ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2017 PremierHealth More claims get an automatic green light with BritCay! 57% of your claims were auto-adjudicated first* with BritCay. BritCay budgets for high volumes of claims. We pay more claims, more accurately and quicker than any other local health insurance provider. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp Kittiwake damaged in storm Divetech divers use a lift bag to remove some debris from the USS Kittiwake wreck off Seven Mile Beach after rough weather last week damaged the popular dive site. The walls, roof and panels of the wheelhouse of the ship were dislodged in the storm surge. For more, see page 8. - PHOTO: TONY LAND Neighbors concerned over youth detention plan Ministry to meet with residents JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government officials will meet with neighbors of the Bonaventure Boys Home in West Bay this month in an effort to allay concerns about a new youth detention facility planned for the site. A secure facility with space for up to a dozen young offenders is planned at a cost of around $2.5 million, gov- ernment revealed in January. The proposal is set to go before the Central Plan- ning Authority in the coming months and is already raising concerns among residents worried about potentially high-risk offenders moving into the neighborhood. Community Affairs Min- ister Osbourne Bodden ac- knowledged he had received concerns from residents in the area, including the home owners’ association of the nearby Coral Ga- bles subdivision. He said a presentation BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s health insur- ance regulator will receive one additional inspector shortly, but senior civil ser- vants acknowledged that will not solve the belea- guered agency’s troubles in keeping up with demand in a growing local health- care industry. The Cayman Islands Au- ditor General’s Office re- ported Monday that Cay- man’s Health Insurance Commission still has the same number of inspectors – three – that it had when it was formed more than 12 years ago. Ministry of Health Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn told the government’s Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday that since 2004 the number of health prac- titioners in the territory has significantly increased and neither the Depart- ment of Health Regulatory Services nor the commis- sion has been able to keep up with demand. Health insurance enforcement ‘suffers’ from underfunding PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Ezzard Miller PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Osbourne Bodden2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 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. - THURSDAY - RESIDENT EVIL 3D (R) 12:30 | 3:50 2D | 7:00 | 9:55 2D A DOG’S PURPOSE (PG) 12:40 | 4:00 | 6:55 | 9:50 MONSTER TRUCKS 3D (PG) 12:45 | 4:15 2D | 6:50 | 9:45 2D LIVE BY NIGHT (R) 12:50 | 3:40 | 6:40 | 9:40 UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS (R) 3:55 | 10:00 LA LA LAND (PG13) 12:35 | 7:05 Life Extension Gym and Sauna 949-3753 “I’m in it to win it ” Child abuse prevention measures extended to sports groups KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Ministry of Commu- nity Affairs, Youth and Sports has unveiled amendments to the Child Law, intended to ex- tend additional protections to young athletes. The policy outlines how to recognize abuse, how to respond to instances, and methods to report transgres- sions. To prevent possible abuses, national sports asso- ciations and member clubs will be required to subject new hires to a self-disclosure form, vetting by consulting refer- ences, a criminal background check and training on child safety policies. Each association will also be required to hire a child pro- tection officer for reporting purposes. Officials will be re- quired to report concerns or suspicions of abuse. Osbourne Bodden, min- ister of community affairs, youth and sports, said the policy has become necessary due to the evolution of Cay- manian society. “I never dreamt when I was a teenager that we would have the need for such a policy. Playing sports as a youngster, as I’ve done all my life, we grew up around well-meaning people and people who looked after us like our parents when they weren’t available. But as we’ve come to this point in develop- ment in these islands, such a policy is necessary,” Min- ister Bodden said. “We do bring in coaches all the time. We bring in people who work with athletes and we have to ensure we know who we are bringing in.” The policy does not yet specify sanctions for non- compliance, but Mr. Bodden said associations will be in- centivized to maintain youth protections. “We have not specified what the sanctions would be, but you can believe me, there will be sanctions and we re- serve the right to take action against any association that decides they don’t want to be a part of it,” Mr. Bodden said. “We also have the right to name and shame.” Assistant Chief Officer Joel Francis said the government will also be looking to extend youth protections to other, non-sports activities, such as scouting and arts programs. Felicia Robinson, director of the Department of Chil- dren and Family Services, said the policy establishes an obligation to shield chil- dren from harm. “We are guided by the principle view that not only is it a child’s right to par- ticipate and learn and enjoy sports in a safe environment but it also our obligation to assist in creating safe and positive sporting environ- ments,” she said. “Any one of us may be the only defense a child has.” The policy was signed Wednesday by Lucille Sey- mour, president of the Cayman Islands Netball As- sociation; Derek Haines, pres- ident of the Cayman Rugby Football Union; Annmarie Byrd, president of the Cayman Islands Boxing Association; and Minister Bodden. The first training ses- sions will be held Feb. 9 in Cayman Brac and Feb. 16-23 in Grand Cayman. An amendment to the Children Law is signed by, from left, Derek Haines, Minister Osbourne Bodden, Annmarie Byrd and Lucille Seymour. - PHOTO: KAYLA YOUNG Son says father did not know about gun CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Father and son George Lunard Powell and Jordan Bryson Powell appeared in Summary Court via video link from Northward Prison on Wednesday, when the younger defendant told the court, “I don’t think my father should be here.” George Powell, 47, and Jordan Powell, 24, were re- fused bail when they ap- peared in court last week. They are charged separately with the same offenses: pos- session of an unlicensed .45 Taurus semiautomatic pistol and 10 rounds of ammunition, on Sound Way on Jan. 21. The two men were in a truck that crashed into a utility pole following a police chase, and the gun was recov- ered at the scene. Jordan Powell’s attorney, Alice Carver said her client had elected for the matter to be dealt with in Grand Court, where he would enter a plea when the charges are put to him. “He wants to make it clear his father had no knowledge of the gun – no possession or control,” she said. Attorney Prathna Bodden, representing the elder Powell, pointed out that her client did not have to go to Grand Court just because the other defen- dant had chosen to do so. She said in light of Ms. Carver’s comments, she was again applying for bail for George Powell on the basis of a change in circumstances. Crown counsel Greg Wal- colm argued that there was no material change in circum- stances. He said there was a “mere assertion” by one de- fendant. No plea had been entered and there was no signed statement. He pointed out that George Powell had been driving the truck when it be- came involved in the police chase that led to the crash. Ms. Bodden agreed there had been a police chase, but said it occurred because her client “simply panicked and drove off.” He had a business to run, a family to support and he could be put on curfew and electronic monitor, she urged. If the matter goes to trial, it will be September or Oc- tober before it can be heard, she said. “We have one Grand Court judge who is over-sub- scribed,” she submitted. She urged the court to keep in mind people are being kept in custody because there are not the resources to deal with their trials – not enough courtrooms and not enough judges, she indicated. Magistrate Grace Don- alds said she did not believe she had been persuaded that there was a material change in circumstances. Ms. Bodden advised that she had already filed papers in order to have a bail appli- cation in Grand Court on Feb. 3. Meanwhile, she pointed out, the next date for men- tions in Grand Court is not until Feb. 24. “Jordan hasn’t entered a plea because he hasn’t been given the oppor- tunity,” she asserted. Jordan Powell then asked permission to speak. He said his attorney had a letter from him and he wanted her to put it forward. It was in this context that he said he did not think his father should be in custody. Ms. Bodden renewed her bail application on the basis that some weight had to be put on the fact that the system was struggling under the weight of inade- quate resources. The magistrate said she could not possibly hold that there was a material change of circumstances because there was only one Grand Court judge. She acknowledged she did have sympathies. Ms. Bodden replied, “This court has the jurisdiction to say, ‘Enough is enough.’ Jus- tice delayed is justice denied.” The magistrate said she still thought it was preferable for the bail application to be heard in Grand Court. The magistrate committed the charges to Grand Court for mention on Feb. 24. George Powell’s next men- tion was set for Feb. 16, in Summary Court. GUYANA USING $80M TO PAVE JUNGLE HIGHWAY LINK TO BRAZIL GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) – Guyana has secured nearly $80 million to pave a por- tion of a 350-mile jungle highway that is expected to increase trade with neighboring Brazil. Infrastructure Min- ister David Patterson told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the grant from Britain will cover a 70-mile portion and include a $10 mil- lion bridge across the western Essequibo River. Vehicles currently cross the river via a pontoon during a 12-hour journey that is expected to drop to two hours. The money is part of a $379 million grant that Britain pledged in 2015 to help improve infrastruc- ture in the Caribbean. APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE ASSISTANCE Applications are being accepted for the Early Childhood Assistance Pro- gramme for Caymanian children who will be 3 to 4 years old between Sept. 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. ECAP offers fee payment assistance at early childhood care cen- ters for families that meet set criteria. Applications can be downloaded at www.ed- ucation.gov.ky or picked up at the Government Ad- ministration Building, De- partment of Education Services, early childhood centers, district health clinics, and Public Health at the Cayman Islands Hospital in George Town. Forms and required documentation must be submitted by April 28 to the Early Childhood Care and Education Unit at the Government Administra- tion Building.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2017 Sweetheart Specials ISLAND WIDE DELIVER Y George Town area free of charge Call to place your Order with us Today 943-8455 or visit us and receive a complementary treat. (Pre-Order by February 10th, while supplies last) Let the memories begin ISLAND WIDE DELIVER Y George Town area free of charge Call to place your Order with us Today 943-8455 or visit us and receive a complementary treat. 1 Classic Dozen. $85.00 (Standard) 1 Classic Dozen. $100.00 (Premium) Roses Arrangement Single Rose wrapped. $8.00 2 Roses wrapped. $12.00 3 Roses wrapped. $16.00 Single Rose & teddy bear. $18.00 2 Roses & teddy bear. $ 22.00 3 Roses & teddy bear. $ 26.00 Bud Vases Arrangements 1/2 Dozen Roses wrapped, a box of chocolate & a teddy bear. $60.00 (bonus) Roses Wrapped Arrangements Census shows stingray numbers rising JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A total of 100 stingrays was recorded at the North Sound sandbar at the latest population count last week. At the last count in July 2016, there were 107 rays at the site. The figures are encour- aging, said Guy Harvey, the artist and environmentalist who organizes the biannual stingray census through his ocean foundation. Both counts show stingray numbers in three figures for the first time since 2008. Mr. Harvey be- lieves the January count would have been as high as in July, but a combina- tion of factors, including bad weather and the ab- sence of some key, experi- enced volunteers, meant a few rays were missed. The researchers count the rays by lifting them on to the boat, maneuvering them into a paddling pool set up on deck, taking mea- surements and checking tag numbers or fitting tags for new rays. In the January census, 82 females and 18 males were counted. There were 10 new rays not previously recorded at the site, and 90 recaptured. “We are really encouraged by the numbers,” Mr. Harvey said, “which have gone from the mid-70s to the high 90s and now into the hundreds over the past few years. “The fact that we encoun- tered 10 new rays that we hadn’t seen before shows how dynamic this system is. We have resident rays that have been there since the beginning. There are others that come and go.” One of the rays had se- rious wounds, possibly from a boat propeller, when the crew visited the sandbar in December, but the wounds appeared to have completely healed when checked during the January census. Boat strikes remain a concern, and Mr. Harvey warns that a number of ongoing manage- ment issues at the sandbar have yet to be addressed. He estimates that three or four rays are killed each year by boat propellers, par- ticularly by boats maneu- vering carelessly on days when the weather is rough. Other issues including overcrowded tourist boats and concerns that some guides continue to lift rays out of the water for photo opportunities, despite warnings that it endan- gers the animals. Mr. Harvey said those issues have persisted for a number of years and re- peated calls have been made for the Department of Envi- ronment, the Port Authority and others to come together to put a management plan in place for the attraction. Guy Harvey handles a ray during last week’s stingray census. - PHOTO: GEORGE SCHELLENGER 16 months for possessing 104 pounds of ganja CAROL WINKER carolwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who claimed he found packages of ganja while swimming was sen- tenced to 16 months’ im- prisonment for posses- sion of the drug with intent to supply. Jason Orlando Arek Hydes, 30, pleaded guilty Monday to possessing 104 pounds of ganja with intent to supply, and possession of an unlicensed speargun. Crown counsel Ken- neth Ferguson said po- lice recovered the drugs in Windsor Park on Nov. 15 last year. In an inter- view the next day, Hydes said he found the packages while swimming off Manse Road, Bodden Town. “That excuse isn’t some- thing I find believable,” Mag- istrate Valdis Foldats said. Mr. Ferguson told the court that police officers were acting on information received when they went to Hydes’s home in Windsor Park, George Town to con- duct a search. Asked if he had any- thing to declare before the search began, Hydes said he had about 35 pounds of ganja on the premises. Of- ficers found two black suit- cases containing packages of vegetable matter shaped like bricks, wrapped in duct tape. Ganja was also discov- ered in three garbage bags. Mr. Ferguson said of- ficers found the speargun lodged between a mattress and bed frame. When asked about it, Hydes replied, “I am Caymanian. That’s how I make my living.” Mr. Brady asked the court to give Hydes full credit for his cooperation with police, and early admission. The magistrate said he heard the view expressed time and time again that ganja should be decrimi- nalized, as it is in various parts of the U.S. “But this is illegal in the Cayman Is- lands. If there is a law in place, you can’t just break it because you don’t believe in it,” he told Hydes. The magistrate said he would give Hydes full credit for his guilty plea even though he had been caught red-handed, he said. With the one-third dis- count, the final sentence was 16 months. He ordered a two-month sentence for the speargun offense, but ran one month concurrent with the drug sentence, for a total of 17 months. He also granted credit for time in custody since Hydes’s arrest.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. THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS It’s a troubling sign for a healthcare system when the doctors are growing sick of it. That’s the current status of the business of health- care in the Cayman Islands, according to the results of a survey by the Office of the Auditor General of local health professionals (nearly all of them physicians or dentists). According to the AG’s office, “The survey results point to overwhelming dissatisfaction with the financial aspects of the healthcare system including affordability, insurance reimbursement and payment collection methods.” In testimony Wednesday before the Public Accounts Committee, Dr. Darley Solomon, a surgeon at Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital, described the Auditor Gen- eral’s report as an “indictment” of the healthcare system in the Cayman Islands. He warned that failure to deal effectively with the dys- function in the healthcare industry could lead the entire country into bankruptcy. (In 2015, the Cayman Islands (both public and private sectors) spent approximately $269 million on healthcare, according to the AG’s report.) The doctors’ survey contains critical insights from a particular perspective into a healthcare system that is ailing on multiple levels, including the Health Services Authority, CINICO, private insurance, public health aware- ness, underlying demographic difficulties, governing legisla- tion, licensing, regulation and the availability of technology. We don’t have near enough space here to provide an exhaustive list of Cayman’s health problems, but we can call attention to some of the most troubling, such as the $95 million (and climbing) in “bad debts” owed to the public hospital system, most of it overdue from patients who couldn’t (or simply won’t) pay for services or drugs. That accumulated debt would put most businesses, no, not in intensive care, but in the morgue. The debt debacle can’t be blamed on HSA CEO Lizzette Yearwood alone. The issue long predates her tenure, and can be characterized more accurately as the dubious legacy of successive Ministers of Health, who have sat idly by or ineffectively for decades as the debt mountain grew ever higher. However, Ms. Yearwood does shoulder a fair share of the blame — along with other top officials and civil servants, including CINICO CEO Lonny Tibbetts and former CINICO Chairman Scott Cummings — for the CarePay fiasco. For readers whose memories may need a quick zap of the defibrillator, the CarePay patient swipe-card system (approved in December 2010 and implemented between 2011 and 2012) was supposed to stem the further accu- mulation of bad debts in the public healthcare system. Not only did CarePay never work as promised, but then-HSA Chairman Canover Watson (current address Northward Prison) used his position to divert CarePay- related contracts worth millions of dollars to his business partners, skimming some US$350,000 in public funds for himself in the process. A jury convicted Mr. Watson of fraud and corruption charges almost exactly one year ago. He reportedly is planning to appeal his seven-year sentence. Although CarePay’s tentacles of corruption and incom- petence appear to spread far beyond Mr. Watson and his alleged co-conspirator Jeffrey Webb (who pled guilty to unrelated criminal charges in U.S. court in connection with the global FIFA corruption scandal, with his sen- tencing date set for May), thus far there is little evident progress on any follow-up investigations locally. As far as we can tell, Cayman’s authorities seem content with laying the CarePay matter to rest along with Mr. Watson’s freedom and reputation. Other healthcare concerns that have been raised but so far remain unaddressed include the ever-escalating costs of private insurance to employers and individuals (with premiums rising despite the fact that standard health insurance fees paid to doctors have not increased since 2005), the public health system’s unhealthy depen- dence on charity to provide essential technology such as ambulances and medical equipment, and the gaping holes and inconsistencies in legislation governing the licensing and regulation of health providers. Taken altogether, it seems it is time for a comprehen- sive examination of Cayman’s healthcare system, from the top to the bottom, perhaps with the assistance of a blue ribbon panel of experts from an overseas jurisdiction. Let’s be serious: Band-Aids are not going to cure Cayman’s public healthcare problems. Our suggested prescription is more along the lines of radical reconstructive surgery. A radical Rx needed for Cayman healthcare A modest proposal to solve inequality WASHINGTON – Tight labor markets shrink income in- equality by causing em- ployers to bid up the price of scarce labor, so policy- makers fretting about in- come inequality could give an epidemic disease a try. This might be a bit extreme but if increased equality is the goal, Stanford’s Walter Scheidel should be heard. His scholarship encom- passes many things (clas- sics, history, human biology) and if current events are in- sufficiently depressing for you, try his just-published book “The Great Leveler: Vio- lence and the History of In- equality from the Stone Age to the Twenty-First Cen- tury.” Judge this book by its cover, which features Albrecht Durer’s woodcut “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” The tendency in stable, peaceful and prosperous so- cieties is for elites to become entrenched and adept at using entrenchment to aug- ment their advantages. The most potent “solutions” to this problem are unpleasant. They are disruptions such as wars, revolutions and plagues that have egalitarian consequences by fracturing society’s crust, opening fis- sures through which those who had been held down can rise. Scheidel says that mass-mobilization wars give the masses leverage and re- quire confiscating much wealth from the comfortable. Revolutions can target cat- egories of people considered impediments to the lower or- ders, e.g., “landlords,” “the bourgeoisie.” And the Black Death century was particu- larly helpful. By killing between 25 percent and 45 percent of Europeans in the middle of the 14th century, Scheidel explains, the bubonic plague radically changed the ratio of the value of land to that of labor, to the advantage of the latter. The well-off were not amused. In Eng- land, the Chronicle of the Priory of Rochester noted that “the humble turned up their noses at employment, and could scarcely be per- suaded to serve the eminent for triple wages.” The king decreed wage controls but the canon of Leicester dourly noted that “the workers were so above themselves and so bloody-minded that they took no notice of the king’s command.” Today’s milksop egali- tarians probably will flinch from such a robust attack on inequality, assisted by the rats that carried the fleas whose intestines carried the bacterial strain. But, then, what really is the problem of inequality? The Cato In- stitute’s Michael Tanner, noting the “highly redistrib- utive” nature of America’s economy and government, re- futes four myths about eco- nomic inequality. The first, that inequality has never been worse, ig- nores taxes, transfer pay- ments and changes in house- hold composition. In 2013, America’s top 1 percent of earners paid 25.4 percent of all federal taxes, which fund more than 100 anti-poverty programs, dozens of which provide direct cash or in-kind grants to individuals. Com- bined spending by federal, state and local programs ap- proaches $1 trillion. In 2012, families in the bottom in- come quintile (less than $17,104 in earned income) re- ceived net government bene- fits of $27,171. According to the Congressional Budget Of- fice, accounting for taxes and transfer payments reduces inequality almost 26 percent. The second myth, that the rich inherit rather than earn their money, is true of less than three in 10 Amer- ican billionaires, a third of whom are either first-gen- eration Americans or were born elsewhere. And the per- centage of the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans who grew up wealthy has fallen from 60 percent in 1982 to 32 percent today. Of Ameri- ca’s “one-percenters,” fewer are in banking or finance (14 percent) than are doctors or other medical professionals (16 percent). The third myth, that the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor, is refuted by this historic trend: 56 percent of those in the top income quintile will drop from it within 20 years. Barely one- half of the top 1 percent of earners are in that category for 10 consecutive years. And, says Tanner, “One out of every five children born to parents in the bottom in- come quintile will reach one of the top two quintiles in adulthood.” The fourth myth is that more inequality means more poverty. For example, in the mid-1990s, inequality was unusually high but basic measures of poverty showed significant decreases. The fact of inequality is a hardy perennial; inequality is a problem when, and to the extent that, a critical mass of people decide that it is. When developed nations live in what Scheidel calls “a world without horsemen” – without revolutions, mass- mobilization wars, epidemic diseases – reducing in- equality is the province of governments, which know, or by now should know, how little leverage their poli- cies have on income dis- tributions driven by vast economic forces. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2017, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE Today’s milksop egalitarians probably will flinch from such a robust attack on inequality, assisted by the rats that carried the fleas whose intestines carried the bacterial strain. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2017 Chocolates Flowers Jewelry Spa Certi cate Dining Out Movie Theater Clothes Gift Cards Showcase Your Business & Maximize the Third Biggest Holiday for Spending For advertising call 949-5111 or email sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com AD SPACE DEADLINE: Thursday, February 2 Elections office registers 21,465 voters for May BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com There will be nearly 3,000 more voters registered for Cayman’s May 24 general election than were registered for the last election in 2013. Figures released by the elections office late Tuesday stated that 21,465 people had registered to participate in the upcoming vote. Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell said voter registrations have well ex- ceeded what the office ex- pected to see following its registration drive, which began last summer. The number of voters will not be final until the April 1 list of electors is released, but the numbers are not likely to change greatly be- tween now and then. Objec- tions to the voters list can be filed until Feb. 20. The Cayman Islands has moved to a one man, one vote electoral system for 2017, for the first time splitting the territory into 19 voting dis- tricts – 17 on Grand Cayman and two in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The elections office numbers also reveal approx- imately how many voters will be in each separate con- stituency. The numbers vary widely, between 1,531 in Bodden Town East and 506 voters in Cayman Brac East. The five largest districts in terms of voter numbers are Bodden Town East (1,531), Bodden Town West (1,453), West Bay South (1,358), Sa- vannah (1,354) and George Town Central (1,274). The two smallest voting constituencies on Grand Cayman – East End (719) and North Side (717) – have fewer voters combined than each of their neighboring districts of Bodden Town East and Bodden Town West. West Bay constituen- cies also vary substantially, between West Bay South (1,358) and West Bay Central (1,076) – a difference of more than 20 percent. George Town constituen- cies have very little differ- ence, between the largest in George Town Central (1,274) and the smallest, George Town North (1,159). The difference, or poten- tial for difference, in voting district sizes was noted as a concern for the Cayman Is- lands in 2013 as the territory contemplated a move toward single-member constituencies. Commonwealth Parlia- mentary Association ob- servers noted in a prelim- inary report issued after the May 2013 elections that Cayman was using a “dis- proportionate” voting system with two single-member elec- toral districts and four mul- timember districts, which returned between two and six members to the Legisla- tive Assembly. However, the fairness of the proposed one man, one vote single-member districts scenario drawn up by the 2010 Electoral Boundary Commission was also challenged by Common- wealth observers. According to the prelimi- nary review, voting equality was “further undermined” by the fact that the average number of voters in each district varies widely. Under the existing multimember voting system, electors rep- resented by one legislator vary “between 520 in the case of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman electoral district and 1,240 in the case of George Town electoral district.” Since the 2010 Elec- toral Boundary Commission, the number of registered voters has increased, with the largest district, Bodden Town East, now having three times as many voters as the smallest district, Cayman Brac East. This is also against the principles of equal voting rights, Commonwealth elec- tion analysts said. “Generally, the differ- ence per district should be no more than 15 or 20 per- cent,” said election analyst Marian Gabriel, who trav- eled with the 2013 observer team. “This is the best prac- tice around the world.” Cayman’s Constitution Order, 2009, requires that Cayman Brac and Little Cayman send at least two members to the Legislative Assembly, regardless of how many voters reside there. There is no such legal re- quirement for the districts of East End and North Side, but the constitution states that a boundary commission re- drawing district lines “shall have regard” to historical dis- trict boundaries. McTaggart announces BT candidacy BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands busi- nessman Kent McTaggart has announced he is run- ning for office in the May general election. Mr. McTaggart, who has been widely rumored in re- cent months to be cam- paigning in the Savannah area, made it official in a press release issued Tuesday night. He will seek election in that constitu- ency, he said. Mr. McTaggart con- sidered standing for elec- tion in 2013, but ultimately withdrew his candidacy be- fore nomination day. “Caymanian inclusion in the success of our island can’t be left as a memory of the 1970s and ‘80s, it must be part of our enduring story,” Mr. McTaggart said Tuesday. “The past decade of political leadership that has focused on the next election rather than the next generation must be replaced by a new genera- tion of leadership that un- derstands that ‘Cayma- nians first’ is so much more than a tag line.” Mr. McTaggart is running as an indepen- dent. He has been rumored to be teaming up with sev- eral other independent can- didates in the Bodden Town area, but he has said he is not affiliated with any political group or party at this time. Mr. McTaggart, who has been widely rumored in recent months to be campaigning in the Savannah area, made it official in a press release. Kent McTaggartDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Bodden Town THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 years ago: Visitors’ feedback stirs pride In the Feb. 8, 1967 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town correspondent Floris McCoy wrote: “Recently Mr. Oliver E. Jones C.L.U. was in Grand Cayman. He is an Agency Manager of Manufacturers Life Inc. Co. The purpose of the visit was to give some training to Mr. Haig Bodden of this District. Haig has been a Life Underwriter since the middle of last year. “Mr. Jones was deeply impressed by the friendli- ness and courtesy of Cay- manians and hopes that the gentle touch will not disappear with the rapid growth of commercialism in these islands. “Although this was his first visit he ascertained that the half has not been told about the natural beauty and attractiveness of this unique spot. “Mr. and Mrs. Donald Armstrong from Port Richey, Florida took up residence in this district for 3 months. “They came first to this island four years ago and this is their fourth visit. They have travelled widely in Europe, America and Canada teaching square and folk dancing. Mr. Armstrong served as an engineering test pilot for 12 years and they own a Radio Station in Port Richey. The Armstrongs enjoy the quiet and slow pace of living in Grand Cayman. During our con- versation I would say that they said the same things mentioned by Mr. Oliver E. Jones and because of their wide experience of traveling they enjoy the privileges of an unspoiled island. We welcome this lovely couple to Bodden Town and will do our best to make them feel at home. “There was a lovely gath- ering at the Bodden Town Church of God on Jan. 27. The special occasion was a welcome service for the Rev. Dewey Johnson and family. The Church was happy to have some of George Town and West Bay fellow- ship present, and appre- ciated the inspiring spe- cials in song rendered. Rev. Compton Williams, the pastor, welcomed the John- sons back especially to the church. Rev. Johnson is his remarks mentioned that he was happy to be at home again, after travelling quite extensively in the U.S.A. and Canada. He spoke of the Church, especially ex- pressing his appreciation, by saying thanks for the fine cooperation with them as pastors and for the ef- forts put forward to be- come indigenous. “The Church here wishes for them another successful tour, hoping they will be able to help in any way possible to fulfil the re- sponsibility of the Church in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Longtime civil servants honored at Pedro St. James The grounds of historic Pedro St. James in Savannah were the setting for this year’s Civil Service Long Ser- vice Awards on Jan. 20. Government workers of 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 years’ standing were recog- nized for their dedication to public service, a press release states. The event was emceed by government television per- sonality Donna Bush and featured a violin solo of the National Song performed by Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose. The honorees received their certificates and awards from Acting Governor Franz Manderson. In her remarks, Chief Of- ficer for the Portfolio of the Civil Service Gloria Mc- Field-Nixon outlined sev- eral key dates and devel- opments in the Cayman Islands in the years the awardees had started work with government. “Historically, Long Ser- vice Awards were only given to our uniformed services,” said Ms. McField-Nixon. “Civilian employees, on the other hand, were not recog- nized for their sterling con- tributions and dedicated service. Working in partner- ship, the then-Chief Secre- tary’s Office and the Civil Service Association cre- ated these awards to recog- nize the contributions of all civil servants.” Ms. McField-Nixon thanked the Cayman Is- lands Civil Service Associa- tion Management Council for their joint sponsorship of the event, and praised the dedication of the long- serving civil servants being honored. “The fact that we are able to commemorate so many employees reaching major milestones upwards of 25 years speaks to the commitment such persons have to making a differ- ence in the lives of those we serve,” she said. Meredith Hew, Restmin “Nellie” McCoy and Car- olyn Parsons received spe- cial attention for each having served for 45 years in government. Mr. Manderson praised the dedication, loyalty and commitment of the honorees, as well as their unflagging service to the government and people of the Cayman Islands, noting he had a number of rewarding mem- ories of working along- side several of the honorees during his former positions in the Civil Service. Among those honored were Dorine Whittaker, chief officer, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (30 years); Alan Jones, chief officer, Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and In- frastructure (25 years); Gina Ebanks-Petrie, head of the Department of Environment (30 years); Adrian Estwick, head of the Department of Agriculture; Roydell Carter, head of the Department of Environmental Health (25 years); and Chief Justice An- thony Smellie (30 years). Two hundred and sixty-one civil servants were recently honored for their long service at a ceremony held at Pedro St. James. Acting Governor Franz Manderson with Carolyn Parsons, Restmin ‘Nellie’ McCoy and Meredith Hew, who were each honored for their 45 years of service.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Bodden Town CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2017 Centenarian wishes for day out on birthday JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Bedridden, unable to walk, Rena Mae Alexander wanted just one thing for her 100th birthday – a new wheelchair to get her out of the house. “Just borrow a wheelchair, and take me … nowhere special, just take me out. Every week I used to go out, now all I do is lie here,” said Ms. Alexander on her big day. Getting her white hair brushed back, she called for her special dress in anticipation. “I want to get out, even if it is only for one time, or even two times to see people,” she pleaded. “Just borrow …” “We going tomorrow,” said her niece, Sheila Minzett-Henry. “It should have been today, put on my clothes and let’s go, I’ve been lying down too long,” said Ms. Alex- ander, joining the laughter but with tears clouding her eyes. “I not got lots to tell you no more, I just want to dress and go … just a-straight town and a-straight back … it just for today,” she continued. The thought of maybe not get- ting a drive out did not keep Ms. Al- exander’s spirts down for very long, as she was bent on enjoying the company of those around her. Soon she was all smiles again as her daughter Hazeldeen Solomon, niece Ms. Minzett-Henry and caregiver Tracy Johnson gave her a bunch of balloons and told her to smile for the camera, while asking her if she was happy about reaching 100 years old. “I thank the Lord I lived to see this age, just bring me the chair, I ready to go,” said Ms. Alexander, trying to move herself into position in anticipation of getting out of bed. “I feel more like 22 than 100,” she giggled, laughing at the fuss they were making over her. “I want to say something on my birthday, just something short,” she said. “What’s that?” asked her niece. “I never used to be so slim, it’s only now that I have gotten older … don’t they see I get very tired of sit- ting up in the bed, and where is the wheelchair?” she asked once again. The eldest of seven children born in Sandy Bay, Nicaragua, to parents Alvert and Amanda Solomon, Ms. Alexander grew up on Manse Road in Bodden Town. She attended an all-ages school and was taught by Teacher Hill. Then at age 16, she re- turned to Nicaragua to find work as a housekeeper. The long-retired seamstress and housekeeper, who now lives at the top of Northward Road in Bodden Town with her daughter Hazeldeen, 79, said she spent some 40 years in Nicaragua working, returning to Cayman when she was 77. Ms. Minzett-Henry, said she once got the opportunity to visit Nica- ragua with her aunt and Ms. Alex- ander’s grand-nephew, Johan Carter. “Mama appreciates the things that Sheila has done for her over the years,” said her daughter. “We visited the family but never visited the town that my aunt grew up in because we had to travel to it by boat,” said her niece. “I don’t like boats either,” said Ms. Alexander, as her daughter added it was the only mode of transportation they had available to travel to the outer island Ms. Alex- ander had once called home. When she returned to Cayman, Ms. Alexander found more work as a housekeeper while raising her grand-nephew. “Where is he anyway? When he comes by he only stays for 10 min- utes … don’t know if he is afraid of people or what,” said the sharp- minded Ms. Alexander with a giggle. Upon her return to Cayman, Ms. Alexander also participated in ser- vices at Webster Memorial United Church, and was well-known by the community for her sewing talents, among them making uniforms each year for children attending Bodden Town Primary School. “I am alive right now, oh yes! I am really glad to be alive,” said Ms. Alexander, turning her head to glance longingly out the window at the overcast day. “It looks like it will rain today,” she said to no one in particular. “Although I have problems with my foot, I am still alive … I can still remember and talk about where I lived and things like that … I love to see people come and visit,” she added. She said she knew lots of people who would have been her age who did not make it. “Are you Miss Hope?” she sud- denly asked a visitor. “No, she belongs to Mr. Cedric,” said her niece. “Oh, yes! Cedric, I remember him, and Ms. Ariel too,” said Ms. Al- exander, recalling people she knew from earlier years. Again, the subject of the wheel- chair comes up. “It’s been over a week that Aunt Rena has not been able to go out- side because her wheelchair is broken,” said her niece. “I visited the Bodden Town clinic and put her name on the list for a wheelchair, but so far we have not received one. Every time I come by, she asks where is the wheelchair so she can go outside,” said Ms. Minzett-Henry, expressing her dis- appointment at not being able to fulfill the promise. “Every week she quarrel she wants to go to Pease Bay, Bodden Town, to purchase Scotch bonnet peppers,” said her care- giver Ms. Johnson. In a twist of good fortune, less that 30 minutes later, the cente- narian had her special birthday wish granted. An anonymous donor issued a check for her to get her day out on the town in a spe- cial wheelchair-equipped vehicle. Unfortunately, according to Ms. Minzett-Henry, her care- giver said she was tied up with other engagements. And by the afternoon of her birthday, the 100-year-old still did not have a wheelchair. In the end, Ms. Alexander did not get her special day out on the town, after all. Rena Mae Alexander celebrates her 100th birthday with niece Sheila Minzett-Henry, caregiver Tracy Johnson and daughter Hazeldeen Solomon. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY From left, Julie Hutton of FLOW, Acting CEO of the Tourism Attractions Board Patrick Thompson and Carolyn Lawe-Smith of FLOW with the FA cup at Pedro Castle. The football trophy made a pit stop on Jan. 24 at the Savannah historic site as the cup made its rounds of Grand Cayman from January 21 to 24. The FA cup was on the last leg of its Caribbean tour, having previously visited Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica. FA Cup pays a visit to Pedro JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Bodden Town residents got a splash of green added to their neighborhoods over the weekend when more than 20 handcrafted wooden gar- bage bins were delivered. The bins, organized by members of the Bodden Town East Beautification Com- mittee and resident and can- didate in the upcoming elec- tions, Robert Bodden, were placed outside homes and roadsides to give residents more convenient ways to dis- pose of their trash. The trash bins were con- structed by Bodden Town resident Chester Watler from materials donated by Mr. Bodden. “We were concerned with the untidiness of the district, and most residents had been complaining about animals and pets, and especially the chickens, tearing out the gar- bage around homes and busi- nesses,” said Mr. Bodden. BT gets handcrafted roadside bins Bodden Town East Beautification Committee members place a new trash can storage bin by the roadside in central Bodden Town. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Public and private sector healthcare professionals told the auditor general’s office in its recent report that they had serious concerns regarding government’s “capacity short- ages” in a number of health regulatory areas. Auditor General Sue Win- spear said enforcement of compliance with the Health Insurance Law has suffered as a result of short staffing, and that “the risk of some employees and their de- pendents being uninsured has increased.” The government re- ports that 94 percent of all Cayman residents maintain health insurance, up from about 87 percent in 2010. However, the Health Insur- ance Commission noted it largely depends on proactive complaints about health- care coverage not being pro- vided before investigating a specific matter. “What appears to be a rel- atively small number of fines imposed by either the Health Insurance Commission or the courts must be interpreted in light of the fact that [the commission] does not have the resources to go into the field and carry out inspec- tions of employers,” the audit noted. “Several officials and practitioners we interviewed believed that neither the ad- ministrative fines imposed by the commission nor the fines imposed by the courts are sufficiently punitive to en- courage compliance.” Public Accounts Com- mittee Chairman Ezzard Miller asked Wednesday whether the health commis- sion had made requests for additional staff and if those had all been refused since the agency opened in 2004. “Every time I pick up the newspaper there’s ads for staff, and some people seem to be getting all the staff they want,” Mr. Miller said, adding that he thought the enforcement of local health insurance require- ments was among the most crucial services the govern- ment provides. “You can’t tell me that an extra plane to Cayman Brac is more important than that” he said. Financial Secretary Ken Jefferson told the accounts committee that while re- quests for additional staff get made by many government agencies each year, it was rare for those initial spending plans to be left “intact.” “Nine times out of 10, it’s going to be reduced,” Mr. Jef- ferson said, adding that the Health Insurance Commis- sion may well have suffered from budget restrictions the territory is operating under. “You need to maintain surplus, you need to main- tain cash balances in the year, you can’t borrow … so the focus is back to the level of expenditure pre- sented,” he said. Performance audit man- ager Martin Ruben said the auditor general’s of- fice reported in 2013 that government, while main- taining a healthy budget surplus each year since 2012, has not always under- stood the ramifications of its budget reductions. Mr. Ruben said there were “significant gaps” between the government’s annual strategic policy plan and the resources it has to imple- ment that plan. “There’s a lack of ability to assess the impact the re- ductions are having,” he said. is being arranged for home owners and for the West Bay legislators in an effort to reassure them that the fa- cility poses no additional risks in the area. He said the detention center would be a secure fa- cility that complements the work already being done with lower risk offenders in a home environment on the same site. Kerith McCoy, one of the residents in the Coral Gables subdivision, in a letter ad- dressed to Mr. Bodden, Di- rector of Planning Haroon Pandohie and West Bay leg- islators, outlined some of the objections to the plan. “The construction of a de- tention facility to house se- rious criminal offenders im- mediately adjacent to an established residential com- munity is highly inappro- priate and, indeed, grossly unsafe,” Mr. McCoy wrote. He said the Bonaventure Boys Home was intended for “therapeutic treatment” of lower risk offenders on youth rehabilitation orders. “The vast difference in pur- pose and intent between the present and proposed facilities speaks to the inappropriate- ness of situating the proposed facility on the same site.” In his letter, Mr. McCoy says he supports the aim of sepa- rating youth and adult pris- oners, which is the stated mo- tivation for the project. But he questions why this cannot be achieved at the Northward site. Several residents in Coral Gables are understood to have voiced similar concerns. A letter from Mr. Mc- Coy’s wife, Mary McCoy, also raises concerns about recent security breaches at the Bo- naventure home. “Fortunately, the present demographic of Bonaventure residents are admittedly not in the ‘high-risk’ category defined by the Minister for Commu- nity Affairs, Youth and Sports for the proposed facility. Un- fortunately, the past security failures do not encourage my confidence in the system so as to be comfortable with violent offenders being incarcerated in the neighborhood.” Mr. Bodden said he had not personally received Mr. McCoy’s letter, but indicated he had moved swiftly to ar- range a meeting with con- cerned residents. He said the facility is badly needed and would not nega- tively impact the neighborhood. “I think it is important that everyone sits and under- stands what’s being proposed and the built-in safeguards for nearby communities,” Mr. Bodden said. “Our young persons de- serve a second chance in life when they mess up, and this facility/youth remand center is being built with exactly that objective in mind, rather than us creating crimi- nals by placing them in the wrong environment.” He said he hopes the neighbors will see the value of the facility and ultimately support the project. “I trust we will find an amicable solution to this, as it was never meant to upset anyone in trying to get this done. In fact, quite the oppo- site was hoped for.” Government announced plans for the facility in January, saying it would bring Cay- man’s prison system into com- pliance with human rights leg- islation, which requires young offenders to be housed sepa- rately from adult criminals. Mr. Bodden said the new center would sync with the work being done with lower- risk young offenders at the Bonaventure Boys Home. “In order for us to offer the proper continuum of care, this is another important cog in the wheel,” he said. “This is something we all need as a society and have been crying out for.” The government reports that 94 percent of all Cayman residents maintain health insurance, up from about 87 percent in 2010. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Health insurance enforcement ‘suffers’ from underfunding CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “This is something we all need as a society and have been crying out for.” OSBOURNE BODDEN, Minister for Community Affairs Neighbors concerned over youth detention plan US PUTS IRAN ‘ON NOTICE’ AFTER MISSILE TEST WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. put Iran “on notice” Wednesday after the Ira- nian military tested a bal- listic missile and allied rebels in Yemen attacked a Saudi naval vessel in the Red Sea, an early man- ifestation of President Donald Trump’s promise of a tougher Amer- ican approach to the Is- lamic republic. “Iran is now feeling em- boldened,” Michael Flynn, Trump’s national security adviser, told reporters. Delivering his first public remarks since Trump took office, Flynn did not elaborate on what actions the U.S. might take in response to Iran’s missile test earlier this week. But he made clear the administration’s view that President Barack Obama’s strategy of con- taining Iran’s destabi- lizing behavior while co- operating more closely on nuclear and other matters was not working. “The Obama adminis- tration failed to respond adequately to Tehran’s malign actions – including weapons transfers, sup- port for terrorism and other violations of interna- tional norms,” Flynn said. Asked to clarify what Flynn meant by putting Iran “on notice,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said, “We felt as though their actions were both provocative and in violation.” The statement makes “sure that they understood that we weren’t going to sit by and not act on those actions,” Spicer said. Reports of the mis- sile test emerged after Trump signed an execu- tive order last week tem- porarily suspending im- migration from Iran and six other majority- Muslim countries. Kittiwake damaged in storm JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Scuba divers cleared de- bris from the wreck of the USS Kittiwake after storm surge demolished the wheelhouse of the famous tourist attraction. Wave action from a re- cent storm caused some damage to the wreck, one of the island’s most pop- ular dive sites. Volunteers from Divetech used lift bags to remove the broken panels last week. Jo Mikutowicz, manager of the dive company, said it had been alerted to the damage by the Cayman Is- lands Tourism Authority. It took around five hours to remove the broken pieces of the wheelhouse. “The roof has gone, the walls have gone and the panels were strewn all over the place,” she said. Ms. Mikutowicz said the pieces had to be removed in case they were a danger to divers or were dislodged from the wreck and swept on to the reef. She said eight large panels had been removed, one of which was too large to load on to the boat and had to be towed to shore. She said the damage should not affect the experi- ence of diving the Kittiwake. “The wheel is still there, you can still dive down and pretend to drive the boat. It’s like a convertible now.”Window panels from the ship’s wheelhouse came loose in the storm. - PHOTO: TONY LANDThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2017 QT FUND LTD a Cayman Islands exempted company licensed as a retail mutual fund with the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority Class A Shares US$100 per Share Registered Office Maples Corporate Services Limited PO Box 309, Ugland House Grand Cayman KY1-1104 Cayman Islands www.credit-suisse.com/ky/en/asset-management/qtfund.html QT Fund Ltd (Fund) is a Cayman Islands exempted company incorporated on September 14, 2016 to operate as an open-ended mutual fund with no fixed duration. Subject to the restrictions below, offerings of Class A Shares in the Fund may only be made by a definitive prospectus, which is available upon request from the investment manager at smg.funds@credit-suisse.com. Credit Suisse Asset Management, LLC of 1 Madison Avenue, New York, New York, 10010, United States of America, a Delaware, United States, limited liability company, serves as the investment manager of the Fund and is registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an investment adviser under the US Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. Additional information about Credit Suisse Asset Management, LLC is available on the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. Registration with the SEC or with any state securities authority does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The offer to the public in the Cayman Islands of Class A Shares is subject to the approval from the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange for the Class A Shares to be admitted to the official list being granted, which is expected to occur on or around 3 February 2017. THURSDAY, FEB. 2 NORTH SIDE MEETING: The North Side District Council invites residents to a public meeting at 8 p.m. in the Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre. MLA Ezzard Miller will provide an update on matters relevant to the district and on the various legislative initiatives before the government. CHAMBER COURSE: Goal Setting. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $225 for members, $300 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. SATURDAY, FEB. 4 MOVIE NIGHT: The Girls’ Brigade is showing the Disney movie “Zootopia” at John Gray Memorial Church Hall. Doors open at 6 p.m. Show time 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5 per person, which includes popcorn. Bring your blankets. Refreshments will be on sale. Tickets are available now from any Brigade officers. TUESDAY, FEB. 7 UNITED WORLD COLLEGES: UWC Cayman Islands, the local committee of the global educational movement, is seeking applicants for its 2017 selection process, which begins with a written application due Feb. 7. Students interested in receiving a scholarship can contact the committee at uwccaymanislands@gmail. com to request a copy of the application form or ask any questions about UWC and the selection process. THURSDAY, FEB. 9 CHAMBER COURSE: Immigration, Work Permits (BVPs, TWPs and RERCs). 9-11 a.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $175 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, FEB. 10 LIONS CONCERT: Carlene Davis, reggae and gospel artist, headlines a concert organized by the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens. The program features numerous local performers. Proceeds from “A Show from the Heart” at the Lions Centre will fund the club’s community projects. Gates open at 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 pre-sold, $30 at the gate, $75 VIP. Available at Funky Tang’s George Town, Western Union at Foster’s Food Fair Airport Road, Reflections outlets and any member of the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens. ART SHOW: Gardenia Court, Camana Bay, 5-9 p.m. Free admission. Cayman- based artists will display original art works, including paintings, jewelry, screen prints, souvenirs. SATURDAY, FEB. 11 BRAC HIGH SCHOOL: 50th anniversary celebrations. Alumni versus staff and students volleyball game. Visit www.facebook.com/ lshs50thann for more information. FAMILY FUN WALK/RUN: 5K/10K from SafeHaven in the back by Holiday Inn. Event begins 6:30 a.m. for walkers and 6:45 a.m. for runners. All participants will be entered into a drawing for prizes. Omelet station after the walk. Register on day at 6 a.m. or pre-register at Cayman Active at www. caymanactive.com/guiding. Adults, $10. Children under 10, $5. No dogs, please. Proceeds benefit Girlguiding Cayman Islands. KIDS GAELIC FOOTBALL: The Cayman Islands Kids Gaelic Football Club hosts a “Start of Season Blitz,” 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Camana Bay CIS football pitch. All children between the ages of 5 and 18 are welcome. This event is free of charge. Pre- registration is necessary – go to www.caymangaa.com/ kidsgaelicclub and register on the online link. Fill out the registration form in full before 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10. No registrations accepted on the day. Children should come with trainers or football boots (no flip-flops), water, hat, sunscreen, and must be accompanied by an adult. SUNDAY, FEB. 12 VALENTINE’S MILE: Start and finish at Bayshore Mall. Registration from 2:30- 3:45 p.m. Race starts 4 p.m. Children’s race (for under 10s), 5 p.m. Presentations and raffle, 5:30 p.m. Adults, $20. Juniors (under 18), $5. Children’s race, free. Participants receive T-shirt, but supplies are limited. Trophies for first three males and females in each race. Medals for first 100 children who finish. All proceeds benefit Cayman HospiceCare. MONDAY, FEB. 13 BRAC CRUISE SHIP: The S/V Star Flyer is scheduled to visit Cayman Brac. TUESDAY, FEB. 14 CHAMBER COURSE: Employment, Pensions. 9-11 a.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $175 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. THURSDAY, FEB. 16 CHAMBER COURSE: Exceeding Customer Expectations. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $150 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. SUNDAY, FEB. 26 OFF THE BEATEN TRACK: The eighth annual Off the Beaten Track 50K ultra-marathon and relay takes place. Registration for the race is open at www.offthebeatentrack.ky/ registration and fees are US$300 for a relay team or US$100 for individuals. GENERAL INTEREST PRESCHOOL FUNDING: Government funding to assist with preschool attendance can be provided for eligible Caymanian children who will be between 3 to 4 years old before Sept. 1. Email ecap@gov.ky or call 244-5724 for more information or to request an application form. Collect forms from Government Admin Building, Department of Education, all early childhood centres, all District Health Centres or the Public Health Department at George Town Hospital. Deadline to apply is April 28. VOTER ID CARDS: Elections officials will start issuing voter ID cards from April 1. The revised voters’ list is scheduled to be out on March 31 with all the verified changes and new registrations. This will be formalized in the final list of voters on April 1. LITTLE LEAGUE: Last call for registration. Child must have turned five on or before April 30, 2017. www.CaymanLittleLeague.com or email info@littleleague.ky. MARITIME CULTURE: The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands offers a new exhibit that celebrates Cayman’s maritime identity – past, present and future. It seeks to engage visitors with the story of maritime heritage and national identity. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Admission is free. 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands offers a new exhibit that celebrates Cayman’s maritime identity – past, present and future. It includes the painting ‘Slow Fade’ by Yonier Powery.Next >