a big red fire truck with lights flashing and siren going to the delight of children waiting to greet him at the Airport Park. Santa and his elves made their way into the park and dozens of excited children ran to meet him as par- ents formed long lines with smaller kids to receive gifts. While enjoying all the fun activities, people had the chance to choose hamburgers and hot dogs, snow cones and cotton candy, as well as lots of drinks and pop- corn, before Santa and his helpers handed out books, candies and presents to the children. There was also an activity corner with face painting and games. For more than 30 years, the Kiwanis have been bringing Santa’s Landing to the Airport Park. The Cayman Islands Fire Service, in a joint venture with the Kiwanis, has long been a supporter of the festive event. At the park, a team of local firefighters, with their big red truck parked on the road- side, kept everything run- ning smoothly, taking time out of their day to spread a little holiday joy. They were in charge of cooking ham- burgers and hot dogs and making sure everyone had enough to eat and drink. Fire Service sub-officer Roy Charlton said the fire department officers enjoyed bringing Christmas cheer to the children. The firefighters have also been making special trips in certain neighborhoods to deliver gifts and can- dies to children. “We have sponsors who, over the years, have given either monetary donations or cut costs on goods so that these children can have a merry Christmas,” Mr. Charlton said.Children line up to get balloons during Santa’s visit at the Airport Park. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY SIR TURTLE JOINS FOOD DRIVE Tourism officials and the Cayman Islands’ tourism mascot Sir Turtle have joined forces to launch a Christmas food drive, inviting civil ser- vants to donate non-perish- able food items at the Govern- ment Administration Building. The Cayman Islands Min- istry and Department of Tourism will donate the food to the St. George’s Anglican Church’s pantry. From there, the food will be distrib- uted to those in need during the holiday season and be- yond, organizers said in a press release. Sir Turtle was on hand to thank those who do- nated, and pose with them for photos behind the “In- sta-Caymankind” graphic. Participants are encouraged to post their photos on so- cial media with the hashtag #CaymanKindAWish. The peg-legged turtle is Cayman’s unofficial tourism mascot, as well as being the symbol of Cayman Airways. Anyone interested in do- nating can drop goods at the Department of Tourism, on the third floor of the Gov- ernment Administration Building, throughout the holiday season. Sir Turtle joins Tourism Councilor and MLA Joseph Hew, Chief Officer in the Ministry of Tourism Stran Bodden and Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell at the annual food drive.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days George Town MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 YEARS AGO: Arrival of first jets at Owen Roberts Airport has island abuzz In the Dec. 21, 1966 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, George Town was the centre of the islandwide buzz about a very special “first.” “What is probably the largest crowd ever to have congregated at the Owen Roberts Airport gathered on Saturday to greet first two jet aircraft ever to land in the Cayman Islands, and were thrilled by two perfect landings and takeoffs. “As Mr. E.O. Panton, Master of Ceremonies, said, ‘This Saturday, Dec. 17, 1966, will go down in our memories as a great day. We pay a tribute to BWIA who have served us exceedingly well for many years.’ “It was an excited crowd that gathered from 9:30 a.m. onwards to await the silver object and smoke trail in the sky which would herald the arrival of our first jet. As an onlooker remarked, ‘The people who have been working so hard night and day on the airfield must feel very proud this morning.’ Indeed they must. “As the Boeing 727 Sunjet was coming in, the U.S. Weather Bureau sent up a balloon on which were the words ‘Welcome to the Sunjet’ and there was a mighty cheer as the wheels of the 727 touched down on the resurfaced runway. “On this plane were Wil- liam Wood, Allan Dixon, Ellington Bodden, Vance Crighton, Mrs. Rayal Bodden, Mr. Bill Banker, Mr. Lee Funk, Mrs. Isabell Warren, Mrs. Verna Hen- ning and three children, and Mrs. Dora Watler with her nephew Hermon Thompson [and] Mr. Bob Wier, sales representa- tive for BWIA. “As they came off the plane, the Caymanians and others were interviewed by Mr. Panton and all agreed that they had a won- derful flight. “A particular welcome was given to Capt. Fred Hamer who flew the first Viscount into the island in 1953 as copilot with Capt. Murray. “Prior to the arrival of the second jet, a cocktail party was given by the gov- ernment in the offices of Hadsphaltic and music was provided by Ken Davis and the Kiemanaires. “The interviewing of in- coming Caymanians and others was repeated for the second ceremony. “Aboard this time were Mr. Walter Girling, Gen- eral Manager of BWIA and his wife, Mr. T.E. Mc- Field, Veronica Watson, Roy Bodden, Francene Terry, Atlee Thompson, Cheryl McCoy, Vivian and Gordon McLaughlin and Lucille Ebanks, students coming home for their vacation, Mr. James A. Bodden, Mr. Tom Hubbell, Bing Thompson and Mr. A.B. Bush, MLA. who was returning from the Caribbean Met. Conference. “Mr. Bush said that they had a wonderful flight