ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017 High of 85 Low of 74 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 REFLECTIONS ON HONG KONG’S AND CAYMAN’S ELECTIONS SPORTS | PAGE 18 QUEENSGATE EDGES CRICKET SQUARE TO WIN ST. IGNATIUS SCRAMBLE In partnership with Saturday, 1 April 2017 | Prospect Playhouse | 6:30 p.m. Tickets available at the door: $5 adults and $2 children. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Join Us... 10th Annual Butterfield Young Musician of the Year 183804_PRINT2-Butterfield-YMOY20Page 1 2/27/17 2:49:57 PM Government pensions liability grows again BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The unfunded portion of the Cayman Is- lands’ main public sector retirement plan rose from about $191 million in 2015 to $220 mil- lion in 2016, according to financial statements reviewed by the Cayman Compass. Public Service Pensions Board Man- aging Director Jewel Evans-Lindsey said last week that while the figures in the state- ments are just best estimates, worldwide fi- nancial market struggles have hit Cayman’s public sector retirement plans. “The deterioration in the estimated un- funded liability … is mainly driven by lower investment returns than assumed in the Jan. 1, 2014 actuarial valuation,” Ms. Evans- Lindsey said. “This is not unique to the Public Service Pensions Board. Deterioration in the funded status of pension plans is being ex- perienced by public and private sector plans across the globe.” The government’s pension evaluation for 2014 noted this prediction about the state of public pension funds in Cayman: “The actuary has determined that a continuation of the cur- rent level of contributions to the defined ben- efit plan … is projected to result in the deple- tion of the defined benefit allocated fund by the year 2024.” Those estimates, made before Jan. 1, 2014, do not include increases to the monthly pen- sion contribution rate for public sector em- ployees last year, Ms. Evans-Lindsey said. They also do not include an $18 million contribu- tion the government made to the fund in 2016. The government pension fund consul- tant opined that “most public service pension plans around the world” have no assets set aside to fund members’ retirement benefits, and that these pensions are generally paid entirely from government funds, according to Ms. Evans-Lindsey. “Although our investment returns were lower than the assumption, our fund con- tinues to experience positive investment re- turns throughout the very volatile economic environment of 2014 and 2015, where a number of plans saw negative or very low in- vestment returns,” she said. IMMIGRATION TO SCHEDULE DATES FOR PR APPLICATIONS BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Although no specific dates were provided as of press time Monday, the Cayman Islands Immigration Department indicated it is set- ting a staggered schedule to begin hearing more than 900 applications for perma- nent residence. The schedule will deal with all applica- tions in the order in which they were received, the department said Monday. “Applicants who have been waiting longest will have their application dealt with first,” the department statement noted. MLA CONNOLLY BOWS OUT OF ELECTION BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com George Town MLA Winston Connolly ended months of speculation Monday afternoon an- nouncing that he would not seek re-elec- tion this year. Mr. Connolly, a first-time member of the Legislative Assembly, was elected in May 2013 as an independent and shortly after joined the Progressives coalition as a backbencher. He left the ruling administration in early Developer plans 5-star hotel at Pageant Beach TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com The long-vacant 7.1-acre Pageant Beach site at the southern tip of Seven Mile Beach will be developed as a five-star luxury resort. Initial plans are to build 450 suites with 10-foot ceilings and 9-foot glass doors. According to RE/MAX real estate broker James Bovell, the still-unnamed hotel will boast a 10th-floor bar and grill with an out- side glass elevator, four swimming pools in- cluding a rooftop infinity pool, five outdoor beachfront and poolside restaurants and bars, a spa and fitness facility, a landscaped boardwalk, children’s center and 30,000 square feet of conference facilities. The Cayman Islands Land Register, pro- duced by the Lands and Survey Depart- ment, confirmed the developer is Miami- based Howard Hospitality Group, which on Jan. 30 placed a “caution” on the site under the name HHG Pageant Beach Ltd., meaning the company has committed to the 7.1-acre property – block 13E 165. HHG is the same company that on Feb. 18 completed renovation of Seven Mile Beach’s old Treasure Island Resort, reopening it as the 285-room Margaritaville Beach Resort. HHG also plans a 42-room “boutique” hotel near Lawrence Boulevard. Despite multiple efforts, HHG chief op- erating officer and co-founder Michael Wilkings could not be reached for comment. The 900-foot waterfront Pageant Beach site has been vacant since Cayman’s first tourist hotel, the 36-guest Pageant Beach Hotel, built in 1954, burned down in 1975. Property owner Susan Olde has long sought between $20 million and $23 million for the property, although RE/MAX owner Kim Lund, who brokered the HHG deal, said the cost could be as much as $50 million. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » An artist’s rendering of the proposed new hotel development at Pageant Beach. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 - TUESDAY - GET OUT (R) 12:35 I 4:10 I 7:20 I 9:50 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D (PG) 12:55 I 3:50 2D I 6:50 I 9:45 2D KONG: SKULL ISLAND 3D (PG13) 1:00 2D I 4:10 I 7:05 2D I 9:55 POWER RANGERS (PG13) 12:30 I 3:30 I 6:45 I 9:35 LOGAN (R) 12:30 | 3:35 | 6:40 | 9:45 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. *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 640-FILM (640-3456) Life Extension Gym and Sauna 949-3753 “Become a big fish if you dive deep ” Registration for government schools begins next month The registration for stu- dents enrolling in, or trans- ferring to government schools in Cayman for the 2017/2018 school year will open on Monday, April 3, and will close on Friday, June 30, the Department of Education Services advises. Reception classes Registration for govern- ment reception classes is open for qualifying children aged 4 years before Sept. 1. Children born between Sept. 1, 2012 and Aug. 31, 2013 are eligible; they must have turned 4 before Sept. 1, 2017. The government schools that have reception classes are Sir John A. Cumber, George Town, Prospect, Savannah, Bodden Town, North Side and East End primary schools on Grand Cayman, and West End and Creek primary schools on Cayman Brac. Year 1 Registration for Year 1 in government schools is open for qualifying children aged 5 years before Sept. 1. Children born between Sept. 1, 2011 and Aug. 31, 2012 are eligible; they must have turned 5 be- fore Sept. 1, 2017. Older students Registration for older stu- dents transferring internally, re-entering or entering for the first time into the government school system should be com- pleted by June 23. Registration will take place at the Department of Educa- tion Services and the Cayman Brac Teacher’s Centre. Par- ents can pick up registration forms at government schools; the Department of Education Services, at 130 Thomas Rus- sell Way, George Town; the Cayman Brac Teacher’s Centre; or can download them from www.des.edu.ky. The com- pleted form must be returned to the Department of Educa- tion Services or the Cayman Brac Teacher’s Centre, with a copy of the following docu- ments attached: ■■ The child’s birth certificate ■■ The child’s immuniza- tion card (In the case of noncompliance with im- munization due to health or religious reasons, the parent must complete a Department of Educa- tion Services immuni- zation exempt form) ■■ Documentation of the child’s immigration resi- dency category (non-Cay- manian students, i.e., birth certificate, passport, status letter/certificate, RS 101 form, copy of par- ent’s government contract) ■■ Mandatory Residency Verification: Proof of address (See published guidelines for school reg- istration, transfers and home school). Residence is determined by a per- son’s physical presence as a resident within a designated geographic boundary of the school catchment with the intent to remain. Proof in the form of a utility bill, no- tarized lease or notarized “Parent Affidavit Form” ac- companied by a utility bill (CUC, water, cable, tele- phone), driver’s license or voter ID in the parent’s name, or landlord’s name if renting or if more than one family shares a living space and there is only one owner/leaseholder ■■ The last school year’s re- port (if the child is being admitted from another school, including private schools, local and over- seas). In the case of ad- mission to John Gray High School or Clifton Hunter High School, a transcript from the last high school attended should be included.) The Department of Edu- cation Services registration staff will check the documen- tation and determine the des- ignated catchment area for the school assignment. Fol- lowing approval by the senior school improvement officer, the school secretary will make an appointment for a medical examination with the public health nurse. Parents can arrange for an examination from a private doctor listed on the approved Health Services Authority list, which can be requested from the Department of Education Services. The medical exami- nation must be completed be- fore a child is enrolled. Parents and guardians are reminded to enroll children as soon as possible to ensure that the child has a place at a local school in September. “Children registering after June 30, 2017, cannot be guaranteed space in their catchment area,” the De- partment of Education Ser- vices pointed out in an advi- sory issued this week. Parents will receive no- tification from the school of their child’s placement for September. Admission priority According to the Depart- ment of Education Services, the priority for admission to government schools is as- signed as follows: Reception program: 1. Caymanians, with proof established by birth certificate, passport or status certificate 2. Non-Caymanian chil- dren with proof estab- lished by birth or mar- riage to a Caymanian (Caymanian parent must be residing on island, space permitting once the above has been placed. Primary – secondary: 1. Caymanians, with proof established by birth certificate, passport or status certificate 2. Dependents of Caymanians 3. Dependents of con- tracted government employees (space per- mitting following the close of registration) 4. Dependents of perma- nent residents (space permitting following the close of registration). Class sizes are capped for reception and Year 1 at 24 stu- dents, and 28 students for all other year groups. Where max- imum class sizes are exceeded within the school, spaces will be offered for qualifying stu- dents at the nearest school with available space. Fees Non-Caymanian students under approved categories must pay school fees at the following rates: Year 1-6 – $250 per term or $750 per year; Year 7-9 – $300 per term or $900 per year; Year 10-12 – $400 per term or $1,200 per year. Primary school catchment areas: ■■ West Bay Primary: North of Government House to Spanish Bay Reef to in- clude all of West Bay ■■ George Town Primary: South of Government House to Memorial Av- enue; north along Walkers Road to Maple Road; and east along Smith Road to Crewe Road airport junction. North on Air- port Road, through the new junction in Industrial Park to include all areas north and east past the airport to North Sound ■■ Red Bay Primary: Area on south side of Memo- rial Avenue, along Walkers Road to Maple Road and the south side of Smith Road; both sides of Crewe Road bordered by Owen Roberts Drive to the north and the South Sound border to the south, on the east side of Victory Avenue ■■ Prospect Primary: All areas from Prospect Drive east- ward to the west side of Spotts-Newlands Road and the west side of Chime Street on the BP/East/West Arterial (to include all of Prospect Park, Patrick’s Is- land, Ocean Club, Mari- ners Cove, Cascades Drive) ■■ Savannah Primary: The east side of Spotts-New- lands Road to Beach Bay Road, including greater Pedro area ■■ Bodden Town Primary: East of Beach Bay Road up to Breakers, in- cluding Northward ■■ North Side Primary: All of Frank Sound to Old Man Bay west to Cayman Kai ■■ East End Primary: East of the Frank Sound junc- tion to include all of East End to Colliers ■■ West End Primary, Cayman Brac: West end of Cayman Brac to Faith Hospital on north side of the island and corre- spondingly across the is- land to the south coast ■■ Creek Infant/Spot Bay Junior School in Cayman Brac: All areas east of Faith Hos- pital to the eastern end of Cayman Brac ■■ Education Service, Little Cayman: All areas of Little Cayman. Secondary school catchment areas: ■■ John Gray High School: All areas west of Spotts- Newlands Road and west of Chime Street By- pass East/West Arterial ■■ Clifton Hunter High School: All areas east of Spotts-Newlands Road and east of Chime Street Bypass East/West Arterial ■■ Layman E. Scott High School: All areas of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Winner of ‘Your Sleep Sanctuary’ The winner of the Autumn 2016 InsideOut magazine competition is Charlie Nicholson, who received ‘Your Sleep Sanctuary,’ a luxurious $4,000 mattress package from Tomlinson Furniture. Ms. Nicholson is pictured with InsideOut Editor Jenny Gabruch, left, and Tomlinson Furniture’s general manager, Renee Whorms. Parents and guardians have until June 30 to complete registration for their children to enter reception, primary or secondary classes in Cayman Islands government schools. – PHOTO: CHRIS COURT3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017 The secret is out. Blue is the new green. doctorshospitalcayman.com The secret is out. Blue is the new green. doctorshospitalcayman.com Ombudsman to review police complaints BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Whoever is appointed as Cayman’s new om- budsman will already have dozens, possibly hundreds, of cases to review on the first day in office. It is estimated that hun- dreds of public complaints against the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service which have been filed since 2010 will have to be reviewed by the new ombudsman since no one has been legally al- lowed to hear those cases. The issue involves the failure of the government to follow amendments to the Po- lice Law in 2010, which called for the appointment of the territory’s first police public complaints commission. The commission was never appointed, largely due to funding and staffing dif- ficulties. The RCIPS could still hear internal complaints filed by its own officers, but the police Professional Stan- dards Unit no longer had any legal power to hear public complaints once the Police Law was changed. Since the public commission was never ap- pointed, it did not hear any of the complaints either. According to RCIPS spokeswoman Jacqueline Carpenter, the complaints have not been discarded or forgotten about. Since the law changed, Ms. Carpenter said, the police Professional Standards Unit has received complaints and preserved the evidence from those complaints, to the ex- tent it could. “There’s no time limit on [police] disciplinary matters,” Ms. Carpenter said. Some of the complaints filed with the Professional Standards Unit were able to be resolved between the par- ties, she said, but that is only in cases where the person complaining about the po- lice agreed with the settle- ment suggested. The RCIPS acknowledged that the passage of time can serve to deteriorate evidence in such cases and, in certain instances, the officers who were the subjects of com- plaints may no longer work with the department. Rather than appointing a citizen complaints body to hear public complaints against police, legislation ap- proved by the Legislative As- sembly nominated the om- budsman’s office as the arbiter of those disputes. This is an important step, ac- cording to Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, who spoke about the changes last week. “For the last six years, there has been no inde- pendent mechanism for dealing with public com- plaints against police,” Mr. Manderson said. The deputy governor estimated there were about 100 complaints a year filed against the RCIPS, of which he said about 10 were con- sidered “serious.” The Police (Complaints by the Public) Law, 2016, does not change the ultimate de- cision-makers regarding dis- ciplinary action against of- ficers or whether criminal charges should be brought in a particular case. The po- lice commissioner will de- cide 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. However, the legislation gives the ombudsman sev- eral options in dealing with a complaint against an of- ficer. The ombudsman may refer the complaint to the po- lice Professional Standards Unit, appoint an “investi- gatory body” to review the case, or personally investi- gate the matter. The bill gives the om- budsman, or a designated investigative body he or she appoints, legal power sim- ilar to that of a police chief inspector in investigating complaints, including those that allege that an officer’s action resulted in death or serious injury. The law states that com- plaints against a police of- ficer should either be made at the ombudsman’s office or at a police station. GOVERNMENT PAYS OFF $10 MILLION DEBT EARLY BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands gov- ernment this year will pay off up to $10 million in debt early, according to Finance Minister Marco Archer. The money will go to- ward retiring the debts of several statutory authorities and government companies which are managed outside of central government. According to Mr. Archer, the largest amount – a bit more than $6 million – will go to the Cayman Islands Development Bank. The re- payment of debt for the de- velopment bank includes amounts borrowed for loans guaranteed by the govern- ment that were not repaid by those who received them. Amounts not exceeding $1 million will go to Cayman Airways; a $1.25 million payment will go to the Health Services Au- thority; and up to $1.41 mil- lion will be given to the Cayman Turtle Centre. “The government will write to the relevant [statu- tory authorities and govern- ment companies] to make clear that the additional payments should be applied to that [debt] and no other purpose,” Mr. Archer said. Minister Archer an- nounced early this year the government’s intention to repay some of government’s more than $600 million in outstanding loans if it could obtain the agreement of the U.K. Foreign and Common- wealth Office to do so under current financial manage- ment agreements. Debt held by the cen- tral government – which ac- counts for about $500 mil- lion of the total debt the Cayman Islands govern- ment maintains – could not be paid off early without penalties under the existing loan agreements, Mr. Archer said. This was the reason the government chose to pay off the authorities’ debts in- stead, he said. Up to $10 million in pay- ments should serve to lower Cayman’s overall debt costs in future years, if no fur- ther long-term borrowing is undertaken by government, Minister Archer said. Minister Archer’s goals for paying off govern- ment debt include the po- tential for Cayman to pay off a US$312 million bullet loan, due in November 2019, all at once if government can manage it. The government has amassed more than $400 million in operating sur- pluses over the past four years and has low- ered the central govern- ment debt balance by about $75 million.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. TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Sunday’s selection of Hong Kong’s first female leader drew protests from residents who point to Carrie Lam’s victory as evidence of China’s vice-like grip on the former British colony. In brief, protesters are critical of new chief execu- tive Lam being picked by a tiny, largely pro-Beijing committee, rather than directly by Hong Kong’s voters. While the situation in Hong Kong is profoundly dif- ferent from the Cayman Islands, we must recognize that, according to the standards of true representative democracy, some similarities exist between Cayman and our former colonial cousin. In Hong Kong, Ms. Lam rose to power despite her relative unpopularity among Hong Kong’s 3.8 million registered voters, who according to opinion polls greatly preferred opponent John Tsang (by a margin of about 41 percent for Mr. Tsang to 34 percent for Ms. Lam). But when it came to Sunday’s vote, the number that mattered wasn’t 3.8 million — it was 1,194, or the number of members on Hong Kong’s Election Com- mittee, most of whom are loyal to China’s Commu- nist leadership. When the ballots that counted, were counted, Ms. Lam emerged victorious with 777 votes … compared to 365 for Mr. Tsang. As Hong Kong’s pro-democracy activists point out, it seems decidedly undemocratic for the leader of an entire city to be “elected” by a select few, whether or not that accords with the wishes of the majority of the polis. Which brings us back home to Cayman, where, in the upcoming elections that take place May 24, the leader of our entire country is certain to be chosen in just that manner. The arithmetic is self-evident. Cayman’s next premier will be named from among the successful can- didates who unite to form a ruling majority among the soon-to-be 19-member Legislative Assembly. Under the new “one man, one vote” system imple- mented by the current Progressives government, a candidate needs to win a simple plurality in one of the 19 new “mini-districts” in order to become an MLA and be eligible to become premier. With the largest district being Bodden Town East with 1,531 votes, the smallest being Cayman Brac East with 506 votes, and several candidates competing in most districts, it is pretty much assured that Cayman’s next premier will have been “picked” by fewer than 1,000 Caymanian voters. For example, among the five candidates running in Bodden Town East, the successful candidate could emerge with as few as 307 ballots (assuming the unlikely voter participation rate of 100 percent). In North Side, four candidates are competing for 717 votes, meaning a victory could be obtained with as few as 180 votes. (If you want to be overly technical, the real leader of Cayman’s government is not the premier, but the governor, who of course is appointed by the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and so actually needs only “one vote” to head up the territory.) Those numbers are minuscule compared to Cayman’s 21,465 registered voters, and even more microscopic in the context of the country’s 65,000 resi- dents – most of whom, by the way, are not eligible to vote, either because of age or immigration status, and so have no direct voice in Cayman’s democratic process. Even among Cayman’s 21,465 registered voters, many are not eligible to hold office because of birth or residency requirements. “Born Caymanians,” “Paper Caymanians,” permanent residents, work permit holders … Cayman’s supposedly cohesive society is, in reality, anything but. It is an amalgam of sub-groups, defined by genealogy, parentage, country of national origin, length (and continuity) of residency – and on and on. We would hope that when candidates are cam- paigning for office, they are cognizant they are running to represent not just their own elite class (that is, not just voters and not just Caymanians), but the Cayman Islands as a country, a