ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY APRIL 10, 2017 High of 84 Low of 75 Seas: Moderate to rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ‘GROWTH MATTERS’ FILMS DRAW ON BASIC ECONOMIC TRUTHS LOCAL | PAGE 2 HUMANE SOCIETY FURBALL EMBRACES HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR Also Available RED BAY SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA SECURITY GUARD SHOT IN ROBBERY OUTSIDE FOSTER’S BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A security guard was shot twice during a Saturday night armored truck robbery out- side the Foster’s Food Fair-IGA Airport grocery store in George Town. The guard, 51, underwent surgery over- night Saturday for bullet wounds in his arm and leg and was expected to survive. The suspects involved got away with a “good amount” of cash being collected by the truck, according to Foster’s Managing Director Woody Foster. However, Mr. Foster said the money is insured and it was the furthest thing from his mind when considering what might have happened in the incident. “We’re just amazed that only the guard was shot,” Mr. Foster said. “A number of shots were fired. It was extremely busy at the store, which is the really frightening part. It was a lot of [gunshot] shells spent in a very crowded place. “This really could have been a lot worse.” The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said the robbery attempt occurred around 7:10 p.m. Saturday. Typically, Saturday eve- nings are among the busiest times of the week for the store. Police said two security guards were pro- tecting the armored truck, but only one suf- fered gunshot injuries. Both were taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital Saturday following the shooting. The second guard was not injured in the incident, but was “a bit shaken,” said RCIPS Chief Inspector Frank Owens. That guard was checked out and later released from hospital. No arrests were immediately reported. Mr. Foster said his businesses have not been exempt from criminal activity in the STEVE FOSTER PASSES AWAY The co-founder of Foster’s Food Fair IGA Minard Steve Foster died Thursday evening, at the age of 78. Along with his brother David, he set up Foster’s Food Fair in 1980, followed by several other successful businesses in Grand Cayman. For more, see page 10. Phillips named ‘Officer of the Year’ RCIPS’s finest, community members honored BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Fifteen years after he went on his first work experience “ride along” with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, Police Constable Brandaughn Phillips is now the standard against which all local police officers are measured in 2017. “He has chased down bur- glars, even into the sea itself … provided primary medical care to victims of stabbings and shootings and resusci- tated drowning victims,” Po- lice Commissioner Derek Byrne said Thursday night during an awards presentation at Govern- ment House. “Brandaughn is not afraid of a foot chase or a car chase, or indeed any other kind of chase. He will do any- thing to help an officer in need.” Mr. Byrne’s remarks came during the annual RCIPS Out- standing Service Awards where PC Phillips was named Po- lice Officer of the Year. It was Mr. Byrne’s first time hosting the awards and the first time the event was held at Governor Helen Kilpatrick’s beach res- idence. Despite a number of unexpected visitors crashing the party in the form of flying termites, Commissioner Byrne said the annual event was a big success and remains an im- portant way to honor Cayman’s dedicated police officers. “We have members of the community joining us tonight to acknowledge the fine work done by its officers throughout the course of the year,” Mr. Byrne said, adding that eight different categories of awards were given out during the event Premier comes out swingingCDP outlines 100-day plan BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com In a Saturday night event that was partly a campaign launch and partly a fond fare- well to a former Progressives party leader, Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin took aim at two political opponents – one of whom is a long-time adversary and another who is not running in the general election campaign. Meanwhile, Progressives party founder Kurt Tibbetts, who is retiring from politics after his current term in of- fice ends this spring, made it clear to the hundreds gathered in George Town’s Family Life Centre that he would be ac- tively campaigning to support the party’s 15 candidates in the next two months even though TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com In a 40-minute Saturday- night address, Cayman Dem- ocratic Party leader McKeeva Bush outlined an ambitious eight-point action plan for his first “10 to 100 days” if elected in May. Speaking to attendees at the Lions Centre, Mr. Bush, who earlier garnered 181 votes in an audience poll for party leader, beating the four votes of his nearest competitor, Bodden Town East candidate Robert Bodden, called the vote a “confirmation.” Mr. Bush said within his first 100 days, “we have got to take care of our seniors,” prom- ising nearly to double govern- ment’s $550 monthly aid for the elderly “to at least $1,000.” PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Police Commissioner Derek Byrne congratulates Police Officer of the Year Brandaughn Phillips. - PHOTO: MAGGIE JACKSON PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11 » Political parties hold conferences PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 10, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 - MONDAY - SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE 3D (PG) 12:30 I 3:30 2D I 6:40 I 9:35 2D GHOST IN THE SHELL 3D (PG13) 12:55 I 4:15 VIP I 7:15 I 9:50 VIP BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D (PG) 12:50 2D I 3:40 I 7:20 2D I 9:55 GOING IN STYLE (PG13) 12:40 I 3:55 I 7:10 I 9:45 LIFE (R) 1:00 VIP I 3:55 I 7:05 VIP I 10:15 BOSS BABY 3D (PG) 12:45 2D I 3:50 I 6:50 2D I 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) Furball embraces Hollywood The annual Humane So- ciety Furball rolled out the red carpet for its Hol- lywood-themed ball on Saturday night. “Rhett Butler,” “Scarlett O’Hara,” “Kim Kardashian” in champagne glass-bal- ancing mode, and “Audrey Hepburn” were among the characters who made an ap- pearance at the glamorous event at the Marriott hotel on Seven Mile Beach. Guests were invited to at- tend as their favorite movie stars or dressed for a night in Tinseltown. The movie theme continued with each table being named after popular movies through the ages, including “Gone with the Wind,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Star Wars,” and “La La Land.” All proceeds of the ball go toward the Humane Society’s shelter for animals. Humane Society volunteers Sophia Leavett, Dana Boardsen channeling Kim Kardashian’s famous champagne glass-balance photo shoot, Carolyn Lum and Alison Pinchin Governor Helen Kilpatrick and Saskia Salden from the Humane Society Board of Directors Kadi and Damian Pentney The Force is with Daniel Stuber, Amanda Bodden and Aubrey Bodden Elizabeth Bise as ‘Grace Kelly,’ Darrell Hines as ‘Rhett Butler’ and Veronique Bise as ‘Scarlett O’Hara.’ The tables were named after some of Hollywood’s most famous movies.Petro Kotze, Karen Perkins and Lindsey Gordon3 LOCAL&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 10, 2017 Invasive flying termites create a buzz in Cayman KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Flying termites de- scended on Seven Mile Beach and throughout West Bay Thursday evening, as the in- sects’ annual spring breeding got under way. The evening’s balmy, still night offered ideal conditions for Asian subterranean ter- mite breeding, explained Uni- versity of Florida professor Rudolf H. Scheffrahn. “Like any bug, they are at- tracted to light. They start flying right when the sun sets and emerge very quickly from infested trees or struc- tures,” Mr. Scheffrahn said. The invasive pest was first discovered in Grand Cayman near Governors Harbour in 2000. By 2014, the pest had already been found in 102 lo- cations on the main island, in addition to detections on the sister islands. Researchers believe the insect was likely brought to Cayman by infested boats. The highly prolific species is expected to spread to most of western Grand Cayman by 2050. Mature colonies, reaching up to a million termites, dis- perse in mass before the Ca- ribbean rainy season to find new locations to infest. While the termites have a short reproductive window, lasting only about half an hour, Mr. Scheffrahn said only a couple of termites are needed to start a new colony. Department of Environ- ment manager Frederic J. Burton said most of the ter- mites die in flight. “Lizards, birds and other critters eat most of them, and then many of the survivors fail to estab- lish new colonies and die,” Mr. Burton said. He recommended mos- quito screens to keep the insects out of homes. For a long-term solution, he said subterranean bait sticks are effective at detecting new infestations. Mr. Scheffrahn said in- fested boats may be fumi- gated, but he did not rec- ommend the method for homes. Since the insects often burrow into trees and soil, building fumigations are often ineffective. The pest is now found in most of the Caribbean, he said, with established colo- nies in Jamaica and Cuba. Mature colonies, reaching up to a million termites, disperse in mass before the Caribbean rainy season to find new locations to infest. The invasive Asian subterranean termite has been in Grand Cayman since at least 2000. – PHOTO: RUDOLF H. SCHEFFRAHN Elderly cyclist struck in West Bay hit-and-run A 69-year-old cyclist was injured in a hit-and-run col- lision early Saturday morning in George Town. Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service officer said a car and the man’s bicycle col- lided around 12.15 a.m. near the Rubis gas station on Eastern Avenue. “The motor vehicle left the scene prior to police arrival,” according to a police state- ment on the incident. The cyclist was taken to the Cayman Islands Hos- pital, where he was treated for non-life threatening in- juries and subsequently dis- charged, police said. Police are investigating the incident and are asking anyone who has any information to call Traffic Management on 649-6254 or 949-4222. Anonymous tips can be provided via Miami-based call center of Crime Stoppers at 800-8477 (TIPS). GUATEMALA RAIDS MEDIA, OTHER PROPERTIES IN LAUNDERING PROBE GUATEMALA CITY (AP) – Gua- temalan authorities have car- ried out 17 raids targeting businesses, news media and private residences in connec- tion with a broad-ranging money-laundering probe. Friday’s raids include Emisoras Unidas radio and the Antigua Canal TV sta- tion, which belong to the Grupo A consortium. One of the group’s former directors is a former cabinet minister being investigated for pos- sible corruption under former President Otto Perez Molina. Prosecutors’ spokes- woman Julia Barrera says the raids are related to an investigation of money laun- dering and their goal is to seize accounting, financial and banking documents. The prosecutor’s office says said no further details will immediately be available. Jaime Torres is general manager of Emisoras Unidas. He told local news media that the radio station is cooper- ating with the investigation.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” “War is the health of the state. It automatically sets in motion throughout society those irresistible forces for uniformity, for passionate cooperation with the govern- ment in coercing into obe- dience the minority groups and individuals which lack the larger herd sense.” – Randolph Bourne (1886-1918) WASHINGTON – One hun- dred years ago, two events three days apart set the 20th century’s trajectory. On April 9, 1917, in Zurich, Vladimir Lenin boarded a train. Germany expedited its passage en route to Saint Petersburg – known as Len- ingrad from 1924 to 1991 – expecting him to exacer- bate Russia’s convulsions, causing Russia’s with- drawal from World War I, allowing Germany to shift forces to the Western Front. Lenin boarded the train three days after the United States, responding to Ger- many’s unrestricted sub- marine warfare and other provocations, declared war. Soon 2 million Americans would be in Europe. They, and the promise of many more, compelled Germany to accept an armistice at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. Monday night and the next two nights, PBS’s “American Experience” will present a six-hour docu- mentary, “The Great War.” Watch it and wince. It covers familiar diplomatic and military events, before and after America’s blood- iest battle, the Meuse-Ar- gonne offensive, in which American fatalities aver- aged 550 a day for 47 days. Woodrow Wilson im- posed and incited extraordi- nary repressions: “There are citizens of the United States … born under other flags … who have poured the poison of disloyalty into the very arteries of our national life …. Such creatures of pas- sion, disloyalty