ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY JANUARY 17, 2017 High of 84 Low of 75 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open waters. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 GOVERNMENT’S PLAN TO SUPPORT ARTISTS (WHAT ABOUT FOOTS?) SPORTS | PAGE 15 THOMAS CAPS OFF RECORD WEEK WITH TROPHY AT SONY OPEN 183410_PRINT-Butterfield-6colx1*Page 1 1/13/17 1:10:47 PM Wrecked car removal ‘not police responsibility’ RCIPS looks to trim workload BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Kia sedan that crashed through a fence on Shamrock Road on Jan. 8 lay on its side for more than three days in the high grass along the busy road before it was removed. Just down the road, opposite Savannah Primary School, an SUV with its front end missing from a crash before Christmas, sat by the roadside for weeks until it was picked up on Jan. 11. Although both vehicles were involved in relatively serious ac- cidents, which caused injuries to some of the drivers or passengers, they did not require police seizure for accident reconstruction or court evidence. According to Royal Cayman Islands Police Service policy since at least 2015, it is not the department’s responsibility to tow those wrecked vehicles. The RCIPS has previously stated that the department has neither the budget nor the storage space to tow and keep seriously damaged vehicles from all of the accidents that occur. In the case of what the police consider to be a “major” accident, with fatal inju- ries, or a large number of vehicles involved, etc., the police will tow the cars to an impound lot where they are kept as evidence. CAYMAN ECONOMIC OUTLOOK TURNS FOCUS TO GROWTH KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Amid global economic and political uncer- tainty, the Cayman Economic Outlook 2017 conference will aim to put international trends into perspective for local business leaders. Fidelity (Cayman) Ltd. Vice President Tom Gammage said the event on Feb. 2 will have an eye toward growth opportunities, despite stagnant economic growth internationally, particularly in advanced economies. A year colored by political surprises, 2016 saw just 3.1 percent global economic growth, Mr. Gammage said. The 2017 forecast is 3.4 percent, below the long-term average of 4.5 percent to 5 percent. “These economic concerns have helped fuel anti-trade and anti-immigration senti- ment, which is further stifling growth and leading to dramatic political change, as evi- denced by Brexit and the growth of far-right parties in Europe and the recent U.S. presi- dential election,” Mr. Gammage said at the Kimpton Seafire resort, where this year’s event will take place. Given rising backlash against globaliza- tion, Mr. Gammage emphasized the impor- tance of understanding implications for the Cayman Islands and underlying factors be- hind weak global economic performance. Neville Hicks, representing Five Continents Financial Ltd., one of the event’s sponsors, said Cayman businesses must understand the global powers that drive local decisions. “I think for businesses that operate here Cuban migrants help with renovations JEWEL LEVY AND JAMES WHITTAKER Cuban migrants are helping to renovate the immigration de- tention center and building a new checkpoint and walkway at the neighboring women’s prison. Prison Director Neil Lavis said some of the migrants are skilled tradespeople and had volunteered to assist with the much-needed upgrades. The work has allowed a second section of the deten- tion center building, previously deemed uninhabitable, to be opened, doubling capacity. The increase means that though the number of Cuban mi- grants on island remains high, officials hope to avoid a repeat of last year’s space crunch, when Anyone cruising the classified ads over Christmas may have spotted an item that stood out from the pages of cars, bikes and household furniture: “Pirate ship for sale.” The Jolly Roger, an icon of Cayman’s tourism industry and the most recognizable vessel in the island’s waters, is advertised for $500,000. The ship, which takes tourists on island cruises and is the feature of Cayman’s Pirates Week celebrations, is a replica of Christopher Columbus’s 15th century galleon, the Nina. It is advertised as a “perfect gift” or a great business opportunity. The ad indicates that the current owner is moving on to other businesses. Cuban migrants work on the construction of a new checkpoint building at Fairbanks women’s prison last week. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » This wrecked Kia sedan stayed on the roadside, in this same position, for about three days earlier this month. Police said it is not their responsibility to tow such vehicles. – PHOTO: BRENT FULLER For sale: One pirate ship PHOTO: CHRIS COURT2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY JANUARY 17, 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 - HACKSAW RIDGE (R) 12:30 | 3:35 | 6:40 | 9:45 ROGUE ONE 3D (PG13) 12:50 2D | 3:05 | 6:50 2D | 9:35 PASSENGERS (PG13) 1:00 | 3:50 | 7:00 | 9:40 MONSTER TRUCKS 3D (PG) 1:10 2D | 4:00 | 7:15 2D | 9:45 SING 3D (PG) 12:30 | 3:45 2D | 7:00 | 9:50 2D UNDERWORLD: (R) BLOOD WARS 3D 1:30 | 4:15 2D | 7:30 | 10:10 2D BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three incidents in which po- lice officers were attacked or suf- fered injury while making an ar- rest were reported since Saturday, prompting a public warning from Royal Cayman Islands Police Service senior commanders. The assaults follow a December attack on the head of the RCIPS traffic unit at a roadblock that broke two of the police inspector’s teeth. “This weekend we have seen a troubling string of incidents in which officers have been spat at, slapped, kicked, bitten and sus- tained minor, but painful, injuries,” Deputy Commissioner Kurt Walton said. “This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. Those who assault po- lice will find themselves in custody and in court.” The attacks this weekend come shortly after a Jan. 6 inci- dent in which a Jamaican crim- inal suspect was shot and killed by RCIPS officers. The first of three incidents over the weekend involved the driver of a car that had turned on its side early Saturday in Bodden Town’s North- ward area. Police said the driver had gotten out of the car and of- ficers could smell alcohol on his breath. “The man became very bel- ligerent with the officers and an al- tercation ensued during which the man severely bit one officer on the leg and kicked the other,” a police statement read. The 34-year-old driver was ar- rested and charged with DUI, as- saulting police, assault causing ac- tual bodily harm, resisting arrest and failing to provide a specimen. He was due in court Monday. On Saturday evening, police re- sponded to a disturbance call at Car- ibbean Bakery in West Bay. Police said two men and a woman were drinking alcohol at the back of the building. One of the three had an outstanding warrant. Officers told the man he was under arrest, after which he began resisting, police said. “A woman in his company pulled at the arm of one of the officers and was informed to stop or pepper spray would be deployed,” police said. “The man then spat at officers and the woman again moved to in- tervene and pepper spray was de- ployed. In the course of her arrest, the woman slapped and spat at one of the officers, while the man con- tinued to struggle with officers while in handcuffs, fell to the ground, and spat at officers.” The 33-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assaulting police, causing fear or provocation of vio- lence, resisting arrest, and for an outstanding warrant for possession of an illegal speargun. The woman, 53, was arrested on suspicion of dis- orderly conduct, assaulting police and obstructing police. Early Monday, armed RCIPS of- ficers responded to a burglary call on Old Crewe Road in George Town. Officers spotted a man standing be- hind a tree near the property and or- dered him not to move, police said. The suspect scaled a nearby wall, police said, escaping the grip of a police officer who managed to track him down. The officer suffered a broken finger as a result. Officers attacked in ‘troubling incidents’ CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An East End man ap- peared in Summary Court on Monday following an early Friday afternoon in- cident involving an iPad. Roland Welcome, 26, was charged with assault causing grievous bodily harm with intent and damage to property, as a result of the complainant’s report to police. A press release from police indicated that a woman was walking past the house of a man she knew. The man reportedly approached her, started a conversation and took her iPad from her hands. He then allegedly refused to return the iPad and an al- tercation ensued, during which the woman received lacerations on her hand and the side of her head from a machete. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden agreed that grievous bodily harm with intent is a Category A charge, meaning that it can be dealt with only in the Grand Court. She said she would re- serve an application for bail until she gets the pa- pers in the case from se- nior Crown counsel Nicole Petit. Ms. Petit indicated that papers would be sent that same day. On that basis, Ms. Bodden said she would apply to the Grand Court for bail this week. Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats sent the matter to the higher court for mention on Friday, Feb. 10. EAST END MAN CHARGED AFTER IPAD INCIDENT Plans for a new Sun- rise Adult Training Centre will move forward under the initiative of local project development company Rider Levett Bucknall, the Cayman Islands government said this week. Contracted by the Min- istry of Education, Employ- ment and Gender Affairs, the company will develop a business plan that outlines the costs of creating a more central location, program expansion and increased client enrollment. The plan is expected to be completed within 90 days of the Jan. 9 signing of the contract, after which it will be submitted to a steering committee for approval. Education Minister Tara Rivers said the announce- ment is a step forward for educating adults with dis- abilities and providing training opportunities. Once completed, the fa- cility is expected to offer education on independent living skills, provide thera- peutic services and recre- ational activities, and assist clients in developing inter- personal skills. “As a society, we have a moral obligation to provide as much opportunity as pos- sible for the total inclusion of persons with disabilities, and this much-needed fa- cility will help to fulfill that responsibility,” Minister Rivers said in a press release. The public-private part- nership project will seek to integrate corporate and indi- vidual sponsorships. The clinic reported that its size limitations have cre- ated a waiting list of two to three years and have ren- dered expansion of ser- vices impossible. New Sunrise center plans advance Rider Levett Bucknall’s Martin Bould and Ministry of Education Chief Officer Christen Suckoo sign an ‘Outline Business Case’ contract before staff members. HAVANA (AP) – An American team of ac- ademics is racing to preserve millions of Cuban historical documents before they are lost to the elements and poor storage conditions. Many of the documents shed light on the slave trade, an integral part of Cuba’s colonial history that was inter- twined with that of the United States. David Lafevor, a history professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, and his brother Matthew, a geography professor at the University of Alabama, have worked since 2005 to make com- puter copies of millions of documents mouldering in damp storage spaces on the island. Their latest project is a partnership between the British Library Founda- tion and Vanderbilt University to cap- ture almost 2 million documents in digital form, a treasure trove stretching back to the mid-16th century of doc- uments about early island life and the slave trade. David Lafevor said there is nothing like Cuba’s documentary record in the U.S. Though no less ruthless when it came to slavery than the Anglos to the north, the Spanish recognized the “per- sonhood” of slaves once they were bap- tized into the Catholic Church. Their births, marital status, national origin and deaths were all duly recorded in the town records and stored in church archives, leaving a historical record of blacks and their lives far more detailed than that in the U.S. Churches became the repository of much of this history because of their central role in island life and be- cause church officials were painstaking documentarians who often were the most educated in their communities, David Lafevor said in an interview. “The documents are not only perti- nent to the Catholic Church because the church was often the most substantial building in town, so other documents were kept there as well,” he said. For instance, while digitizing some documents in the town of Colon, a slave trading post in colonial days that is about 175 kilometers (about 110 miles) east of Havana, Lafevor discovered that a nearby town was founded by former American slaves who had fled Spanish- ruled Florida on the mainland. Cuba’s Catholic Church has played a major role in the preservation project, granting access to church archives around the island and assisting in iden- tifying important documents. Academics race to save rare Cuban colonial documents3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 17, 2017 Foreclosure sales surpass 100 in 2016 JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com More than 100 foreclosed properties were sold in the Cayman Islands in 2016, the second year in succes- sion that forced sales have reached three figures. The statistics for 2016 re- flect a marginal drop on 2015, though both years saw far higher numbers of foreclo- sure sales than at any time in recent memory. However, realtors say the numbers reflect a backlog of foreclosed properties which are now starting to be sold. Kim Lund of RE/ MAX Cayman Islands said there were significantly fewer new listings for foreclo- sure properties. He said the sales figures, from the Cayman Islands Real Estate Brokers Associ- ation’s multi-listing system, represent a lagging eco- nomic indicator. “We can have many fore- closures listed for a year or two on the market before they sell, sometimes longer. Although we are still seeing a lot of them selling, these are older listings that were still on the market. “New foreclosure listings are way down, and we seem to be at the end of selling through the glut of them that had accumulated over the last several years from the recession.” The data, which reflects the time the property is sold rather than the date the bank puts it into foreclosure, shows the number of forced sales more than quadrupled over the past five years, from 33 in 2012 to 112 last year. That figure for 2016 repre- sents 80 residences, 19 land parcels, seven multi-family properties and six commer- cial properties. Wayne Panton, the min- ister for financial services, said the raw data from the banks showed that fore- closures were starting to come down. “The banks were fairly cautious and I think that is why, so long after the financial crisis, we are seeing the foreclosure figures rising.” KIM LUND, RE/MAX broker Turtle Centre rejects DoE, animal rights critics TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com As the Cayman Turtle Centre moves toward its an- nual January breeding pond assessment and further re- leases of animals into the wild, new questions have arisen about the health and safety of its programs. A Dec. 10 release of 36 green sea turtles at Barkers Beach went ahead before the Department of Environ- ment cleared protocols for the animals, sparking exas- peration from the DoE and sharp censure from London- based charity World An- imal Protection. While the Turtle Cen- tre’s managing director, Tim Adam, declined to address World Animal Protection crit- icism, citing previously mis- placed allegations, he said the DoE had failed to offer timely responses to the turtle breeding facility’s submis- sions regarding the health and safety of the 36 turtles. “Given that the DoE has now had the latest version of CTC’s pre-release proto- cols in [its] possession for over a month (i.e., prior to CTC’s turtle release of Dec. 10 2016), has DoE reviewed those protocols yet? And if so, has the DoE informed CTC of the outcome of that review?” he asked in an email to the Cayman Compass. In a lengthy statement, Tim Austin, DoE deputy di- rector for research and as- sessment, said the Cayman Turtle Centre’s protocols had arrived only 24 hours before the Dec. 10 release, making an independent evalua- tion impossible. “We have been working with the CTC to try and es- tablish approved and re- viewed release protocols, and the CTC had voluntarily suspended their release pro- gram while we did this,” Mr. Austin said. “However, with regards to the Dec. 10 release, the DOE became aware of the planned release just a few days before the schedule[d] event. At that time, we were still waiting for the Cayman Turtle Centre to provide the quarantine and health- screening protocols to be employed prior to the future release of any animals from the facility.” Mr. Austin said because DoE Director Gina Ebanks- Petrie did not have sufficient evidence that the 36 turtles would introduce pathogens into the water, she could not justify ordering the Turtle Centre to halt the release. Nor, he said, was the order justified under Cay- man’s National Conservation Law, while the Turtle Centre itself still needed to register under 2015’s Endangered Species Trade and Trans- portation Law. “There is no existing legal barrier to prevent [the Cayman Turtle Centre] from releasing their turtles,” he said, and while the facility’s protocols “were evaluated by an independent vet on behalf of the DOE,” the Department of Environment “was unable to fully sanction the release,” but “did everything within its capabilities to ensure that the released animals were healthy and fit for release.” “The DOE does intend to follow through with its planned independent review of the protocol and to work with the farm to ensure that all future releases are fully sanctioned,” Mr. Austin said. Mr. Adam further de- fended the Dec. 10 re- lease, citing similar health and safety protocols sur- rounding Cayman’s blue iguana population. “There are two endan- gered reptile species on Grand Cayman whose pop- ulations are being recovered through captive breeding and subsequent release of head- started offspring,” he said. “The DoE kindly provided the CTC with the protocols for release of captive-raised blue iguanas, and starting in September of 2016, the CTC is using the DoE-approved blue iguana release protocol as the basis for our aug- mented release protocol for green sea turtles.” Mr. Austin nonethe- less supported the Cayman Turtle Centre’s turtle preser- vation efforts, noting “signif- icant contributions” during 25 years, releasing between 32,000 and 35,000 turtles, al- though “not so much” has been done recently. The center – which changed its name from the Cayman Turtle Farm in Sep- tember – last released tur- tles, 15 in total, on World Turtle Day, May 23, 2016, ending the program’s vol- untary 2012 suspension and vowing “to release hundreds of tagged turtles each year both publicly and privately” in the future. The suspension had come in the wake of questions about the animals’ health, underscored in mid-2014 when more than 1,200 turtles died from a Clostridium in- fection – a potential source of botulism, tetanus and other health problems in humans. Following the Dec. 10 Barkers Beach release, World Animal Protection complained the move was “placing wild-turtle pop- ulations in jeopardy,” and slammed the DoE for its “formal backing and sup- port” of the move. “If the DoE encourage[s] and support[s] such a con- troversial and risky release program,” said the organiza- tion’s head of wildlife policy, Neil D’Cruze, “it will set con- servation alarm bells ringing throughout the Caribbean.” Often accused of over- zealousness, the organiza- tion said last week it had nonetheless filed a Freedom of Information request “just before the Christmas holi- days,” seeking copies of all correspondence between the center and DoE. Mr. Adam said he was aware of the FOI, but de- clined to comment “until it works its way through the system,” which could take as long as a year. Later this month, he said, the Cayman Turtle Centre will do its annual breeding pond assessment, a health check on the approximately 300 male and female breeding turtles, while preparing for new releases. Mr. Adam was unable to name any immediate dates, but said the center has “quite an adequate supply” of ani- mals “as we work our way through the protocols.” A Dec. 10 release of 36 green sea turtles at Barkers Beach went ahead before the Department of Environment cleared protocols for the animals. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSEY Foreclosure sales (all properties) 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 30 33 55 72 116 112 Source: Cayman Islands Real Estate Brokers Association He said the foreclosure rate had peaked at 2.13 per- cent in 2015 and dipped to 1.27 percent by the third quarter of last year. The last publicly avail- able data from the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority comes from its June 2016 second-quarter ESO report. It states, “At end-June 2016, data from CIMA shows that there were 118 proper- ties in the local commercial banks’ foreclosures inven- tory amounting to US$34.7 million. This represents a de- crease compared to the 175 properties valued at $44.1 million in the comparative period in 2015.” Mr. Panton said the overall numbers had been coming down since 2015. “What we are seeing is that the foreclosure rate is going down. The economy is growing at 3 percent, unem- ployment is down to 5.6 per- cent. The macro financial per- spective has improved over the last few years and that must at some point trans- late to reductions in the fore- closure numbers. “Those loans that were in default and where the owners were not in a position to restructure will eventually go through the process and there will be less new ones coming online.” Mr. Lund said the overall economic picture in the real estate industry is improving, and he expects the foreclo- sure sales numbers to fall back to pre-recession levels over the next couple of years. He believes the upward trend of the last few years will begin to reverse, once the 138 foreclosure properties currently listed are sold. He said there was a time lag between cause and ef- fect with the impact of the global recession showing up in statistics several years down the line. Similarly, he believes the improvement in the economy will take its time to show up in the sta- tistics, which reflect com- pleted sales only. “The reason for the fewer listings of foreclosures in 2017 is twofold. Firstly, the economy has improved and thankfully, distressed home- owners now have better in- come to start paying their mortgages again. Secondly, the glut of bank foreclo- sure properties has now been mostly listed and sold, so the impact of the finan- cial crisis has mostly worked its way through the foreclo- sure process.” He said banks had been reluctant, in the aftermath of the 2008 economic crash, to foreclose on homeowners, moving to call in loans only after consistent nonpayment over a period of time. “The banks were fairly cautious, and I think that is why, so long after the finan- cial crisis, we are seeing the foreclosure figures rising. “The good news is that there aren’t many new fore- closure properties coming on the market. We expect to see the numbers back to what they were four or five years ago or even lower within the next few years.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” TUESDAY JANUARY 17, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Excessive airport security encourages travelers to drive Did the authorities, in “an abundance of caution,” take too long to reinstate opera- tions after the tragic shoot- ings in the Fort Lauderdale airport this past Friday? The airport was shut down im- mediately after the shootings and remained shut for more than 12 hours, even though the shootings were car- ried out by a lone gunman who had been captured al- most immediately. Passen- gers who were on planes that had landed but not yet been unloaded were kept on the tarmac for many hours – in some cases, without ad- equate food, water and lav- atories. Some of them were probably suffering health problems and the delay may have done them real damage. Was all of that necessary? Predictably, some com- mentators immediately called for more security at airport baggage counters and for more restrictions on guns. More thoughtful people noted that the costs and inconveniences of more “hardening” of airports and surrounding areas would be counterproductive. Each ad- ditional step to make flying (and airports) “appear” safer increases costs, time and in- convenience, causing more and more people to drive – and die – rather than fly. The fact is that it is ex- tremely rare for anyone to die on a scheduled airline commercial flight in the United States. Flying is more than 100 times safer than driving and something like 3,000 times safer than going by motorcycle. People engage in extreme sports, such as alpine skiing – which is dan- gerous – but relatively safe when it comes to activities such as bungee jumping, let alone wingsuit flying. Even though some would argue for banning all such activi- ties, most would say that free people have the right to risk their lives by doing some- thing that gives them plea- sure, as long as they have a rough idea of the risks. Government officials tend to take the “abundance of caution” approach because most people are ignorant about relative risks, and if something goes wrong and someone dies, the media can point to some official who will be blamed. Those who have chosen to drive rather than fly because of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) ac- tions, and then die in au- tomobile accidents, are in- visible to both the media and the government offi- cials who are implicitly re- sponsible. The same “precau- tionary principle” is found through many government agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which routinely delays or denies approval for many drugs that will save more people than they kill. Those who die by taking the drug are known (all drugs have risks), but most of those who are saved are unknown – and FDA bureaucrats and their political masters know they can only get in trouble by the death of a person with a name who takes an approved drug. The TSA is not a total di- saster. It has developed pro- grams such as TSA Pre- Check and Global Entry, which have somewhat sped up the airport process, but to nowhere near what it could accomplish if required to have everyone through se- curity in less than 10 min- utes – which they could easily do by proper staffing at peak times and allocating resources on the basis of real risks. TSA should be fo- cusing on people who have mental problems or fit a ter- rorist risk profile (and forget political correctness). TSA also needs to get over the fix- ation with physical objects, such as Swiss Army knives and knitting needles. Many objects (a belt or bra strap) can be used to kill people in the wrong hands, and guns are safe in the right hands. If a terrorist or mentally ill person is determined to kill, they do not need a gun or bomb – a truck will do. Most TSA agents do a good job and are pleasant, but still too many con- tinue to be abusive and rude, rather than trying to be helpful to travelers who are already under stress. TSA employees need to have their name or a badge number displayed in a manner clearly readable so that passengers can easily identify agents who have acted poorly or exception- ally well. (This is becoming standard practice with many police and various types of service employees – including airline personnel.) The cameras that now film TSA checkpoints need to be upgraded so that all in- teractions with passengers – including conversations – are fully recorded. If pas- sengers have a compliant, they or their representatives – and members of the press – should be allowed full ac- cess to the videos. Long, slow lines at air- ports and unnecessary ha- rassment of passengers cause more people to drive, greatly increasing their chances of dying. It is pos- sible to have high levels of security without abusing anyone and particularly low- risk people, such as small children and the elderly. The new administration could gain favor with the public by making sure that all of those at the TSA (including the union) get the message that if their behavior and proce- dures do not immediately improve to make them more user-friendly, the agency will be privatized – because it is literally a matter of life and death. Richard W. Rahn, chairman of Improbable Success Productions and a board member of the American Council for Capital Formation, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. © 2016, The Washington Times, LLC. There’s a difference between supporting culture, heritage and the arts – something we assuredly do – and supporting a state takeover of culture, heritage and the arts – something we assuredly do not. Unfortunately but unsurprisingly, the Cayman Islands government’s recently published “Draft National Culture and Heritage Policy and Strategic Plan for the Cayman Islands 2017-2026” is full of proposals for the latter. Rather than analyzing its 47 pages of platitudes, buzz- words, banalities, appendices, acronyms, bullet points and footnotes, we will focus on a single aspect of the “policy and strategic plan” that has stirred up conversation and controversy locally: the idea that government may draw on public resources to subsidize local artists. The proposal’s apparent simplicity is deceptive and defective. Attempting to put the plan into action would immediately draw officials, and artists, into a foreseeable series of practical, ethical and philosophical quagmires. For example, who might qualify for public assistance under the proposal? According to the government document, “‘Artist’ is taken to mean any person who creates or gives creative expression to, or re-creates works of art, who considers his or her artistic creation to be an essential part of his or her life, who contributes in this way to the development of art and culture and who is or asks to be recognised as an artist, whether or not he or she is bound by any relations of employment or association.” After you’ve digested that unpalatable word salad (“pass the Pepto, please”), consider that the government would keep tabs on this new special interest group by establishing “a national registry of artists working across all genres ….” Who decides who gets placed on this “national registry?” Who decides who gets public funding, how much, and for what? Setting aside the notion of the “starving artist,” we rec- ognize that throughout history, wealthy “patrons” have supported important artists in their creative pursuits, including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante Alighieri and William Shakespeare. One nearly universal characteristic of such patron- artist relationships is the absence of criticism of the patron by the artist. Particularly when the “patron” happens to be the government, the potential conflicts with artistic expression and free speech should be readily apparent. Consider, for example, the work of American artist Andres Serrano, whose 1987 photograph “Immersion (P*ss Christ)” depicted a crucifix submerged in a glass of Mr. Serrano’s urine. Funded in part by the U.S. National Endow- ment for the Arts, the photograph spurred heated con- versations (not to mention death threats to Mr. Serrano) about the nature of art, religion, free speech and the sepa- ration of church and state. Or, in present times, consider the painting by a high school student depicting a violent confrontation between police officers (depicted as pigs) and African Americans (one of whom is depicted as a black panther). Since the painting was displayed in a hallway in the U.S. Capitol building last year, lawmakers have taken turns taking down and putting back up the painting, which was surrounded by some 400 other pieces of art. The immediate dispute seems to have just ended after lawmakers pointed out a rule against “exhibits depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy.” Is Cayman’s government prepared to slog into that sort of territory? Not all artists are controversial. But many are. Which brings us back to the headline of this editorial. Sculptor and Cayman Brac resident Ron “Foots” Kynes is one of the most talented, productive, well-known and controversial artists in the country. Mr. Kynes has repeat- edly drawn the ire of his neighbors with his sculptures, including a goat’s head on a crucifix with the number 666 on it, titled “Apocalypse Now.” Then there was a 10-foot statue of a demon holding a pitchfork and skull, titled, “Mephistopheles Throne.” That artwork was vandalized and smashed in 2015. By the government’s definition (see above), Mr. Kynes certainly qualifies as an artist, and therefore potentially for public support from taxpayers, including, yes, his vandal- izing neighbor(s). We end this editorial where we began: What about Foots? Government’s plan to support artists (What about Foots?) Flying off the handle over risks RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHN Most TSA agents do a good job and are pleasant, but still too many continue to be abusive and rude, rather than trying to be helpful to travelers who are already under stress.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. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 17, 2017 TUESDAY, JAN. 17 WAVING GALLERY FAREWELL: The public is invited to mark the closing of the waving gallery at Owen Roberts International Airport from 4-6 p.m. Light refreshments will be served and there will be an opportunity to take photos from the waving gallery before the area is permanently closed. SEAFARERS ASSOCIATION: Members are advised of the annual nomination election meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Seafarers Hall, 11 Victory Ave., Prospect. Buses will be provided from West Bay Town Hall at 6 p.m. 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. SUNDAY, JAN. 22 FAMILY FUN DAY: At the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. The Garden Club of Grand Cayman and the Botanic Park host the event, which will include Children Lawn games, demonstrations of craft using natural materials, a raffle, plant sale and a children’s feel, touch and learn Nature Table. Face painting, children’s planting area. Performances by East End Primary School, Edna Moyle Primary School and a magician. Denise Bodden will be at the Cayman Cottage to talk about historic homes. Tours to see the blue iguanas, Butterfly Trail. $5 adult admission charge gives full access to the park for the day. Children younger than 16 are admitted free. MONDAY, JAN. 23 CLASH OF THE LEGENDS: The championship match between West Bay and George Town. Ed Bush Stadium. Ball kickoff at 6 p.m. Social for the kids from 4:30 p.m. until game time. This event is for the Marcus Cumber Community Cup and benefits substance abuse recovery. FRIDAY, JAN. 27 STOP SMOKING: The Public Health Department reminds smokers who wish to quit the habit that there are still some spaces left in the upcoming smoking cessation classes the department is offering. Classes start on Feb. 8 2017 from 5:15-6:45 p.m. every Wednesday for seven weeks in the Public Health waiting room. Registration deadline is today. For more information or to sign up, contact the Public Health Department on 244-2889/244-2621, or email sarah.hetley@hsa.ky or nola.sanderson@hsa.ky. GENERAL INTEREST SINGLE-MEMBER CONSTITUENCIES: The Elections Office invites voters, potential candidates and their agents to learn more about recent changes to the Elections Law that have created 19 single- member electoral districts. Email office@elections.ky to ask questions or request short presentations for groups or organizations. 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Friday, Jan. 20, is the last day to drop off natural Christmas trees at local sites for recycling.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days West Bay TUESDAY JANUARY 17, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Principal, students share cup of cocoa Program rewards effort by students A program at Sir John A. Cumber is giving students the chance to enjoy a hot chocolate with the principal. Starting last November, teachers from Key Stage One and Two began selecting one child weekly from each class who demonstrated by their actions and choices that they are responsible, respectful and safe, to take part. “They should also exemplify the student attitudes and learner attri- butes of the Primary Years Program,” said teacher and library resources coordinator Annette Vaughan. “They received a certificate and the special privilege of having hot chocolate and cookies with the principal.” Principal Paul Samuel explained that the initiative was conceived and implemented in order to ac- knowledge and reward those who make a great effort to go above and beyond in their demonstration and practice of respect, respon- sibility and attitudes to learning and deportment. He also noted that the program is a means of motivating and chal- lenging students to aim high. “It is lovely to spend some quality time with students who have worked particularly hard at achieving their personal goals,” said Mr. Samuel. Response from the students has been positive. “The hot chocolate with the prin- cipal was awesome. I liked the quiet time with the principal,” said stu- dent James Christian, 9. Fellow student Kimora Bodden, also 9, said, “It was lovely. I liked that I could have a treat with the principal and talk with friends other than at the end of the day. The principal is nice. He makes us feel special.” Nine-year-old Sumayyah Gordon liked having the opportunity to spend time with Mr. Samuel, and added, “He is a pretty good prin- cipal. I like his new idea.” The program continues weekly with students from alternating key stages being awarded. Through the second week in January, 112 students from Recep- tion to Year 6 have been selected for the award. They also received a spe- cial certificate. Principal Paul Samuel enjoys a hot chocolate with a group of Sir John A. Cumber students last week. GEORGE NOWAK Harley Rivers was known as one of Cayman’s best roof thatchers in his time. Anyone who remembers the beach- front lounge cabanas at the old Holiday Inn will have no- ticed his work. He was a true gentleman who shone with old-time tra- ditional kindness and hospi- tality; he always posed with a smile for tourists as he was performing his thatching along Seven Mile Beach. Un- fortunately, thatching is a skill almost lost nowadays. A good thatched roof would never leak, and gave an am- bience of traditional island architecture, which has be- come a thing of the past. Mr. Rivers passed away in 2001. This image is from the book “The People Time Forgot” by George Nowak, available at the National Museum. All proceeds from sales of the book go toward museum projects. Harley Rivers In the Jan. 18, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, news from West Bay included: “Club Inferno is to be complimented on its ini- tiative in organizing a dance for the older people of the island in an en- deavour to keep alive the old-time dances. “To the music of Radley Gourzong (violin), Stanford Dixon (drummer), Dan- worth Rankine (guitar), and Charles Dixon (ma- racas), who are all from East End, the older folk enjoyed themselves and entertained the younger folk present by dancing the old quadrille. “Mr. Radley Gour- zong told the Cayma- nian Weekly that this dance was first intro- duced to Cayman by folk from Bodden Town who brought it from Honduras and Nicaragua, and must have been danced on the island from way back in the 19th century. “Many of the older people still know the dances but it appears that Mr. Burnell Dixon and his group are the only ones who can give a demonstration today. We hope that they will con- tinue to do so for many years to come.” In the same issue, West Bay correspondent Leila Yates wrote: “[In the above photo] Mr. Ducan Ebanks is pic- tured with cuts of beef from his own cows. Mrs. Ducan is holding corn grown on their own farm. They harvested over 2,000 last year and ask that more attention be paid to farming in the island. “There was quite a good gathering of rela- tives and friends at 7 p.m. on the 14th, at the home of Rev. R. Coke to witness the exchange of the mar- riage vows between Miss Lucille Ebanks, daughter of Mrs. Merly Ebanks, and Capt. Samuel McNee Farrington. Mr. Owen Far- rington was best man and his wife was the bride’s only attendant. The cer- emony was performed by Rev. Coke and the bride was given in marriage by her grandfather Mr. Rennie Ebanks.” 50 YEARS AGO Quadrille dancers keep history alive Harley Rivers Students have hot chocolate in the school hall.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days West Bay CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 17, 2017 One man’s lifelong search for white conch JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Admiring his conch stall, laden with pink shells at the front of his home, West Bay resident Isen Powery, is all smiles. The 61-year-old fisherman’s lifelong dream of finding an “al- bino,” or white milk conch, has fi- nally come true. Finding the white shell ended a search that spanned 53 years of Mr. Powery’s life, a search he said started when he was 10 years old after his grandfather An- drew Powery first told him about the white conch. “Fifty-three years ago my grandfather was showing my fa- ther, cousin Ricky Smith and me a turtle nest, and by that nest was a white conch shell. I asked grand- father why that one was white and the others were so pink. He said that one had faded from exposure to the sun,” said Mr. Powery. “But he also said that when he was a boy, his father told him that there was a conch so rare it was called the ‘albino’ conch, which a man told him was a milk conch. He told me if he ever found one, never to get rid of it because I would never find another in my lifetime.” Mr. Powery said he found the shell in an area off Barkers Key, West Bay, two weeks ago while on a diving excursion with friend Dennis Ebanks. “My buddy just handed me the conch from the water with the white part exposed. When I saw the face of the conch, I knew that 53 years of hunting was over,” he said. When Mr. Powery extracted the meat from the shell, the only dif- ference he noticed was that it had one large eye and one small eye, and when it was cooked in coconut milk, he said it tasted just like any other conch – “really good.” The shell of the white conch measures about 7.5 inches long and weighs about 2.5 pounds. Searching for more information on his find, Mr. Powery went as far as asking local people up to 90 years of age if they had ever seen a white conch shell. Some said no, and others said they had not even heard of one. “My grandfather’s words and my dream have come true. I re- ally did, I finally found the white conch … I called my friend Andre Jackson and told him I had found the real McCoy,” said Mr. Powery, still riding high on the excite- ment of his find. A collector and seller of pink conch shells, Mr. Powery took up selling shells in 1984 after he had a stroke and could no longer work for Cable & Wireless. He was one of the first people in the district to come up with the idea of selling “konk” to visitors in 1984, he said. Mr. Powery is willing to sell the shell but does not want to see the shell leave the Cayman Islands. He has already sent a photograph of the shell to friends in Colorado and Switzerland. “I want to see it fall into gov- ernment’s hands, and a photo- graph of the shell be placed on either of our currency bills, a postage stamp, a Tourism Depart- ment logo, at the museum or on display for all to see in years to come,” said Mr. Powery. With a passion for local heri- tage, Mr. Powery claims his de- sire in life is to preserve as much of Cayman’s history, heritage and traditions as he can for future generations. He intends to mount the shell on a special piece of old ma- hogany, which he said he has had in his collection for many years. According to the FloridaKeys. com website, white conch are quite plentiful in the Florida Keys. Susie Mills, owner of the web- site, says she sees them in the Florida Keys backcountry. They live at the edge of turtle grass and in nearby sand. She said milk conch get its name from the iridescent white color on the inside of the shell that is particularly radiant in the sunlight. “My grandfather’s words and my dream have come true. I really did, I finally found the white conch.” ISEN POWERY, West Bay fisherman Isen Powery shows off his white conch. The West Bay resident had been looking for an ‘albino’ conch for 53 years. - PHOTO: JEWL LEVY The white conch shell stands out from the rest of its pink family. Kittiwake marks six years as a dive destination Six years after its sinking, locals and visitors continue to flock to the USS Kittiwake wreck that lies in the waters off West Bay. Since the ship’s carefully planned sinking on Jan. 5, 2011, the ship- wreck and artificial reef remains ranked the number one thing to do in West Bay on the TripAdvisor travel ratings website, a press release from the Cayman Islands Tourism Asso- ciation states. According to the release, the Kit- tiwake wreck is the only dive site in the Cayman Islands that is regularly maintained. All commercial boats must be licensed from CITA to visit the site, and the licensing fees go to- ward the wreck’s maintenance. Snor- kelers and divers are also required to wear wristbands and have dive tokens, respectively. “Routine checks ensure the ship remains well preserved and the wildlife is thriving,” the release states. “The greatest thing about the Kit- tiwake is it will only get better with time as the coral begins to develop.” CITA recently partnered with the Department of Environment on a new Marine app which contains information on visiting the Kitti- wake as well as relevant rules and regulations. The app also has an incident reporting feature. “The sinking of the Kittiwake has been a major success,” Rod McDowall said on behalf of Red Sail Sports Ltd. “It is popular with our local and visiting divers, as well as with snor- kelers visiting the Cayman Islands on the cruises, in addition to stay- over tourists.” For more information, visit www.kittiwakecayman.com.A diver checks out the Kittiwake. Mr. Powery’s conch shell stand at the front of his home. Mr. Powery took up selling shells in 1984.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY JANUARY 17, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Canadian Boarding School Fair boardingschools.ca | @caisboarding Why Boarding School in Canada? More Access to Teachers. More Possibilities. More Fun. Experience More. Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort Thursday, January 19, 2017 5:00-8:00pm 15 of Canada’s finest boarding schools are coming to meet with families interested in learning more about the benefits of a Canadian boarding experience: Albert College Appleby College Ashbury College Bishop's College School Havergal College Lakefield College School Pickering College Ridley College St. Andrew's College St. Michaels University School Stanstead College Shawnigan Lake School The Bishop Strachan School Trinity College School Upper Canada College C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Barbados Invitation.pdf 1 2015-09-24 5:06 PM both locally and inter- nationally, it’s about un- derstanding what’s going on in the world and not being reactive from a busi- ness or regulatory stand- point, but being proactive,” Mr. Hicks said. The 2017 lineup includes economic influencers from across the global stage, in- cluding John Tamny of the Reason Foundation, Marla Dukharan of RBC and Northwest Passage Ventures founder Alex Tapscott. Journalists Evan Osnos of The New Yorker and Janine di Giovanni of Newsweek will also attend. The year’s conference has capacity for around 400 attendees, organizers said. community centers were used as overspill facilities. He said the renova- tions have increased the ca- pacity of the building from around 40 to 100. He expects there will still be occasions when the com- munity centers are called into use when numbers are espe- cially high, but that should be less frequent. There are currently 84 Cuban detainees on island. “The numbers are still very high. I can’t remember when we were last below 50, so even with the new space, it is still close to capacity,” said Mr. Lavis. He said the additional space, which opened in July, is part of the same building. Since it opened, the center has exceeded its new capacity only once, he said. Mr. Lavis said it is too early to tell how the repeal of the U.S. “wet-foot, dry-foot” policy, which gave favorable treatment to Cuban migrants arriving in the U.S., would af- fect the number of migrants arriving on Cayman’s shores. On the issue of putting the migrants to work while they are detained here, he said, “They are willing to help us. They would rather be doing something than just sitting around. Some of them have some skills and have in- dicated they would like to do some work.” A group of Cubans who are waiting to be processed by immigration officials is helping prison officers con- struct a new checkpoint and walkway corridor at Fairbanks women’s prison and juvenile detention facilities next door to the detention center. For Fairbanks Deputy Di- rector Claira Range, it is a welcome addition. “It has been very, very long in coming and very much needed,” she said. According to Ms. Range, the previous arrangement was a simple table inside the building, which made it dif- ficult to process inmates ar- riving at the facility. She said officers often had to come out of the building in the rain or hot sun to process inmates. “Having the checkpoint and corridor in place is more appropriate,” she said. “When inmates come through the gate, they come up to the window, hand in their stuff, it is scanned by an officer and searched before they are allowed to go into the building. The corridor is to protect them and us from the wind and rain.” She added, “The Cubans work very fast and they are quite willing to help.” She said Fairbanks had ma- terial, but the difficulty was in getting someone to steer the project and com- plete it quickly. “It’s been a long time coming, since I had been asking for the checkpoint and corridor. Finally, Director of Prisons Neil Lavis gave us the go-ahead, with of- ficer Holgate in charge of the project,” Ms. Range said. According to Ms. Range, 15 inmates are presently in- carcerated at Fairbanks. Line officer Ephraime Holgate has 10 Cubans working on the project along with him. Officer Holgate said al- though he does not speak Spanish, he and the migrants are working well together as tradesmen. “They know some of the trade to a degree … once they are inclined to the pro- fession they catch on very quickly,” he said. “We communicated just by the nature of the trade. I show them what to do and they get it done,” he added. Yorgi Fonseca, a boat cap- tain and the only English speaking Cuban in the group, said the men had skills in most areas of the construc- tion field. They have a skilled mason, carpenters, firemen, welders, construction workers, sailors and more, he said. Trying to get his point across in broken English, one Cuban said, “In Cuba, only prison … no work, … prison, prison, … plenty businesses no money, … no changes since Castro died.” Another said, “In Cayman, plenty work, Cayman good.” Dorian Hunter, a Cayman inmate skilled in heavy equipment, welding and other areas of the construction field, said he was assisting to make good use of his time. Cuban migrants help with renovations CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cubans work on the walkway leading to Fairbanks women’s prison.– PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Cayman Economic Outlook turns focus to growth CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Sponsors of Cayman Economic Outlook 2017 promote the Feb. 2 event at the Kimpton Seafire resort. “It is been very, very long in coming and very much needed.” FAIRBANKS DEPUTY DIRECTOR CLAIRA RANGEThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 17, 2017 However, if the crash is not considered a major inci- dent, even if there is serious damage to the vehicle or ve- hicles involved and the cars are not drivable, the gen- eral policy is to move the cars out of the public right of way, clean up debris left from the crash, and leave the vehicles there. If the car is left at the crash scene for an extended period, it will eventually be towed by the Department of Environmental Health at the owner’s expense. Responding to less se- rious vehicle wrecks, even those where the cars are not being towed, consumes a significant number of po- lice patrol hours, according to Deputy Commissioner Anthony Ennis. In instances where ve- hicles have collided, even if there is significant damage and no one is hurt, the matter can be cleared off the road and dealt with by in- surance adjusters. Currently, the law does not require po- lice to respond to minor- damage accidents, though they sometimes do. “How often are you trav- eling down the street and a fender-bender is blocking up traffic and they’re waiting for the police to come?” Mr. Ennis said. “Most of the time, it’s just for insur- ance purposes. Get the car out of the way.” The police service’s workload, particularly in responding to what the de- partment considered “non- emergency” calls for ser- vice, is illustrated in records kept by the 911 Emergency Centre. In the 2011/12 budget year, the 911 center staff processed nearly 12,000 calls for service, including police, fire and ambulance calls. The next budget year, the number of calls pro- cessed by 911 staff ex- ceeded 30,000 – near tri- pling in one year. The reason for the in- crease, according to the 911 center’s annual report for 2015, was that non-emer- gency RCIPS dispatch calls were added to the reports being processed by the center. The number of calls increased to nearly 32,000 in 2014 and increased again to nearly 34,000 in 2015 – the latest year for which records are available. RCIPS commanders have spoken of the need to lessen officers’ burdens with rou- tine traffic enforcement is- sues and other matters, such as serving witness summonses to court. How- ever, the department said it is also planning a public awareness campaign in the coming months to inform residents about when calling for police service is appro- priate, and when it is not. Reducing the need for police service in “non-emer- gency” situations would free up police officers to perform their primary functions – maintaining law and order – Mr. Ennis said last year. “I think we have suffi- cient personnel to get the job done if we can … get rid of a lot of the things that do not require a police officer to do,” Mr. Ennis said. Police: 5 killed in shooting at nightclub at Mexican resort CANCUN, Mexico (AP) – A shooting attack at an elec- tronic music festival in Mexi- co’s Caribbean coast resort of Playa del Carmen on Monday left five people dead, including two Canadians, an Italian and a Colombian, authorities said. The attorney general of Quintana Roo state said that three of the dead were part of the security detail at the 10-day BPM electronic music festival. The fourth and fifth victims have not been identified. Miguel Angel Pech said the shooting occurred about 2:30 a.m. outside the Blue Parrot nightclub, one of the BPM Festival’s venues in Playa del Carmen, just south of Cancun. It was apparently the festival’s closing event. Pech said a lone gunman apparently tried to enter the nightclub, but was denied ac- cess because he had a gun. The gunman began to ex- change fire with another person inside, he said, and festival security personnel tried to stop the shooting and came under fire. Pech said it was not a ter- rorist attack, and said three people had been detained nearby, but it was unclear if they had been involved in the shooting. “We know of another shooting incident that oc- curred near the nightclub, but we are investigating whether that is related” to the night- club shootings,” Pech said. He said 20 bullet casings from three different pistols had been found at the scene, and said it was unclear if the security detail had been armed or fired any of the weapons. The government of the township that includes Playa de Carmen referred in a statement to “attackers who fired shots,” but did not pro- vide further details. The shooting apparently caused a rush of people heading for the exits at the beach-side club, and the lone female victim was apparently killed during the stampede. Pech said 15 people were injured, included one Mex- ican woman who was seri- ously injured. He said eight of the injured –including two U.S. citizens and one Cana- dian –had been treated for less serious injuries at local hospitals and released. He said three people had been detained nearby, but it was unclear if they had been involved in the shooting. Rodolfo Del Angel, di- rector of police in the state of Quintana Roo, told the Milenio TV station that he shooting was the result of “a disagreement between people inside” the nightclub and said security guards had come under fire when they tried to contain the dispute. The BPM Festival posted a statement saying four people had been killed and 12 in- jured in an attack that in- volved “a lone shooter.” BPM wrote that “the vio- lence began on 12th street in front of the club and three members of the BPM secu- rity team were among those whose lives were lost while trying to protect patrons in- side the venue.” Playa del Carmen has largely been spared the vi- olence that has hit other parts of Mexico. Policemen guard the entrance of nightclub Blue Parrot in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Monday. A Mexican police officer said a gunman killed at least five people and wounded nine others at the nightclub in the Caribbean coast resort of Playa del Carmen. – PHOTO: AP/STR Woman had husband’s bullet in carry-on bag CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A woman using her hus- band’s bag as carry-on lug- gage pleaded guilty on Friday afternoon to possession of one round of .38 ammuni- tion, discovered at the airport that morning. Crown counsel Scott Wainwright said the woman attempted to board a flight to Miami around 7:10 a.m., but when she put her hand luggage on the conveyor belt for checking, a security of- ficer observed the shape of a bullet, which was re- covered when the bag was searched by hand. When interviewed, the woman said the bag be- longed to her husband, who had a valid firearms license. He had not accompanied her to Cayman. After being con- tacted, he provided a nota- rized statement that he was a firearms license holder in the Commonwealth of Virginia, where they live. Defense attorney John Furniss explained that the woman, 24, had come to the island for a holiday with her parents and three siblings. Her parents had dropped her at the airport at 6 a.m. because she was scheduled to be at work that night. The rest of the family was leaving Cayman the following day. Mr. Furniss noted that the bag had passed through se- curity on its way here, but the bullet was never detected in the States. He asked that no con- viction be recorded since it could affect her career. He also expressed the hope that the matter could be con- cluded in time for the defen- dant to get to the airport in time for a 3:30 p.m. flight. Magistrate Valdis Foldats thanked the woman for her guilty plea. “Sadly, we have a surprising number of these types of cases. It seems that people in different coun- tries, with different laws from ours, don’t seem to take it seriously. “If you use a bag to carry firearms, don’t use that bag to travel to another country,” he urged. He said other coun- tries could punish the offense more harshly than Cayman courts do. “I wish we could have this published in the States to warn people.” What he had before him was an “honest mistake,” he concluded from the facts pre- sented. He cited Flowers Air and Dispatch Services, saying they deserved kudos for being on the front line and being vigilant. The magistrate said it was always surprising that items like this bullet are not found in the originating state or country. He said the danger was not that the de- fendant would use the bullet, but that someone could break in and find it. He ordered the defen- dant to pay $1,000 in costs, which has become the usual tariff for such cases. He is- sued an absolute discharge and said no conviction would be recorded. Mr. Furniss told the court that the woman’s parents had put the money together and he hoped it could get paid be- fore the court treasury office closed at 3 p.m. On Monday, Mr. Furniss confirmed that the money was accepted in time and that he drove his client and her mother to the airport in time, as the plane had not yet left the ground. However, airline personnel advised that the gate had closed, and the woman was not al- lowed to board. She then had to phone her workplace and explain the situation. The whole family left the next day. Wrecked car removal ‘not police responsibility’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “How often are you traveling down the street and a fender-bender is blocking up traffic and they’re waiting for the police to come?” ANTHONY ENNIS, deputy commissionerNext >