society and a community. In other words, the Cayman Islands as a whole. Reflections on Hong Kong’s and Cayman’s elections An oasis of liberty in the Arizona sun PHOENIX – As a boy, Barry Goldwater Jr., son of the former senator and 1964 Re- publican presidential nom- inee, would step out of his fa- ther’s house and shoot at tin cans 50 yards away. Now 78, he says he could fire in any direction and not endanger “anything but a cactus.” His father, born in 1909 in Ari- zona territory, three years before statehood, built the house on a bluff where, as an adolescent, he rode his horse there and slept under the stars. There were about 30,000 people in Phoenix. The house is now in the nation’s 12th-largest met- ropolitan area (about 4.6 million). Arizona’s popula- tion, which was approxi- mately 200,000 when the fu- ture senator was born and 750,000 when he was elected in 1952, is now approaching 7 million. Today’s governor, Doug Ducey, is demon- strating the continuing per- tinence of the limited-gov- ernment conservatism with which Sen. Goldwater shaped the modern GOP, after him- self being shaped by life in the leave-me-alone spirit of the wide open spaces of near- frontier Arizona. Last year, Ducey, 52, told National Review, “If you want to learn something new, you need to read something old. As Barry Goldwater wrote in “Conscience of a Conserva- tive,” ‘My aim is not to pass laws, it’s to repeal them.’” Ducey was preaching what he already had practiced. He took office in January 2015, as the Super Bowl was about to be played in sub- urban Glendale. The head of a state agency vowed that he was going to stage a sting to put Uber out of business, thereby benefiting Uber’s taxi and limousine competitors. Ducey says he fired the man and abolished the agency. Ducey has sided with Airbnb against local govern- ments restricting it in order to protect competitors, and has removed government-im- posed limits (benefiting large beer brands) on the growth of microbreweries. He does not want Arizona to be part of “the permission society.” This is the title of a new book by Timothy Sandefur, a litigator for the Goldwater In- stitute, a liberty-promoting think tank located 3.5 miles from the governor’s office. Sandefur documents how far America has lapsed from the Founders’ premise that our rights pre-exist govern- ment, which is instituted to protect them. Today, Ameri- cans’ rights are increasingly restricted to those privileges that government grants for its purposes. Ducey recently demon- strated his understanding of this regarding the rogue barber. A Tucson cosme- tology student, who him- self was once homeless, dis- turbed the State Board of Cosmetology’s serenity by giving – without possessing a barber’s license – free hair- cuts to homeless people. Ducey asked the board to dismount from its high horse and recognize “an act of charity that we should be celebrating.” About a third of Americans now need some form of government permis- sion to do their chosen work, and Ducey wants Arizona to be an oasis of liberty in a so- ciety plagued by excessive occupational licensing. Born in Ohio, he came here to attend Arizona State University and became a businessman who attended Goldwater Institute events. After he joined the founder of Cold Stone Creamery ice cream shops and opened 1,400 nationwide, he was elected state treasurer, then governor. Seeking advice from the best, he called former In- diana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who suggested appointing to his administration busi- nesspeople looking for new challenges. (Daniels asked, “Do you know anyone who plays golf on Tuesdays and is miserable?”) Ducey wants Arizona to have a “West Coast vibe with a Midwestern work ethic,” and he cheekily calls Cal- ifornia’s Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown “my partner in growing Arizona’s economy” because California’s business climate is a powerful incen- tive for firms to relocate in Arizona, where more than 60 percent of its residents were born elsewhere. Arizona’s motto is “Ditat Deus” (“God Enriches”), but His work can be facilitated by Ducey’s goal of getting the state’s in- come tax “as close to zero as possible.” He calls himself a “full- spectrum conservative,” in- cluding support for free trade (NAFTA has been good for Arizona’s commerce with Mexico), but there are limits to his Western libertarianism. Last year, he led the cam- paign that resulted in Ari- zona being the only one of five states voting on the issue to defeat legalization of rec- reational marijuana: “I’m the son of a cop and the father of three teenage sons.” The current president has pointedly said, “This is called the Republican Party. It’s not called the Conservative Party.” Actually, it became a conservative party partly be- cause of what an Arizonan did many decades ago. It may become such a party again, with another Arizonan’s help. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2017, Washington Post Writers Group [Governor Doug Ducey] has sided with Airbnb against local governments restricting it in order to protect competitors, and has removed government-imposed limits (benefiting large beer brands) on the growth of microbreweries. 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” GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE 5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017 Awards honor Cayman writers Continued interest in Caymanian literature encouraged KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Local writers were hon- ored Saturday during the second annual Cayman Lit- erary Awards at the George Town Public Library. The awards recognized 13 authors who had sub- mitted their works to a panel of judges. Douglas Schofield won first-place for his mystery novel, “Storm Rising.” Mr. Schofield expressed sur- prise at winning and re- flected on lessons learned during the editing pro- cess and his choice to focus on female protagonists throughout his works. Janet Dash Harris won the second-place award for “Frankly Speaking.” The com- pilation of stories was de- veloped through chats in a WhatsApp group and adapted for print. Third place was shared by Deborah Webb-Sib- blies for her book “Living my Second Chance with a Grateful Heart,” and Cathe- rine Tyson for her book “I’m Somebody’s Mama.” Ms. Webb-Sibblies re- flected on the courage and wisdom necessary to put personal stories down on paper, and how the writing process helped her re- cover from trauma. Ms. Tyson said her work sought to capture the voice of single mothers and reflects her experience of raising three children in the United States and Cayman. Two authors were awarded special recogni- tion: Natalie Urquhart for her compilation, “Art of the Cayman Islands” and Tricia Sybersma for “Summer’s Garden: Gratitude in Nature.” Former first-prize winner Kathleen Bodden-Harris trav- eled from Cayman Brac to participate in the awards cer- emony. She discussed how she developed her children’s book, “Quest on the Marl Road,” and how winning the 2016 award helped her add color artwork to the work. Presenter Stephanie Ful- lerton-Cooper of the Univer- sity College of the Cayman Islands encouraged con- tinued interest in reading Caymanian literature. “If you want to know about a nation, you would want to read what that na- tion has produced. Not only that but those who are na- tion readers get to see themselves reflected in the work,” she said. “If this is indeed what Cayman is producing and Cayman is examining itself through the eyes of its liter- ature, then Cayman will see it has a wonderful set of tal- ented people. We’ll also see that the growth and develop- ment of this particular talent should be encouraged.” Submissions for the 2018 awards will open in July. Books written between 2009 and 2017 are eligible to be entered. The awards committee can be contacted at kyliteraryaward@candw.ky. Award winners Catherine Tyson, Debbie Webb-Sibblies, Janet Dash-Harris and Douglas Schofield pose at Saturday’s ceremony. ELECTIONS OFFICE OFFERS MAIL, MOBILE VOTING The Elections Office re- minds voters that the period during which they may re- quest postal ballots or mo- bile voting is under way and will continue until close of business Friday, May 12. Voters who will be away from the Cayman Islands on Election Day may request a postal ballot by filling out Form B, available at www.elections.ky, and email the completed form, along with proof of travel plans to office@elections.ky. Those who will be in Cayman but unable to at- tend the polls may apply for mobile voting using Form C, also available from www.elections.ky. Elections Office polling staff will visit applicants in person, or facil- itate their vote before polling day at an early voting station. Nomination requirements The Elections Office also reminds people seeking to be nominated on Wednesday, March 29, as candidates in the May general election that they must fulfill a number of requirements, including: ■■ Submitting a 2” x 2” photo which clearly shows their face, to be included on the ballot paper ■■ Handing in a cash de- posit of $1,000 with their nominations form, and ■■ Having two voters from the electoral dis- trict in which they are seeking office sign their nomination form. The 19 nomination sta- tions will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. only. Candidates are further urged to review the Consti- tution and the Elections Law to ensure they are quali- fied to be nominated, a press release states. For more information, visit www.elections.ky.6 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Health City signs deal with St. Maarten JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Patients from the Carib- bean island of St. Maarten will be brought to Grand Cayman on weekly charter flights for medical treatment at Health City Cayman Is- lands, the hospital’s owners announced Monday. The direct flights, using Cayman Airways’ Saab plane, were scheduled to begin Tuesday following an agree- ment between Health City and SZV Social and Health Insurances, the government- owned national health in- surer in St. Maarten. Dr. Chandy Abraham, CEO and head of Medical Services at the East End hospital, said the agreement demonstrates the facility’s expanding reach across the region. “The agreement with SZV adds to an increasing number of agreements signed by Health City Cayman Is- lands, regional governments and insurance providers to become a service provider of choice for specialized tertiary care. Such agreements un- derscore Health City Cayman Islands’ ongoing commitment to develop medical tourism in the Cayman Islands.” He said Health City has a number of other agreements in Caribbean and Latin American markets, as well as agreements with self-in- sured companies in the U.S., and treated patients from 60 countries in 2016. He said, “As our third an- niversary approaches on April 2, we have treated over 25,000 outpatients and close to 3,000 inpatients to date. Health City Cayman Islands has achieved these numbers while main- taining the highest quality of care standards, bringing med- ical innovation to the region, and continually expanding into new markets.” As part of the agreement with SZV Social and Health Insurances, Health City will provide tertiary healthcare to St. Maarten patients who are awaiting treatment that is unavailable in their country. Emil Lee, minister of Labor, Health and Social Development for St. Maarten, was in the Cayman Islands on Monday for the announcement. He said, “Health City Cayman Islands provides St. Maarten residents with skilled medical personnel and leading-edge diagnostic and surgical procedures and techniques, with proven suc- cess rates. The direct flights provide ease of access to St. Maarten residents, in- cluding a visa-free travel ex- perience for citizens, without the need for lengthy layovers. We see this as a beneficial partnership for both terri- tories and look forward to its continuation.” Chief Operating Officer of SZV Social and Health Insur- ances Ramzy Dennaoui said the involvement of Cayman Airways made the agree- ment possible. He said SZV is working to get the best care, closest to home for its cli- ents, and the direct charter flights made Health City the best option. The inaugural flight will leave Grand Cayman for St. Maarten on Tuesday, returning the following day with the first plane load of patients. It is anticipated that the direct charter flights will continue for an initial period of six weeks, with approxi- mately 20 people on board each flight. Once the schedule is completed, flights will con- tinue on an as-needed basis, according to Cayman Air- ways CEO Fabian Whorms. Premier Alden McLaughlin added, “We hope to see the number of tourists signifi- cantly increasing as patients and their families come to the Cayman Islands for healing and care, meaning more money will enter our economy.” US REAL ESTATE STUDENTS TOUR AIRPORT EXPANSION PROJECT A group of real estate graduate students from Roo- sevelt University in Chi- cago, Illinois, visited the Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport’s terminal ex- pansion and renovation project this month. The Cayman Islands Air- ports Authority invited the students to tour the project after receiving a request from a representative of Roos- evelt University. Airport Authority CEO Albert Anderson and Se- nior Project Manager for Air- port Development Roy Wil- liams gave the students a detailed presentation on March 8, when they shared the latest airport expansion details along with video of the expansion and a tour of the construction. “Our students, all master’s degree level, were impressed by the reuse of the existing forms of the terminal in a way that increased efficiencies but also respected the history of the airport and its impor- tant role in the development of Grand Cayman. The tour was an exclusive plus that impressed on the group the significant scope and size of the expansion,” said director of the Marshall Bennett In- stitute of Real Estate at Roo- sevelt University, Jon DeVries. Mr. DeVries added, “Our thanks to all involved for the presentation and tour it was certainly one of the highlights of our week in the Cayman Islands.” The airport expansion and renovation project is ex- pected to be completed at the end of 2018 and will include a new Immigration Arrivals Hall, Customs Hall, Baggage Claim, VIP lounge and ex- tended Departure Hall. Robbery charge sent to Grand Court CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two West Bay men ap- peared in Summary Court on Monday facing charges that arose from separate incidents at the Jungle Bar on March 17. Carlo Malik Webster Jr., 21, was charged with rob- bery – stealing a chain from a named man and using force to do so. He is also charged with wounding the same man with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm. Magistrate Adam Rob- erts told the defendant that the charges could be dealt with only in the higher court, where Webster is to ap- pear on April 7. Defense attorney Jona- thon Hughes did not apply for bail at this time. Webster was also charged with possession of a restricted weapon – a knife – at night in a public place, namely the Jungle Bar on March 17. Other charges against Web- ster relate to March 23 and 24, when he is accused of resisting an officer in the execution of his duty, disorderly conduct at a police station, possession and consumption of ganja. These latter charges were set for mention again in Sum- mary Court on April 7. A second man charged after another incident at The Jungle was granted bail. Ricky Manderson Jr., 30, was charged with wounding and affray. Details of the affray charge allege that he took part in a fight at Jungle Bar on March 17 and thereby put a non-participating person in fear for his safety. Manderson, who was rep- resented by attorney John Furniss, elected Summary Court and pleaded guilty to wounding. The charge of af- fray was not put to him at this time. The magistrate or- dered a social inquiry re- port and set sentencing for Monday, May 22. This defendant was placed on bail until that date. STRIKES HIT FRENCH GUIANA AS TENSIONS PARALYZE TERRITORY Flights halted; travel warning issued PARIS (AP) – French Guiana faced a nationwide strike Monday over crime and economic difficulties, amid protests that have paralyzed the French ter- ritory in South America, halted flights and a rocket launch and prompted a U.S. travel warning. As tensions mounted, Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced plans to send a high-level ministerial mission be- fore week’s end aimed at signing a pact addressing anger over high crime, the cost of living and the quality of healthcare and other social services. Pro- tests have already blocked roads to neighboring Brazil and Suriname, and shuttered many busi- nesses and schools. The French government has already sent an emer- gency mission to try to quell tensions in the ter- ritory of a quarter-mil- lion people before Mon- day’s general strike by some 27 unions, ex- pected to hit public ser- vices across Guiana. How- ever, the Collective of 500 Brothers, the group largely behind the protests, has been demanding that the French government send a minister to nego- tiate with them. The unrest is a re- minder of the deep eco- nomic, social and racial divides between France’s mainland and former colonies from the Carib- bean to the South Pa- cific that remain French today. Some territories use the euro currency, and they all depend heavily on imported goods and policy deci- sions made in Paris. Dr. Chandy Abraham, CEO and head of Medical Services at the East End hospital, said the agreement demonstrates the facility’s expanding reach across the region. Health City staff, government leaders and visiting officials from St. Maarten gathered for the announcement Monday. Roosevelt University students and representatives with senior Cayman Islands Airports Authority officials during the students’ visit to the Owen Roberts International Airport earlier this month. ROAD RAGE INCIDENT REPORTED ON WEST BAY ROAD A female driver reported an assault outside of a West Bay Road business Sunday evening. A male driver alleg- edly pulled the woman from her car around 6:20 p.m. in the vicinity of the Royal Palms. Police said the fe- male driver did not re- port any serious physical injuries. Her vehicle was slightly damaged. George Town police are investigating.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days West Bay CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017 Students explore mangroves as part of marine workshops Junior students at Sir John A. Cumber learned about different marine topics over the past few weeks thanks to presentations at the school on mangroves and on protecting marine wildlife. On March 15 and 17, Na- tional Trust education man- ager Catherine Childs vis- ited the school to conduct workshops with the Year 5 classes on the importance of Cayman’s mangrove eco- systems. The program is of- fered to public schools in Grand Cayman. In addition to attending the workshop, the students will take a boat trip through the mangroves in April. Teacher Annette Vaughan said the Year 5 students are studying mangroves as part of their unit on ecosys- tems, which includes the concepts of conservation and preservation and main- taining a balance. “Mangroves are known to provide critical ecosystem services to the community, including protection from storms, nursery areas for commercially important fish species, maintenance of our beautiful clear water and storage of carbon to slow climate change, and essential habitat for many of our wild- life species,” Ms. Childs noted. The workshop also in- cluded experiments and in- vestigations into how man- groves adapt to saline water. “The students gained valuable information from the interesting and interac- tive workshop and express appreciation to Ms. Childs and the sponsors for their commitment to the program,” said Ms. Vaughan. On March 22, students in Years 4 through 6 were vis- ited by two crew members of the M/V John Paul DeJoria, a 110-foot fast patrol boat op- erated by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The ship, which was on its way to South America to support the Colombian coast guard in its efforts to fight shark fin poaching, visited the Cayman Islands in March. The two presenters were Sea Shepherd volunteers with several years of expe- rience working with the or- ganization: Dr. Connie San- chez, an American doctor who provides medical ser- vices, among other assis- tance, and Maggie Gschnitzer, an Italian who has also served in a number of ca- pacities as a crew member aboard the ship. The presenters spoke about their role as Sea Shepherds and the impor- tance of preserving and pro- tecting the marine environ- ment, Ms. Vaughan told the Cayman Compass. After their presentation, which included video clips on how human actions can posi- tively or negatively affect ma- rine life and its environment, the two representatives spent time answering questions from the audience. Teacher Annette Vaughan said the Year 5 students are studying mangroves as part of their unit on ecosystems, which includes the concepts of conservation and preservation and maintaining a balance. Dr. Connie Sanchez responds to a question from Kamila Ebanks-Matos, with Maggie Gschnitzer at right.Maggie Gschnitzer takes a question from student J’dayah Allen. Students bring dinner to elders of West Bay Local high school students deliv- ered some cheer along with dinner to West Bay elders last month as part of a Key Club outreach project. Students from John Gray High School’s Key Club, along with Cayman Prep and High School students, visited the district’s Golden Age home on Feb. 28. Key Club representative Opal Brown said preparation for the spe- cial day began weeks in advance with a number of fundraising activities at John Gray. The club then called the home to seek the approval of the supervisor for the visit. The group shopped for food and treats that they thought would appeal to the elderly residents. The Dragon Garden restaurant in Savannah agreed to prepare a Chinese dinner for the event. On the day of the visit, Key Club members served dinner and assisted with the cleanup afterward. “I felt happy to help,” said Key Club president-elect Alle Sobrejuanite. “The look of joy on their faces was priceless.” Key Club members also put to- gether care bags with personal hy- giene items, sweets and tea biscuits for the residents. “The residents were so happy and overjoyed that one of the resi- dents said that we should come back every month,” said club member Janaye Prehay. “I felt happy to help.” ALLE SOBREJUANITE, president-elect, Key Club John Gray students visit the Golden Age home.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Remembering My Special Angel, the “World Boss” Mark Travis Seymour “AKA” Hubba… My Loving Partner, Soul Mate, Best Friend, Father of my Children, My Everything Feb. 1. 