on a wonderful aircraft, taking just 41 minutes from Kingston to George Town, travelling some of the time at 600 mph. He was privi- leged to ride in the cockpit and had a grandstand view.” Goldilocks trial gives students a memorable legal experience JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com George Town Primary School students took part in a mock trial before judge Jenese Simms in the school’s library earlier this month. After carefully listening to the facts of the trial and the evidence from prosecutor Demi McLean and defense at- torney Jhanelle Ennnis, the Year 5 classroom jury found defendant “Goldilocks” guilty as charged at the trial held on Friday, Dec. 9. The students were learning all about law and the court system from Cay- manian law student Ms. McLean, who is studying in the U.K. at BPP University, and visiting law students, identical twins Jhaneille F. Ennis and Jhanelle N. Ennis. Ms. McLean left Cayman Brac at age 17 to attend the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she grad- uated with a bachelors in criminal justice and a minor in legal assistant studies in 2012. Upon her return home, she worked as a domestic vi- olence probation officer. In January 2016, she moved to the U.K. to complete her law degree at BPP, where she is a student director of an organi- zation called Streetlaw at her university. Streetlaw provides legal education to people in the community; members go into schools and prisons to run interactive and educa- tional seminars. Ms. McLean said after being appointed as student director, she proposed the idea of using her Christmas break to bring Streetlaw to the Cayman Islands. Her Streetlaw manager and the university offered her full support as she planned and organized each presentation. “The presentation gives [the students] awareness into the criminal justice sys- tems and the consequences attached to certain criminal and deviant behavior. It also provides them with aware- ness into possible career op- portunities,” she said. In the presentation, rather than sitting through a 45-minute lecture, children get involved and run a “real trial,” she explained. In the case before the Year 5 class, Goldilocks was put on trial for “criminal acts” committed in the classic chil- dren’s story. The students not only learned about the law, but put the lessons into practice. By the end, stu- dents had many questions and expressed interest in be- coming judges, police offi- cers or lawyers. “The most important part of the Streetlaw lesson is stu- dents become aware of the different facets of criminal behavior, legal definitions, and the different roles within the court system,” she said. The presentation in Cayman schools came after Ms. McLean observed the impact that it had on chil- dren in Manchester and she thought that young people in Cayman could benefit as well. “We … get nothing but positive feedback. The stu- dents and the teachers ab- solutely love when we give presentations, and always invite us back,” she said. Ms. McLean said teachers are provided with follow-up lesson plans that encourage further exploration into legal concepts. Other schools interested in participating can email Ms. McLean at d.mclean2@my.bpp.com. At George Town Primary School, ‘Goldilocks’ was put on trial for her criminal acts. - PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY Goldilocks was found guilty. Judge Jenese Simms keeps a close watch on proceedings.District Days George Town DISTRICT DAYS 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2016 National Gallery events serve up holiday cheer for all ages The National Gallery kicked off the festive season with the annual Christmas party for members and sup- porters last weekend, fol- lowed by a family fun day and artisan fair. At the party held on Friday, Dec. 9, nearly 200 guests were treated to mulled wine, minced pies and festive cheer, and pre- viewed the creations of some of Cayman’s top artisans, as well as gifts from the gallery store. The following day, the ar- tisan fair and family fun day saw more than 200 visitors turn out for the event, which featured a ceramic orna- ment painting workshop, a Christmas card station, sto- rytime inside an inflatable shark with Cayman Brac’s Martin Keeley, and hot choco- late and s’mores stations. The artisan fair show- cased a wide variety of lo- cally made items, including bespoke jewelry by Bee Line Designs, wood carv- ings by Len Layman, tradi- tional thatch crafts by Lizzie Powell, local art prints and photographs, and the gal- lery’s new book, “The Art of the Cayman Islands.” Triple C students explore Christmas around the world Youngsters at Triple C School recently had the chance to experience a truly international Christmas that had them paying visits to a number of different countries, complete with passports. Learning about how chil- dren around the world cele- brate Christmas, fourth grade students gave presentations to their classmates on the fes- tive customs, complete with native costumes and even traditional holiday foods, of 24 countries, including the Philippines, Costa Rica, Ger- many, Spain and Honduras. At the end of each presenta- tion, the students had special passports stamped to mark their global journey, a press release states. According to the re- lease, the idea for the project started during a Cayman her- itage social studies unit that had students in the class constructing family trees to learn about where their an- cestors originated. “The original thought was to do the [Christmas] project on a country from which the student or their ances- tors originated,” said Grade 4 teacher Cindy Von Kanel. “However, some of the children wanted to research other countries, either be- cause they had heard sto- ries from there, or they just wanted to learn more about that country,” she said. “The kids have been so ex- cited to research their coun- tries’ Christmas traditions, to find a recipe to share with the class, and to wear a costume that represents their country.” Student Allan Wagner said that he liked learning about the food and the facts about the different coun- tries, but most of all he liked learning about the traditions, while fellow student Lorena Peterson said she enjoyed learning new things, making her presentation, and all the different food. SCHOOL RAFFLE WINNER GETS $25,000 Athalie Bryson was the delighted winner of the 2016 St. Igna- tius Christmas fun- draiser raffle grand prize of $25,000. The raffle also fea- tured other cash prizes, Cayman Airways travel vouchers, gift certificates and gas vouchers. Net proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward church facilities improve- ments and charity work, the school’s new facilities development fund and its scholarship fund for fam- ilies who are unable to afford full school fees. St. Ignatius raffle grand prize winner Athalie Bryson, Fr. Suresh Rajaian, pastor of St. Ignatius Church, and Justin Okoli, the St. Ignatius parent who sold the winning ticket. This group had lots of fun presenting on Nicaragua. Cayman Brac-based author Martin Keeley tells stories inside an inflatable shark at the family fun day.Artist Ren Seffer displays some of her colorful works. Adam and Iris Stoner at the party.Making Christmas cards at the family fun day.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The Department of Ag- riculture response states, “Over the course of the year the animal control and welfare services of the DOA have investigated a total of 225 reports and the Animal Welfare Of- ficer Erik Bodden has in- vestigated a total of 123 of these reports …. “Standard operating procedures within the An- imal Control and Wel- fare Services of the DOA are to work with those cli- ents to resolve those is- sues reported and observa- tion officers see on location this has been successful in most cases. “It is only one case that is now moving forward with prosecution [charges] relating to a companion an- imal, namely a horse kind.” This prosecution is not be- lieved to be connected to the sexual assaults on po- nies at the Equestrian Center, which is being in- vestigated by police. In a separate FOI re- sponse to a specific inquiry about the burned dog found on Marina Drive and re- ported to the Department of Agriculture in November, the department indicates it advised the caller to call the police and has not since received any calls for assis- tance from officers. “When enforcement and/ or prosecution is neces- sary, the department works closely with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice,” it states. According to the Ani- mals Law, the duties of the Department of Agriculture animal welfare officer in- clude preventing cruelty and suffering to animals. Their responsibilities in- clude investigating com- plaints, collecting evidence and writing reports for use in criminal proceedings and testifying in court when necessary, the law states. As a Humane Society volunteer, Ms. Arnall- Murray said she frequently sees horrific cases of abuse. “The shelter reports cases every month to the DOA,” she said. time, work permit numbers stood at 23,411. According to the ESO, the construction, wholesale and retail, and utilities sectors led growth on the islands in the first six months of this year. Hotels and restaurants de- clined for the same period. “Economic activity in the hotels and restaurants sector was dampened by a decline in stay-over arrivals,” the report notes. Stay-over tourist arrivals dropped during the first six months of the year to 210,000, down 1.4 percent from the same period last year. The stay- over losses reverse the gains of 2015, putting the numbers at the same level as 2014. The ESO notes that tourist numbers from the United States continue to grow, but at a slower rate. The report states, “Air ar- rivals from Europe declined for the second consecutive year, this time by 15.4 per- cent. Possible changes to the European Union including pre-Brexit uncertainty could be one of the reasons for the downturn in visitors from Europe.” Stay-over arrivals from Canada dropped by more than 6 percent, possibly because of the slowing economy there, ac- cording to the report. The ESO reports the value of building permits increased significantly in the first six months of the year. The al- most 60-percent jump, the ESO notes, “can be traced to two high-value projects in the com- mercial sector, and one major residential project.” “The non-residential sector more than doubled in value. Projects such as the Camana Bay expansion pushed the non-residential value up by 132.5 percent to $29.3 million from $12.6 million last year,” according to the ESO. “Construction activity bol- stered economic growth in the first half of the year and is expected to continue for the second half of the year,” the ESO writes. 2015 growth Last year had the highest growth rate on record since 2007, before the recession.“The 2.8 percent growth exceeded the 2.0 percent advance es- timate for the year based on early indicators,” the fi- nance minister said in a state- ment released with the new economic reports. He said all sectors of the economy grew. The ESO reports, “The Cayman Islands’ economy in 2015 recorded its highest rate of expansion since it emerged from the global eco- nomic recession.” The lower unemployment rate and a drop in gas prices contributed to the growth over 2015, the ESO writes. “These factors led to a general in- crease in disposable income and by extension an increase in consumer and business spending,” according to the annual report. Financial and insurance services continue to be the largest sector of Cayman’s economy, accounting for 41 percent of GDP for the year. The ESO notes, “This repre- sents a continued decline in the contribution of the in- dustry from the 42.2 percent recorded for 2012.” The hotels and restaurants industry also slowed in 2015, with 1.3 percent growth for the year. That is down from 4.3 percent in 2014. The ESO notes that the number of stay- over tourists grew by less than 1 percent for the year, down from almost an 11 percent in- crease in 2014. Economic growth continues for 5th consecutive year CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ANIMAL CRUELTY CASES Charges laid in one of 225 reports CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 proprietor of two gas sta- tions and co-founder of his son Jason’s business, Island Waste Carrier. Jason Brown said his fa- ther “enriched and changed so many people’s lives for the better” through his work. In a letter to his dad, written after his passing, he described his father as a “pio- neer in your field and master of your trade,” saying he was the godfather of the air con- ditioning and refrigeration trades in the Cayman Islands. “I’m so proud of all your achievements and even in the face of adversity, you fought like a champion with class and dignity,” he wrote. In the letter, he described the family’s last night with Mr. Brown, on Friday, at which he presented his father with a photo of the Walkers Road ice factory. “You so loved to entertain and you were doing just that before you left us. You were the happiest I have seen you in ages last night and I find comfort in that your last night you danced the night away,” he wrote. His family said Mr. Brown was also known for his char- itable spirit, oftentimes do- nating anonymously. Details of the funeral ser- vice for Mr. Brown will be announced at a later date, the family advised. Mike Brown passes away CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2016 JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A judge has called for more careful use of electronic tags for criminal defendants after a hit-and-run driver had his jail sentence cut because he had spent nearly 20 months on bail under an electronically mon- itored curfew. Immigration officer Nicholas Tibbetts had his jail time slashed under relatively new sen- tencing guidelines which allow time spent on an ankle mon- itor to count in part, toward the final sentence. Tibbetts was initially sen- tenced to eight months impris- onment on Thursday afternoon for causing the death by careless driving of Donnie Ray Connor in April 2015. That was cut to three-and-a-half months Friday after a last-minute submission from his lawyer. Acting Grand Court judge Dame Linda Dobbs condemned the “unsatisfactory manner” in which the case was handled, saying she had not been in full possession of the facts, when she delivered her original sentence. Reconvening Friday, she ac- knowledged the electronically monitored curfew, restricting Tibbetts to his home between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. was a restriction on his liberty and re- duced the sentence. However, she said, he should never have been on an electronic tag in the first place. Justice Dobbs said the tagging regime should be reserved for partic- ularly serious cases where de- fendants were essentially under house arrest. “This is a case where, in my judgment, a tag was not nec- essary,” she added, noting Tib- betts had previous good char- acter and strong family and community ties. She urged the Depart- ment of Public Prosecutions to only seek tags when it was strictly necessary. “There have been cases where the court has wished to impose an electronic tag only to find there are no electronic tags available. This needs to be carefully and judiciously han- dled,” she said. She added that bail cases were given a lower priority in court scheduling than custody cases, meaning defendants with ankle monitors could accrue significant time on bail before being sentenced. Defendants on tags could po- tentially “build up credit” be- cause of court delays, she noted. Amelia Fosuhene, repre- senting Tibbetts, had initially ar- gued that his sentence should be wiped out completely because of the 596 days he had spent with an ankle monitor. Citing U.K. law, she ar- gued that every two days on an ankle monitor should be counted as equivalent to a day in prison – the approach that is taken in the U.K. Prosecutor Greg Walcolm said the Cayman Islands Sen- tencing Guidelines, introduced in 2015, differed from the U.K. and any reduction was at the discre- tion of the judge as part of the overall sentencing exercise. Announcing her decision Friday morning, Justice Dobbs said, “Although there was a cur- tailment of liberty, that curtail- ment was not substantial. Most of it was during the night during sleeping hours.” She accepted that under U.K. law, the defendant would have been entitled to a reduc- tion of his jail sentence of 298 days – half the time spent on curfew. But she said the defen- dant would not have been tagged in the U.K. regime, where such monitoring is reserved for more serious crimes. She added that the Cayman Islands regime was dif- ferent to the U.K. The judge also criticized both counsel for the late submis- sions in relation to the electronic tagging issue. “I hope this kind of last- minute approach will not occur in the future,” she said. FIND YOUR BEST DEALS DREAM CAR AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE OVER 10,000 CARS IN STOCK Tel : +81 42 440 3440 | Email : top@beforward.jp www.beforward.jp Shipped to George Town Cayman Islands DREAM CAR AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE DREAM CAR AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE Hit-and-run driver jailed Immigration officer gets 3.5 months JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An immigration officer was sen- tenced to three-and-a-half months in prison Friday for a hit-and-run incident which caused the death of a 59-year-old cyclist. Nicholas Tibbetts, 26, admitted to causing the death by careless driving of Donnie Ray Connor, a co- conut seller whose body was dis- covered along with his damaged bicycle on the side of the Linford Pierson Highway in April 2015. Tibbetts, who fled the scene, claimed in police interviews to have no recollection of the incident, saying he must have fallen asleep at the wheel. However, he accepted responsi- bility after officers searching for a silver Honda spotted on traffic cam- eras tracked him down. An accident reconstructionist linked Tibbetts’s vehicle to the incident. CCTV footage from a nearby gas station showed him making repairs to the car shortly after the accident. Passing sentence Thursday, Jus- tice Linda Dobbs, said she found it hard to believe that Tibbetts had slept through the incident. She said the impact of Mr. Connor hitting the car and being carried on its bonnet and the sound of the bike being dragged beneath the vehicle would have “woken the dead.” She said he was clearly awake and functioning enough to drive to a gas station and make repairs to the car shortly after the incident, but had not stopped at the scene. He compounded this error, she said, by making swift repairs to the car in the days that followed and disposing of the damaged parts at the dump. Tibbetts was initially sentenced on Thursday to eight months, but the jail time was reduced after a late plea from his lawyer, Amelia Fos- uhene, for his time on bail, with an ankle bracelet electronic monitor, to be discounted from the sentence. After a fresh hearing Friday morning, the judge agreed to re- duce the sentence to three-and-a- half months in consideration of the 596 days he had spent under an electronically monitored curfew, re- stricting him to his home address between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. each day. The family of the victim, Mr. Connor, were among those to write letters to the court urging leniency for Tibbetts, who the judge said oth- erwise had an impeccable character. Summarizing the evidence, Jus- tice Dobbs said Mr. Connor’s body was discovered on the side of the highway at around 4:30 a.m. on April 23, 2015. Traffic cameras showed CCTV footage of a damaged silver Honda close to the scene at the estimated time of the accident. Officers pulled a list of all owners of that make, color and model car, which eventu- ally led them to Tibbetts. When they arrived at his home, they noticed his vehicle had been recently re- paired and smelled of fresh paint. He acknowledged he had been in an accident, near to the Country and Western Bar on the night Mr. Connor was killed but claimed he did not believe he was responsible for the man’s death. He told police he had taken Benadryl allergy medication before going out with friends and drinking rum. He claimed to have drunk plenty of water and did not believe he was over the legal driving limit, the court heard. According to Tibbetts’s state- ment, he remembered turning onto the Linford Pierson Highway but did not recall hitting anyone and maintained that he must have fallen asleep. He said he only realized he had been in an accident when he was by the Country and Western bar on Crewe Road, at which point he stopped to make repairs. Even when he heard on the news the next day that the man had been killed, he said he did not think he was responsible. Once he heard police were looking for the owner of a silver car, he discussed on Whatsapp with friends whether he might be responsible. He said he planned to come forward but the police had tracked him down before he had a chance. The judge noted he had “sought to distance himself from the inci- dent, claiming not to remember it.” But, she said, she was giving him credit for his previous good char- acter and early guilty plea. “Any positive things that can be said about a person have been said about this defendant,” she added. Judge urges careful use of electronic tags Police examine the scene of the hit-and-run incident in which cyclist Donnie Ray Connor was killed on April 23, 2015. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLER Tibbetts, who fled the scene, claimed in police interviews to have no recollection of the incident, saying he must have fallen asleep at the wheel.Next >