ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016 High of 87 Low of 76 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 EDITORIAL YEAR IN REVIEW LOCAL | PAGE 2 POLICE: BOXING DAY SHOOTINGS ‘GANG RELATED’ 19 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER TO VOTE ELECTION 2017 PremierHealth More claims get an automatic green light with BritCay! 57% of your claims were auto-adjudicated first* with BritCay. BritCay budgets for high volumes of claims. We pay more claims, more accurately and quicker than any other local health insurance provider. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp Police seize six bikes during holiday crackdown CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Four dirt bikes and two mo- torbikes were seized by po- lice during traffic operations on Tuesday around Grand Cayman, and two motorcyclists who ran from a roadblock in West Bay were arrested. Riders on unlicensed dirt bikes and motorbikes have been a common sight on Grand Cay- man’s roads, often riding in groups, doing “wheelies” and weaving through traffic. Police Commissioner Derek Byrne said in a press state- ment, “The island has had enough of the nuisance and danger of these illegal bikes, and we are bringing order to this situation in as safe a manner as possible. “Those who flaunt the law and evade police only make mat- ters worse for themselves and can expect to be arrested.” Two incidents, both at about 8:20 p.m. at a checkpoint at the Yacht Club roundabout in West Bay, led to arrests. One rider on an orange unregistered motor- bike did not stop for officers at a checkpoint, according to po- lice. Officers chased the rider who, according to the press re- lease, was traveling “at high speed.” The man, 31, abandoned the bike at the Island Heritage roundabout and ran. Officers quickly caught up with him, charging him with dangerous driving and driving while not qualified. They also seized the motorbike. Police also followed a dirt bike rider who refused to stop at the checkpoint. The 20-year- old man did not pull over until he reached his home in West Bay. Police seized the bike and arrested the man for dan- gerous driving. Police say they seized three other dirt bikes and one mod- ified motorbike during other traffic operations around the island Tuesday. Earlier this month, po- lice arrested another dirt bike rider for reckless driving and other charges. Mr. Byrne said in an inter- view with the Cayman Compass last month that cracking down on illegal dirt bikes would be a top priority for the police service. “It’s going to cause a fatality, either for someone on the motor- cycle themselves and cause dis- tress to families, or it’s going to cause a fatality with an inno- cent driver or a pedestrian with people behaving that way on the road,” he said. DATA: BLEAK OUTCOMES FOR BONAVENTURE BOYS Call for earlier intervention for at-risk youth JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Of the schoolchildren referred through youth courts to the Bonaventure Boys Home over the last three years, none has graduated high school and more than a third have been charged with further crimes. Michael Myles, the at-risk youth officer for Cayman Islands schools, has tracked the life outcomes for 35 students charged in the youth courts and referred to the home since September 2013. The data is not an officially required ac- count, but rather Mr. Myles’s own research on how Bonaventure boys fared when they left the home. The range of outcomes for children re- turning to school after a time at the home makes for grim reading. “Exited from CIFEC for poor attendance Stormtroopers invade Seven Mile Beach Stormtroopers from ‘Star Wars’ took over Seven Mile Beach in July to help promote the Cayfilm festival. This was one of many memorable photos that ran in the Cayman Compass in 2016. For more of the best photos of the year, see pages 6 and 7. - PHOTO: MAGGIE JACKSON 500 ORTHOPEDIC SURGERIES DONE AT HEALTH CITY Since opening two-and-a-half years ago, Health City Cayman Islands has completed 500 orthopedic surgeries. Dr. Alwin Almeida, Health City’s chief or- thopedic surgeon and joint replacement spe- cialist said, “We are proud to have achieved this milestone in such a short period and look forward to embracing new technologies which have completely changed the way surgeries are performed.” He said Health City’s Department of Or- thopedics provides surgical and non-surgical treatments, including joint replacements and reconstruction, deformity corrections and ar- throscopic surgeries of the knee and shoulder which are minimally invasive. Health City also employs some of the latest advancements in medical technology, such as computer-navigated robotic-assisted sur- gery, he noted. Dr. Almeida, a member of the American PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 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. - THURSDAY - ROGUE ONE 3D (PG13) 12:50 2D | 3:05 | 6:50 2D | 9:35 PASSENGERS 3D (PG13) 1:00 | 3:50 2D | 7:00 | 9:40 2D ASSASSIN’S CREED 3D (PG13) 1:20 | 4:00 2D | 7:15 | 10:00 2D WHY HIM? (R) 1:30 | 4:15 | 7:20 | 10:05 MOANA (PG) 12:45 | 3:30 | 6:45 | 9:20 SING 3D (PG) 12:30 | 3:45 2D | 7:00 | 9:50 2D Got gym questions, ask us? 525-8850 Alvin Sluchinski CAYMAN ISLANDS Police: Boxing Day shootings ‘gang related’ CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Police now suspect the two shootings on Monday, Boxing Day, are related to gang activity, according to a press release. An 18-year-old man was shot several times just before 4 a.m. outside of Fete Night Club. Around 10:45 p.m., someone shot a 31-year-old man standing outside Super C restaurant in West Bay. Police reported that both men were in stable condition as of Wednesday morning. In a press release, police said they are “investigating these incidents and can con- firm that they are suspected to be gang-related.” In the wake of recent spates of what police and community members say are gang-related shootings and assaults, police said they will have “high-visi- bility patrols” in areas around Grand Cayman where there could be more violence. In recent months there have been two deaths and a number of shootings and assaults that police say were connected to gang activity in West Bay. A gunman killed Justin Manderson just before 2 a.m. on Oct. 1. Police have made several arrests in that case. Later in October, several as- saults were reported by po- lice. In early November, two people opened fire into a crowd outside Super C restau- rant, injuring at least two. Police said they will have “high-visibility patrols” in areas around Grand Cayman where there could be more violence. Two workers offered $30k training for advancement JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two Caymanian em- ployees of a refrigeration company have become certi- fied as technicians. Polar Bear Air Condi- tioning owner Chuck Mo- bley surprised employees Na- than Trumbach and Daniel Rivers by enrolling them in a $30,000 training program at Perfect Technician Academy in Weatherford, Texas. The one-month course included classes and training sessions six days a week. Mr. Trumach, who had been working at Polar Bear as an apprentice for three months in the Maintenance and Service Department, said he was amazed to be offered the opportunity. “No other company that I have worked for was ever able to give me the chance to go away for a training course and get certified, es- pecially before my proba- tion period was over,” he said, adding that the training and certification not only en- able him to perform his job to the best of his ability, but also helped prove his worth to the company. “Being certified also means I have a lifelong ca- reer, and going through the process opened my eyes and mind to see the bigger pic- ture,” he said. Mr. Rivers has worked for Polar Bear for three years, starting as an appren- tice before becoming a ju- nior technician in the Ser- vice Department. He said he wanted to get certified be- cause he knew he would learn a lot and that it would prove he had retained the knowledge he gained working at the company. ”On top of this, Polar Bear always pushes us to give the customer a better service and so by knowing more, I feel I’ll be able to provide a much better service,” he said. Mr. Mobley, whose com- pany employs more than 30 people, said there is a lack of opportunity for Cayma- nians to become skilled trade workers. He said Polar Bear is working with government to try and change this, but it takes time, and so the com- pany will continue to send employees with potential to training programs overseas. “If the facilities were here, [to] which Caymanians could go and gain knowledge and certifications, the Immigra- tion Department would be issuing far less work per- mits for skilled expatriate workers,” said Mr. Rivers. Mr. Trumbach thinks it is in the best interest of the government and private sector to support technical and vocational studies. He said technicians at Polar Bear had taken the time to teach him and even bought him tools to help him out. “There are people here who are willing to teach trades to others, so let’s give them the resources they need to do it,” he said. Mr. Trumbach said at- tending the Perfect Tech- nician Academy was an “overall amazing” experi- ence – a very intense course, but the teachers helped them through every step of it. “Texas is a great place, full of friendly people, and I truly enjoyed being in Texas for the course. I feel grateful to Polar Bear for giving me this opportunity. As a young Caymanian, scholarships can be hard to attain … espe- cially for technical and vo- cational studies. Polar Bear has made my dream of be- coming a tradesmen a re- ality,” he said. The employees had to re- ceive 70 percent in order to pass the course. Mr. Mobley was so im- pressed with the employees’ results that he surprised both of them by showing up for their graduation and treating them to a Texas Thanks- giving dinner and two tickets to their first Dallas Cowboys football game. Daniel Rivers and Nathan Trumbach are now certified technicians at Polar Bear Air Conditioning. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PUERTO CABELLO, Venezuela (AP) – When hunger drew tens of thousands of Venezuelans to the streets last summer in protest, President Nicolas Maduro turned to the military to manage the country’s di- minished food supply, putting generals in charge of every- thing from butter to rice. But instead of fighting hunger, the military is making money from it, an Associated Press investigation shows. That is what grocer Jose Campos found when he ran out of pantry staples this year. In the middle of the night, he would travel to an illegal market run by the military to buy corn flour – at 100 times the government-set price. “The military would be watching over whole bags of money,” Campos said. “They always had what I needed.” With much of the oil country on the verge of star- vation and malnourished children dying in pediatric wards, food trafficking has become big business in Ven- ezuela. And the military is at the heart of the graft, ac- cording to documents and in- terviews with more than 60 officials, company owners and workers, including five former generals. As a result, food is not reaching those who most need it. The U.S. government has taken notice. Prosecutors have opened investigations against senior Venezuelan of- ficials for laundering riches from food contracts through the U.S. financial system, ac- cording to several people with direct knowledge of the probes. No charges have been brought. “Lately, food is a better business than drugs,” said retired Gen. Cliver Al- cala, who helped oversee border security. The late President Hugo Chavez created a Food Min- istry in 2004. His socialist government nationalized and then neglected farms and fac- tories, and domestic produc- tion dried up. Venezuelans began ri- oting, and so Maduro handed the generals complete power over food. The government now imports nearly all the country’s food, and cor- ruption drives prices sky- high, said Werner Gutierrez, agronomy professor at the University of Zulia. As Venezuelans starve, military trafficks food An 18-year-old was shot several times outside Fete Night Club just before 4 a.m. Monday. - PHOTO: CHARLES DUNCANThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016 january 28, 2017 at the festival green @TasteofCaymanTasteofCayman.org MEDIA LTD. HURLEY’S BRITCAY CAYMAN’S CULINARY MAGAZINE Love food? Love drink? Need an excuse for another cheat day? Taste of Cayman needs you! We’re looking for fun, foodie-loving volunteers. Positions we’re looking for include: Our volunteers receive great benefits including pre-festival training, festival access, 12 food tickets, volunteer t-shirt and a post-event Thank You party! To get involved, please visit our website and fill out the registration form*. Volunteers wanted! *Volunteers must be 18 years or older at the time of registration. event set-uppers Ticket Sellers bartenders Foodie lovers! supply runners Information Givers Booth HelpersThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 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” THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Editorial year in review Editor’s Note: Today we are featuring excerpts from some of the most interesting, compelling and entertaining editorials that have appeared in the Cayman Compass in 2016, on some of the most important issues facing our country. “Cuba in Cayman’s backyard,” Feb. 18 While we subscribe to the basic economic principle that a rising tide lifts all boats – and generally, remain opti- mistic that a thriving Cuba will strengthen the Carib- bean region as a whole – we find it difficult to shake con- cerns about the possibility of Cayman getting soaked. “Cayman must move on its 650 stagnant PR applications,” Feb. 22 Perhaps this Progres- sives administration hopes to “stall” action on the hun- dreds of outstanding PR ap- plications until after the 2017 elections, and push the pile of paperwork onto the lap of the next elected government. If so, that is a most cav- alier, cruel, and reckless ap- proach. The lives of these long-term residents remain in abeyance, hostage to a system which, demonstrably, has failed them – and is failing our country. “Clink, clink; Drink, drink; Wink, wink,” Feb. 29 Instead of being seen as the fastest way to get home, driving drunk should be feared as the fastest way to a jail cell. Death by ve- hicle is far more common than death by firearms in the Cayman Islands. “The secret shame of domestic abuse,” March 8 The surest way to pro- tect victims of crime is not through compassion and condolence, but through ar- rests and prosecution. “The people that Cayman forgot,” March 16 What is going on in regard to the Needs Assessment Unit amounts to nothing less than cruel and unusual punishment – on both sides of the door, for applicants and staffers. “Fast forward: Cayman’s past and future,” March 18 The “world of Cayman” is not the world in which ev- eryone else is living. In the wider world, it’s not the big that eat the small: It’s the fast that eat the slow. Our country – with its 5,000 distinct flavors of work permits – seems increasingly ripe for consumption. “The problem with crime in Cayman,” March 24 Generally speaking, the visible response from our po- lice and Governor Helen Kil- patrick has not nearly been equal to the seriousness of the problem or the direness of the consequences. Cayman’s reputation for safety is far more fragile than our coral reefs – and far more important to the eco- nomic health of our country. “Police and crime: ‘Lack of confidence’ – in lawmakers,” March 29 If lawmakers were ag- itating for an emergency meeting on the subject of crime, we would be among their most vocal supporters. If they were calling for an emergency meeting on the performance of top brass at RCIPS, we might disagree with their approach, but their intentions might nonetheless be honorable. But let’s get something straight: This motion isn’t about crime. It’s not about the police. And, as East End MLA Arden McLean said, it’s not about Commis- sioner [David] Baines. It’s about political opportunism and, perhaps, Mr. Baines’s “Britishness.” “Baines departure: A loss for the Cayman Islands,” March 31 In a laboratory, there are certain chemicals that, in- dividually, are benign or even beneficial – but, when combined, create nitroglyc- erine. In the real world, two such substances are politics and policing. Politicians have no busi- ness infringing on the du- ties of police officers. Such encroachment is invari- ably dangerous. “Absolute Zero: PR applications put in deep freeze,” April 14 The [Ritch] report was due to be completed some- time this spring, but we’ve heard no word about its con- tents or recommendations. All the while, hundreds of our neighbors, colleagues and coworkers twiddle their fingers, agonize about the fu- tures of their families, and wait, wait, wait. We all know where this will end – in the lap of the next elected government … with possible detours through the courts. “On litter, and litters: Our problems with garbage and dogs,” April 20 Generally speaking, an an- imal population requires a couple of things for survival: habitat and food. With wide expanses of bush and unprotected rub- bish bins on every corner – not to mention litter strewn on the roadside, residences that welcome in “part- time pets” at night, and the mountain of solid waste at the George Town Landfill – Grand Cayman is a prac- tical paradise for “village dogs,” or what scientists Raymond and Lorna Cop- pinger describe as “superbly adapted scavengers.” “Cayman standoff: Cops vs. criminals,” April 21 In this protracted war, our weapons will not be ba- tons, Tasers or firearms – or anything designed to harm the body. Our weapons must be im- plements that cultivate the mind and spirit: education, accountability, employment and opportunities. “Cops vs. crime: Choose a side,” April 26 [I]n its purest form, the conflict between the police as an institution and crime as a phenomenon has only two dimensions. We know whose side we’re on (and we’re proud to declare so publicly) – the police. As for the alle- giance of our legislators … well, they’ve been more reti- cent than declarative. “The EY Report: Requiem for recommendations,” May 6 The government may re- gret it ever commissioned the EY Report. It shouldn’t. It did the right thing, and it re- ceived enormous value for its paltry investment. “Travel plan: Quality, quantity or both?” May 19 In case government’s re- quest for proposal includes a new global marketing strategy for Cayman, we’ll offer up our comprehensive tourism plan. It consists of one large picture and one line of text: The picture is the best photo ever taken of Seven Mile Beach. The headline is, “Number One Beach in the World, says U.S. News & World Report.” Done. “Return to sender: Cayman’s policy on Cuban migrants,” May 25 The agreement Cayman has in place with Cuba, to detain the migrants and have them returned to the land from which they tried to flee, is far from ideal. It is, to many Cayman residents, un- desirable or even distasteful. It is also expensive. But, un- like the vast nation of the U.S., Cayman cannot possibly ac- commodate even a small por- tion of the Cuban migrants who might wish to stay. “Required reading for landfill neighbors (i.e. most of us),” May 31 In the three years since the Progressives cavalierly tossed aside the Dart Group’s offer to remedy the land- fill, our officials have had some success in deflecting the issue of the still-unlined, still-combustible dump with a masquerade of studies, re- ports and field trips. But at more than 80 feet in height (the highest terrestrial point on Grand Cayman), the dump itself cannot be hidden. “Missing boaters: The police, Baines were right,” June 3 While many people may have had genuine ques- tions about tactical aspects of the unsuccessful search and rescue operation, some people, in our opinion, delib- erately and callously seized upon public unrest in order to achieve objectives that were purely political, or per- sonal, in nature. As is written in our “exit interview” with Commissioner [David] Ba- ines that is published today, the “missing boaters” criti- cism proved to be the final instance of political ma- neuvering against him, and the coup de grace for his seven-year tenure. “On the landfill: No plan, no timetable – and no money,” June 6 The Progressives prom- ised they had an onsite solu- tion for the landfill. But they didn’t, they still don’t and, even if they did, they don’t have the $100 million-plus it is now likely to cost. “Exit or Brexit, UK must leave,” June 8 We in Cayman have seen more than enough of Euro- pean-style bureaucracy and regulation – in the form of the OECD, FATF, and their liberal like. Blacklists, gray lists, white lists … please. The June 23 referendum may be British people’s best and last chance to avoid im- bibing any more of that sort of poison. They ought to seize the opportunity to run away with Usain Bolt record- breaking speed. Following public protests over a proposed development near Smith Cove, the Progressives government announced it would purchase the property. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Mark Rowlands, with the Department of Environmental Health, points out some of the changes to how waste is dumped at the George Town Landfill.5 OPINION&LETTERS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016 “Appreciating our special relationship with the UK,” June 20 Rather than feeling mar- ginalized by the U.K. as an en- tity with “second-class priv- ileges,” we here in Cayman should recognize that the U.K. continues to grant us “special privileges.” One example is that Caymanians (who have British passports by virtue of living here) can pick up and move to the U.K. when- ever they wish, and have the freedom to settle there, work there and take advan- tage of public social services there. The reverse does not hold true for British citizens wishing to move to Cayman. “‘Let’s vote on it …’ No, let’s not!,” June 28 Our issue isn’t with the outcome of the referendum (although editorially we sup- ported it), it’s with the ref- erendum itself. Considering the mag- nitude of the issue, its im- pact over generations, and the international/intergov- ernmental nature of the U.K.’s relationship with the EU – the Brexit decision should have been made by the U.K.’s elected represen- tatives, not by individual voters in polling booths throughout the nation. “George Town Landfill: Another report … another editorial,” June 29 We don’t want another re- port. We want a new landfill. “Vote ‘yes’ for Brexit … Now what?” July 5 As far as the lessons the Cayman Islands can draw from the burgeoning Brexit debacle, so far they’re based largely on what has been absent: The impor- tance of strong leadership, sound strategy and swift decision-making. “PM Theresa May: There’s a new lady in charge,” July 13 Leading a post-Brexit Britain will be no easy task – and, apparently, it seemed to be a too formidable one for several of Prime Minister May’s colleagues in West- minster, including former Prime Minister David Cam- eron and former London Mayor Boris Johnson. But, knowing her back- ground, her record while in office and her political be- liefs, we trust that Prime Minister May is especially well-equipped to handle any adversarial situation and to rise to meet her mo- ment in history. “Government’s contempt for PR applications,” July 18 To date, [attorney David] Ritch’s report has not been made public. Why not? The report, which was supposed to be part of the solution to the issues high- lighted by the chief justice, has instead been utilized by government as another means by which to delay or avoid addressing these im- migration issues. We recognize contempt when we see it – if not for the authority of the courts (and this may qualify) – cer- tainly in regard for one’s fellow human beings, as well as for the public interest. “When children are forced to wait for justice,” Aug. 15 When it comes to child abuse, the only committee that truly matters, in the context of criminal justice, is extremely limited in com- position. It comprises the ac- cuser, the accused, the police, attorneys and the courts. Anything else is at best supplementary, and at worst, deleterious. “Cayman’s great iguana glut,” Aug. 31 We’re not admitting de- feat, but in this particular battle of Man vs. Nature … Nature may have Man on the ropes – or up a tree. “Minister Rivers takes a ‘pass’ on schools report,” Sept. 2 [S]uccessive administra- tions have watched as a rel- ative handful of career civil servants have presided over an inadequate school system, in effect sacrificing the fu- ture of Caymanian chil- dren – and, by proxy, the country – in order to pre- serve the positions of a few adults in power. “The most important lesson of the day: Cayman’s schools,” Sept. 15 Education, in our view, is far too important to be left exclusively to the “pro- fessional educators.” Every parent, every businessperson, every resident of the Cayman Islands needs to declare with one stentorian voice that we will no longer accept a third- world education system in our first-world country. “The European Union: Will the ‘empire’ strike back?,” Sept. 19 Increasingly it appears the only way European of- ficials will ever be satis- fied with Cayman’s role in the international finan- cial services arena is if Cayman has no role. “Land mines in the latest landfill report,” Sept. 21 In practical terms, the new report brings Cayman no nearer to solving our country’s waste management woes than we were three years ago, when the newly in- stalled Progressives govern- ment summarily terminated the deal forged between the previous administration and the Dart Group to close, cap and remediate the George Town Landfill. The plan was to build a new landfill in far east Bodden Town (between two active quarries). The kind way to label the new report is as an “exer- cise.” A less-than-charitable description is “fantasy.” “Permanent residence: A high price to pay for dawdle and delay,” Sept. 26 While the legal analysis by HSM Chambers law firm of Cayman’s current immi- gration situation is complex, the overall point is quite simple: Our government’s continuing refusal to con- sider hundreds of perma- nent residence applications, coupled with flaws in the as- sessment criteria themselves, has put the country at great, and growing, risk of being taken to court, and losing – big time – with significant fi- nancial ramifications. “Smith Cove: ‘Alden Pond’?” Oct. 5 In the case of Smith Cove, opprobrium should be di- rected not toward the de- velopers, but toward the government, namely the Pro- gressives and their leader, Premier Alden McLaughlin. You see, the government not too long ago had the op- portunity to acquire the pri- vately held portion of land adjoining Smith Cove – and walked away from it. “Premier McLaughlin muddies the waters of ‘Alden Pond’,” Oct. 10 Of course, the reason why Premier [Alden] McLaughlin seemed so upset with us over the Smith Cove affair isn’t because our editorial was incorrect – it’s because it was correct. The develop- ment of the Smith Cove prop- erty represented a major po- litical liability for the elected members from George Town, including the premier, in the upcoming election. Hence the