SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY APRIL 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Concerts in South Florida Some oldies but goodies join new blood on stage this May B2 Blockbuster season is finally here Charlie Hunnam stars in new King Arthur film B4 Events Events Movies ■ THEATER ‘Rundown’ turns 25 The beloved production celebrates many years of laughs. B6 Paint your pet’s ‘pawtrait’ Junior Batabano on parade The younger generation gets a carnival all to itself this Saturday with a parade through George Town B5 STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July Registered Merchant of CaymanGiftCertificates. com Fine Wine and Spirits PEYCHAUD’S APERITIVO & CA VICCHIOLI PROSECCO SPRITZ COMBO For the Months of April & May ONLY $35.98 SAVE $ 8 TORTUGA® One Dog at a Time has lots of pooch- friendly events coming up B3 CAYMAN WEEKENDER ‘Rundown’ turns 25 EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 REPUTATIONAL ALERT: CAYMAN’S COURT SECRECY ON INTERNATIONAL STAGE High of 86 Low of 75 Slight with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY APRIL 28, 2017 Also Available RED BAY SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA PREMIER: PROGRESSIVES WILL BRING MORE PR CHANGES IF ELECTED BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com If re-elected, Premier Alden McLaughlin said, his Progressives government in its first year will make more “significant” changes again to the system that awards permanent residence to non-Caymanians. Mr. McLaughlin said that work is already under way, despite the fact that changes to the Immigration Regulations announced in March as the result of a consultant’s review have already taken effect. Those changes were described by one local law firm as “largely cosmetic.” It appears Mr. McLaughlin’s government, if they win enough seats on May 24, is looking to make some more substantive amendments in regard to permanent residence, the right to remain in Cayman for the rest of one’s life. “We do have to make significant changes to the points system and the way points are awarded and determined,” Mr. McLaughlin said during Wednesday night’s Red Bay candi- date forum at Mary Miller Hall. “It is a critical issue. It is very important to Cayman long- term. The work is already under way by my administration to resolve the issue.” The Progressives-led government changed the Immigration Law and regulations relating to the award of permanent residence shortly after taking office in May 2013. However, the system the government implemented in Court cites ‘copyright’ concerns to defend photocopy restrictions SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The domestic dispute over the Cayman Islands court system’s new restrictions on photocopying public records has ballooned into a potential international incident. The publisher of a U.S.-based offshore finan- cial news site is reacting strongly against a policy that he believes targets him. David Marchant, the publisher of Miami- based financial news site OffshoreAlert, is planning to make Cayman’s court records policy the focal point of his opening address Monday at his upcoming OffshoreAlert North America Conference, which will draw hun- dreds of industry professionals and journal- ists from 25 countries. “The new policy rolls back decades of trans- parency at the court and appears to be directly targeted at OffshoreAlert, which has been publishing publicly available Cayman court fil- ings on a weekly basis,” Mr. Marchant wrote in an email blast Wednesday to 9,000 subscribers in 100 countries. “When a judge punishes such activity, instead of encouraging it, you know a jurisdiction has serious problems.” The Cayman court system – headed by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie – recently began to restrict the photocopying of public records by citizens and the media. Mr. Marchant said his researchers were barred from their usual practice of photocopying and publishing local court writs earlier in the week, thus re- stricting knowledge of business dealings in the Cayman Islands. “The court is not a private company,” he told the Compass on Thursday. “Their sala- ries are paid for by the public. They do not own these documents, and the general law is that there is no copyright on public doc- uments. The documents are owned by the public. These people who work for the court need to wise up.” Cayman court records dispute enters international spotlight KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Digital disruption and the in- fluence of big data drove conver- sation at Cayman’s third annual Impact conference Thursday. A fast-paced speaking schedule of international and local entrepreneurs engaged a full ballroom at the Kimpton Seafire Resort. The Impact17 program, put on by the Internet Marketing Association and Cayman Enter- prise City, featured more than 20 speakers from across the globe. IMA Chairman Sinan Kanatsiz described a broad mis- sion for the day, to openly ex- plore business challenges and solutions in the digital age. “Some of the best innova- tion in the world is going to happen on our stage and we don’t know yet what is going to happen,” he said. Impact17 explores innovation in digital age PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 16 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 17 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 16 » Premier Alden McLaughlin, at Thursday’s Impact17 session, highlights Cayman’s suitability to host innovation. - PHOTO: KAYLA YOUNG2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY APRIL 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Healthy employees drive productivity, but managing the diverse needs of teams working internationally can be a challenge. That’s why we’ve designed international health plans that flex around individual needs, and why we provide around-the-clock care, whether it’s access to our vast network of facilities or in-house emergency evacuation services. So, if you are a group of five or more employees, we can offer the protection you need, wherever you are in the world. To find out more visit generali-worldwide.com or call 345 747 2000 Office: Generali Worldwide Insurance Company Limited, Second Floor, Bougainvillea Way, Grand Pavilion Commercial Center, 802 West Bay Road. Mailing address: Generali Worldwide Insurance Company Limited, PO Box 10212, Grand Cayman, KY1-1002, Cayman Islands. Regulated in the Cayman Islands as a licensed insurer by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Incorporated in Guernsey under Company Registration No. 27151. Registered Head Office address: Generali Worldwide Insurance Company Limited, Generali House, Hirzel Street, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands GY1 4PA. Regulated in Guernsey as a licensed Insurer by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission under the Insurance Business (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2002 (as amended). Generali Worldwide Insurance Company Limited is part of the Generali Group, listed in the Italian Insurance Group Register under number 026. Healthy people drive a healthy bottom line ad girl on phone.indd 103/03/2017 14:44:26 CARIBBEANCAFEA Lunch /Dinner 11am-10pm Daily A BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com An early morning shooting Thursday on Eastern Avenue left two people injured. Shots were fired around 3:30 a.m. near Bananas Lounge and Restaurant in the Dolphin Centre shopping area. The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service found the female victim, 20, at the scene with gunshot wounds and later learned a 24-year- old male had been taken to the hospital by private ve- hicle before police arrived. Both victims were dis- charged from hospital after treatment, police said. According to police re- ports, a number of ve- hicles in the parking lot were hit by bullets from the shooting, but no one else was hurt. Two suspects in the shooting were identified as males dressed in black who made off toward the Rock Hole Road area after the shots were fired. The male victim in the shooting, identified as Joshua “Patchy” Ebanks, is a known member of the Birch Tree Hill criminal street gang of West Bay. However, RCIPS officers did not state whether the incident Thursday morning was believed to be the re- sult of an ongoing gang feud that has led to several shooting deaths since 2015, including those of Victor Yates, David Ebanks and Justin Manderson. Police are asking for the driver/owner of a white Ford Taurus who was at the scene to contact them, as well as anyone who has any information on the vehicle. Anyone with any information or who was in the area at the time of the incident is asked to contact the Major Incident Room on 649-3057 or 936-1161. A number of vehicles in the parking lot were hit by bullets from the shooting, but no one else was hurt. Two shot outside George Town bar BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The three political hope- fuls for Red Bay district in eastern George Town have widely varied spending pri- orities should they get elected on May 24. Premier Alden McLaughlin, former govern- ment Minister Frank McField and political newcomer Den- niston Tibbetts participated in a Chamber of Commerce- sponsored debate Wednesday night at Mary Miller Hall. Each man was asked what the top “two or three” spending priorities would be if they were to be elected. Mr. Tibbetts, a Cayman Democratic Party candidate, called it a “difficult question” given that government bud- gets are not easy to decipher looking from the outside in. “We need to spend more money where it matters,” Mr. Tibbetts said. “We’ve done reports and environ- mental studies for, let’s say, the [cruise ship] dock … we’ve spent $1 million get- ting reports and the dock is still not done.” Mr. Tibbetts said invest- ment in education comes first, as far as he’s concerned. He told the audience of about 40-50 people on Wednesday night that his daughter, who is a teacher, had to return to the U.S. to work because the Cayman school system was simply too frustrating. “Children are graduating who can’t read and write …. Whose fault is that? It’s the government,” Mr. Tibbetts said. “[Education Minister] Tara [Rivers], she just goes around taking pictures, as far as I’m concerned.” Independent candidate Frank McField said the ed- ucation difficulties Cayman experienced were just one example of the territory’s failure to invest in “human capital” – which he said would be his first priority. “We’ve seen this sort of error in the development of the Clifton Hunter High School … the John Gray School … we’re thinking about buildings, but we’re not thinking about teachers,” Mr. McField said. “If we spent $200 million on school build- ings, what have we spent on teachers, what have we spent on the broken families chil- dren are coming from? “We have first-world build- ings … but yet we have third- world education. Isn’t that sort of a little bit ridiculous?” Premier McLaughlin said his two major spending pri- orities, if he should be elected for a second term, would be the development of a cruise and cargo port in George Town and the continued work on the remediation of the George Town landfill. Mr. McLaughlin said the new port project, which has been a lodestone for several governments over the past 15 years, is critical to Cay- man’s economy. Without an adequate, modern port, Mr. McLaughlin said: “Much of what my colleagues are complaining about and say they’re going to fix would not be possible. “Without supporting the industries from which we de- rive this revenue … none of the things we want to do will ever be possible.” Mr. McLaughlin said the landfill remediation, estimated to cost more than $500 mil- lion over a 25-year period, is also critical to Cayman’s con- tinued economic development. The premier said the gov- ernment’s proposal to pay for the cruise port development would require the cruise ship companies to guarantee the islands a certain “minimum throughput” of passengers. Those passengers would pay a per head tax that would be used to fund the port devel- opment, he said. Mr. Tibbetts, as he did several times during Wednes- day’s debate, questioned the veracity of the budget plans and figures coming from the Progressives-led administra- tion on the cruise port. “We don’t know the true facts of the government budget,” he said. Red Bay candidates identify top issues The scene outside Bananas Lounge and Restaurant, where two people were shot early Thursday morning. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLER From left, Red Bay candidates Denniston Tibbetts, Frank McField and Alden McLaughlin field questions from Chamber President Kyle Broadhurst and Chief Executive Wil Pineau. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLERThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 28, 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. FRIDAY APRIL 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Following the recent foolish, if not foolhardy, restrictions on access to local court records, a tidal wave of negative public relations is heading for the Cayman Islands. Our trea- sured financial services sector could get soaked. The threat – right now – is a one-man tsunami: David Marchant, who is the publisher of OffshoreAlert.com, a U.S.- based news site that bills itself as “the unofficial financial regulator.” Mr. Marchant, a veteran journalist, specializes in the exposure of offshore fraud and other fiscal shenanigans. His website also includes a database of court writs from jurisdictions such as Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Cayman. Apparently, it is the publishing of public Cayman court documents that has drawn the ire of our judiciary (which is headed up by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie), and led to the attempted crackdown on who is allowed to photocopy writs, and for what reasons. Though there may be other targets (or motivations), it does seem that sites such as OffshoreAlert were in court officials’ crosshairs when they pulled the trigger on the pho- tocopy restrictions. According to a statement from the court administrator: “The rules of court were never intended to allow the wholesale reproduction by photocopy of every record, thereby enabling the documents themselves to be avail- able by paid subscription to another provider, all under the guise of transparency, as mentioned in your story in today’s edition of the Compass. This amounts to the unauthorized sale of those documents for profit. “To allow this to continue unchecked would be tanta- mount to allowing an abuse of the process of the court and a breach of the copyright of the persons who paid for the creation of the documents that they file with the court for the purpose of access to justice. It would also allow the ongoing breach of the Crown’s copyright in the judgments of the Courts.” First, we’ll refer to the “breach of copyright” argument simply in order to dismiss it as a distracting obfuscation couched in legalese. Public records are just that – public. The actual intent certainly appears to be to curtail the dissemination of public information, specifically through OffshoreAlert. The court administrator states that notes or copies may be taken by people “for any legitimate purpose, such as background for investigative journalism in the public’s interest or for obtaining legal advice.” Let’s “unpack” three key phrases: “any legitimate purpose,” “investigative journalism,” and “the public’s interest.” When it comes to obtaining copies of public records, “any legitimate purpose” actually means “any purpose at all, or, no particular purpose.” If anybody, including Mr. Marchant, wants a copy of a public document – whether it’s for posting online, making paper airplanes or lining of hamster cages – he should receive it … no questions asked. It is absolutely inappropriate for an official to interrogate members of the public as to “why” they want copies of a public document. (The answer is: “It’s none of your business.”) In regard to “investigative journalism,” who decides what is “real news” and what is “fake news”? Certainly not a public employee of Cayman’s court system. The same goes for “the public’s interest” – which, as we’ve stated before, is a concept that government officials are in the worst position of all to be trusted to assess. Mr. Marchant is right. Through the court’s recent decision on access to documents, Cayman not only looks like a “secrecy jurisdiction,” it is acting like one. The court’s little battle with OffshoreAlert has the potential to result in huge self-inflicted wounds to Cayman’s international reputation. Apart from the news site itself, OffshoreAlert hosts an annual conference that attracts hundreds of prominent international finance professionals from across the globe. This year’s conference just so happens to take place this coming Sunday-Tuesday in Miami. The event will be brimming with “everyone who matters” to Cayman’s financial services sector, whether they’re pro- viders, clients, rivals or … gulp … the international press, which will be very well-represented (including The New York Times). On his home turf, at his own event, before a receptive audience, and armed with an impressive Rolodex of contacts, Mr. Marchant intends to make Cayman’s photocopy ban the central theme of his opening address to the conference. (He said so himself, in a blistering newsletter already sent to his list of 9,000 subscribers in more than 100 countries.) Meanwhile, Cayman’s response to this emerging crisis so far consists of a single convoluted press statement from our court administrator … And nothing whatsoever from Chief Justice Smellie or private sector representatives. Reputational alert: Cayman’s court secrecy on international stage 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” Canada’s ‘democracy’ J.J. MCCULLOUGH From a Canadian per- spective, the most striking thing about the supposed anti-democratic polit- ical reforms approved by Turkish voters last week was their familiarity. The majority of powers the Turkish president gained – the freedom to appoint cab- inet ministers and senior judges without parliamentary approval, the power to uni- laterally dismiss parliament, the power to decree certain sorts of laws without parlia- ment at all – are all powers the Canadian prime minister already has. Yet no one would claim Canada is less than a full democracy, and it’s worth pondering why. We can certainly ques- tion the Turkish govern- ment’s intentions. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has clear authoritarian tenden- cies and exists in a country with an authoritarian po- litical culture. Turkey expe- rienced multiple military coups throughout the past century – including an at- tempted one in July – and governments have routinely used state power and vio- lence to trample the liberties of their critics. Yet the Erdogan admin- istration’s official justifica- tion for the referendum (and presumably the motive of the 51 percent of Turks who voted for it), that is, the need to make government more efficient and effective, is a common justification for the more authoritarian aspects of the Canadian political system as well. Any Canadian loudly worrying about the replace- ment of Turkish democracy “with what amounts to a dic- tatorship” – in the words of the Globe and Mail editorial board – should take a mo- ment to consider how Cana- da’s political system would look if a third world tinpot proposed adopting it. Canadian prime ministers come to power by winning control of the lower house of Parliament, an achievement which almost never requires winning a majority of the popular vote. PMs then ap- point members of the upper house directly, which means it can be taken for granted that any legislation they pro- pose will quickly sail into law. The ruling party is run as a rigid hierarchy, and the notion of a “free vote” in Parliament, where MPs can vote their con- science rather than the prime minister’s, are rare enough to require a distinctive term. Vir- tually every figure of impor- tance in Ottawa, from cabinet members to judges to senior bureaucrats to committee chairs to military leaders to the head of the state broad- caster, are appointed by the prime minister with no over- sight or veto by anyone. Analysis of Canadian prime ministers revolves mostly around their com- petence in implementing an agenda, given there’s little question the office has all the power it needs. Right-wing critics of former Tory prime minister Stephen Harper, for instance, almost exclusively criticize the last four years of his administration – in which he held a solid ma- jority of seats in Parliament – for its lack of ambition, and such criticisms stick be- cause unlike, say, an Amer- ican president, there are no formal political checks to blame. Harper faced no leg- islative chamber controlled by the opposition party, nor a rebellious Freedom Caucus within his own. The Cana- dian Supreme Court did re- peatedly overturn a number of his legislative initiatives, but by the end of his term Harper had appointed seven of the court’s nine justices, so whose fault was that? The realities of the Ca- nadian system are contro- versial, but not universally so. Many Canadians occu- pying elite positions in the media or politics actually spend a fair amount of time defending the status quo or arguing for things to get even more regressive. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, for instance, has been a long-time defender of an ap- pointed Senate, and Michael Chong, a would-be leader of the Conservatives, success- fully pushed for a new law allowing elected prime min- isters to be deposed and re- placed mid-term by their par- liamentary caucus, similar to what is done in Australia. The justification is always efficiency. The United States, with its feuds between the White House and Congress, and contentious Supreme Court nomination hearings, is often explicitly cited as an example to avoid, a system in which “nothing gets done” because there are too many competing poles of demo- cratic authority. The cen- tral premise of the Canadian system, in which a prime min- ister is elected once every four years and given more or less free rein to do as he wishes, is considered basically correct, with talk of reform occurring mostly at the margins (i.e., who should prepare the list of Senate nominees for the prime minister to consider?). It would be nice if Cana- dians – and progressive Can- ada-admirers abroad – could ditch the disingenuousness when judging the constitu- tional shenanigans of leaders such as Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin or Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. What’s feared is not a political system, but the particular ideologue run- ning it. What’s feared is chauvinistic strongmen, not strongmen per se. To a certain faction, after all, subjecting a leader such as Trudeau to the re- straints of the U.S. Constitu- tion – making his dreams of legalized marijuana, a per- fectly gender-balanced cab- inet, or a generous intake of Syrian refugees that much harder to implement – would be seen as no less a global tragedy than anything going on in Turkey. McCullough, a political commentator and cartoonist from Vancouver, is a columnist at Loonie Politics. © 2017, The Washington PostThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 28, 2017 BÀCARO AT THE CAYMAN ISLANDS YACHT CLUB BÀCARO 345.749.4800 bacaro.ky enquiries@bacaro.ky Tuesday-Sunday 11:30am-10:30pm ciyachtclub.ky CAYMAN ISLANDS YACHT CLUB The Cayman Islands Yacht Club is pleased to welcome Bàcaro, a breath of fresh culinary air to the waterfront community. Inspired by traditional ‘bacari’ of Venice, the restaurant offers a wide selection of shareable plates prepared by chef Federico Destro, and a warm welcome from proprietor Barnabas Bako. As sailboats drift by into the North Sound, enjoy Venetian-inspired food, local ingredients and young Italian wines on the beautiful terrace or inside the charmingly rustic-modern dining room. Benvenuto Bàcaro!DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days East End North Side FRIDAY APRIL 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS ‘Variety’ recognizes young producer A young Caymanian has been recognized by a weekly entertainment trade maga- zine for her achievements as a female in the entertain- ment industry. Erika Olde of East End was featured in the Variety 2017 Women’s Impact Re- port, which “identifies pow- erful women in the entertain- ment industry to keep an eye on,” the April 18 issue of the magazine states. Ms. Olde, 25, the founder of Black Bicycle Entertain- ment, attended St. Ignatius before completing her edu- cation at Regents University in London. She has produced seven feature films and de- veloped Iris-In, a course for young women at the non- profit Ghetto Film School. The school, located on both coasts, provides educational opportu- nities to students passionate about making movies. “Everybody is taught the theory behind what they are studying, but you are not taught anything about how your business actually op- erates on a day-to-day level. How much politics are in- volved, etc. I thought these kids, who frankly may not have as much industry ac- cess as some others, could re- ally benefit from having that practical advice,” she says in the magazine article. “I started my company Black Bicycle Entertainment with a clear vision to fea- ture strong women with a focus on the empowerment of women, so to receive this recognition from Variety so early in my career … is very special to me,” said Ms. Olde. “I was raised in the Cayman Islands and sur- rounded by strong entrepre- neurial women. It had a pro- found impact on me and I am grateful for being able to take that solid foundation with me as I launch my career in the entertainment industry.” The Variety article on Ms. Olde also points out: “[She] produced and helped finance Haillie Meyers-Shyer’s ‘Home Again’ starring Reese Witherspoon, which Open Road will distribute, Susanna White’s ‘Woman Walks Ahead’ starring Jessica Chastain, and Whitney Cummings’s ‘The Female Brain’ all through her company Black Bicycle Entertainment.” The Impact Reports, which cover a variety of professions, appears in the same issue that lists the magazine’s “Power of Women New York.” Those hon- orees are Jessica Chastain, Chelsea Clinton, Gayle King, Blake Lively, Audra McDonald and Shari Redstone. 50 years: Birthday party for one-year-old In the April 26, 1967 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, East End correspondent Charles Dixon wrote: “Messrs. Daiz Conolly and Churchill Bodden re- turned on the 16th to spend their vacation. They work for N.B.C. “Mr. Leonard Pearson joined the Island Prince at the George Town dock on the 17th. The ship sailed that afternoon. “On the 22nd, a birthday party was held at the United Church Manse by members of the Sunday school for little Faye Williams, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Lewin Williams. Faye, who was one year old on the 23rd, received many gifts and seemed to have enjoyed the celebration.” Also in this newspaper edition, a group of scuba divers traveling with Atlantis Divers in La Grange, Illinois, is pic- tured passing through Customs. The group, who stayed at Cayman Kai, flew in on a LACSA charter flight. BOTANIC PARK PLANT SALE THIS WEEKEND This Saturday North Side’s Queen Elizabeth II Bo- tanic Park will be having a nursery sale just in time for the rainy season, which is rapidly approaching. The sale is being held to mark the end of Earth Month, “This is a great time to get your own garden going, or even a great time to stock up on plants if you have your own nursery,” said Botanic Park manager John Lawrus. “From ground covers, small trees, vines and flow- ering plants we will have something for everyone.” The sale runs from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Botanic Park nursery. Erika Olde in 2014 - PHOTO: CHRIS COURT In this photo that appeared in the April 26, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, scuba divers booked to stay at Cayman Kai pass through Customs. Botanic Park worker Wilson Dixon gets ready for Saturday’s plant sale. “I was raised in the Cayman Islands and surrounded by strong entrepreneurial women. It had a profound impact on me and I am grateful for being able to take that solid foundation with me as I launch my career in the entertainment industry.” ERIKA OLDEThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 28, 2017 8 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY APRIL 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Acknowledgements and Sincere Thanks Ramon, Michael, Charles & Mary Alberga, Ruth Still and Cathy Ameline and all the other members of the family of the late Patsy Alberga wish to express their sincere thanks and appreciation to all those who have so kindly conveyed their condolences and sympathy to us following the passing of Patsy on Monday, 20 March 2017. We appreciate your support in various ways including visits, cards, personal letters, phone calls, magni cent baskets of owers and pots of beautiful plants and in many other numerous and thoughtful acts of kindness and friendship which you showed to us. This support and sympathy has meant much to us. Your extremely kind words have certainly served to strengthen and console us at this time of our great loss. We would also like to convey our special thanks to all those who attended the Memorial and Thanksgiving Service for Patsy’s life on Sunday, 9 April 2017 at the George Town Church of Christ and to everyone who very kindly made donations in lieu of owers to one of the four charitable organizations (The Foster Care Home, the Cancer Society, the Humane Society and Paws) all of which were dear to Patsy’s heart and which she supported and assisted during her lifetime. Your many gestures of kindness and thoughtfulness for which we again thank all of you will always be remembered. BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s Jeffrey Webb has had his sentencing date put off for the fourth time since he pleaded guilty to racketeering and money laundering con- spiracy charges in the FIFA bribery scandal. On April 20, a U.S. Dis- trict Court judge agreed to push Webb’s May 11 sen- tencing to July 11. Webb’s attorneys had asked for the date to be post- poned another six months. Webb pleaded guilty in November 2015 to seven counts of criminal conduct in relation to what prose- cutors said was a decades- long bribery racket. Webb pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud conspiracy and three counts of money laun- dering conspiracy. The scheme described by U.S. prosecutors alleged Webb, and others at FIFA – world football’s governing body – solicited bribes from sports marketing companies in exchange for directing lu- crative broadcasting and commercial rights deals for various football tourna- ments to the bribe-payers. Dozens of U.S. banks were used to make those alleged bribe payments to Webb and others, prosecutors said. He faces up to 20 years in prison on the racketeering charge alone. FIFA’s Ethics Committee also found Webb guilty last year of violating general rules of conduct, rules of loyalty, rules for disclosure and financial reporting, con- flicts of interest and bribery and corruption. He has been banned for life from “all football-related activities on a national and international level.” WEBB SENTENCING DATE PUT BACK TO JULY Man pleads guilty for ganja Charges arose from incident outside nightclub CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Wayne Bellafonte Jr., 25, was released from custody this week after pleading guilty to possession of ganja for his own use. The ganja, 54.825 grams, was found in a cigarette box in the glove compart- ment of a vehicle in which police also discovered a loaded firearm in the early hours of May 7, 2016. Bellafonte pleaded not guilty to possession of the unlicensed firearm. A Grand Court jury found him not guilty last week. Part of the defense case, con- ducted by attorney Laura Larner, was that the Lorcin semiautomatic pistol did not have any DNA or fin- gerprints on it. The charges arose from an incident in the parking lot at the Fete Night Club. Police were called to the scene and spoke to Bella- fonte. He had a set of keys and he was asked which ve- hicle the car key was for. He indicated a Ford. However, the officer noted that the key was for a Honda Civic and saw one such vehicle two spaces over. The officer shone a flash- light into the Honda and saw what appeared to be the handle of a handgun near the driver’s seat. A trained firearm officer was alerted and came to the scene to retrieve and secure the gun. Three other men had been in the car with Bella- fonte, and he always denied knowledge of the gun. Charges of possession and consumption of ganja remained in Summary Court. This week the defen- dant pleaded guilty to both. Magistrate Adam Rob- erts sentenced him to one month imprisonment and gave him credit for time in custody. The result was that Bellafonte was free to go. BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 72-year-old tourist died Wednesday after he was pulled from the water in North Side district. The unidentified visitor is the fifth person to die in Cay- man’s waters this year and the third tourist to die in a water-related accident. According to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice, the 911 Emergency Centre was called late Wednesday morning about a snorkeler who went uncon- scious while swimming near Sand Point Road, North Side. Police said several people in the area at the time helped to pull the elderly man from the water and performed CPR until an ambulance arrived. The man was pronounced dead at hospital around noon Wednesday. The three tourists who have died in water-related accidents during 2017 have all been snorkelers over the age of 70. THIRD TOURIST DIES IN CAYMAN WATERS IN 2017 WB BURGLARS ARRESTED, ONE HIT WITH TASER Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice made two burglary ar- rests in West Bay Wednesday. In one incident, a 36-year- old man suspected of bur- gling a home in the Fountain Road area was shot with a Taser weapon after he was confronted by police and “re- acted to officers in an aggres- sive manner,” according to an RCIPS statement. Police said the man was arrested on suspicion of the Fountain Road burglary, which occurred around 5 p.m., after officers caught up to him on Hell Road later in the evening. Earlier the same day, an- other home was broken into on North West Point Road. After receiving information about stolen computer equip- ment at another residence in West Bay, police responded and arrested a 43-year-old on suspicion of burglary. The computer equipment was recovered. “These are two good ex- amples of robust policing in apprehending [the] bur- glary suspects,” RCIPS De- tective Superintendent Pete Lansdown said. Jeffrey Webb9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 28, 2017 We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. George Edward McField affectionately known as “Nosey” of George Town, Grand Cayman, who passed away on Wednesday, April 5, 2017. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 2:00p.m. at Elmslie Memorial United Church, Harbour Drive, George Town. Viewing will be from 1:00-1:45p.m. Interment follows at Dixie Cemetery, North Church Street. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Eudith Clardane McLean nee Rankine, affectionately known as “Claire McLean” of East End, Grand Cayman and Miami, Florida who passed away on Saturday, April 15, 2017. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday April 29, 2017 at 2:00p.m. at East End United Church, Seaview Drive. Viewing will be from 1:00-1:45p.m. Interment follows at the Conolly Family Cemetery, East End. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com In Loving Memory of Mrs. Elsie Venida Whittaker-Ebanks Who passed on April 28, 1992 We missed you then (25yrs) we miss you now. But you left good memories behind (for us). Each day we are reminded of your love for us so we will carry you forever in our hearts. Thanks Mom & Grandma for the memory book of love! Connie & James The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. David Rodney Bodden regret to announce is passing on Friday, 21 April 2017. A memorial service will be held privately. The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to: Cayman Islands Government Caring Hands Cayman Cayman HospiceCare In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Cayman Islands Seafarers Association. The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Martha Carolyn Milburn Johnson nee Bush, previously announced as nee Bodden regret to announce her passing on Thursday, 13 April 2017. Family and friends placed Martha’s body to rest on Sunday, 23 April 2017. May she, and all the souls of our dearly departed rest in peace. The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Clara (aka) Ms. Nell Connor Regrets to announce her passing Tuesday, 25 April 2017. A funeral service will be held at 3:00 PM Saturday, 6 May 2017 at Bodden Town Presbyterian Church. Viewing will be from 2:00 PM prior to the service. Interment will follow in Old Bodden Town Cemetery, Pease Bay. Cayman student gets Top in World award JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Prep and High School A level student Derricka Ney- smith has been recognized for at- taining the world’s highest mark in her exams. The 17-year-old received the Top in the World award from Cambridge International Exami- nations at a school assembly on Thursday morning. During the celebration, Ms. Ney- smith was presented with the award by Education Minister Tara Rivers to mark her achievement in the Travel and Tourism course at AS-Level. Ms. Rivers said she was excited for the student on her academic accomplishment on a local and global scale. “She’s not only made her school proud, she’s made the country proud, and I am particularly proud that Derricka [formerly] hails from Clifton Hunter High School,” said Ms. Rivers. “I believe the example she has set will hopefully inspire other students to do the same.” The former Clifton Hunter High School honor student is no stranger to education success, having received 13 honor passes from that school before moving over to Cayman Prep to complete her A Levels as a scholarship recipient. “This is the first time I have ever been at the very top and I am grateful that I did not give up,” Ms. Neysmith said, proudly displaying her award signed by Michael Sul- livan, Cambridge International Ex- aminations chief executive. Cayman Prep Principal Phillip Burgess said, “The school is proud of Derricka’s achievements.” The CIE Travel and Tourism coursework involved planning, car- rying out and evaluating a tourism trip where the class was divided into two groups. Ms. Neysmith’s group, CayTravel, successfully car- ried out an overnight stay with Year 11 “customers” at the Marriott, using providers such as Six Senses Ecotour, Kaibo and Peppers. Ms. Neysmith thanked her travel and tourism teachers, Jane Wall and Dan Baker, examinations officer Melanie Hydes, head of sixth form Brendan Touhey and head of busi- ness Nicholas Yale. “While I would like to study ac- counting and business at the Uni- versity of Miami in the fall of 2017, Travel and Tourism helped me to develop key skills like team- work and time management,” said Ms. Neysmith. Thieves cut through ceiling in gas station burglary “The police checked inside and told us not to touch anything, so we went outside to wait for the CID to come.” JAZZ FABELLA, clerk JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The owner of a Bodden Town gas station and a store clerk could not believe their eyes when they arrived at work Thursday morning. Around 6 a.m., Mostyn’s gas station owner David Frederick and clerk Jazz Fa- bella found that thieves had cut holes through the ceiling to gain access to the shop, stealing bullas, cig- arettes, rum, money and rolling papers. They also ransacked the shop. A door to the side was off its hinges. A broken outside bath- room window indicates where the thieves might have gained access, said Mr. Fa- bella. From that outside bath- room window, a gaping hole was cut through the ceiling. The thieves also dis- abled the security cameras, the men said. Mr. Fabella called the po- lice, who he said arrived around 7 a.m. “The police checked in- side and told us not to touch anything, so we went out- side to wait for the CID to come. They arrived around 8:30 [a.m.],” he said. “They dusted for fingerprints and saw some blood stains. The thieves also left a bottle opener at the scene.” A broken bathroom window stays open as the owners wait on police and continue selling gas. - PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY This door was off its hinges. Derricka Neysmith is presented with the Cambridge Top in the World certificate in the company of Education Minister Tara Rivers and Cayman Prep Principal Phillip Burgess. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYNext >