ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY APRIL 11, 2017 High of 84 Low of 75 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ‘SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL’: FOSTER’S SHOOTING IS A WAKEUP CALL ON CRIME SPORTS | PAGE 15 SERGIO GARCIA WINS THE MASTERS, ENDS DROUGHT AT THE MAJORS 183410_PRINT-Butterfield-6colx1*Page 1 1/13/17 1:10:47 PM Police seek 2 suspects in Foster’s shooting BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two men are being sought in connection with the armed robbery of an armored van in the Foster’s Food Fair grocery store parking lot Saturday night. Close to a dozen shots were fired in the in- cident at the store’s Airport location, according to witnesses. Two of those bullets hit the arm and the leg of a security guard working for the armored van company. The guard remains hospitalized in stable condition. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service released the description of the two suspects Monday afternoon – nearly 48 hours after the armored vehicle robbery occurred – as well as a photograph of the white Honda CR-V the two men used to flee the robbery scene. “Police are appealing for witnesses and community assistance in their investigation into the armed robbery,” an RCIPS statement released Monday noted. “Multiple shots were fired by two men, both of whom were armed with faces covered during the robbery of the armored vehicle.” The descriptions of the two robbers were given as follows: Suspect No. 1 – About 6 feet tall, wearing black or dark colored clothing; Suspect No. 2 – Between 5 feet, 6 inches and 5 feet, 8 inches tall, wearing jeans and a grey/ white hoodie shirt. Police also released a photograph of a white Honda CR-V, with a model year of be- tween 1997 and 2000. There is no license plate on the vehicle in the photograph pro- vided by police. “The [SUV] exited the Foster’s parking lot on the airport side, making a right turn toward the mini-roundabout and Mango Tree [bar and restaurant],” the police statement indicated. “We are aware that several people were on scene that evening. There may be some who have not yet spoken to police about what they saw or others who have been in contact with us but may have remembered a new detail that could be of significance.” Foster’s Managing Director Woody Foster said Monday that the grocery store was re- viewing closed-circuit television cameras that are positioned around the store in efforts to WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT APPROVED BY PLANNING BOARD JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A small tourism development on the George Town waterfront has been granted “after the fact” planning approval despite ob- jections from the National Roads Authority, the Department of Environment and a neigh- boring landowner. The Balboa Beach development, a rentals business aimed at tourists using the marine park, has been working its way through the planning process for more than two years. An application was originally turned down by the Central Planning Authority in January 2015. It was resubmitted with some modifica- tions and approved in April of the same year. However that approval was overturned by an appeals tribunal, with landowner Kel Thompson part way through construction. Mr. Thompson has now submitted a new application, under the name Water Front Center Ltd, and received “after the fact” ap- proval from the Central Planning Authority. The long-running saga could yet have fur- ther twists in the tale, however. Neighboring landowner Chris Johnson has indicated he will appeal the latest approval and go to court if necessary to get the building demolished. He labelled it an eyesore and said the Plan- ning Authority had ignored the advice of both the National Roads Authority and the De- partment of Environment, and granted varia- tions to the minimum set-backs required on all sides of the property. He also questioned how Mr. Thompson had been able to continue building on the site once the planning permis- sion was overturned on appeal. Kirk Slam lands big catch SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com One boat, the aptly named Business Trip, separated itself from the pack at the sev- enth annual Kirk Slam Dolphin Tournament held at Barcadere Marina over the weekend. Business Trip, captained by Justin Thompson, brought in seven dolphin (mahi mahi) during the first act of the two-day tournament and cruised to an easy victory in the total combined weight category. Thompson and company’s best five fish weighed a combined total of 117.7 pounds, besting the second place team by nearly 40 pounds and waltzing away with the grand prize of $5,000 and a Tudor watch. Nuttin Honey, the second place team, brought in three fish at 77.8 pounds. Thompson credited his teammate Jack Hunter for being the team’s good luck charm. “What’s the secret? Bring Jack along, man,” Mr. Thompson said on Saturday. “We were planning on killing and that’s what we did …. We had everything in the boat by 10:30 a.m.” Thirty-nine teams registered for this year’s tournament, but only three of them managed to bring home more than two fish that weighed in excess of 15 pounds. Annette Stalmach won both the Heaviest Dolphin Overall and the Lady Angler Justin Thompson, Rob Hurlston and Jack Hunter on the ‘Business Trip’ team with their winning mahi mahi catch. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 15 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY APRIL 11, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 - TUESDAY - 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) Motorbike rider seriously injured, left in road BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Bodden Town man who fell from his motor- cycle during a Sunday after- noon ride was apparently left there by the group of riders he was with, according to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. The crash happened around 4 p.m. Sunday on Seaview Road in East End district. The 30-year-old man from Bodden Town suffered head injuries and was hospi- talized in serious condition. Police found the stricken accident victim lying in the road when they arrived. “It was understood that the motorcyclist had fallen off his bike while riding with a group of others, all of whom were possibly engaging in dangerous driving,” an RCIPS statement released Monday read. “The other motorcyclists had left by the time emer- gency personnel arrived and it is believed they also removed the victim’s motorbike.” Video of the immediate af- termath of the crash circulated around the islands Sunday evening. It was apparently taken from the passing car. A man inside the car can be heard asking to put the victim in the vehicle. Mean- while, a woman leaning over him tells the victim not to move. Two other motorbikers with the man can then be seen in the video driving off. “Police are requesting to speak with those riding with the man at the time of the accident,” the RCIPS state- ment read. “Police are also re- questing that the motorbike he was riding be brought to any police station.” During his first state- ment to the media back in November, Police Commis- sioner Derek Byrne warned that someone was going to be hurt or killed due to the dangerous motorbike riding plaguing Grand Cayman within the past few years. “It’s going to cause a fa- tality, either for someone on the motorcycle themselves and cause distress to fam- ilies, or it’s going to cause a fatality with an innocent driver or a pedestrian with people behaving that way on the road,” Mr. Byrne said. “It’s one of the serious issues oc- curring at the moment that we need to get … a grip on very, very quickly.” Since that statement, the RCIPS has seized at least a dozen bikes, both street legal and otherwise, from circula- tion. However, Traffic Unit In- spector Ian Yearwood said in February that certainly does not represent the entirety of the problem. On Monday, Commis- sioner Byrne said, “This inci- dent highlights the very con- cerns we have raised before about dangerous riding on public roads, which puts ev- eryone at risk. This incident will be fully investigated.” The issue is still not clear cut. There have been some concerns raised privately about the police service’s legal ability to seize off-road bikes from their owners in- definitely. Mr. Byrne said the RCIPS Traffic Unit is looking at the matter and that the police believe they have the proper legislation in place. Some illegal bikes that were seized in various police operations last year ended up being stolen from behind the George Town Police Station. Additional security measures have since been taken to pre- vent similar thefts, police said. Another option being re- viewed is stopping the non- street-legal vehicles from en- tering the country. Mr. Byrne has met with the customs de- partment to discuss options on that front, although Cus- toms Collector Charles Clif- ford has said that the cus- toms collector does not have the unilateral authority to enact such a ban. SOCIAL SERVICES ASKS FOR COMMUNITY SUPPORT The Department of Chil- dren and Family Services is looking for community support as it gets ready for Child Month in May. The department is hosting several activities and events throughout the month and is inviting offices, schools, churches and clubs to organize their own events to mark the celebration. “Child Month is a very important celebration for us, and by extension the community as a whole. It’s a chance for us to high- light issues affecting chil- dren and to encourage fam- ilies, parents, teachers and others that are in caregiving roles to focus on these needs and ensure that we priori- tise them,” said DCFS Di- rector Felicia Robinson in a press release. “We strongly encourage organisations, schools, churches and groups of individuals to host family and child-centred ac- tivities and hope that during this month businesses will also consider offering dis- counts for children.” The department is also encouraging people hosting Child Month ac- tivities to post images of events on its Facebook page throughout the month. In a screen grab from a video at the scene of Sunday’s accident, a woman leans over the injured motorbike rider in East End. Bail denied on rape, abduction charges CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A George Town man, 45, was remanded in custody on Monday after appearing in Summary Court on charges of rape, abduction, assault causing actual bodily harm and making threats to kill. Senior Crown counsel Candia James said the woman who reported the matter was the mother of one of the man’s children. The in- cident leading to the charges occurred on April 3. The Cayman Compass is not naming the defendant as this may lead to the identifi- cation of the complainant. Ms. James said the alle- gations were that the man took the woman to a cer- tain place by force, punched her several times and threat- ened to kill her because she did not want to have sexual intercourse with him. He then forced himself on her and raped her. Afterward, he threatened to take her out in a boat and kill her if she told, Mr. James said. Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats asked if there were photos of the injuries and he was told yes. The defendant told police officers that intercourse was by consent, that she had of- fered sex in exchange for money. After the incident, he dropped her off to pick up their child, Mr. James said. The woman made a re- port of the incident the same night to a friend, who took her to hospital and to the po- lice, the court heard. Ms. James pointed out that the defendant was on a suspended sentence. Defense attorney Dennis Brady applied for bail. He said the defendant was at a bar when he was approached by the woman and a friend, who engaged him in conver- sation. There was socializing, drinking and dancing. Mr. Brady said the woman traveled with the defen- dant willingly; the injuries occurred when the issue of money came up after the physical intimacy. The woman made a certain sug- gestion and the defendant told her he had never paid for sex in his life. Mr. Brady said his client told him his wallet had been “stealthily moved” and he used force to get his wallet back. The magistrate asked if there would have been CCTV at the bar and was told there probably was. He asked if the defendant had given his ex- planation when police had interviewed him. An officer present advised that the com- ment had been made after the interview. Mr. Brady added that the defendant was in a relation- ship with another woman and “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” he said. The defendant was off-island when he heard about the re- port made against him and he came back to deal with it, the attorney pointed out. The magistrate said he was denying bail at this time because the defendant had admitted the assault, even though it was in dif- ferent circumstances from what the complainant had reported. He pointed out that the defendant was sup- posed to have abided by cer- tain rules while he was on a suspended sentence but had not done so. For that reason, there were no conditions of bail he could impose that would meet the Crown’s ob- jections to bail. Because abduction and rape are charges that can be dealt with only in the Grand Court, Magistrate Foldats transmitted the case to the higher court for mention on Friday, April 21. “The other motorcyclists had left by the time emergency personnel arrived and it is believed they also removed the victim’s motorbike.” RCIPS STATEMENT CORRECTION In a page 1 story titled “CDP outlines 100-day plan” that appeared in the Cayman Compass on Monday, an incorrect figure was used to describe the cost of the “Ritch Report.” The story should have stated the report cost $312,000. HAITI PRESIDENT’S OFFICE BRISTLES OVER STONING OF MOTORCADE PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) – The office of Haiti’s pres- ident is using strong lan- guage to criticize people who threw rocks at his mo- torcade, calling them “ex- tremists” who must be brought to justice. President Jovenel Moi- se’s motorcade was targeted Friday by a group of people hurling stones in Arcahaie, a coastal town north of Haiti’s capital. There have been no reports of any injuries. Moise’s office said late Saturday in a statement that the incident endan- gered his life and consti- tuted “a serious threat to the public peace and security of the state.” It added that the rock- throwers have not been identified. Arcahaie resi- dents have been engaged in a lengthy protest over a 2015 redistricting decision autho- rized by former President Michel Martelly.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 11, 2017 Vote for a representative that has your best interest at heart. Under my leadership and vision, I will: • Assist Caymanians in securing employment • Focus on education and career development for young people • Work to take care of the elderly • Be a strong advocate for the district and citizen concerns • Promote economic growth through revitalization of Bodden Town ARNOLD T. BERRY Independent Candidate for Bodden Town East Make our island a better place for all to live: Vote #1 NOTICE TO THE MEMBERS OF CAYMAN NATIONAL PENSION FUND LTD. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given of the Annual General Meeting of Members of the Cayman National Pension Fund Ltd. to be held Thursday 4th May, 2017, in the Cayman National Building, 4th Floor Board Room, Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman at 4pm. The Agenda is set out below: - AGENDA 1. Review the Minutes of the last Members Meeting held on the 5th May, 2016 and any matters arising. 2. Receive Audited Financial Statements for the period ended 30th September 2016. 3. Report from Investment Committee. 4. Trustee Elections: Ian Phillips retires by rotation and is eligible for re- election. 5. Any other competent business. dms chief: Stop fighting ‘fake wars’ Seymour urges election of ‘true leaders’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com In a rare appearance on the political speech-making circuit over the weekend, dms company founder Don Seymour urged Caymanian voters to reject the wave of populism sweeping a number of nations and instead seek to unite the small terri- tory on May 24. Although Mr. Seymour’s statements were made during the Progressives party con- vention meeting Saturday evening, he did not ask lis- teners to vote for any spe- cific candidate – including the 15 Progressives members on the Family Life Centre stage behind him. Rather, the investment funds company executive said voters should decide the general election based on one issue: leadership. “True leaders unite people,” Mr. Seymour said. “Let’s stop fighting the fake wars based on race, age, gender, religion, sexual orien- tation, socioeconomic status or national origin. A divided country will surely fail.” Mr. Seymour compared Cayman to “a little catboat floating in the Caribbean Sea.” “Nobody should do any- thing crazy that’s going to tip it over or we’re all going to drown,” he said. “Class warfare is being el- evated to dangerous levels in our country and person- ally I’m disheartened to see how poor people are being exploited and manipu- lated in our country for po- litical purposes,” Mr. Sey- mour said. “Some politicians have perfected class warfare … claiming pure hearts and clean hands while purporting to represent the interests of poor people. “Well I’ll tell you what, poor people work hard to pay their taxes and if these candidates really cared about poor people they would not squander their hard-earned tax dol- lars on wasteful, fraudu- lent and abusive government spending. Talk is cheap. Hold these people responsible for their actions.” Political parties Although he did not ver- bally endorse any candidates, Mr. Seymour did endorse the concept of political organiza- tions and party structures. “I’m not a partisan, I’m not an ideologue, I have no political aspirations,” he said. “I’ve never been a member of any political party, yet I truly believe that well-functioning political parties are the most effective way to govern a de- mocracy like ours.” Mr. Seymour was critical of a national debate which, at the moment, in his view, appeared to focus on “po- litical form over substance.” Discussions regarding what political organizations call themselves or how those co- alitions should form up is merely theater, he said. “How well [a party] func- tions is purely a matter of leadership,” Mr. Seymour said. “You can easily take [leadership] for granted, but I can tell you one thing, you’ll know when it’s not there.” “The single most important job any government does is to facilitate economic growth,” he continued. “Nothing can be achieved without economic growth. Without economic growth there are … no jobs, no education, no healthcare, no security, no environmental protection, no roads, no com- munity services – nothing.” “True leaders are those that champion Caymanian businesses. You can’t hate the employer and love the em- ployee. The best thing we can provide for our citizens is a stable job. Leaders are those that support genuine op- portunities for our citizens, not handouts.” Education Mr. Seymour also said he was glad to see the recent focus in politics and the pri- vate sector on education of Caymanians, but told the Progressives faithful that he thought the issue was being driven with the wrong focus. “Education has become synonymous with getting an academic degree, that’s un- fortunate,” he said. “We really need to be focused on life- long learning. “Much of what I learned in university is obsolete. When I was in university, I didn’t even have the internet. The university probably owes me a refund on the education they gave me.” He urged Caymanians to take the opportunity, if given the chance, for a university education, but not to let it stop with the earning of a degree. “Education is like breathing, you can’t stop or you won’t survive,” he said. “Your success is ultimately up to you, not a university, not an employer, not the gov- ernment. Nobody owes you anything. Nobody is going to give you anything. You are only entitled to what you earn, nothing more, nothing less.” “True leaders are those that champion Caymanian businesses. You can’t hate the employer and love the employee.” DON SEYMOUR, dms founder dms Founder Don Seymour speaks at the Progressives political party conference on Saturday evening. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLERThe 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” NOAH FELDMAN Forget Robert Bork. The confirmation of Neil Gorsuch after the rejection of Mer- rick Garland marks the new high-water mark in the overt, partisan politicization of the Supreme Court. After the Democratic Senate rejected Bork 30 years ago, President Ronald Reagan got to choose another appointee. After the Republican Senate refused to vote on Garland last year, President Barack Obama was denied the same chance. We’ve entered a brave new world, in which the party that controls the Senate can now control court appoint- ments. If the Democrats win the Senate while Donald Trump is president, there’s no way they’ll confirm any of his nominees, no matter how long he has left in his presi- dency. And Republicans, who invented the rules of this new game, won’t confirm Demo- cratic Supreme Court nom- inees so long as they con- trol the Senate. The tale of how we got here is remarkable, and will be studied closely by historians. It’s too simple to say that the process started with the Bork nomination, the first in which an otherwise quali- fied nominee’s constitutional philosophy was invoked as a reason to block confir- mation. After that, George H.W. Bush had two nomi- nees confirmed by a Demo- cratic Senate, David Souter and Clarence Thomas. At the time, no one thought that the Senate could simply refuse to confirm any presidential nominee for purely political reasons. The idea was simply unimaginable. Souter and Thomas were the last two nominees to be confirmed by a Senate con- trolled by a different party than the nominating presi- dent. But that wasn’t because the idea of partisan blockage had been born. Rather, the explanation is mostly a matter of polit- ical coincidence. The six jus- tices confirmed after Thomas and before Gorsuch – two each by Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama – were all filling openings that were created while the president and the Senate majority were of the same party. And while some of those openings may have been timed by retiring justices to give the president a chance to nominate their succes- sors, it isn’t true of all of them. Chief Justice Wil- liam Rehnquist died in of- fice. And Justice Sandra Day O’Connor retired because her husband was ill. So what changed? Part of the answer is the Bush v. Gore case, which dramatized how political the Supreme Court had become. But a more significant an- swer must surely be the ero- sion of the idea that any as- pect of the Senate’s agenda should be devoted to the public good rather than par- tisan advantage. In past eras, it would have seemed disreputable for senators to announce that they were using their con- stitutional power to block nominees purely to shape the composition of the court. Today, however, senators have realized that the public won’t make them pay a price for such obstructionism. In- deed, they might even be punished by the ideological base of their party for failing to obstruct a nominee from the other side. That was the key insight, I think, that drove the Sen- ate’s Republican leadership to block Garland. The Re- publicans probably didn’t even think that they were about to win the presidency. They may not even have in- tended to block Hillary Clinton’s nominees if she won in November. Rather, their calculus was based on the estimation that a vote to confirm Gar- land could be used against them in future primary chal- lenges. Every time Garland participated in a judgment with a perceived liberal out- come, it would provide an opportunity for a television ad criticizing a defecting Republican for having voted for him. In contrast, Senate Re- publicans viewed blocking Garland as a low-risk prop- osition. If Clinton had been elected along with a Demo- cratic Senate, Garland or an- other liberal would’ve been appointed over the Republi- cans’ dissenting votes. That would’ve spared any Senate Republicans from having to vote to confirm a Demo- cratic nominee. If Clinton had been elected with a Republican Senate, the Republicans would have faced the choice of trying to block a Dem- ocratic nominee for four years or more. But they would have had the option of backing down and saying the Garland block was ap- propriate only because of the timing of Antonin Scal- ia’s death in the last year of Obama’s presidency. In reality, it all worked out better than the Repub- licans could have dreamed – and worse for the Demo- crats. Trump plus a Repub- lican Senate meant the voting public rewarded the Gar- land obstruction instead of punishing it. The Republicans gam- bled by making the Supreme Court into a more salient issue in the national elec- tion than it would have been had Garland been confirmed. And in the process of win- ning that bet, they taught us all a transformative polit- ical lesson: The public either liked what they did, or didn’t care enough to make them pay a price for it. That bitter lesson hasn’t been lost on Senate Demo- crats, who sacrificed a fili- buster that could potentially have been useful to them in a future confirmation battle on the theory (presumably) that the base would punish them if they didn’t exhaust all pos- sible tools against Gorsuch. This was, I think, a self-de- structive move. Now, if Trump should get another Supreme Court pick, there will be no Democratic constraint on his choice at all – unless the Demo- crats win the Senate before that happens. The upshot is that con- trol of the Senate is now a winner-take-all proposition for Supreme Court confirma- tion. I fully expect that, for the foreseeable future, if the president and the Senate ma- jority don’t come from the same party, there will be no confirmations at all. After all, without a con- ception of public duty, there’s simply no reason for the Senate majority to go along with a president it doesn’t like. The Supreme Court has showed that it can function with reduced numbers. And the public has shown that it doesn’t care. Feldman is a Bloomberg View columnist. He is a professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard University and was a clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter. © 2017, Bloomberg View TUESDAY APRIL 11, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS The robbery of an armored truck and shooting of a security guard outside Foster’s Food Fair has the potential to be one of those galvanizing events that brings a com- munity together to confront a common adversary. The armed robbery that took place Saturday night was a brazen act of criminality demonstrating a reckless and wanton disregard for human life, public safety and the rule of law. As most residents of the Cayman Islands know, shopping at the Foster’s — Airport location on a Saturday night isn’t your average trip to the grocery store. It’s a social and cultural phenomenon. Considering the hometown atmosphere, magnitude of the crowd and diversity of customers (from all walks of life, nationali- ties, professions and backgrounds), going to Foster’s on Saturday night may be the closest thing in Cayman to the experience of a city plaza. When the shooting occurred just after 7 p.m. Saturday, the area was teeming with motorists and pedestrians. While we are keeping in our thoughts and prayers the 51-year-old guard who suffered bullet wounds in his arm and leg, it is a wonder that he was the only person who was hurt. As Foster’s Managing Director Woody Foster said, “We’re just amazed that only the guard was shot. 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.” Some subjects are unpleasant, but unavoidable. We are sensitive to the reality that Cayman’s economy depends disproportionately on tourism. We have long (and repeatedly) editorialized that the allure of these islands is rooted in our safety and security, which must be defended and protected at all costs — and not just for our visitors but even more so for our residents. At the Compass we do not overplay or sensationalize crime in order to “attract eyeballs.” What we do advocate for, however, are measures to keep Cayman the most secure, law-abiding community in the region. One of the worst-kept secrets in the Caribbean is the criminality and violence that have permeated the societies of our competing destinations. You’ll never read about it in glossy industry magazines, tourist brochures or travel columns (penned by writers whose vacations are often paid for by the governments of, or businesses in, the coun- tries they are visiting), but, as a rule, the major tourist destinations in the region are plagued by violent crime. For example, a quick glance at international statistics will reveal the following countries perched at or near the top of tables on intentional homicides: Honduras, Belize, Jamaica, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama. We don’t want Cayman ever to join that company. In light of the Foster’s shooting and other high-profile acts of gun violence (including the Feb. 20 robbery attempt of an armored vehicle, where another security guard was shot), it appears that we may be attempting to combat today’s crime with yesterday’s methods and mindset. To paraphrase U.S. President Donald Trump’s termi- nology, Cayman has some “very bad hombres” — some imported, some homegrown — who are small in number but have an outsize negative impact on the island. It took the police nearly two full days to release basic details on the Foster’s shooting, such as descriptions of suspects and vehicles involved, and images from closed- circuit TV cameras. With instant mass communication at everyone’s fingertips, such delay is unacceptable. Politicians, meanwhile, have been stunningly silent — no one, it seems is running on a tough “law and order” platform. With the May 24 elections approaching, the campaign season is an opportune time to initiate a national conver- sation on crime and public safety, and to examine from all angles — including policing methods and self-defense options — what we need to do as a country in order to preserve our societal tranquility. ‘Saturday Night Special’: Foster’s shooting is a wakeup call on crime With Gorsuch confirmation, a new era for Washington5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 11, 2017 786 Northwest Point Road, West Bay, Grand Cayman info@turtle.ky | www.turtle.ky | +1 345.949.3894 OPENING HOURS Mon – Sun 8am – 4:30pm DISCOVER THE ADVENTURE April 15th, 16th and 17th 2017 . In observance of Good Friday we will be CLOSED April 14th 2017 Join us all Weekend Help sought in hunt for eagle ray poachers JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Environment enforcement officers are seeking public assistance to catch rogue fishermen believed to be re- sponsible for killing at least two eagle rays. Mark Orr, chief enforce- ment officer at the Depart- ment of Environment, said there had been two confirmed incidents where eagle rays were killed by fishermen and had their wings sliced off. He said there were an- ecdotal reports of two more eagle ray carcasses, similarly butchered, being discovered by fishermen. When fisherman John Jef- ferson first made the grue- some discovery of the muti- lated eagle ray in East End, Mr. Orr said he had never seen the protected spe- cies targeted in Cayman’s waters before. At the time, he suggested, it was possible that the ray had been caught accidentally. Now, after a second car- cass was found in Bodden Town last week and fishermen reported other incidents, he said it was apparent someone was targeting the species. “We have never seen this before, but apparently they are a food source in some cultures. “We are asking the public to keep their eyes open and if they see anyone trying to catch a ray to call us immedi- ately or call 911. “Eagle rays are a type one protected species,” he said. “There is no excuse for it and it something that we would certainly pursue as a prosecution.” He acknowledged that the original incident had sparked outrage in the com- munity, particularly among divers, and urged the public to be vigilant to help catch poachers in the act. He added, “I’m very con- cerned about it. Not only are they worth much more in the water from a tourism perspective, they are pro- tected under the law. If someone is just ignorant of the law, we hope that the word gets out and that this stops now. “Eagle rays and sharks are the two most common things cited by divers that they want to see in the water in Cayman. They are majestic in the water.” Lawsuit filed against company in construction worker’s death Man crushed under concrete slab at building site BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A writ has been filed with the Grand Court claiming negligence and lack of due care led to the death of a Cayman Islands con- struction worker who was crushed beneath a concrete slab last spring. The lawsuit was filed in mid-March by Ruby Hope Hedge, the wife of deceased construction manager Cecil George Hedge. Ms. Hedge, who is a res- ident in Jamaica, alleges her husband of more than 30 years was killed because of negligence at a Beach Bay construction site on March 15, 2016. Falling concrete beam According to a descrip- tion of the accident filed in court records: “[Mr. Hedge] was working beneath [a] con- crete beam when … an em- ployee of the [company – CI Precast] operated a crane, a part of which collided with one of the columns sup- porting the concrete beam. As a result, the concrete beam fell onto [Mr. Hedge] causing fatal injury.” The accident occurred at a CI Precast construction site on Natures Circle in Bodden Town where construction crews were working on a new home, according to re- ports in the Cayman Com- pass at the time. The writ alleges that the company “failed to take any or any adequate precau- tions for the safety of the de- ceased.” This “exposed the deceased to a risk of injury which they knew or ought to have known.” The writ also names the company employee who was operating the crane which struck the concrete beam that was laid atop two con- crete pillars at the site. The writ alleges the overhead beam had not been welded to the concrete pillars supporting it. The lawsuit alleges the employee “failed to adequately control the crane.” Mr. Hedge, according to the writ, was 63 at the time of his death and had in- tended to work until age 70. His wife had not worked in a decade and depended on her husband for financial and emotional support, the lawsuit claims. Damages sought include monetary claims under the Cayman Islands Tort (Re- form) Law, 1996. Iconic and graceful, eagle rays are a big attraction to scuba divers and snorkelers in Cayman. This file photo shows a spotted eagle ray at the North Sound sandbar. - PHOTO: ELLEN CUYLAERTSDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days West Bay TUESDAY APRIL 11, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 YEARS AGO: District welcomes numerous babies at start of spring In the March 29, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, news from West Bay included: “Hell has been re- ally hot the last couple of nights. Jamaica’s No. 1 all- girl band, Ingrid Chin and the fabulous Carnations, opened at the Club Inferno on Monday evening. A ca- pacity crowd was there to enjoy the big beat music of the famed band. “Leader of the glam- orous band is Ingrid Chin, her brother Richard is the drummer, while her smaller, nine-year-old brother Nev- ille, known throughout Ja- maica as ‘Mr. Legs’ en- tertained during the floor show with a spectacular show of dancing. “The Carnations played through the evening, dem- onstrating the rousing, jump-up beat for which they are well-known, with a wide selection of old favourites and greatest hits. The girls were ably assisted by the vocal talents of ‘The Jamai- cans,’ Norris and Martin, winners of the 1966 fes- tival Award in Jamaica, and Ken Chin, manager and MC for the band. In the April 12, 1967 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, West Bay correspondent Leila Yates wrote: “Oriel Avalon Anglin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nahon An- glin, celebrated his 2nd birthday on March 22. “Arrivals recently have been Messrs. William Rivers, Derek Rivers from National Bulk Carriers. Ru- dolf Powery, Henry Rivers from his job in Miami, and Ronsdale Smith from New York where he has been to school. “Mrs. Boyd Hydes and baby arrived from New York on the 4th. She is here on a visit. “Mr. and Mrs. Lee Crowe became the happy parents of a daughter on the 5th weighing 8 1/2 pounds. “Mr. and Mrs. Kendrick Gordon received the gift of their first daughter on the 5th, named Sylvia Evern, weighing 6 pounds. “Mr. and Mrs. Vernal Ebanks became the happy parents of a daughter on the 6th weighing 10 pounds. “A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Arunah Powery on the 7th, weighing 7 pounds 4 ounces. “Mrs. Bert Jackson re- turned on the 7th after vis- iting relatives in Miami. Mrs. Ausley Parsons and daughter Oralee returned the same day from Miami having visited relatives. “Mrs. Henry Parsons who lives in the U.S. arrived on Sunday to visit his mother, Effie, who has been in failing health for some time. Her condition became worse a week ago. “Mr. Kirkum Ebanks left on the 9th after a short va- cation at home.” Also in the same issue, news from West Bay included: “Vandalism is rife at West Bay again. The traffic signs recently erected for the safety of all are being torn down and/or destroyed as soon as they are put up. Two constables instead of one are now stationed in the area and the cooperation of the public in reporting any such acts witnessed by them would be appreciated by the Chief of Police.” Parrot release poster and essay contest finalists announced The Cayman Turtle Centre has announced the winners of the primary school Poster competition and the high school essay competition. The winners were deter- mined using a blind selection process via a panel of volun- teer judges from the Turtle Centre, the National Trust for the Cayman Islands and the Guy Harvey Foundation. The contest winners will be taking part in the release of the Turtle Centre’s parrot trip- lets into the wild on May 19 at the Queen Elizabeth II Bo- tanic Park. The three captive- bred female Grand Cayman parrots were hatched in May 2016, raised in the Turtle Cen- tre’s Caribbean Aviary and trained to be wild. Students in Years 2 to 6 submitted posters of their own design depicting either conservation of parrots and/ or their habitat, the impor- tance of parrots in the envi- ronment, or parrots in Cay- man’s history culture. The top three entries were sub- mitted by Cayman Prep Year 5 students Jessica Drysdale and Minty Lumsden, Grace Christian Academy Year 2 student Gaven Ramos, and Cayman Prep Year 5 students Molly De Saram and Maeve Finnegan. The colorful posters covered a range of topics including parrot facts and history, as well as the need to protect them. Students in years 7 to 11 submitted a 200-300 word essay on the same topics, with the winning essay elected based on relevance and ac- curacy of content and overall presentation. The top three entries were all from St. Ig- natius: Year 9 student Beth Walton, and Year 10 students Aleigha General and Erica So- bers. The three students all highlighted the impacts of human development and hab- itat destruction on the birds’ continued ability to sur- vive in the wild. “I was very impressed by the work and interest that had gone into producing these submissions by the high and primary school students,” said Turtle Centre terres- trial exhibits curator Geddes Hislop, who is overseeing the parrot release. “I think it bodes well to see the level of interest and aware- ness in our next generation.” Mr. Hislop noted the re- vised May release date will give time for organizers to im- plement the final health pro- tocols for the birds, as well as being closer to the start of the rainy season, when the par- rots’ natural feed trees will start producing wild fruits and berries, providing the in- experienced parrots an easier transition to foraging for their own food in the wild. The primary poster from Molly De Saram and Maeve Finnegan.The primary category poster by Gaven Ramos. The parrot triplets are just about ready to be released into the wild in time for rainy season.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days West Bay CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 11, 2017 Barkers home to endangered bitter plum Cayman has many indigenous plant species, with several threat- ened to some degree. West Bay is home to one of these plants, known commonly as the bitter plum, which is considered to be endangered. An example of it was recently photographed by naturalist Ann Stafford at Barkers. According to “Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands” by Fred Burton, who is also author of “Threat- ened Plants of the Cayman Is- lands: the Red List,” which covers all 415 species and varieties of plants found in the Cayman Is- lands, Cayman bitter plum is also called “Black Ironwood,” “Dog Berry,” “Wild Plum” and “Ja- maica Walnut.” “It can grow into a large and magnificent tree, with a slightly buttressed trunk and a spreading crown,” Mr. Burton writes. “The bark is uniform grey, densely fissured in vertical lines, and slowly shedding in long, thin woody strips. The ‘plums’ which give this tree its name are about an inch long, and ripen from green to bright orange.” According to Mr. Burton, the tree’s fruits fall to the ground in December and January and are eaten by iguanas and agoutis. While agoutis eat and digest the nuts inside the fruits, iguanas disperse undigested nuts through their droppings. He adds that the trees are quite common in low swampy areas but can be found in other terrain as well. “The wood is very hard, and found some use in the days of local shipbuilding,” Mr. Burton writes. “The nuts are slow to germi- nate, and can be helped on their way by carefully cracking the woody case without damaging the living tissue within. Once germi- nated, the seedlings grow well in damp locations.” The bitter plum is an endangered native plant which can be found growing at Barkers in West Bay. - PHOTO: ANN STAFFORD The West Bay Wes- leyan Holiness Church at 150 North West Point Road will hold its annual Easter Convention from April 12 to 16. Services on Wednesday through Friday will be held at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 11 a.m. and at 6 p.m. For more information, call 949-3394. EASTER CONVENTION STARTS THIS WEEK GEORGE NOWAK In any small commu- nity, be it West Bay, North Side, East End or the Brac, a favorite pastime (especially during cam- paign season) is gossip, known in Cayman as “marl road news.” In this image shot in West Bay in the early 1980s, two unidentified ladies are in the heat of “chinwag.” The art of chatter and hearsay has not changed much over the years, only the basis of the back fence talk and the names of the candidates has altered. This image is from the book “The People Time Forgot” by George Nowak, available at the National Museum. All proceeds from sales of the book go toward museum projects. Marl road news Catching up on the marl road in the early ‘80s. - PHOTO: GEORGE NOWAK This image from the Compass photo ar- chives shows the Adelaide and Moses Hydes house in West Bay. Now demolished, this house is docu- mented on the National Trust’s Heritage Register. According to the Trust, the single story cottage on North West Point Road was built circa 1894 by Moses Hydes of wattle and daub on a foundation of ironwood stilts and topped by a zinc roof. FROM THE ARCHIVES: Adelaide Hydes’ house The house built by Moses Hydes circa 1894.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. TUESDAY, APRIL 11 CHAMBER COURSE: Business Writing Skills; 12:30–4:30 p.m.; Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $150 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. EASTER BREAK CAMP: YMCA of the Cayman Islands will hold two camp sessions. Session A, April 10-13. Session B, April 18-21. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Pre/post camp available). Fees are $110 per camper. Contact 929-1850 or ysummercamp@ ymcacayman.ky. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12 HEALTH SYMPOSIUM: Today is the deadline to register. The event is open to all human and animal healthcare professionals and students. Symposium is Wednesday, April 26, Hibiscus Conference Room at Health Services Authority. Register at www.surveymonkey.com/r/ onehealthsymposium345. For more information contact sarah.frederick@hsa.ky. PENSIONERS APPRECIATION: The Public Service Pensions Board in partnership with the government and others is hosting a Pensioners’ Appreciation event for retired members at Pedro St. James. The event, from 3-9 p.m., celebrates its 25th anniversary and will include community outreach booths, free health screenings, food and entertainment. Free bus transport to and from the event is available. To confirm attendance, please call 917-8851. EASTER CONVENTION: West Bay Wesleyan Holiness Church, Turtle Farm Road. Tonight until Easter Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Speaker is Rev. John Parker of Alabama. No service on Saturday evening. Choirs and ensembles will be singing nightly. All are invited. SATURDAY, APRIL 15 CHALKFEST: From 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Market Street, Camana Bay. Treats, games, live music and an artisans market. The competition is open to artists of all ages and abilities. $5 for kids, $10 for adults. Proceeds benefit the National Gallery Outreach Program. Chalk will be provided free and participants are encouraged to bring rags, sponges and buckets to help with blending and covering large areas. Free water and sunscreen available to all participants. MONDAY, APRIL 17 GRESSY FISHING TOURNAMENT: All are invited to this annual event at Barkers, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. No registration is necessary but bring your own fishing supplies. Refreshments and prizes will be provided. For more information call 929-9932 or 949-3208. SATURDAY, APRIL 22 EARTH DAY CLEAN-UP: 7–10 a.m. Islandwide clean-up locations. Find out more or volunteer at www.caymanchamber.ky. MONDAY, APRIL 24 BRAC PUBLIC SERVICE PENSIONERS: The Public Service Pensions Board marks its 25th anniversary with a Pensioners’ Appreciation event at the Aston Rutty Centre, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will feature a host of booths, local food stalls, entertainment, prizes and giveaways, health screenings and advice. To confirm attendance or to enquire about transportation, please call 917-8851. TUESDAY, APRIL 25 POST OFFICES CLOSED: Government post offices on all three islands will be closed all day to facilitate staff development. EASTER SERVICES HOLY THURSDAY, APRIL 13 JOHN GRAY MEMORIAL CHURCH: (Congregational, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian). Church Street, West Bay. Tenebrae Service, 6:30 p.m. ST. GEORGE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: Courts Road, Off Eastern Avenue, behind Cox Lumber. Washing of Feet and Eucharist, 6 p.m. ST. IGNATIUS CATHOLIC CHURCH: Walkers Road. Mass of the Lord’s Supper, 7 p.m. STELLA MARIS CATHOLIC CHURCH: Cayman Brac. Holy Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper, 7 p.m. Good Friday. WEST BAY WESLEYAN HOLINESS CHURCH: North West Point Road. Convention, 7:30 p.m. Call 949-3394 for more info. GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 14 BOATSWAIN BAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: West Bay. Morning Worship, 11 a.m. JOHN GRAY MEMORIAL CHURCH: (Congregational, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian). Church Street, West Bay. Service, 10 a.m. ST. GEORGE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: Courts Road, Off Eastern Avenue, behind Cox Lumber. The Passion, Noon–3 p.m. ST. IGNATIUS CATHOLIC CHURCH: Walkers Road. Stations of the Cross, noon. Passion Service, 1 p.m. STELLA MARIS CATHOLIC CHURCH: Cayman Brac. Stations of the Cross, noon. Passion Service, 1 p.m. CHRIST THE REDEEMER CATHOLIC CHURCH: West Bay. Stations of the Cross, noon. Passion Service, 1 p.m. WEST BAY WESLEYAN HOLINESS CHURCH: North West Point Road. Convention, 7:30 p.m. Call 949-3394 for more info. HOLY SATURDAY, APRIL 15 ST. GEORGE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: Courts Road, Off Eastern Avenue, behind Cox Lumber. Service Frank Sound Junction – East End. Bus leaves church 4:30 a.m. Walk to opposite East End School. Morning Prayer and Breakfast. ST. IGNATIUS CATHOLIC CHURCH: Walkers Road. Easter Vigil Mass, 7:30 p.m. EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 16 BOATSWAIN BAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: West Bay. Sunday School, 10 a.m., Morning Worship, 11 a.m. (Adult Choir Easter Cantata), Evening Worship, 7 p.m. JOHN GRAY MEMORIAL CHURCH: (Congregational, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian). Church Street, West Bay. Service, 10 a.m. ST. GEORGE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: Courts Road, Off Eastern Avenue, behind Cox Lumber. 5 a.m., The Service of Light, Holy Baptism, Eucharist. 9 a.m., Sung Eucharist followed by Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch. ST. IGNATIUS CATHOLIC CHURCH: Walkers Road. Mass at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon, 6 p.m., Spanish Mass, 7:30 p.m. STELLA MARIS CATHOLIC CHURCH: Cayman Brac. Mass, 11 a.m. CHRIST THE REDEEMER CATHOLIC CHURCH: West Bay. Mass, 11 a.m. WEST BAY WESLEYAN HOLINESS CHURCH: North West Point Road. Convention, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Call 949-3394. GENERAL INTEREST POSTAL VOTING: The Elections Office reminds registered voters that the period during which they may request postal ballots or mobile voting will continue until close of business on Friday, May 12. People who will be away from Cayman on Election Day may request a postal ballot by filling out Form B, available on www.elections.ky, at portal. elections.ky/files/downloads/ forms/2016/FORMB.pdf. The completed form and proof of travel may be emailed to office@elections.ky. MOBILE VOTING: Voters who will be in Cayman, but unable to physically attend the polls, may apply for mobile voting using Form C, available from www.elections.ky at portal. elections.ky/files/downloads/ forms/2016/FORMC.pdf. Elections Office polling staff will either visit successful applicants in person, or facilitate their vote before polling day at an early voting station. 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, and on Grand Cayman, Sunday, April 30. The charity event is open to all ages and fitness levels. ADULT ACTING CLASSES: Offered through the Cayman Drama Society. May 7, method acting. June 4, the actor’s voice. $40 per class. Contact training@cds.ky. 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. 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. TUESDAY APRIL 11, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS POLITICAL MEETINGS AND FORUMS TUESDAY, APRIL 11 CHAMBER FORUM: North Side candidates, 7-9:30 p.m. at Clifton Hunter High School. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12 CHAMBER FORUM: Bodden Town East candidates, 7:15- 9:30 p.m. at Bodden Town Civic Centre. EZZARD MILLER: North Side. Cynthia Whittaker’s residence. 8 p.m. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19 CHAMBER FORUM: Prospect candidates, 7:15-9:30 p.m. at Prospect Primary School Hall. THURSDAY, APRIL 20 CHAMBER FORUM: Savannah candidates, 7:15- 9:30 p.m. at Savannah Primary School Hall. FRIDAY, APRIL 21 CHAMBER FORUM: West Bay West candidates, 7:15–9:30 p.m. at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School Hall. SATURDAY, APRIL 22 PAUL HURLSTON: George Town South. South Sound Civic Centre, 7 p.m.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 11, 2017 assist the police. The store is also reviewing its security procedures in light of Satur- day’s shooting, but nothing has been decided yet. No one inside the Foster’s store was affected during the robbery/shooting. In fact, Mr. Foster said many shoppers simply continued on their way after the gun- shots rang out. He said Saturday night is one of the busiest nights of the week for the airport Foster’s store and that there easily could have been mul- tiple victims from the gunfire. “This really could have been a lot worse,” Mr. Foster said. It was also the second robbery/shooting involving an armored vehicle since the start of the year. The other shooting happened on Feb. 20 on Eastern Av- enue outside a money transfer business. The RCIPS asked anyone with information to contact detectives directly on their mobile phone numbers: De- tective Inspector Collins Oremule (936-8746) or De- tective Sergeant Anderson Taylor (925-3075). Anonymous tips can be phoned into the RCIPS tip line at 949-7777 or the Miami-based call center for Cayman Crime Stoppers at 800-8477. Wednesday April 12th 7:00pm Katherine EBANKS-Wilks Ed Bush Playing Field P. 328-2326 E.MkAwilks@gmail.com Launch Meeting “The message from this is that you can go and build without planning ap- proval,” he said after the de- cision from the Central Plan- ning Authority following the March 29 meeting. Lawyers for Mr. Thompson told the Planning Authority the structure was already in place when planning ap- proval was quashed and sug- gested the delays caused by the appeal had put the de- veloper at a commercial disadvantage. The Appeals Tribunal overturned the planning per- mission for the site in Oc- tober 2016, after represen- tatives from the Central Planning Authority acknowl- edged they had cited the wrong part of the law when they granted permission for the structure to be built closer to the ocean than is usually allowed. Samuel Jackson, repre- senting the applicant at the March planning meeting, ar- gued that this was essen- tially a “typo” and that the appeals tribunal had pun- ished his client for what was a clerical error. He said the Central Plan- ning Authority had consid- ered the issue of the set- backs and had simply cited the wrong aspect of the law in their decision to allow ap- proval. The Authority granted approval following the March meeting, citing a different section of the law, paving the way for the business to open. Mr. Johnson said he be- lieved the issue was not simply a clerical error. He said the setbacks granted on all sides were almost double what was allowed in law and he is asking the Appeals Tri- bunal to again quash the latest planning permission. He said he was strongly against the development be- cause it detracted from the aesthetic appeal of the iron- shore coastline. “That site should be kept for the ben- efit of the Cayman Islands people,” he added. Mr. Johnson also com- plained to the Depart- ment of Environment about work being done on the marine side of the devel- opment without a Coastal Works License. However, a department spokesman said environment officers were on site when that work took place and confirmed that the only work done was to remove rubble from a de- molished dock. The department did ob- ject to planning permission for the overall development, however, citing its proximity to the ocean. “The proposed works will irreversibly detract from the vista and aesthetic appeal of the natural ironshore coast- line in this area, which is an intrinsic part of the char- acter of George Town water- front,” it added. The National Road Au- thority, in its submission to the Central Planning Au- thority also cited concerns that the parking lot for the development was too close to the road and would effec- tively make North Church Street a “maneuvering area” for vehicles backing out of the site.” Mr. Jackson argued that once the business opened, the owner would be able to regu- late use of the parking lot. He suggested the develop- ment actually improved the look of the area. He added, “It is hard to conceive how any reason- able person who can recall the state of the site before the development that now exists was completed could argue that the current has done anything other than to en- hance the vista of the area.” Waterfront development approved by planning board The site in October, 2016, after planning approval was overturned. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Police seek 2 suspects in Foster’s shooting The armored vehicle involved in Saturday night’s robbery outside Foster’s. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY This white Honda CRV, with no license plates, was used as the getaway vehicle in the armored car robbery outside Foster’s Food Fair-IGA Airport grocery store Saturday night. MEXICAN DRUG LORD GETS HIS OWN MINISERIES, MADE IN COLOMBIA TABIO, Colombia (AP) – While the real Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is locked up in a barren, isolated cell in New York, his career as a drug lord apparently over, his fictional counterpart is free and in top form in Co- lombia, where the Univision network and Netflix are filming a television series about his life. Ironically, Guzman’s re-arrest in 2016 – after two dramatic prison es- capes – has created such a bloody power struggle for his Sinaloa cartel in Mexico that the series’ pro- ducers thought it would be safer to film in Colombia, the country that used to be the epicenter of the hemi- sphere’s drug violence. Guzman was extradited to the United States in Jan- uary, and his lawyers com- plain the conditions he faces at a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial are so restric- tive they violate his rights. The filming in Colombia was so cloaked in secrecy that the crew told locals they were filming a myth- ical TV soap opera, “Do- lores de Amor,” roughly “The Pains of Love.” The Asso- ciated Press attended one filming session in the town of Tabio, where a half-dozen extras said they didn’t know what the series was about. Its real title is fairly self- explanatory: “El Chapo.” At the time filming started, Guzman was still in Mexico and the series’ loca- tion was shifted for security reasons, said producer Daniel Posada. “Colombia was a good option, because we have well-trained crews and it is very similar in ap- pearance to Mexico.” Tabio has a colonial town square, church and park that look like they could be found in rural Mexico. The effect will be completed in post-produc- tion by adjusting the inten- sity of the light to match Mexican skies. Colombia may also be a little less legally complicated. Guzman employed a cadre of lawyers to file a seemingly endless array of legal appeals in Mexico. One of the lawyers, Jose Refugio Rodriguez, suggested the producers could suffer legal consequences for using Guzman’s name and story without his permission. “If they are producing something that he (Guzman) has not authorized, if they start attacking him, or pub- lishing things from his pri- vate life, then clearly there will be a legal response,” Rodriguez said. When Netflix and Uni- vision announced the se- ries last year, they said it is “based on the life story of one of the world’s most no- torious criminals.” Another Guzman lawyer, Andres Granados, told The Associated Press at the time that the two networks would have to pay for the right to use Guzman’s name and nickname, which can be translated as “Shorty.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >