High of 86 Low of 75 Rough with wave heights of 6 to 8 feet. A small craft warning is in effect. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 A CHRISTMAS TOAST TO CAYMAN’S STRONG ECONOMY SPORTS | PAGE 16 RONALDO HAT TRICK GIVES CLUB WORLD CUP TITLE TO REAL MADRID 28 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER TO VOTE ELECTION 2017 ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY DECEMBER 20, 2016 182805-Ad-MakeItYours-Compass-Strip6colx1*5.indd 111/9/16 2:25 PM Bill seeks to rein in public spending BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Legislation that seeks to “normalize” pay in the Cayman Islands government’s separately operating public authorities is set to come be- fore lawmakers in the waning days of the Pro- gressives-led coalition’s term in office. The Public Authorities Bill, 2016, a copy of which was made public Monday, would place rank-and-file workers and senior managers in the statutory authorities and government-owned companies under “the same terms of conditions of service” as a rank- and-file civil servant or civil service manager. In addition, the bill seeks to give Cabinet members far greater control – through ap- pointed boards – over the financial manage- ment of those separate entities. The government has approximately 26 au- thorities and companies for which Cabinet members now appoint boards, and in recent years lawmakers have alleged – backed by re- ports from the auditor general’s office – that those entities’ spending was excessive and ir- responsible in many cases. In one example from 2014, lawmakers re- vealed that the executive directors of the port, Cayman Airways and the airports au- thority made more than Premier Alden McLaughlin at the time. According to Deputy Premier Moses Kirk- connell, the annual salary range for the port director at the time was between $180,000 and $204,000; for the Cayman Airways chief executive officer, between $150,000 and $180,000; and for the Cayman Islands Airports Authority chief executive, between $152,000 and $160,000. The new Public Authorities Bill would set the pay ranges for those positions within the range of a “civil servant in a similar post.” The pay range for civil service chief officers is be- tween $123,000 and $143,000 per year. However, the bill, which is set to come be- fore the assembly during its January meeting, provides a “grandfather clause” for individuals PUBLIC DEPARTMENTS CLOSING FOR HOLIDAYS Government offices and services will be closing throughout the Christmas and new year period. Customs Department The Collections Office and the Courier Of- fice of the Customs Department will close on Friday, Dec. 23, at 12:30 p.m. and will reopen on Wednesday, Dec. 28, with regular hours. The office will also close at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, and will resume operations at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Post offices The Airport Post Office will be open for ex- tended hours this week, including from 8:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 20; from 8:15 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21, and Thursday, Dec. 22; and from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23. On Christmas Eve, the Airport Post Of- fice will be open normal hours, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All other post offices will be open normal hours, but will close at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, and will be closed on Christmas Eve. All post offices will be closed on Dec. 26 and 27. Normal operating hours will resume on Dec. 28 and 29. Post offices will be closed all day Friday, Dec. 30. Department of Counselling Services The Department of Counselling Services and the Family Resource Centre will close at 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 23 and again on Dec. 30. Immigration The Immigration Department headquar- ters, including public counters and the pass- port and visa offices, will close at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, and reopen at 8:30 a.m. Long journey home for red-footed booby CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A red-footed booby named Norman ar- rived in the Cayman Islands on a British Airways flight from Heathrow last week. The bird fell from the sky, exhausted and dehydrated, on a beach in St. Leonards, in the southeast of England, in September. The U.K.’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals nursed the young booby back to health, and his rescuer named him Norman. The bird was delivered to the Cayman Turtle Centre where it is now waiting to be released into the red-footed booby colony on Little Cayman. Turtle Centre curator Geddes Hislop said Norman appears to be healthy and is eating. But, he said Monday morning, “It was a long flight; he’s still jet lagged.” Once Norman gets over his jet lag and spends a month in the aviary, based on De- partment of Agriculture quarantine rules, Mr. Hislop said, the booby will be released on Little Cayman, where conservationists and ornithologists suspect he came from. Mr. Hislop and the Department of Environment’s Jane Haakonsson PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Norman, the red-footed booby, recovers at the Cayman Turtle Centre on Monday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY DECEMBER 20, 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. - TUESDAY - 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 Earn money? Earn your health! TORTUGA® RUM CAKES SHOP NOW www.tortugarumcakes.com WE SHIP WORLD-WIDE Visit our stores to stock up on all you entertaining and gift giving needs. Mail order handled at all locations or call 623-7701 ext. 304. TORTUGA stores to stock up on all you entertaining and gift giving needs. Order Before Midnight for CHRISTMAS DELIVERY within the contiguous USA. Delivery to all other countries will arrive for New Years! Use Promo Code MINUS10 & receive 10% OFF your online order. Hard times for family of child with Zika defect SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Michelle Flandez had just given birth to her first son, but doctors in this U.S. terri- tory whisked him away be- fore she could see him. Perplexed, she demanded him back and then slowly unwrapped the blanket that covered him. “My husband and I looked at each other,” she recalled. “No one had warned us. No one had given us the oppor- tunity to decide what to do.” It was mid-October, and in her arms lay what health of- ficials announced as the first known baby born in Puerto Rico with a rare birth defect that has been linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus. Those with microcephaly have abnormally small heads and often suffer impeded brain growth and other problems. The island, already strug- gling with a shortage of doc- tors and funds amid a wors- ening economic crisis, has more than 35,700 Zika cases, including nearly 3,000 in- volving pregnant women. Some 300 people overall have been hospitalized and five have died, including at least two who developed complica- tions from a paralysis condi- tion linked to Zika known as Guillain-Barre. Since the birth of Flan- dez’s son, named Inti after an Inca sun god, four other ba- bies have been born in Puerto Rico with birth defects linked to Zika, including micro- cephaly. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preven- tion has projected a surge in cases next year. A study by the CDC estimates that up to 10,300 pregnant women in Puerto Rico could be infected with Zika and that between 100 and 270 babies could be born with microcephaly. The U.S. mainland, meanwhile, has reported more than 30 cases of birth defects linked to Zika. While Flandez had symp- toms of Zika early in her pregnancy, she said she was told that tests showed a false positive. Sonograms in August and September showed no problems. Flandez ran a finger through the silky dark hair on Inti’s tiny head on Friday as she described the challenges of raising her 3-month-old son on an island in economic crisis. She called several pedi- atric neurologists after he was born and found just one who accepted Medicaid. The ear- liest appointment she could get was in October 2017. Discouraged, she turned to relatives, one of whom de- tailed the family’s plight on Facebook: “The family has re- mained quiet for too long. If this message reaches a pe- diatric neurologist who can help Inti, we will be more than grateful.” The post was shared 11,000 times, and shortly afterward, an official at Puerto Rico’s largest public hospital called and arranged an appointment for Inti. Since then, he has re- ceived therapy and now has several appointments sched- uled through February with other doctors. But hardships persist. Flandez does not have a car, and she sometimes has to walk an hour with Inti to reach the closest bus stop when neighbors or friends cannot drive her to the doctor. Money also is tight for Flandez and her husband, who live in a two-bedroom apartment with no couch. “I have to pay rent, I have to eat … I have to pay for transportation,” she said as she cradled a sleepy Inti after breast-feeding him. Experts fear babies like Inti could develop other dis- abilities as they grow, bur- dening a healthcare system already breaking under an exodus of doctors fleeing for the U.S. mainland. The cost of treating a baby with Zika is estimated at $3.8 million, said Dr. Cynthia Moore, director of the CDC’s division of congen- ital and developmental disor- ders. She said a Zika infection can bring many consequences, including poor eyesight or motor skills. “The more we learn about it, the more we find new problems,” she said. “It’s rap- idly evolving.” In Puerto Rico, health of- ficials are pushing to secure more federal funds to fight the Zika epidemic, even as the number of weekly new cases has been dropping. Some of that money might be used as a special bonus for doctors who normally do not accept Med- icaid patients, said Dr. Miguel Valencia Prado, director of the Health Department’s Divi- sion of Children with Special Medical Needs. In addition, Valencia said he has established video con- ferencing with at least two specialists in the U.S. who serve as consultants, and he is considering requesting that doctors based in the U.S. tem- porarily work in Puerto Rico on a rotational basis. Meanwhile, Flandez said she is taking it day-by-day with Inti, whom his older sister has nicknamed “Starman” because, as she explained to her mother, he is different from the rest and thus comes from the stars. Puerto Rico resident Michelle Flandez holds her two-month-old son Inti Perez, diagnosed with microcephaly linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus. - PHOTO: AP Story time welcomes Santa JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The George Town Public Library held a story time on Saturday for kids to meet Santa and his elves. Before Santa’s arrival, the children enjoyed a col- oring session with parents and a story reading with Santa’s elves in the chil- dren’s section of the library. When Santa arrived, calling out a merry “Ho, Ho, Ho,” there was a lot of excitement about meeting him and telling him about any late additions to their Christmas lists. Santa read to the kids and handed out candy canes, and the children also snacked on cupcakes and candies from their goodie baskets. Story time at the library, a half-hour reading ses- sion in the quiet corner of the children’s section that takes place monthly, is a partnership between Li- brary Services and Rotary Club Central. The program aims to encourage parents to come to the library with their children, to sign up and borrow books. Santa reads to kids at the George Town Public Library. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 20, 2016 IN STOCK NOW Table Tennis, several to choose from Foosball Air Hockey Shu e Board Volleyball Darts and Boards Pool Tables, full and mini size With all the accessories that go with them, and plenty of beach games for the whole family. Including Frisbees, Bocce ball, Lawn darts, Croquet and horse shoes and plenty of toys for the kids including Drones & Remote control helicopters. GALLERIA PLAZA | 949-7884 | OPEN 9AM - 6PM Shu e Board Including Frisbees, Bocce ball, Lawn darts, Croquet and horse shoes and plenty of toys for the kids including and horse shoes and plenty of toys for the kids including All Priced For Holiday Specials! Brothers sentenced to 34, 35 years for murder Judge notes serious escalation of gun crime CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Osbourne Wilfred Douglas was sentenced to 34 years’ imprisonment and his brother, Justin D’Angelo Ramoon, was sentenced to 35 years for the execution- style murder of Jason Charles Powery, 20, in 2015. Justice Charles Quin passed sentence Monday morning after hearing sub- missions in October under the new Conditional Release Law, which sets a “life” sen- tence for murder at 30 years unless there are exceptional extenuating or aggravating features. The sentence is the time a person must serve before being eligible for re- lease on license. The judge found both men guilty in May after they had elected trial by judge alone. In addition to murder, they had been charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm. On Monday, the judge said there were no extenuating features that would lower the sentence from 30 years. However, there were several aggravating features, as pre- viously pointed out by Di- rector of Public Prosecutions Cheryll Richards. Justice Quin found that each of the men had a dis- tinct role before, during and after the shooting, which oc- curred in the vicinity of the Globe Bar off Shedden Road on the night of July 1, 2015. The evidence showed that Douglas and Ramoon spent the evening moving around in each other’s company in the area. Ramoon parked his car on Martin Drive, near the Globe. Douglas spent some time clearing young people away from where the shooting took place. He then handed Ramoon a gun and walked to the car. Ramoon walked up to Mr. Powery and shot him in the head at point- blank range. “The victim was just standing there, drinking a beer,” the judge noted. After shooting Mr. Powery, Ramoon then tried to shoot a friend of the victim’s, only to be disturbed by a third party; the gun clicked and failed to operate and the friend’s life was saved. Meanwhile, Douglas had driven the car from the scene and waited for Ramoon on Mary Street nearby. These facts showed there was a very significant degree of planning and premedita- tion, Justice Quin said. “It was a public execu- tion of a most evil nature,” he said, calling the murder “chillingly clinical.” He continued, “There has been a very serious escala- tion of gun crime over the past seven years. The public must help police in their difficult task of finding out who is bringing in guns ille- gally and who is harboring illegal guns in the Cayman Islands. Over the past years, too many young Caymanians have lost their lives because of illegal guns. “Furthermore, too many small business owners have been the target of terrifying attacks from armed robbers with illegal guns.” Justice Quin explained that under the new Condi- tional Release Law, his sen- tence had to take into ac- count the requirements for punishment, deterrence and rehabilitation. The aggra- vating circumstances of Mr. Powery’s murder and the ur- gent need for deterrence raised the sentence from 30 years to 34 years for Douglas. In Ramoon’s case, there was an upward adjustment to 35 years because of a conviction for possession of an imita- tion firearm in 2010. Justice Quin added that the firearm used in the murder had never been recovered. He urged anyone who knew any- thing about it to share infor- mation with the police. Ms. Richards then ad- vised that the convicted men had been in custody 522 days since their arrest. The judge said the time served in custody would be taken into consideration. Justin Ramoon, front, and Osbourne Douglas step from a prison van outside the Globe Bar in April this year, in a court visit to the scene of the fatal shooting during the brothers’ trial. The brothers were handed prison sentences of 34 and 35 years on Monday. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKERThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 The Cayman Islands has experienced five consecu- tive years of economic growth. That’s cause for early Christmas cheer (no mug of eggnog required). The new report from the Economics and Statistics Office isn’t all roses – there are always some thorns – but, on balance, the numbers show that Cayman con- tinues to enjoy a strong, and growing, private sector. Some highlights: • Cayman’s gross domestic product (a measure of the total size of the economy) reached $2.8 billion at the end of 2015, and grew a further 3 percent in the first half of 2016. • The economy grew faster in 2016 than it did in the first half of 2015, and it outpaced government’s forecasts. • As of spring 2016, Cayman’s population stood at 61,259 people, an increase of 3.7 percent from the year before. • The number of work permits continued its two-year growth trend, increasing to 23,411 as of mid-2016. • Concurrently, Cayman’s total unemployment rate fell to an infinitesimal 3.9 percent – and the unem- ployment rate of Caymanians dropped to a mere 5.6 percent, which is verging on the theoretical rate of “full employment” (meaning, a state where every able person who wants to work, is working). • Because of weakness in the European and Canadian markets, which are struggling with their own economic and currency issues, air arrivals to Cayman dipped slightly by 1.4 percent, putting them back on pace with still-sterling numbers from 2014. • Cruise arrivals, however, continued growing, this time increasing by 7.1 percent compared to the previous year. (Compared to the first half of 2013, cruise arrivals in the first half of 2016 increased by a remarkable 23 percent.) • A handful of high-value projects are driving activity in the construction industry, including notably Dart’s continuing expansion of Camana Bay. The bullet points above aren’t just causes to cel- ebrate “a job well done” in the past year, but are also reasons to be bullish on Cayman’s prospects for the coming year. The upward trends aren’t the result of luck or “one- off” events, but are indications that Cayman is moving from “strength to strength” and are the product of dedicated investors and developers who have an interest in strengthening our country over the long term. Looking at the figures, we see no reason why we can’t improve further on the positive points and can’t reverse course on our few weaknesses. For example, we expect our air arrivals to pick up once visitors to the newly opened Kimpton Seafire resort start being counted in government’s totals, and in the years to come, when other projects now waiting in the wings begin to take center stage, such as Dart’s future hotels, the Ironwood golf resort and the planned expansions to Health City Cayman Islands. On social media Monday morning, Premier Alden McLaughlin shared the Compass story on the ESO report, adding the comment, “Good government.” Some readers might expect us to criticize the premier for attempting to bask in the private sector’s limelight. Not so. Premier McLaughlin is correct that one important measure of “good government” is how much the public sector has allowed the private sector to thrive, typically by giving businesses the freedom to do so. With some exceptions – particularly in regard to matters related to immigration – this Progressives government, as well as past administrations, generally have understood the proper role of the public sector is to facilitate and support the private sector when (and only when) necessary. With this perspective, it is entirely appropriate that Premier McLaughlin and his government take their share of credit for the health of the country’s economy. During this holiday season, we in Cayman have much to be joyful about. After all, our strong economy isn’t just a bunch of figures on paper but represents the goods and services that are available and acces- sible to Cayman’s population – energy, food, health- care, shelter, transportation, education, luxury items … including, yes, Christmas presents. – EDITORIAL – A Christmas toast to Cayman’s strong economy 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. TUESDAY DECEMBER 20, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS RICHARD BERMAN Last week, the 2015 Program for Interna- tional Student Assessment (PISA) test scores were re- leased. American students’ grade? Not so good. American 15-year-olds ranked 39th internation- ally in math. Our kids are scoring lower than peers in countries our students couldn’t find on a map. This score marks a drop from our 2012 performance, which in turn was a drop from the test in 2009. (The test is administered every three years.) U.S. perfor- mance in reading and sci- ence also declined since 2009. “We’re losing ground,” said Education Secretary John B. King Jr. “A trou- bling prospect when, in today’s knowledge-based economy, the best jobs can go anywhere in the world.” Clearly, a new ap- proach is needed. Teacher unions are the largest influence in the run- ning of too many American schools. Predictably, those unions have tried to pass the buck by attributing poor grades to a lack of government funding. Amer- ican Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi We- ingarten and her team are ground zero for these fail- ures and lame excuses. She claims the low scores “were predictable given the im- pact of the last 15 years of U.S. education policies com- bined with continuing state disinvestment.” Translation: We need more money. But this whining from Ms. Weingarten doesn’t pass the smell test. Ac- cording to Organiza- tion for Economic Coop- eration and Development (OECD) data, the United States spends roughly one- third more per student (US$11,700) than the 35-na- tion OECD average. And this average masks even starker disparities. American students scored worse than those from Slo- vakia and Hungary, which spend far less than half what the United States does per student. U.S. stu- dents also scored far worse than those from the Czech Republic, Estonia and Po- land – countries that spend about half what the U.S. does per student. How to explain this funding versus results par- adox? Partially, it is a re- sult of teacher unions con- tributing part of union dues to bolster their po- litical power that gener- ates unparalleled and un- warranted job security and pension benefits. According to new Labor Department funding disclosures, the two main teachers unions, the AFT and National Ed- ucation Association (NEA), collected more than US$500 million in required dues payments from millions of teachers last year. These dues are trans- lated into campaign sup- port for left-leaning politi- cians. That union political power is paid off through maintenance of paralyzing teacher tenure laws that make it almost impossible to fire the bad teachers responsible for low test scores. Some teachers burn out like in any other pro- fession but replacing them with professionals who are still committed to teaching becomes nearly impossible under the teacher tenure status quo. And this is es- pecially true in the inner cities where teacher unions do the most damage. According to education economist Erik Hanushek, replacing the bottom 5 per- cent of teachers with av- erage teachers could move the United States near the top of international educa- tion rankings. A 2013 study by a different group of re- searchers found that re- placing the bottom 5 per- cent of teachers with average teachers would increase students’ life- time income by approxi- mately US$250,000. Lousy teachers are com- plicit in more than ru- ining kids’ chances for a better life. They also de- press the morale of those good teachers who need to deal with students who have been moved into their classrooms through social promotion without a prior foundation to help them learn in the next higher grade. It’s no wonder over 1,500 kids drop out of high school every day when so many find themselves un- able to learn or keep pace. Union leaders also use these dues to benefit themselves. AFT President Randi Weingarten received US$497,000 in compensa- tion last year. Her compen- sation evidently isn’t per- formance-based. The AFT has also spent tens of thou- sands of dollars on limou- sine services and perks that generally are provided to business executives deliv- ering a product or service in demand. It’s doubtful many taxpaying parents are demanding the current quality of education for which they are paying. Help may finally be on the horizon. President-elect Donald Trump has nomi- nated school reform cham- pion Betsy DeVos to the post of education secretary. Mrs. DeVos will champion charter schools, the one bright spot of American ed- ucation. (In New York City, black and Latino charter students score 73 percent higher than their district- run counterparts.) But teachers unions will not give up their jobs and dues monopoly to fund pol- iticians without a fight. De- spite Republican control of the presidency, both houses of congress, and the ma- jority of statehouses, Dem- ocrats still control 27 out of the 32 poorest American cities most in need of ed- ucation reform. And these legislators are often all too happy to sell out the stu- dents in their districts for teacher union campaign contributions. Only when the teacher union status quo becomes synonymous with the latest bad education headline will reform become a reality. Unions share blame for poor student performance And only then will U.S. schools and U.S. students become excellent again. Richard Berman is the president of Berman and Company, a public affairs firm in Washington, D.C. © 2016, Washington Times 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 find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 20, 2016 Holiday flights will run, BA chief says STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS British Airways execu- tives said Monday that the airline’s full holiday schedule can run, even if planned strikes of cabin crew and baggage handler unions pro- ceed as planned. There are separate union actions planned, with the Unite union calling for a 1,500-employee strike among Swissport ground staff on Dec. 23 and Dec. 24. Meanwhile, Unite has called for a cabin crew strike for Dec. 25 and Dec. 26. “We are making sure that this attempt to ruin Christmas for thousands of our customers fails,” BA Chief Executive Officer Alex Cruz said in a statement released Monday. “Over the weekend, we have been working on detailed contingency plans to ensure that we are able to operate our normal flight program from all our air- ports on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day.” The BBC reported Monday that talks between BA and cabin crew union represen- tatives were continuing in at- tempts to avert a strike. In the Cayman Islands, the Swissport employees’ strike – if it were to occur – would likely not affect anyone traveling to Lon- don’s Heathrow airport, since the airport baggage handlers here are not Swis- sport employees. However, British travel agents warned of delays that could be caused with lug- gage arrival and retrieval, es- pecially if passengers’ travel plans include airline trips to other U.K. cities after they have landed at Heathrow. The Unite union strikes are threatened, in both cases, over wage disputes. The cabin crew strike in- volves staff members who joined the airline in the past six years. Separately, pilots at Virgin Atlantic say they will take industrial action short of a strike on Dec. 23 in a dispute over union recognition. Postal and railroad strikes have also been threatened in Britain during the holidays. Rough seas expected this week CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Boaters should watch for rough seas for at least the next five days as winds from the east to northeast kick up rough waves. The Na- tional Weather Service has is- sued a small craft warning through the week as fore- casters predict seas of 6 to 8 feet Tuesday and 5 to 7 feet Wednesday. The temperature should hold steady, with highs in the mid-80s and lows in the mid- 70s, but winds will reach 20 to 25 knots Tuesday, ac- cording to the weather ser- vice. The winds are expected to calm slightly for the rest of the week, to between 10 and 20 knots. Weather service fore- caster Gilbert Miller said, “It will be fairly dry for the next couple of days.” Any showers, he said, will likely be brief in the mornings. The high winds and rough seas will stay in the area at least until Friday, he said, but forecasters are not sure how long the system will last. The direction of the winds mean the rough seas will mostly affect East End and people out at sea. Seven Mile Beach and the south side of the island should remain rel- atively calm for the week be- fore Christmas. Mr. Miller said a cold front that is moving from the United States into the Gulf of Mexico will probably not reach the Cayman Islands. Baggage handlers at British airports are set to go on strike over the Christmas period. Police name US tourist who died snorkeling Police Monday named the man who died while snor- keling off Eden Rock on Dec. 11 as Mark R. Ambrose, 69, from California. Mr. Ambrose went missing while snorkeling off the George Town waterfront. His wife, who had been snor- keling with him that day, returned to the Eden Rock Diving Center on her own and became worried when Mr. Ambrose did not return for some time, police said. The couple did not check in at the shop or rent equip- ment before swimming out to the reef, according to em- ployees at the shop. Police say the helicopter and marine unit responded when 911 received the emer- gency call shortly after 5 p.m. Officers on the police he- licopter found Mr. Ambrose floating in the water off Jackson Point, where the fuel terminals are located on South Church Street, soon after.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days West Bay TUESDAY DECEMBER 20, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Prep students get tourism insights in Turtle Centre visit A social studies trip to the Cayman Turtle Center for 75 Cayman Prep and High School students focused on what happens behind the scenes and provided in- sight into the varied work of the tour guides. Year 5 teacher Caroline Johnston said the group, in- cluding teachers and parent volunteers, were met by the curator of terrestrial exhibits and education programs, Geddes Hislop, who gave an introductory talk about the ways tour guides interact with cruise ship passengers, tourists, residents and school groups. They were introduced to several employees who work throughout the park in retail, animal care and visitor tours, and they were shown around the different sections before taking part in activi- ties popular with visitors to the facility. Nicole Blackwell talked about the day-to-day opera- tions of the center, from the colors of armbands to or- dering souvenirs and food for the animals. The group also visited the underwater viewing area, where staff answered their questions about the sharks, barracudas and other residents of the predator tank. Swimming in the la- goon with the turtles was a highlight for many of the students, Ms. Johnston said. They enjoyed viewing the beautiful native fish and learned that the turtles in the lagoon are eventually to be released through the cen- ter’s rehabilitation and re- lease program. “Some of the children had never swum with these graceful creatures, and they were in awe with their speed and beauty,” said Ms. Johnston. “Other children ven- tured into the baby turtle area and were able to care- fully hold the turtles and ex- amine their exquisite shells, which they learned are all different, rather like human fingerprints.” Many of the children saw the sharks being fed, watching the handlers pull them up onto a platform to feed them and examine them for any problems requiring a veterinarian. At the aviary, the students fed a variety of birds in- cluding ibis, bananaquits and white-crowned pigeons, some of which perched on the chil- dren’s shoulders and heads. After lunch and a quick dip in the pool, the children visited the agouti enclosure, and also saw the peahens and peacocks. Their final stop on the tour was to see Smiley the crocodile, and the dolphins. Some of the children were able to give the dolphins a hug, Ms. Johnston said. “The year group were thrilled to hear that the Turtle Centre is expanding its educational facilities over the next few years, and per- haps some Cayman Prep and High students will be working at this fabulous tourist attraction and con- servation park in the near future,” she said. 50 YEARS AGO: Visitors, new babies herald Christmas season In the Dec. 28, 1966 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, West Bay correspondent Leila Yates wrote: “There have been quite a number of folk arriving for the Christmas season. Mr. Crawford Owens from the Cleveland Transport Corp., Mr. and Mrs. Ashton De’Oscar and children from New York, Miss Lucille Man- derson from New York, Mr. Asley Ebanks from his job in the U.S., Mr. Lloyd De’Oscar, Mr. Donald Glidden, Sarah Smith, Hartis Bush, Aldine Henning and two daugh- ters who live in Tampa all came in on the 10th. Mr. Rennie Ebanks and Miss Sicily Bush arrived from Ja- maica on the 11th. “The annual Garden Party sponsored by the United Church was held on the 27th at the Town Hall. “A thief or thieves en- tered the kitchen of Mr. Samuel Ebanks on the night of the 13th and car- ried away all of his gro- ceries and other articles. This is the third time Mr. Ebanks has had these un- friendly visitors. “Arriving on the 16th from the U.S. were Mr. and Mrs. Garland Ebanks and baby, Mr. Leith Banks and Mr. Cardell Powery from New York. Mr. Carlyle Glidden paid a short visit home and left on the 16th. Carlyle and his wife send Christmas greetings to the Caymanian Weekly, also to friends and relatives. Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Ebanks returned from Miami on the 16th. We are happy to report Mrs. Alvin is quite well. “Mr. and Mrs. Regi- nald Dilbert became the happy parents of their first child on the 9th, a daughter weighing 7 pounds, named Deneita Ann. “To Mr. and Mrs. Mack Ebanks the gift of their first child on the 15th, a son named Sterling Alfred, weighing nine pounds. “Capt. and Mrs. David V. Parsons have returned to visit relatives. “On Wednesday, my at- tention was called by three boys from Boatswains Bay to a snake 5 feet long and 5 inches in circumference which they killed in a yard in Boatswains Bay. Is it pos- sible we have a new species of snake in this district? “Messrs. Sherman Man- derson, Robert Ebanks, Rollin Ebanks, Tyrone McDoom left on the 18th to join S.S. Ore Neptune. Mr. Robert Hydes and Mr. Conolly Ebanks for S.S. Ore Saturn. “Mrs. Harley Rae Ebanks is happy to report that her daughter Sharon had an appendectomy in Orlando, Florida, and is feeling well again. Mrs. Ebanks went to be with her and while there she met a lot of rela- tives and friends. She vis- ited Tampa, Delano, Miami and Fort Lauderdale. “We are glad to have Capt. and Mrs. Donald Glidden, caretaker of Swan Island with us. They arrived on the 11th and will be spending 1967 in Grand Cayman.” Students get ready to swim with the turtles. The group hears from lead aquarist Brian Dann at the predator tank. Teacher Pamela Smith and students Jessica Drysdale, George Smith and Reese Atterbury pet a baby turtle.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days West Bay CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 20, 2016 Sir John A. Cumber students have a feast and a fair Sir John A. Cumber Pri- mary School staff and stu- dents were treated to a festive lunch on Dec. 10, compliments of the man- agement and staff of the Marriott resort. “This is the fifth time that the school has benefited from this demonstration of generosity, goodwill and Christmas cheer,” teacher Annette Vaughan said. “The principal, parents and teachers express pro- found appreciation to the Marriott and particularly Marriott executive chef Steve Griffon for their time and resources by providing and serving a Christmas lunch to all our students. It was delicious.” She said the students also received animal balloons, which they loved, and the Marriott team was presented with an oversized thank you card that some of the chil- dren made and signed. “We had a wonderful af- ternoon with the students,” said Marriott Human Re- sources Manger and event coordinator Valerie Hoppe. Later in the month, the school hall again was buzzing with excite- ment as students, par- ents and teachers gath- ered for their first Business Enterprise Fair. The event was the cul- mination of two weeks of entrepreneurship and fun- draising by the school’s 28 classes, which Ms. Vaughan said awakened creativity, in- genuity, collaboration and camaraderie in the students, and showed off their skills. Principal Paul Samuel, along with the PTA execu- tive, challenged the student body to invest $30 in a viable business plan for two weeks, with prizes going to the top five classes with the biggest profit margin at the end of the fair, a press release states. On the day of the fair, they all had the opportunity to make their goods available for sale to the school community. At the fair, attended by Minister of Education Tara Rivers, parents, teachers and guests, various prod- ucts, including hand-crafted Christmas tree ornaments, jewelry, “slime,” pastries, cookies, cupcakes, picture frames, conch shell lights and specially blended nat- ural juices were for sale. “Some classes chose a more popular and safer route by selling raffle tickets for a chance to win prizes like an iPad and Blue- tooth speakers,” states the release. Other booths of note offered face painting and snow cones. Overall, the event netted $3823.64. The class with the highest dividends on their $30 was Reception Willis, which sold hand- made Christmas ornaments, making an extra $575 on their initial outlay. Second place went to Year 6 Smith, which held a raffle and earned $371. Year 3 Osborne was third with its pop- ular slime, which they pre- pared in their classroom. They made $275. Fourth place went to Year 4 Young for their disco dancing that charged participants a fee to enter. Year 2 Frater’s face- painting booth placed fifth with $201.75. The winners were an- nounced at a special as- sembly on Dec. 16. Students learn to properly care for their pets Since September, KidsCare volunteers have been visiting Sir John A. Cumber Primary School every Monday, teaching students about kindness and how to care for their pets. The volunteers give pre- sentations on spaying and neutering and talk about the free spay and neuter program offered by animal welfare or- ganization CARE. Students also learn how to approach a dog, and about dogs’ body language. A key theme of the lesson is covering the “5 Freedoms” of animal welfare: freedom from hunger and thirst, from pain and injury, freedom to express normal behavior, freedom from discomfort and from fear and distress. “We always bring a pet with us and allow the kids to spend some time practicing their approach skills with the dogs,” said Sabrina Stecyk, who heads the program along with founder Kiralee Harnett. The team visits different classes each week, working its way through the en- tire school, and teachers re- port that the students have been very receptive to the team and the dogs they bring to the sessions. “Since our launch in 2015, we are so pleased to have re- ceived such positive feedback from the teachers and stu- dents in the schools we have attended, and through this we have formed a very strong partnership with the YMCA of Cayman, where we have just completed the school term at John Gray High School with their after-school program,” said Ms. Harnett. “We strongly believe in the importance of educating the youth of Cayman, not only for the animals’ sake, but to draw lines of empathy and compas- sion to the people and envi- ronment around us,” she said. “We are very excited to be launching our first animal welfare magazine in the new year, which will help us reach as many students as possible across the island to spread awareness and better the community we live in.” KidsCare is a volunteer- run initiative which branched off from CARE. For more information, contact kids@caymancare.ky or info@caymancare.ky. Ms. James’s Year 2 class and KidsCare volunteers, from left, Sabrina Stecyk, Kristen Ford, Christina Girgis, Genevive Georgiades, Mercedes Royo and Kiralee Harnett with her dog Shadow.Zoie Bush practices how to approach and pet Shadow. Marriott staff serve the students holiday fare.Event coordinator Valerie Hoppe with her thank you card.Students enjoy a holiday lunch thanks to the Marriott resort.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY DECEMBER 20, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS now serving in those jobs. “[It] ensures the continuation of existing terms and condi- tions of employment which are more generous than the provisions of this legislation would allow,” the bill states. The bill, if approved, would also prevent a public authority from giving bonuses or salary increases to all staff members. That prohibition is in place only for an across-the-board in- crease; individual employees could still receive incentive pay for good performance without Cabinet permission. The public authorities would also be placed under more stringent financial management requirements, which include returning some of their money to cen- tral government if the en- tity is in a strong position at year’s end. Statutory authori- ties and government compa- nies cannot borrow money without prior approval from Cabinet, and they cannot issue additional capital to anyone or any entity without Cabinet approval. If a public authority maintains cash reserves to cover more than 90 days of operating costs during any budget year, the surplus re- serve would be returned to central government opera- tions unless Cabinet mem- bers decide otherwise. Board appointments For the first time, the pro- posed legislation seeks to set specific requirements for the boards of directors of the various statutory authorities and government companies. For instance, all of the ap- pointed boards that oversee the operations of those enti- ties must have no fewer than five members. The appointed board members are required to have some experience in corporate governance, finan- cial management or knowl- edge of the areas that the board oversees. Civil servants can be ap- pointed as members of the authority boards, but they can make up no more than 40 percent of the total member- ship and cannot receive pay for serving in those positions. Pay for board members who are appointed from the private sector will be deter- mined by Cabinet and “shall be published in such media as the Cabinet determines,” according to the bill. The chief executive ap- pointed to run each entity is to be hired by the respective board, following consultation with Cabinet, the bill states. Hiring concerns The other major concern arising from the management of the separate public author- ities dealt with the number of staff members hired by the entities over the years. While the civil service has shown little growth over the past three years, the govern- ment’s Compendium of Sta- tistics shows that staffing in the statutory authorities went from 1,842 in 2014 to 2,167 in 2015 – an 18 per- cent increase. Meanwhile, staff numbers at government- owned companies went from 489 to 584 in the same period – a 19 percent increase. The staffing issues at the public authorities have been recognized for some time. In 2001, when the central government first split its op- erations into “central govern- ment” and outside authori- ties, divesting the Health Services Authority from the civil service, there were ap- proximately 4,034 govern- ment employees – 3,097 civil service workers and 937 employees at the lone gov- ernment authority that ex- isted at the time. The civil service grew to a peak of about 3,800 employees in 2008 and has slowly de- clined to its current 3,591 workers in December 2015. By contrast, the number of statutory authority and government company workers grew from 937 in 2001, to 2,194 in 2010 as more authorities and compa- nies were added. According to government human re- sources reports, the number of employees in the outside authorities grew to 2,264 by mid-2012 and to 2,751 by the end of 2015. The proposed legislation does not seek to directly cut staffing at the various au- thorities, but it makes ref- erence to requirements that those entities be managed “in a manner which best serves the public interest.” “It is the duty of a public authority to conduct its af- fairs in a responsible finan- cial manner and, unless its ownership agreement pro- vides otherwise, to operate as a profitable business,” the bill states. Wednesday, Dec. 28. The offices close again for the new year holiday at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, and reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3. The Work Permit Board will resume its meet- ings on Jan. 9. The Business Staffing Plan Board meetings will resume on Jan. 11. The Cayman Status and Permanent Residency Board will resume its meet- ings on Jan. 12. Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing All three Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Li- censing offices will close at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, and at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30. The West Bay and Breakers offices will be closed from Saturday, Dec. 24, to Tuesday, Dec. 27. All three locations will open on Wednesday, Dec. 28, with the Crewe Road location operating from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the West Bay and Breakers offices from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Needs Assessment Unit The Needs Assessment Unit office at Aqua Mall in George Town will be closed Friday, Dec. 23, to Wednesday, Dec. 28. The of- fice also will be closed on Friday, Dec. 30, and will re- open on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Tourism Association The Cayman Islands Tourism Association will close its office on Friday, Dec. 23, at noon and will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 3. CITA officials reminded water sports operators to stock up on Kittiwake to- kens to ensure they have enough on hand while the office is closed. Bill seeks to rein in public spending Public departments closing for holidays Long journey home for red-footed booby suspect Norman was blown off course by a tropical storm or hurricane. Norman “most likely came from the colony on Little Cayman,” Ms. Haakonsson said. He showed up in Eng- land on Sept. 4, bedrag- gled and starving after the 4,800-mile journey. Norman could have gotten caught in the West- erlies, the prevailing trade winds that blow west from the United States to Europe, Turtle Centre Director Tim Adam guessed. Mr. Hislop said birds from Europe and Africa can some- times get blown off course and end up following the tropical winds to the Carib- bean, but he said he has never heard of a Caribbean bird winding up in England. The red-footed booby lives throughout the tropics, with large mating colonies on Little Cayman and in the Galapagos Islands. It was clearly a rough trip to England. As well as being malnourished and de- hydrated, Norman also had a possible respiratory infection. But he got to ride in style back to Cayman, catching the British Airways flight from Heathrow last Thursday. BA Capt. Shaun Griffiths, quoted by the RSPCA, said, “Despite having flown a number of VIPs before, Norman is by far the most unusual! The beaches of the Cayman Islands are some of the most beautiful in the world and we are thrilled he can start the new year in the sunshine.” RSPCA veterinarian Barbara Watson accom- panied Norman on the journey across the Atlantic. She said in a press state- ment, “I never imagined in my career I would be asked to treat a booby bird, as they have never been seen over here before. “It is so wonderful to be able to take Norman back to the wild where he belongs. It will be fantastic to see him in amongst other birds just like him, which is how it should be.” She added, “It is incred- ible to think how he got to the south coast of England – I don’t think we will ever really know how – but it is amazing, and we are really grateful to everyone that has had a hand in helping him to get him back home safely.” BBC One’s “The One Show” plans to feature Norman’s journey next month. Norman eats before boarding a British Airways flight last week, bound for the Cayman Islands. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 20, 2016 The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Michelle Renee Smith regret to announce her passing on Tuesday, 13 December 2016. A Funeral Mass will be held at 2:00 PM Wednesday, 21 December 2016 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church. The family will receive friends Tuesday, 20 December 2016 from 5:00 PM -7:00 PM at Bodden Funeral Service, Walkers Rd. Interment will follow in Prospect Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will be held after the committal from 4:00 PM at Sunset House. CHRISTMAS SERVICES BOATSWAIN BAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: Christmas Day Service, 11 a.m. Choir Cantata. New Year’s Day Service, 11 a.m. JOHN GRAY MEMORIAL CHURCH: West Bay. Christmas Day Service, 10 a.m. Watch Night Service, Dec. 31, 11 p.m. ST. ALBAN’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND: Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols at the National Gallery, Esterley Tibbetts Highway, 7:30 p.m. Christmas Day Eucharist, 9:30 a.m. at the church 461 Shedden Road. Dec. 26-28 Holy Communion, 12:30 p.m. Jan. 1, Holy Eucharist, 9:30 a.m. ST. GEORGE’S ANGLICAN (EPISCOPAL) CHURCH: Off Eastern Avenue. Christmas Eve, carols at 10:45 p.m., Mass 11 p.m.; Christmas Day, 8 a.m. only; Dec. 31, 11 p.m., Watch Night Service; New Year’s Day, 8 a.m. only. ST. IGNATIUS CATHOLIC CHURCH: Walkers Road. Christmas Eve, children’s play, 5:15 p.m., children’s Mass, 6 p.m., carol service, 11 p.m., Midnight Mass, midnight; Christmas Day, Mass at 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. No 6 p.m.; New Year’s Eve, Mass at 6 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration, 10 p.m. Mass at 11 p.m.; New Year’s Day, 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. No 6 p.m. mass. CHRIST THE REDEEMER CATHOLIC CHURCH: West Bay. Christmas Eve carol service, 7:30 p.m. Mass 8 p.m.; Christmas Day, 9:45 a.m.; New Year’s Day, 9:45 a.m. STELLA MARIS CATHOLIC CHURCH: Cayman Brac. Christmas Eve, 4 p.m. HOLIDAY CLOSINGS CITA: The Cayman Islands Tourism Association office closes on Friday, Dec. 23 at noon, and reopens on Tuesday, Jan. 3. A reminder to water sports members to begin stocking up on Kittiwake tokens so you will have enough for the time the office is closed. CUSTOMS: Collections Office is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to Thursday, Dec. 22. On Friday, Dec. 23, the Collections Office and nearby Courier Office will close at 12:30 p.m., reopening on Wednesday, Dec. 28, with their regular hours. The office will also close at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, with operations resuming at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3. DEPARTMENT OF COUNSELLING SERVICES: In line with other government offices (non- essential services), both the Department of Counselling Services and the Family Resource Centre will close at 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 23 and Dec. 30. IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT: The Immigration headquarters (including public counters, and the Passport and Visa offices) will close to the public at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, and reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28. These offices again close to the public at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, and resume at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3. IMMIGRATION BOARDS: The Work Permit Board resumes on Jan. 9. The Business Staffing Plan Board resumes Jan. 11. The Cayman Status and Permanent Residency Board resumes on Jan. 12. The Administration, Border Control and Enforcement sections of Immigration will continue functioning as usual while the boards are on leave. IMMIGRATION TRIBUNAL: The administrative arm of the Immigration Appeals Tribunal will close at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, and reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28. It will close again at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30 and reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Members will hold their first meeting of the year on Jan. 12. NEEDS ASSESSMENT UNIT: The office, at Aqua Mall, will close Friday, Dec. 23, to Wednesday, Dec. 28. The office will be closed on Friday, Dec. 30, and reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 3. POST OFFICE: The Airport Post Office will be open for extended hours Dec. 20, 8:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 21-22, 8:15 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday Dec. 23, 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Christmas Eve, the Airport post offices will be open normal hours 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All other post offices will open normal hours, but they will close at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, and will be closed on Dec. 24. All post offices will be closed on Dec. 26 and 27, but open normal hours on Dec. 28 and 29; then closed all day on Friday, Dec. 30. VEHICLE/DRIVERS’ LICENSING DEPT.: All three DVDL locations will close at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, and on Friday, Dec. 30. The West Bay and Breakers offices will remain closed to the public from Saturday, Dec. 24 to Tuesday, Dec. 27. All three locations will open on Wednesday, Dec. 28 (the Crewe Road location from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the West Bay and Breakers offices from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). TUESDAY, DEC. 20 MOONLIGHT AND MOVIES: The Crescent at Camana Bay. 7 p.m. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Free admission. Set up a picnic on the grass, or just bring a blanket, relax and enjoy the show on the big outdoor screen. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 21 FLOETRY: Meets 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Books & Books. All are invited. NATIONAL TRUST: Open house and late-night shopping at the National Trust’s store at Dart Family Park. 5-8 p.m. All are invited to an evening of raffle prizes, gifts, treats and cocktails. The National Trust invites the public to give “the gift of conservation” this year. THURSDAY, DEC. 22 CHRISTMAS RECITAL: Miss Jackie’s School of Dance, 6:30 p.m. at The Crescent, Camana Bay. SATURDAY, DEC. 24 CAROLS AND LESSONS: The National Gallery on Esterley Tibbetts Highway, 7:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Service organized by St. Alban’s Church. All are invited. MONDAY, DEC. 26 GARDEN PARTY: William Pouchie Memorial United Church in North Side hosts its annual Garden Party 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Seafood, beef, chicken, sides and deserts on sale. Live music, fun and games for children. All are invited. THURSDAY, DEC. 29 ST. IGNATIUS ALUMNI: Christmas Social, 7 p.m. at Sunset House. All St. Ignatius Catholic School graduates or former students (1971-2016) are welcome. Any questions, contact sicaymanalumni@gmail.com. SATURDAY, DEC. 31 CAMANA BAY COUNTDOWN: Family-friendly New Year’s Eve party. Early entertainment includes DJ music and a fireworks show at 7 p.m. Outdoor dance floor and no cover charge. Second fireworks display at midnight. Presented by the Town Centre’s signature restaurants. GENERAL INTEREST SINGLE-MEMBER CONSTITUENCIES: The Elections Office invites voters, potential candidates and their agents to learn more about recent changes to the Elections Law that have created 19 single- member electoral districts. Email office@elections.ky to ask questions or request short presentations for groups or organizations. The public should also stay tuned to local media for information on upcoming meetings, which will aim to address questions. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards, etc., in good condition always needed. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Center is owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. ARTISANS MARKET: Camana Bay every Wednesday, noon till 8 p.m. Visual Arts Society artists display arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale. Contact info@visualartcayman.com. OPEN CANVAS: Wednesdays. Visual Arts Society supports this event at KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay. 7-11 p.m. No fee, easels provided. Contact info@ongart.com or jar.was@gmail.com. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed. Tuesdays at the Truman Bodden Complex at 5:30 p.m. for track/field, football and bocce. No experience necessary, just a smile and patience. Wednesdays at Lions Pool 10:15–11 a.m. You do not have to swim, just be able to walk in water chest-deep. Thursdays at First Baptist Church for basketball, 5:30–7 p.m. Saturdays, volunteers needed for Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30–10:30 a.m. Deck support and in-water swimming assistance needed. For more information, contact Penny McDowall at 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The Thrift Shop new opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed evenings. Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Grab a blanket and a picnic and enjoy a free screening of ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20, at The Crescent in Camana Bay.Next >