swiftness, hence the spin. “‘Taking attendance’ at Cayman’s public schools,” Oct. 18 [George Town MLA Win- ston] Connolly had it correct when he suggested that the goal of education reform in Cayman (indeed anywhere) must be to create a school system that attracts, through quality and excellence, stu- dents of all demographic de- scriptions – rich, poor, Cay- manian or expatriate. No government has a greater ob- ligation to its people. “‘Relentless’!” Oct. 21 Although it is unlikely Premier [Alden] McLaughlin intended for us to take it as a compliment, being labeled “relentless” is among the highest praise a newspaper could ever hope to receive. “Cayman education: Divided schools lead to divergent futures,” Oct. 24 Unfortunately, Cayman’s school segregation has been in existence long enough that the problems with public ed- ucation have ossified, calci- fied and fossilized. “Fixing” Cayman’s public schools won’t be as simple as reinte- grating them. Public schools must be improved to the ex- tent that they are attractive to all families who live here, re- gardless of nationality or eco- nomic realities. “Minister Bodden: Focusing attention on our elderly,” Nov. 7 Normally, we would be critical of the time span of any government plan stretched out over a period of 20 years or more. But in regard to en- suring the dignified treatment of our elderly population, the problem is so entrenched that such a sustained effort is ab- solutely necessary. Minister [Osbourne] Bodden has done well to pick up the mantle on behalf of Cayman’s seniors. Who- ever becomes his succes- sors in future governments, it behooves them to carry on this noble cause. What is at stake is nothing less than Cayman’s dignity – and its legacy. “Trump wins – But who lost?” Nov. 10 Don’t call it an “upset.” Tuesday night’s victory by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton was months, if not years, in the making. The people “surprised” by Mr. Trump’s win (and there are many millions of them) are those who placed too much stock in the wisdom of the elite, measured according to flawed surveys and allegiance to often-archaic norms of the political establishment. “PR application delays: The consequences now loom larger,” Nov. 11 Premier [Alden] McLaughlin and his govern- ment created this issue. They own it – and they will not be able to hold off addressing it until after the next election. Their choices are limited: Will they decide to litigate each of the hundreds of cases, one by one, and (most likely) lose, one by one? Or will they litigate them all in a class- action-style suit, and (most likely) lose them all at once? “Cayman deserves straight talk on permanent residence,” Nov. 16 Premier [Alden] McLaughlin said on the radio he would announce his gov- ernment’s plans for PR appli- cations in another forum. We will offer him that forum – this newspaper. With the sole proviso that Premier McLaughlin focus his remarks on what he and his Progressives govern- ment plan to do about the PR problem, we will donate as much space as necessary, free of editing and free of charge, in the Compass. We would hope Mr. McLaughlin would cease trying to reframe this issue as a “Compass vs. Government” matter. It is nothing of the sort. Permanent residence is an issue of great consequence to our entire country, and the Compass is simply pointing out the obvious: Our govern- ment must face it – and fix it. “One PR applicant speaks out – We should listen,” Nov. 21 [T]he writer rightly points out, as we do, that the Pro- gressives legislators them- selves created this quagmire when they passed the immi- gration law, setting out spe- cific requirements for people to obtain PR, inviting them to apply – and then refusing to follow the very law they wrote, approved and enacted. “Fidel Castro: Cuba’s rebel. Cuba’s tyrant,” Nov. 28 Mr. Castro’s impact, of course, is most evident in Cuba, which he reshaped by force after his own image and which now stands, crumbling, as a fortress, as a monument and as a mausoleum to the ideals and realities of rule under Marxism-Leninism. “Rogue bikers: Lawlessness on parade,” Dec. 1 First, the bikes, in menacing numbers, are already here. Second, there is nothing wrong with dirt bikes. The problem is the people who are illegally using dirt bikes and other vehicles. Dirt bikes are perfectly acceptable rec- reational vehicles, so long as they are confined to, well, dirt. The bikes are inani- mate assemblages of metal and do not come equipped with brains, conscience or judgment. Neither do dirt bikes have responsibility or accountability. Their riders, however, do. “Permanent residence: Financial executive takes case to court,” Dec. 5 The hundreds of perma- nent residence applications that the Progressives govern- ment has refused to consider over the past three years might as well be a stock- pile of dry driftwood, beg- ging for a match. Last week, the inevitable came to pass. Law firm HSM Chambers submitted a court filing that packs explosive ar- guments against the system into a tidy 10-page document that could serve as precedent, and a template, for future lit- igation. The grievances enu- merated in the court filing are so dire that, if proven, should never be associated with a country of the international status and stature of the Cayman Islands. “Permanent residence: The premier’s deepening quagmire,” Dec. 6 When is Governor Helen Kilpatrick going to step in to this human rights im- broglio under her constitu- tional obligation to promote “good governance” in the Cayman Islands? While the thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations continued, so did the arrival of Cuban migrants to the Cayman Islands’ shores. This vessel, carrying seven people, landed at Barkers in November. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY6 YEAR IN REVIEW THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Best photographs of the year Usain Bolt, regarded as the world’s fastest human, shows off his signature lightning bolt gesture upon arrival in Grand Cayman in May. He warmed up on island for the 2016 Summer Olympics. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Frank Flowers, founder of the Flowers Sea Swim, was among the hundreds who took part in the 24th annual event, which raised money for a bone marrow donation fund established in memory of Mr. Flowers’ wife Eve, who passed away in April. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY A celestial phenomenon was visible over Cayman on March 21 in the form of a sun halo. It appeared as a bright circle around the sun. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Dimitri Myles helped set up a coral nursery in the waters off the East End of Grand Cayman in April. – PHOTO: LOIS HATCHER Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, from the Philippines, visited Cayman in June to host a Pinoy Pride Independence Month celebration, marking Filipino Independence Day. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Pirates invade George Town during Pirates Week in November. - PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKE Pebbles, a pony at the Equestrian Center, was one of three ponies injured in two attacks at the facility. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERS Hank Bodden retrieves an iguana that was shot and killed as Herman Myrie sizes up another target. The two men were taking part in an iguana cull in June. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERS7 YEAR IN REVIEW CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016 Cayman’s Olympic swimmers, siblings Lara and Geoff Butler, pose inside the Olympic rings at the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August. A boat used by reef restoration volunteers was damaged in January when rough weather conditions caused it to break from its moorings and land on the ironshore. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY In January, El Arca arrived in Beach Bay, carrying more than 30 Cuban migrants. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY In July, a Toyota Supra, driven by an inspector at the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing, was traveling in the outbound lanes of Crewe Road when it struck a light pole and ended up in the inbound lanes. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Lightning provided a spectacular backdrop to the release of hundreds of lanterns on Seven Mile Beach in September. The event raised money for Cayman HospiceCare. - PHOTO: CHAD MUNRO/PICTURE THIS STUDIOS Police started mountain bike patrols in George Town in August to increase visibility and improve interactions with the public. PC Charles Ebanks and PC Christopher Donaldson were on patrol around George Town. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The Camana Bay Santa Run in late November raised money for local charities. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY As guests gathered at a reception to celebrate the November opening evening of the Kimpton Seafire Resort, they were treated to an especially good omen – one of the most spectacular sunsets of the year. - PHOTO: DAVID R. LEGGE U.S. military helicopters landed at Owen Roberts International Airport in October, positioning equipment and 100 members of the U.S. Marines and Army in preparation for Haiti hurricane relief operations. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY8 YEAR IN REVIEW THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Backlash leads to departure of police commissioner JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The tragic story of five boaters, including two young children, who went missing at sea in the early part of 2016 contributed to a public backlash against the police that prompted the early de- parture of Police Commis- sioner David Baines. The fallout from the in- cident was still being felt at the end of the year, with a U.K. Coastguard team on is- land to review the country’s search and rescue capability. Gary Mullings, his nephews Nicholas Watler, Ka- mron Brown, 11, and Kanyi Brown, 9, and his friend Ed- sell Haylock were reported missing on Sunday, March 6, after they did not return from a fishing trip to 12 Mile Bank. Their upturned vessel was located 20 miles offshore the following day, but none of its occupants was ever found, de- spite an extensive search in- volving a U.S. Coast Guard plane, marine police and air unit, supported by a local heli- copter pilot and fishing boats. Amid emotional scenes outside George Town Po- lice Station the morning after the boat was reported missing, family and friends of the missing five vented their anger at police officers, whom they accused of being too slow to begin searching for their loved ones. Imron Brown, the father of the two missing boys, told the Cayman Compass, “The government has a helicopter, all kinds of speedboats and there are two small babies on board – an 11-year-old and a 9-year-old – my babies. What is so complicated to go out and try to find them?” The police decision not to send the helicopter or marine police boat overnight and to wait until 8:30 a.m. the next day to begin the search and rescue mission came under intense scrutiny in the days that followed. Police said it was un- safe to send a helicopter out across such a wide search area in dark and wet condi- tions on a moonless night. Their response was even- tually vindicated by a U.K. Coastguard commander com- missioned to investigate. His review, published in June, found “no major faults” with the police-led search and rescue effort, given air crew limitations, poor weather and the lack of a defined search area. The report came too late for Police Commissioner Baines, who had stepped down amid the furor around the incident. Critics of the police chief, including opposition legis- lators led by backbencher Bernie Bush, had seized on the incident as another ex- ample of what they described as mismanagement of the police force. Complaints lev- eled at the organization also included the theft of a large quantity of drugs from the police evidence locker and the hiring of a Jamaican armed officer who was later convicted of murder. Governor Helen Kilpatrick announced Mr. Baines’s de- parture in March, though she said there was no validity to the criticism. “The recent barrage of un- fair criticism and defamatory comments has undermined the commissioner’s authority to the extent that his lead- ership of the RCIPS is no longer tenable,” Governor Kil- patrick’s statement read. In an interview with the Compass as he prepared to leave the island in May, Mr. Baines said he was the victim of a baseless, politically mo- tivated smear campaign. “It was all an attempt to undermine, smear and create an unfortunate situation that meant I couldn’t do my job as commissioner,” he said. TOP STORIES 2 0 1 6 Children lost at sea in boat tragedy Police tow the boat that had been carrying the five missing boaters back to shore. The five on board were never found. Watson sent to prison, investigation stalls BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Canover Watson began serving a seven-year prison sentence in early February on charges of conspiracy to defraud, fraud on the gov- ernment, breach of trust and conflict of interest charges following a Grand Court ver- dict in the CarePay trial. Since his sentencing 10 months ago, there appears to have been little progress – at least publicly – on any follow-up investigations in relation to the Watson case. The CarePay investigation revealed how the local busi- nessman used his position on the Health Services Authority board to divert two contracts to business partners, skim- ming some US$350,000 for himself in the process. The Cayman Islands Anti- Corruption