SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY MAY 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Rare wine night at Tukka Local restaurateurs sample some fine vintages B2 Mother’s Day at Camana Bay Treat Mom to a world of wonderful events B4 Events Leisure Events ■ EVENTS Batabano Carnival Mas bands prepare for the parade to George Town. B5 Cinco de Mayo Seek out the margaritas, tacos, enchiladas and sombreros on Friday B3 Intrepid reporter Spencer Fordin takes the leap with Rock Iguana Cayman Rock Climbing. B6 Family own ed and operated since 1984 14 stores islan d-wide and May Lou ’s in Cayman Brac | For more information, pleas e call 949-7701 A registe red merchant of CaymanGiftCertific ates.com Connect with us on Facebook: faceb ook.com/T ortugaFin eWinesandSpiri ts 20% OFF on 75 0 ml. bo ttles Tri ple distille d 100% pu re Blue Ag ave Tequil a • Silver • Añejo • Resp osado • Se lect Ba rrel Rese rve ® Family owned and operated since 1984 14 stores island-wid e and May Lou’s in Cayman Brac | For more info rmation, please call 949-7701 A registered merchant of Cay manGiftCertificate s.com Conn ect with us on Facebook: faceboo k.com/T ortugaFine WinesandSpirits 20% OFF on 75 0 ml. bo ttles Tri ple distille d 100% pu re Blue Ag ave Tequ ila • Silver • Añejo • Resp osado • Se lect Ba rrel Rese rve ® STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $ 56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July Registered Merchant of CaymanGiftCertificates.c om Fine Wine and Spirits Family owned and operated since 1984 14 stores island-wide and May Lou’s in Cayman Brac | For more information, please call 949-7701 A registered merchant of CaymanGiftCertificates.comConnect with us on Facebook: facebook.com/TortugaFineWinesandSpirits 20%OFF on 750 ml. bottles Triple distilled 100% pure Blue Agave Tequila • Silver • Añejo • Resposado • Select Barrel Reserve ® 20%OFF TRIPLE DISTILLED 100% PURE BLUE AGAVE TEQUILA 750 ml Bottles Offer valid until May 31 Silver • Añejo • Resposado • Select Barrel Reserve The Brac bluff, up close and personal PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CAYMAN WEEKENDER Batabano Carnival High of 88 Low of 76 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 2 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 BATABANO: DON’T STOP THE CARNIVAL(S) ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY MAY 5, 2017 Get pumped to grab and go! Going fresh, local, delicious, quick, convenient, crisp, hot, cool, tangy, healthy, juicy, crunchy, spiced, sweet, salty, wholesome, appetising, delectable, flavourful, fruity, heavenly, mouthwatering, scrumptious, savoury, fizzy, organic, full-bodied, gourmet, hearty, satisfying, homemade, indulgent, lean, lip-smacking and yummy grab and go things. BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Cayman Islands insolvency accoun- tant is the third person to file a legal chal- lenge over government’s three-and-a-half year delay in considering his application for perma- nent residence. Derek Larner, who applied for residency status on Dec. 6, 2013, alleged in an April 28, 2017 judicial review filing that government’s failure to consider the request – even after his lawyers wrote to the attorney general, chief im- migration officer and the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board – amounts to an unlawful, irrational, disproportionate and unjust decision. Mr. Larner’s attorneys at HSM Chambers further stated that Acting Chief Immigration Of- ficer Bruce Smith should have taken up the per- manent residence application after it was “clear the board [was] not carrying out [its] duties.” Mr. Smith did not do so, the court records stated. “By not reaching a decision in regards to [Mr. Larner’s] permanent residence application and the numerous other outstanding applica- tions, the board and the chief immigration of- ficer can be seen to be applying a moratorium to the processing of residence applications and thus acting ultra vires [Latin phrase meaning outside the law],” the application for judicial review states. At present, there are somewhere between 900 and 1,000 outstanding applications for THIRD COURT CHALLENGE FILED OVER RESIDENCY DELAY Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officials said Wednesday that they were unable to find any record of Premier Alden McLaughlin’s former political as- sistant being arrested a second time between 2013 and 2016. “We have researched our re- cords and we have not been able to find any other arrest of Mr. [Kenneth] Bryan other than the one in 2014,” Chief In- spector Patrick Beersingh said in a statement sent to the Cayman Compass. Mr. Bryan is running as an independent candidate in George Town Central. He fell out with the Progressives party leadership, including Premier McLaughlin, after he was fired from the position he held with the premier’s office in early 2015. Mr. Bryan was later found to have committed the offenses of assaulting police and disor- derly conduct following a trial in Police: No record of ‘second’ arrest for candidate Bryan Police officer’s car vandalized after deadly East End crash Officer was first to respond to scene Tuesday night BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Royal Cayman Islands Police of- ficer who initially responded to the scene of Tuesday night’s quadruple-fatal car crash in East End district has been targeted in what department officials described as a “criminal damage” incident. According to police, the officer’s pri- vate vehicle was vandalized at his residence Wednesday night – about 24 hours after the East End crash that killed three U.K. tourists and a Jamaican work permit holder. Police Chief Inspector Frank Owens said the criminal damage incident has “added fur- ther stress to [the officer] and traumatized his wife and young child.” “We believe [the damage incident] was connected to Tuesday night’s crash and re- sponse,” Mr. Owens said. Police Commissioner Derek Byrne re- sponded angrily to the news in a public state- ment released Thursday afternoon: “I find this incident very troubling, where an officer is diligently going about his work to protect and serve the community, is a first responder and witness to a tragic motor