ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY MARCH 13, 2017 Come meet Peanuts. We are open! Going fresh, local, delicious, quick, convenient, crisp, hot, cool, tangy, healthy, juicy, crunchy, spiced, sweet, salty, wholesome, appetising, delectable, flavourful, fruity, heavenly, mouthwatering, scrumptious, savoury, fizzy, organic, full-bodied, gourmet, hearty, satisfying, homemade, indulgent, lean, lip-smacking and yummy grab and go things. Hundreds ‘Light Up the Night’ for breast cancer awareness Seven Mile Beach was aglow with pink balloons, pink T-shirts and plenty of smiling faces as hundreds took part in the seventh annual ‘Light Up the Night’ walk for the Breast Cancer Foundation. Shortly after sunset, participants walked the mile from Royal Palms to The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman to raise money for the Foundation’s Wellness Program. For more photos, see page 11. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Lawmaker reveals origins of MLA ‘following’ claim BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Further allegations were made Thursday regarding local law firms hiring a private com- pany to follow two Cayman Is- lands legislators. The accusations, first made in a Feb. 27 press conference, were investigated by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice, which said it could not substantiate the claims. Bodden MLA Alva Suckoo said Thursday that the allega- tions initially resulted from a text message received by one of the Legislative Assembly’s in- dependent members. The text was received by the unidenti- fied MLA shortly after East End MLA Arden McLean filed a mo- tion asking Cayman govern- ment authorities to investigate potential breaches of the Penal Code and the Immigration Law by unspecified local law firms and Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton. Both Mr. Panton and the Cayman Islands Law Society have denied any wrongdoing. According to the text mes- sage, read by Mr. Suckoo in the assembly Thursday afternoon, “[A] consultancy employed by blank and blank [according to the Mr. Suckoo, the two ‘blanks’ referred to two local law firms]. They are declaring all out war on [George Town MLA] Winston [Connolly] and Arden [McLean]. No limit on money or method to get them out. They hired some people to follow them and dig up dirt yesterday. Please ad- vise them pronto, they are going to need help.” Mr. Suckoo said the message was sent by a lawyer, whom Cargo ship sues port over reef damage JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The owners of a cargo ship that struck a coral reef in George Town harbor, causing signifi- cant damage to a popular snor- keling and diving site, are suing the Port Authority, alleging it was partly responsible for the accident. The 328-foot cargo ship MV Saga had to be pulled free by tugboats when it ran into the reef, close to the Eden Rock dive site in November last year. LAWYERS BILL REVIEW TO CONTINUE IN PRIVATE BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly members will meet privately starting Monday afternoon in attempts to reach a compromise on the much-debated controversial Legal Prac- titioners Bill. The “in-camera” [meaning a private meeting in chambers which the public cannot attend] session of the House is set to start at 3 p.m. The suggestion of holding the ses- sion in camera was proposed last month by Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush to try and work out stark differences among lawmakers on the current draft proposal. Premier Alden McLaughlin said he would be willing to take such a step, but members of the assembly’s independent opposition group did not sup- port the move. As of Friday, the Progressives-led govern- ment and opposition assembly members had proposed more than 150 amendments to the legislation, which is already more than 120 AIRPORT ROAD LANE TO CLOSE FOR 2 WEEKS Starting Monday, a lane of the road in front of the Owen Roberts International Airport will be closed for two weeks as airport expansion work continues. For more details, see page 2. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » A shattered coral is seen a few days after the Saga cargo ship hit the reef in November last year. - PHOTO: LIZ WYATT PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY MARCH 13, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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. SATURDAY, MARCH 18TH, 8PM Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 640-FILM (640-3456) - MONDAY - KONG: SKULL ISLAND 3D (PG13) 12:30 | 3:30 2D I 6:45 | 9:35 2D THE GREAT WALL 3D (PG13) 1:00 | 4:30 | 7:00 | 9:55 THE SHACK (PG13) 4:10 | 9:45 LOGAN (R) 12:30 | 3:35 | 6:40 | 9:40 JOHN WICK CHAPTER 2 (R) 12:55 | 3:50 | 7:05 | 9:50 BEFORE I FALL (PG13) 1:00 | 7:10 Life Extension Gym and Sauna 949-3753 “Will I like it? Yes!! ” Global Services Int'l Immigration Services Call us for all your Company Registration Annual Returns Trade & Business License Work Permits Application Caymanian Status Permanent Resident Call 946-1080 or visit us at 180 Shedden Road, Unit 2 Golf loses standout character Hobday MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Golf champion Simon Hobday, the brother of Cayman HospiceCare’s med- ical director Dr. Virginia Hobday, passed away at the age of 76 after a battle against cancer on March 2. The senior major cham- pion and two-time European Tour winner, who launched his professional golfing ca- reer in 1969 on the Sunshine Golfing Tour in South Af- rica, won a total of 17 pro- fessional titles. They in- clude the 1971 South African Open Championship, the 1976 German Open and the 1979 Madrid Open. Between 1993 and 1995, he added five trophies on the Champions Tour, culminating in his victory at the 1994 U.S. Senior Open at Pinehurst. Mr. Hobday was known as much for his outstanding ball striking as his fun-loving, easygoing attitude that made him stand out from the crowd of golf professionals. “His passing is a massive loss to the game of golf in general, and in South Africa in particular,” Sunshine Tour Executive Director Selwyn Nathan said. “He was a won- derful player and a larger- than-life character who gave everyone who played with him or watched him play a great deal of pleasure.” Former golf professional and friend Dale Hayes de- scribed him “the greatest character ever to play golf.” Dr. Hobday, who was named a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2015 for her service to hospice care in Cayman, said her brother was a very well loved man. “Because of his humor and quick wit people warmed to him and were drawn to him.” Born in South Africa, Mr. Hobday grew up in Zambia and also lived in Zimbabwe. A talented rugby player, boxer and cricketer, he came to professional golf very late, at the age of 29, after he ran the family’s cattle ranch for 10 years. “He was really quite an eccentric character. He had been a farmer in Zambia, so he had a life before he came to golf. Living in the bush, he was different to a lot of professional golfers,” his sister said. Dr. Hobday said although her brother was a top ama- teur, he did not really have dreams of becoming a pro- fessional golfer. He started playing golf professionally only when he lost the farm due to appropriation. On the course, he was fa- mous for his casual obser- vance of the usually strict golfing attire and a distinct lack of color coordination and dress sense. Those who played with him remember “Hobbers” by his endless stories, jokes and good-humored pranks. Many of them were shared on Twitter, where Masters winner Nick Faldo said, “Will his stories live on or what! Washing his clothes in bath tub using his putter to stir them! ‘First out wins!’” Unhappy with a ruling, Mr. Hobday once famously asked an official who re- fused to give him a free drop out of a damaged area if he could get fined for thinking something rude. After the ref- eree confirmed that he could not get fined for his thoughts, Mr. Hobday proceeded to tell him exactly what he was “thinking.” Another time, following a streak of three-putting at least once in every round, he wore a sombrero on the course. He explained to his fellow golfers that God was targeting him and he did not want to be seen this time. When he could not avoid yet another three-putt on the last hole of the round, he threw the hat on the ground, looked up and yelled: “You found me.” In a 2008 interview with Golf Digest, PGA Cham- pion Nick Price described Mr. Hobday as the best ball striker he ever played with. “Simon would have been a great, great player had his nerves been better. People say he drank a lot. He didn’t drink that much. He had trouble sleeping. I know; I roomed with him for a year in Eu- rope. He wasn’t the carouser and the party animal that people thought.” Mr. Price was also in- volved in a Hobday prank in an exhibition match at Springs Country Club in the early 1980s, when Mr. Price and Mark McNulty faced Mr. Hobday and Dale Hayes in a team event. When the an- nouncer presented Mr. Mc- Nulty to the applause of the spectators as “the finest putter in the world today,” Mr. Hobday went to Mr. Mc- Nulty’s golf bag, took out the putter and snapped it in half over his knee. The crowd was stunned. Mr. McNulty stared in dis- belief as his favorite putter was destroyed – he had used it for years. The shock lasted about half a minute, until Mr. Hobday produced the real putter, which he had swapped for the same model min- utes earlier. “At home he was very much a family man,” Dr. Hobday said. “He was still very, very funny but I would not say he was a big party animal. I think that was a legend that grew up around him. Having said that, I think in his young days he was quite wild.” Despite their age differ- ence, the siblings were close, she added. “My sister Fiona, who also lives in the Cayman Islands, lived in the States when he was on the se- nior tour. She was with him when he won the U.S. Open. Of course there were big dis- tances, but whenever we saw each other we always had a wonderful time.” In 1999, Mr. Hobday vis- ited his sister in the Cayman Islands. “He did do a lot of fishing because that was his huge passion in life. For him, he loved golf but it was work. He fished all over the world and when he came to Cayman, he had five days of very good deep sea fishing.” A funny episode befit- ting the great raconteur de- layed his arrival in Cayman. In a mix-up, the South African travel agent had put him on a flight to Georgetown – in the Bahamas, she recalled. “We had a laugh about that.” Many anecdotes are fea- tured in “The Hole Truth and other mostly true stories,” a book with contributions from Mr. Hobday, Dale Hayes and Denis Hutchinson. “Not only was he a great golfer, but he was also a fan- tastic person,” Mr. Hayes told golf journalist Michael Vlismas. “He treated every- body the same – whether they were wealthy or poor, titled or a lowly worker. He loved to argue but hated to fight.” “He was a terrific friend to a lot of us. He was ready to go, though,” Mr. Hayes added. “He had made peace with it. He really was a special man.” Fellow South African golfers gave their tributes via Twitter. Former Masters winner Trevor Immelman said, “Very sad news on the passing of Simon Hobday. One of the best ball strikers and funniest men I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.” Compatriot and 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen said: “RIP Simon Hobday, a great character and legend of the game. Stories that will live forever.” After his retirement in 2002, Mr. Hobday made a final appearance in 2012. He paired for a fifth-place finish with fellow South African Gary Player in the 70 and older di- vision at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. Mr. Player also sent a mes- sage on Twitter, saying, “My condolences to the charis- matic and sweet swinging Simon Hobday. He was so good for golf. RIP amigo.” Mr. Hobday never stopped being an excellent golfer. He shot a 65 on his 76th birthday just last summer. Airport construction work will disrupt traffic The Cayman Islands Air- ports Authority is advising that traffic flow around the Owen Roberts International Airport will be disrupted starting on Monday, March 13, in order to facilitate con- struction work. One lane on the main ac- cess road will be blocked off by traffic cones, according to the Airports Authority, and motorists are being ad- vised to exercise caution around the area. The construction work around the main access road is expected to be completed in two weeks. The work is part of a $55 million dollar expansion and renovation project at the airport that is expected to be completed by the end of next year. The Cayman Islands Air- ports Authority reported last month that the project, which will almost triple the capacity of the airport to accommodate 2.5 million passengers a year, was a quarter way through. The existing terminal was built to handle 500,000 pas- sengers per year, but is cur- rently processing more than one million. Simon Hobday with his sisters Fiona, left, and Virginia. A lane of the road in front of Owen Roberts International Airport will be closed for two weeks to facilitate construction work.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MARCH 13, 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” Last week, the country received word that Cabinet had finally made long-awaited, and long-overdue, changes to Cayman Islands immigration regulations, in response to critical flaws in the permanent residence system that had been highlighted more than three years ago. Initially, we were optimistic that the announcement was a sign that government was about to unlock the gates of the immigration system and begin processing the more than 900 PR applications (at last count) that have piled up since the Progressives administration overhauled the immigration law in October 2013. There are humanitarian, legal and financial reasons for acting swiftly. Hundreds (and after factoring in dependents of PR applicants, perhaps thousands) of lives have been hanging in limbo, as applicants have neither security of tenure, nor definitive instructions to depart, nor even a time line for decisions. According to prevailing assumptions about interna- tional human rights standards, it becomes increasingly difficult to justify refusing to grant people permanent residence the longer they have lived and worked in a country, with the benchmark being 10 years or more. With the passage of time, more and more of Cayman’s PR applicants are surpassing that benchmark. That threatens to take control over permanent residence decisions out of the local government’s hands and into the international court system. More recently, local and international courts have sent clear messages that immigration applications are to be considered within an appropriate amount of time – according to a U.K. Privy Council decision, within one year – or else public officials (i.e., the Public Treasury) could be held liable for financial damages. Hundreds of Cayman’s PR applications have been pending for one year or far longer. As the clock ticks, the potential legal bills to Cayman’s taxpayers grows. We remain hopeful that government’s intention is to address the PR backlog immediately, regardless of the ongoing political campaign season leading up to the May 24 elections. However, in the several days since the announcement of Cabinet’s changes to immi- gration regulations, doubts have begun to arise that perhaps the changes are not so significant as they appeared to be. Esteemed immigration attorney Nicholas Joseph, a partner at HSM Chambers law firm, described the changes as “largely cosmetic,” adding that they would, at least, not negatively affect most applicants. In an email to PR applicants, Mr. Joseph mirrored our sentiments as to how we wish the immigration situation will be concluded (i.e., sooner than later). He said, “From what we gather, it will be a combination of the [Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board] and Immigration Department administrators who will be making assessments and it is hoped, there- fore, that this will mean that the backlog is dealt with quicker than may otherwise have been the case.” One substantial change is that Cabinet has resolved a major sticking point in the PR system – the “points” allocated to various professions – in the simplest way possible: by doing away with it entirely. From now on, “butchers” won’t get 11 points, and “surgeons” 8 points. Everyone will get the maximum 15 points. (Why that simple decision has taken this government years is, frankly, beyond us.) Those extra few points may serve to tilt the scales for PR applicants who are on the cusp of the threshold of the 110 points needed for an application to be suc- cessful. That is, of course, assuming their applications are ever considered. As it stands now, the Progressives government appears to have lowered the price of admission to Cayman’s “PR club.” But until officials actually start processing applications, the doors remain closed, chained and locked. It may be easier to get PR; we will see if it’s any faster MONDAY MARCH 13, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS FROM HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN Commonwealth Day Message This Commonwealth Day, a baton will set out from Buckingham Palace and begin a long and extraordi- nary journey. Over the next 12 months, the baton will visit people living in the na- tions and territories of our Commonwealth family in every continent and ocean. Carried on its way by thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds, by the time it reaches its final destination, The Queen’s baton will have brought together through its route and symbolism, almost 2.5 billion people who share the special con- nection of being Common- wealth citizens. Contained within the baton will be a written mes- sage that will be opened and read at the Commonwealth Games in Australia next year. However, there is an even more powerful message to be seen and experienced as the baton passes from hand to hand, from seashore to mountaintop, through cities, towns, and villages. It is the message of a peace- building Commonwealth. The cornerstones on which peace is founded are, quite simply, respect and understanding for one an- other. Working together, we build peace by defending the dignity of every individual and community. By upholding justice and the rule of law, and by striving for societies that are fair and offer opportunities for all, we overcome division and find reconciliation, so that the benefits of progress and prosperity may be multi- plied and shared. As members of the Commonwealth family we can find much to be thankful for in the inheritances we have received from those who came before us. Through consensus and co- operation great things have been achieved. We can find further reward and fulfilment by continuing to collabo- rate with others in a spirit of goodwill to build a peaceful and abundant future for all Commonwealth citizens. Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth Brexit may lead Northern Ireland astray THERESE RAPHAEL Nearly two decades after the Good Friday Agreement cemented peace in Northern Ireland, trust between the major parties is at a low. The hard-fought stability – now taken for granted by a genera- tion born after “The Troubles“ – is being seriously tested by Britain’s looming exit from the European Union. Last week’s high-turnout vote, the second election in under a year, resulted in the usual demonstration of sec- tarianism, but with some im- portant changes. For the first time in Northern Ireland since it gained self-governing powers, the two main nation- alist parties – those that tradi- tionally supported union with the Republic of Ireland – won more seats than the two main unionist parties, those dedi- cated to seeing Northern Ire- land remain part of the U.K. Until Brexit, which threatens to disrupt trading ties and bring a return to an Irish-Irish border, the trend seemed to be going the op- posite direction, with union- ists consolidating control and a substantial number of Catholics wanting to stay in the U.K. Now, “The notion of a perpetual unionist majority has been demolished,” said Gerry Adams, leader of the rising Sinn Fein party. Adams has been calling for what’s referred to as a “border poll” – effectively a referendum on reversing Northern Ireland’s separation from the Republic of Ireland nearly a century ago. Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, a border poll can only be called if it’s clear that a majority of representatives want one. The unionists aren’t about to grant that and Adams knows it. But he figures it’s worth pressing: Northern Ire- land voted nearly 56 to 44 to remain in the European Union in the Brexit referendum. Of those who consider them- selves nationalists, 88 percent voted to stay in the EU. That presents an added layer of complexity and uncertainty to sectarian issues. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the largest party in Northern Ireland, bears much of the blame for the collapse of the power-sharing arrangement. Relations with Sinn Fein had been strained for some time over Brexit, which the DUP supported, and same-sex marriage (Sinn Fein is in favor, the DUP op- poses it), among other issues. But a scandal over an en- ergy subsidy scheme run by DUP leader Arlene Foster was the last straw. The two main par- ties need to unite behind a slate of ministers in the next three weeks. The alter- native is either yet another election, or even the imposi- tion of direct rule once again from Westminster. Northern Ireland’s economy can’t afford more uncertainty. It has prospered in recent years, but still lags the rest of the U.K., with a higher unemployment rate, lower GDP growth, lower levels of productivity and higher levels of poverty. All of this makes it es- sential that the parties con- tinue their commitment to- ward power-sharing and that the government in London ensure that Northern Ire- land’s interests are well rep- resented in the Brexit nego- tiations. Northern Ireland may not be the harmonious place envisioned in 1998. But its gains should not be taken for granted. Raphael was editorial page editor of the Wall Street Journal Europe. © 2017, Bloomberg View5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MARCH 13, 2017 ELECTIONS NOTICE Elections Law (2013 Revision) FORM 10 section 16(3) REVISION NOTICE TAKE NOTICE that the revised lists of electors for the West Bay North, West Bay West, West Bay Central and West Bay South electoral districts for the quarter commencing on the 1st day of April, 2017 will be settled by me the undersigned on the 20th day of March, 2017 at the Ed Bush Sports Centre – Conference Room, 90 Stadium Drive at 9:30 A.M. Dated this 13th day of March, 2017. Honourable Nova Hall Revising O cer Elections Law (2013 Revision) FORM 10 section 16(3) REVISION NOTICE TAKE NOTICE that the revised lists of electors for the Savannah, Newlands, Bodden Town West and Bodden Town East electoral districts for the quarter commencing on the 1st day of April, 2017 will be settled by me the undersigned on the 22nd day of March, 2017 at the James M. Bodden Sr. Civic Centre, 445C Bodden Town Road at 10:00 A.M. Dated this 13th day of March, 2017. Honourable Nova Hall Revising O cer Elections Law (2013 Revision) FORM 10 section 16(3) REVISION NOTICE TAKE NOTICE that the revised lists of electors for the East End electoral district for the quarter commencing on the 1st day of April, 2017 will be settled by me the undersigned on the 23rd day of March, 2017 at William Allen McLaughlin Civic Centre, 80 John McLean Drive at 2:00 P.M. Dated this 13th day of March, 2017. Honourable Nova Hall Revising O cer Elections Law (2013 Revision) FORM 10 section 16(3) REVISION NOTICE TAKE NOTICE that the revised lists of electors for the Cayman Brac West and Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac East electoral districts for the quarter commencing on the 1st day of April, 2017 will be settled by me the undersigned on the 21st day of March, 2017 at the District Administration Building – Conference Room, 19 Kirkconnell Drive in Cayman Brac at 10:00 A.M. Dated this 13th day of March, 2017. Honourable Nova Hall Revising O cer Elections Law (2013 Revision) FORM 10 section 16(3) REVISION NOTICE TAKE NOTICE that the revised lists of electors for the North Side electoral district for the quarter commencing on the 1st day of April, 2017 will be settled by me the undersigned on the 23rd day of March, 2017 at Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre, 923 North Side Road at 10:00 A.M. Dated this 13th day of March, 2017. Honourable Nova Hall Revising O cer Elections Law (2013 Revision) FORM 10 section 16(3) REVISION NOTICE TAKE NOTICE that the revised lists of electors for the George Town North, George Town Central, George Town West, George Town South, George Town East, Red Bay and Prospect electoral districts for the quarter commencing on the 1st day of April, 2017 will be settled by me the undersigned on the 24th day of March, 2017 at the George Town Town Hall, 43 Fort Street at 10:00 A.M. Dated this 13th day of March, 2017. Honourable Nova Hall Revising O cer Message in bottle from Cayman reaches Texas A message in a bottle thrown into the sea in the Cayman Islands by a visitor last year ended up on a shore in Galveston, Texas, where the sender was born. A story in the Galveston County Daily News on Friday reported that Tommy Garza stuffed a note with his name and contact information into a Tabasco bottle and tossed it into the sea. More than a year later, two Galveston residents, Tommy and Felicia Barcelona, found the bottle on the rocks at the 10th Street jetty. Finding the neck of the bottom too narrow to get the note out, they broke the bottle to retrieve the note, Mr. Barce- lona told the Galveston newspaper. Inside, they said, they found two rolled up sheets of paper — one was too wet to read, and another had Mr. Garza’s phone number and address on it. Mr. Barcelona sent a text message to Mr. Garza, who responded in disbelief, telling Mr. Barcelona that he had been throwing bottles with messages into the ocean for years and had never received a response, the newspaper reported, He told Mr. Barcelona that he was amazed to hear the bottle had ended up in the Gulf Coast island city of Galveston – his birthplace – 1,092 miles from Grand Cayman. Tommy Barcelona holds the note he and his wife, Felicia, recovered from a small Tabasco bottle he found wedged among the rocks in Galveston, Texas. - PHOTO: JENNIFER REYNOLDS/THE GALVESTON COUNTY DAILY NEWS VIA AP6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY MARCH 13, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Sea Shepherd anti-poaching vessel docks in Grand Cayman KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Sea Shepherd Conser- vation Society vessel docked in George Town last week, en route to an anti-sharking mission in Colombian waters. High waves forced the M/V John Paul De- Joria, a 110-foot fast pa- trol boat, to take shelter in Grand Cayman. The crew had planned to sail straight through from Cuba to Panama and then to Colom- bia’s Malpelo Island, crew members said. Aboard a meet-and-greet Thursday on Cayman’s Jolly Roger, crew members Davey Jones and Jasmin O’Brien said they gave up jobs in Western Australia to join the mission. They are accompa- nying 16 other crew members on the trip, hoping to support the Colombian coast guard in targeting shark fin poachers. Mr. Jones said this trip will serve as a fact-finding mission, to be documented by staff and followed by a di- rect-action campaign. The society is a nonprofit that organizes global wild- life conservation and anti- poaching campaigns. Most of the crew work as volunteers. Sea Shepherds was previously associated with Animal Planet’s Whale Wars program, which followed the organization’s founder, Paul Watson, on missions against Japanese whalers. The M/V John Paul De- Joria stayed through the weekend in Grand Cayman, where Ms. O’Brien said the crew had been im- pressed with local kindness and interactions with like- minded people. Jolly Roger sales man- ager Richard Kauffman said the crew were happy to share their story while in Cayman. “They were extremely po- lite and courteous. They’re from all over the world so each of them has an inter- esting story. It was a plea- sure to have them on board with all their positive energy,” Mr. Kauffman said. Ms. O’Brien said the crew participated in sev- eral meet-and-greet events in Grand Cayman, including a presentation for students on Friday, and tours of the vessel on Saturday. CDP sets party conference Partial candidate list announcement expected BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Demo- cratic Party has set its an- nual general meeting for Saturday, March 25, at the University College of the Cayman Islands campus. The meeting will mark the formal start of the 2017 election campaign under the party’s theme “Tomorrow must be better than today.” Private meetings will take place earlier in the day to address internal party matters, such as re- vamping the CDP youth group and grassroots get- out-the-vote efforts. Later in the day, party leader and West Bay MLA McKeeva Bush is ex- pected to introduce a par- tial list of candidates. At the party confer- ence, Mr. Bush will also address the audience on the CDP’s plan for Cay- man’s economy, as well as plans for healthcare, ed- ucation and elderly and indigent care. The public meeting is set to begin at 6 p.m. Flag-raising to mark Commonwealth Day Queen’s Baton Relay to reach Cayman in July TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Local leaders and youth groups on Monday will mark Commonwealth Day’s 40th an- niversary at a flag-raising cer- emony from 9:45 to 10 a.m. at the Government Administra- tion Building, part of an an- nual commemoration among 52 countries. The George Town public ceremony is part of a world- wide “Fly the Flag for the Com- monwealth” initiative, under this year’s theme of “A Peace- Building Commonwealth.” The ceremony will be at- tended by Governor Helen Kilpatrick, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, ministers, MLAs, government officials, the Honorary Representative of the Royal Commonwealth Society in the Cayman Islands Lemuel Hurlston, members of the Cadet Corps, Girl Guides and Boy Scouts. Queen’s Baton Relay Marking the day’s celebra- tion at Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II will launch a yearlong global baton relay, carrying the “Queen’s baton” across each continent and British territory, culmi- nating at the 2018 Common- wealth Games in Brisbane, Australia, south of Brisbane, where more than 6,600 ath- letes and officials from 70 na- tions and territories are sched- uled to participate in the event from April 4-15. In her Commonwealth Day message, the Queen said the ef- fort represents the “Common- wealth family in every conti- nent and ocean.” The Queen’s baton, she said, “will set out from Buckingham Palace and begin a long and extraordinary journey” during the next year. “Carried on its way by thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds, by the time it reaches its final destination, the Queen’s baton will have brought together through its route and symbolism, almost 2.5 billion people who share the special connection of being Commonwealth citizens.” Martin Reynolds, spokes- man for the Commonwealth Games Federation, said the baton would be in Cayman from July 14-18 after an initial 19-nation transit of Africa from March 14 to May 26 and a 14-territory Caribbean tour be- ginning in Trinidad and Tobago on May 27 in Trinidad and cul- minating in George Town. “Contained within the baton will be a written mes- sage that will be opened and read at the Commonwealth Games in Australia next year,” the Queen said in her mes- sage. “However, there is an even more powerful message to be seen and experienced as the baton passes from hand to hand, from seashore to mountaintop, through cities, towns and villages. It is the message of a peace-building Commonwealth. “The cornerstones on which peace is founded are, quite simply, respect and un- derstanding for one another. Working together, we build peace by defending the dig- nity of every individual and community. By upholding jus- tice and the rule of law, and by striving for societies that are fair and offer opportuni- ties for all, we overcome divi- sion and find reconciliation, so that the benefits of progress and prosperity may be multi- plied and shared.” Youth Parliament Following Monday’s ad- ministration building cere- mony, 25 local high school and tertiary students will gather in the Legislative Assembly at 10:30 for the 10th annual Youth Parliament and a sched- uled two-topic debate, open to the public. “It’s going to be a busy day,” Cayman’s Commonwealth rep- resentative Mr. Hurlston said. Representing a population of 2.2 billion, the Common- wealth largely comprises cur- rent and former British colo- nies or their dependencies. Formed in 1931 with orig- inal members the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ire- land, and Newfoundland, the Commonwealth today boasts three members in Europe, 12 in North America, one in South America, 18 in Africa, seven in Asia, and 11 in the Pacific Region. The “London Declara- tion,” marking the birth of the modern Commonwealth under its present name, was signed in 1949. The newest member of the group is Rwanda, which joined in November 2009; the most recent departure is the Maldives, which left the group in October last year. See page 4 for full text of Queen’s Commonwealth Day message. Sea Shepherd crew Davey Jones and Jasmin O’Brien attend a meet-and- greet aboard Cayman’s Jolly Roger. The M/V John Paul DeJoria welcomes visitors aboard for tours on Saturday in George Town. Queen Elizabeth II delivered a message of unity to mark Commonwealth Day. - PHOTO: AP Elderly snorkeler dies in George Town A 71-year-old female cruise ship passenger died Thursday after getting into difficulties while snorkeling at Eden Rock in George Town, police reported. Police named the woman as Gail Ann Moss from Scottsdale, Arizona. According to police, emergency services and po- lice officers responded to a report of a person in distress shortly before 11.30 a.m. Police said EMS per- sonnel performed CPR on Ms. Moss and trans- ported her to the Cayman Islands Hospital where she was pronounced dead just after noon. The death is the third water-related fatality in Cayman so far this year. District Days George Town DISTRICT DAYS 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MARCH 13, 2017 Pines’ first manager moves into the retirement home JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com After 10 years of living in her own villa on the Pines re- tirement home property in central George Town, Olive Miller, the home’s first man- ager, has moved to the main residential quarters. Her move on March 1 came after her doctor sug- gested it was not good for her to live alone. Ms. Miller said she suffers from macular de- generation of the eyes and problems with her balance. She built the villa in the 1990s and leased it out for 15 years before moving in. Ms. Miller said the villa will be remodeled and rented by April 1. The rent will go toward her living ex- penses at the home. “They tell me it’s going to look beautiful but I don’t know what that means be- cause it was quite beautiful to me,” she said with a laugh. According to a Pines spokesperson, the villas are owned by residents for a maximum of 25 years or until they pass away. Not at all disappointed about the move and seeming quite comfortable in her new home, Ms. Miller said, “It’s all good over here; the only dif- ference is I have to conform to having my medication and meals at certain times, but I’m still allowed to go and come as I please.” Throughout her life, Ms. Miller, now 95, has garnered much attention in the com- munity for her good works. Known as the “Mother Teresa of Cayman” by many members of the community, the soft- spoken woman of God has made her presence known. After traveling from Eng- land to Jamaica as a youth missionary for the Presbyte- rian Church, she arrived in the Cayman Islands. In 1946, she formed the Girls’ Guildry in Cayman, now known as the Girls’ Brigade. Her accomplishments did not stop there. She assisted Reverend Gray in starting the first Cayman high school. She also received numerous honors from Britain, and was a founding member of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and the Pink Ladies. These days, on Tuesdays, she makes home visits with her church; on Wednesdays and Sundays she sits with her friend Elizabeth Hurlston, who is 102, to play cards; on Thursdays she has a coffee morning with friends; and once a month she attends the NCVO. “I still have a very ac- tive lifestyle, which is very good,” she said. Ms. Miller says she com- bats getting older by keeping an active mind and getting in- volved in as many things as she still can. “I am lonely sometimes but not very often. I have things to think about,” she said. “I also have a daughter and a granddaughter that look after me very well.” She said at the end of this month, a “wall of his- tory” which she has been working on will be un- veiled at the Pines. She said she thinks the worst thing about growing old is when one’s memory goes. “You don’t know who you are talking to, or who you married. I heard the story of the old man who introduced his wife to the lady he was going to marry. When your mind goes, that’s bad, [but] as long as you got your facul- ties, that’s all right,” she said with a laugh. With her mind and memory active, Ms. Miller said she does not have time to be too lonely or isolated. She has a video magnifier reading machine, a televi- sion and a radio. “It’s good to be around people, that is, providing you can still talk, think and be able to communicate,” she said. Ms. Miller’s biggest frustration is not being able to drive, but she admits it has an up side. “When you see how people drive on the road today, I am better off not driving,” she said, citing the example of people who don’t know how to use round- abouts – “some don’t seem to know where they are going and all of a sudden, you just hear boom. They don’t put out indicators or any- thing like that.” Ms. Miller’s faith is ev- erything to her, and she says she would not be here if it was not for God. “You can enjoy old age up to a point. There will be lim- itations but that don’t stop you doing almost everything you want to do,” she said. Olive Miller plays a game of Solitaire in her new room at the Pines. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY New cadets from Triple C School make their mark Triple C student Drevon Manderson has been rec- ognized as the top new re- cruit in the Cayman Is- lands Cadet Corps. Drevon, a grade 9 student, was among a new group of Triple C School cadets in- ducted in January, joining the corps with recruits from around the island. Drevon was the recent recipient of the Most Out- standing Recruit award, the Overall Best Recruit in Drill award and Triple C De- tachment Best Recruit in Drill award. “We are proud and ex- cited to see our cadet de- tachment growing and its members becoming self- disciplined young adults. Congratulations to our newly graduated recruits,” said the school’s Secondary Vice Prin- cipal Robert Lankford. “Special congratulations go to Drevon Manderson for achieving the comman- dant’s award for ‘Most Out- standing Recruit’ in the Cayman Islands.” The Triple C Cadets with vice principal Robert Lankford. Triple C School Cadet Drevon Manderson8 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY MARCH 13, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS +1.954.659.5080 l We’re Second in the United States. Here for You. Out of nearly 5,000 hospitals, Cleveland Clinic ranks second in the United States according to U.S. News & World Report’s “2016-2017 Best Hospitals.” U.S. News also named us the top hospital in heart care for the 22nd consecutive year, and ranked nine of our specialties in the top three nationwide. And we have four specialties ranked at No. 2. Come and experience the quality, innovation, teamwork, service, integrity and compassion that make Cleveland Clinic one of the best. You are never too far for world-class care. 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Lauderdale Metro Area Taser cops returning to duty BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two suspended Royal Cayman Islands Police offi- cers who were found guilty of common assault committed during the course of their du- ties will be allowed to return to work, after a Summary Court magistrate ordered last week that no conviction be recorded against either man. “I’m going to lift the sus- pension order based on the outcome of the court,” Police Commissioner Derek Byrne said Friday. “They’ll be of- fered the opportunity to come back to work.” Magistrate Philippa Mc- Farlane found Austin Etienne and Cardiff Robinson guilty of common assault in No- vember 2016 after trial evi- dence revealed video footage from the Taser stun guns used by both officers on a suspect they were pursuing in May 2014. In the weeks after the verdict, police sus- pended both officers, raising some questions as to why the men had not lost their jobs immediately. On Friday, Com- missioner Byrne said that the RCIPS was careful in making that decision. “If I had fired them [at that time], what would I have done? I’d have had to rein- state them,” he said. “When something like that happens, you have to follow the best course of action. Suspension, for me, at that time, as dif- ficult as it might have been, was the best course of action for community confidence. “The courts have de- cided, not me, and I can’t second guess the ruling of the judge. Therefore, it would be wrong to do anything else other than accept the deci- sion of the court and allow the … removal of the suspen- sion order for these two po- lice officers.” Magistrate McFarlane conditionally discharged both men for 12 months under the condition that they not commit any further offense during that time. In earlier court appearances, both of- ficers had pleaded not guilty and indicated they used the Tasers because they feared for their own safety and the safety of other officers. In finding the officers guilty on Nov. 29, 2016 of common assault, the magis- trate noted that the officers were responding to a do- mestic assault, not a “Class A” criminal offense such as a robbery. The magistrate stated that she did not believe ei- ther officer was in fear for their life at the time they used the Tasers. However, during last week’s court appearance, she also noted that police officers have a difficult task when de- ciding how to deploy force and that the court had to weigh their entire police ser- vice against an “isolated inci- dent of poor judgment.” Police Bill The case of officers Eti- enne and Robinson were dis- cussed last month in con- nection with legislative amendments sought to the local Police Law, requiring the police commissioner to fire officers who have been convicted of a crime. The amendment bill states the officers may be rehired if they are cleared on ap- peal of their conviction. Mr. Byrne said he agreed with the idea behind the bill, but believes the commissioner needs a bit more flexibility in the proposal. As it now stands, the amended law, if it is passed by the Legislative Assembly this month, would force the commissioner into firing offi- cers when their specific situ- ation might not warrant that. “I’m going to have to con- sider every case on its own merits,” Mr. Byrne said. “[The bill is] too prescrip- tive and, in fairness to the at- torney general’s office, they appreciate that,” the com- missioner added. “It’s not that every time you’re con- victed of a road traffic of- fense or not wearing your seat belt, that you’re going to be sacked. That’s not what it’s meant to be.” Cayman to hold tsunami response exercise this month The Cayman Islands will join a Caribbean-wide tsu- nami exercise, called Caribe Wave, on Tuesday, March 21, when every cellphone owner in Cayman will receive an “emergency” text message. McCleary Frederick, di- rector of Hazard Manage- ment Cayman Islands, said the exercise is meant to eval- uate local tsunami response plans, increase preparedness and improve coordination throughout the region. “The exercise will simu- late a widespread Tsunami Warning and Watch situa- tion throughout the Carib- bean, which requires imple- mentation of local tsunami response plans,” he said in a press release. The exercise will simu- late a major 8.2 magnitude earthquake off the south- east coast of Cuba, which then generates a 9-foot-high tsunami wave that impacts the Sister Islands in 29 min- utes and Grand Cayman in 45 minutes. All customers of Flow and Digicel will receive a text message at 9:10 a.m. on March 21. It will read: “MES- SAGE ALERT: This is a test of the Emergency Notifi- cation System for the 2017 Tsunami Exercise. THIS IS ONLY A TEST.” The Disaster Prepared- ness and Hazard Manage- ment Law 2016 requires the establishment of an Emer- gency Notification System to distribute “critical and some- times lifesaving information to residents and visitors in a timely manner.” Mr. Frederick said, “The ability to issue early warn- ings or other emergency mes- sages not only through mo- bile devices but with local radio and television sta- tions would be a positive de- velopment in the way the public is notified. “We hope to get a sense of how effectively we can do that in the upcoming tsu- nami exercise.” The public notification via text message “will test the ability to provide emer- gency messages to residents and visitors and help identify operational strengths and weaknesses in the Cayman Islands,” he added. Mr. Frederick said estab- lishing a fully functioning and effective Emergency Notification System will take time, “but we are com- mitted to seeing the process through.” Once the exercise is complete, a final text will follow with a survey link. The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MARCH 13, 2017 Cayman’s high court dismisses 12 appeals Decisions given in all cases except Simon Courtney’s CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal con- cluded its spring session on Friday, dealing in two weeks with a list that in- cluded one civil matter and 17 criminal appeals. Two individuals aban- doned their appeals, one had a case management hearing and one had his ap- peal against sentence al- lowed. Twelve other appeals were dismissed. The only matter not com- pleted was that of Simon Courtney. Attorney Laurence Aiolfi argued against Court- ney’s conviction for reck- less driving and causing grievous bodily harm to two elderly tourists when his car mounted the sidewalk along West Bay Road and hit them on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015. The three-member court reserved judgment but re- quested submissions re- garding Courtney’s sentence of three years’ imprison- ment, which Mr. Aiolfi argued was manifestly excessive. No date was set for a decision to be handed down. Raziel Jeffers, 33, had a case management hearing for his appeal against con- viction for manslaughter, which is listed for Aug. 29 and 30. Court President Sir John Goldring noted that one of the issues is the scope of the appeal – whether Jeffers’s two murder appeals that have already been dismissed can be considered in this ap- peal. Jeffers was sentenced in 2014 to 20 years’ impris- onment after a jury found him not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter for his role in the fatal shooting of Marcos Duran in 2010. Three of the four men convicted of robbing Black- beard’s Liquor Store in De- cember 2014 were refused leave to appeal after attor- neys presented their grounds. Andrew Lopez, 23, and Randy Connor, 26, were sentenced after trial in 2015 to 12 years each after a Grand Court jury returned unanimous verdicts against them. Devon Wright Jr., 26, was sentenced to nine years; he had pleaded guilty at an early stage. Bron Webb, who also was sentenced to 12 years, abandoned his appeal. The robbery occurred on the night of Dec. 17, 2014, and involved the theft by force of CI$4,604.42 and US$582; robbing a customer in the store; and possession of an unlicensed firearm, a gold- colored shotgun with three live rounds of ammunition. Lead counsel Courtenay Griffiths, who represented Lopez, was asked by the court if 12 years was manifestly ex- cessive. “Surely, the justice of the case could be met with 10 years,” he replied. Attorney Crister Brady submitted on behalf of Wright that because of pre- vious convictions for bur- glary, the Grand Court judge had raised his sentencing starting point to 14 years before applying a discount, and the resulting nine years was too high. At some point, Justice Goldring asked if the Court of Appeal had the power to in- crease sentences. Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryll Richards said yes. Asked if it had happened, she said no. Justice John Martin was expected to provide written reasons for the court’s decisions. Leighton Griffin Ran- kine Jr. lost his appeal against conviction on two counts of wounding with in- tent to cause grievous bodily and possession of an un- licensed firearm. The inci- dent occurred in 2012; Ran- kine maintained he had no memory of it. He elected trial by judge alone, was found guilty and sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment. The Court of Appeal said Justice Marva McDonald had given herself “impeccable direc- tions” and they were unable to say her verdicts were un- safe or unsatisfactory. Donald Calvin Hooker, 42, had his appeal against sen- tence dismissed. He agreed that a Summary Court sen- tence of seven years for mul- tiple offenses had already been reduced to five-and-a- half years in Grand Court, but argued that his case had been dragged out until new sentencing guidelines were in place. The court said that made no difference as long as the maximum sentence had not changed. Hooker told the court of his involvement in prison programs, including those run by the National Drug Council and the Sycamore Tree, which provides a way of making amends to victims. “I’ve run out of resources,” he said. “I’m just warehoused at prison. I would like to get into an outpatient program so I can continue my journey [as a recovering drug addict].” The court said this was not a ground for appeal, but it might stand him in good stead when it came time for his release date to be considered. Limborn Myles, sen- tenced to nine-and-a-half years for importation of 1,327 grams of cocaine, had a similar argument. He re- ferred to the community work he did under prison supervision – most recently for the Agricultural Show – and said he realized that this was a matter for the pa- role board. However, Cayma- nian prisoners had benefits such as home visits which he, as a foreigner did not have, so he was asking the court for help. The court said Myles had spoken eloquently, but what was relevant in deciding whether a sentence was man- ifestly excessive or wrong in principle was the circum- stances of the offending it- self. Myles had brought in a substantial quantity of a dangerous drug. The starting point of 15 years was correct and there was no scope for any argument that either the Summary Court or the Grand Court had erred in the dis- counts allowed. In the case of Mark Sey- mour, who was appealing against conviction for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, the court said the trial judge did not err in his directions to the jury. The main issues were the “bad character” of the complainant/victim and the accuracy of his identi- fication of Seymour as the man who had stabbed him. The sentence of eight years was not excessive given that the attack was unprovoked and in light of Seymour’s pre- vious convictions. Otis Myles appealed against a sentence of seven years, nine months for three burglaries, telling the court that it was “kinda too much.” The court disagreed, noting his eight previous convic- tions for burglary. The court said the sentences were well within the guidelines and ap- propriate to the cases. The Cayman Compass has already reported on the appeals by Meleton Maick, Cory Bowen, Leonard Antonio Ebanks, Jordan Manderson and Austin Jackson. Justice Goldring asked if the Court of Appeal had the power to increase sentences. pages. Successive govern- ments have tried at least five times in the past 15 years to redraft the Legal Practi- tioners Bill. “My objective is to suc- ceed where two previous administrations have failed by giving the Cayman Is- lands a modern Legal Prac- titioners Law,” Premier McLaughlin said. “This must be a law that regu- lates the legal profession, supports and promotes the wide range of legal services provided by Cayman practi- tioners and encourages em- ployment, training and op- portunities for advancement of Caymanian attorneys.” Mr. McLaughlin said it appears all House mem- bers, including Mr. Bush’s party and independent op- position members, have the same objective. “I have again invited all members to sit down in private on Monday to en- deavor to reach consensus on the key provisions of the bill before resuming formal debate on the floor of the House on Tuesday,” the pre- mier continued. “All mem- bers have agreed.” The battle over the leg- islation reached fever pitch last week as Cayman’s major legal associations pushed for passage. According to a state- ment from the Cayman Is- lands Law Society: “The bill brings the framework gov- erning Cayman’s legal pro- fession into the modern era and must be passed in order for the Cayman Islands to comply with current inter- national best practice. “The bill also lays a solid foundation of opportunity for current and future gen- erations of Caymanians.” In contrast, some Cay- manian attorneys wrote angry letters to lawmakers urging them not to support the current plan, claiming it would serve to do just the opposite. One letter, written by re- signing Maples attorney Anna Goubault, was read in the assembly last week by George Town MLA Win- ston Connolly: “The Cayman Islands Law Society and Cayman Finance have sought to cast the indepen- dent MLAs as causing un- reasonable and harmful disruption. The alternative perspective is that firms such as Maples are ig- noring their existing legal obligations and have put forward draft legislation that is so unbalanced that people with a proper un- derstanding of these mat- ters feel it necessary to raise issue.” Ms. Goubault’s letter re- counted her experiences in being passed over for pro- motion from firm associate to salary partner for two consecutive years for var- ious reasons. One of those reasons, she said, is that she had threatened to resign from the firm if she was not made a salaried partner. Meanwhile, her letter stated, non-Caymanian as- sociate lawyers who had less experience at the firm were promoted over her. Local law firm partner Sharon Roulstone also wrote letter to assembly members recounting her earlier experiences working at an unnamed firm as an associate. “I witnessed many Cayma- nians being held down professionally …. [I can] say with complete confi- dence that this was due to the fact that our only real failings were that we were Caymanians. Some part- ners even went so far as to expressly say so and I was, in fact, verbally assaulted by a senior equity partner as being a “f***ing igno- rant Caymanian.’” Opposition Leader Bush pushed for compromise on the legislation during his parliamentary debate, ac- knowledging that he was very aware that Cayma- nian lawyers had been discriminated against in the local legal profession. “These abuses and discrim- ination have been docu- mented,” he said. However, he said the ter- ritory should also guard against ultra-nationalist paths that had damaged another Caribbean jurisdic- tion during the 1960s. “That country is still reeling from the flight of capital and businesses back then,” Mr. Bush said. “We need not believe that it can’t happen here. “Cayman is not the only girl at the ball,” he said. [The belief that] if I can’t have it, then nobody else can have it, that’s not so.” he did not name. That indi- vidual, he said, was inter- viewed by police. During the police in- terview, Mr. Suckoo said, the lawyer indicated they had received the informa- tion from another source, but declined to identify that source to police. The issue arose during Mr. Suckoo’s debate of the controversial Legal Practi- tioners Bill, which is still being considered by as- sembly members. “We know what is at stake here,” Mr. Suckoo said. “We know that this path we have chosen has created us a large number of enemies and there are individuals who will stop at nothing to stop us.” Just before Mr. Suckoo began his debate, Mr. McLean asked Speaker of the House Juliana O’Connor-Connolly to identify a man who was “walking around” in the up- stairs public gallery of the Legislative Assembly. Mr. McLean complained that the man – who was not known to frequent attendees at as- sembly meetings – was pacing about during mem- bers’ debates when he should have remained seated. Ms. O’Connor-Connolly said she would have as- sembly Serjeant-at-Arms Kim Evans look into the matter and nothing further was said about it. Mr. Suckoo then stood up to begin, remarking, “Maybe this is a good place to start this debate.” Opposition Leader McK- eeva Bush replied: “Where, that you’re afraid of duppies [Caribbean term for ghosts]?” The RCIPS released a brief statement last week in- dicating it had responded to safety complaints made by the MLAs over the issue. “We have jointly investi- gated these complaints with immigration, and have not been able to substantiate that any such surveillance has taken place,” RCIPS said in response to queries from the Cayman Compass. “The complainants have been fully cooperative with our investigation and have been informed of these findings. Should any fur- ther concerns be brought to our attention on this matter, they will be duly investigated.” Mr. Suckoo said the in- dependent members still suspect some wrongdoing in connection with the text message report. Lawmaker reveals origins of MLA ‘following’ claim CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Lawyers bill review to continue in private CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 As of Friday, the Progressives-led government and opposition assembly members had proposed more than 150 amendments to the legislation, which is already more than 120 pages. Next >