and anarchy must be crushed out …. They are infinitely malignant, and the hand of our power should close over them.” His Committee on Public Information churned out domestic propaganda in- structing the public how to detect pro-German sympathies. A 22-year-old Justice Department official named J. Edgar Hoover ad- ministered a program that photographed, fingerprinted and interrogated 500,000 suspects. Local newspa- pers published the names of people who were not buying war bonds or otherwise supporting the war. People were fired or ostracized for insufficient enthusiasm. The Espionage Act of 1917 made it a crime to “collect, record, publish or commu- nicate” information useful to the enemy. In Illinois, Robert Prager, a German-American coal miner suspected of spying, was stripped, marched through the streets and hanged. The Washington Post deplored such “ex- cesses” but applauded the “healthful and wholesome awakening in the interior part of the country.” Josef Hofer and his two brothers were South Da- kota Hutterites whose faith forbade any involvement in war, including wearing a military uniform. They were arrested in March 1918, and a week after the armistice they were sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Arriving at the military prison around midnight, they stood naked for hours in a 17-degree November night. Then they were sus- pended naked from the bars of their cells, their feet barely touching the ground, refusing to wear the uni- forms left in their cells. Fed only bread and water, after two weeks David Hofer was allowed to telegraph to Jo- sef’s wife, telling her that her husband was dying. He died the morning after she arrived. Prison guards mocked his corpse by dressing it in a uniform. The U.S. military was the world’s 17th largest in April 1917, smaller (less than 250,000) than Roma- nia’s, and smaller than Brit- ain’s casualties in one battle. America’s military became a melting pot for a nation in which one-third of the popu- lation had been born abroad or whose parents had been. Forty-three languages were spoken in one Army divi- sion raised in New York. One group was ineligible for melting: Printed at the bottom of draft registration cards were these words: “If person is of African descent, tear off this corner.” The African-Americans from around the nation who joined New York’s 15th Na- tional Guard Regiment, the Harlem Hellfighters, included Leroy Johnston from Phil- lips County, Arkansas. He spent nine months in French hospitals recuperating from wounds suffered in the Meuse-Argonne, then in 1919 returned to an Arkansas seething with fears of an Af- rican-American insurrection because a returning African American veteran had formed a union of black sharecrop- pers. The narrator of “The Great War” says that as groups of white men “roamed the countryside, killing hun- dreds of black people, a train pulled into the sta- tion. A crowd rushed aboard and dragged out four un- suspecting black men. They were Leroy Johnston and his three brothers.” After a melee, “the mob shot the Johnston brothers to pieces.” The war unleashed a flu pandemic that killed more people in a year – some- where between 20 million and 50 million – than the war killed in four years. The flu’s victims included Randolph Bourne. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2017, Washington Post Writers Group What is the source of prosperity in the Cayman Islands? Well, it’s not an overabundance of natural resources such as loamy farmland or rich mineral deposits, or a strategic geographical location at the crossroads of trade. It’s certainly not the government … though one could perhaps be forgiven for being misled into that belief, based on statements and promises issuing from the mouths of certain politicians in advance of the May 24 elections. As any economist, entrepreneur or impartial observer will tell you, the so-called “engine of the economy” is in fact the private sector – in other words, ordinary private citizens like us who live, work and spend money in our beloved islands. That doesn’t mean the public sector doesn’t have vital functions to fulfill, for example: helping to make the economy more efficient by streamlining bureaucratic processes; keeping Cayman an attrac- tive place for residents and investors by ensuring public safety and health; preparing young people through robust education to participate fully in Cayman’s economic banquet; and even allowing for the creation of brand-new business opportunities through enabling legislation. But when the pedal hits the metal, the force propel- ling our country forward is, ultimately, generated by the activity of Cayman’s businesses and the people who work for them. It only makes sense that as we steer the economic course of our country, private sector leaders – not public officials – are the ones calling out the direc- tions and sitting in the driver’s seat. With candidates vying for votes over the next six weeks, it is a fortuitous time for the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce to launch its “Growth Matters” initiative, which aims “to explain how our economy works and why growth is so important for our community.” (You can think of it as “counterprogramming” to campaign narratives … as the “antidote” to political speech … or, perhaps most accurately, as factual information.) The educational initiative began last Wednesday with the debut of 10 animated short films (about 2-3 minutes apiece) that tackle topics such as “What is the economy?”; “Where does money come from?”; “Under- standing our economy”; “When companies do well, every- body does well”; “How economic growth improves living standards”; “Growing our local economy”; “Growing our international economy”; and “How government helps our economy grow.” The lessons from the videos are plain, simple and fundamental. The private sector is the primary source of wealth in Cayman. The two most important indus- tries in Cayman are financial services and tourism, which enrich the country as a whole by bringing in wealth from overseas. There are two ways to grow our economy: by increasing individual incomes, or by increasing the popu- lation. If our international businesses cannot recruit and hire the employees they need, eventually they will pack up and move away, taking all their resources and job opportunities with them. The films will be shown to Cayman residents of all ages, and hopefully will become absorbed into the “common knowledge” of the community. (You can view them at www.growthmatters.ky.) As a proud sponsor of Growth Matters, Pinnacle Media (parent company of the Cayman Compass) would like to congratulate Chamber president Kyle Broadhurst on the initiative, and we’d like to single out for special recogni- tion CML CEO Steve McIntosh, who conceived the idea and steered the films through the production process. For the purposes of this editorial, we will borrow the conclusion from the Chamber’s 10th and final film: “We know that a thriving economy is not the end goal. The end goal is a society in which our people are safe, happy and healthy; a community that lives in harmony; a community in which everybody has the opportunity to pursue his or her dreams; a community that stands together to overcome its challenges instead of being overcome by them.” ‘Growth Matters’ films draw on basic economic truths MONDAY APRIL 10, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Experience America at the time of the Great War GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE 5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 10, 2017 Candidates face eligibility challenges Three independents ordered to appear in Grand Court to answer objections to candidacy BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three independent po- litical candidates, all rep- resenting different Cayman Islands voting districts, have been summonsed to appear in Grand Court to answer challenges to their respective eligibili- ties in the upcoming gen- eral election. Constitutional chal- lenges were filed on Wednesday and Thursday against the three men by the Cayman Islands Elec- tions Office, represented by Supervisor of Elections Wesley Howell. Revamped Elections Law The challenges are the first filed under the revamped Elections Law approved late last year. The new law al- lows the supervisor of elec- tions to file the challenges with the Grand Court. The challenges are required to be heard within a short time frame and a judge’s deci- sion as to a candidate’s eligi- bility is considered final and unappealable. Mr. Howell set out the general details of the chal- lenge process: “Where there are doubts as to the quali- fication/disqualification of a candidate, [the process is] to request evidence from government agencies (they have up to 7 days to re- spond) and seek a response from the candidate(s) in re- lation to the concerns. If, on receipt of the response, it is still legally unclear as to qualification/disqualifi- cation of a candidate, then I apply through the Attorney General’s Chambers to the Grand Court for a decla- ration as to the qualifica- tion or disqualification of that candidate.” As far as the Cayman Compass is aware, no dates have been set for the courts to hear the eligibility challenges. The three candidates, Alric Lindsay in George Town South, Nickolas DaCosta in Cayman Brac West/Little Cayman, and Mario Rankin in Newlands, were contacted this week for comment regarding the eligi- bility challenges. All three de- clined to comment. The three candidates are first-time entrants into the local elections process. The challenges According to the origi- nating summons for Mr. Lindsay, the elections of- fice seeks a declaration as to his qualification for election under sections 61(1)(d) and 61(2)(b) of the constitution “on the basis that [Mr. Lindsay] is not a qualified citizen.” Also, the summons seeks a declaration as to Mr. Lind- say’s qualification for elec- tion under section 61(1)(f) of the constitution. This involves the candidate’s “absence from the Cayman Islands in ex- cess of 400 days in the seven years immediately preceding the date of his nomination for election.” The summons against Mr. DaCosta also seeks a decla- ration of his eligibility under section 61(1)(c) of the con- stitution “on the basis that [Mr. DaCosta] was domi- ciled and/or resident of the United States of America at the date of his nomination for election.” A second declaration re- garding Mr. DaCosta’s quali- fication for election is sought under sections 61(1)(d) and 61(2)(a) of the constitution “on the basis that [he], at the date of his nomination for election, possessed U.S. citizenship.” The third declaration sought for Mr. DaCosta under constitution section 62(1)(a) states that he is “by virtue of his own act, under an ac- knowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state, naming the U.S.” The third claim relates to two issues: Mr. DaCosta’s ap- pointment as a Notary Public in Florida and his registration as a U.S. voter in Florida since 2010, court records state. The elections office is seeking a declaration of dis- qualification for election to the Legislative Assembly for Mr. Rankin under sec- tion 62(1)(e) of the constitu- tion “on the basis of his con- victions by the courts of the Cayman Islands for offenses involving dishonesty.” The summons against Mr. Rankin does not specify the nature of those convictions. Constitutional challenges were filed on Wednesday and Thursday against the three men by the Cayman Islands Elections Office, represented by Supervisor of Elections Wesley Howell. CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Political candidate Mario Rankin appeared in Sum- mary Court Thursday for re- view of agreed payments following charges that he, trading as Sail Inn Res- taurant, failed to pay var- ious amounts of wages to a number of employees during periods of 2012-2013. The defendant, an inde- pendent candidate for New- lands in the May general election, was first in court for this matter on Feb. 18, 2014. According to informal notes kept by the Cayman Compass, the court was told by his attorney at the time that it was just a matter of working out a payment plan. On April 29, 2014, dis- cussions were under way as to payments, with the first payment to be made in May 2014. Last week, Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin said Mr. Rankin had been paying $300 per month, for a total so far of $9,000. From this amount nine employees have been paid, she told Magis- trate Valdis Foldats. She said the Crown was now asking for those monthly payments to be increased to $600 to $800 per month. The magistrate asked the defendant, “Were you in a documentary about Cayman?” The documentary to which the magistrate was apparently referring was titled “Britain’s Trillion Pound Island,” presented by Jacques Peretti, who inter- viewed a number of people in Cayman for an hour-long feature that aired on BBC2 in January 2016. Mr. Rankin replied that he did not see the relevance of the magistrate’s ques- tion. The magistrate said he would be the judge of what was relevant and indi- cated he would be requiring a statement of the defen- dant’s finances. Mr. Rankin indicated that would be no problem, since he had made a declaration in the Legislative Assembly a few days earlier – a refer- ence to the requirement that candidates provide infor- mation about their employ- ment, shareholdings or direc- torships in companies, and landholdings. The magistrate ordered the defendant “provide an affidavit outlining his cur- rent assets/liabilities/income from all sources in all juris- dictions by his next court ap- pearance, “ set for April 24. A check of the court file indicated that no pleas have been entered to the charges, which were brought under the Labour Law. Some of them pertain to “failure to pay for hours worked as per employer roster” and others pertain to “failure to pay vacation pay.” Some employees are listed as being owed sums in both categories, so it was not im- mediately clear how many employees were affected. Amounts noted ranged from $443.75 to $3,616.25. The defendant has re- turned to court periodically so that the payment schedule could be monitored. Rankin in court for failure to pay wagesDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days George Town MONDAY APRIL 10, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS St. Ignatius students experience a musical introduction to UK A group of St. Ignatius students recently had the chance to take in an exciting assortment of experiences on a trip to the U.K. Following six months of planning and fine tuning, on Feb. 21, 28 members of the St. Ignatius Catholic School Con- cert Band embarked on their first overseas trip, headed to historic Dollar Academy, Scotland, founded in 1818. According to St. Igna- tius Head of Music Simon Donoghue, the students had the chance to participate in many musical activities, and to experience Scotland’s culture firsthand, visiting many of the country’s at- tractions and staying with host families from Dollar Academy for 10 days. Mr. Donoghue told the Compass other trip high- lights included watching per- formances at the Royal Con- servatoire of Scotland, and attending London’s West End theatre productions of Phantom of The Opera, School of Rock and Tchaikovsky’s “The Sleeping Beauty” at The Royal Opera House. In addition to the musical experiences, the trip pro- vided other learning op- portunities offering lifelong lessons for the children, including budgeting for the trip and packing clothing and essential items. “Traveling not only en- hances the students’ life skills in the way they conduct themselves, manage their time, and arrive punctually in a responsible manner, but provides our students with valuable educational expe- riences which are not avail- able to them here,” said Mr. Donoghue, of the many benefits that young people from the Cayman Islands can gain from exchange pro- grams like these. “Ultimately, they help to shape personalities, inspire minds and provide lifelong experiences with other stu- dents of their age. I cannot express how proud I am of my students, not only in their musical performances, but perhaps more impor- tantly, in their manners and in their conduct. They truly are ambassadors of [the] Cayman Islands.” Mr. Donoghue thanked the other members of staff who accompanied the stu- dents, the parents of all the students and the many sponsors who contributed to make the trip so suc- cessful. Continuing the ex- change, St. Ignatius Cath- olic School will be hosting students from Dollar Academy during the next academic year. 50 years ago: Mosquito control actions get under way In the April 12, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, news from George Town included: “The Caymanian has been interested to learn from the Mosquito Control Unit that in accordance with the powers conferred by the recent law regarding the clearing of bushes as out- lined in our pages, inspec- tion of premises in George Town has been commenced. “The first round of visits resulted in 13 notices being issued and when the prem- ises were inspected two weeks later, it was found that five had completed the work requested; three had started but not finished; and five had just not touched anything. These latter cases have been reported to the Clerk of Courts and it is an- ticipated that appropriate legal action will be taken. “The Unit is aiming to visit on one afternoon per week and to make the second inspection two weeks after letters requesting clear- ance have been posted by registered mail. “Dr. Giglioli has also in- dicated that the new fog- gers are almost ready to go into action. These have a different nozzle, which gets extremely hot when the fogger is in use, and so children are warned not to touch these machines as they will get badly burned if they do. Last season, it was difficult for the drivers of the mini-mokes to keep children from climbing all over the machines and par- ents are asked to make a special point of warning their children that this is very dangerous and even more so now that they might also get burned.” In the same issue, news from the Administrator’s desk included: “Mr. Edward Zacca, a Jamaican magistrate, ar- rived on Sunday to hear an application filed by Mr. Carl Rattray on behalf of Gerrit Lansing. “Mr. David Smedley, U.N. Coordinator of the World’s Meteorological Service, was in the island from the 8th to 10th conferring with Mr. Frank Roulstone, Jr. and Mr. A.B. Bush regarding our Me- teorological Service here. “The French Consul-Gen- eral in Puerto Rico, M. Fon- scolombe, is due to arrive in Grand Cayman on the 21st by a French Air Force air- craft to pay an official call. “Capt. Cash of BWIA and his wife and daughter have been invited to be guests at Government House from the 22nd to the 23rd. A function will be arranged to mark Capt. Cash’s retirement and the end of the service of the faithful Viscounts, the last scheduled flight of which will be on Friday the 14th. “Mr. Martin Brunt from the Land Resources Divi- sion of the Directorate of Overseas Survey in Britain arrived on Sunday to com- plete the Survey of Swamp Vegetation for the Mosquito Control Unit which he began on his last visit some time ago. He is seconded by the Ministry of Overseas De- velopment for this partic- ular project.” St. Ignatius team investor winners St. Ignatius High School students Robert Rutkowski and Daniel Champoux were the February team of the month winners in this school year’s Saxon Invest- ment Club program. Their team, “Marxists” had the highest return (11.92 per- cent) for the month of Feb- ruary among participating schools in the extra-cur- ricular program that