vehicle accident with multiple deaths, and in his own district where he lives and works, is targeted with the threat of violence and damage to his per- sonal property. “This is akin to an attack on Cayman so- ciety and the criminal justice system. This is reprehensible and every effort will be brought to bear to locate and arrest those responsible.” A number of bystanders at the horrific fa- tality scene Tuesday night alleged that the re- sponding police officer was “chasing” a Honda Accord that slammed head-on into a rented Step towards a National Park in Barkers The National Conservation Council has approved plans for the publicly owned land on Barkers peninsula to be among Cayman’s first terrestrial protected areas. The proposal, which must still be ratified by cabinet, takes the long held vision of a national park for Barkers a step closer. The Department of Environment is now negotiating with Dart Real Estate, the major land owner in the area, in an effort to create a joint plan for the area, including leisure and conservation uses. For the full story, see page 2. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 15 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14 »2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 945-2290 • West Shore Center, Seven Mile Beach • 10am to 10pm Fresh, Healthy & Delicious! Cayman Cookin’ Over a Wood Fire! Taste why we’re voted “Best”! If you’re Hungry! Hungry! Come to Chicken Chicken! International Award-Winning Caribbean Chicken! Dine-in! Take-out! Indulge on a feast for 2 to 4 or 6 or more! With an awesome selection of sides to choose from. Dr. Wayne R. Porter MD F.A.A.D. Dermatologist call : 946-9020 between 9am to 5pm Dees Plaza #282 on Crewe Road, GT He will be in office from May 11th to May 19th, 2017 CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 21-year-old resi- dent of Bodden Town ap- peared in Summary Court on Thursday facing charges from a shooting incident along Eastern Avenue in the early hours of April 27. Luciano Estevan Jackson Martinez is charged with unlawfully attempting to cause the death of a named male (at- tempted murder), wounding a named female with intent to do her grievous bodily harm, and possession of an unlicensed firearm. The brand and cal- iber of the firearm were not specified. Patrick Moran, Deputy Director of Public Pros- ecutions, told Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez that the Crown objected to bail. The magistrate refused the bail application made by defense attorney Dennis Brady. She transmitted all three charges to the Grand Court for mention there on Friday, May 19. The defen- dant was remanded in cus- tody until then. Press releases issued by police since the incident in- dicated that the shooting occurred around 3:30 a.m. in the car park outside Ba- nanas Restaurant and Bar in the Dolphin Centre on Eastern Avenue. Two males dressed in black subsequently made off in the direction of Rock Hole Road. Both the male victim, 24, and the female victim, 20, have since been discharged from hospital. Attempted murder, wounding charges sent to Grand Court The Cayman Compass inaccurately reported the date former premier’s office political assistant Kenneth Bryan was fired from that position in a May 3 story entitled ‘Premier focuses at- tacks on candidate Bryan.’ Mr. Bryan was terminated in early 2015 from that post. CORRECTION Conservation Council to put plans to cabinet with “overwhelming” public support JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Plans to turn part of the Barkers peninsula into a na- tional park, protected from development, have taken a step closer after the ap- proval of 11 pieces of land on Grand Cayman and Little Cayman as the islands’ first protected areas. The National Conservation Council agreed Wednesday to formally recommend that Cabinet designate the chosen areas, including the publicly owned parts of Barkers, to be protected under the National Conservation Law. The rec- ommendations follow three months of public consultation, which indicated overwhelming approval for the plans. After the vote, Wednesday, Council Chair Christine Rose- Smyth said, “This is a historic step forward in our mission of putting the National Con- servation Law into place.” The prospect of a genuine National Park on the Barkers peninsula has been discussed for decades but never le- gally enacted, in part because government does not own all of the land. The council now plans to negotiate with Dart Real Es- tate, the major private land owner in the peninsula, over broader plans to create a park, combining low im- pact leisure use with its con- servation goals. In a report to the council Fred Burton, the Department of Environment’s Terrestrial Resources manager, wrote: “The Department of Environ- ment has already begun meet- ings with a team from Dart Realty [sic] to explore options for joint management plan- ning of the Barkers area, with the objective of achieving a viable final protected area configuration and manage- ment plan that involves both Crown and private land, and which fulfils the expectations of both environmental and economic stakeholders in the area, while safeguarding the high level of public interest and enjoyment of the area in a sustainable way.” The Barkers project at- tracted by far the greatest in- terest during the public con- sultation period and was supported by 95 percent of those that chose to respond to the DoE surveys. In its response, during the consultation, Dart Real Estate said it was “conceptually sup- portive” of protected areas but raised concerns that the im- pact for adjacent land owners was unclear. It indicated representatives from the com- pany had met with the DoE to help understand how the designation of protected area status would impact develop- ment opportunities on Dart owned land, but stopped short of explicitly endorsing the proposals for a national park at this point. “In our meeting, the De- partment of Environment committed to work closely to- gether on drafting the man- agement plans for future protected areas adjacent to Dart-owned properties, en- suring that the full scope of structure, site work, opera- tions, staffing and budget are addressed. However, given the lack of certainty sur- rounding implications and limitations of management plans on adjacent lands, we cannot offer explicit support of the nominations of the above listed Crown Land (at Barkers) to become Terres- trial Protected Areas under Section 9 of the National Conservation Law. We reit- erate our support of the con- cept of protected areas.” Other respondents offered unequivocal support. “As a resident of West Bay I consider Barkers to be one of the few natural areas left available to the public for recreation, whether it be for exercising, participating in water activities or for the pure enjoyment of nature,” said one respondent. Others supported the idea, but raised concerns over enforcement. “It would be pivotal to implement real and compre- hensive surveillance, as the place has become a lawless land, used as a dump,” wrote one resident. The council approved a total of 11 sites to be pro- tected, including part of Booby Pond on Little Cayman and part of the Central Man- grove Wetlands on Grand Cayman. The bulk of them are government owned, but the plans will require the purchase of three land plots at a total estimated cost of just under $900,000. The DoE initially recom- mended a dozen sites to be- come the first terrestrial pro- tected areas. One of them, in Little Cayman, had to be re- scheduled for consultation because of a clerical mix- up which meant one neigh- boring land owner was not properly informed. Overall, Mr. Burton said public consultation showed overwhelming support for the general concept of pro- tected areas and for the spe- cific sites proposed. The only site that drew any significant opposition was Salt Creek Mangroves in West Bay, which the DoE had said could become a “natural oasis” in an increasingly urban area. Mr. Burton said 16 per- cent of respondents were op- posed to protecting this piece of land. However he said many of them were anony- mous and suggested the fig- ures could have been skewed by multiple responses from the same person or business. There were also con- cerns over a piece of land in the Central Mangrove Wet- lands which is the subject of an ownership dispute be- tween the Crown and a pri- vate individual. The council unanimously approved the 11 parcels to be recommended to cabinet as protected areas, with the caveat that the order was made provisional in the case of the Central Mangrove Wetlands on the Crown ac- quiring absolute title to the disputed parcel. Cayman’s first protected areas approved by Council The Wellness Centre will host a free, private showing of 2016 documentary “Life, Animated” as part of Autism Awareness Month. The Regal Cinemas showing will begin at 10 p.m. Friday. The docu- mentary tells the true story of Owen Suskind, a young man who was unable to speak until his family tapped into his love of classic Disney animated films. A question-and-an- swer session will be held after the film. SCREENING TO PROMOTE AUTISM AWARENESS A frigate bird swoops over Booby Pond in Little Cayman. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKERThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 5, 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. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” We’d tell readers to watch out – but there’s no way to miss it. On Saturday morning, thousands of color- fully clad revelers will descend upon the streets of Grand Cayman for the biggest parade in the country. Yes, we are, of course, talking about Batabano, which is marking its 34th year as the Cayman Islands’ national carnival celebration. With the introductory events and preparatory fetes finished, Saturday morning’s road parade will feature a menagerie of floats, a cornucopia of costumes and an irresistible amount of dancing – all in time to the booming beat of Soca music. Last weekend’s Junior Batabano parade was a vibrant occasion unto itself (as our readers could tell by the front-page photo and inside photo gallery that appeared in Monday’s Compass, as well as the video we produced and posted online). However, the youth event offers a mere inkling of the massive merriment that will take place in the adult parade Saturday. But all this fun does contain certain risks. Before the celebrations (and the carousing) begin, let us offer some preemptive words of advice. First, it is May, and this is the Caribbean. Barring a thunderstorm or mercifully dense cloud cover, it is going to be extremely sunny – and extremely hot. (And we’re talking about the weather, not the ambience of the event.) With many of the costumes, ahem, offering little in the way of protection from the sun, please take the appropriate precautions and invest in a bottle of high-SPF sunscreen. Additionally, the Batabano parade route – extending from Public Beach down West Bay Road into downtown George Town – constitutes a distance of more than 4 miles, again in the tropical heat. We know that many of the parade participants, and observers, will have plenty of beverages on hand, but rum and beer are not exactly the best “hydrators.” In other words, make sure to drink plenty of water. As for Grand Cayman residents who don’t feel like immersing themselves in Batabano this year, the sagest advice is to steer clear of the area on Saturday. After all, you can try to ignore the carnival, but you can’t stop it. In other festival-related news, we welcome the recent announcement that the annual Pirates Week Festival in November will be shortened to a period of five days in Grand Cayman (and three days apiece on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman). In past years, we have been critical – not of Pirates Week itself, per se – but of its expansion, dilution and sprawl. Containing and compressing the festival to a single long weekend, instead of nearly two weeks, may result in an explosion of distilled enthusiasm for the event. (Note that Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro occupy four days; Carnival in Trinidad two days; and the main Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans over a long weekend.) We also support the decision to condense the five individual Heritage Day events (one for each district), into a single all-day event in George Town. We think people will enjoy being able to compare fritters from East End with stew turtle from Bodden Town, and to see which district offers the finest handmade crafts … without engaging in long drives across the island. The decision to consolidate also allows Pirates Week organizers to avoid a potentially controversial judgment call – whether or not to mirror our law- makers and multiply the five Heritage Days into 19 separate events, one for each “mini” voting district. We’re joking (mostly). But picking up on this thread, the Pirates Week organizers, by combining the five district events into one, moved in the direction our Progressives government should have – but didn’t – when they fundamentally altered Cayman’s democratic system, in the name of “one man, one vote.” Batabano: Don’t stop the carnival(s) FRIDAY MAY 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Five things all active fund managers should do BARRY RITHOLTZ This week marks the 42nd anniversary of the founding of Vanguard Group by Jack Bogle in 1975. That date made me think about Bogle’s recent advice for active managers. At the 2017 Morningstar In- vestment Conference in Chi- cago last week, Bogle said: “Do nothing, just stand there ... Maintain your fund business as the ‘cash cow’ that it is today, delivering high margins and generous profits, albeit likely at a de- clining rate. Don’t invest more capital. Don’t cut man- agement fees. Nominal cuts won’t help, and severe cuts would eliminate those cash flows. While fund cash out- flows are highly likely to con- tinue, a sharply rising stock market, however unlikely, would help offset the out- flows, slowing the declines in assets under management, fee revenues and profits.” This would be terrible ad- vice, assuming Bogle was being serious – which he wasn’t. However, his sarcasm does raise a question worth exploring: What should ac- tive mutual-fund companies do in response to the current outflows from them and into low-cost indexing and ex- change-traded funds? I have a few ideas. First, my usual disclo- sure: I run an asset-alloca- tion portfolio that is low- cost, global and made up of mostly passive indexes and other strategies; I also run a tactical portfolio that serves behavioral purposes. Reg- ular readers know I have been critical of high-cost in- vestment vehicles that fail to deliver on their prom- ises, be they hedge funds, venture capital or actively traded funds. With that said, let’s con- sider a few suggestions for the active manager who is fretting over the state of their industry: No. 1. Become more effi- cient and less expensive: The Vanguard Effect dictates re- lentless cost-cutting by fund managers in order to stay competitive. Too many ac- tive mutual-fund managers, of course, have tried to ignore this message. But you can’t overlook the fact that Van- guard Group has more than $1 trillion in active portfolios; the managers there would tell you that costs matter more than the level of trading activity. If you want to be ac- tive, you must also be ruth- lessly efficient and drive costs down in the same manner as Vanguard. No. 2. Innovate and add value: Most active mutual- fund managers are focused only on performance. But data shows “that the vast ma- jority of active managers are unable to produce excess re- turns that cover their costs.” Instead, consider impact in- vesting or smart beta – some- thing other than selling the possibility that your fund is the lottery ticket that can consistently beat the market over time. No. 3. Communicate your core philosophy better: Here’s a question: What ex- actly do you do best? What is your core philosophy? Figure out what your special pur- pose is, and find a way to ex- plain this to your investors (and potential investors) in a compelling and interesting fashion. Failing to do this will simply lead to more and more outflows. No. 4. How do you fit into an investor’s portfolio?: Here is an overlooked reality: You are not capturing 100 per- cent of your investors’ hold- ings. They likely have many other holdings, each of which serves a different purpose. Recognizing how you fit into the mix is much smarter than assuming your fund makes up their entire portfolio. No. 5. Stop blaming in- dexing or ETFs for your woes: Active managers have taken to blaming passive in- vesting for all manner of their own failings. Some have called passive investing “worse than communism”; others have said they are fi- nancial WMDs. This is a pointless exercise. Investors have figured out they were paying too much and getting too little. Under- standing that is the first step toward dealing with it. No. 6. Bonus idea – be pa- tient: Keep in mind that this too shall pass. Not the move towards indexing; that’s a permanent shift in the in- vesting landscape. But what will change is the huge, one- directional flows. There will be an equilibrium some- where in the future. Today, the markets are placid, low-volatility af- fairs that have gained fairly steadily since the end of the financial crisis in March 2009. At some point, that will end. Markets will again be- come volatile, and experience vicious selloffs and snapback rallies. Many of those folks who embraced passive in- vesting will realize it’s much harder to keep emotions out of the picture than they ex- pected. Rather than ride it out, they will seek some sort of sanctuary, and that will create opportunities for some active managers. Over the decades, active mutual funds have gotten fat on big fees, investor ig- norance and a rising market that let people overlook the costs. That era is over. The sooner active managers figure out how to best serve investors, the sooner they will begin to thrive again. Ritholtz is a Bloomberg View columnist. He founded Ritholtz Wealth Management and blogs at the Big Picture and is the author of ‘Bailout Nation: How Greed and Easy Money Corrupted Wall Street and Shook the World Economy.’ © 2017, Bloomberg View Today, the markets are placid, low-volatility affairs that have gained fairly steadily since the end of the financial crisis in March 2009. At some point, that will end.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 5, 2017 May 11th - 12th, 2017 Kimpton Seafire Resort Cayman’s first sustainable energy conference Register now at cteccayman.com FABIEN COUSTEAU Keynote Speaker Aquanaut, Ocean Conservationist, and Documentary Filmmaker HON. ALDEN MCLAUGHLIN, MBE, JP, MLA Premier of the Cayman Islands SIR RICHARD BRANSON Via Skype Founder, Virgin Group HON. D. KURT TIBBETTS, OBE, JP, MLA Minister of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure, Cayman Islands TESSA WILLIAMS ROBERTSON Head, Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency Unit, Office of Vice-President (Operations), Caribbean Development Bank DR THE HONOURABLE KEDRICK PICKERING Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources & Labour, British Virgin Islands6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 345.943.2002 • 30 minute Back Neck & Shoulder Massage • 30 minute Express Facial • 30 minute Refl exology • Da Vinci Signature Facial • 30 minute Stress Relief Massage • 60 minute Massage • 30 minute Refl exology • HydraFacial ABSOLUTE GRATITUDE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE 30 minute Express Facial $100 30 minute Stress Relief Massage $175 HydraFacial $225 MOTHER KNOWS BEST Happy Mother’s Day Our discounted Mother’s Day Specials are available for appointments or gift certificates. Beautifully wrapped gift certificates available in any denomination and valid for one year from date of purchase. Unemployment, drugs hot topics in West Bay Central debate MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com More training opportunities for Caymanians and a community- based approach to helping drug ad- dicts were two of the issues raised by political candidates in West Bay Central in a debate on Wednesday. The district’s 1,056 voters have the choice between indepen- dent candidate Katherine Ebanks- Wilks and long-time member of the Legislative Assembly Captain Eugene Ebanks. Ms. Ebanks-Wilks said she de- cided to run for political office in this election rather than at a later stage in her career, because “now is the time for change.” The mother of two wants to use her independence from polit- ical parties to stop issues from be- coming political footballs. “I want to get in the middle of the field to stop the football game,” she said. Mr. Ebanks, a candidate with the Cayman Democratic Party, on the other hand, emphasized his polit- ical experience to support why he is running for a fifth term in the Legis- lative Assembly. “I strongly believe that I have proven myself over the years,” he said. Candidates’ top issues His top issues in this campaign are unemployment and the housing shortage. Mr. Ebanks said, all too often there are reports of quali- fied Caymanians applying for a job and then a foreign national is filling the position with the same or fewer qualifications. In return for the granting of work permits, he proposed, govern- ment should demand that larger law and accounting firms send qualified Caymanians to their overseas offices to gain the necessary experience. “We need to protect our Cay- manian people more in the work- place to give them equal opportuni- ties,” he added. Ms. Ebanks-Wilks agreed that unemployment is the main problem in the district. She said the repre- sentatives of private sector organi- zations she had spoken to, many of them Caymanians themselves, state that Caymanians often lack the nec- essary skills. “It is our responsi- bility to ensure that Caymanians are trained,” to put in place training programs by partnering, for ex- ample, with hotels and restaurants and then hold employers account- able so that Caymanians find long- term employment. “There will be no reasons why they are not to be hired,” Ms. Ebanks-Wilks added. To improve the necessary training and skills, she suggested expanding the Passport 2 Suc- cess program to Caymanians who are older than 23. On education, Ms. Ebanks believes the successful Cayman Islands Further Education Centre should offer a three-year pro- gram to establish a closer working relationship between students and employers. In addition, vocational training should be reintroduced in the public school system. Drugs Responding to audience ques- tions on drug abuse, the candidates noted the issue is tied to unemploy- ment and could not be solved by government alone. Driving through some parts of West Bay, Ms. Ebanks-Wilks said she sees many people she went to school with who are on drugs, a lot of them frustrated and without hope, or with other underlying is- sues. “It hurts,” she said. “We need to find ways that we as a community support those indi- viduals rather than passing them by in the street.” Ms. Ebanks-Wilks argued that government is not able to fix every issue. Rather than relying on gov- ernment for everything, “we need to come back to the Cayman that we used to be,” she said. “We say ‘Cayman kind’ but I am not so sure that we are ‘Cayman kind’ anymore. We need to find that ‘Cayman kind’ and embrace it.” Mr. Ebanks believes that unem- ployment is to blame for much of the drug abuse. He emphasized that the community cannot close the door on drug addicts and must find ways to rehabilitate them. “We have to get these people em- ployed and get them to lead construc- tive lives,” he said, adding that drug abuse is a major, islandwide scourge that creates a huge burden for the ju- dicial system and government. To combat the supply of drugs, Mr. Ebanks suggested the most ef- fective way would be to install radar stations, including on the Western side of Grand Cayman, where most of the drugs come in. Both candidates favored a return to community policing and more police foot patrols to improve the public’s trust in the police. Economic development In terms of the broader economic development of the islands, Ms. Ebanks-Wilks said, she is in favor of new hotel developments and stated growth is needed for the country to flourish. She said the economy and population have grown so rapidly that long-term plans are needed to deal with more infrastructure re- quirements such as schools, roads and housing, as well as the future burden for pension and health- care from a growing number of Caymanians. Mr. Ebanks said Cayman is priv- ileged to have large private sector investments. Further investment should be backed by “not smoth- ering developers in red tape” while at the same time preserving the nat- ural environment. Mr. Ebanks sup- ports the expansion of the airport and the construction of a cruise pier in George Town. He wants to see the Cayman Turtle Center expanded. “If we intend to stay in the tourism business, we have to put in- frastructure in place,” he said. The funding for the projects would come from public-private partnerships and fees from the pier and the airport. Ms. Ebanks-Wilks, in turn, does not support the expansion of the Turtle Center because it is losing money, but she believes it should be maintained in its current form, not least because many Cayma- nians rely on it.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days East End North Side CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 5, 2017 Mastic Trail springing to life In the May 3, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, news from North Side included: “Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Parker are delighted to an- nounce that they have found their Caymanian helper, Mr. Benjamin Ebanks, so effi- cient, eager to learn and so competent at all he under- takes, they have appointed him as assistant manager of the Rum Point Club. “Benjie has been at the club for three months since his return from sea due to poor health and has proved thoroughly satisfactory, and the Parkers feel satisfied that any time Mr. Ebanks is in charge, their business will be in capable hands. “Mr. Ebanks has his own home in North Side and his wife, Adelaide, and 3-year-old daughter Jennifer, are happy that he has found conge- nial employment in the dis- trict so that he can remain at home with them.” In the same issue, North Side correspondent Nettie McCoy wrote: “The monthly social tea of the Woman’s Guild was held at the Presbyterian Church on Thursday April 28 at 5 p.m. “A very enjoyable time was spent together and the Guild Hymn and some cho- ruses were sung. Plans for a special Mothers’ Day pro- gramme were made and re- freshments served. “Those returning home were: “Mr. Stanley Douglas from National Bulk Carriers. “Mrs. Lewis McField and her brother Simion. Mrs. McField went to Jamaica to carry her little boy who attends St. Christopher’s school for the deaf. “Mrs. Alice Ryder, for a short stay, and her daughter Dianne who has gone on to Kingston to get her visa for permanent entry in the USA. She was accompa- nied to Jamaica by Mrs. Rosemary Miller. “Mr. Davis Ebanks ar- rived on the April 29 for his vacation. “Mrs. Vincent Miller left recently to visit her fa- ther Mr. McIvor Ebanks in Tampa, Florida. “Miss Phyllis Whittaker went to Jamaica on April 26 where she was united in mar- riage to Mr. Ransford Terry of Bodden Town.” 50 YEARS AGO Benjie Ebanks gets promoted at Rum Point Club GEORGE NOWAK There’s something new along the East End shore. Directly in front of the blow- holes it seems some aliens have visited and left us a message – or maybe a local artist has chosen to express their creativity in a unique way. Whatever their purpose, enjoy the mystery of the rock pyramids before the next high sea washes it all away. BLOW HOLES ROCK PILES POSE A PUZZLE Piled up rocks recently appeared at the blow holes. - PHOTO: GEORGE NOWAK With the start of the rainy season now here, North Side’s Mastic Trail is featuring lots of plants in flower and fruit. According to the National Trust’s latest trail conditions update, heavy rains toward the end of April resulted in temporary flooding of sec- tions of the trail, but this soaked away within a few days. “As we get further into the rainy season, more persistent flooding is likely in low- lying areas along the southern third of the trail. The water can be murky, obscuring the uneven surface beneath. If flooding is encountered we suggest accessing the trail from the northern end,” the report advises. Trust Field Officer Stuart Mailer, who leads guided tours along the trail, noted that the Trust has been improving trail by placing gravel in areas prone to flooding. The report also notes the rains have also re- sulted in a sharp increase in numbers of mos- quitoes, which are most active around sunrise and sunset. Hikers are advised to wear light colored protective clothing and carry an ample supply of repellent. The name of the trail comes from the trees once used to create a boardwalk for early set- tlers to traverse the trail’s wet areas, and this month’s issue of the Department of Environ- ment’s Flicker newsletter features a profile on the Yellow Mastic (Sideroxylon foetidissimum) so named for its foul-smelling flowers. Often known as “false mastic” and not to be confused with Cayman’s endemic Black Mastic (Termi- nalia eriostachya), the Yellow Mastic is one of Cayman’s largest native critically endangered trees, and some impressive examples can be found growing along the trail. “Found in high elevation pristine forests, this tree can be seen on the Mastic Trail on Grand Cayman and on the Bluff of Cayman Brac,” the article notes, adding that the tree grows much taller than surrounding vegetation to a height of around 10-15m (33 - 50 feet). As the Compass has previously reported, it can take a Yellow Mastic 100 or more years to reach its mature height. Each tree does not flower every year, but flowering usually oc- curs in December or June. Flowers are heavily scented and the small fruits ripen to a yellow color and contain a single large brown seed. “The single straight trunk is comprised of heavy and strong heartwood hence Yellow Mastic was valuable for its timber in the Ba- hamas and the West Indies and has been used for cabinetwork and boat timber,” the article notes. “While Yellow Mastic trees were heavily logged in times gone past they can still be en- joyed in Cayman. They are excellent shade trees but very slow growers.” For updated information, or to arrange a guided tour, please call Stuart Mailer, National Trust Field Officer, (345) 926-0418.A giant Yellow Mastic near the middle of the Mastic Trail. - PHOTO: STUART MAILER8 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Elsmore Edwin Gray affectionately known as “Ted” of Grand Cayman and the United Kingdom who passed away on Sunday, April 2, 2017. Details for A Memorial Service will be announced at a later date. We have been asked to announce the passing ofWe have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Elsmore Edwin Gray affectionately known as “Ted” of Grand Cayman and the United Kingdom who passed away on Sunday, April 2, 2017. Details for A Memorial Service will be announced at a later date. of Grand Cayman and the United Kingdom Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Harald Hamann affectionately known as “The German” of West Bay who passed away on Saturday, April 29, 2017. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2017 at 2:00p.m. at Ninety & Nine Outreach Ministries, Powell Smith Drive, West Bay. Viewing will be from 1:00–1:45p.m. Interment follows at Boatswain Bay Cemetery. In lieu of owers, donations can be made to Cayman Islands Hospice Care. The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Peter Pei Ding Zhu regret to announce is passing on Wednesday, 26 April 2017. Mr. Zhu will be repatriated to Canada. The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Peter C. Widmer regret to announce his passing on Tuesday, 25 April 2017. A funeral service will be held at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, 16 May 2017 at Elmsile Memorial United Church. Interment will follow in Prospect Cemetery. The family encourages attendees to wear colorful attire to the funeral service. The family of Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. regret to announce that she passed from this life on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. A Celebration of Life Service for Yvonne will be held at 3:00 pm on Sunday, May 7th at First Baptist Church (920 Crewe Road, Grand Cayman). No flowers please. Donations in lieu, if desired, can be made to Cayman HospiceCare or to the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. 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 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. Spotts beach getting new parking lot JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Parking at Spotts Public Beach is about to get a lot safer. A new beach- side parking lot under construction means visitors will no longer have to park alongside Shamrock Road and cross four lanes of often busy traffic. A lack of parking at Spotts Public Beach has been flagged as a signifi- cant safety issue in recent years. The beach-side lot currently has a capacity of about six vehicles, but the new lot will increase that to over 30. “The government felt a real sense of urgency to get it done, and there were many reports of close calls,” said Deputy Chief Officer of the Ministry of Planning Tristan Hydes. “For tourists in particular, it was much more dangerous.” Mr. Hydes said work started on the new parking lot last week with the National Roads Authority clearing bush, digging out old sand and applying chip and spray. Government expects it to open for public use next week. The project is estimated to cost around $85,000. Mr. Hydes said a crosswalk was not feasible given Shamrock Road’s high-capacity. The area’s white sandy beach and a local population of sea turtles make it a popular destination for both locals and tourists. Mr. Hydes said the parking lot is just the beginning of big changes to Spotts Public Beach. New toilet facilities are being planned, as well as a cabana and turtle-friendly lighting. “The little beach will be re-de- signed and we felt there was a real urgency to getting a parking lot there, so the first phase was to put in the parking lot immediately because, obviously, of the situa- tion with crossing Shamrock Road,” said Mr. Hydes. He also noted that government was sensitive the area’s most pop- ular residents – sea turtles – and nearby home owners. “We negotiated an agreement with them where it would only be the new parking lot and no lighting on the beach to disrupt the turtles that lay eggs in the area, or homeowners in the area,” Mr. Hydes explained. “The government felt a real sense of urgency to get it done, and there were many reports of close calls.” TRISTAN HYDES, Deputy Chief Officer of the Ministry of Planning Gov’t appoints first head of internal communication Aubrey Bodden has been named chief internal com- munication officer for the Cayman Islands government. The new post is intended “have a huge impact on how civil servants are en- gaged to deliver on Govern- ment’s and departmental priorities” and increase communications capabilities in the public sector, according to a press release. “The Chief Internal Com- munication Officer is pivotal for advancing several of the key objectives of the 5-Year Strategic Plan for the Civil Service,” said Deputy Gov- ernor Franz Manderson. “[She] is eminently qualified to meet the challenges of the post and I look forward to working with her in that role.” Before taking up the post, Ms. Bodden was a policy ana- lyst in the Cabinet Office, in- volved in strategic planning and policy processes. Ms. Bodden will report to Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose. Speaking of her ap- pointment, Mr. Rose said, “Given her exemplary track re- cord, I am very confident Ms. Bodden will excel in her new post. This is an outstanding achievement for both her and the civil service.” Ms. Bodden said, “I am excited about the opportu- nity to engage with civil ser- vants and support organ- isational change. With the launch of the 5-Year Stra- tegic Plan we hope to con- nect and re-connect people to our purpose and vision, promote collaboration, and ensure all civil servants have the information they need to know what is expected of them and perform at excep- tional levels. A new beachside parking lot is under construction beside Spotts Public Beach to improve safety along Shamrock Road. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 5, 2017 CHADWICK P. WOOD ~ “CHAD” EDGAR S.M. MERREN 8th July, 1986 - 5th March, 2005 12th August, 1943 - 5th May, 2005 A Tribute in Loving & Blessed Memory of Our Precious Son & Brother, Chadwick P. Wood ~ “CHAD” and Our Dear Precious Brother, Uncle, Cousin, and Friend ~ Edgar Merren, aka “EDDIE BOO”, who left us for their Heavenly Home 12 very sad years ago on 5th March & 5th May, 2005, respectively. I am come that they may have life, and that they might have life more abundantly. JOHN 10:10 KJV Our Dear Precious Beloved Chad & Edgar, ~ Our two Shining Stars in Heaven who are both deeply loved, and continue to be greatly missed each and every day by everyone of us as your time on this earth seemed much too brief, but God must have needed both of you, and He set you free! We had two Angels here beside us, who were sent to earth to help and guide us, Those two Angels are always there for us, sent to love and care for us. They give us hope and hold our hands; they cheer us up when we are down, and They could make us smile from a frown, but our Angels earned their wings, and other things. God’s Angels looked down from Heaven one morning and one evening, 12 years ago; They searched for miles afar, and deep within the distance, they saw two ‘Shining Stars’. They knew that very instant that these ‘two Stars’ were theirs to gain, so they took both ‘Chad’ and ‘Edgar’ up to Heaven forever to remain. They now look down on us from Heaven up above, and keep us free from hurt and pain. We know their two wonderful souls love is still here with us to stay until we meet with them in Heaven one sweet day. RIP our two Angels. Our two Angels, Chad and Edgar, are never far away as we often feel them here beside us each and every day saying:- “Don’t be weary, or worry, our Darling Ones We’ll always be right there for you.” Our two most precious ones, your time on this earth seemed all too brief; God wanted both of you, and He set you free!! We miss you always!! Forever in our hearts and on our minds. Lovingly remembered always. Chad’s Loving & heart-broken Parents ~ Aline & Cebert Wood; Brother & Sister ~ Cebert, (Jnr.), & Gina & families; Loving Aunts Deanna, Chasteen, Milly, Shirley Ann; Carmen & Ina; Uncles Robert Bodden & James Merren; Special Cousins ~ Jeremy & Jesse Bodden; Orrie Merren, Kadie-Joy, & Kadie Byrd; many close and special friends ~ Reagan McLean & family; Forde Pierson & family; Roje Williams; Karin, Justin & Britt Thompson, Clive Hinds; & many others too numerous to name. Edgar’s loving & devoted Sisters & Brother ~ Aline, Deanna, & Chasteen; James & all our families; Sisters-in- Law ~ Milly & Shirley Ann Merren; special Cousins ~ Adrian Briggs, George Hinds, Pauline Wood; Nieces ~ Merilyn & Nikita Phillips, & Gina Whittaker; Nephews ~ Cebert, (Jnr.), Travis Phillips; many other relatives & friends; & his Church Family at the Church of God (Universal). The family of the late Essie Nixon wishes to express their thanks to all of their relatives and friends for their support, prayers, telephone calls, owers, cards, during their recent bereavement. Thanks to Dr. Cummings for your excellent care provided over so many years. Also thanks to Dr Joanna Kragiel, Dr. Ciera Best, Nurse Miriam, and the nurses and ambulance staff of the Health Services Authority for their excellent care. Special thanks to Rev. Derick Davidson and the Prayer Group from Elmslie Memorial Church, and to Rev. Mary Graham, and also to her loving caregiver, Ms. Jennifer Lewis-Peterkin. Sincere gratitude to Bodden Funeral Home for their compassionate service. Man wanted for traffic offenses charged for firearms Gun and ammunition recovered from South Sound residence CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man stopped for traffic violations on Tuesday ended up in Summary Court on Thursday charged with pos- session of an unlicensed handgun and 12 rounds of ammunition. John Brandon Smith, 24, allegedly made admissions about the firearms, which were found in the South Sound home of a local busi- nessman. Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson told Mag- istrate Angelyn Hernandez that the businessman had agreed about a month ago to let Smith and his wife stay in the home. After Smith was stopped in a vehicle, a canine officer checking the vehicle indi- cated that someone may have handled a firearm. That led to a request for a search of where Smith was staying and the owner of the premises consented to a search. A knapsack was found containing male clothing and the firearms. Smith’s wife ad- mitted the bag belonged to her and she had brought it when she came from Cayman Brac. She denied knowledge of the firearms and suggested it might be her husband who had placed the items in it. Mr. Ferguson said that when Smith was questioned he said he was “coming straight” with the officers and the ammunition belonged to him, not his wife. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden argued that the Crown could not object to bail simply because of the seriousness of the charge – there had to be more details. The defendant was of good character and em- ployed; his mother was present to stand as surety. “There are a number of conditions that could satisfy concerns,” she suggested. Ms. Bodden noted that the knapsack was found in the living room and there was some confusion as to whose it was. She pointed out that no admissions were made in interview. The magistrate directed that papers in the case be served on Ms. Bodden by Monday, May 8, so that a proper bail application could be made. Mr. Ferguson added that there had not yet been time for forensic examination of the firearms, which meant no fingerprint or DNA evidence was available. The charges against Smith describe the gun as a Raven Arms MP-25 .25 semi-au- tomatic pistol. John Brandon Smith allegedly made admissions about the firearms, which were found in the South Sound home of a local businessman. A number of roads will be closed for the Batabano Friday Night Fete, Saturday Food Festival, Road Parade and Street Concert. According to the Cayman Carnival Batabano Com- mittee and the Royal Cayman Islands Police, Har- bour Drive will be closed on Friday May 5 for the Ba- tabano Friday Night Fete from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. from the Junction of Boilers Road to Fort Street. On Batabano parade day, May 6: Cardinall Avenue and Albert Panton Street will be closed from 8 a.m. for the Batabano Bazaar and Food Festival. West Bay Road, starting from Public Beach to George Town, will be closed from noon to 5:30 p.m. Harbour Drive will be closed from 1 p.m. to 12 midnight from the junction of Boilers Road to Fort Street. Road closures for BatabanoNext >