SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY JANUARY 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS February films Meet your friends at the cinema for a host of new movies. B4 Gala goes ‘wild’ Hatitude fundraiser goes with the theme ‘Gone Wild’ B3 Events Music Events ■ EVENTS Taste of Cayman Foodies: Head to Festival Green on Saturday. B6 Celebrate maritime culture New National Gallery exhibit highlights ocean heritage B2 DJ’s rock Noah’s Ark Get in touch with your inner beast at costume party B5 STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July Registered Merchant of CaymanGiftCertificates. com Fine Wine and Spirits For the Month of January TORTUGA® SAVE $ 10 REGULAR $56.99 NOW $46.99 JANUARY ONLY DISTILLED SCOTTISH GIN INFUSED WITH ROSE & CUCUMBER PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CAYMAN WEEKENDER Taste of Cayman EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 TAKING A SWAT AT CAYMAN’S MOSQUITOES High of 84 Low of 70 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY JANUARY 27, 2017 RED BAY SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA Political coalitions forming for May 2017 Record number of candidates possible BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com At least four, and potentially five political coalitions or political parties are readying to contest the Cayman Islands general elec- tion on May 24. Both major political parties, the Progressives (sometimes referred to as the Peo- ple’s Progressive Movement) and the Cayman Democratic Party (formerly the United Dem- ocratic Party), intend to field a slate of can- didates. As of Thursday, both groups were still formalizing their selections in as many of the 19 single-member constituencies as they can manage. With the adoption of a one man, one vote system for the first time in the territory since the 1950s, at least two other affiliated political groups are forming, the Cayman Compass has learned. A third group could po- tentially stem from among candidates in the eastern districts. The 2017 election map divides Grand Cayman into 17 Legislative Assembly constit- uencies, seven in George Town district, four in West Bay district, four in Bodden Town dis- trict, and one apiece for East End and North Side. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman will be divided into two districts, Cayman Brac West/ Little Cayman and Cayman Brac East. Voters re- siding in each constituency will cast one ballot for the candidate of their choice. Although a number of independent candi- dates have already declared specific constitu- encies in which they will run, the political par- ties have not settled on constituencies – in most cases – for their own candidates. The final con- stituencies for every political hopeful may not be known until candidate nomination day. GM MOSQUITOES MAKING AN IMPACT JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The release of some 8 million genetically modified mosquitoes in West Bay has had a significant impact in reducing populations of the disease-spreading insects in the targeted area, researchers say. Preliminary data from the Mosquito Re- search and Control Unit shows that the ge- netically modified males are successfully mating with females in the wild. The MRCU statistics also show a signifi- cant reduction in Aedes aegypti eggs found in traps in the targeted zone compared with a non-treatment area. Now officials are contemplating a national rollout of the project in the hope that it can vastly reduce or even eradicate the mosqui- toes, which spread various potentially deadly Healthcare ‘Express’ coming to GT JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new urgent care medical center is opening in George Town, seeking to fill a gap in healthcare coverage in the Cayman Islands. Doctors Express will be open extended hours and on weekends to provide care in non-emergency situations. It will offer on-the- spot consultations and treatment for injuries ranging from cuts and bites to broken bones. Samuel Banks, a local attorney, is the Caymanian partner and co- founder of the business. His wife, Winnie Banks, MD, who also has a master’s in business administra- tion, will manage the facility. Mr. Banks said Doctors Ex- press would fill a “critical gap” in Cayman’s health service between traditional doctors’ offices and hospital emergency rooms. “Urgent Care is the fastest growing component of the U.S. healthcare system and it is something that we believe is badly needed in the Cayman Is- lands,” he said. “Our aim is to bring a higher level of care and customer ser- vice to the industry, as well as transparent pricing and flex- ible opening hours suited to patients’ working lifestyles.” The facility will be open until 9 p.m. seven days a week and will provide consultations without ap- pointment, he said. Mr. Banks said the aim is to have patients in and out within an hour, providing a swifter and more pleasant experience than a busy hospital emergency room. A 5,000-square-foot building PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 15 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 15 » TRAFFIC ALERT FOR ESTERLEY TIBBETTS On Sunday, the Esterley Tibbetts Highway will be closed from the Butterfield roundabout to the Camana Bay roundabout for one day. Traffic will be diverted to West Bay Road with local access permitted for Lakeside residents. Starting Monday, southbound traffic on the Es- terley Tibbetts Highway will be diverted to the new highway after exiting the Camana Bay roundabout. Northbound traffic will be diverted to the new highway near Lakeside. Access to the National Gallery will be through Harquail Drive. The NRA notes the diversions could last for about a month. Samuel Banks, a local attorney, is the co-founder of a new urgent care medical center opening in George Town. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY JANUARY 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 945-2290 • West Shore Center, Seven Mile Beach • 10am to 10pm Eat-in!Take-out! • 1 whole Rotisserie Chicken • 2 pints of Cajun Rice • Home Made Flakey Biscuits • 2 liter of Soda $19.95 For FAT TUESDAY & MARDI GRAS... A Meal Deal $24.95 with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday Harpist Extraordinaire Eugenio Leon Serenades Tableside TONIGHT Friday January 27th Saturday Feb 4th Barefoot Man and Sea N’B Starting live from: 7:30pm -10:30pm Call 949-2231 or email: info@wharf.ky FRIDAY 27th SATURDAY 28th SHOW STARTS AT 7:30 FREE ADMISSION ENJOY THE SHOW WHILE DINING FROM 9:30PM WITH BOB FM EVERY LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH The Cayman National Cultural Foundation invites applications for the position of Temporary Cayfest Assistant 5-Week Assignment: 1 February to 10 March 2017 Salary: $1,800 - $2000 You can be an important part of Cayman’s National Arts Festival. If you: • Are enthusiastic about arts and culture, relish working in a creative environment • Have event planning experience • Are knowledgable and comfortable with utilizing social media • Possess superior organizational skills • Have excellent written communication, telephone & interpersonal skills • Think of yourself as a problem solver and are fearless about handling multiple tasks simultaneously and meeting deadlines • Have excellent computer skills, mainly Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel • Have your own car or access to personal transportation • Are energetic, and willing & able to work flexible hours Please reply by 1 February 2017, with resume and 3 references to: Cayfest Assistant Position Cayman National Cultural Foundation Harquail Theatre, PO Box 30201, GC, KY1-1201 Or Email info@artscayman.org No officers present, cases thrown out CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Magistrate Eileen Nervik dismissed charges against two defendants in two sepa- rate matters on Wednesday. Each man had been scheduled to stand trial in Traffic Court, but the po- lice officers who would have been Crown witnesses did not attend. In the first case, the de- fendant had pleaded not guilty to speeding. He was accused of driving 53 miles per hour in a 40 mph zone on a date in February 2016. His trial was set for Nov. 3. On that date, the court file shows, no Crown wit- nesses were present. The de- fendant did not attend until 12:30 p.m., although court starts at 10 a.m. He maintained his not guilty plea, the magistrate vacated a warrant for his arrest, and the trial was re-scheduled for Jan. 25. The officer in the case was served another summons on Nov. 18, advising him of the new date. On Jan. 25 – Wednesday – the defendant was in court, but as of 11:15 a.m., the officer was not present. The magistrate dis- missed the charge. Later, the case was called of a man accused of permit- ting someone to drive his car without insurance. The alleged offense oc- curred in August, 2015 and the defendant first ap- peared in court on May 30, 2016. On July 18, he pleaded not guilty and trial was set for Jan. 25. The matter was called around noon, but the officer in the case was not present. Court records showed that he had been summoned on Oct. 26. Crown counsel Stacy-Ann Kelly said some time had lapsed since then, but this was only the first trial date, so she was asking for an adjournment. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden asked the court to dismiss the case for want of prosecution. Ms. Kelly said the Of- fice of the Director of Pros- ecutions had done what it could; a reminder of the court date had been emailed to the officer. “That supports my ap- plication even further,” Ms. Bodden replied. “A mes- sage needs to be sent to of- ficers,” she urged. It could not be in the interest of jus- tice to have relatively simple matters drag on, the at- torney submitted. Regarding the issue of officers not attending sched- uled trials, the magistrate commented, “It’s been hap- pening quite a bit.” The court had to “clear up” all these matters, she added, and dismissed the charge. “You are free to go,” she told the accused. “A message needs to be sent to officers.” PRATHNA BODDEN, defense attorney Chile’s worst wildfires destroy town, death toll at 9 SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) – Flames from one of Chile’s worst wildfires completely con- sumed the town of Santa Olga as the death toll from the blazes since No- vember rose to nine, officials said Thursday. The flames engulfed the post office, a kindergarten, and about 1,000 homes Thursday in the town 220 miles south of the Chilean capital. The body of one person was found under the charred remains of the town, which another 6,000 residents fled unharmed. Of- ficials have not identified the person who died. “This is an extremely se- rious situation – of horror, a nightmare without an end,” said Carlos Valenzuela, the mayor of the neighboring coastal city of Constitucion. “Everything burned.” Authorities found an- other body burned inside a house destroyed in the flames about 85 miles south of Santa Olga in the coastal city of Concepcion, said An- drea Munoz, the governor of Concepcion province. The fast-spreading blazes of recent weeks have de- stroyed about 385,000 acres of forest and killed eight people. They include a fire- fighter and two police offi- cers who died Wednesday. The fires have been raging in central and southern Chile, fanned by strong winds, hot temperatures and a pro- longed drought. Emer- gency services have bat- tled the flames non-stop for days with firefighters on the ground and helicopters and small airplanes in the air. But the ferocity of the flames prompted President Michelle Bachelet to ask for inter- national help. A Boeing 747-400 “Super Tanker” arrived in Chile from the U.S. to help fight the blazes on Wednesday. The world’s largest fire- fighting aircraft can dump nearly 20,000 gallons (of fire retardant or water. A delega- tion of Colombian experts was to assist Chilean fire- fighters on Thursday. The central regions of O’Higgins and Chile’s top wine-making region of Maule are among those hit worst. But fires are also raging in the south-central Bio Bio and Araucania regions, known for its timber industry and where most of Chile’s Ma- puche Indigenous people live. Interior Minister Mahmud Aleuy more fires are ex- pected, with forecasts of hotter temperatures, strong winds and low humidity in the coming days. The fires have been raging in central and southern Chile, fanned by strong winds, hot temperatures and a prolonged drought. Two men comfort each other as they look at the remains of a house burned in Concepcion, Chile, on Thursday. - PHOTO: ALEJANDRO ZONEZ/ATON VIA APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 27, 2017 visit www. caymansummit.com for more information DATE: FEBRUARY 15-17, 2017 LOCATION: GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS VENUE: KIMPTON SEAFIRE RESORT+SPA WWW: CAYMANSUMMIT.COM THE FUTURE OF ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS IN EXCEPTIONAL TIMES Arnold Schwarzenegger Actor, Businessman, and the former Governor of California Executive Platinum SponsorsPlatinum Sponsor Gold SponsorsBronze SponsorsSilver Sponsor PANTONE 130 PANTONE 179 PANTONE 425 Other Sponsors IMS 4 Weeks to go at 90% capacityThe 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” FRIDAY JANUARY 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS THE TELEGRAPH (LONDON) EDITORIAL BOARD One of the first things Donald Trump did as pres- ident was to return a bust of Winston Churchill to the Oval Office. It is merely a symbol but, for British ob- servers at least, a hopeful one. Love him or loathe him, Mr. Trump is now the most powerful man in the world – and the U.K. has to work with him. If he offers the hand of friendship, we would be fools not to accept it. Barack Obama tried to re-orientate U.S. foreign policy away from Europe and towards Asia and Latin America. He partly blamed his European allies for the chaos in Libya; his secre- tary of state partly blamed Britain for delaying action in Syria. The U.K. confounded Mr. Obama by voting for Brexit. He ended up re- garding himself as far closer to Berlin than London – and that was regrettable. The Special Relationship is not written in stone, but it is important and can be a force for good. For instance, Britain and America share vital intelligence and are ar- guably the bedrock of the NATO alliance. We are signif- icant trade partners. And we share a bond in our values, in our historic commitment to democratic capitalism. Today, there is skepti- cism about Mr. Trump’s commitment to that phi- losophy. In his inaugural speech he talked about put- ting “America first” and has threatened other nations with import tariffs. His goal, which is understandable given his working-class con- stituency of support, is to turn America back into an exporting nation. But hurting the economies of his allies only to trigger price infla- tion at home would be a ter- rible mistake, and the U.K. has to make the case against nationalist rhetoric. Like- wise, Mr. Trump’s frustra- tion with NATO countries that won’t meet the aspira- tion of spending 2 percent of their GDP on defense is understandable. Britain has broken its back to reach that figure; this newspaper has long argued that it is crit- ical that the West puts its money where its mouth is. But threatening that America will not come to the aid of countries that fail to reach a precise spending goal is reckless. It is indeed only a goal, not a condition of NATO membership or of mutual defense. The fact that Mr. Trump says controversial things without apparent consid- eration of the authority of his office is one reason why his inauguration has spread panic. Yesterday’s demon- strations in Washington and across the world were a tes- tament to those concerns and people have a right to ex- press their opinion. But The- resa May has to act in the best interests of her nation and strike a deal that works for Britain, strengthens the Atlantic alliance and amelio- rates some of the new Presi- dent’s troubling qualities. Mrs. May has found the right tone. Asked about Mr. Trump’s comments on women, she has said that she dislikes them and pointed out that he has apologized. She flew to Washington this week to meet him face-to- face – and has promised to be “very frank” about the importance of Nato and of building unity within Eu- rope over security issues. If the two nations can work together to reform and strengthen the Western alli- ance, that is all to the good. If in the process Mrs. May can help convince Mr. Trump that Vladimir Putin is a se- rious threat to global secu- rity then that, too, would be a step in the right direction. Mrs. May can also strengthen the trade links between the two countries. There is the potential for opening up the banking in- dustries, as well as the on- going dream of an At- lantic free trade deal, which would counter some of the protectionist talk that Mr. Trump indulges in. He ad- mires Brexit, seeing it as the British counterpart to his own revolution, and admires Britain in general, being half- Scottish. Ironically, Brexit, which many said separated the U.K. from Europe, gives Britain a chance to act as a bridge between the U.S. and Europe – for we are now in the best position to make the case for the continued de- fense of Europe in the court of Washington. One myth of the Special Relationship is of Britain playing Greece to Ameri- ca’s Rome – playing the role of older, wiser friend who guides the empire towards doing the right thing. Ac- knowledging that Britain is no longer a superpower, we can nevertheless make the case for its re-emergence as a model nation that is admired and emulated by others. As we restore our democracy and forge new trading re- lationships with the rest of the world, we can encourage America, in addition, to liber- alize rather than retreat. What would Churchill have made of these remark- able events? He would not have approved of the isola- tionist flavor of America First but, likewise, he probably would have argued against tearing up the precious, nec- essary Atlantic alliance on the basis of personal dis- approval of the President. Mr. Trump is in charge now. The U.K. has to find some way of making him work to our benefit. © 2017, Associated Press During the summer of 2016, an epidemic swept across the Western Hemisphere. We’re not referring to the Zika virus – no, not exactly – but the widespread panic among members of the population who feared that Zika would cause a generational tidal wave of birth defects. Months later, that tsunami of microcephaly cases has yet to materialize (apart from the initially reported scourge in certain regions of Brazil), and the associated fear seems to have abated somewhat. Here in the Cayman Islands, last summer’s unwar- ranted terror over Zika was joined by a separate, but associated, panic – of the pilot deployment of genetically modified mosquitoes in West Bay. With the winter season now standing between Cayman and the GM mosquito release, it also appears to be the case that “everybody’s worst nightmares” about so-called “Franken-mozzies” have also failed to materialize. Here are the interim results of the program by British biotechnology firm Oxitec, according to Cayman’s Mosquito Research and Control Unit: • The number of Aedes aegypti eggs collected in traps in the treatment area was 88 percent less than the designated “non-treatment” area nearby. • The proportion of Oxitec mosquito offspring (which contain biological fluorescent marking) among Cayman’s wild Aedes aegypti population has increased to an average of 94 percent during the last two months. In other words, the evidence indicates that Oxitec’s program is producing successful results, similar to the company’s earlier field releases in Grand Cayman’s East End, as well as in Brazil and Panama. As we’ve said before in this editorial space, the Zika virus is not – and never was – the pre-eminent threat to public health in Cayman. The moniker of “Public Enemy Number One” belongs to the carrier of Zika and