al- lows students to gain prac- tical insights into investing, money, the stock market, stock trends, and starting and running a business. According to a press release, students trade with demo accounts set up by OneTRADEx, whose trading platform is built on software that operates in real time and produces reports of investing ac- tivities. OneTRADEx also awards the monthly prizes to top performers. The Saxon Investment Club program ran from Oc- tober 2016 to March 2017, when the winning team was selected based on the highest net value of the in- vestments made. The prize ceremony was hosted at St. Ignatius on April 5. The St. Ignatius students at Dollar Academy. Daniel Champoux and Robert Rutkowski.District Days George Town DISTRICT DAYS 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 10, 2017 Childhood garden inspires real living farming JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com One retired Caymanian is revisiting the gardens of her childhood to inspire her own front-yard farming, raising plants just like her parents and grandparents used to do. Donna Bryan‘s roadside nursery, located in front of her George Town home on Fairbanks Road, is worth a stop, even if it’s not for plants. This Bracker-turned- George Towner holds a mul- titude of Caymanian cul- tural traditions and stories that will keep you enter- tained for hours. The tiny nursery can easily be missed, so if you’d like to pay a visit, keep a sharp lookout for the colorful establishment tucked away in the bushes and greenery not far from the Field of Dreams baseball complex. Crotons, petunias, im- patiens, coleus and flow- ering purslane spill out of cleverly arranged hanging pots, herbs and greeneries within clay pots are ar- ranged on wooden benches. In the garden, beautiful host plants, like hibiscus, desert roses and shamrock, are ripe for clippings. After retiring at age 60, Ms. Bryan decided to sup- plement her income by culti- vating and selling plants. She said she has always loved working with plants, as well as thatching and sewing. “I don’t think I can make a living from it though,” she said, a sad note in her voice. “Things are hard these days and I have lots of grand- children that need a little help after losing their father,” she continued. “I also have medical is- sues and the little plant sales help with my income from working on the bus,” she said. Growing up on Cayman Brac, Ms. Bryan, like most Caymanians, learned sewing, thatching and craft work, and inherited a love of plants from her parents. She has fond mem- ories of her mother’s garden in the Brac. “I loved to watch my mother tend the garden and remember her telling us not to touch her special aralia tree as we played in the grass, and I enjoyed when the rains came that brought in the great smells from the garden,” she recalled. “My mother loved crafts, people and plants – she was also one of the best seam- stresses in Cayman Brac. Everything I got from my mother,” said Ms. Bryan, proudly explaining that gar- dening was in her blood. Ms. Bryan’s Fairbanks Road plant nursery came about when she started pot- ting plant clippings friends and family were throwing away. Once they caught, she planted a tree in her yard so she would have a “mother plant” from which she could get her own clippings to grow other plants. “My pleasure is getting to see the beauty in my plants every day,” she said. “I talk to them, espe- cially when I see a little bud forming; then I coax it along so it won’t die. Researchers believe that talking to plants may stimulate growth be- cause of the carbon dioxide produced when people exhale as they speak,” she continued. “When you can look at God’s nature and see how living plant-like things are able to grow, it makes me have a great apprecia- tion of nature.” Ms. Bryan’s time in the garden has given her a chance to reflect on her childhood and how life has changed for the people in Cayman in a relatively short time. Her childhood memories are full of adventures, like climbing the Cayman Brac Bluff, enjoying the outdoors, swimming, and collecting fruits and plants. “Saturday evening, when all the chores were finished, we roamed the bushes to pick seagrapes, coco plums and mangoes, all these things that children do not take ad- vantage of today that [are] very healthy,” she recollected. When she came home from school, she would help her mother sew items to sell to tourists. “Those days, things were much cheaper and you could stretch the dollar, plus we had a lot of sea- food and ‘breadkind’ to make do,” she said. “Honestly, I think life in the Cayman Islands is much harder for the poorer class of people today than it was years ago.” Donation brings home a relic of Cayman’s early days The Cayman Islands Na- tional Museum is celebrating the repatriation of a household artifact originating from Cay- man’s very early days which is now part of its collection. Dating from 1745, the 24-inch high, hand-carved mortar made from a single Cayman mahogany log was used by several generations of the McLaughlin and Watler families to grind guinea corn and other wild grains. The mortar was donated to the museum on Feb. 1 by Everette Humphrey, a former high school science teacher from Flint, Michigan. According to a press re- lease from the museum, the mortar dates back to a time when the islands were known as the Caymanas and were largely unoccupied. In that era, English planters from Jamaica received patents of Crown land to settle and de- velop the land in Cayman, which at that time had a ma- hogany industry. Mr. Humphrey noticed the mortar on a trip to Cayman several decades ago at the home of East End resident Olympia Watler. “That old thing is no good anymore. It is cracked and leaks,” Mr. Humphrey recol- lected Ms. Watler saying to him in 1973 when he told her he was interested in pur- chasing a traditional Cay- manian mortar. Dr. Philip Pedley of the Na- tional Archive found out from Ms. Watler that the mortar had been in the family and used ever since her ancestor made it out of a log he cut in the bush in 1745. “She had it sitting on her front porch with a potted plant sitting in it,” said Mr. Humphrey, who bought the mortar from her for $34. According to Mr. Hum- phrey, Ms. Watler was pleased with the transaction, as she reportedly said, “Now I can buy some sugar and make some cookies for the chilens.” Now, four decades after buying it and taking it back to Michigan, Mr. Humphrey decided to bring it back to Cayman and donate it to the museum. “We are especially grateful to Mr. Humphrey for rec- ognizing the importance of this object and for his love and dedication to preserving it,” the Museum states in the release. “Without Mr. Humphrey’s intervention, this piece of history would surely have been lost. Today, it is one of the oldest tangible objects from our early history.” Mr. Humphrey also do- nated a pestle fashioned in 1973 for the mortar and a partial cart and winch for making rope, obtained from Adina “Tooksie” Whit- taker of Breakers. Donna Bryan, right, shows customer Krysti Williams one of her garden’s plants. Ms. Bryan’s garden has a number of ‘mother plants’ which she uses to grow other plants. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY The hand-carved mahogany mortar dates from the mid-1700s. Dating from 1745, the 24-inch high, hand- carved mortar made from a single Cayman mahogany log was used by several generations of the McLaughlin and Watler families to grind guinea corn and other wild grains.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY APRIL 10, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARDS 2017 WINNERS POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR Brandaughn Phillips WELFARE AWARD Vincent Mitchell AUXILIARY CONSTABLE OF THE YEAR Carol Swaby SPECIAL CONSTABLE OF THE YEAR Glinton Williams DIVERSITY AWARD Jonathan Kern SUPPORT STAFF MEMBER OF THE YEAR Shelda Lynch COMMUNITY AWARD Jykalli Swaby RUNNERS-UP – including one for community members who assisted the po- lice in their job. “It’s a bit like an iceberg, there’s an awful lot that’s not seen that’s under the surface and tonight we try to bring that above the surface. “The men and women of RCIPS go out on a daily basis, when people are at home in their beds at night … these people are out there doing what they can to protect our homes and communities,” the commissioner said. PC Phillips, 31, said Thursday night that he was humbled by the honor he com- peted for against fellow offi- cers Police Sergeant Roje Wil- liams and Police Constable Cyril Gordon. “We join knowing that we don’t do it for the recognition … we help those who need help. Us being there at the right time is the most impor- tant thing,” Mr. Phillips said. The RCIPS Tactical Fire- arms Unit, which saw its first fatal shooting of an armed suspect in decades earlier this year, received the commission- er’s Unit Citation Award, ac- cepted on behalf of the fire- arms unit by Police Sergeant Loxley Solomon. The runner- up in the category was the RCIPS Drugs and Serious Crime Task Force. “Last year, [the firearms unit] recovered 15 firearms and arrested a number of dan- gerous suspects … making significant contributions to public safety in the process,” Mr. Byrne said. The police awards also honored members of the spe- cial constabulary, volunteer police officers who give up a portion of their free time to as- sist paid RCIPS officers with a number of tasks. The 2017 Special Constable of the Year award was given to Special Constable Glinton Williams. “He works far above the requisite hours and makes himself available even when off duty,” Commissioner Byrne said. Special Constable Me- dardo Martinez was the runner-up in the category. It is not only police of- ficers who received awards at the annual ceremony Thursday night. Civilian sup- port staff and regular mem- bers of the public were also given kudos for helping police officers. “Without their assis- tance, we’d be lost,” the com- missioner said. The Community Award was given to Jykalli Swaby who was making a delivery in December when he saw a woman running by him screaming “Thief!” Mr. Swaby offered the woman a ride in his vehicle and followed the suspect who had stolen her phone and then climbed aboard a public bus. Mr. Swaby called 911 and gave a “running commentary” while tailing the “suspect vehicle” along West Bay Road where police intercepted the bus and arrested the man who had taken the phone. “Mr. Swaby could have continued along his way that morning, but he chose to get involved and help,” Mr. Byrne said. The contributions of resi- dents Jevone Mitchell, Clancie Bourke and Leroy Whittaker were also noted, as the three participated in a water rescue of two snorkelers off the coast of East End. “One of the snor- kelers needed medical atten- tion and may have drowned if not for their efforts,” the com- missioner said. The police support staff member of the year award went to Shelda Lynch, who works as an administrative secretary in the police crim- inal justice department. “Her competence has enabled offi- cers to respond to urgent po- licing matters because they know she can be relied upon,” Commissioner Byrne said. Other awards were handed out for officers who looked after police welfare, the re- cipient of which was Police Constable Vincent Mitchell who has volunteered to run a health and fitness program for police officers and support staff. Police Constable Jona- than Kern received the Diver- sity Award for his efforts in raising funds for charities and the care of special needs chil- dren and the disabled. The Auxiliary Constable of the Year award was given to Carol Swaby, a courts secu- rity officer, who has “brought about several arrests for drugs and other offenses” for those attending court, according to the commissioner. Although they were not given specific awards, RCIPS officers Chief Inspector Pat- rick Beersingh, Police Sergeant Neil Mohammed and Detective Sergeant Orlando Mason were mentioned by Commissioner Byrne for their exceptional ser- vice over the years. Sergeant Mason received a special men- tion for his role in the sur- render of an armed murder suspect in West Bay during a hostage situation. “[Mr.] Mason convinced the man to surrender with no fur- ther shots fired or lives lost,” Mr. Byrne said. “Detective Ser- geant Mason is not a trained negotiator, but he saved lives that day. I am sure of it.” Phillips named ‘Officer of the Year’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Deputy Commissioner Kurt Walton congratulates 6-year-old Kiana Clarke for her community efforts. - PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKE Winner of the Auxiliary Constable of the Year Carol Swaby with runner-up Lennox Curtis Ebanks. - PHOTO: MAGGIE JACKSON Police Officer of the Year: Sergeant Roje Williams, Constable Cyril Gordon Support Staff Member of the Year: Monique Burton Police Welfare Award: Detective Constable Dwayne Simpson Special Constable of the Year: Medardo Martinez Diversity Award: Detective Constable Kadeon Thompson-Haynes Auxiliary Constable of the Year: Lennox Curtis Ebanks Community Award: Jevone Mitchell, Clancie Bourke and Leroy Whittaker Unit Citation of the Year: Drugs and Serious Crime Task Force Other nominees: Vilma Bailey, Police Sergeant Lenford Butler, Kiana Clarke, Police Constable Christopher Donaldson, Police Sergeant Ashton Ferguson, Police Constable Karen Harrison, Claudette Maxwell, Police Sergeant Neil Mohammed, Police Constable Devon O’Connor and Venice Tatum. THE 2017 POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR Constable Brandaughn Phillips, center, with finalists Sergeant Roje Williams, left, and Constable Cyril Gordon9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 10, 2017 Sunrise: 7th September 1924 Sunset: 10th April 2016 In Memory Of You To lose someone we loved so much Brings pain beyond belief There are no words to ease the pain Our sadness and our grief We feel we’ve lost someone so close So wonderful and dear We think about your special ways And wish that you were near But although you have left this world You’ll stay within our hearts Guiding like an angel Even though we are apart For love is everlasting And so are our memories – Your legacy that’s always there To light the way for us. Lovingly remembered and forever missed. Your loving children Ray, Clara, McKeeva, Elizabeth, Karen, Dana and their families Ray, Clara, McKeeva, Elizabeth, Karen, Dana Lovingly remembered and forever missed. Ray, Clara, McKeeva, Elizabeth, Karen, Dana Happy 1st Anniversary In Heaven Mama Faith Muriel Ebanks nee Bush Murder sentence could depend on age Chakane Scott was 18 when fatal shooting occurred CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Chakane Jameile Scott, known as CJ, appeared in Grand Court on Friday to be sentenced more than four years after he was found guilty of murdering Asher McGaw in East End in September 2011. After hearing submis- sions based on the fact that Scott was 18 at the time of the fatal shooting, Justice Al- exander Henderson reserved his decision until April 21. Mr. McGaw was 21 when he died. He, Scott and a 17-year-old were friends and had been out socializing. No motive for the shooting was ever identified. Scott’s convic- tion was upheld by the Court of Appeal in 2013. At the time he was found guilty, in June 2012, the only sentence for murder was life imprisonment. Since then, the Conditional Release Law has come into effect. It states that a person serving a life sen- tence must serve 30 years before he/she is eligible for conditional release unless there are extenuating or ag- gravating circumstances, ex- ceptional in nature, in which case the judge may impose a shorter or longer sentence. In her submissions, Di- rector of Public Prosecu- tions Cheryll Richards noted that in this law, a child is someone under the age of 18 years. The regulations set out extenuating circumstances that may be relevant to the offense of murder. Eight such factors are listed, including “the age of the offender.” Scott turned 18 on June 7, 2011. The murder occurred on Sept. 22, 2011. Justice Henderson com- mented that if the murder had occurred before Scott turned 18, he would have been dealt with as a child and held “at the court’s pleasure.” Justice Henderson asked if age is an exceptional cir- cumstance. Ms. Richards replied that it was unusual – “It certainly stands out” – and was clearly a matter for the judge to consider. Scott’s lead counsel at his trial, Sasha Wass, pointed out that along with age, there was also the question of maturity, which involves insight and understanding. U.K. cases rec- ognize that an 18-year-old will be less mature than someone who is 21, she said. By her calculation, Scott was 18 years, three months and 15 days old at the time of the shooting. Scott, who elected trial by judge alone, did not give ev- idence, Ms. Wass noted, so Justice Henderson was not able to consider his level of maturity at the time. Now, five years later, it would be impossible, she said. Justice Henderson, who retired from the bench, was reappointed to deal with the murder sentences for per- sons convicted when he was their trial judge. It was in the recent case of Tareek Ricketts that Jus- tice Henderson said the use of a firearm was not an ag- gravating circumstance, since four of the six cases he was dealing with had involved a firearm. He determined that Ricketts, 21 at the time of the shooting of Jackson Rainford, should serve 30 years be- fore being eligible for condi- tional release. He has yet to deal with sentencings for Trevino Bodden, Chad Anglin, Brian Borden and Brian Powell. Chamber gets ready for Earth Day cleanup With Earth Day fast ap- proaching on April 22, the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce is making its final preparations ahead of its an- nual islandwide cleanup. So far, more than 1,000 people have signed up to join in this year’s cleanup. The Chamber partnered with Guy Harvey to design an Earth Day cleanup T-shirt, which features a logo de- signed by Mr. Harvey. “Earth Day is a vital com- munity event that allows us to work alongside our friends, colleagues and neigh- bours to preserve the beauty and safety of the Cayman Islands,” said Wil Pineau, Chamber CEO, in a press re- lease. “To have Guy Harvey personally design the T-shirt and support the event is very special, and the Chamber staff, Council and I whole- heartedly thank him.” The 2017 clean-up is the 21st that the Chamber has held. According to the Chamber, since its incep- tion, volunteers have col- lected just under 20,000 bags of litter and garbage from roads and beaches. Earth Day is also closely tied to the Chamber’s Envi- ronmental Pledge, according to the organizers. “Launched in 2007, the pledge encour- ages businesses, schools and community members to pre- serve and protect our en- vironment, and commit to reducing waste, con- serving energy, recycling, and implementing greener ways of living,” the press release stated. The Chamber is calling on businesses and members of the community to volunteer for the cleanup. Volunteers will be in with the chance of owning one of the Guy Harvey-designed T-shirts, as well as caps, tote bags and water bottles, while stocks last. After the cleanup, vol- unteers are invited to par- take in a brunch, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the George Town Yacht Club. To volunteer, complete an online application at www.caymanchamber. ky/earthday. Prospective volunteers can also contact Carolina Watler for further information at admin@caymanchamber.ky or 743-9123. Guy Harvey, left, and the Chamber of Commerce’s Wil Pineau display the T-shirt designed by Mr. Harvey for the 2017 Earth Day cleanup.Next >