ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY APRIL 27, 2017 Premier Health The world is smaller when you have a bigger health plan! 24/7 worldwide assistance and your I.D. card is accepted by 1.1million US providers, including pharmacy benefits. Wherever you touch down, with Premier Health you are only a phone call away from your health plan. British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Limited acts solely as an agent on behalf of Colonial Medical Insurance Company Limited and it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. : insurance, health, pensions, life Ministry investigates prisons overtime payments BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Min- istry of Home Affairs is inves- tigating overtime payments to prisons officers working at the Immigration Detention Centre after allegations of favoritism were made regarding some of those payments. Numerous sources inside the prison operation and with the Home Affairs ministry, which is responsible for public safety in Cayman, have confirmed that the issue involves certain prisons managers “manipu- lating” the payment of overtime and schedules of prison officers to benefit themselves and fa- vored co-workers. Prisons Director Neil Lavis raised the issue with the min- istry late last year after the prisons received complaints in an anonymous email about the practice of awarding overtime. The text of a similar letter received by the Cayman Com- pass states: “The [named prisons manager] for some time now has been manipulating the staff detail to his convenience and friends’ [benefit]. This is done for both the regular running of the prison and the Immigration De- tention Center, with the latter being paid overtime.” The letter writer alleges they took the matter to certain Bail granted in 10-year bullet sentencing case CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The woman sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for un- lawful possession of four bul- lets was granted bail on Tuesday pending her appeal of her conviction and her sentence. Kimesha Tameka Walters, 30, was sentenced in Summary Court on April 18 after Magis- trate Grace Donalds found her guilty of possessing the .38 am- munition at her North Sound Road apartment on Feb. 18, 2016. Walters had been in custody since her arrest. At a later court appearance she pleaded not guilty to having the bullets, but guilty of possessing 5.29 ounces of ganja with intent to supply. After her trial, Walters was sen- tenced to six months for the ganja, and the $1,500 found in the apartment was ordered to be forfeited to the Crown. The six months was to run consecutive to the sentence for the four bullets. The Firearms Law of 2008 TRAVEL AGENCY OWNER NOT GUILTY OF DISHONESTY Judge explains route to verdicts CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The owner of a travel agency was found not guilty on Tuesday of obtaining property by deception from 12 customers between De- cember 2014 and March 2015. Theresa Eleanor Chin, who owned and op- erated Cayman 123 Travel, was also found not guilty on one count of attempting to obtain property by deception. This count pertained to an attempt to obtain airline travel tickets valued at $2,049.37 by falsely representing that she was authorized to use a credit card belonging to one of her customers. Most of the other charges alleged dishon- estly receiving cash by falsely representing that a valid ticket for air travel would be is- sued in exchange for the cash payment. The case for the prosecution, as pre- sented by Crown counsel Toyin Salako, was that the defendant did not buy the tickets for her customers immediately, but used the money for other things to keep her company afloat or to purchase more urgent flights for other customers. Ms. Salako commented at one stage that “robbing Peter to pay Paul” was still robbing. Hurricane Hunter stops in Grand Cayman PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 » The U.S. Air Force Hurricane Hunter lands at Owen Roberts International Airport on Tuesday in preparation for the upcoming storm season. The WC-130J aircraft will fly directly into major storms as part of real-time monitoring activities by the U.S. 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. The plane arrived in Cayman between stops in Honduras and Turks and Caicos during a regional tour. For the full story, see page 8. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Neil Lavis2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY APRIL 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 UNFORGETTABLE (R) 1:00 I 3:30 I 7:30 I 10:00 THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS 3D (PG13) 12:30 VIP I 3:40 VIP I 6:50 VIP 9:40 I 9:50 VIP SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE 3D (PG) 12:35 2D I 3:45 I 7:00 2D I 9:55 SUN: 4:00 2D I 10:05 GIFTED (PG13) 1:15 I 4:00 I 7:15 GOING IN STYLE (PG13) 12:40 I 3:55 I 7:20 I 9:45 BOSS BABY 3D (PG) 12:45 2D I 3:50 I 6:50 2D I 9:45 - THURSDAY - 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) KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) – The U.S. Coast Guard says Cuban migrants are less likely to use homemade rafts to try to reach Florida since the end of a policy granting res- idency to Cubans arriving on American soil. Lt. j.g. Kate Webb of Coast Guard Sector Key West said overall interdic- tions have dropped from as many as 25 a day to about 20 per month since Presi- dent Barack Obama ended the “wet-foot, dry-foot” policy Jan. 12. Webb said Tuesday that up to 70 percent of inter- dictions now involve go- fast boats, not the rustic vessels called “chugs.” The speedboats are towed to shore for law enforcement investigations. Capt. Jeffrey Janszen told The Citizen that mi- grants pay up to $10,000 each to cross aboard go- fast boats, compared with several hundred dol- lars in a chug. FEWER CUBAN RAFTS TRYING TO REACH US SOIL Riding school could still challenge road widening plan JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A long-standing injunction holding up completion of the Linford Pierson highway expansion has been lifted, the National Roads Authority has confirmed. However the court order does not end the impasse between the NRA and the Cayman Islands Equestrian Centre. The NRA is part way through con- struction on the first phase of the road widening project between the Silver Oaks roundabout and Agnes Way to four lanes. But it still has to officially ga- zette the route and submit plans for the second phase of the project to complete the expansion. Until now it had been prevented from doing so by a court in- junction in 2001 after legal action from the riding school. NRA board Chairman Donovan Ebanks said, “The Grand Court did lift the injunction that has been in place since 2001. It remains to be seen what other action the property owners will take. We are not expecting that will be the end of the process.” Mary McTaggart, who runs the Equestrian Centre, declined to comment. The Cayman Compass understands the riding school will have the option to legally contest the project again once the route for phase two of the road is offi- cially gazetted. A group called Friends of the Eques- trian Centre late last year gathered 1,209 signatures on a petition calling on government to alter its plans for the road to avoid cutting through the equestrian center. According to the petition, “The Eques- trian Centre has been operational for 25 years and was established long before the first two lanes of the highway were con- structed. The Government now wants to run four lanes of traffic over this property. This would make it impossible for the Equestrian Centre to operate safely and the island’s longest standing riding school and pony park will be forced to close.” Mr. Ebanks said the NRA is currently focused on completing phase one of the project and would await the election of a new government before moving forward with phase two. “We will be reporting to a new min- ister after the election, so we are going to complete phase one by the end of the summer. Any decision on phase two will be made in the couple of months after the election. “The Grand Court did lift the injunction that has been in place since 2001. It remains to be seen what other action the property owners will take. We are not expecting that will be the end of the process.” DONOVAN EBANKS, chairman, NRA board Injunction lifted on Linford Pierson highway project Jury had returned not guilty verdicts on other charges CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former government clerk Atisa Ebanks had formal ver- dicts of “not guilty” entered in her favor on Wednesday after a brief appearance in Grand Court. The defendant stood trial last year, when a jury found her not guilty of 22 counts of theft and two counts of false accounting during a period between 2007 and 2009. How- ever, the jurors were unable to reach verdicts on five other charges of theft and one of false accounting. The Crown at the time indicated that a decision would be made as to whether to have a retrial on those six charges. This week, Crown counsel Scott Wainwright told Jus- tice Charles Quin that the Department of Public Pros- ecutions offered a formal notice of not proceeding with the matter. He explained that it was unclear what the basis was for the jury’s inability to reach verdicts on those charges. He said the case had been brought on the basis of an internal audit that showed a pattern, so the evidence would have been similar to the evidence on the other charges. Further, the possi- bility of human error could not be discounted. Defense attorney Laurence Aiolfi asked that the court enter formal ver- dicts of not guilty and Jus- tice Quin agreed, saying the Crown had taken a sensible course, given “insurmount- able difficulties.” The defendant has worked as a clerk in the office of the Chief Secretary (now the Deputy Governor) where she received naturalization fees of $500. The Crown’s alle- gation was that she created false receipts and did not put the money into the govern- ment accounting system. She was placed on re- quired leave in March 2009 and she resigned in De- cember the same year. The defendant stood trial last year, when a jury found her not guilty of 22 counts of theft and two counts of false accounting. Ex-government clerk cleared of theft, false accounting The NRA is part way through the first phase of the road widening project between the Silver Oaks roundabout and Agnes Way. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuela is threatening to pull out of the Organiza- tion of American States as the socialist government’s response to political unrest that has been blamed for 27 deaths in recent weeks draws rebuke from the hemisphere’s major powers. Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said on state TV late Tuesday that she had been instructed by Presi- dent Nicolas Maduro to initiate the country’s with- drawal from the Wash- ington-based OAS if the region’s foreign minis- ters hold a meeting on the country’s crisis without his administration’s backing. Her comments came hours before envoys to the OAS were scheduled to meet Wednesday to de- bate a proposal by Mexico, Brazil, the U.S. and 13 other nations to convene a spe- cial meeting of foreign min- isters to discuss Venezue- la’s “situation.” “We’re not going to con- tinue allowing legal and institutional violations that are arbitrary and sur- pass any moral, ethical and licit boundary that na- tions in this regional orga- nization should respect,” Rodriguez said. Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have flooded the streets over the last month to demand an end to Maduro’s presidency. The protests have frequently ended in violent confronta- tions with security forces, which have used tear gas and rubber bullets to dis- perse crowds, and there also have clashes with pro- government groups. VENEZUELA PUSHES BACK AGAINST REGIONAL CRITICISMThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY APRIL 27, 2017 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. THURSDAY APRIL 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS “The government’s Internal Audit Unit found in July 2016 that more than 69,000 hours paid in firefighter overtime during 2015, at a cost of nearly $1.7 million, is the equivalent of 33 full-time employees working 40 hours per week for the full year.” – “Report: Firefighters battle staff shortages,” Cayman Compass You read that correctly: In the year 2015, Cayman Islands firefighters racked up 69,000 hours of overtime. The bill for all that overtime came to nearly $1.7 million, which is a 44 percent increase over the Cayman Islands Fire Service’s $1.1 million overtime bill in 2014. (Meanwhile, we’ve learned – and report on Page 1 – that prison guards have been racking up about $1 million per year in overtime pay at the Immigration Detention Centre.) Almost as bad as the fire service’s reliance on overtime is the explanation offered for it – that some fire- fighters have taken high numbers of sick days. (As any chief financial officer of any company will tell you, consistent overtime in an organization is not unlike financial heroin: It quickly becomes an addiction, and employees soon become dependent on the extra income in their paychecks.) We can’t help but also observe that the amount of fire- fighter overtime generated in 2015, which is equivalent to the cost of 33 full-time employees, isn’t too far off from the number of vacancies in the department – 39 positions. Put another way, it seems that firefighters have been picking up the slack (and then some) for colleagues who aren’t showing up for work, or who haven’t been hired yet. That’s a kind way of appraising the situation. A less kind way might be to question whether Cayman’s firefighters have been taking advantage of the “status quo” in order to engorge their bank accounts at the taxpayers’ expense. According to the Internal Audit Unit report that revealed the figures for 2015, “The issue of severe staff shortages, including the negative impacts it can have on fire officers and those persons relying on them, has been noted in two [earlier] reports. However, we noted that no actions [have] been taken to address the findings pre- sented in those reports [from 2011 and 2013].” In May 2015, while firefighters were in the midst of racking up their $1.7 million overtime tab, the Compass unearthed (through an open records request) a 2014 review of Cayman’s Fire Service performed by England’s Chief Fire and Rescue Advisor Peter Holland. As we described it in a news headline at the time, the Holland Report was “scathing.” Mr. Holland stated in his 22-page report, “This review discovered a pervading view that firefighters are ‘well paid to do nothing.’” The Holland Report called for restructuring and down- sizing the Fire Service, noting that “The level of demand for the fire service expressed in terms of fire calls and incidents attended is at consistently low levels.” During government’s 2012/13 budget year, police responded to 25,901 calls, emergency medical services (ambulances) responded to 3,570 calls, and the fire service responded to 867 calls – fewer than three per day. Accordingly, the Holland Report recommended, in addition to reducing their numbers, retraining and reas- signing firefighters to neglected duties, such as building safety inspections. Since the release of the Holland Report and the accu- mulation of overtime in 2015, the Fire Service has gotten a new leader, Chief Fire Officer David Hails, who started his three-year contract in February 2016. Mr. Hails arrived with a sparkling professional back- ground, including nearly 40 years of firefighting experi- ence. When he took the job, he certainly knew the struc- tural challenges that had been exposed by Mr. Holland’s review and other reports. Now that Mr. Hails has been in Cayman for more than a year, a fair question is: What are his plans to remediate the dysfunctional department he inherited? Fire service overtime: 69,000 hours … 69,000 hours?! PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE Will France elect a Gallic Barack Obama? Macron proposes to cure France’s durable stagnation by being ever so nice. Which means, above all, by not being ... her. WASHINGTON – The French are too intellectually vain to borrow others’ political ideas, but too interested in style not to appreciate and appropriate that of others. So, on May 7 they might confer their presidency on a Gallic Barack Obama. In 2008, Obama, a freshman senator, became a national Rorschach test, upon whom Americans pro- jected their longings. Em- manuel Macron, 39, is a former Paris investment banker, untainted by elec- toral experience, and a vir- tuoso of vagueness. His platform resembles (The Spectator’s Jonathan Miller’s description) “a box of chocolates from one of those upscale confiseries on the Rue Jacob: full of soft centers.” This self-styled centrist is a former minister for the incumbent president, socialist Francois Hollande, who in a recent poll enjoyed 4 percent approval. (Last Sunday, the Socialist Party candidate won 6.35 percent of the vote.) Macron calls his move- ment En Marche!, meaning “on the move,” which is as self-congratulatory and un- informative as Obama’s “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” Macron proposes to cure France’s durable stagnation by being ever so nice. Which means, above all, by not being ... her. In 1984, when Marine Le Pen’s anti-Semitic and xenophobic father, Jean- Marie, received more than 2 million votes for presi- dent, a Paris headline asked: “Are there 2,182,248 Fas- cists in France?” It was not an unreason- able question, he having advocated uniting all “the forces of the nation in a fasces.” He was pointedly in- voking the Roman symbol of power – rods lashed to- gether around an ax handle with the blade protruding – from which fascism took its name. His slogan was cun- ningly sinister: “My pro- gram is what you are thinking.” Meaning: What you flinch from saying about Jews, immigrants and other deplorables. It is unclear how far from this tree the sour apple that is his daughter has fallen. Her rallies feature chants of “On est chez nous” (“This is our home”), which expresses anxiety that France is less and less that. Millions of unassimi- lated immigrants have made a mockery of the dreamy multiculturalism preached by people living comfort- ably insulated from the in- flux. Le Pen’s blood-and- soil nationalism is a primal scream against the felt dilu- tion of identity. It is untrue that French libraries file the nation’s constitutions under periodi- cals. There have been a slew of them since 1791; the cur- rent one is a relatively an- cient 59 years old. But a nation’s identity is usually bound up with lin- guistic unity, so France’s na- tional identity is, in a sense, relatively young. Political scientist Francis Fukuyama has written: “In the 1860s, a quarter of France’s population could not speak French, and an- other quarter spoke it only as a second language. French was the language of Paris and the educated elite; in rural France, peasants spoke Breton, Picard, Flemish, Provencal, or any number of other local dialects.” Marine Le Pen, self- styled avatar of Frenchness, got less than 5 percent of the vote in Paris, running strongest where national identity has been most re- cently realized. In 1977, France’s GDP was about 60 percent larger than Britain’s; today it is smaller than Britain’s. In the interval, Britain had Mar- garet Thatcher, and France resisted (see above: keeping foreigners’ ideas at bay) “neoliberalism.” It would mean disman- tling the heavy-handed state direction of the economy known as “dirigisme,” which is French for sclerosis. France’s unemployment rate is 10 percent, and more than twice that for the young. Public-sector spending is more than 56 percent of France’s GDP, higher than any other European na- tion’s. Macron promises only to nibble at statism’s ragged edges. He will not receive what he is not seeking – a specific mandate to challenge retire- ment at age 62, or the 35- hour workweek and the rest of France’s 3,500 pages of labor regulations that make it an ordeal to fire a worker and thus make businesses wary about hiring. Instead, he wants a more muscular European Union, which, with its democracy deficit, embodies regula- tory arrogance. The 1930s confounded the European left because capitalism’s crisis benefited the rancid right, which by melding economic and cul- tural anxieties produced aspirations from the base metal of resentments. Today, globalization is causing similar stirrings on both sides of the Atlantic. Le Pen’s surge probably will crest short of floating her into the presidency. But in France and else- where, complacent people should remember the words of the African-American spiritual with which James Baldwin in 1963 warned Americans during the struggle for civil rights: God gave Noah the rainbow sign No more water, the fire next time. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2017, Washington Post Writers Group5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY APRIL 27, 2017 Premier Health BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town.Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, Cayman BracTel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. : insurance, health, pensions, life British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Limited acts solely as an agent on behalf of Colonial Medical Insurance Company Limited and it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. Wherever you touch down, you’re just a phone call away from your health plan. 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CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky Development at issue in national debate SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Tourism and the future of development in the Cayman Islands became a major focus of discussion on Tuesday night, when five candidates took the stage at the Camana Bay Arts & Recreation Center in the second national de- bate leading up to the May 24 elections. Three of the four can- didates vying for a seat in Bodden Town East – Dwayne Seymour, Robert Bodden and Osbourne Bodden – attended, as did Maxine Bodden Rob- inson, who is one of four can- didates in Bodden Town West. Alva Suckoo, one of four candidates in Newlands, also attended. The debate was viewed by a scant number in person, but nearly 2,700 people on Facebook Live. The first topic was the Go East initiative and how the respective candidates would spur development in their re- spective districts. Robert Bodden, a member of the Cayman Democratic Party, said the most impor- tant thing to revive Bodden Town is having a coherent plan for zoning. “Currently, we’re doing a lot of hodge- podge development without a plan,” he said of the current lack of re-zoning. “It’s not co- hesive. People are still driving to George Town to find work and benefit from the tourism that is already on Seven Mile Beach. We have to diversify our tourism product.” Osbourne Bodden, Min- ister of Community Affairs, Youth and Sports, said his district has a lot of potential for ecotourism if the money can be found to take ad- vantage of it. “I think we have a lot to offer,” said Mr. Bodden, a member of the Progressives. “Bodden Town East is the historic capital and we have a lot there that is not being exploited and used to its full extent. I think there’s a need for start-up capital. A lot of people would benefit if they had access to funding. But we need to look at Bodden Town East and realize there’s so much potential.” Cruise berthing facility The next hot topic was a potential berthing facility that would allow cruise ships visiting Cayman to dock in- stead of requiring passengers to be ferried ashore by ten- ders. Dwayne Seymour spoke up against the planned fa- cility, while Osbourne Bodden and Mr. Suckoo supported it. Mr. Seymour, an inde- pendent, said he is not con- vinced that the new facility is needed at this time, and that ultimately the environ- ment of Seven Mile Beach is most important to the tourism product. “What they are telling us is the experience of the tour- ists coming here is not as enjoyable, and more people need to get off the ship,” he said. “They’re not getting off the ship because they have to come by tender. When I check it out, other Caribbean is- lands like Cayman, the same amount of people are still staying on ship and they have piers. For that reason, I’m not convinced as yet.” Mr. Suckoo, an inde- pendent, made a case for building the facility but doing it responsibly. He said he is in favor of using a deep- water berth and using pylons as opposed to dredging near the shore, but most impor- tantly, he said, the citizens of Cayman need to decide what they want for their future. “We need to decide if we want the mega-ships or if we want to stick with the smaller class ships. Do we want to focus on mass cruise tourism or do we want to focus on stay-over?” he said. “I know we can balance that. We can have a blend, but we need to answer that question and be working on a plan. We don’t want to be the next Cancun or the next Jamaica. We want to retain our orig- inality and we need to de- fine our tourism product that capitalizes [on] what the Cayman Islands should be.” Employment Robert Bodden and Mr. Suckoo both referenced the recent change in the pen- sion law, saying they thought the reports of a poten- tial mass exodus of foreign workers were exaggerated. But even if they were true, said Mr. Suckoo, this would be a perfect time to focus on filling those jobs with Cayman citizens. “We have tourism busi- nesses telling us there’s going to be a mass exodus of people from these is- lands,” he said. “Why haven’t they embraced and prepared and trained Caymanians to take those jobs? “Why is it now that they’re going to go out and raise the alarm that they’re going to lose 2,500 employees? There should’ve been 2,500 Caymanians prepared to take those jobs.” Trade schools Another debate topic was trade schools and whether Caymanian citi- zens would benefit from having an alternate path to education and different types of careers. Maxine Bodden Robinson said it is not clear whether there are enough people interested in a trade school education. “We actually need to think about what a trade school is and whether it’s needed,” she said. “It’s a sexy buzzword. Everybody is on about having a trade school because not every- body is academically in- clined. I absolutely agree. Not everybody can be law- yers, doctors and whatever else. There are lots of people that like to work with their hands and whatever it might be, but we need to start at the very beginning when our children are en- tering that school system to see what their abilities are.” Robert Bodden agreed. “Everybody’s a genius. But if you judge a fish by his ability to climb a tree, you will continue to think he’s stupid,” he said. “Each one cannot be a rocket scien- tist, accountant or a doctor. When you say trade schools or technical schools, that includes the arts, it includes music, it includes drama. “We have to diversify our education system. The mere fact that we have two pil- lars of our economy, which is all service, a failure to diversify our educational system is a disservice to the people in this country and to the educational system as a whole.” From left, Osbourne Bodden, Alva Suckoo, Maxine Bodden Robinson, Dwayne Seymour and Robbert Bodden in the moments before Tuesday night’s debate.– PHOTO: SPENCER FORDINDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Bodden Town THURSDAY APRIL 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 YEARS AGO Bunkering station raises environmental concerns In the April 26, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, envi- ronmental concerns about a proposed bunkering sta- tion were published in re- sponse to the paper’s cau- tionary editorial on the risks posed by oil spills: “Following the edito- rial of last week, Mr. Fossie Arch has made available to us the view of Dr. J. Lear Grimmer on the sub- ject of the proposed estab- lishment of a bunkering station here: “‘Such activity would spell sure and imme- diate doom for the future of tourism and all of the progress that the island has enjoyed in the last sev- eral years. Let me tell you why I so firmly believe that the oil industry would render Grand Cayman a most undesirable place to live for all of us. “‘I have spent most of my life as a professional zoologist specialising in conservation and preser- vation of animal life and biological resources, so my concept of any area is based on the viewpoint of how well the present an- imal species populations are thriving and what an- imals and flora have dis- appeared as a result of man’s depredations. This is a direct and scientific measure of the pollution and contamination which has been visited upon such land and water. I have not found one area where bun- kering or refinery activities were present that has not rendered the waters unfit for marine life and the ad- jacent shores and beaches oily with the contaminates of heavy and light fuel oils. These observations have covered a great deal of the western hemisphere as well as the Mediterranean and the near east to India and beyond. There is no in- telligent person who will unequivocally guarantee that such operations will not “spill or leak a little now and then, or that acci- dents cannot happen.” “‘Perhaps you have read … of the Torrey Canyon, the tanker which broke up [last month] off the shores of England. The crude oil from this accident threat- ened 1,070 miles of resort beach with a sticky, smelly mess. Much of the prime beach area was spared ab- solute destruction by the actions of Prime Minister Harold Wilson, who or- dered the bombing of the wrecked freighter to set the cargo on fire. The par- tial clean-up of the re- sort area with hundreds of tons of detergent ma- terials and employment of thousands of men, plus the Royal Navy and Coast Guard, is costing millions of dollars. There will be long stretches of beaches unfit for use for many years, both in England and France. Perhaps some will read a divine and timely warning in this incident relative to the present pro- posal exposing this small island to a similar disaster. I regard the incident as one which has happened many times before and will happen as long as there are men to make er- rors of judgment. Even a small amount of spillage or leakage in the transfer and storage of petroleum products due to bunkering will build up and eventu- ally affect the shores of Grand Cayman, no matter what the prevailing winds and currents are, or what assurance is given by fea- sibility studies from “inter- nationally known private organisiations who are en- gaged in oceanography” employed by the prospec- tive licencee.’” Riders enjoy holiday camp Young equestrians enjoyed Easter Camp at the Cayman Riding School on Hirst Road in Savannah over the long holiday weekend. Children as young as 4 years old rode ponies and enjoyed seeing bunnies and other animals in the riding school’s Children’s Farm, as well as a miniature donkey, two mini-goats, guinea pigs, chickens and miniature horse. “Our camps are highly supervised, and this year we were able to offer one-on-one supervision for our youngest campers,” said Tracey Surrey, riding in- structor and the school’s owner. “Our ponies are specially trained and very tolerant, so they are safe for young riders even if they have no prior experi- ence – it’s a lot of fun and children are able to learn at their own pace.” Ms. Surrey said there are both mental and physical benefits from horse riding, including increasing bal- ance, coordination and motor function, muscle tone and flexibility. To learn more, visit Cayman Riding School on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CaymanRidingSchool/. Campers enjoy petting the bunnies.Olivia Kluyver and Olivia Maharaj Olivia and Zara Maharaj, Marley Thompson and Lilly Fleming Ms. Surrey said there are both mental and physical benefits from horse riding.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY APRIL 27, 2017 Junior players feel CIFA scandal fallout KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Funding cuts to Cayman’s national football program have not spared the game’s youngest players. The junior Under-15 na- tional team has taken on fundraising efforts to allow them to continue competing internationally and replace limited support once pro- vided by the Cayman Is- lands government. That funding came be- fore scandal hit the Cayman Islands Football Association in 2015, prompting govern- ment to withdraw its annual $130,000 budget. A small part of that had been di- rected to the U-15 team. The team now hopes to independently raise $50,000 to secure its spot in the CONCACAF Boys’ U-15 Championship in August at the IMG Academy in Bra- denton, Florida. The competition will in- clude the top 40 teams from the region. To date, the Cayman team has raised $1,500 to- ward its goals. Coach Bruce Sigsworth said he has reached out to government for di- rect funding for the U-15 program but has not re- ceived a response. The team now de- pends on family and com- munity support. “The reason is that we haven’t received a lot of sup- port due to the situation with FIFA. We’ve relied a lot on and are thankful for the parents who have supported us so far. That’s why we’ve now reached out to the com- munity,” he said during an evening practice in West Bay. Through donations, the team hopes to participate in several training opportu- nities leading up to the Au- gust tournament. In June, players plan to attend the Celtic Soccer Club ID Camp in Florida. The team has also scheduled several local weekend trainings with vis- iting coaches. Mr. Sigsworth said these camps provide invaluable development opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach for the team. “It’s very important for them to go to these types of events because they don’t get the exposure to different levels or styles of football lo- cally. The season was over in five or six games,” he said. “They need this kind of trip and these different events to gain exposure. It’s also a great social event for them as well, building and combining as a team and learning some life lessons from the sport.” Meanwhile, he said players have been building their fitness and game knowledge through prac- tices twice a week. The pros- pect of playing in the CON- CACAF tournament has been a driving motivator for the team. Striker David Pitcairn said he has his sights set on the August competition. “I have been playing foot- ball since I was 3 years old and I am extremely proud of representing the Cayman Is- lands in the game that I love and am passionate about,” he said in a press release. The U-15 team has been training for four years. The players from this division feed into the U-17 national team with the goal of com- peting in the World Cup qualifying games. Those interested in making a donation should visit www.cayman.football. Additional reporting done by Alvaro Serey. The Elections Office re- minds potential voters who are likely to be off is- land on Election Day – Wednesday, May 24 – that they will be able to cast their votes by mail. The deadline for ap- plying for postal ballots and mobile voting is Friday, May 12, and applicants will need to complete a Form B application in order to be eligible. That form can be down- loaded from the Elec- tions Office website – www.elections.ky – or col- lected in person from the Elections Office. The Elections Office has already issued 214 postal ballots. Applicants will need to file their paperwork along with proof of travel to the Elections Office, 150 Smith Road Centre, 2nd Floor, George Town. BALLOTS READY FOR VOTERS WHO WILL BE OFF ISLAND U-15 football players practice Monday evening in West Bay. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY “It’s very important for them to go to these types of events because they don’t get the exposure to different levels or styles of football locally.” BRUCE SIGSWORTH, coach8 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY APRIL 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Storm trackers ready for the season KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Storm trackers flew into Grand Cayman on Tuesday on their public awareness tour ahead of the Caribbean’s hurricane season. The Hurricane Hunter, a U.S. Air Force WC-130J air- craft, landed with crew at Owen Roberts International Airport between stops in Honduras and Turks and Ca- icos. The visit is part of the National Oceanic and Atmo- spheric Administration’s an- nual tour of Latin America and the Caribbean. Hundreds of school- children and members of the public were invited to tour the plane and view its weather-tracking tools used to monitor activity from Afri- ca’s western coast to Hawaii. As storms develop, the aircraft flies directly into the action to track development. The real-time observations by the 53rd Weather Recon- naissance Squadron sup- port weather service fore- casting with direct storm data, flight navigator Mike Anderson said. During a weather event, the aircraft will ascend up- ward of 10,000 feet so that crew members can collect in- formation from each quad- rant of the storm. “A storm mission could be anywhere from eight hours to 12 hours. They are pretty long days. Some are more bumpy than others and some aren’t so bad. But you can’t ever let your guard down,” he said. Hurricane specialist Lixion Avila of the Na- tional Hurricane Center said planes like the Hurri- cane Hunter provide much needed support to computer- based prediction systems. Where computer models fall short, the Hurricane Hunter is able to collect real-time data and report back to the weather service, he said. “We can’t live without a Hurricane Hunter plane,” he said. Hurricane Center Director Rick Knabb shared new pre- diction tools available to the public to follow the storm season. The center’s web- site now includes a timing graphic for mapping the ear- liest hour that tropical force winds might arrive to a given location. When forecast models indicate a threat to land, Mr. Knabb said the center will begin issuing warnings sooner, rather than waiting for a meteorologist to con- firm storm criteria. “We have to be ready to take action quickly. That’s why you have a weather ser- vice here and why we talk forecaster to forecaster,” Mr. Knabb said. He encouraged everyone to prepare as much as possible before the hurricane season, reminding the public that both wind and water can pose safety threats. “We all need to be focusing everyone’s attention on all of the hazards that can occur and make sure people are taking action for the water hazard and not just the wind,” he said. Cayman’s National Weather Service Director General John Tibbetts said local storm-tracking capabil- ities have improved vastly in recent years. He said Cayman’s weather radar is now able to better track storm movement and improve response times. The tool is available to the public on the department’s website. “It’s a tremendous tool,” he said. “We’re talking about hur- ricanes here, but even on a daily basis, you can see heavy showers coming in (on the radar) that might affect you on your ride home.” James Munroe, 11, takes the controls. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY Cayman’s Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, but storms can occur before and after the official season. The 2016 season had 15 named storms, with seven hurricanes and three major storms that reached category 3 or higher. That year, Hur- ricane Matthew, which was the first hurricane in the At- lantic to reach Category 5 since Felix in 2007, did not hit Cayman. The last hurricane to hit Grand Cayman was Hurri- cane Ivan in 2004. It was the most devastating storm to hit the islands in recent memory. In 2008, Hurricane Paloma hit Cayman Brac. The weather service has not yet provided a forecast for the 2017 season. HURRICANE SEASON IN CAYMAN Crew members Mike Anderson and Kimberly Spusta are tasked with flying directly into storm centers for monitoring. – PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY A Hurricane Hunter crew member demonstrates a meteorological tool used aboard the plane.Mike Anderson said storm missions can last up to 12 hours. The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY APRIL 27, 2017 Lifeguard Certification Course May 14th-15th | $200 CI Course includes online manual & exam To Register, email or call fitness@fitness.ky 949-8485 POLITICAL MEETINGS AND FORUMS THURSDAY, APRIL 27 CHAMBER FORUM: George Town South candidates, 7-9 p.m. at South Sound Community Centre. FRIDAY, APRIL 28 CHAMBER FORUM: Bodden Town West candidates, 7-9 p.m. at Bodden Town Civic Centre. MONDAY, MAY 1 NATIONAL DEBATE: Candidates from various districts, at Arts and Recreation Centre, Camana Bay, 7-9 p.m. ARDEN MCLEAN: East End. Evelyn McLaughlin’s yard, Gun Bay, 8 p.m. TUESDAY, MAY 2 CHAMBER FORUM: George Town West candidates, 7-9 p.m. CI Further Education Centre auditorium. EZZARD MILLER: North Side. Chisholm’s Supermarket, 8 p.m. WEDNESDAY, MAY 3 CHAMBER FORUM: West Bay Central candidates, 7-9 p.m. Church of God, Capt. Reginald Parsons Drive. THURSDAY, MAY 4 CHAMBER FORUM: West Bay North candidates, 7-9 p.m., West Bay Assembly of God, Finch Drive. FRIDAY, MAY 5 CHAMBER FORUM: Newlands candidates, 7-9 p.m., Savannah Primary School. THURSDAY, APRIL 27 BRAC POLICE MEETING: Inspector Andre Tahal, area commander for the Sister Islands, invites the public to a community meeting at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre, 7-9 p.m. Superintendent Robert Graham, head of Uniform and Tactical Operations for RCIPS, will lead the meeting with Inspector Tahal. All are welcome to discuss policing and community issues. Refreshments will be served. RUNDOWN: The annual comedy revue opens tonight at the Harquail Theatre, and continues Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m. until May 14. Tickets are $25 adults, $15 children/seniors at Funky Tang’s (George Town), Foster’s Food Fair (Strand), Health Care Pharmacy (Grand Harbour) or online at www. artscayman.org. For more information, call 949-5477. BRAC FISHING: Cayman Islands International Fishing Tournament. Today through April 30. Visit www.fishcayman.com. CHAMBER COURSE: Employment – Health Insurance. 9-11 a.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $175 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, APRIL 28 STEEL BAND CONCERT: On The Crescent at Camana Bay, 5:30 p.m. Featuring bands from some of Cayman’s primary schools as well as Michael LeMay’s Pan-N-Riddim. Free. Event is in conjunction with Junior Batabano. PRESCHOOL FUNDING: Deadline is today to apply for government funding to assist with preschool attendance. Caymanian children who will be between 3 and 4 years old before Sept. 1 are eligible. Email ecap@gov.ky or call 244-5724. BIG BASH 2017: HospiceCare fundraiser. Ristorante Pappagallo. 7 p.m. Tickets $250. Dress is island casual. Valet parking. Tickets can be purchased directly from Cayman HospiceCare, 945-7447, or email fundraising@ caymanhospicecare.ky. WELLNESS SEMINAR: The Ephesus Health and Wellness seminar, “Lead Us Back to Eden,” takes place this weekend at Ephesus SDA on Seymour Drive. Tonight 6:30 p.m. Tomorrow 3 p.m. Both sessions are free and all are invited. Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. features cooking demonstrations, lunch, kitchen medicine and more. Fee is $10. Contact 324-1995 or 927-8788. SATURDAY, APRIL 29 IMMUNIZATION CLINIC: The public is invited to attend a special immunization clinic at the Public Health Department from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to assist all children needing vaccinations, including those with missed/ outstanding doses. Parents will be contacted to schedule appointments. All adults needing tetanus boosters, and healthcare workers requiring vaccines, are invited to attend. No appointment necessary. Vaccines will be given on first- come, first-served basis. For more information, call the Public Health Department on 244-2648. DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross mobile shop will be in West Bay from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Christ the Redeemer Church parking. Items available include clothing and shoes for men, women and children; household items, toys and more. FULL GOSPEL BUSINESSMEN: The Grand Cayman chapter of this international fellowship holds its monthly breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at Lola’s restaurant in Camana Bay. We will have open sharing. JUNIOR BATABANO: The annual family fun day takes place at the old “Glass House” government building starting at 1 p.m. At 3 p.m. the street parade goes from Elgin Avenue to the heart of George Town. All are invited. TEEN GLOW PARTY: For those between the ages of 13 and 17, from 7-10:30 p.m. at the South Sound Community Centre. Wear white. Free glow items. There will be a dance-off competition, with the winner receiving a phone. ‘HER STORY IS OUR HISTORY’: All are invited to view this documentary film about the women’s suffrage movement in the Cayman Islands. Clifton Hunter High School Performing Arts Auditorium. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Admission is free. FISH FRY/GARAGE SALE: Central Scranton Park in George Town. Opens at 7 a.m. Fish fry, $12. Shopping bargains. Organized by Central Scranton Community Committee. FUNDRAISING PARTY: The Lions Club of Tropical Gardens hosts a fundraiser ‘70s and ‘80s party at the UCCI Hall. Admission is $10 pre-sold and $15 at the gate. Refreshments will be on sale. Tickets are also available at Funky Tang’s. Funds raised go toward the club’s community projects. There will also be spot prizes for the best Male and Female ‘70s/‘80s outfits. CAR BOOT SALE: Hope Academy PTA Car Boot Sale. The PTA hosts this event 5-10 a.m. on the side parking lot, Grand Harbour. Anyone looking to get rid of usable items sitting in the garage, attic or around the house is encouraged make them available to new owners. Spaces are $25; sellers keep whatever they make selling their items. Contact pta@hopecayman.com. SUNDAY, APRIL 30 DG’S 5K CHALLENGE: The Deputy Governor’s annual walk/run is raising money for the YMCA. Registration on www.caymanactive.com/dg5K until 8 p.m. Friday, April 30. MONDAY, MAY 1 PROSPECT COMMUNITY MEETING: Residents from Spotts Bay to Newlands are invited to a community meeting at 7 p.m. at the Seafarers Hall. For information, email prospectcommunity345@ gmail.com. WEDNESDAY, MAY 3 CONSERVATION COUNCIL: The National Conservation Council will hold a special general meeting from 2 p.m. in the National Trust Clubhouse Conference Room, Grand Cayman. The agenda will be posted on the DoE website (www.doe.ky). This meeting is open to observers from the public. If anyone wishes to submit comments or questions to the Council in advance of the meeting they may do so via email to conservationcouncil@gov.ky. SUNDAY, MAY 7 SERVICE FOR CANDIDATES: Service for all candidates in the May 24 elections. 6 p.m. Elmslie Memorial Church. This is an ecumenical service that includes the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands and the Cayman Ministers Association. All candidates are invited to attend. MONDAY, MAY 8 ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY: Annual general meeting at 7 p.m. at the William Hrudey Observatory at the North End of the UCCI Campus, 168 Olympic Way (turn left at the main entrance into UCCI). Call Richard, 925- 4917 for more details. SUNDAY, MAY 21 CIMA CHARITY 5K & 10K WALK/RUN: As part of the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority’s 20th anniversary, the public is invited to the 5K & 10K Walk/Run, 6 a.m., starting at Elizabethan Square. Cost is $20 for adults, $10 for children under 12. Proceeds benefit the literacy and numeracy programs of various government primary schools. To register, or for more information, visit www.cima.ky. GENERAL INTEREST VOTER ID CARDS: The Elections Office is issuing new voter registration cards. Cards may be collected from the Elections Office at the Smith Road Centre, 150 Smith Road, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The new cards will replace all previously issued voter identification. Officials will stop issuing cards on Friday, May 19. To receive a card, people must show a valid form of official identification, such as a driver’s license, passport or work ID. Those with questions should contact 949-8047, office@elections.ky or www.elections.ky. 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. 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. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The Thrift Shop opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Friday hours are 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and closed evenings. Saturday 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed. Tuesdays at the Truman Bodden Complex at 5:30 p.m. for track/field, football and bocce. No experience necessary, just a smile and patience. Wednesdays at Lions Pool 10:15–11 a.m. You do not have to swim, just be able to walk in water chest-deep. Thursdays at First Baptist Church for basketball, 5:30–7 p.m. Saturdays, volunteers needed for Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30–10:30 a.m. Deck support and in-water swimming assistance needed. For more information, contact Penny McDowall at 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events.Next >