ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017 RoadUser Save up to $400 with home and car insurance Buy BritCay’s buildings insurance and receive a $250 gift certificate. If you have home insurance, you also receive a 10% discount on car cover. With the lowest deductibles at $200, you also save when you claim. Ask for a quote! BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky FREE $10 Million ASSET PROTECTION! with motor cover* *private car insurance cgigrp Four dead, 20 injured in terror attack near British Parliament LONDON (AP) – A knife-wielding man went on a deadly rampage at the heart of Britain’s seat of power Wednesday, mowing down pedestrians on London’s Westminster Bridge before stabbing an armed police officer to death inside the gates of Parliament. Four people were killed, including the attacker, and about 20 others were injured. Lawmakers, lords, staff and visitors were locked down as the man was shot by police within the perimeter of Parliament and just yards from entrances to the building itself. He died, as did two pedestrians on the bridge, and the police officer. A doctor who treated the wounded said some had “catastrophic” injuries. In the House of Commons, Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle announced that the sitting was being suspended and told lawmakers not to leave. Police said they were treating the attacks as a terrorist incident and had launched a full counter- terrorism investigation. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. “We are satisfied at this stage that it looks like there was only one attacker,” said Metropolitan Police counterterrorism chief Mark Rowley. “But it would be foolish to be overconfident early on.” The threat level for international terrorism in the U.K. was already listed at severe, meaning an attack is “highly likely.” Eric Bush, head of the Cayman Islands gov- ernment’s London office, said via email that “All in the office are safe and accounted for. I was at Westminster earlier in the day but was in the of- fice when the attack took place. “We’ve sent a message out to our students and diaspora via our CCUK group to ask all those to check in as safe.” He confirmed there were no reports of any Caymanians affected in the attack. During the Cayman Islands Legislative As- sembly meeting Wednesday morning, Premier Alden McLaughlin asked for a moment of silence as early reports of the attacks filtered in. “We express, on behalf of all members of this House, the concern and horror at what appears to be a terror attack on Westminster Bridge and the precincts of the House of Parliament at Westmin- ster Palace in London,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “I would ask that all members of the House ICCI president stepping down after three years JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The president of the International College of the Cayman Islands has resigned, saying he plans to seek a new challenge after three years in the job. David Marshall, who has been outspoken about the need for higher standards and greater accountability at ICCI and in educa- tion in the Cayman Islands generally, con- firmed he will leave the post on Aug. 1. He said after three years of reform at the college, he is happy with what he has achieved and ready for a change. “If you look at where the college was in 2014, ICCI was in grave danger of losing its accreditation, and that was one of the reasons I was brought in. The cleanup over the past three years has been a real challenge that has involved some heavy lifting and has involved working almost 24 hours a day, three years in a row,” he said. He added that it had been a satisfying but energysapping challenge and he believes he has left the college in a good position for his successor to take it to the next level. “It feels like pushing a rock up a hill and you reach the top, but there are still three or four more peaks to go. It is time for someone else to take over and go for the next peak,” he said. Students are doing better than ever in in- ternationally benchmarked exams, Mr. Mar- shall said, and graduates of ICCI are viewed Conservative Member of Parliament Tobias Ellwood, center, whose brother was killed in the Bali terror attack in 2002, performs CPR on the police officer who was stabbed outside the House of Parliament and later died. - PHOTOS: STEFAN ROUSSEAU/PA VIA AP PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » Police assemble outside the Palace of Westminster Wednesday afternoon. - PHOTO: VICTORIA JONES/PA WIRE VIA AP The suspected attacker, who was later declared dead, is treated by emergency services after being shot by police. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY MARCH 23, 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. Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 640-FILM (640-3456) - THURSDAY - BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D (PG) 1:00 2D I 4:00 2D I 6:25 I 7:00 2D I 9:15 9:50 2D KONG: SKULL ISLAND 3D (PG13) 12:50 2D I 4:15 I 7:10 2D I 9:55 LOGAN (R) 12:30 | 3:35 | 6:40 | 9:45 FIST FIGHT (R) 12:45 I 3:50 I 7:05 I 9:50 Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Life Extension Gym and Sauna 949-3753 “The difference is your attitude ” Caribbean poets honored on World Poetry Day in Cayman KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com New and seasoned poets gathered in Camana Bay Tuesday evening for a night of recital and cul- tural celebration in honor of World Poetry Day. The evening’s event, put on by volunteers from the Cayman Literary Devel- opment Programme, paid homage to poets from across the Caribbean. Invited guest Mervyn Morris, Jamaica’s poet lau- reate, began the night with an elegy to St. Lucian writer Derek Walcott, who died on March 17, and a reading of his work “Love After Love.” Local artist Annikki Brown hoped the evening would spark greater in- terest in poetry as a medium and the tradition of oral re- citals. She described poetry as an art form that reaffirms common humanity and emo- tion across cultures. Students from St. Ignatius Catholic School and Clifton Hunter High School read their own works. Inspired by the readings, young poet Lauren Williams joined the program with an impromptu reading of her spoken-language work. Chief deputy officer Nancy Barnard of the Ministry of Health and Culture shared a rumor that Premier Alden McLaughlin is also a poet. “What I am trying to do is eke that out of him to see some of his poetry and read some of his poetry,” she said. She praised volunteers and organizer Michel Powery Yin for their work to indepen- dently promote culture and arts in the Cayman Islands. She hoped the evening would serve as an impetus to pass a national culture and heritage plan, tabled last week in the Legislative Assembly. “That should be able to give us the gravitas and strength … to push for greater budgets so that people like Michel Powery Yin and others don’t have to do this all on volunteer time,” she said. Local poets Nasaria Suckoo-Chollette and Philip Paschalides read a sampling of their works. Both poets participated in a weekend poetry workshop with the evening’s special guest, Mr. Morris. Earlier in the day, Mr. Morris encouraged greater frequency and consistency in writer workshops to pro- mote interest and foster relationships. The Jamaican poet held several workshops while in the Cayman Islands, in- cluding a free workshop for teen writers. He hoped exposure to contempo- rary and Caribbean poets would awaken interest in young writers. Mr. Morris recently re- leased a compilation of his works, called “Peelin Or- ange.” He read from the book Tuesday evening, providing a sample of the diverse voices heard in his spoken form. “I tinker all the time, even after a work’s in print,” he said, explaining the compila- tion allowed him to look back and update old pieces. “Revision is not a tempta- tion but an opportunity and a challenge to make things dif- ferent. Texts can change.” He named several young Jamaican poets of note, in- cluding Ishion Hutchinson, Tanya Shirley, and Ann- Margaret Lim. Local poet and artist Nasaria Suckoo-Chollette reads a sampling of her work on World Poetry Day. Young poet Lauren Williams felt inspired by the evening’s recital and popped in for an impromptu reading. Puerto Rico in scarce supply of hair dye amid baseball fever SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Pharmacies and beauty stores across Puerto Rico are running out of hair dye with even a top economist joining men going blond in support of the island’s base- ball players who bleached their hair ahead of the World Baseball Classic. What began as a joke among team members playing in California has spread across the island in a trend that spiked Tuesday just hours after Puerto Rico beat the Netherlands in 11 in- nings to reach the champion- ship game undefeated in the tournament, which is held every four years. Puerto Rico will play Wednesday night in the final against the United States, which defeated Japan. “Ever since they began winning, this has not stopped,” said Myrna Rios, a manager at a Sally Beauty Supply store in the capital of San Juan. “We have run out of the product in most of our stores.” Copper blond, platinum blond, golden blond – all shades of blond (even burnt orange) are turning heads in a U.S. territory where the majority of men have thick, dark hair. Bald men dyed their beards or goatees in a nod to Puerto Rico coach Carlos Delgado. “We have been able to unite our country with our blond hair,” said star Carlos Correa, who hit a two- run homer and scored the winning run against the Netherlands. “That’s what we want as players to unite our country, our people, and give them the best.” Men ranging from news anchors to university stu- dents to professionals have embraced a trend that has sparked the rallying cry of “Team Rubio!” or “Team Blond” in Spanish. Among them is civil en- gineer Christian Rodriguez, who dyed his beard Sat- urday after visiting four different pharmacies to find the product he needed. At first, he did not dye his hair as well because he thought it would be too much at church on Sunday. But he noticed six male churchgoers had dyed their hair blond and decided to take the plunge, calling a hair stylist friend to help him go platinum. Rodriguez com- plained of an intense burning sensation during the two-hour process and sent pictures to his wife, who responded with the emoticon of a monkey with its eyes covered. “Anything for my island!” he said as he lifted his arm to cheer the team. Rodriguez then sent a pic- ture of his dyed hair to his mechanic, who responded with a selfie taken underneath a car of him smiling with a bleached beard. Puerto Rico’s undefeated run to the championship has boosted the spirit of an island mired in a decade-long re- cession that faces a rocky re- covery amid looming austerity measures for its government. Civil engineer Christian Rodriguez takes a selfie to send to his wife as he gets his hair and beard dyed blond in support of Puerto Rico’s baseball team, in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Tuesday. - PHOTO: AP/DANICA COTO Mervyn Morris, poet laureate of Jamaica, was the evening’s special guest at a World Poetry Day recital in Camana Bay. - PHOTOS: KAYLA YOUNG3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017 Cayman college footballers shot in US JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two young Caymanian footballers were shot and in- jured while on spring break vacation from their col- lege in the U.S. Joshewa Frederick and Kevin Foster were sitting outside a friend’s home in Los Angeles when a gunman opened fire on Monday. Frederick was hit in the foot and Foster’s hand was injured. A third Cayma- nian soccer player, Jamal Seymour, was with them but was not injured in the shooting. Ernie “Gillie” Seymour, Jamal’s father and a local soccer coach, said the boys’ injuries were not serious. “The reason he shot at them, nobody knows. They weren’t in any confrontation, they were just sitting in the yard talking. None of them knew this guy,” he said. He said he was thankful the incident was not more serious. “It was a little scary, but this is the way of the world now,” he said. “I can’t say it is just in America because it happens in Cayman too. “It is just unfortu- nate that they were in that place at that time. We are all so thankful because it really could have been so much worse.” The three students play soccer for Northwest Kansas Technical College. Mr. Sey- mour said he had spoken to his son on Tuesday and that the boys were safe and heading back to col- lege Wednesday. He said the injuries would not affect the foot- ball careers of the boys. Mr. Frederick recently accepted a scholarship to play Division One soccer for Longwood University in Virginia. Mr. Seymour said, “He will be able to play again in a month’s time.” Cayman Islands footballer and student Joshewa Frederick, in red, was among two Caymanians shot in Los Angeles on Monday. Kevin Foster, seen here playing a match in Cayman in 2014, was shot in the hand Monday in Los Angeles. BOAT STOLEN FROM CANAL POINT DRIVE A 14-foot boat has been stolen from a dock be- hind a home in Canal Point Drive in George Town, po- lice reported. The Twin Vee boat was discovered missing around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. The boat has a blue Bi- mini canvas top and a 60hp Suzuki engine, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call the Joint Marine Unit at 649-7710. HANDCUFFED MAN ESCAPES FROM POLICE CAR Police on Tuesday were searching for a handcuffed man who escaped from a po- lice car in West Bay. Travis Alexander Ebanks, 22, had been detained on suspicion of burglary, po- lice said. He escaped from the car in the vicinity of the West Bay Police Station. Of- ficers pursued him on foot, and he was last seen on Eliz- abeth Street, according to a police statement. Police issued a photo- graph and description of Ebanks, who is 5 feet, 8 inches tall, and weighs about 167 pounds. He was wearing an orange polo shirt and black denim three-quarter length pants. Ebanks has been charged with burglary and theft of a motor vehicle, police said. “Mr. Ebanks is not be- lieved to be dangerous and does not have a history of vi- olent crime. However, mem- bers of the public should ex- ercise caution and call 911 immediately if he is seen,” the police statement read. The RCIPS also cautioned the public that assisting a fugi- tive is a criminal offense. In the same statement, police said they are also “in- terested in speaking with” Alvin Shaquille Ebanks, 19, of George Town. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of these individuals is asked to contact 911 or George Town Police Station at 949-4222. Anonymous tips can be pro- vided via the RCIPS’s confi- dential tip line at 949-7777 or via Crime Stoppers at 800-8477(TIPS). Travis Alexander EbanksThe 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. Step One: Find iguanas. Step Two: Kill iguanas. Step Three: Inscribe ID number on iguana corpses using permanent marker. Step Four: Take photo of iguana corpses and send to the Cayman Islands Department of Environment. Step Five: WIN CASH PRIZES! The Department of Environment’s “dead iguana raffle” has to be one of the most bizarre, and ill- advised, schemes ever to emanate from the minds of civil servants – anywhere. It would be bad if it fails to draw much interest from the community. It would be far, far worse, however, if it succeeds. Yes, we might have fewer green iguanas munching on the island’s foliage, but that would be accompa- nied by an exponential increase in amateur cullers (i.e. amateur killers) intent on scoring a big cash payday from the government. It is remarkable the department, which typically insists on the humane treatment of animals, would make a proposal that would almost certainly result in thousands of animals being killed in decidedly inhumane, brutal, unthinking or clumsy ways. The stipulation that amateur cullers would be responsible for the proper disposal of marked iguanas is risible. Are we hoping (more likely dreaming) that the cullers would responsibly cart them off to the George Town Landfill for a decent burial? There’s also the highly important issue of Cayman’s image. Did anyone in the Department of Environ- ment ask anyone in the Department of Tourism their thoughts on how this dead iguana raffle will harmonize with their multimillion-dollar “Caymankind” campaign? If we’re not being clear, let’s try this: Our govern- ment should never enact measures that would foster an image of Cayman as a country that has anything to do with slaughtering large lizards for cash prizes. There are some things that almost always make people feel uncomfortable, even queasy. One of those is dead beings held up by their tails. (For the intellectu- ally curious, look up the phrase “Jungian archetypes.” It will help explain such universal repulsions.) Perhaps we shouldn’t be too hard on the Depart- ment of Environment. Any idea may seem like a good idea if you’re out of all others. We think the department’s Jane Haakonsson spoke the truth last December when she said at least 350,000 green iguanas would need to be culled each year just to keep the population stable. (The department had estimated earlier that culling 200,000 green iguanas would cost about $1 million and would be fraught with unresolved issues around licensing, billing, oversight and disposal of carcasses.) We’ve always been skeptical that Cayman’s gov- ernment has the political will, funding and ability to orchestrate such a complex, large-scale and sustained operation. The new proposal does little to alleviate those doubts. The idea was scheduled to be considered by the National Conservation Council on Wednesday afternoon, after our newspaper deadline. Hopefully, the Council will take the appropriate action and cull the proposal. As of last August, Grand Cayman was home to more than 800,000 green iguanas, half of them adults. The population is doubling every year, meaning that now there may be 1.2 million green iguanas on this island. Columnist George F. Will is fond of quoting American Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who said all military disasters could be explained by two words: “Too late.” Mr. Will elaborates, “Too late to discern a danger, too late to prepare for it.” That, we fear, is the situation that Cayman’s extremely fecund green iguanas have foisted upon our lethargic government. While Cayman’s officials have been procrastinating, Cayman’s green iguanas have been procreating. ‘Lizard Lottery’: Gambling with Cayman’s image THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS The next financial crisis Animal spirits are running high. President Donald Trump’s promises to repeal Obam- acare, cut taxes, and roll back regulations have su- percharged stock prices and business optimism. However, history teaches when expec- tations are most buoyant, in- vestors and decision makers are inclined to overlook dan- gers in specific markets that could abscess into a sys- temic collapse. Here are five problems that could saddle Trump with the next financial crisis. Housing bubble Home prices and prop- erty values have soared in big cities where the eco- nomic recovery has been strongest – aided by low mortgage rates and Dodd- Frank regulations that push banks toward lending to the upper middle class and wealthy. Now, Federal Reserve tightening could push up in- terest rates enough to de- press the monthly payments and prices that would- be homeowners can af- ford. Similarly, overbuilding of apartments is stressing the rents big-city land- lords can charge. As during the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and the more recent finan- cial meltdown, homeowners and investors may find they have overpaid, and property values in affluent urban cen- ters could be headed for an “adjustment.” Student debt Outstanding student loans now exceed $1.4 tril- lion and more than 40 per- cent of borrowers are in de- fault or behind on payments. Eventually, the federal gov- ernment will either have to make good on hundreds of billions of dollars of debt or let banks and bond investors take big losses. It’s another unpopular bailout in the offing or as we saw with Lehman Brothers in 2008, another opportu- nity for federal authorities to risk financial instability. The Trump administration will have few pleasant choices. European banks European banks are suf- fering from slow-growing economies and ultra-low in- terest rates that make dif- ficult moving bad loans off their books. About 17 percent of Italian bank loans are un- derwater, and conditions are troubling elsewhere too. Germany’s largest bank, Deutsche Bank, was recently hit with a large fine by the Justice Department for its role in the financial crisis. The incident highlighted that the bank is not well run or profitable but has wide in- terconnections with other banks in Europe and the United States. It has repeatedly raised new capital and eventually could be forced by Euro- pean banking authorities to resort to a bail-in – namely, force bondholders to accept stock for their securities and take huge losses. That could easily ignite panic elsewhere. In Italy, or- dinary depositors have been encouraged to purchase bonds in the manner that Americans invest in certifi- cates of deposits. Bail-ins would impose huge losses of savings and purchasing power, and a contagious re- cession with severe repercus- sions for other European and American banks. China China’s national and pro- vincial governments have subsidized inefficient state- owned enterprises and ex- porters with easy credit and propped up growth through excessive borrowing for wasteful public works and urbanization projects. Gov- ernment deficits are esti- mated at least 15 percent of gross domestic product, and cumulative public and pri- vate debt at 250 percent. Printing money has pushed stocks, bonds, com- modities and housing prices to threatening levels, and large investors are fleeing China, driving down the dollar value of the yuan. Should those bubbles burst and the yuan collapse, Asian and other developing economies dependent on ex- ports to China could easily become unable to service their dollar-denominated debt. All this is reminis- cent of the Asian currency crisis of the 1990s, which left many American lenders holding the bag. Trump’s promises and political divisions Trump’s economic pro- gram could boost global growth and make problems in particular markets easier for regulatory authorities to manage. However, he faces tough challenges unifying the GOP to first pass a new health-care law and corpo- rate tax changes. And failure on those fronts could easily deflate stock prices and cor- porate investment, panic con- sumers, ignite another re- cession and cause the above listed problems to hemor- rhage simultaneously. Facing opposition from the House Freedom Caucus and with only 52 Republican senators, he must find ways to build centrist coalitions. However, with moderate Democrats unwilling to break from party solidarity in op- posing all of his initiatives, he lacks the opportunities en- joyed by Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush to build a bipartisan majority for even moderate legislation. The hard right and Dem- ocrats appear willing to cripple an American presi- dent to serve ideological pu- rity and win political ad- vantage – even at the risk of plunging the global economy into yet another massive crisis. Peter Morici is a professor at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. He served as chief economist of the U.S. International Trade Commission from 1993-1995. He tweets @pmorici1. © 2016 The Washington Times, LLC. PETER MORICI [W]ith moderate Democrats unwilling to break from party solidarity in opposing all of his initiatives, [Donald Trump] lacks the opportunities enjoyed by Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush to build a bipartisan majority for even moderate legislation. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017 Notice Changes in Prime Rates on KYD and USD Effective Tuesday, 21 March 2017, Fidelity Bank (Cayman) Limited will increase the KYD and USD prime rates by 0.25% to 4.00%. The increase in the Prime rates follows a decision by the US Federal Reserve Bank to raise its Fed Funds rate by 0.25% on Wednesday, 15 March 2017. Bills passed to protect beach access, regulate vendors JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Legislators passed a pair of bills Tuesday to pro- tect public access to Cay- man’s beaches and regu- late the activities of vendors who use the beach for their businesses. Both the Prescription (Amendment) Bill, which al- lows government to apply to the Grand Court to settle disputes over beach access, and the Public Lands Bill, which creates a new unit to enforce those access rights and monitor commercial ac- tivity on the beaches, were unanimously approved for a second reading Tuesday. Minister Kurt Tibbetts described the bills as “com- panion legislation” that would begin to deal with two long-running and con- tentious issues which he said had “plagued” Cayman for too long. The amendment to the Prescription Law will allow government to use the courts to register beach access paths used by the public for more than 20 years, to ensure continued access. This follows public com- plaints about landowners blocking paths, erecting fences and even building over established access routes. Mr. Tibbetts said Lands and Survey staff are setting up a database of all beach access paths to ensure reg- istered paths are maintained and that government could begin court action to clear and register blocked paths that could be proven as pre- scriptive rights of way. North Side MLA Ez- zard Miller supported the amendment but suggested it needed to come with pen- alties for landowners who block access. Both Mr. Miller and East End legislator Arden McLean suggested government needed to go further to de- fend the public’s right to the beach itself, not simply the access paths. Mr. Miller said several businesses, including major hotels on Seven Mile Beach, had begun to encroach on the beach, and reported security guards “running off” beach- goers at various points. He said the Prescrip- tion Law entitles people to use the beach, where it had been used for 20 years or more, and no private land- owner could claim ownership of the beach up to the line of vegetation. He added, “People keep pushing the envelope, and the more we allow them to get away with it, the more they are going to want to take.” Mr. Tibbetts said the Public Lands Bill, also tabled and approved on Tuesday night, sought to regulate all commercial activity on more than 250 publicly owned sites, including beaches, launching ramps and docks. He said a new Public Lands Commission would be responsible for managing and regulating activity on the beaches, including taking up access disputes. The commission will oversee an inspection unit, responsible for policing ven- dors who use the beach. Residents of beach condos near Public Beach have com- plained for years about the renting of beach chairs, um- brellas, Jet Skis, banana boat rides and other items, as well as the sale of food and drink on the beach, which residents said is “destroying” the se- renity of the area with a “car- nival-type” atmosphere. Under the new bill, such businesses will have to seek a “vendor’s licence” and fulfil certain criteria, including first aid and customer service training. Vendors who cause problems or fail to meet cer- tain criteria can have their license pulled. Mr. Tibbetts said the aim is to “raise the quality of the product and the beach experience.” He added, “Government’s main objective is to enhance the quality of the product and not to penalize traders. We want to see them prosper also.” The bill was approved for a second reading with some amendments, both from gov- ernment and from Mr. Miller, to be considered at the committee stage. Government signs agreement to assist small businesses The Ministry of Com- merce has outsourced the de- livery of certain small-busi- ness support services to the Cayman Islands Small Busi- ness Association. According to a press re- lease issued by the ministry Tuesday, Minister Wayne Panton and CISBA Presi- dent Dawn McLean-Sawney on Feb. 15 signed a memo- randum of understanding “that will result in CISBA of- fering workshops, mentoring, and consulting to small business owners.” “This is another impor- tant step forward for Govern- ment’s local business initia- tives,” Minister Panton said in the release. “Together we can give the support that business owners need, which will translate into greater success, more growth and job creation in the economy.” The agreement to support the small-business sector will conclude in December this year, officials said. In addition to funding services, the contract will cover the hiring of a part- time program coordinator and networking events, Mrs. McLean-Sawney said. She said the agreement will “allow CISBA to offer initiatives that will help Cayman’s entrepreneurs to establish or strengthen their businesses.” Legislators on Tuesday passed a new Public Lands Bill to regulate how beach access paths are managed. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Minister Wayne Panton and Dawn McLean-Sawney of CISBA sign an MoU for small-business support services.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Bodden Town THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Bat habitat in Lower Valley nominated for protection A small pocket of forest in Lower Valley in the district of Bodden Town is among six sites on Grand Cayman nominated for Protected Area status under Cayman’s new National Conservation Law. According to the nom- ination, protection of the site will safeguard part of the only habitat on Grand Cayman of the endangered white-shouldered bat. The National Conserva- tion Law provides for the es- tablishment of new protected areas and expansion of ex- isting protected areas. “Nominations of lands to be protected can be sub- mitted to the National Con- servation Council annually, and any purchases that are agreed are paid for using the Environmental Pro- tection Fund,” the Depart- ment of Environment states on its website. Contiguous landowners and the public are invited to submit written views on the Protected Area nomina- tions to the National Conser- vation Council. According to the Department of Environ- ment website, the consulta- tion period will end on May 2. After that, the Council will consider all written sub- missions before deciding whether to recommend the proposal to Cabinet, or to amend or withdraw it. The nominated area in Lower Valley consists of two areas of Crown land together with part of one privately owned parcel, a nomination, the Council has resolved to advance. According to the nomination document, if the landowner and Cabinet ap- prove this proposal, the nat- ural environment in this forest area will be protected and managed according to a plan to be developed under the law. The land forms the west- ernmost end of a narrow band of original dry forest that extends eastward. “[Dry forests] are classi- fied as lowland semi-decid- uous forests and are typi- cally dominated by Red Birch (Bursera simaruba) and Cab- bage Trees (Guapira dis- color),” the department states. This particular dry forest is notable for a high den- sity of wild fig trees, which have and still may support a small population of the White-shouldered Bat, Phyl- lops falcatus. “Other endangered and endemic plants are present, and the forest flora is no- tably diverse,” the nomina- tion document notes. The nomination states that protecting the bat hab- itat, in turn, may help lead to the recovery and main- tenance of the small and fragile population currently found there, and will begin a process which may eventu- ally lead to protection of the whole forest area, which the nomination states is a repre- sentative and to some extent unique example of Grand Cayman’s dry forest habitat. The nomination also notes that the area represents the only remaining dry forest area in Lower Valley, which is under threat from the in- vasive green iguana. The green iguanas are particu- larly damaging to the forest’s native fig trees on which the bats rely for food. 50 years ago: Spring visitors and returning residents welcomed In the March 22, 1967 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town correspondent Floris McCoy wrote: “Miss Edith Webster re- turned home on the 12th. She spent one year in New York with her mother and other relatives. Edith is a very active person in church and other activities. Ev- eryone missed her while she was away and we are all happy to have her back. “Spending one week in Jamaica are the Rev. Lewin Williams, Minister of the United Church, and Miss Pearl Carter an active member. They attended the annual Synod. “Mr. Charles Borden, after spending a few weeks here in his hometown re- turned to New York. Mr. Borden enjoyed himself while here in many ways such as celebrating his birthday. He was pleased with many of the improve- ments and hopes to return in the near future. “Mr. Samuel Clark Keeler, tax assessor, from Wilton, Connecticut, USA, has been staying at the home of Mr. Edward Oliver in this town. This is Mr. Keeler’s second visit. He loves the island and looks forward to returning. It was a pleasure having Mr. Keeler live in Bodden Town. “Miss Carolyn Hislop left this week to spend her Easter vacation in Free- port, Bahamas. She is visiting with her sister and her family. “Home from Jamaica after two weeks vacation is Miss Marilee Moore. “Miss Trivilene Moore, daughter of Mrs. Wilford Moore, was recently mar- ried in the U.S. to Mr. Ray Smith. She wore a beige overall dress with silver ac- cessories. Her attendant was Miss Cynthia West, Maid of Honour and Mr. C. Powery was Best Man. “Visiting her relatives her is Miss Althea Watler from Bonacca, Spanish Honduras, she will be leaving for home this week. “Mr. Haldane Bodden left for Jamaica. He will spend a few days there. “We would like to ex- press our thanks and ap- preciation to the Chief of Police and his staff for the good job being done for the safety of all Caymanians by the erection of appropriate road signs. Although these measures have been taken, people in the Pease Bay area have been complaining about careless driving still going on in that area. “As a person on the road every day, I am watching these big yellow trucks. Could they be checked? Let’s not wait until a serious ac- cident occurs. “The Bodden Town Youth Club met last Thursday night at the Town Hall. It was good to have many young people out and we urge those who are at home these nights to attend. “This is good wholesome fun and fellowship provided for you under the leader- ship of Mrs. Donald Arm- strong and other capable adults who are willing to spare some time to work with youth. “Music, folk dancing, songs and games are pro- vided. Come out tonight. Vice President Jay Jackson and her committee have some plans for the week. Plans are also made to en- tertain the community on March 28.” A white-shouldered bat captured on Grand Cayman. – PHOTO: WILSON BILKOVICH An example of Grand Cayman’s remaining untouched dry forest.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Bodden Town CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017 Adventist kids spread prayer, kindness JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Hundreds of young adults inspired to spread the message of their church reached out to people in the Bodden Town community with food bags and prayer last Saturday. The young people had gath- ered to mark the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Global Youth Day, held around the world this year on March 18 and hosted locally by the Youth Ministries Department of the Cayman Islands Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. According to the Seventh- day Adventist Church of the United Kingdom and Ireland website, “The vision of Global Youth Day is to recapture the reality of Adventist youth as a global movement mobi- lized for service, contributing to the proclamation of the ev- erlasting gospel and ush- ering in the second coming of Jesus Christ.” Before heading out to spread the gospel, partici- pants marshalled at Bodden Town’s Harry McCoy Sr. Park to pray, sing and worship be- fore meeting residents to pray, minister and deliver food packages. Representatives of the Cayman Islands Confer- ence of the church said that on the day, across the globe millions of Adventist young people came together in the hopes to change the world by loving others and helping those in need. “Going out in the commu- nity to spread God’s word is a mission,” said Osmond Lynch, one of the leaders speaking at the morning devotion being held under the trees at Harry McCoy Sr. Park. “‘Be the sermon’ by giving and bringing life and hope to those who are lost … don’t be discouraged, if someone closes the door – you will be tested and tried, but stay focused and make sure everything you do is pleasing to God,” he encour- aged the kids. Youth from the many Ad- ventist churches taking part who were gathered under the trees paid special attention to the message, and sang at the top of their voices so that many in the community of Gun Square and Cumber Av- enue could be blessed with the gospel music. “Many of the youth prayed with people in their homes, and they received a warm welcome from the people,” said church volunteer Angela Piercy. Bodden Town MLAs Os- bourne Bodden, Alva Suckoo and political candidate Dwayne “John John” Sey- mour gave their support to the young people while expressing how important they were to Cayman’s future and to the community. Mr. Suckoo told the youths to stay positive, and to stay to the faith, saying, “God bless you all.” Adventist youth gather at Bodden Town’s Harry McCoy Sr. Park to pray, sing and worship before meeting residents. Adventist youth ministers pray with residents. One visitor gets her face painted by Shilpa Tagalpallewar Gampawarat of Shilpa’s Unique Arts Creations. The Adventist youth band enters Harry McCoy Park.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, MARCH 23 GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP: Occupational therapist Tiffany Cheung presents information for understanding sleep challenges of children with special needs, including common sleep concerns, creating sleep habits and bedtime strategies. 5:30-7:30 p.m. at KidsAbility Clinic, 4 Smith Road Centre. Cost is $25 per family. To register, call 943-5437 or email info@kidsability.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: Providing Exceptional Customer Service. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square; $150 for members, $225 for future members; register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, MARCH 24 BRAC VOTER ID: Issuance of voter IDs starts today at 10 a.m., District Administration Conference Room. CHAMBER EVENT: Careers, Education & Training Expo. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sir Vassel Johnson Hall, University College of the Cayman Islands. Free. SATURDAY, MARCH 25 NORTH SIDE FUN DAY: The Committee to Elect North Side Candidate Ed Chisholm will host a Family Fun Day from 3-5 p.m., at the play field in North Side. Food and drinks will be provided. All are welcome. FULL GOSPEL BUSINESSMEN: The Grand Cayman chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International is having its breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at Lola’s restaurant in Camana Bay. Speaker will be Bishop Nicholas Sykes. All are invited. MINISTRY WEEKEND: First Assembly of God Ministry Weekend at 195 Old Crewe Road, George Town. Men’s Breakfast with Rev. Dr. George Walters at 8 a.m. Women’s Conference with Dr. Mickey Walters at 10 a.m. Event continues Sunday, March 26, at 10 a.m. All events are free, and all are invited. DIVA CLOSET: Fine dresses, shoes and accessories for women and girls. John Gray Church Hall, near the four-way stop in West Bay; 6 a.m. till noon. Organized by the Women’s Fellowship. BAG SALE: New to You Thrift Shop. 90 Anthony Drive, off Smith Road. Buy a bag for $5 or $10 and fill it to the brim with displayed items, including all sizes of clothing, baby and household items, books, toys, stuffed animals, shoes and more. 7-11 a.m. BRAC AGRICULTURAL SHOW: The annual show takes place 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Agriculture Show Grounds on the Bluff. Entry $10. Contact Chevala Burke at chevala.burke@gov.ky or 345-916-4874. LOGWOOD CLEARING: The National Trust seeks volunteers to assist clearing logwood from the Mission House property in Bodden Town at the end of Gun Square Road. 8 a.m. to noon. Bring hat, gloves, water bottle and sunscreen. Light snacks, water and Gatorade will be provided. Some tools will be provided, but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own (clippers, machete, lopper etc.) Contact community@ nationaltrust.org.ky. EARTH HOUR PICNIC: Dart Park amphitheater, 6 p.m. Adults $10; children (3 to 12), $5. Open air screening of “Moana” and a drum circle. Families are encouraged to bring picnic essentials and participate in Earth Hour by pledging to turn off all nonessential lights between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. For more information, email community@nationaltrust. org.ky. TUESDAY, MARCH 28 CHAMBER COURSE: QuickBooks Training; 1-5 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square; $150 for members, $225 for future members; register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29 NOMINATION DAY: From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in each constituency. A candidate for election shall be nominated on a nomination paper by at least two people who, at the time of signing the nomination paper, are registered electors of the district for which the candidate seeks election. A candidate for election must deposit the sum of $1,000 in legal tender to the returning officer. BRAC BIRTHDAYS: Senior citizens quarterly birthday party. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Aston Rutty Centre. BE INFORMED: Cayman Registry; 3-5 p.m.; Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. Free. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. THURSDAY, MARCH 30 CHAMBER COURSE: Overcoming Challenges to Success; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square; $150 for members, $225 for future members; register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, MARCH 31 ROCK AND ROLL SHOW: This ‘60s Rock ‘n’ Roll Show features music of the Beatles, Beach Boys and Rolling Stones. All funds go to help aspiring pilots obtain their license through the Zak Quappe Memorial Scholarship Fund. Music by Sea ‘n B Band. Prospect Playhouse. Show time 8 p.m. Doors open 7 p.m. Tickets $15, available at www.cds.ky or calling 938-1998. FLOWER SHOW: The Garden Club celebrates its 60th anniversary with a flower show at the South Sound Community Centre today 1 to 6 p.m. Tomorrow, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission and all are invited. WATER AUTHORITY SCHOLARSHIP: Today is the deadline to apply for the Water Authority – Cayman’s $30,000 annual scholarship. The offer is to a suitably qualified Caymanian to obtain an undergraduate academic or technical/vocational degree or diploma in a field of study relevant to the Authority’s work. See www.waterauthority. ky/community-connect- scholarships. SATURDAY, APRIL 1 YOUNG MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR: The public is invited to this event at the Prospect Playhouse. The competition begins at 6:30 p.m., doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets available at the door: $5 for adults and $2 for children. TUESDAY, APRIL 4 DARKNESS TO LIGHT: A free Red Cross-training program for parents, teachers and others who work with or provide services to young people. From 6:30-9 p.m. Gain knowledge and skills to prevent child sexual abuse; recognize signs of abuse and learn how to react responsibly. Pre-registration is required. Contact vrm@redcross.org.ky. GENERAL INTEREST CAYMAN NATIONAL CHOIR: The choir invites singers to join for rehearsals every Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Cayman Prep. The choir is preparing for a 40th anniversary concert on June 1. New members welcome – tenors and basses especially. For more information, contact Graham Morse at 925-6353. GEORGE TOWN CLINIC CLOSURES: The George Town general practice clinic is undergoing repairs through March 26. There will be no appointments. Acute care services (walk-in clinic) continue as usual. There is no change to the process for registration. Admission to the entrance of the clinic is unchanged. During construction, patients are encouraged to make appointments at the district clinics. The Accident and Emergency services are open as usual, 24 hours every day. DG 5K CHALLENGE: Registration for the 2017 Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge is open on the CaymanActive website www.caymanactive.com/dg5K. Led by Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, the event aims to raise $60,000 for the YMCA of the Cayman Islands. The DG’s 5K Challenge will be held on Cayman Brac on Sunday, April 23; on Grand Cayman, Sunday, April 30. The charity event is open to all ages and fitness levels. LABOR FORCE SURVEY: The Economics and Statistics Office is collecting data on employed and unemployed persons in Cayman, as well as people not in the labour force. The public is asked to cooperate and provide information. Interviews are confidential. For more information contact the Economics and Statistics Office at 516-3329, 949- 0940 or visit www.eso.ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING All Chamber Pension members are invited to attend @ 7:00 PM, Wednesday April 26 th , 2017 The Westin Resort on Seven Mile Beach If you cannot attend we ask you to appoint a proxy to vote in your place. Please visit our website to complete a proxy form and return it to us no later than Monday April 24th , 2017. Light refreshments served. E: admin@pensions.ky | P: 745 7630 WWW.CHAMBERPENSION.KY The Disney film ‘Moana’ will be screened Saturday during the Earth Hour event at Dart Park. Activities begin at 6 p.m. - PHOTO: DISNEY STUDIOS VIA APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017 CI$20,000 in Cash Prizes! $5000 Heaviest Total Weight (1 or 2 fish combined) $3000 2nd Heaviest Total Weight (1 or 2 fish combined) $2000 3rd Heaviest Total Weight (1 or 2 fish combined) $2000 Most Releases 1st evening $2000 Most Releases 2nd evening $2000 Heaviest Total Weight 1st evening (1 or 2 fish combined) $2000 Heaviest Total Weight 2nd evening (1 or 2 fish combined) $1000 Single Heaviest Swordfish caught in Cayman Brac $1000 Single Heaviest Swordfish caught in Grand Cayman Registration and Captain’s meeting is on 23rd March 6:30pm at The Barcadere (Dock/Weigh Station). CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Investment & Commerce Cayman Swordfish Challenge Facebook page or call King at 345 916 2177 Welcome to Cayman’s Eleventh Annual Swordfish Tournament The 2017 Cayman Swordfish Challenge is two nights of fishing, 24th & 25th March. This is a team event with a captain and at least one angler. Entry fee is CI$500 per team of four including the team captain + CI$100 each for any additional anglers. For more information on how to enter go to with a new level of credibility by the private sector, with in- creasing numbers of grad- uates finding jobs in their chosen fields. Mr. Marshall was lauded by ICCI board chair Mike Mannisto, a partner at Ernst & Young, for his contribution to the college. In a statement, Mr. Man- nisto said, “The Board proudly recognizes Dr. Mar- shall’s three-year tenure, filled with many accom- plishments including but not limited to: raising aca- demic standards at the col- lege; securing additional accreditations for ICCI; re- cruiting amazing staff and faculty; and providing world-leading technology for students and faculty to help the teaching and learning process …. “On behalf of all of the trustees, I thank Dr. Mar- shall for his contribution to moving the college forward and wish him the best as he prepares to move on to his next endeavor.” He said Mr. Marshall brought new energy and ideas to the college, including developing the use of tech- nology to improve the stan- dard of teaching and learning and to create access to new opportunities. He will be involved in the search for his successor, with ICCI hoping to make an appointment by January 2018, after a search and se- lection process. Mr. Marshall remains un- decided on his next step, which could involve a re- turn to teaching in the U.S. or another opportunity in the Cayman Islands. He believes the level of debate around education in the Cayman Islands is im- proving, with a greater focus on the issue now than he ob- served when he arrived on the island in 2014. “Everybody is now talking about the issue of how you have a high quality, world- class education system for the people of the Cayman Is- lands. In a community of this size and status, it is shameful that we do not. I feel con- fident that the discussions are going in the right direc- tion,” he said. Party-line vote approves police complaints process New ombudsman to handle concerns about RCIPS BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Legislation creating a pro- cess for public complaints against the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and law enforcement officers who work with that agency was approved in a party-line vote late Monday. Eight present members of the Progressives-led admin- istration backed the Police (Complaints by the Public) Bill, 2016, while seven mem- bers of the official and inde- pendent opposition groups opposed it. Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, who introduced the bill to the Legislative As- sembly, said the police com- plaints process was cre- ated after attempts to set up a police complaints board in 2010 failed. “For the past six years there has been no in- dependent mechanism for dealing with public complaints against police,” Mr. Manderson. The deputy governor es- timated there were about 100 complaints filed against the RCIPS a year, of which he said about 10 were con- sidered “serious.” The police Professional Standards Unit does field those complaints, but it is largely unknown to the public what has oc- curred with those matters since the police were legally unable to take any action on public complaints between 2010 and now. Mr. Manderson said the new legislation will change all that. “Police complaints for the very first time will be made public,” he said. “How many complaints there were, how they were resolved. [The bill] would shine a light on this very important area.” How it works The arbiter of public com- plaints against police offi- cers (not internal police com- plaints) will be the newly created Office of the Om- budsman, which is also ex- pected to be approved during the current Legislative As- sembly meeting. One of the ombudsman’s many powers will be to in- vestigate public complaints against police, or at least to determine how best those can be adjudicated. The bill does not change the ultimate decision-makers regarding disciplinary action against officers or whether criminal charges should be brought in a particular case. The police commissioner will decide discipline for all of- ficers below his rank and the governor will decide on disciplinary steps against the commissioner. The director of public prosecutions would decide on charges following an ombudsman investiga- tion that turned up evidence of a crime committed by po- lice officers. The bill gives the om- budsman several options in dealing with a complaint against an officer. The om- budsman may refer the com- plaint to the police Profes- sional Standards Unit, appoint an “investigatory body” to re- view the case, or personally investigate the matter. The bill gives the om- budsman, or a designated in- vestigative body he or she ap- points, legal power similar to that of a police chief in- spector in investigating com- plaints, including those that allege that an officer’s action resulted in death or serious injury. The law states that complaints against a police officer should either be made at the ombudsman’s office or at a police station. Mr. Manderson said minor complaints, those in- volving poor customer ser- vice by police officers, for example, would likely still be referred to the police stan- dards unit. More serious complaints – those alleging police brutality, for example – would likely be reviewed by the ombudsman. The legislation also gives the ombudsman, whose job will also be to handle public complaints against the gov- ernment and Freedom of In- formation Law matters, com- plete independence from the elected government. However, the office is required to report to the Legislative Assembly at which time the informa- tion regarding the number of police complaints and their resolution would be made public, Mr. Manderson said. Opposition Although only one oppo- sition MLA, East End’s Arden McLean, spoke against the bill Monday night, a number of opposition lawmakers are on record generally opposing the new ombudsman’s of- fice – which will subsume the responsibilities now held by the Information Commis- sioner and the Complaints Commissioner. “Where are we going to get such a human being?” Mr. McLean asked. “[To handle] all of these things. I under- stand through the grapevine that its [former Police] Com- missioner [David] Baines. “This position is going to be one massive under- taking. We will see who is that capable.” Practically speaking, the ombudsman will have dep- uties to handle the spe- cific responsibilities of Freedom of Information, public maladministration complaints against the gov- ernment, and complaints against the police. However, Mr. McLean has noted those responsi- bilities [aside from police complaints] have been han- dled by independent com- missioners in the past and that the separate functions would lose their indepen- dence once placed under the ombudsman’s office Government officials have said more than $200,000 will be saved per year by eliminating separate direc- tors for each independent oversight office. ICCI president stepping down CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 David Marshall has resigned as president of the International College of the Cayman Islands, effective Aug. 1. - PHOTO: CHRIS COURT Deputy Governor Franz MandersonNext >