other dangerous diseases, that is, the Aedes aegypti mosquito. We re-emphasize that one of our government’s primary goals (which would be the Cayman equivalent of U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s “Moon shot”) should be the utter eradication of Aedes aegypti from our beloved isles. We recognize that this ambitious mission cannot be accomplished with a single measure or technology, such as Oxitec’s mosquitoes, but would necessitate a sustained assault against Aedes aegypti on all possible fronts, including ground-based spraying and aerial bombing by MRCU trucks and aircraft, as well as a comprehensive public education campaign to enable and encourage resi- dents to rid their households of this “domestic” nemesis. For example, some critics of the Oxitec program put forth what they believe to be better alternatives, such as releasing mosquitoes that have been infected with the Wolbachia bacterium, which has been shown to limit mos- quitoes’ ability to develop viruses such as Zika, dengue and chikungunya. If asked to choose between conventional tactics, Oxitec’s approach or the Wolbachia method … Our answer is: “Yes. All of the above.” Thankfully, the dangerous mosquito population remains low in the Sister Islands, but Grand Cayman has five districts that are full of Aedes aegypti in urgent need of elimination. With the baseline assumption that we take into account the chances of success versus the risks to humans and the natural environment, our attitude is, anything that will work, let’s do it; anything that might work, let’s try it. Taking a swat at Cayman’s mosquitoes A hopeful symbol from the Oval Office One myth of the Special Relationship is of Britain playing Greece to America’s Rome – playing the role of older, wiser friend who guides the empire towards doing the right thing.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 27, 2017 DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days East End North Side FRIDAY JANUARY 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Birders in East End have long set their sights on a brackish pond, tucked away at Grand Cay- man’s eastern end beside the Queen’s Highway, that hosts a variety of local and migratory birds. Colliers Bay Pond, as a former Animal Sanctuary pro- tected under the Animals Law (1976), automatically became a Protected Area under the National Conservation Law. It is one of three such sites in the Cayman Islands, all of which are ponds surrounded by buffer vegetation that is important to resident and mi- gratory waterbirds. The Department of En- vironment’s Terrestrial Re- sources Unit is charged with establishing and managing terrestrial protected areas. According to the Department, the limits of the protected area are generally defined by a line measured 300 feet inland from the high water mark of the pond. Under Section 9 of the Na- tional Conservation Law, land- owners of adjoining properties and the general public are in- vited to submit written views on additional sites which have been nominated to become Protected Areas. The list is on the Depart- ment’s website and the nom- inations will be reviewed by the National Conser- vation Council. In Grand Cayman, the nominated sites are Barkers, Vidal/Barkers Cay, the western Crown mangrove cays, the Salt Creek mangroves, the Central Mangrove Wetland and the Lower Valley forest. According to the website, the period for consultation will end on May 2, after which the Council will take into ac- count all written submis- sions before deciding whether to recommend the proposal to Cabinet, or to amend or withdraw it. This is the first of two sets of nominations the Council ex- pects to submit to public con- sultation this year, and sub- missions will be published as part of the consultation report. “Submissions should be made using the online survey, or on a form which is avail- able to download and print,” the site states. “This will assist the Council in objectively as- sessing the level of public support or opposition for each proposal, as well as providing for comments in your own words.” The water levels rise and fall seasonally at Colliers pond. - PHOTO: PAUL WATLER Submissions sought on proposed Protected Areas GEORGE NOWAK Marion Watler of Gun Bay was an expert, meticulous thatcher, con- sidered one of the best in the dis- trict of East End. Young children often stopped by her home to learn the art of weaving thatch into bas- kets, hats and brooms. This image was taken in the early 90s at her home, directly across from what is now known now as Vi- vene’s Kitchen, a popular restaurant with locals and tourists alike. Her son Warren Watler wrote a most interesting book about the United Bulk Carriers ship, Sinclair Petrolore, which exploded off the coast of Brazil in 1960 causing one of the world’s largest oil spills of that era at over 17,640,000 U.S. gal- lons; the famous Exxon Valdez spill of 1989 spilled a scant 11,000,000 gallons by comparison. That book is available at the Cayman Seafarers Association. Ms. Watler