VALENTINE’S DAY 2017 “The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.” — Helen Keller CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2017 1 SPECIALFEATURE VALENTINE’S SPECIAL FEATURE Love is in the air ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2017 High of 84 Low of 73 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 HERE’S NEWS: NO SUCH THING AS A ‘FREE LUNCH’ Plans for youth detention center on hold $2.5 million Bonaventure expansion stalls amid residents’ complaints JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A planning application for a new youth detention center on the site of the Bonaventure Boy’s Home in West Bay has been “put on hold” be- cause of concerns from neighboring residents about the project. Government announced plans in January for a new secure facility with space for a dozen young of- fenders, aged 13 to 18, at a cost of around $2.5 million. But residents in the neighboring Coral Gables sub-division raised concerns about the proximity of the new center, for higher risk of- fenders, to their properties. After meeting with the residents Saturday, government committed to revisiting other options, including alternative locations for the site. Despite the setback, Minister of Community Affairs Osbourne Bodden said the facility was ex- tremely important for Cayman and vowed to ensure it was built. “I am cognizant of the ur- gent need for such a secure fa- cility for children on Youth Reha- bilitation Orders,” he said, “and will do all I can to ensure this is built sooner than later. “The plans already exist for the building and can easily be adapted to another site. The CAYS Foundation is of a like mind and we will ensure this badly needed facility is built by 2018.” Government has indicated the fa- cility is necessary to fulfil a human rights obligation to separate youth and adult prisoners. The CAYS Foundation, which runs the Bonaventure Boys Home, had advised that a more secure fa- cility for higher risk offenders on the same site would sync well with SYED TRIAL UCCI BOARD CHAIR DENIES SANCTIONING $70K ADVANCE JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The former chairman of the University Col- lege of the Cayman Islands board of governors testified that he never authorized a $70,000 salary advance to the college’s former presi- dent Hassan Syed. Conor O’Dea, giving evidence in Syed’s on- going Grand Court trial, said he had been un- aware the cash had been paid to the president in January 2008 until several months later. Shown an email exchange between him- self and Syed, which suggested he had agreed to the payment, he said he had not authored those messages. The prosecution has suggested that Syed doctored a genuine email exchange between himself and Mr. O’Dea to fool the college’s ac- countant into handing over the money. Mr. O’Dea said he did not know of the salary advance until April 2008, when Syed came to him seeking retrospective approval for the payment, which he said was for med- ical treatment. He said he was sympathetic to Syed’s med- ical condition but had refused to approve the salary advance at that late stage. He said he had instead consented to formally record the debt and agree a schedule of repayment. This did not amount to authorization of the original payment, he said. Mr. O’Dea, who gave evidence Monday, was also quizzed about the college’s credit card policy. He said he was unaware of any policy and did not get involved in that level of detail. Estella’s Place expands vision, reach of Crisis Centre KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre has a new public face that will enable the expan- sion of therapeutic and youth services for male and female clients. Estella’s Place, located at Crown Square on Eastern Avenue, opened last week, launching the Teen and Young Adults Lounge, aftercare and outreach programs, an expanded crisis call center, and a café meeting area for domestic violence survi- vors and their families. The facility’s name pays tribute to one of the Crisis Centre’s founders, Estella Scott- Roberts, who was murdered in 2008. The “TAYA” Lounge is one of the hall- marks of the facility, offering a safe place for teens and young adults to hang out, explained child and youth program man- ager Nancy Davey. “Essentially, it’s meant to be a place where teenagers can come and hang out after school or into the evening that’s safe and it’s a place where people who have dif- ferences of opinion or have different life- styles are going to be welcomed and sup- ported here,” Ms. Davey said. The lounge will open Wednesdays and Fridays from 3-8 p.m. and Satur- days from noon to 8 p.m. Estella’s Place PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre’s child and youth program manager Nancy Davey sits in the Teen and Young Adult Lounge at Estella’s Place, where young people will have access to art and music programs, adult mentors and life skills training. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 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. - WEDNESDAY - XXX: RETURN OF THE (PG13) XANDER CAGE 3D 12:45 | 4:00 2D | 6:45 | 9:55 2D A DOG’S PURPOSE (PG) 12:50 | 3:40 | 7:00 | 9:50 SPLIT (PG13) 1:00 | 3:50 | 6:50 | 9:45 HIDDEN FIGURES (PG) 12:30 | 3:45 | 6:40 | 9:40 RESIDENT EVIL 3D (R) 3:45 | 10:00 MONSTER TRUCKS 3D (PG) 12:40 | 7:15 Obamas join Richard Branson for private island getaway NECKER ISLAND, British Virgin Islands (AP) – Former President Barack Obama, and his wife, Michelle, have spent some time va- cationing with Richard Branson since leaving the White House. The Virgin Group founder put up a blog post with pictures and video of the ex-president kitesurfing off one of Branson’s private islands in the British Virgin Islands. Branson writes that Obama, who’s a native of Hawaii, told him he was prevented from surfing by his security detail during his time in office. Branson says after spending a couple of days learning to kitesurf, Obama bested the billionaire in a water sport challenge. He says inviting the Obamas to his island was “a huge honor.” Six Cayman attorneys named Queen’s Counsel Six attorneys in the Cayman Islands have been appointed as Queen’s Counsel. Appointees include the first local criminal bar member, Benjamin Tonner, to be named to the position, according to a press release from the Cayman Islands Ju- dicial Administration. The “silks,” as they are known informally, serve as public officers, ex- plained Chief Justice An- thony Smellie. “QCs are public officers in the sense that they are available to serve wherever there is a need for the spe- cial ability and seniority im- plied in their appointments,” he said in a press statement. “These appointments are a responsibility that my fellow judges and I take very seriously.” The chief justice will ini- tiate a formal ceremony on Friday, Feb. 17 to admit the six new QCs to the Inner Bar of the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. The newest group is the first to be named in four years, following vetting by the chief justice and his col- leagues, Governor Helen Kil- patrick and the incumbent U.K. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Boris Johnson. The chief justice said he seeks candidates who are “se- nior, long-serving, respected and distinguished members of the legal fraternity” before inviting them to the process. Other appointments in- clude director of the Legis- lative Drafting Department Myrtle Brandt, Campbells Senior Partner Ross Mc- Donough, leading family law attorney Sheridan Brooks, Solicitor General Jacqueline Wilson and Mourant Ozannes partner Hector Robinson. QCs from Overseas Ter- ritories must have served 15 years since appointment to the bar, compared to 10 years for U.K. candidates. They in- clude public and private practitioners. Since 1982, 22 Cayman Is- lands attorneys, including the new group of six, have been appointed QCs. Chief Justice Smellie said he and his colleagues have sought to maintain balance in the number of appoint- ments, relative to size of the profession and the local pop- ulation. Such “homegrown” talent improves the ability to meet local needs, he said. The term “silk” dates back to 17th century England when Queen’s Counsel first began wearing silk robes in court to denote distinction. Premier: UK must ‘moderate’ Brexit impact on territories BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The U.K. government must do its best to back fi- nancial services indus- tries in its overseas territo- ries, both before and after Brexit talks with the Euro- pean Union, Premier Alden McLaughlin said Tuesday. The premier attended dis- cussions in London Tuesday with British leaders who are overseeing Britain’s exit from the EU, including MP Robin Walker and Overseas Territories Minister, Bar- oness Joyce Anelay. Premier McLaughlin noted that EU countries had sought to place Cayman on various “black or grey lists,” even after it had attempted to cooperate on tax enforce- ment and anti-money laun- dering efforts. Because of this, Mr. McLaughlin said it was important for the U.K. to be a “moderating voice” both before and after the EU exit occurs. Britain is expected to for- mally announce its intention to separate from the union sometime in March, after which it will have two years to effect the EU “exit.” The Joint Ministerial Council, made up of British representatives and leaders from its remaining over- seas territories, will meet again in June to discuss Brexit progress. “This initial [council] on European negotia- tions was promising,” Mr. McLaughlin said. During Tuesday’s meeting, Premier McLaughlin was joined by representatives from nine other British Overseas Territories, to dis- cuss a range of issues re- lated to Brexit. The main subjects in- cluded international trade agreements, including ter- ritories’ access to the EU single market, and free movement of overseas ter- ritories citizens within the EU countries. “QCs are public officers in the sense that they are available to serve wherever there is a need for the special ability and seniority implied in their appointments.” CHIEF JUSTICE ANTHONY SMELLIE Premier Alden McLaughlin and Cayman’s London Office Director Eric Bush, center, meet with U.K. and overseas territories officials this week in London. SUSPECTS TASERED AFTER MOTORBIKE TRACE Police arrested two men who “violently resisted” the ex- ecution of a search warrant at an East End home Monday, ac- cording to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. Police said a warrant was served at a home on John McLean Drive, after a motor- bike that was seen driving “in a reckless manner” on Sunday was taken to that address. The vehicle was traced by the RCIPS helicopter. A police statement on the Monday arrests indicated: “Two men who were in the residence violently resisted the execution of the warrant, with one of them attempting to ride the motorbike in ques- tion out the back door of the residence. He was stopped by two officers, both of whom he punched and threatened to kill. “Both men threw bricks and stones at the officers, and Tasers were deployed on both of them. Both men, ages 28 and 31, were arrested for resisting arrest, assaulting po- lice, threats to kill and assault causing actual bodily harm.” During transport to the Fairbanks jail Monday, one of the suspects allegedly spat at police and kicked out one of the rear windows of the po- lice car. Both men remained in police custody Tuesday. Former U.S President Barack Obama kitesurfs during his stay on Moskito Island, British Virgin Islands, as a guest of Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group. – PHOTO: JACK BROCKWAY/VIRGIN.COM VIA AP PERU ATTORNEY GENERAL TO SEEK ARREST OF EX-PRESIDENT TOLEDO LIMA, Peru (AP) – A major corruption scandal shaking politicians across Latin America continued spreading across the re- gion on Tuesday as Pe- ru’s attorney general an- nounced he would seek the arrest of former President Alejandro To- ledo on charges of laun- dering of assets and influ- ence trafficking. Toledo was believed to be in Paris. He has denied any wrongdoing in inter- views with news media. Peruvian prosecutors opened a formal investi- gation Monday into suspi- cions that the former pres- ident took $20 million in bribes from Brazilian con- struction firm Odebrecht, which is at the heart of the regional scandal.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2017 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS As government currencies lose value, interest grows in private money- like products We all think we know what money is, but econo- mists have many different definitions of money (e.g., M1, M2, M4, and others) – and the problem is getting worse. Is the U.S. paper dollar you have in your wallet money? How about a one-ounce gold $50 coin minted by the U.S. gov- ernment, which has a cur- rent market value of roughly $1,200? Or digital “bitcoins” in your computer? Money has three func- tions. The first is to serve as a medium of exchange in order to facilitate trans- actions, rather than bar- tering one good for another. The second is to serve as a store of value. The third is to serve as a unit of account, which enables it to serve as a common measure of value of the goods and services being exchanged. Many commentators have also been arguing about whether or not the “high dollar” is good or bad, relative to other currencies, and what the Trump administration should do about it, if any- thing. The British, residents of euro countries and the Ca- nadians all need to spend roughly 30 percent more of their own currencies to buy roughly the same number of dollars they could have had about five years ago. The Mex- icans need to spend almost twice as many Mexican pesos to buy the same number of dollars as they did in only a little more than three years ago – a disaster for the Mex- ican economy. If the peso continues to fall against the dollar, President Trump will never be able to build a wall high enough to keep Mexicans out of the United States. The dollar is now worth about one twenty-fourth of what it was back in 1913, when the Federal Reserve was established. In 1913, the pre-Fed dollar was worth al- most the same as it was in 1798 at the end of George Washington’s second term. Despite low inflation in recent years, the dollar is now worth about 20 percent less than it was a mere 10 years ago. It now takes about 60 times as many dollars to buy an ounce of gold as it did back in 1913. The dollar has been a lousy store of value, even though it has been less bad than most other currencies. The volatility of foreign exchange rates and the risk of high rates of inflation greatly add to economic uncertainty. Increased uncertainty leads to less investment, and hence less job growth both in the United States and elsewhere. It causes havoc when busi- nesses try to make invest- ment and trading decisions. Companies that serve inter- national tourists have an al- most impossible task to properly price their prod- ucts, given that most tour- ists and business travelers want to be protected from ex- change-rate risk. Back when the world was, in effect, on the gold stan- dard – as led by the British from 1870 to 1914 – most ex- change-rate risk was elimi- nated. There were some prob- lems with the gold standard when the increase in the supply of gold did not keep up with economic growth rates in places like the United States, causing mild deflation resulting in labor tensions, but all in all it was a golden age for global investment – as well as for the free move- ments of persons (there were no passports). The U.S. dollar now serves as a global medium of ex- change – few persons and businesses refuse to accept dollars. It also serves as a global unit of account, with most international commod- ities, like oil, being priced in dollars. Because the dollar and all of the other govern- ment fiat currencies (those without backing of real as- sets like gold and silver) have proven to be unreli- able as a store of value, the dollar as a global currency is less useful and efficient than it should be. The United States and most of the other developed countries have also been en- gaged in a global war on fi- nancial privacy, which in practice, means that govern- ments are demanding ac- cess to everyone’s accounts and transactions. Those who value their financial privacy as a way of protecting them- selves from corrupt govern- ments, institutions and in- dividuals (and the criminal class) have a strong incen- tive to use private money- like products, such as bitcoin, which may provide them with more privacy. In 1976, Nobel Laureate F.A. Hayek, wrote a book, “De- nationalization of Currency,” in which he described how privately created competitive currencies could be superior to those created by govern- ment. In an effort to “improve money,” innovators have cre- ated bitcoin and other pri- vately issued digital curren- cies. Other economists, such as former International Mon- etary Fund official Warren Coats in his paper “A Real SDR,” have proposed ways of creating improved govern- ment-issued global currencies. The United States reaps hundreds of billions of dol- lars by, in essence, serving as the reserve currency of the world, yet the government is in the process of throwing it away, by failing to make sure the dollar is a store of value (as required by law) and not a vehicle for bureaucratic busybodies to peer into peo- ple’s private affairs. The good news is that many smarter and more creative people are outside of government, and some will succeed in pro- ducing money-like products that are a better store of value, can be used as a global unit of account and medium of exchange, and protect one’s financial privacy. Richard W. Rahn, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. © 2016, The Washington Times The following scene is familiar to any of our readers who frequent our local grocery stores: Near the entrance to the store, a long table is set up. People are sitting behind the table, smiling and looking hopefully at everyone who walks by. On the table is a large container filled with coins and paper bills. Taped to the front of the table is a sign, displaying the name or logo of a cause or an organization. Don’t be misled by the sign: In many instances, it doesn’t matter what the sign says — the ultimate benefi- ciary is, in fact, the Cayman Islands Government. On an individual level, we have nothing but admira- tion for the tireless volunteers and generous donors who power the nonprofit sector in the Cayman Islands. Their intentions are noble, their causes are just and their community spirit is inspirational. In fact, Pinnacle Media and many of our staff are regular contributors to and sponsors of these organizations. However, as evidenced in a story that ran in Tuesday’s Compass, far too often, when altruistic people step up to contribute to the greater good, what they oftentimes provide is an excuse to government to shift its public sector responsibilities to the private sector. As we reported Tuesday, the Ministry of Commu- nity Affairs cut some $300,000 from the government’s school lunches and uniforms budget, citing a decreased level of need “due to the diligent work of community organizations.” Although this news might seem to be an immediate cause for celebration, it is anything but. While Minister Osbourne Bodden rightfully recognizes the efforts of charitable groups, there are dangers inherent in the public sector relying on the private sector to fulfill the basic needs of citizens. For example, there is no built-in structure of accountability for private charitable organiza- tions. (Apart from the general maxim of, “Caveat donor.”) The private sector is far more flexible than the public sector, which is good, but it can also be far more whim- sical. A charity might be delivering a smorgasbord of hot lunches to schoolchildren today, but if an economic reces- sion hits, a major benefactor withdraws support, or if organizers begin feuding with politicians in power — those lunches could be yanked right out of the oven. It is true that in many other societies, the work of char- ities is absolutely necessary to bridge gaps between what the government can afford to provide and what the most unfortunate people need to survive and thrive. (A govern- ment’s dependence on charities and foreign aid can be considered a hallmark of a modern “third world” country.) With a population of a mere 60,000 people and public sector revenue approaching a billion dollars per year, Cayman’s government does not have a problem with available resources. Our government should easily be able to afford basic items and services such as feeding children, caring for the elderly, animal control, obtaining vital healthcare equipment and building roads. Instead, aided by financial crutches donated from the charitable community, our government officials choose to spend “their” (actually, “our”) money elsewhere. Remember, when government officials are adopting their budget, the allocation of each dollar is a choice — in Cayman’s case, between funding for programs such as social assistance, education and public safety … obliga- tions such as salaries and pensions for civil servants … and providing subsidies to businesses such as Cayman Airways and the Cayman Turtle Centre. It is useful to think of it in this way: Every dollar the government doesn’t use for school lunches has instead been allocated to turtle lunches — that is, before those turtles, in turn, become lunch for someone else. Here’s news: No such thing as a ‘free lunch’ ‘Privatizing’ money RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHN The volatility of foreign exchange rates and the risk of high rates of inflation greatly add to economic uncertainty.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2017 PremierHealth BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town.Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, Cayman BracTel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Ltd. acts solely as an agent on behalf of various insurers; it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. The world is smaller when you have a bigger health plan. cgigrp Overseas college, business trips and vacation travel are all easier with BritCay. No other provider matches the number and geographic spread of our network providers throughout North America. Your Premier Health ID card is accepted by over 1.1 million US providers, offers worldwide travel assistance and pharmacy benefits as easy to use in North America as they are at home. CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky Signatures required for British passports Holders of British pass- ports, including British Over- seas Territories citizens in the Cayman Islands, are now required to physically sign newly received pass- ports under a new policy im- plemented by Her Majesty’s Passport Office. Previously, British pass- port holders submitted printed photographs and paper forms that included their signature when com- pleting a passport applica- tion. Under the new arrange- ment, the passports will no longer include the holder’s signature in digital format. Instead, the passport holder must sign in black ballpoint pen on a printed line on the passport. The first batch of “sign after receipt” passports ar- rived in Grand Cayman on Feb. 3 at the Passport and Corporate Services Office. According to Her Majes- ty’s Passport Office, the new “sign after receipt” pass- ports will not be valid for travel without the inclusion of a handwritten signature. However, British passports with the signature in digital format are still legitimate and will continue to be in cir- culation up until 2027. “With this change, the British passport continues to be a highly secure and trusted document that meets rigorous international stan- dards,” a government press release states. Passports of children age 11 or under, or those with disabilities who are unable to sign, will receive passports stating “the holder is not re- quired to sign.” Donna Myrie, the first applicant in the Cayman Islands to receive her British passport under the new ‘sign after receipt’ policy, signs her signature on the passport. Ricketts to serve at least 30 years for murder CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Tareek Ricardo Ricketts was sentenced on Tuesday to at least 30 years im- prisonment for the murder of Jackson Rainford in December 2012. Mr. Rainford was the new romantic interest of the woman with whom Ricketts had been in what Justice Al- exander Henderson previ- ously referred to as “a quasi- matrimonial relationship.” Justice Henderson ordered Ricketts to serve 30 years before being eligible for con- ditional release. The victim was 23 when he was fatally shot around 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2012, along Shedden Road while sitting in the pas- senger seat of a car driven by his brother. Ricketts was 21 at the time. A Grand Court jury found him guilty in August 2013 and he was sentenced to im- prisonment for life, which is the only sentence for murder in the Cayman Islands. As Justice Alexander Hen- derson explained, until re- cently, imprisonment for life meant that the offender had no prospect of ever being released. Now, as a result of a change in the law, the of- fender has an entitlement to be considered for release after a certain number of years have passed. The Conditional Release Law, which came into effect in February, 2016, “contains a clear expression of intent and expectation of the Legisla- tive Assembly: the minimum term shall be 30 years unless there are extenuating or ag- gravating circumstances that are exceptional in nature.” At a hearing last month, Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryll Rich- ards submitted that the use of a firearm was an aggra- vating factor. Justice Hen- derson, however, noted that “the use of firearms in the commission of offenses is rampant on Grand Cayman.” Further, of the six murder cases Justice Henderson had to deal with, four of them were shootings. Finally, he pointed out, if the Legislative Assembly had considered use of a firearm to be an exceptional circum- stance, that would have been included in a list of factors to be considered. “Its omission from that list is explained by the 30-year norm, which is the same as the usual starting point in the U.K. for murders committed with a firearm.” Defense counsel John Ryder had submitted that Ricketts’s age at the time of the shooting, plus jealousy and a lack of maturity, all added up to an exceptional extenuating circumstance. Justice Henderson ac- cepted that jealousy was a motive, but he was not able to characterize these factors as exceptional. “A consideration of his age, his maturity level, and his justified feelings of jealousy do not suggest to me that the circumstances are un- usual or uncommon. Indeed, in cases of violent assault and murder, these factors are commonplace,” he said. The final argument af- fecting sentence was legiti- mate expectation – based on the recent release of pris- oners serving life sentences after an average incarcera- tion of about 26 years. They had applied to the governor under the 1975 Prisons Law; the governor’s jurisdiction has now passed to the Condi- tional Release Board. Justice Henderson cited an affidavit from the secre- tary of the Conditional Re- lease Board, who was also secretary of the previous Pa- role Commissioner’s Board. She said the first person serving a mandatory life sen- tence was released on license on June 21, 2013. But the murder Ricketts was convicted of occurred in December 2012. “Thus, Mr. Ricketts could have had no expectation, legitimate or otherwise, concerning pos- sible release on the day he committed the offense,” the judge reasoned. Further, when Ricketts was convicted, only one pris- oner had been released on license. “I cannot infer the presence of a legitimate ex- pectation of release at the time of sentencing from this single instance,” he said. Ricketts may have en- tertained “a hope” of early release, but the number of prisoners released to date was too small a number to permit a rea- sonable conclusion that a new policy had become en- trenched and would neces- sarily be followed by suc- cessive governors, Justice Henderson said. The 243 days Rick- etts served on remand are to be deducted from his prison term. At a hearing last month, Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryll Richards submitted that the use of a firearm was an aggravating factor.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Sister Islands WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman Brac’s distinctive land- scape provides an ideal home for Cayman’s elusive and fascinating indigenous bats. The craggy limestone topog- raphy of the Bluff with its many caves plays host to numerous spe- cies of bats, some easier to find than others. Bats found in Cayman Brac include the Caribbean fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis par- vipes), the brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus dutertreus), the buffy flower bat (Erophylla sezekorni), the big- eared bat (Macrotus waterhousii minor), the velvety free-tailed bat (Molossus molossus tropidorhyn- chus) and the white-shouldered bat (Phyllops falcatus). According to the National Trust, bats are Cayman’s only native mammal, can live up to 30 years, and the oldest bat fossil found in Cayman to date is 14,000 years old. Bats are mammals in the family Chiroptera which means “hand- wing;” they are the only mammals that can truly fly. They are more closely related to monkeys than mice, and, according to the Trust, “Are extremely vulnerable to ex- tinction because they bear only one baby (or pup) per year and because they often live in large colonies that can easily be wiped out by one mis- guided or uninformed act.” Cayman’s nine species of bats play a key role in Cayman’s eco- system, performing many cru- cial functions, including control- ling night-flying insects (just look up at dusk and you will likely no- tice bats swooping around gob- bling up mosquitoes), and polli- nating hundreds of plants, such as agaves, silk cotton, naseberry, vine pear, neem, cactus and cala- bash. Through their droppings, like birds, bats disperse seeds far and wide, which keep Cayman’s forests healthy and diverse. The Trust underscores, “Bats in the Cayman Islands carry no dis- eases and rabies is not found here. They are not interested in tangling in your hair and they are not vam- pires.” Cayman’s bats tend to stick to fruit, pollen, nectar and insects. The Trust notes that visitors to caves housing bats should be calm and quiet and never shine flashlights or camera strobes on sleeping bats. “Entering caves inhabited by bats during the spring or early summer months when newborn baby bats are present, can cause the mother bats to abandon the roost, and flightless young bats may die as a result.” Of the bat species on the Brac, the insect-eating velvety free-tailed bat, emerges at dusk. Notes the Trust: “It may be our most impor- tant species because it is so nu- merous and has enormous impact upon insect populations. We hope to never find out what would happen here without this bat.” The Brac’s brown bat, which eats insects, sometimes lives in roof spaces and will use bat houses, though, according to the Trust, so far no Cayman Islands bat houses have been occupied by this species. The big-eared bat eats insects and according to the Trust flies lower and slower than most other local species and feeds on larger, slower-moving insects like cock- roaches, beetles, moths and even sleeping dragonflies. “They can manoeuvre among thick leaves and tree branches and will actually take caterpillars and other nighttime garden pests di- rectly from the leaves of bougain- villea and other landscaping plants,” the Trust states. The Caribbean fruit bat eats fruit and is Cayman’s largest bat. Emerging several hours after sunset, it feeds mainly on wild fruits, dis- persing seeds throughout the is- lands. Often piles of chewed Indian almond tree seeds or Christmas palm berries can be found under feeding roosts. This bat can cause staining on the sides of build- ings from its droppings as it flies around, and can also sometimes be a crop pest. The very rare buffy flower bat eats pollen, nectar and occasion- ally small insects, and has a long nose and a long sticky tongue like a hummingbird. “This amazing little bat polli- nates night-blooming jasmine and all the beautiful column cactus and agave plants that grow on the Bluff on Cayman Brac,” the Trust notes. “These bats are known to be highly intolerant of human dis- turbance and should never be dis- turbed in their caves.” The extremely rare white-shoul- dered bat eats fruit, mainly figs, and is sometimes called the fig- eating bat. The Trust notes it had not been seen in the Cayman Is- lands since the early 1900s, though its bones had been found in owl feeding roosts. Wildlife biolo- gist Anne Louise Band rediscov- ered the white-shouldered bat in a small remnant patch of forest in Lower Valley in Grand Cayman in April of 2000, and they may also be on the Brac. Visitors to caves housing bats should be calm and quiet and never shine flashlights or camera strobes on sleeping bats. 50 YEARS AGO Winter guests warmly welcomed In the Feb. 1, 1967 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Cayman Brac correspondent Lilian Ritch wrote: “Mrs. Bertha and Mr. Alton Ritch … are the guests of their sister–in–law and aunt Mrs. Gladys Ritch of Creek. Mrs. Bertha with her late husband Bismarck and their family went away to Jamaica 25 years ago. Planning now to join her children in the USA, she is here for the winter. She is the mother of Mr. Cyril Ritch of National Bulk Carriers Inc. Alton, in the family trade of shipwright carpenter, has been gone 27 years. He has served with Belmont Dry Dock building sub-chasers during World War II, and for 10 years in British Guiana first as assistant and then as Dock Master for Spro- stons Ltd. He has also been a seaman with National Bulk Carriers Ltd. Latterly he has been building boats in Jamaica. He greatly admires the advances that have been made in the island. “The tourist winter season at the Buc- caneer’s Inn began Jan. 15. Back again for their second visit were Mr. and Mrs. Holland V. Williams of Buffalo, New York. “‘We love the Brac, love the quietness and we have never seen such cleanliness. We have received nothing but friendliness from all the islanders. Your problem is – How far do you want to progress?’ “Sunday 15th through Friday last was a time of revival for the Church of God (Ho- liness) with a visit by Rev. I.C. Holland of the Swope Parkway and Brooklyn Church of Kansas City, Missouri. Morning meetings at 10:00 were uplifting and inspiring. The evening evangelistic services were packed. Pastor Holland’s bass added much to the service in song. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the church, and he brought greetings from the Watkins family to all the friends of Cayman Brac. “Miss Barbara Ebanks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Ebanks of the Point, re- turned looking very happy after eight months visiting with friends Mr. and Mrs. Gerard Smith of New Canaan, Connecticut, USA. Asked what she enjoyed best, Barbara quickly replied, ‘The goodness of my friends, and I loved going to New York, the big city – and the snow.’ “Mr. Vendrize Foster of St. Petersburg, son of the late Capt. Wade Taylor and Mrs. Magdalen Foster, is a retired Panama Canal employee, U.S. Government. History con- scious – I found it interesting that his given names, Vendrize Edginton, date the occasion of a British survey of the island by Judge Vendrize and Mr. Edginton, an engineer as- sisting him. They arrived here from England via Jamaica en route to Grand Cayman. The Master/Owner of the vessel, Captain Taylor, brought them ashore to his home. They found his newborn son, one hour old. The visitors asked that he be given their sur- names. The date – Dec. 1, 1893. “P.S. In connection with the Graduation at Spot Bay School, Mrs. Otis Christian made a gift of pencils and rulers to the grad- uating class.” It’s entirely possible you’ll spot a bat at the picturesque Bat Cave. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Brac proves an inviting home for batsDISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Sister Islands CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2017 New Brac group sets sights on helping injured wildlife A new group on the Brac is giving a helping hand to animals in need of a little TLC. The Brac Wildlife Rehab group which had its first official meeting on Jan. 14, has committed it- self to the care of injured wildlife on the island. One of the group’s first official “patients” was an iguana known as “Iam,” which was hit by a car on Christmas Day. “We provided warmth, security, fluids and food supplements until he was moving around normally, and then released him to wander at will,” said the group’s founder, Bonnie Scott-Edwards, who is well known on the Brac for her dedica- tion to helping animals in need. “This iguana was first cap- tured and pit-tagged five years ago. He weighed 800 grams then and was 70cm [2.2 feet] long. Now he weighs almost 8 kilos [17.5 pounds] and is 128cm long – well over 4 feet,” she said. At the first meeting, the iguana was checked by Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine at St. Mat- thew’s University, Dr. Karen Rosen- thal. Dr. Rosenthal examined the iguana and two injured parrots the group was also caring for, and was able to offer advice and tips. “The wildlife on Cayman Brac is clearly in need of a support group like this one,” noted Jane Haa- konsson, of the Department of En- vironment’s Terrestrial Resources Unit, writing in the latest issue of the Department’s newsletter, Flicker. “Prior to this initiative, Ms. Bonnie has, with support from husband Gene, taken care of count- less … animals from West In- dian whistling ducks, owls, white-crowned pigeons, tropic- birds, boobies, frigates, parrots and egrets to curly tailed lizards, iguanas and snakes.” Late last year, for example, Ms. Scott-Edwards helped care for an in- jured owl that was brought to Grand Cayman for further treatment. At present, the group is made up of eight members, said Ms. Scott-Edwards. “We will meet monthly, and we now have a Facebook page – Brac Wildlife Rehab Group – where we have requested help with needed supplies. “Help has been forthcoming, as visitors to the island have donated and brought down heating pads, heat lamps and bulbs. We have of- fers of other supplies and are com- piling a list of what is needed.” Ms. Haakonsson noted that Faith Hospital is helping the group with medical supplies and the Terrestrial Resources Unit at the Department of Environment is helping coordi- nate veterinary assistance and inter- island transport of animals, as well as offering other support such as supplies and technical assistance. Ms. Scott-Edwards was also happy to report that a donation of bumper stickers arrived from the International Reptile Conservation Foundation – enough for the Brac and Little Cayman as well. “These, we hope, will encourage motorists to take more care to avoid hitting iguanas, and plans are being made to distribute the bumper stickers at the upcoming Agriculture Show,” said Ms. Scott-Edwards. Iam the iguana has success- fully returned to the wild, and the two parrots are doing well too after being offered a soft release – where the door to the aviary where they were being kept was left open and the birds were given the option to leave at will. “While the one with no remaining wing damage has not returned, the one whose wing could not be com- pletely repaired has taken up resi- dence nearby,” said Ms. Scott. “It was felt she might not be able to survive in the wild. That’s why we built the feeding station near the flight cage and why we leave the cage open, in case she wants more protection at any time. She some- times goes back inside the flight cage but usually comes to the out- door feeding station for a meal. She is also finding food herself from nearby trees.” Membership in the Brac Wild- life Rehab group is open to anyone interested, and the next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 11. For more information or to help, call 917-7744 or visit www.facebook.com/BracWildRehab. One of two parrots recently rehabilitated by the group has taken up residence near the aviary.Brac Wildlife Rehab’s Bonnie Scott-Edwards with a Sister Islands rock iguana. “We will meet monthly, and we now have a facebook page – Brac Wildlife Rehab Group – where we have requested help with needed supplies.” BONNIE SCOTT-EDWARDS The large iguana hit by a car has recovered and appears to be thriving.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS the therapeutic work it does with troubled youth in a home environment. Minister Bodden, an- nouncing the plan last month, said the planned fa- cility would allow Bonaven- ture to offer the proper con- tinuum of care for youth referred by the courts. The announcement came as a surprise to res- idents in the Coral Ga- bles sub-division who felt that they should have been consulted in advance. One resident, Kerith McCoy, wrote to the Cayman Compass, Director of Plan- ning Haroon Pandohie, Min- ister Bodden and West Bay’s four legislators to complain about the “inappropriate- ness” of placing what he de- scribed as a “youth prison” on the Bonaventure site. He questioned why a separate youth facility could not be contained within the two ex- isting prison sites. Following other complaints, including from the Coral Gables homeowners’ asso- ciation, a meeting was ar- ranged Saturday in West Bay, with ministry officials, CAYS Foundation leaders and the area’s MLAs. According to a government press release about the meeting, “After hearing from the residents, Minister Bodden prom- ised to take their concerns to caucus for consideration to assist the government in finding a way forward with a new policy decision. In the meantime, the minister ad- vises that the expansion of Bonaventure Boys Home, which is currently before the Central Planning Authority, will be put on hold to give the government time to re- visit potential options.” The Bonaventure plan represents at least the second serious attempt to construct a separate youth detention facility. It replaced a $10 million project for a youth detention center at Fairbanks in George Town, which was dropped due to funding constraints. Gov- ernment wrote off nearly $700,000 in spending on that project, started under the United Democratic Party but abandoned by the People’s National Al- liance, which briefly took power before the 2013 gen- eral election. The founda- tions of the aborted building are still in place, covered in weeds, in a wooded area off Fairbanks Road. opens Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Ms. Davey has reached out to community partners to set up youth programs, including art therapy with the Wellness Centre’s Anne-Marie Diaz. “The hope is to replace se- crecy, shame and isolation with a sense of belonging, to feel understood by their peers. Art can be a good cushion for young people to open up more verbally be- cause they can talk through the art and it can provide a bit of a comfort to them until they are able to be more open,” Ms. Diaz said. Cayman Music Therapy’s Julianne Parolisi will offer music classes, including a music camp during the last week of February. Center advocate Ronnie James Hughes is organizing weekly meetings at his gym, Krav Maga Cayman. He hopes the athletic program will offer an alternative outlet for young people to blow off steam, as opposed to using drugs or alcohol. “When youngsters are ex- posed to confidence, it rubs off on them and shows them what being tough really means,” Mr. Hughes said. The public office has also expanded the capacity of the Crisis Centre safe house, ex- plained executive director Ania Milanowska. The house often finds it- self at capacity, especially around holidays, she said. By moving the administrative of- fices to Eastern Avenue, the house now has an additional bedroom, expanding capacity from 21 to 26 beds. The house took in 105 people in the 2014-2015 fiscal year, up from 56 just two years prior. Given the house’s confiden- tial location, Ms. Milanowska said there were many services it could not offer, including follow-up therapy and ser- vices for male victims of vio- lence. Estella’s Place will now make those services a reality. “It is accessible to a wider community, including chil- dren and their parents, teen- agers, young adults, male victims of domestic violence and female victims who do not need safe shelter but would like to access our pro- grams and services,” Ms. Mi- lanowska said. “Most importantly, it is a place where we can ad- dress the growing need for a center for troubled teenagers and young adults and will allow our clients to build and strengthen relationships with their families and other sup- port systems.” The public office has been a long-time vision for the center, made possible by ex- tensive fundraising efforts and community support. Crown Center owner Bobby Bodden renovated the facility, adding a second floor with two offices. The facility also has 10 computers, donated by Conyers Dill & Pearman and installed by Integrity. Phone, internet and television ser- vices will be offered free of charge by FLOW. Initial setup and fa- cility opening were funded through a Hedge Funds Care grant. A second board member, Deborah Drummond, testi- fied Tuesday that she was unaware of the salary ad- vance or the later agree- ment for repayment. She said she would have ex- pected such matters to come before the board but they never had. She said she had been unaware that senior UCCI staff members had college credit cards and acknowl- edged there was no written policy on their use that she was aware of. However, she said she believed it was “self evi- dent” that business credit cards should not be used for personal expenses. “In my opinion, any personal use of business credit cards is completely irregular and I would cer- tainly not have approved it,” she said. Asked by Syed’s lawyer Tom Price, QC, if there was a formal written policy, she said, “I think it is self evi- dent. It is an ethical regres- sion that one has to put these things in writing.” To Mr. Price’s suggestion that it was a “grey area,” she said, “You see grey; I see black and white.” Ms. Drummond, who was part of the selec- tion committee that re- cruited Syed as president, acknowledged the inter- view panel had not investi- gated his claims to have a doctorate, assuming those checks had been done at an earlier stage in the short- listing process. Earlier on Tuesday, the former chief officer in the Ministry of Education, Angela Martins, testified that Syed had not been on the original long list of candidates for the po- sition but had submitted his application midway through the process. She said she had not seen his resume and had not been involved in the final se- lection process. Ms. Martins said her role on the board of gover- nors was to report back to the ministry about UCCI’s activities. She said the min- istry had oversight of how its funding was used by the college but did not get involved in micro-level fi- nancials, such as the use of credit cards. She accepted, under questioning from Mr. Price, that she had been asked by the minister of educa- tion, who at the time was current premier Alden McLaughlin, to be more supportive of Mr. Syed. She said she believed this was because she had asked for more data on financial and student performance and Syed had felt she was “out of order.” She also acknowledged she had been placed on required leave later in 2009 but said this was nothing to do with the Syed case. She said this coincided with a change of government. Syed is charged with 12 counts relating to misuse of college funds, including spending more than US$200,000 on col- lege funded credit cards, obtaining a $70,000 salary advance by deception, and falsely claiming to have a doctorate in order to get the president’s job and $135,000 salary. He denies the offenses and the trial continues. After meeting with the residents Saturday, government committed to revisiting other options, including alternative locations for the site. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Plans for youth detention center on hold Syed trial: UCCI board chair denies sanctioning $70K advance The prosecution has suggested that Syed doctored a genuine email exchange between himself and Mr. O’Dea to fool the college’s accountant into handing over the money. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The public office has been a long-time vision for the center, made possible by extensive fundraising efforts and community support. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Estella’s Place expands vision, reach of Crisis Centre Pence vote confirms DeVos for education post WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate on Tuesday confirmed school choice advocate Betsy DeVos as education secretary by the narrowest of margins, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking a 50-50 tie in a historic vote. Two Republicans joined Democrats in the unsuc- cessful effort to derail the nomination of the wealthy Republican donor. The Senate historian said Pence’s vote was the first by a vice presi- dent to break a tie on a Cab- inet nomination. Democrats cited her lack of public school experience and financial interests in or- ganizations pushing charter schools. DeVos has said she would divest herself from those organizations. Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska fear that DeVos’s focus on charter schools will undermine remote public schools in their states. Despite the win, DeVos emerges bruised from the highly divisive nomina- tion process. She has faced criticism, even ridicule for her stumbles and confu- sion during her confirmation hearing and scathing criti- cism from teachers unions and civil rights activists over her support of charter schools and her conservative religious ideology. President Donald Trump accused Democrats of seeking to torpedo educa- tion progress. In a tweet be- fore the vote, he wrote “Betsy DeVos is a reformer, and she is going to be a great Ed- ucation Sec. for our kids!” Pence tweeted later in the day that supporting DeVos was “a vote for every child having a chance at a world- class education.” Devos, 59, is the wife of Dick DeVos, the heir to the Amway marketing fortune. She has spent more than two decades promoting charter schools and publicly funded voucher programs for private schools in her home state of Michigan and in other states. Democrats were quick to denounce the confirmation. “President Trump’s swamp got a new billion- aire today,” the Democratic National Committee said in a statement. “Millions of teachers, parents and stu- dents could not have made their opposition to Betsy DeVos’ confirmation any clearer – they do not want someone whose only educa- tion experience is disman- tling public schools.” Sen. Patty Murray of Washington state, the top Democrat on the Health, Ed- ucation, Labor and Pensions Committee vowed to continue championing quality public education in America. “We may not have won this fight today, but people across the country have stood up and made their voices heard on the impor- tance of strong public educa- tion in America, and we are not going to stand down.” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2017 UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL SERVICES As an efcient and effective global nancial hub, Cayman enables parties from around the world whose countries may have different laws, tax rules, regulations and customs to benet from doing business with each other. Financial Services. Moving Cayman Forward. movingcaymanforward.ky € $ ¥ £ C ay m an is a premi er global nanc ial hu b Fa cili tati ng investment acro ss bo rd er s Candidates concerned about ‘marketability’ in one man, one vote election system Solomon’s announcement brings out independents BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Well more than 100 people turned out for last week’s candidacy announce- ment by former George Town MLA Ellio Solomon, and at least 10 of them were hopeful candidates for the May gen- eral election seeking to deter- mine which direction the po- litical winds were blowing. Mr. Solomon, a former member of the United Dem- ocratic Party, denounced his former political group – now known as the Cayman Demo- cratic Party – during a lengthy speech on Jan. 31, seeking to put distance between himself and both parties. “I will not be running with either of the two major parties,” Mr. Solomon told the Cayman Compass. “I will be running and supporting other worthy candidates who have this county and its peo- ple’s best interests at heart.” During the Jan. 31 campaign launch event, one of Mr. Solomon’s major backers, Dr. Steve Tomlinson, worked the crowd, speaking with a number of other candidates or potential candidates who attended, including George Town Central’s Kenneth Bryan, Cayman Brac East’s Rudolph Dixon and West Bay South’s Laura Young. Other candidates, like Newlands’s Raul Gonzalez and Bodden Town East’s Dwayne Seymour, observed from the sidelines, denying affiliation with any polit- ical groupings – even the non-party ones. “I am truly independent, I am part of no groups,” Mr. Gonzalez said when asked about his attendance at Mr. Solomon’s event. “I just want to hear what ev- eryone has to say.” Even Mr. Dixon, who has received Dr. Tomlinson’s support, was at pains this week to avoid tying him- self down to the political candidates’ group Dr. Tom- linson is backing. “I’d work with Dr. T; he has supported me,” Mr. Dixon said. “But [that support] is not confined to Dr. T. I believe there will be a coalition gov- ernment. My philosophy is a true independent’s. I’d like to see us all work together.” Mr. Seymour said many in- dependent candidates vying for election now, including himself, are reluctant to align themselves with any political grouping – not just the two major political parties, the CDP and the Progressives. “It may seem strange, but that’s coming from the elec- torate,” Mr. Seymour said. “They want you to be as mar- ketable as possible, to be as good … a representative as possible.” Voters, Mr. Seymour said, perceive weaknesses within the political parties, real- izing that no one group is likely to be strong enough to win the May 2017 gen- eral election on its own. “You’ve got two parties. One doesn’t seem very popular and the other isn’t very or- ganized,” he said. However, the possibility exists that both parties could still do quite well in their traditional power bases of George Town [for the Pro- gressives] and West Bay [for the CDP]. If a candidate who has been a strident opponent of either group is elected in a district, voters fear that rep- resentative will be shut out of whatever government is formed and that those who voted for the candidate will receive short shrift for the next several years. “They feel their area is going to be left out,” Mr. Sey- mour said. “This one man, one vote has caused a lot of confusion.” Consequently, cemented political alliances likely will not be formed until some time after May 24, a number of candidates opined. This pre-election “confusion” has often been a concern of Premier Alden McLaughlin, who aired is- sues with non-party politics during an October debate on amendments to the local Elections Law in the Legisla- tive Assembly. The premier used the ex- ample of the Coalition for Cayman, which played a prominent role in the May 2013 general election. Rep- resentatives of the coalition, often referred to as C4C, al- ways denied political party status and said the group simply supported various independent candidates seeking political office. Premier McLaughlin said political party platforms and candidates should be well known and stated be- fore a general election “so the country knows what it is voting for and knows who the leader [of the government] is doing to be.” “I lived through the 2000 elections … where a bunch of independents were elected and sat down, had not done any negotiating [before the election] …. That govern- ment lasted one year,” Mr. McLaughlin said. Ellio Solomon, center stage, speaks to supporters at his campaign launch in George Town on Jan. 31. Mr. Solomon is one of a number of former political party members contesting the May 2017 general election as independents this time around. – PHOTO: BRENT FULLERNext >