DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER TO VOTE ELECTION 2017 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 6 to 8 feet with higher swells likely. Small craft warning is in effect. High of 78 Low of 70 SPORTS | PAGE 19 PRIMARY FOOTBALL LEAGUE: SCHOOLS EDGE CLOSER TO SEMIFINAL SPOTS EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 FINDING YOUR VOICE IN 2017 7 ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017 183224-Ad-MC-Generic-Man-FrntPgBanner-1.5x6col-Compass.indd 11/6/17 10:47 AM Opposition MLAs question boxing giveaway BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Complimentary tickets for Saturday’s Is- land Rumble – attended by Philippines boxing legend Manny Pacquiao – were being handed out Friday at the Progressives Bodden Town MLA office, according to text messages sent around last week. The text of the message sent Friday read: “Hello everyone, Happy New Year!!! Tickets for Legend Boxer Manny Pacquaio [sic] will be available at the MLA office tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 6. It is on a first-come, first-served basis so please let us know immediately. The tickets will be provided complimentary by Minister Osbourne Bodden and Minister Wayne Panton.” Opposition independent MLA Alva Suckoo, also a Bodden Town representa- tive, said Friday that he was “disappointed” in the government for offering the tickets and “playing politics” with the event. “I recognize that it is election time,” Mr. Suckoo said. “If the Progressives feel this sort of stuff is to their advantage, then they should go right ahead. Boxing tickets do not educate children or feed families. I know they will say it’s ‘sour grapes’ but clearly this was unethical at best. Public funds were used for this event and somehow someone got the idea it was for the benefit of the Progressives.” The Ministry of District Administration, Tourism and Transport provided a monetary sponsorship for the Island Rumble event, pay- able to the Cayman Mardi Gras company that organized it. According to the invoice obtained through the Freedom of Information Law, $10,000 has been paid for the sponsorship and another $10,000 was due. According to event organizer Mat- thew Leslie, around 20 to 30 complimentary tickets were given to each of the sponsors, in- cluding the government. GOV’T WARNED ABOUT FIRE TRUCK ROLLOVERS IN 2005 BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Fire Service was warned in October 2005 about the poten- tial for its fire engines to tip over at rela- tively low turning speeds, the Cayman Com- pass can reveal. The warning came after a police investiga- tion of a rollover accident involving a T-2500 model fire engine at Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport in January 2005. Police Constable Michael Caputo, a Royal Cayman Islands Police Service accident recon- structionist at the time, wrote a memo to the fire service’s aerodrome division on Oct. 17, WOMAN ARRESTED AT POLICE SHOOTING SCENE A woman arrested Friday at the scene of a deadly police shooting has been accused of assisting an il- legal immigrant to remain in the Cayman Islands. The illegal immigrant, Norval Barrett of Jamaica, was shot dead by police after he came out of a Windsor Park-area apartment with a loaded gun. The arrest marks the latest in sev- eral recent high-profile cases involving illegal landers. For the full story, see page 3. SHOEMAKER WELLESLEY HOWELL CELEBRATES 102ND BIRTHDAY JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com One of Cayman’s oldest res- idents and certainly its oldest shoemaker, Wellesley Howell, celebrated his 102nd birthday on Saturday, playing dominoes with family and friends at the South Sound Civic Centre. An excellent domino player and lover of the game, Mr. Howell dropped six-love on his opponents with the help of domino partner Rene Barnes. For those who know the game, placing a six-love win on oppo- nents is the ultimate goal. Mr. Howell, a shoemaker and saxophone player who has shared his love of music and his craft with Cayman residents for many years, continues to work Stormy weather hits Cayman High waves surge over the ironshore in downtown George Town as a cold front hit Grand Cayman on Sunday, with temperatures that dropped to the low 70s. The weather system also brought strong winds and showers throughout Grand Cayman, as well as rough seas with wave heights of 7-10 feet. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Wellesley Howell turned 102 on Jan. 7. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017 • 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 - UNDERWORLD: (R) BLOOD WARS 3D 1:30 | 4:15 2D | 7:30 | 10:10 2D PASSENGERS 3D (PG13) 1:00 | 3:50 2D | 7:00 | 9:40 2D ROGUE ONE 3D (PG13) 12:50 2D | 3:05 | 6:50 2D | 9:35 SING 3D (PG) 12:30 | 3:45 2D | 7:00 | 9:50 2D FENCES (PG13) 3:30 | 9:40 ASSASSIN’S CREED (PG13) 1:20 | 4:00 | 7:15 | 10:00 MOANA (PG) 12:45 Cayman experiences driest year on record KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Grand Cayman experi- enced the driest and one of the hottest years on re- cord in 2016, according to the Cayman Islands National Weather Service. Data from Owen Rob- erts International Airport in- dicated rainfall at less than half the 30-year average of 56.2 inches. With 27.98 inches of rain, 2016 beat the previous record low of 35.61 inches set in 1997. National Weather Service Director John Tibbetts said only January beat the av- erage, thanks in part to a cold front that moved through the island late in the month. “The interesting part about it is, when we look at the annual rainfall pattern, no month (after January) was right, right, right. Every month was a bit under the average,” he said. “I’m sure the farmers had a lot of pressure on watering their crops.” He did not expect the dry trend to continue through 2017. Mr. Tibbetts anticipates a possible La Nina effect this year, but noted it is still too early to predict the influence of El Nino or La Nina weather. “I think we are going to resort back to what would be the norm, closer to 50 inches of rainfall,” he said. In contrast, rainfall in Cayman Brac beat the Sister Island’s average by 4.14 inches, reaching 37.98 inches. Mr. Tibbetts attributed the difference in part to rainfall that hit the island in August from Hurricane Earl. While the storm passed south of Grand Cayman, its northern tip reached Cayman Brac. Temperatures on both Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac beat the 30-year av- erage. Grand Cayman had an average temperature of 83.1 Fahrenheit, 1.3F above av- erage. However, the number did not break the record high of 83.2F set in 2002-2003. Cayman Brac con- tinued its upward tempera- ture trend at 83.9F, or 0.3F above average. White-collar boxers raise cash for charity JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A father whose son was born with a heart condition got in the boxing ring Sat- urday to raise money for a new charity that helps fund medical expenses for Cayman residents who have to spend a long time overseas in med- ical emergencies. James Burch, a partner at Walkers, laced up his gloves to fight Logan Chinoy of the Cayman Fight Factory in the opening bout of the Is- land Rumble on Saturday, with boxing legend Manny Pacquiao in attendance. The white-collar bout was declared a tie. Mr. Burch helped raise $10,000 for Hart for Hearts. which helps families with ex- penses associated with get- ting overseas medical care. “It is a little gesture,” he said, “a drop in the ocean re- ally, but it is something I’m really pleased with.” Mr. Burch said the cause is close to his heart. “My first son was born in Cayman. He had a heart problem and had to be evacu- ated as soon as he was born. We had insurance issues and ran out of money, and a couple of charities stepped in [and] helped us. “We were lucky. Our son had open heart surgery and pulled through.” He said he had been looking for a chance to give back, and fighting on the Island Rumble card to raise money for Hart for Hearts seemed like the ideal opportunity. Ben Hart set up the charity in November 2015 to raise money to help Cayman Islands families with finan- cial expenses, outside of medical treatment, associated with medical emergencies. “My wife and I had a child born with a rare congenital heart defect and we were off island for three months and suffered significant fi- nancial losses as a result,” he said. “We knew there were a number of Cayman families in similar sit- uations that weren’t as fortunate as us. “The idea of the charity is for us to acknowledge there is a problem and to raise awareness and funding and help those families.” He said the Island Rumble, which attracted more than 3,000 specta- tors, helped raise the profile of the charity. Mr. Burch said he had fought at a couple of previous boxing nights, but nothing on the scale of Saturday’s event. “It was a good fight and the perfect result. We both fought as hard as we could and got a draw at the end, shook hands and raised some money for charity. For two guys like us to fight at a show like this is a life- changing experience. “I’m retired now, I’ll take the draw, go home and thank you very much,” Mr. Burch said. Mr. Chinoy said he too en- joyed the fight and thanked his opponent for the opportu- nity to be involved. “His story is very in- spiring to me,” he added. SIX CLIMBERS DEAD, FOUR RESCUED AT GUATEMALA VOLCANO GUATEMALA CITY (AP) – Six Guatemalan climbers have died while hiking up the Acatenango volcano during a cold snap, and two others are injured, au- thorities said. The head of Guate- mala’s national disaster committee, Sergio Ca- banas, said Sunday that a 23-year-old man and two women aged 19 and 21 suffered hypo- thermia. The disaster committee said Monday that three other bodies had been found. The climbers were ap- parently members of two separate groups. Authori- ties were alerted by a cell- phone call from the peak and began the rescue operation Sunday. Cabanas said four other climbers who also got in trouble were being brought down the volcano and were receiving med- ical care. About 60 rescue personnel were partici- pating in the effort. The bodies were being housed at an impro- vised morgue on the vol- cano’s slopes. The 13,050-foot high Acatenango volcano west of Guatemala City is one of the area’s biggest tourist attractions. Authorities are encour- aging people not to scale volcanic peaks in the area during the current cold snap, which is expected to last several more days. CUBA, US SIGN DEAL ON OIL-SPILL PREVENTION HAVANA (AP) – Cuba and the United States have signed an accord on preventing and cleaning up oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Straits. Monday’s agreement is another step in the Obama Administration’s efforts to solidify its legacy of normal- ization with Cuba before a Republican administration takes over. The agreement calls on both countries to es- tablish a bilateral operations plan in the event of a spill or other pollution in wa- ters they share. The Cuban and the U.S. Coast Guard already coop- erate over migration and drug enforcement in the Ca- ribbean, coordinating inter- diction and control efforts and sharing information over activity in the waters of the Florida Straits. Both sides say the coor- dination is crucial to mini- mizing the effects of potential pollution in the Caribbean to both countries. James Burch, right, fights Logan Chinoy at the Island Rumble on Saturday night to raise funds for Hart for Hearts. Hart for Hearts founder Ben Hart, second from right, with Lester Purvis, Ryan Charles and Logan Chinoy at Saturday’s event. – PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017 Woman arrested at police shooting scene High-profile crimes highlight illegal landers BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A George Town woman was arrested early Friday at the scene where armed Ja- maican suspect Norval Bar- rett was shot and killed by police, the Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service con- firmed Monday. The woman, 34, was taken into custody on suspi- cion of knowingly assisting an illegal immigrant to re- main in the Cayman Islands. She was released on police bail to report back at a later date, police said. Barrett, also 34, who was believed to have been in the Cayman Islands ille- gally since before Christmas, was being sought on an ar- rest warrant Friday when police said he came out of a Windsor Park-area apart- ment with a loaded gun. Police officers shot and killed Barrett. An independent review of the in- cident by Bermudian officers began Sunday. Local police had been seeking Barrett, who they be- lieved had returned to the Cayman Islands illegally. He was deported after serving a sentence for a 2011 robbery, and officers warned the public he was believed to be armed and dangerous. Police did not state how Barrett came to be in Cayman again, but officers believe he was being assisted by some members of the community. Barrett’s case is one of a number of incidents re- ported in recent months in- volving illegal migrants who have been allowed to remain in Cayman, even when sus- pected of serious criminal ac- tivity committed here or in another jurisdiction. In December, two Jamaican men were each sen- tenced to four years in prison for robbing a Savannah cash transfer business. Paul Martin and Ro- mario Codner had arrived in Cayman with “a group of men” on a boat from Jamaica, intending at first to meet with another boat offshore to deliver “some stuff.” The other craft did not show up, according to ac- counts the men gave police which were heard in court, and because they did not have enough fuel on their own boat to return to Ja- maica, they were forced to land in Cayman. The court heard that the men took up residence in an abandoned house, and a few days later, the food ran out and the elec- tricity was turned off. It was shortly after that the Aug. 12, 2016 robbery oc- curred at D&D Accessories and Things, which housed a money transfer kiosk, the court heard. In an unrelated case from 2016, a senior Cayman Is- lands immigration officer was charged with knowingly assisting in an illegal landing. Jeannie Lewis, 57, faces the charges in connection with a police raid at her Sa- vannah-area home on Aug. 25, during which an illegally landed Bahamian man was arrested. That case remains before the courts. Child abuse investigators still face internal inquiry JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three police officers are still facing an internal dis- ciplinary inquiry over an in- vestigation into allegations of sexual abuse by an 11-year- old girl. The inquiry has been inexplicably sidelined for 18 months. The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service an- nounced last week that a U.K. team has been recruited to review and reform the Family Support Unit in the after- math of the investigation, condemned by a judge as “grossly incompetent.” The decision followed an internal audit that identi- fied 16 other cases involving domestic abuse or child abuse, which were found to be “in varying degrees of completion,” according to a spokeswoman A police spokeswoman said the internal audit and the recruitment of the U.K. investigators were separate from the disciplinary inquiry into officers in the Family Support Unit. “A disciplinary investi- gation is still ongoing into the actions of the investi- gating officer in the case, as well as two supervising offi- cers,” she said. The officers have been moved to different roles as the investigation continues. It emerged during a trial last year that officers in the unit had taken 18 months to follow up on a report from the 11-year-old girl who claimed she had been sexu- ally abused by older relatives. The officer who took notes on the girl’s first interview also lost those notes. Justice Timothy Owen said the “wholly unexplained and inexcusable delays” and the “truly lamentable” quality of the police response had harmed the chances of jus- tice for both the child and her alleged abusers. Both men were found not guilty in September. Three U.K. officers, with extensive expertise in child abuse investigations, were brought in last week to help clear a backlog of cases identified in the internal audit of the Family Support Unit, which was ordered in the wake of the case. Though the officers have been recruited on a short- term basis, their report will seek to identify long-term solutions for the unit, the spokeswoman said. Lack of experienced officers to handle a growing case load is understood to be a key issue. “The new commissioner of police is undertaking an organization-wide as- sessment as one of his first tasks in his new role, and the critical shortage of re- sources in the Family Sup- port Unit will be addressed within that context,” the spokeswoman said. The internal audit is not being released publicly at this point, though police plan to release the final offi- cial report of the U.K. inves- tigating team. The new officers will also help clear a backlog of cases. “The audit initially iden- tified 16 cases involving do- mestic abuse or child abuse, in varying degrees of com- pletion, which appear to require further investiga- tion. This is only an initial figure, which could be re- vised up or down,” the police spokeswoman said. “The new officers will de- termine more concretely the status of these as well as other cases in the FSU case load, and will work with FSU police officers to clear the backlog while en- suring victim care and ac- cess to justice. “The governor has been informed of the findings of the audit, and is in sup- port of the current review. The audit itself was gen- erated for internal briefing purposes, and contains in- formation about individual cases that is not suited for publication. “The review will de- fine in more concrete terms the scope and nature of the problem as well as the number of potentially af- fected cases. The findings of this review will be shared with the media at the end of the officers’ tenure.” Butterfield donates $5K to Feed Our Future The management and staff of Butterfield Bank Cayman Ltd. have donated $5,000 to Cayman nonprofit Feed Our Future. Stacey VanDevelde, chair- woman of Feed Our Future, said the money helps the or- ganization to provide healthy meals to children in need in the community. She thanked the manage- ment and staff of the bank for their generosity and “for enabling us to share more meals with children in need. Together we are making a difference in a child’s life.” Sean Lee, Butterfield head of retail banking, said the staff chose the charity and were pleased to have raised enough money over the holidays to feed up to five primary school-aged children for one year. “Too often, the only sub- stantial meal that the chil- dren we support receive is a school lunch,” said Ms. VanDevelde. She said as children re- turn to school this month, having enough nutri- tion to live up to their full potential is key. Butterfield staff present the donation to Feed Our Future. RCIPS officers at Friday’s deadly shooting of a firearms suspect. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLERThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS To the right of today’s editorial appears a letter to the editor, originally published in the Jamaica Observer, by eminent Jamaican entrepreneur Gordon “Butch” Stewart, whose business interests include the Sandals and Beaches resorts, Appliance Traders and the Observer newspaper. Some of our readers might assume that we are republishing the letter because it details the personal and positive relationship between Mr. Stewart and U.S. President- elect Donald J. Trump. While that is of note, our underlying reason for reprinting Mr. Stewart’s letter is not its content – but rather because the letter indicates a prominent busi- nessman’s willingness to speak out on an issue of importance … and sign his name to his words. Put another way, Mr. Stewart’s letter demonstrates a necessary component of a healthy democracy. It’s one thing for a people to claim they have free speech, but it’s meaningless if they do not exercise it. Far too often in the Cayman Islands (in fact, we’d call it the norm), our community’s leading citizens are reluctant, if not invisible, when it comes to engaging in public discussion on major topics facing our country. While any individual who wishes to refrain from entering the public arena is within their rights to do so, Cayman’s phenomenon appears to be based not so much on a desire to remain silent, but on a fear of speaking out. For example, when the Cayman Compass was brought under its current ownership more than three years ago, we changed our editorial polices to insist that writers sign their real names to all letters and web comments to be considered for publication. Incoming missives declined dramatically. (An aside: Our editorials reflect the official stance of the Compass editorial board and so do not carry any single individual’s name. However, if you want to know where the buck ultimately stops, look no further than publisher and editor-in-chief David R. Legge.) Particularly for our leaders (and here we are not referring to our “political leaders”), it is a civic respon- sibility to register their positions on public issues – publicly. When the best, brightest and most successful people are not leading the public debate, others of less stature and accomplishment jump in to fill that rhe- torical vacuum and threaten to steer the course of the country in less-than-desirable directions. We are continually astonished – and even at times a little bit flattered – when leaders in the commu- nity compliment us privately on the editorial posi- tions we take in this space. A not-atypical response is, “That needed to be said; keep up the good work.” We can assert with certainty that we fully intend to. However, a bit of public support, as opposed to private whispers, from leaders in the business community and the community at large would be welcome – certainly not for our sake but for the sake of the country. Being a country predicated upon business nego- tiations, there is still a belief in Cayman that most problems can be solved “behind closed doors.” Often, that’s true. But not always. We have found that the best antiseptic for a social illness is exposing it to sunlight. Airing issues in the pages of the Compass is a shortcut to solving problems, skipping over back-room wrangling, back- and-forth arguments and interminable judicial pro- ceedings. Put something in the newspaper – and things happen. But the shortcut only works if people are willing to take that route. That means putting your name on your observations and opinions. If you want to own your country, you have to own your own words. Finding your voice in 2017 A New Year of great possibilities … and no need to fear Trump We here in Jamaica and the Caribbean are about to embark on a New Year, one which offers extraordi- nary opportunities and pos- sibilities for those who dare to dream big. I would like to encourage all of our countrymen to reach out with both arms stretched wide for a future filled with hope, a chance for new beginnings and the range of opportuni- ties available to us in mea- sures I believe have never been seen before. I am aware that many among us are labouring with fear and apprehension about the new United States President-elect Donald Trump. I, personally, think a Trump Administration will be great for all of us. I have known him since the 1990s and our paths have con- tinued to cross. While he, like all of us, has his faults, a great many of the things the mainstream media say about him are just not true. The Donald Trump I know is by no means crazy, prejudiced or a bigot. He is probably the most patri- otic, nationalistic American I have ever met. He is always engaging and respectful. He is a well traveled individual from New York and someone I regard as a highly interna- tional man. He is not a pol- itician and so he does not polish his words as well as a seasoned politician would. Instead, he shoots from the hip and says it like it is. I believe he means to do the best he can for the United States and that he will be good for Jamaica and the Caribbean region. Each time that I met him I found him to have a tremen- dous respect for our region. He was particularly very inquisitive about Jamaica and always wanted to know about life in our country. In a historic gesture, within the first week after the elec- tion, Vice President-elect Mike Pence called our Prime Minister Andrew Holness. That immediate, warm, wel- coming telephone call is a signal that this new U.S. Ad- ministration intends to keep Jamaica in its focus. It can be argued that anybody who is as suc- cessful as Mr. Trump is has to be extremely talented. As a major developer in Man- hattan, he faces a multitude of conflicts, political games and bureaucracy on a daily basis that by overcoming, shows his genius. I really do not think there is anything to fear about his presidency. In fact, I be- lieve he will end up being one of the best American presidents ever. In the recent U.S. elections, Mr. Trump heard a voice that no one else did and his fellow Americans responded. For that he was rewarded and elected as president and commander-in-chief. It is the kind of presidency that the world needs now. When America has robust economic growth, the world grows. Right now, the continued low growth is not enough to drive the global economy. In my view, the Jamaican economy will benefit greatly from his Administration and I believe that a lot of people are going to be surprised at the results he will achieve. I have been struck by the fact that he is a man of convic- tion and that comes across in all his conversations. The amount of work he has done since his election is an indi- cation of the kind of presi- dent he will be. Jamaicans are a tal- ented, hard-working and op- timistic people and, as we start the New Year 2017, we must have a mind to grasp the possibilities that will come our way. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope that 2017 will be your best year yet. And I hope, like everyone else, that Jamaica reaps the much-needed prosperity for all our citizens who deserve so much better than the de- cades of low or no growth. All that is good. Hon Gordon “Butch” Stewart, OJ, CD Originally published in the Jamaica Observer I believe [Donald J. Trump] means to do the best he can for the United States and that he will be good for Jamaica and the Caribbean region. Each time that I met him I found him to have a tremendous respect for our region. 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” This 2009 Jamaica Observer photo shows Jamaican businessman Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart and now-U.S. President-elect Donald J. Trump at the Miss Universe Pageant in the Bahamas. - PHOTO: JOSEPH WELLINGTONCAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017 The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 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. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 11 BOOKENDS CLUB: Meets 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Books & Books. All are invited to join in discussion of “Bengal Nights.” MONDAY, JAN. 16 VOTER REGISTRATION: Caymanians who want to participate in the next general election have until midnight tonight to register to vote. Contact the Elections Office, second floor Smith Road Center, 150 Smith Road. Check website www.electionsoffice.ky for documents needed or call 949-8047. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INVESTMENT: The DCI office, including its Business Licensing Counter on the first floor of the Government Administration Building, will close at 3 p.m. for a staff meeting. The main office will reopen on Thursday, Jan. 19, at 8:30 a.m., and the counter will reopen at 9 a.m. For more information, call 945-0943 or email info@dci.gov.ky. THURSDAY, JAN. 19 LITTLE CAYMAN: Vehicle Licensing visit, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Little Cayman District Office. FRIDAY, JAN. 20 CHRISTMAS TREE DISPOSAL: Last day to drop off natural Christmas trees for recycling. Containers to collect discarded Christmas trees are at Ed Bush Stadium in West Bay, George Town cricket field, Spotts dock and the southern entrance to Frank Sound Road. Mulching takes place Jan. 21. For further information, contact DEH’s Solid Waste unit at 949-8793. SATURDAY, JAN. 21 BURNS SUPPER: Celebrating poet Robbie Burns, this event is hosted by HospiceCare, supported by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, at Grand Old House. The evening will include a piper, four-course formal dinner with wine and whisky, speeches and Scottish dancing. Cost per person is $150. Tickets can be purchased from HospiceCare office at Trafalgar Place (above Duke’s), West Bay Road, For further information, contact chc@candw.ky or 945-7447. BRAC SOCK HOP: National Trust of Cayman Brac District Committee presents the annual sock hop fundraiser 6 p.m. to midnight, Public Beach. For more information, contact aloha@candw.ky. GENERAL INTEREST IMMIGRATION BOARDS: 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: Members will hold their first meeting of the year on Jan. 12. 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. Local media will carry 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. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards, etc., in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The Thrift Shop 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. 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. 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. Email 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. 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. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. For more information, call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail. com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-Step Recovery Group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Mondays, 7 p.m. For details, contact Virginia Castillo at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at the Catboat Club clubhouse, North Church Street. All are invited to attend. For more information, call 924-4170 or email info@adacayman.com. TOASTMASTERS CLUB: Cayman has three chapters of Toastmasters International, geared toward development of public speaking and leadership skills. Grand Cayman club meets at George Town Public Library, 3rd floor, 6-7:15 p.m. every Thursday. Eloquent Speaker club meets 2nd and 4th Tuesday 6:30–7:45 p.m. at Savannah United Church Hall. Eminent Orators club meets 2nd and 4th Monday 6–7:30 p.m. at Cayman Academy Canteen. Contact George R. Ebanks at 916-0687/322-9369 or georger.ebanks@gmail.com. ROTARACT BLUE OF CAYMAN: Meets Wednesdays 6 p.m., at Royal Palms Beach Club, West Bay Road. Contact rotaractblue@gmail.com or check www.rotaractblue.org. LEO CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 6:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, contact Secretary Letisha Allen 924-2819. THE LIONS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets every first and third Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, email LionsClubGCM@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Elizabethan Square (corner unit next to the MLA’s office). Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. For more information, check website at www.rotarysunrise.ky or contact info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at Britannia Golf Course Restaurant. Projects include promoting well- being of children in the community and schools. For more information, email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. OPTIMIST CLUB: Meets first and third Thursdays at the Hibiscus Conference Room, George Town Hospital at 6:30 p.m. Email optimistcayman@yahoo.com. THE MODEL AIRPLANE FLYING CLUB: Meets Sundays 2 p.m. at the J. Bodden Marlpit/Old Raceway. Call 916–2327 for more information. PARENT AND TODDLER PLAY GROUP: For children from 2 weeks to 4 years. Meets Mondays 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the South Sound Community Centre. Children must be accompanied by parent or helper. Toys, activities, light refreshments provided. $6 per session per family. For information, email sspg@foxwood.ky. HEARTS THROUGH HANDS: Meets Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to noon at The Family Life Centre, Room 10, Academy Way. Women make crafts for charity and missions. For information, call 946–3067 or 947–1863. THE WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTRE: Breastfeeding Clinics every Thursday 10 a.m.- noon in the Women’s Health Centre. No appointments, no fees. Phone 244–2649. CAYMAN BRIDGE CLUB: Meets Tuesdays 7 p.m. at Comfort Suites, West Bay Road; Fridays, 9 a.m. at the Rugby Club. For further information, contact Helen Haines at 947-3217 or Alex Wood at 947-3693. BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CLUB: Meets third Wednesday of every month, Governors Square Boardroom at 5:30 p.m. Visit www.facebook.com/ BPWGrandCayman. BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUP: MothertoMother meetings first Tuesday of every month, 3-4 p.m. outside Women’s Health Centre at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Children welcome. Contact Women’s Health Centre at 244-2649. LIFE UNDERWRITERS ASSOCIATION: Advises all members that the monthly meeting luncheon is held on the last Thursday of each month. YBPW: Meets every third Monday of each month at the Woman’s Resource Centre. SERVICES EL MINISTERIO HISPANO: de la Iglesia Bautista Cayman Islands te hace una cordial invitación a nuestro culto en español cada Domingo, 6:30 p.m., Pedro Castle Road, Savannah. Para transporte, llamar al teléfono no. 946-2422, email: cibaptist@candw.ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The Cayman Islands National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. To book a tour, call 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days West Bay TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS In the Jan. 11, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Com- pass, West Bay correspondent Leila Yates wrote: “James Anthony Bodden, son of Mr. and Mrs. Austin Bodden of West Bay, happily celebrate[d] his birthday on the 4th. “Returning to her old home has been Mrs. Iris Rivers, who now resides in the U.S. with her two granddaughters, Sabrina and Joyce, from Jamaica. “Mrs. Rivers left here 21 years ago, and made a few short visits in that time. They spent a very enjoyable Christmas holiday with relatives, and she is very much impressed with the improvements in the is- land. Mrs. Rivers is buying land here and may become a Cay- manian again. They left on the 7th for Jamaica. “Mr. Allenby Bodden is here visiting relatives. He left here 24 years ago, and thinks the island has made great improvements. He will be here for a fortnight, having arrived on the 3rd. “Mr. Norman Ebanks and son Jeffrey left on the 6th for their home in Port Arthur, having spent one week with their rela- tives. Leaving the same day were Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ebanks for New York. “Capt. Thomas Henning called in here on the Inagua Waver on his way to Jamaica on the 31st. He and his wife happily cele- brated their 23rd wedding Anni- versary on the 1st. “Mr. Woosley Ebanks left on the 7th for a job, having legal admission. “Mrs. Mary Purdue and her son Charles spent 2 weeks with her relatives and returned to the U.S. on the 6th. “Messrs. Blandford Banks, Cardell Powery and Sherdon Smith returned to the U.S. on the 6th. “Miss Anna Dean Powery returned on the 7th to Ja- maica to resume her studies at Shortwood College. “Messrs. George Ebanks of North West Point and Davis Borden arrived on the 8th from the U.S. “We regret to report the death of Gladston Hydes, 35 years of age, which occurred on the 8th at the hospital. He had been ailing for quite a while, and was treated by doctors in Ja- maica but they could not help. Surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dudley Hydes, his wife Nora, two sons and three daugh- ters, two brothers and one sister. The funeral was conducted by Pastor Fossie Arch in the Church of God and his body laid to rest in the West Bay Cemetery.” 50 YEARS AGO Iris Rivers and Allenby Bodden welcomed home Reading buddies rewarded with field trip The first term of The Ritz- Carlton Buddy Reading pro- gram at West Bay’s Sir John A. Cumber Primary School wrapped up last month with a celebratory field trip to the resort. The school’s buddy reading program, in its eighth year, has been instru- mental in contributing to the improved reading levels and motivation of the stu- dents involved. The 17 students in the program visited The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman on Dec. 14, touring the prem- ises and participating in a gingerbread cookie deco- rating challenge with their reading buddies, a press release states. The event was coordi- nated by Kristen Ford, human resources manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, and Sir John A. Cumber teacher and library resources coordinator Annette Vaughan. “It was an experience that they will long cherish,” said Ms. Vaughan. On arrival, the stu- dents made their way to the Santa and His Elves work- shop and Christmas tree dis- plays that were made en- tirely of chocolate, then along with their buddies rolled up their sleeves to come up with their own gingerbread creations. Four of the stu- dents were rewarded for the most creative, most fash- ionable, most “Christmassy” and the funniest ginger- bread decorations. The students had good things to say about the overall experience. “It was really fun to learn about [the workshop] and the time it took them to make it. It was beautiful,” said Brooklyn Ebanks. Paige Powery-Livingston said, “I liked the ginger bread decorating contest, [and] I liked the experience and the ballroom,” she said. “It was fancy there. I also liked the Christmas display in the lobby.” Student Tessanne Hull liked decorating the ginger- bread man cookies. “And buddy reading is fun and fantastic,” she added. Germaine Webster and Arianna McKayle also liked decorating the cookies and spending time together with their reading buddies. “It was fun decorating, I enjoyed myself,” said Shante Hydes. “Thanks for allowing us to go and we are wishing you a happy New Year.” Four of the students were rewarded for the most creative, most fashionable, most “Christmassy” and the funniest gingerbread decorations. Brooklyn Ebanks, with her reading buddy Maricor Pintal, gets ready to decorate. Student Alexi Levy decorates cookies with her reading buddy Aneike Wilson. Paige Livingston Powery decorates a gingerbread man with her reading buddy Emily Gardner.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days West Bay CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017 Cayman Turtle Centre exhibits mark some milestones A recent bulletin from Cayman Turtle Centre terres- trial exhibits curator Geddes Hislop outlined many new developments at the facility over the past few months. In bird news, one young peahen born in late June, 2016, has joined the pea- fowl flock, bringing the total number of peafowl on the la- goon islands up to six (two peacocks and four peahens). The two peacocks, “Big Blue” and “Snowflake,” having shed their display trains back in May 2016, are begin- ning to regrow their display tail feathers in preparation for the upcoming breeding season which takes place around March. “Terrestrial staff still have a small collection of colorful peacock feathers from their last molt to use as giveaway souvenirs for children vis- iting the Aviary – the blue feathers are definitely more popular,” said Mr. Hislop. Pigeon release At the Turtle Centre’s Ca- ribbean Aviary, as reported in the Compass, this summer, the terrestrial department had its most successful white-crowned pigeon re- lease since the program began in 2008. In November, 30 healthy captive-bred ju- veniles were introduced into the wild in two sepa- rate releases. “An increase in the number of breeder [white- crowned pigeons] from five to nine breeding pairs, cou- pled with closely moni- toring and managing the size of the Aviary flock so as not to overstress the facil- ity’s carrying capacity, con- tributed to a significantly higher number of [pigeon] clutches being produced,” said Mr. Hislop. “[White-crowned pigeons] normally raise one clutch of two chicks per season, but this year some of our breeding pairs raised two to three clutches.” Mr. Hislop added that in 2016, for the first time, park visitors were given the op- portunity to participate. For the second release of 14 birds, a draw was held to pick the participants who were given a short informa- tive talk on the birds and the park’s release program be- fore being handed a bird to release, in an undertaking closely supervised by Ter- restrial staff. “The initiative was so well received that it may well be- come the new standard for next year’s [white-crowned pigeon] releases, as opposed to the traditional ‘soft’ release method of simply opening the cage door and allowing the birds to leave on their own accord,” said Mr. Hislop. Parrot triplets He noted as well that the captive-bred Cayman parrot triplets hatched in mid-May 2016, are now fully weaned and independent from their parents, and are getting a lot of flight experience and ex- ercise, playing and chasing each other around the Aviary, to the delight of guests. The triplets are slated for release into the wild in late January or early February 2017 when they are nine to 10 months old, with the date set to be announced soon. “The Centre will collabo- rate with the Department of Environment to highlight this upcoming parrot release and encourage community in- volvement to bring more at- tention to the conservation of our National Bird,” said Mr. Hislop, adding that the upcoming release will bring the total number of the Cen- tre’s captive-bred Cayman parrots introduced into the wild to 12 since the program began in 2009. Scarlet ibis As also reported in the Compass, in July 2016, the terrestrial department ac- quired two female scarlet ibis from Sea World in Cali- fornia, USA. Terrestrial staff are hopeful that in coming months the birds, which were already proven breeders at Sea World, will bond with the Centre’s two male birds, “Ziggy” and “Bobo,” for the 2017 breeding season in March, and produce the Cen- tre’s first scarlet ibis chicks. Crocodile feedings With the winter sea- son’s shorter, cooler days, Mr. Hislop said, Smiley the croco- dile’s metabolism has slowed to the point where her feed- ings are being held just once per week, on Wednesdays at 11:45 a.m. until further notice. “The Friday afternoon croc enrichment activity will also be more sporadic depending on weather and Smiley’s re- activeness,” said Mr. Hislop. “Visitors are welcome to watch the interaction if they happen to be in the right place at the right time.” Turtle nesting The facility’s turtle opera- tions reported some impres- sive milestones, with 2016’s first nest containing 87 eggs laid on March 28. By the end of June 2016, a total of 61 different females had laid approximately 14,000 eggs in 175 nests. “The largest clutch to date was 130 eggs in one nest,” said Mr. Hislop. “Late June/July was the height of the laying season, with as many as 20 females coming up to lay in a single night. By the end of the season, at the end of October 2016, a total of 71 different female breeders had laid 24,982 eggs in 298 nests. The largest clutch for the season was 162 eggs in one nest, and the largest number of nests by a single female for this season was eight.” Mr. Hislop noted that in early November 2016, 10 vol- unteers from PwC assisted the Marine team with the biannual lagoon turtle as- sessment. The group caught, examined, weighed, mea- sured and marked the 27 two-year old turtles in the Turtle lagoon. “The turtles are pro- gressing well and weigh an average of 45 pounds each, having gained an average of 15 pounds since the last assessment in May 2016,” said Mr. Hislop. In addition, 36 head- started juvenile turtles were introduced into the wild in December. “Following this, the next upcoming event will be the annual Breeding Pond Assess- ment to take place in January 2017, a good way for visitors to see the Centre’s turtle hus- bandry and research in ac- tion,” said Mr. Hislop. “[Within our aquatic pop- ulation], Houdini the Great Barracuda and Maca the Nurse Shark, recent additions to the park’s Predator Reef display, have settled in well and add to the excitement of the weekday shark feeding display,” said Mr. Hislop. “As well, new enrichment activities are being intro- duced for our nurse sharks in the Predator Reef.” Mr. Hislop noted new aquarist trainee Shona Mc- Gill has recently joined the Centre’s Marine team. “She will be going through her on-the job training and orientation for the next few months, learning the ropes on fish and lagoon turtle feeding, fish capture and quarantine procedures, shark feeding, record-keeping and other department duties.” Fish stocks replenished Mr. Hislop also said the Centre’s Marine department continues its ongoing re- plenishment of the aging fish stocks in the turtle la- goon, and that between July and November 2016, approx- imately 300 marine fish un- derwent quarantine pro- tocols and were released into the turtle lagoon and predator reef. “Having an additional member of staff, the depart- ment now has more man- power to catch and process more fish to put through the quarantine process,” said Mr. Hislop. “For the first time in three years, the marine de- partment has a fully stocked quarantine with new fish un- dergoing quarantine proto- cols to be released into the Turtle Lagoon.” School visits As part of the Turtle Centre education program, Mr. Hislop said, the first school visit for the new term took place at the end of Sep- tember, and by the end of November, 229 students and teachers had visited the park on educational tours. “It is anticipated that school visitations will in- crease in the New Year as they get deeper into the school curriculum,” said Mr. Hislop. Art mural design The winning design for this term’s annual Turtle Hatchery high school art mural design was submitted by Grace Christian Academy. The design will be painted on a large canvas by the school art class for dis- play in front of the Turtle Hatchery window while the Hatchery is closed for the non-nesting season from No- vember to March. “This will be the fourth annual turtle-themed hatchery mural created under this collaborative project be- tween the Centre and local high schools,” said Mr. Hislop. “Art teachers use the mural as an art project to teach and assess their stu- dents, while the students and school have an opportunity to display their work to our hundreds of park visitors to view and enjoy.” Visitors view the turtles at the Turtle Centre. “For the first time in three years, the marine department has a fully stocked quarantine with new fish undergoing quarantine protocols to be released into the Turtle Lagoon.” GEDDES HISLOP , Cayman Turtle Centre terrestrial exhibits curatorThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS When contacted about the text message offering free tickets that govern- ment received as part of its sponsorship of the event, Fi- nancial Services Minister Wayne Panton said he did not send it and was not aware that it had been sent. Mr. Panton said, in any case, he had “nothing to hide” re- garding the ticket giveaway. “This is a very typical sort of thing,” Mr. Panton said. “I’ve seen this happen many times. It’s not unusual to re- ceive complimentary tickets to various events or various activities. I don’t think it’s wrong to say ‘I’m not going, see if someone else is going.’ I didn’t see anything wrong with saying ‘I’m not at- tending, see if anyone is in- terested in attending.’” Mr. Panton said alle- gations that “hundreds of tickets” for the event were given away at the MLA of- fice were not true. He said, at maximum, some 30-35 tickets would have been dis- tributed. He personally re- ceived 10 regular tickets and four VIP tickets. Minister Bodden was contacted for comment Friday. He had not re- sponded by press time Monday afternoon. Mr. Suckoo, a one-time member of the Progressives Party before his defection to the opposition side of the House in late December 2015, accused the government of using public events like the Island Rumble and others to their political advantage. “In all the time that I was supporting boxing as Coun- cilor for Sports, I never took a political or partisan ap- proach and often discussed developments with opposi- tion members,” Mr. Suckoo said. “I never used the sport as an opportunity to cam- paign or solicit votes, and I am completely against any of us [representatives] using our positions to get a political advantage over opponents. A similar thing happened when [the Progressives] did the ground-breaking for the Beach Bay hotel. Appar- ently I was taken off the in- vite list despite being one of the strongest advocates in caucus for the project.” Opposition Leader McK- eeva Bush, who attended Is- land Rumble with tickets he said he received from a friend, acknowledged that “these things have been done before,” referring to the ticket giveaway. “But at a time when people are losing their homes … it’s not right they should be spending this money,” Mr. Bush said. The opposition leader confirmed that he did not receive any tickets, or in- deed any invitation to at- tend the Saturday night Island Rumble, from the government. Mr. Bush also said he thought the boxing event it- self was “very political” and noted that he was not even introduced there as a local dignitary, as his position as opposition leader would typ- ically require. “I am tired of that kind of disrespect they have for a recognized position in the constitution,” he said. “It was a very, very political event. They used it all the way to the hilt.” Airport shooting suspect makes initial court appearance FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – The Iraq war veteran held in the fatal shooting of five people inside Fort Lauder- dale’s airport answered ques- tions in a clear voice Monday as he was appointed public defenders and told he could face the death penalty. Esteban Santiago, 26, ap- peared before U.S. Magis- trate Judge Alicia Valle, who ordered him held until his next hearings. Shackled in a red jump- suit in the heavily guarded federal courtroom, Santiago answered mostly yes or no to questions, and told the judge he understands the charges, which include commit- ting violence against people at an international airport resulting in death, and two firearms offenses. She told him the death penalty could apply. “We are telling you the maximum penalty allowed by law so that you under- stand the seriousness of the charges,” the judge said. He said he had been in the Army, where he made about $15,000 a year. He mentioned expenses including $560 in monthly rent, plus phone and other utility bills. He said he owns no property and does not have a vehicle. He said he had worked for a secu- rity company, Signal 88, in Anchorage, Alaska, until No- vember, making $2,100 a month, but currently only had $5 to $10 in the bank. Valle set a detention hearing for Jan. 17, followed by an arraignment for en- tering a plea for Jan. 23. More than a dozen officers kept watch outside the court- house, carrying rifles and wearing bulletproof vests. There were also mounted po- lice and K-9 units. Santiago has been in cus- tody since Friday’s shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Holly- wood International Airport. The FBI said Santiago flew on a one-way ticket aboard a Delta flight from Anchorage to Fort Lauderdale. The 11½- hour flight has a 2½-hour layover in Minneapolis, one of the longest itineraries within the U.S. He checked a single piece of luggage: a gun box for his Walther 9 mm semi-auto- matic pistol and two mag- azines of ammunition, ac- cording to an FBI affidavit. Agents say he retrieved the box in baggage claim and loaded his weapon in a bathroom stall before opening fire on fellow pas- sengers, killing five and wounding six others. In November, San- tiago walked into an FBI field office in Alaska with a handgun and his infant child, saying the U.S. gov- ernment was controlling his mind and forcing him to watch Islamic State group videos, authorities said. Officers seized the weapon and local officers took him to get a mental health evaluation. His girl- friend picked up the child. On Dec. 8, the gun was re- turned to Santiago. Authori- ties would not say if it was the same gun used in the airport attack. Esteban Santiago leaves the Broward County main jail as he is transported to the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Monday. - PHOTO: AMY BETH BENNETT, SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL VIA AP as a shoemaker and can be found most days in his small shoe repair store tucked away in a corner of Shedden Road in George Town. There he shares stories and tales of Cayman with his longtime customers, as well as any other visitors who drop by. He says his secret to a long and happy life is not to worry and to smile at things that life throws your way. “Smiling and getting to- gether with family and friends is the joy of my life,” he said. Mr. Howell’s favorite place is home, and his love is music. “Music is the most en- joyable thing in my life. I love the saxophone, and I always put my whole thoughts and heart into my music,” he said. For Mr. Howell, shoe- making is a gift, just like his music. His business has been in operation for more than 30 years and he says he will be in business as long as there are customers. Mr. Howell arrived in Cayman in 1958 at the invi- tation of Caymanian band leader S.E. Nembhard, who wanted his services as a sax- ophone player. After staying on the island for six months, he went back to Jamaica to get married but returned to rejoin Nembhard’s band, and later to take up the shoe- making business. 2005. He asked that his find- ings be passed along to all members of the fire service who operate the T-2500 and T-3000 engine models used in the fleet. “The stability of these trucks are poor based on track width and height of center [of] mass and this is why the rollover speeds are so low,” Mr. Caputo wrote in the 2005 memo. “Atten- tion must be given to the speed of the truck and the corresponding steering wheel position to prevent fu- ture rollovers.” Fire service officials con- firmed Friday that a T-3000 model engine was involved in the Cayman Brac airport roll- over accident on Thursday. The accident report from 2005 stated that the fire en- gines require three com- plete rotations of the steering wheel before the wheel “locks up” (meaning it can turn no further). “This equates to rollover speeds of 36.4 mph (on the first turn), 26 mph (on the second) and 22.5 mph (on the third),” Mr. Caputo wrote. “This … tells me that the steering wheel position for the January 2005 accident was about one and a half turns for 30 mph rollover.” The reason why the fire- fighter driving the engine during the 2005 crash was deemed not to be at fault is explained: “The (fire service) operations manual makes no reference whatsoever with re- gard to how to drive the fire truck or limits not to exceed to prevent a rollover.” The investigation into last week’s accident at the Charles Kirkconnell Inter- national Airport in the Brac that injured two firemen on board is ongoing. A government statement sent in response to Cayman Compass questions indicate that the fire engine manufac- turer, Oshkosh, is arranging to send one of its experts to assess the vehicle, which was bought in 2006. The fire service conducts monthly mandatory speed tests of its trucks used for airport operations with the goal of achieving a two- minute response time to any point on the airport runway. According to the govern- ment, the speed testing is done accordance with reg- ulatory requirements that must be complied with by all Rescue and Fire Fighting Service providers at interna- tional airports. The government state- ment also indicates that speeds between 65 mph and 69 mph can be reached during these speed tests. “In the 12 years since the last airport-based fire truck accident occurred on the runway at Owen Rob- erts International Airport in January 2005, an average of 144 performance tests for speed have been conducted at that location and a similar number have been executed in Cayman Brac without inci- dent,” the government state- ment issued Friday notes. “In addition to the monthly performance checks, the ve- hicles also undergo daily inspections as part of the shift handover.” Airport partially closed Cayman Brac’s airport was still closed to jet traffic Monday and is expected to remain so until a new fire truck is shipped to the island to replace the vehicle that flipped over there on Jan. 5. Smaller Twin-Otter and Saab prop planes which ser- vice the route between the Brac and Grand Cayman are still able to land and were deployed to minimize pas- senger disruption. Air safety guidelines re- quire at least two fire trucks to be on standby for a jet to be able to land, officials said. Compass reporter James Whittaker contributed to this story. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Shoemaker Wellesley Howell celebrates 102nd birthday Gov’t warned about fire truck rollovers in 2005 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cayman Brac’s airport remains closed to jets after a fire truck flipped over on the runway during a speed test on Thursday. Opposition MLAs question boxing giveaway CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Prominent sociologist Bauman dies Zygmunt Bauman, one of the most prominent and prolific European sociologists of recent decades, has died. He was 91. The Polish-born left-wing thinker’s works explored the fluidity of identity in the modern world, the Holocaust, consumerism and globalization. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017 Plaza Venezia, North Sound Road, GT LUNCH SPECIAL EVERYDAY MON-SAT: 11:30-4PM DIM SUM SUNDAY 11AM-3PM OPEN FOR DINNER Delivery After 5PM MON THUR: 5pm - 9:30pm • FRI SUN: 5pm - 10pm 945-3490 chinavillage@candw.ky Assad ready to ‘negotiate everything’ with rebels BEIRUT (AP) – Syrian Pres- ident Bashar Assad said in remarks published Monday that he was prepared “to ne- gotiate everything” at planned talks later this month in Ka- zakhstan, seeking to cast himself as a peacemaker after his forces’ recapture of Aleppo last month. However, the upcoming talks, brokered by Ankara and Moscow, are still in doubt as Syrian opposition groups have yet to confirm their participation. Syrian activists mean- while reported what ap- peared to be a U.S.-led special forces raid on Islamic State militants in eastern Syria. Omar Abou Leila, who runs Deir Ezzor 24, said four heli- copters landed in the desert between the IS-held cities of Deir el-Zour and Raqqa on Sunday. Commandos set up checkpoints and intercepted a vehicle carrying several Is- lamic State militants, killing all of them and flying off with the bodies, he said. “It’s an operation that apparently targeted an im- portant figure,” Abou Leila told The Associated Press from Germany, where he is based. Deir Ezzor 24 is one of several locally staffed un- derground groups reporting from IS-held territory. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another activist-run group, said 25 militants were killed in the ambush. Local witnesses said at least some of the commandos spoke Arabic. There was no immediate comment from the U.S.-led coalition. Speaking to French re- porters at his Damascus palace, Assad defended his troops’ deadly bombardment of eastern Aleppo, saying the alternative would have been to leave the city’s civilians to the mercy of “terrorists” – a term the government uses for all rebels. Assad questioned the cred- ibility of Syrian opposition groups backed by the West and Saudi Arabia, which make up the bulk of the armed and political opposition to his rule. “There’s no limit to nego- tiations,” Assad said, in re- marks carried by Syrian state media. “But who is going to be there from the other side, we don’t know yet …. The vi- ability of the conference de- pends on that.” Past Syrian peace talks have run aground on the question of Assad’s future and whether he is to con- tinue as president, with the opposition insisting his de- parture is a precondition for any reforms. Assad said the matter could only be resolved through a constitutional referendum. “If they want to discuss this point, they need to dis- cuss the constitution. You need a referendum for every (constitutional amendment). This is one of the points that could be discussed in the meeting” in Kazakh- stan, he said. The talks are scheduled to begin in the Kazakh capital of Astana on Jan. 23. They follow a lengthy rapprochement be- tween Russia, a key backer of Assad, and Turkey, a main sponsor of the opposition, that culminated in a cease- fire agreement that came into force on Dec. 30, but which has already started to erode. Russian officials have suggested the U.S. could be invited to the talks at a later date. The Obama administra- tion has been at odds with Russia over how to resolve Syria’s conflict. Incoming President Donald Trump has indicated he might distance the U.S. from Syria’s rebels, bringing Washington in closer alignment with Moscow. Trump wrote on Twitter Saturday that he would strive to build good relations with Russia, and “perhaps, work together to solve many of the great and pressing problems and issues of the WORLD!” Asked about the com- ments, Assad said warmer re- lations between Washington and Moscow “reflects posi- tively on the Syrian conflict.” As for Aleppo, Assad said the government forces were forced “to liberate” the city. “There is a price, some- times, but at the end the people are liberated from the terrorists,” he said. Once Syria’s largest city and industrial hub, Aleppo has been devastated by nearly six years of war. Rebels took control of its eastern dis- tricts in 2012, before surren- dering it to government au- thority last month. EU Commission: ‘Untenable’ situation in Greek refugee camps ATHENS, Greece (AP) – Condi- tions for refugees on Greek islands and in other camps where they are housed in tents despite severe cold weather are “untenable,” the European Commission said Monday. Heavy snowfall has hit large swaths of Greece, in- cluding the eastern Aegean islands where thousands of refugees are stranded, with temperatures falling well below freezing. A state of emergency has been declared in some parts of the country. Giorgos Kyritsis, spokesman for the govern- ment’s crisis committee on migration, told Greece’s Skai television that just under 1,000 people remain housed in tents on the islands. The severe weather had been forecast well in advance, and the government has come under fire for not acting fast enough to ensure all ref- ugees are adequately housed. Images aired on Greek media have shown tents covered with snow in at least one camp on the island of Lesbos. The Doctors Without Borders medical aid group has called for the “im- mediate taking of emer- gency measures” to ensure proper housing. “Despite the Greek gov- ernment’s assertions that the relevant measures had been successfully completed, winter preparations for mi- grants and refugees stuck on Greek islands have failed,” the group said. In Brussels, Commis- sion spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud said the commis- sion was “doing its utmost to support the Greek author- ities to address concerns re- lating to the reception cen- ters and the humanitarian needs on the ground.” “Of course, ensuring adequate reception condi- tions and managing the ref- ugee centers in Greece is a responsibility first and fore- most of the Greek authori- ties,” she added. Asked specifically about refugees enduring sub- freezing temperatures, she said the commission was “aware that the situation is currently untenable, but we also have to be clear” that conditions in reception cen- ters are the responsibility of Greek authorities. “We can no more dictate policy in Greece than we can in any other member state.” Kyritsis said measures had been taken to move people in northern Greece and on the islands to more suitable accommodation ahead of the weather. “Despite that, somewhat less than 1,000 people re- main in tents” on the islands, Kyritsis said. “Some people there are facing hardship.” He added that efforts had been made to move people to hotels, but that some locals had objected. Recently, Mi- gration Minister Yannis Mouzalas had said there were no longer any refugees living in tents in Greece, al- though he has acknowledged problems on the islands. In northern Greece, al- though most people have been moved from camps into hotels and other structures, some remain in tents there as well, refugees say. “It’s very, very cold. We can’t survive at night,” said Abdu al Mohammed, a Syrian living in the Oraio- kastro refugee camp in northern Greece. Camp res- idents there are housed in tents inside a warehouse. Al Mohammed said that while the camp was being emptied, with people being moved to hotels, about 100 people re- mained. They were using empty barrels to light fires to keep warm, he said. Temperatures in the northern city of Thessaloniki have dropped to 10 degrees Fahrenheit at night over the past few days. A Syrian refugee hangs her laundry in front of her shelter at the refugee camp of Ritsona, about 53 miles north of Athens, Greece, on Monday. - PHOTO: AP Syrian President Bashar AssadNext >