passed away in 1999. This photograph 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. MARION C. WATLER In the Jan. 18, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Com- pass, East End correspondent Charles Dixon wrote: “On Jan. 11 Mr. Thomas Rankin took as his bride Miss Josphyn Jeffers. The wed- ding ceremony was conducted by the Rev. Lewin Williams at the groom’s home. Mr. Oswald Rankin was best man and Miss Blondel Connor maid of honour. “Mr. Levi Conolly returned on the 13th to spend his vaca- tion. He worked for National Bulk Carriers. “Mr. Roosevelt Rankin left on the 14th to resume work with the Illinois Glass Co. “On the 29th Dec. Mr. Denby Rankin took as his bride Miss Patricia Johnson of Jamaica. Mr. Lewin Williams performed the marriage rites at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Goldwyn Wel- come. The groomsmen were Mr. Reginald Jervis and Mr. Malcus McLaughlin while the bridesmaids were Miss Thelma McLaughlin and Miss Blondel Connor.” In the Jan. 25 issue, Mr. Dixon wrote: “Born to Mr. and Mrs. Verneale Fredrick on the 11th, God’s precious gift of a son, their first child. mother and baby doing well. “Mr. Wardel Rankine re- turned to the U.S. on the 20th after spending an enjoyable va- cation with his family. “Leaving on the 22nd to work for National Bulk Carriers was Mr. Edward Rankine. “The Right Rev. S.A. We- bley, Moderator of the United Church, received a hearty wel- come from the congrega- tion at a special service held in his honour on the 16th. He was accompanied by the Rev. Lewin Williams.” In the same issue, the fol- lowing notice appeared: “The owners of land known as Forest Glen, situated at North Side and bounded on the north by mangroves, south by mangroves, east by lands of Willie Chisholm and Col- lige Conolly, west by the sea of the North Sound advise that all trespassers or persons dealing or attempting to deal with this property will meet with dire consequences. Kenneth and John Chisholm.” 50 YEARS AGO Rankins wed; Fredricks welcome a son Marion Watler was an expert thatcher. - PHOTO: GEORGE NOWAKDISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days East End North Side CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 27, 2017 Perfect weather makes for another successful family fun day With the sun shining and cool breezes blowing, the Queen Elizabeth II Park in North Side was the scene of another successful family fun day, which was held in partnership with the Garden Club of Grand Cayman. A steady stream of close to 800 visitors passed through the park gates on Sunday, Jan. 22, delighted to have the chance to take in the fine weather and enjoy a family oriented outing. The event was a fund- raiser for the park’s new Chil- dren’s Garden, which is an- ticipated to provide a much needed venue in the eastern districts for school groups and the general public of- fering educational facilities and hands-on activities for youngsters with a focus on learning by doing. At the fun day dona- tions were being taken, an assortment of activity sta- tions like crafts and seed- ling planting, as well as the extremely popular face- painting booth that had a long wait list throughout the day. Highlights of the day also featured live music, a jerk stand and a magic show. Tours of the Blue Iguana Recovery Pro- gram’s breeding facility on the park grounds were also in high demand. Ground has already broken on the Children’s Garden, which aims to serve as a science book brought to life, and which is set to take shape on a previously unused site adjacent to the park’s visitors’ center. “We have a very exciting concept for what it’s going to include, for instance a tree house structure, tunnels for the kids and classroom facili- ties,” said park manager John Lawrus, who was on hand to discuss the various compo- nents of the garden with visi- tors throughout the day. “We very much want it to be a kids’ space, where when they get there they will feel that it’s just for them and want to take ownership of it,” he said. “Ideally, they will tell the adults to keep out, that it’s for them, and we are de- signing the features to ensure they are kid sized and fun.” As previously reported in the Compass, the garden is being designed with assis- tance from architect John Doak, featuring plenty of shade and with an emphasis on earth sciences. A sen- sory garden will encourage youngsters to smell, taste and touch, a flower struc- ture will demonstrate parts of flowers and plants on a large scale, and there will be a lawn area for play. The hope is that chil- dren will learn by experi- encing, for example, learning about recycling by being in- side a giant bird’s nest. An area with raised planting beds will offer a way for kids to get their hands dirty, and hopes are the garden will also include water features, mini ecosystems, tunnels, an amphitheater, a rope bridge and even a maze. With an anticipated two- year build-out, Mr. Lawrus noted that how soon the project is completed will largely depend on funding. The Garden Club’s Selma Silva assists at the popular face painting booth. Various gifts and crafts are on sale inside the Visitors Center. Kids have lots of fun at the craft booths. The Lucky Dip draw is a big hit with visitors. - PHOTOS: MARTIN FREIFELD Ground has already been broken on the new Children’s Garden.8 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY JANUARY 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Expired Trade and Business Licences Subject to Penalties and Revocation Starting this month, persons who operate their businesses using expired trade and business licences will be subject to paying nes and, if they do not correct the situation within the prescribed timeframe, having their licences revoked under the Trade and Business Licensing Law (TBL). This is in accordance with section 23 (2) of the law, which addresses persons operating with expired licences. Unless waived by the Trade and Business Li- censing Board, a licensee who fails to pay the renewal fee within 28 days after the expiry date of the licence must pay a surcharge not exceeding 25 percent of their renewal fee. The surcharge increases every month or part of a month that the renewal fee is not paid, until the licence is eventually revoked. The Department of Commerce and Investment (DCI) has been notifying affected licensees of the potential nes and revocations since December 2016. Important dates for business owners to keep in mind are: • If your licence expired on or before 31 December 2016, you have until Tues- day, 28 February 2017 to renew your licence; otherwise it will be revoked as of Wednesday, 1 March 2017. No penalties can be assessed because these licences were issued under the previous TBL. • If your licence expired on or after 1 January 2017, you have 28 days to renew your licence. As the new TBL was in effect when these licences were issued, persons who do not renew their licences will begin to incur penal- ties as of Sunday, 29 January 2017. DCI will begin revoking these expired licences as of 1 June 2017. To operate legally in the future, business owners will have to pay all of the outstanding fees, including nes; and the fees associated with applying for an entirely new licence grant, rather than a renewal. ‘These provisions are designed to encourage compliance with the TBL; ensure that businesses are properly regulated; and foster fair competition, on a level playing eld. This serves the interests of the economy and consumers alike,’ said Commerce Minister Wayne Panton. -end- © 2017 Cayman Islands Ministry of Financial Services, Commerce and the Environment. All rights reserved. Pilot fined $8,000, conviction recorded CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An American visitor who flew his own plane to Cayman Brac last week ended up staying in the juris- diction longer than planned after a loaded revolver was found in his flight bag. Paul Arthur Grenier, 54, appeared in Summary Court on Wednesday afternoon, when he pleaded guilty to possession of an unlicensed .22 Magnum revolver and 10 rounds of live ammunition at Charles Kirkcon- nell International Airport on Jan. 19. Defense attorney Jonathon Hughes told Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez that Grenier has a fire- arms license in his home state of Georgia. He carried the gun as part of his flying gear out of a genuine concern that the aircraft could be subject to being hijacked. The gun was never an issue in the United States, Mr. Hughes pointed out, and the defendant’s trips out- side the U.S. were rare. This trip to the Brac was with friends for diving. After hearing the facts and fur- ther mitigation, the magistrate ac- cepted that there were exceptional circumstances (which meant that the mandatory minimum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment did not have to be imposed). She fined Gre- nier $8,000 and recorded a convic- tion against him after pointing out that this was a lenient sentence for a serious offense. She also ordered that the gun and ammunition be forfeited. The magistrate commented that Grenier probably wanted to get back to the Brac, get his plane and go home. The defendant agreed, ac- knowledging to the court that he was “scared to death.” Crown counsel Scott Wainwright provided a summary of facts. He said Grenier was attempting to go to his aircraft around 10 a.m. and informed officers of his intention when he reached the airport se- curity screening area. He was told his bag would have to be examined and at this stage he told officers he had a weapon. When questioned, he said it was a firearm. He also stated that he did not see anywhere on the form to declare it when he arrived. A su- pervisor was called; the bag was screened through X-ray and the image of a firearm was observed. Grenier and his bag were turned over to a customs officer. Asked if he had a firearm import license, Gre- nier said no, but he produced his Georgia license. The bag was opened and a black cloth bag was revealed. It contained the revolver and five rounds of am- munition wrapped in plastic, plus another five rounds in the revolver. Grenier was cautioned and arrested. His aircraft was searched, but no prohibited or restricted goods were recovered. Transported to the Creek Po- lice Station, Grenier opted to give an interview without an at- torney present. He said he had for- gotten the revolver was in his bag until he got to the security check- point, where he indicated he had it in his bag. He was granted bail with a cash surety in the sum of $2,500 and his travel documents were surrendered. He was directed to report to the De- tention Center in George Town on Jan. 25 at 10 a.m. Mr. Hughes took up the account from that point. He explained that Grenier arrived in Grand Cayman aboard a commercial flight and walked with his luggage from the airport to the detention center, where he subsequently made con- tact with Mr. Hughes. In court, the attorney pointed out that his client’s gun was legal and only became illegal when it crossed the border. He suggested that Cay- man’s Firearm Law was meant to protect the public from unli- censed guns held by people with il- legal intentions. Grenier was a responsible cit- izen, a senior vice president of a large construction company and a family man. As to the question of having any- thing to declare on arrival, he had been thinking of things like seeds, food or alcohol. He had not real- ized how serious the matter of the firearm was. Mr. Hughes noted that visitors found with bullets in their luggage typically are ordered to pay costs and they have no conviction re- corded against them. He requested a similar disposal for Grenier. The magistrate found that there were exceptional circumstances af- fecting sentence, but said the matter was too serious for her even to con- sider not recording a conviction. She also directed that the fine be paid before Grenier could return to the Brac to access his plane. Brac airport reopens 2 weeks after fire truck crash Brac’s airport reopened over the weekend to commer- cial jet services after a re- placement fire truck arrived from Little Cayman. The airport had been open to small aircraft only since a fire truck flipped over on the runway about two weeks ago, causing the temporary clo- sure of the facility. Air safety regulations re- quire at least two fire trucks to be on standby for a jet to be able to land, meaning all scheduled jet flights had to be canceled or re-routed through Grand Cayman until the replacement truck was shipped to the Brac. The transfer had been de- layed by rough seas. Chief Fire Officer David Hails said, “We shipped a larger fire truck from Little Cayman to Cayman Brac, as the jet carries significantly more passengers, and then shipped a smaller fire truck, that will provide adequate fire cover, back to Little Cayman.” “It’s unfortunate this was delayed for over a week due to rough seas, but I am ex- tremely pleased the vehicles were moved safely and suc- cessfully by Thompson Ship- ping between Thursday and Saturday [Jan. 19-21], en- abling category 6 status to be restored on Saturday night.” Two firefighters were in- jured in the Jan. 5 accident. Speed tests are carried out monthly on fire trucks that provide emergency sup- port to the airport in accor- dance with Rescue and Fire Fighting Service regulations. American visitor to Brac had loaded gunThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 27, 2017 NATIONAL GALLERY The road to the future is almost here. FROM MONDAY 30 JANUARY The road closure and redirection of traffic is the first step to realising the vision of the expanded Esterley Tibbetts Highway to four lanes from West Bay to George Town. For more information about Dart Real Estate’s innovative approach to infrastructure, visit: dartrealestate.com CAMANA BAY FUTURE AIRPORT CONNECTOR ROAD ROUNDABOUT ESTERLEY TIBBETTS HIGHWAY NORTH AND SOUTH BOUND TRAFFIC WILL BE DIVERTED Southbound trac on Esterley Tibbetts Highway will be diverted to the new highway road after exiting Camana Bay roundabout. Northbound trac on Esterley Tibbetts Highway will be diverted to the new highway road after Lakeside. ENTRANCE TO THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS WILL BE TEMPORARILY GAINED VIA A NEW LOCAL ACCESS ROAD THROUGH HARQUAIL DRIVE FUTURE ROUNDABOUT LAWRENCE BOULEVARD CLOSED ESTERLEY TIBBETTS HIGHW AY HARQUAIL THEATRE SUNDAY 29 JANUARY (1 DAY ONLY) ESTERLEY TIBBETTS HIGHWAY TEMPORARILY CLOSED BETWEEN BUTTERFIELD ROUNDABOUT AND THE CAMANA BAY ROUNDABOUT As part of our e orts to facilitate construction of the second dual-lane carriageway on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, Dart Real Estate, in conjunction with the National Roads Authority, will temporarily close the highway on Sunday and all vehicular trac will be redirected to West Bay Road. Residents of Lakeside will be permitted access to/from the highway. HARQUAIL DRIVE NEW HIGHW AY ROAD CLOSED SUNDAY 29 JANUARY (1 DAY ONLY) BUTTERFIELD ROUNDABOUT ACCESS CLOSED SUNDAY 29 JAN (1 DAY ONLY)Next >