1976 – Jan. 28, 2017 Forever in our hearts Your family; Tesia (TJ) (life partner), Miyah (daughter) and D’monte (son) I don’t always nd living my life so easy, With our 20 years of being together now gone. Although it is so hard with you not here, I do know, that my life must continue on. Today would have been a very special day for us as my birthday was always one of our best cookout days, we would be cooking, dancing, singing, inviting friends over and just enjoying my special day and our time together. I miss all of the things we always shared, and so many things we had not yet done. Everything that was special with only you, which cannot be replaced; not by anyone. ere was never a dull moment with you as you were my special piece of art, a special piece of art is something you can never depart, all the ne tuning and touches are details that reach the heart and as good as they may seem you can never seem to nd that graceful nishing part. Although my sad heart still aches for you, and my life isn’t the same as it was before. I’m blessed to know that our children look up to me and say mommy, you still have time to live some more. Memories of you will forever be my strength, and they will live, with you inside of my heart. I will remember everything you mean to me, instead of living the sadness of being apart. You are not forgotten my love Nor will you ever be. As long as life and memory last, Your soul will live in me. So I will always carry your love in my heart, living my life the best way that I know how. Remembering this is what you’d want of me, productive, supportive and successful I will start to live again, now. Those positive returns were not high enough, in the view of pension plan actuaries, to keep the un- funded liability in the plan from growing. An unfunded liability in a pension plan repre- sents the amount it esti- mates it will have to pay over a certain period – in the public service plan’s case, 20 years – to meet the monthly pension pay- ments due to retirees. The public service plan’s li- abilities (payments ex- pected to be due) outstrip the assets in the plan by about $220 million as of the year 2016. These are not amounts the pensions fund must pay immedi- ately, but financial consul- tants have made sugges- tions as to how to fix that deficit in future years. In the Public Service Pensions Board’s case, the unfunded liability applies only to the “de- fined benefit” portion of the plan – participated in mainly by older civil ser- vants and retirees who receive a monthly pen- sion check until their death, regardless of how much they contributed to the plan during their working years. That section of the public retirement plan was “cut off” for new par- ticipants in 1999. Civil servants hired since then pay into a “defined con- tribution” fund for re- tirement, which oper- ates similar to a 401K savings plan. As of July 1, 2016, the government increased the amounts paid on behalf of civil servants in the de- fined benefit retirement plan from 12 percent of annual salary to 17 per- cent. The cost of that in- crease is being paid en- tirely by government, not the individual plan partic- ipants, Finance Minister Marco Archer has said. The finance ministry also agreed to pay an ad- ditional $18 million in 2016 into the retirement fund to cover liabilities of retired civil servants, ac- cording to Mr. Archer. Before any application is considered by the department or the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board, the applicant will be given an opportunity to update any information in the initial ap- plication. A schedule of those updated deadlines is ex- pected to be released shortly, immigration officials said. The deadlines for submit- ting updated information will depend on when the appli- cation was submitted, after Oct. 26, 2013, when legisla- tive changes to the Immigra- tion Law creating the new permanent residence “points” system took effect. It is be- lieved that the vast majority, if not all of the residence ap- plications submitted before that date under the prior Im- migration Law have been dealt with, although some may still be going through the appeals process. “After the deadline for the submission of informa- tion passes, the department will aim to have reached a decision on the application within 30 days,” the immigra- tion statement reads. Immigration officials hedged that 30-day dead- line by stating that the pro- cessing of more than 900 ap- plications requires time and resources if the applications are to be given the “appro- priate degree of scrutiny.” Permanent residence is the right to remain in Cayman for the rest of one’s life. It can be obtained in a number of ways, but the backlog of ap- plications the government faces stems from non-Cay- manians who have applied after eight years of continued residence in the islands. “The Department of Immi- gration wishes to thank ap- plicants, their families and their employers for their pa- tience while the legal is- sues relating to the perma- nent residence points system were being addressed,” the department statement reads. “The department is fully committed to moving for- ward with the processing of applications as quickly as possible.” The changes The changes Cabinet ap- proved this month in at- tempts to get the permanent residence application process moving, after it stagnated for more than two years, have been described as “largely cos- metic” by some local immigra- tion attorneys. The most significant amendment to the system is that all pending applicants for permanent residence will re- ceive the maximum 15 points awarded for their current job, regardless of what the job is. Under the earlier system, any- where from 0 to 15 points was awarded for an applicant’s job category. HSM Chambers law firm partner Nicolas Joseph noted earlier this month: “HSM Chambers’ general view is that the new regulations are largely cosmetic and do not constitute a material change for most applicants. Our view is that these changes taking effect … will mean that almost all applicants will receive more points.” Other changes include points for on-the-job experi- ence being awarded based on how many years and months an employee has worked in that field. For instance, if a person has worked for six years and six months, they would receive six full points for the six years and half a point for the six months, giving them a total of 6.5 points for experience. Points awarded for prop- erty investment are to be given for “equity injections” into the property not made with bor- rowed funds. A section stating that points would be given only for “major investments” in the property has been de- leted, so points will likely be awarded more easily for property investments. Evidence of an applicant’s savings at a local financial institution must now be pro- vided for only one year in- stead of the past five years. Applicants between the ages of 61 and 65 will now be given six points in the “age” category on their appli- cation, rather than 0 points, reflecting the change in Cay- man’s retirement age from 60 to 65. All applicants will be scored on the age at which they applied for perma- nent residence. All changes made in the new regulations will be ret- roactive, meaning that if a person applied in 2014, their application would still be considered under the rules that now apply. “The deal is not closed yet,” Mr. Lund said, “but the price is subject to a number of different things. A prop- erty like that 7.1 acres on Seven Mile Beach could sell for anything between $25 million and $50 million.” Mr. Bovell said the hotel would offer an unnamed number of 700 sq. ft. beach- front suites, priced between US$595,000 and US$795,000; six two-bedroom, 1,700 sq. ft. villas, priced at US$1.6 mil- lion to US$1.8 million; and three three-bedroom, 4,000 sq. ft. penthouses, costing nearly $5 million each. Mr. Bovell said the HHG residences at Pageant were priced to sell: “We will be pre-selling beachfront suites, villas and penthouses ini- tially at low penetration- pricing levels,” Mr. Bovell said. “Sales are subject to final government approvals.” When HHG formally de- clared interest, the site was “pending conditional,” meaning the potential buyer confronted a range of devel- opment requirements. Nei- ther Mr. Bovell, Mr. Lund nor HHG would say if an environmental impact as- sessment – an often expen- sive and prolonged process – would be required. Mr. Lund said, however, that construction could start “next year sometime,” but cautioned he could not con- firm dates “because we are still pulling it all together.” The proposed hotel de- velopment comes in the wake of late-February’s no- tice of a US$5.75 million Naul Bodden Homes deal for the nearby 1.82-acre Tree- house site, just south of Pageant Beach. NCB plans a five-story boutique hotel adjacent to commercial and residential development. 2016 after falling out with the government leadership. Mr. Connolly said Monday that it was a great honor to serve the Caymanian people and that he felt “humbled” that voters had enough con- fidence in him to elect him four years ago. “But I do not love politics,” Mr. Connolly said during a “personal explanation” state- ment in the Legislative As- sembly. “I will not offer my- self as a candidate for re-election. I will go back to being a husband for my wife and father to my children. I will be the first to admit they have suffered and have been affected by my … role.” Mr. Connolly said many people had urged him to run again in George Town, but that he declined “running for the sake of winning.” “[Running] just for the sake of politics is not enough,” he said. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Immigration to schedule dates for PR applications Developer plans 5-star hotel at Pageant Beach CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 MLA Connolly bows out of election Winston Connolly CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Government pensions liability grows again CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “The deterioration in the estimated unfunded liability … is mainly driven by lower investment returns than assumed in the Jan. 1, 2014 actuarial valuation.” JEWEL EVANS-LINDSEY, managing director, Public Service Pensions Board An artist’s rendering of one of four pools at the proposed Pageant Beach 5-star hotel development.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017 TRUSTEES Paul Schreiner Chairperson Industry & Commerce William Gammerdinger Financial & Professional Rhonda Anderson Chamber of Commerce Derek Jones Chamber of Commerce Raul Nicoholson-Coe Industry & Commerce Peter Cockhill Financial & Professional Nicole Makin Hospitality & Tourism Charles Dickinson Voluntary & Self-Employed IMPORTANT MEETING NOTICE FOR CHAMBER PENSION PLAN MEMBERS The Board of Trustees of the Chamber Pension Plan invites our members of the Voluntary & Self-Employed Sector to attend an Extraordinary General Meeting to participate in the election of a new Trustee to represent this sector. Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa. If you are Caymanian or Permanent Resident, and interested in representing your industry group as a Trustee, please visit our website WWW.CHAMBERPENSION.KY to download a form. All submissions must be received no later than Monday April 24th, 2017 via one of the following: The Chamber Pension Plan is a democratically managed plan in the Cayman Islands. This unique structure places the decision making in the control of the plans’ membership. For this structure to work, your involvement and participation at the meeting is essential either as a volunteer OR to vote for your chosen representative. In the event you are unable to attend the meeting in person, you are requested to appoint a proxy (a representative or a Member) to vote in your place no later than Monday April 24th, 2017. More information and proxy forms can be obtained from our website WWW.CHAMBERPENSION.KY. If you have additional questions please contact the pension hotline at 745-7630. We hope to see you at the meeting Wednesday April 26th at 6:00 PM. WEDNESDAY APRIL 26TH, 2017 - 6:00 PM Chairperson-Elect Sabrina Turner Hospitality & Tourism 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 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 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 ASTRONOMY CLUB: Public astronomy viewing at Pedro’s Castle, 7:15 p.m., weather permitting. Please park outside and walk in. Call Richard on 925-4917 for more details or to check cancellation if more than 50 percent cloud cover. 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 SPRING FLING: St. Ignatius School Fair, 3-6:30 p.m. on the school grounds. $5 ticket for prize draw. Games tickets are $1 each. Lots of food, games, fun and prizes. ROCK ‘N’ 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 1-6 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 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 WALK FOR AUTISM: 6:30 a.m. Camana Bay, Nexus Way. Lighthouse School presents an autism awareness walk to raise money for its essential ASD programs. Registration is $15 for adults, $10 for kids, and free for children under 12. The buildings at Camana Bay will also light up blue to help spread awareness. 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. SUNDAY, APRIL 9 PADDLE FOR HEART CHALLENGE: A 3-mile paddle event in the watercraft of your choice. All proceeds for Hart for Hearts. Check in noon to 1:30 p.m. Race starts 2 p.m. at Hemingways. $25 per adult, $15 under 16. Register online at CaymanActive. com. Those registered must provide their own watercraft. 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. DG 5K CHALLENGE: Registration for the Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge is open at 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 labor 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. FISH FRY: St. Ignatius School Canteen. Snapper or cod, plus sides, $7 to $12. 5-8 p.m. Dine in or carry out. Proceeds support religious education and youth programs. ADULT ACTING CLASSES: Offered through the Cayman Drama Society. April 9, sketch workshop. May 7, method acting. June 4, the actor’s voice. $40 per class. Contact training@cds.ky. SINGLE-MEMBER CONSTITUENCIES: The Elections Office invites voters, potential candidates and their agents to learn more about recent changes to the Elections Law that have created 19 single-member electoral districts. Email office@elections.ky to ask questions or request short presentations for groups. PRESCHOOL FUNDING: Government funding to assist with preschool attendance is available for eligible Caymanian children who will be between 3 and 4 years old before Sept. 1. Email ecap@gov.ky or call 244-5724 for more information. Collect application forms from Government Administration Building, Department of Education, early childhood centers, District Health Centres or the Public Health Department at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Deadline to apply is April 28. VOTER ID CARDS: Elections officials will start issuing voter ID cards from April 1. The revised voters’ list is scheduled to be out on March 31 with all the verified changes and new registrations. This will be formalized in the final list of voters on April 1. MARITIME CULTURE: The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands’ exhibit celebrates Cayman’s maritime heritage and identity. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Admission is free. Families can download a free copy of the “Upon the Seas” exhibition guide at www.nationalgallery.org.ky. Guides include information about the artists, exhibition themes, discussion points and art activities. Guides available on arrival. The exhibit runs until April 20. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The Thrift Shop opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed evenings. Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed. Tuesdays at the Truman Bodden Complex at 5:30 p.m. for track/field, football and bocce. No experience necessary, just a smile and patience. Wednesdays at Lions Pool 10:15–11 a.m. You do not have to swim, just be able to walk in water chest-deep. Thursdays at First Baptist Church for basketball, 5:30–7 p.m. Saturdays, volunteers needed for Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30–10:30 a.m. Deck support and in-water swimming assistance needed. For more information, contact Penny McDowall at 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands offers a new exhibit that celebrates Cayman’s maritime identity. It includes the painting ‘Slow Fade’ by Yonier Powery. The exhibit runs until April 20.Next >