Commission has repeatedly declined to re- spond to questions regarding any ongoing investigations in the matter, even though hospital Chief Executive Liz- zette Yearwood has publicly stated in response to an open records request that such a probe was occurring. Grand Court Judge Mi- chael Mettyear, while ac- knowledging in February that Watson was not the only person involved in the con- spiracy to defraud the gov- ernment, said that Watson had played his part to the full extent. Justice Mettyear even ac- cepted that Watson’s busi- ness partner, former FIFA Vice President Jeffrey Webb, may have been the leader of the conspiracy to skim profits from the public health system swipe-card contract, known as the CarePay con- tract, but he said that did not excuse Watson’s key role in the scheme. “I’m satisfied, of the two, you are the cleverer,” the judge said, referring to Watson, in pronouncing his sentence. “The evidence against you was overwhelming. You conspired with Jeff Webb to steal money from the Cayman Islands gov- ernment. You were able to succeed because of your po- sition of power and trust as chairman of the Health Ser- vices Authority. You are a cer- tified accountant. Yet you be- haved shamelessly. You fooled a number of senior civil ser- vants and possibly a minister. You tried to fool the jury, al- though you failed.” The judge did not deny that Watson had performed a number of good works in the community during the past 10 years, for which he had re- ceived the Young Caymanian Leadership Award in 2007. However, in some ways, Jus- tice Mettyear said, that made the offenses of which Watson was convicted worse. “You had been an in- spiration to many young Caymanians,” Mr. Mettyear said. “What on earth must they think now?” Watson was sentenced to seven years on each of the first two counts of the in- dictment, which alleged con- spiracy to defraud. The addi- tional three charges carried another three-year sentence, but all of the terms were or- dered to run concurrently, which means Watson will spend a maximum of seven years in prison based on the court’s ruling. Appeal under way Watson, whose personal assets were stated at more than $3 million during his criminal trial, was granted legal aid to appeal his con- viction on fraud and cor- ruption charges. The Crown is seeking res- titution following Watson’s conviction for conspiracy to defraud the government, which involved a scheme to siphon millions of dol- lars from the public hospital system via its CarePay pa- tient swipe-card contract. An asset forfeiture order requiring Watson to produce certain financial information about his bank accounts and properties in Cayman was not complied with. Watson sought legal aid in May, stating that the Crown had frozen his Cayman Islands assets and that he had no way to pay for an attorney. In October, legal aid was granted, but Watson said his attorney, Amelia Fosuhene, had not been given sufficient time to review the matter. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran was incredulous as to why Watson, a qualified accoun- tant who once ran the fi- nancial services firm Ad- miral Administration, could not meet the requirements of the court. A date was tentatively set in February for the asset for- feiture matter. No date had been set for Watson’s appeal at year’s end. Canover Watson in February 2016, being led away from the Grand Court following his conviction on five of six counts against him. – PHOTO: MATT LAMERS TOP STORIES 2 0 1 6The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016 NEW YEAR SPECIAL 2-WEEK TRIAL PROGRAM INCLUDING UNIFORM FOR $49 CAYMAN KARATE ACADEMY 926 5425 CAYMANKARATEACADEMY@GMAIL.COM WWW.CAYMANKARATEACADEMY.COM FOCUS DISCIPLINE CONFIDENCE and behavior challenges … exited CIFEC for threatening behavior … transferred to al- ternate education. Did not graduate … attended Clifton Hunter escorted by prison of- ficers to complete exams. Did not graduate …. ” Of the 35 cases ana- lyzed by Mr. Myles, none of the boys has gradu- ated high school. So far, 13 of the youths who attended the home during the three-year pe- riod have gone on to face adult charges for further of- fenses, including burglary, assaulting police and at- tempted rape, according to Mr. Myles’s data. One has died, three are still in school and seven are still at Bo- naventure, where they typi- cally undergo a six-month to 12-month residential pro- gram before returning to mainstream education. He said the data is not an indictment of the home itself, but shows that the system is not working for at-risk youth, and earlier interven- tion is needed. Sydney Williams, gen- eral manager of the Chil- dren and Youth Services Foundation, known as the CAYS Foundation, which runs the home, does not dis- pute the figures, though he noted that the foundation is not usually informed when former residents are back be- fore the courts. He said the treatment program at Bonaventure is just one aspect of a “con- tinuum of care” that also in- volves social services and education. He added that many of the children, some of whom were truant for long periods before get- ting involved in crime and being admitted to the home, were already behind in their education when they got to Bonaventure. He said many made sig- nificant progress at the home but regressed when they returned to unstable family situations. “A high percentage of Bo- naventure residents are ei- ther not allowed to return to mainstream school or have aged out of the school system, which impacts the graduation numbers. Ad- ministrators have rejected the youths’ request to return to school based on past be- havior regardless of how much improvement they have made while at Bonaven- ture,” he said. He said the students re- ceive in-house instruc- tion from two qualified teachers and often make huge strides, though he ac- knowledged this does not currently lead to an accred- ited qualification, something he hopes to rectify by part- nering with the Ministry of Education. He accepts that some stu- dents do go on to be charged with further crimes. “Many factors were in- volved in these youth com- mitting crimes, which could range from not being allowed to return to school, failure to provide specialized educa- tion to meet the youth needs, parents’ inability to provide the type of structure that is necessary due to limited parenting skills or barriers to receiving needed ser- vices,” he said. Mr. Myles, a former house manager at Bonaventure and a manager at its predecessor, the Marine Institute, be- lieves many of the students thrive during their time at the home, but that there is not enough support to ensure a smooth transition back into the “real world.” He believes there should be a requirement for CAYS to keep more comprehensive data and to demonstrate pos- itive change for residents in the years after they leave the home. He believes his unoffi- cial tracking is currently the only data on the outcomes for past residents. “Success is not simply leaving Bonaventure,” he said. “If that is the only measure of success, then everyone was successful, no matter if they ended up in jail. We need to be looking at what happens to them afterwards: Did they graduate? Did they get any vocational qualifica- tion? Did they stay clear of drugs and crime?” The CAYS Founda- tion says it tracks the boys through its after-care pro- gram for six months and is working on extending this to a year, as well as adding a supervised living program for residents who have been discharged but are unable to return home. Mr. Williams says the home is working on partner- ships to link the boys to vo- cational training and appren- ticeships, but he emphasized that “treatment” at the home is just one part of the picture and more needs to be done to address the conditions the boys return to. Though Mr. Myles says he would like to see more ac- countability from the home and more quality assurance from government for the $2.2 million it allocates to the CAYS Foundation each year, he says the problem is not one that the boys home can fix on its own. “This is not an indictment of Bonaventure. As a country, we have not done enough,” he said. “You have kids that have been identified from pri- mary school as at-risk and we watch them go through the system and end up in the adult courts. “I can give you examples of children that I dealt with in the ‘90s as a young social worker and I am now dealing with their children. This is a multigenerational problem that has been neglected by successive governments for decades.” Whether through Bo- naventure or another en- tity, Mr. Myles believes in- tervention, including family therapy, must come earlier for the 100-plus children identified as at-risk for be- havioral reasons. Children are taken to Bonaventure only when they have committed a crime and come before the youth courts. By then it is often too late to make a change, he said. “I put these statistics to- gether to advocate for a di- version program. We have identified every child at risk in the school system, we know what the chal- lenges are, we know we have to help their parents. There are no resources allo- cated to do that. “We have real problems, but we are treating the symp- toms, we are not working with the families and fixing the homes.” He believes spending money earlier on family therapy, treating mental health issues, promoting self- control and teaching conflict management skills would save government money in the long run. A recent strategic review that looked at potentially bringing the CAYS Founda- tion into the Department of Child and Family Services outlined some similar con- cerns. The report notes that care plans were not being completed in all cases for children at Bonaventure, hin- dering the effectiveness of a child’s transition back into the mainstream. The report states, “The DCFS is not collecting data on the care planning pro- cess and, therefore, they are unable to properly examine it to determine its effective- ness and the corresponding impact on accountability. Without completed care plans, the likely consequence is that a child’s issues, as well as those that present in their families, are not ade- quately addressed. “There are no clear mech- anisms in place to ensure ef- fective care planning and, therefore, a child could be discharged back into the a harmful environment thereby exposing the community to further dysfunction and anti- social behavior.” It also highlights that Bo- naventure has hired two ed- ucators in an effort to fill a gap in the system, but there is no approved education plan for children at the home. “To date, a service level agreement which outlines the roles and responsibilities of both entities when it comes to educating this group of children has not been signed by CAYS or the Ministry of Education.” Orthopedic Association, has performed more than 4,000 orthopedic surgeries in his career, according to a press release from the hospital. He works with Dr. Ni- ranjan Nagaraja, Health City’s senior orthopedic sur- geon, who joined the hos- pital this year and who started the hip arthroscopy program at Health City. While many of the sur- geries and procedures have been routine, there were some more challenging cases, including a revision hip re- placement for a patient with excessive bone growth in the muscles surrounding his hip and two cases of people who were in car accidents and had multiple bone fractures. Dr. Almeida also recalled the case of a 90-year-old woman with pneumonia and atrial fibrillation who suf- fered a hip fracture. “It was a very high-risk surgery,” he said in the press release. The patient, who was transported to Health City by air ambulance, was the second orthopedic trauma case from Turks and Caicos. “Traditionally, the Caribbean is known to airlift these pa- tients to the U.S. or Colombia, but we are now getting these cases to Cayman, which is a major shift in practice,” said Dr. Almeida. The hospital regu- larly sees patients from throughout the Carib- bean, Latin America and North America. CUBA’S ECONOMY SHRINKS 1 PERCENT DESPITE DETENTE WITH US HAVANA (AP) – Cuba an- nounced that its economy shrank this year for the first time in nearly a quarter century as a plunge in aid from Ven- ezuela overwhelmed a surge in tourism set off by detente with the United States. Economy Minister Ri- cardo Cabrisas and Presi- dent Raul Castro told Par- liament that the island’s gross domestic product fell nearly 1 percent after seeing average annual growth rate of nearly 3 percent in 2011-2015. Cabrisas blamed the slump on Venezuela’s troubles and a decrease in revenue from Cuba’s few exports, which in- clude sugar, refined gas- oline and nickel, whose price has dropped in recent years. “In spite of the drop in GDP, the free social services that our popu- lation enjoys have been preserved, defying pre- dictions that the Cuban economy would col- lapse and upsetting blackouts would re- turn,” Castro said. The two men spoke to Cuba’s rubber-stamp Na- tional Assembly, which also passed a law an- nounced by Castro last month banning public memorials to his brother Fidel, the revolutionary leader who died on Nov. 25 at age 90. The last time official figures showed a fall in Cuba’s gross domestic product was in 1993 after the Soviet Union col- lapsed, abruptly stripping away much of the island’s aid and trade. Data: Bleak outcomes for Bonaventure boys CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 500 orthopedic surgeries done at Health City CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Surgeons at Health City Cayman Islands have carried out 500 orthopedic surgeries since the hospital began operating in 2014. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYNext >