ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY MAY 19, 2017 EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 TITLE OF EDITORIAL SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX A truck deposits trash at the George Town Landfill. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY George Town Landfill: A growing monument to governments’ inaction TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com The issue is a long-standing toxic eyesore that dominates Grand Cayman’s landscape, presents an odorous nuisance for neighbors and poses a potential health threat to the Cayman Islands public. The George Town Landfill has been a fixture on the political cal- endar for decades but became a headline-grabbing topic during the United Democratic Party’s 2009- 2012 administration. Then-Premier McKeeva Bush proposed a solution in which the Dart Group would assume con- trol of the landfill site, remediate it, cover it and turn it into a park. The company planned to build a new waste management facility in east Bodden Town, turning operational control over to the government. The UDP’s plan was unpopular among many Bodden Town resi- dents, who feared the proposal would result in the creation of a new “Mount Trashmore” in their district. The landfill played a major role in the 2013 electoral defeat of the UDP, as well as Bodden Town MLA and Minister of Health Mark Scot- land (who championed the plan for the new facility). The Progressives swept all four seats in Bodden Town. However, other factors had hob- bled the UDP, most prominently al- legations of corruption against party leader Mr. Bush (who would eventually be cleared of all charges by a jury in October 2014). After Mr. Bush was removed as premier in December 2012, his party fell apart, rent by disaffection and defection of former party members, including Minister Scotland, who formed the interim People’s National Alli- ance government. Once in power after the May 2013 elections, Premier Alden McLaughlin and his Progressives government made the landfill a top priority, rejecting Dart’s Bodden Town proposal and shelving ideas that were not confined to the ex- isting George Town site. On Dec. 20, 2013, the landfill caught fire. Funnels of toxic smoke rose above a half-million discarded tires as tropical breezes spread the oily odor. Cayman’s political winds also shifted and government de- cided the time had come for action. Minister for Health Osbourne Bodden, who had responsibility for the landfill, was removed from that role after an internal con- tretemps with his chief officer. Mr. McLaughlin took over and, after some fitful starts and stops, the Integrated Solid Waste Man- agement System – called by its “ISWMS” acronym (pronounced “IZ- wims”) – was born. ISWMS details a 25-year plan to gain control of Cayman’s solid waste, between 80,000 tons and 100,000 tons per year. In September 2016, consultants KPMG and U.K.- based Amec Foster Wheeler out- lined the business case, calling for a public-private partnership to ex- ecute the strategy. Contractors will “design, build, finance, operate and maintain” ISWMS facilities, aiming to divert 95 percent of waste from entering the landfill. Consultants pegged capital in- vestment at $100 million and oper- ational costs for the 25-year project at $538 million. The consultants noted that gov- ernment had not identified how to pay for the project. According to the report, “Cur- rently identified revenue streams are insufficient to finance the [waste management project] on a sustain- able basis …. This affordability gap will need to be addressed either through ongoing contributions from CIG or by identifying additional rev- enue streams.” Doing nothing, however, comes with its own price: A “status-quo type system of just landfilling waste on the islands” would cost some $418 million over 25 years, ac- cording to consultants. The name of the contractor that will “fix the dump” is today on the desk of the Central Tenders Com- mittee, scheduled for a decision by the end of the month – and may have been approved already. The “preferred bidder,” as Mr. McLaughlin’s Ministry of Health and Culture calls the main con- tractor, will assume broad respon- sibility for a dozen component proj- ects – waste-to-energy conversion; the Department of Environmental Health’s program to collect, bale and ship recyclable materials over- seas; transferring waste from the Sister Islands; composting yard re- fuse and other organic materials; incinerating what cannot be recov- ered, burying tons of resultant fly ash and finding uses for bottom ash; and keeping new waste out of the landfill. A start to the work, however, is still distant. The preferred bidder must be approved by Cabinet, which will ask for further information. Jim Schubert, the ministry’s se- nior project manager, says another six months may pass “before it’s all nailed down,” and the subsequent environmental impact statement, requiring Department of Environ- ment approval, is likely to take an- other 12 months. Defending the deliberate pace, the senior project manager said, “We want a system for the next 25 years.” “We don’t want to get started, then realize in four years that we made a mistake and have to start all over again,” he added. ISWMS will not be profitable. It will generate modest revenues – selling to the Caribbean Utilities Company, for example, as much as 8 megawatts of electricity generated by the $64.3 million, 53,000-ton ca- PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 19, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS A C A R I B B E A N C A F E Election Day Breakfast/Brunch Wednesday 24th. 7.30am ~ 3pm. Visiting Gynecologist will be available for consultation at Dr. Vivek's offi ce at Smith Road Plaza from 1-16 June, 2017 For appointments please call (345)945-6077 +1 (345) 323-7840 www.drbarryrichter.com Brac pool construction under way JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Work has commenced on a new 25-meter swimming pool on Cayman Brac as prog- ress on the island’s national sports center continues. Bulldozers were exca- vating the site for the pool, next to the football field and running track on top of the bluff this month. Harold “Mitchum” San- ford, sports coordinator for the Brac, said it is the latest investment in improving sports facilities for the is- land’s 1,500 residents. Once the pool is in place, an estimated $5 million will have been spent on the center over the last few years, in- cluding upgrading the soccer pitch and changing rooms to FIFA-accredited standards and the installation of an athletics track at the facility on the Bluff. “We’ve still got a lot more to do,” said Mr. Sanford, who works from a new office at the center. Multipurpose hard courts for tennis and basketball and other sports are expected to be installed. “It was 10 years ago when the field was put down and we have been working on dif- ferent elements since then. It is an ongoing project,” Mr. Sanford said. He sees enough interest in sports in the Brac com- munity to justify the ex- pense and says the facility is being well used. Once the hard courts are added, he be- lieves more sporting associa- tions will be able to make use of the center. The prospect of sports tourism is also a goal for the Brac. In the recent Cayman Airways youth soccer tour- nament, the island hosted four teams during the group stages. “We had nearly 700 spec- tators for one of the games. People are looking for things to do. We have no problem attracting the crowds. Ac- commodation and transport are the biggest issues,” Mr. Sanford said. Brac MLA and Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said the investment in the Brac Sports Complex facili- tated “sports tourism oppor- tunities” on the island. “As a result of govern- ment’s significant investment, Cayman Brac has been able to host a number of interna- tional sporting events which have made a sizeable con- tribution to local businesses and to the economy,” he said. “The development of the sports complex goes hand in hand with the airport ex- pansion and the increase in available seats made pos- sible by the introduction of the Saab service. These ini- tiatives are part of govern- ment’s overarching plan to diversify and stimulate op- portunities on the Brac and increase the island’s ability to attract small to mid-sized tournaments.” Car flips after hitting light pole A woman was arrested on suspicion of DUI after her car collided with a CUC pole and flipped over on Penn- sylvania Avenue, along the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, near Nelson Quay, on Thursday morning. The collision occurred shortly before 10 a.m. Police said the woman was not injured. CUC workers were re- moving the damaged pole Wednesday. INTERNATIONAL EVENING PLANNED FOR SCHOOL Sir John A. Cumber Pri- mary School will hold its annual International Eve- ning on Saturday, May 20. The school is inviting parents to join their chil- dren in celebrating the “Passport to the World” event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the school hall. The students are set- ting up displays that re- flect the region or country of their choice. Countries or regions that will be featured in- clude the Caribbean, North America, Asia, Af- rica, South America, Europe and Australasia. Alexander Hotel falls into disrepair JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Almost concealed by ram- pant undergrowth, the Al- exander Hotel on Cayman Brac, remains closed “until further notice.” The hotel closed its doors in summer 2014 amid a row with government over a foul- smelling pond, which owner Cleveland Dilbert said was driving away guests. Mr. Dilbert wanted to ex- cavate the pond and trans- form it into a marina to serve local and visiting boats. The plan was met with a chorus of opposi- tion and was deemed un- feasible by the Department of Environment. But the businessman says nothing has changed and he will not reopen the hotel un- less a change of government or a change of policy means he is given permission to build the marina. “I believe the harbor would be good for my busi- ness and good for the Brac. It could have been done and it would have been good for the island.” He said he could not have kept the hotel open with the smell from the pond as it was. Since then, government workers have attempted to solve the issue by pumping fresh water into the pond, but Mr. Dilbert says it is not a permanent solution. He acknowledged that the hotel, brand new in 2008, had fallen into a state of disre- pair and would take some in- vestment to fix, but said this was cheaper than running it at a loss. “Can you imagine how I feel about it? My whole family is hurting because of this,” he said. The new swimming pool at the Brac sports complex is beginning to take shape. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER CUC workers attend the scene of Wednesday morning’s collision in which a car crashed into a light pole. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Multipurpose hard courts for tennis and basketball and other sports are expected to be installed. Concealed by overgrown plants and trees, the Alexander Hotel remains closed. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKERThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 19, 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 MAY 19, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS It would be hard to imagine a more beautiful evening in Bodden Town. A full moon illuminated a calm Caribbean Sea, tropical palms undulated in the gentle breezes, and the nearly cloudless sky was punc- tuated with thousands of twinkling stars. (Think of Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh’s most famous painting “Starry Night.”) Yes, four years ago, it was a perfect night for a political rally – and a political protest. The UDP had come to town to convince Bodden Towners to endorse their vision for the country and to vote for their slate of candidates. The opposition, small in number (about 25 or so) lined the periphery of the UDP rally armed with placards, most bearing a singular slogan: “No Dump in Bodden Town.” A movement was born that evening that would generate one of the most powerful issues of the May 2013 elections – and its consequences are still rever- berating today. Bolstered by their alliance with the “No Dump” activists, Alden McLaughlin and his Progressives rode a wave of popular discontent with McKeeva Bush’s administration and swept into power, making a clean conquest of all four seats in Bodden Town. After uniting with Bodden Town’s newly elected members, Mr. McLaughlin was able to form a new government, now known as the Progressives, and allocate ministerial assignments. Osbourne Bodden, from Bodden Town, was given responsibility to oversee landfill issues. One of his first official pronouncements was to reject a cash-free proposal (valued at $60 million) by the Dart organization to take care of the dump, once and for all. For several months into the Progressives’ new administration, the matter of the dump appeared dormant. But then, in December 2013, the landfill asserted itself by bursting into flames, spewing noxious columns of poisonous smoke across Grand Cayman. In February 2014, an even larger fire broke out at the landfill, taking two days for firefighters to extin- guish the inferno. Those blazes ignited public opinion against the Pro- gressives’ neglect of the landfill, including a sustained editorial campaign by this newspaper. On the 2013 campaign trail, the Progressives had assured voters they possessed a “non-Dart, non- Bodden Town” solution to address decades of govern- mental inaction on the George Town landfill. As we now know, there was no solution; there was no plan. That is not to say the government has not made improvements at the landfill. It has. New equipment, more resources and better management practices have improved the day-to-day conditions at the dump. Though those efforts are welcome, they are ultimately superficial. During their four-year term, the Progressives have been pursuing a comprehensive 25-year solid waste management plan for all three islands. Their current proposal, involving recycling, waste diversion and “waste-to-energy” technology, carries a price tag of $100 million for initial capital investment. Operating costs are estimated at $538 million over 25 years. It remains unclear, however, how both the capital costs and the operating costs will be financed. What is highly questionable to us is the assump- tion that 95 percent of Cayman’s waste will be diverted (through recycling, etc.) from being landfilled. (For com- parison, the highest diversion rate of any major city in North America, for San Francisco, is 80 percent.) Even if the Progressives’ plan comes to pass, it still keeps the landfill “in situ,” meaning in the heart of Grand Cayman’s prime Seven Mile Beach corridor, neighbor to Dart’s dynamic and growing Camana Bay, and next to the country’s newest, busiest, and, we trust, most beautiful highway. (Somebody needs to whisper in somebody’s ear that a dump is not a roadside attraction.) And so, four years after that memorable starry night in Bodden Town, the landfill issue that begat an unlikely political marriage of convenience between Bodden Town candidates and George Town Progres- sives once again will go before the voting public. George Town Landfill: A political issue that continues to burn Ships without sailors a vision in the making ADAM MINTER It sounds like a ghost story: a huge cargo vessel sails up and down the Nor- wegian coast, silently going about its business, without a captain or crew in sight. But if all goes as planned, it’s ac- tually the future of shipping. Last week, Kongsberg Gruppen, a Norwegian mar- itime-technology firm, and fertilizer manufacturer Yara announced a partnership to build the world’s first fully autonomous cargo contain- ership. Manned voyages will start in 2018, and in 2020 the Yara Birkeland will set sail all on its own. It’s the be- ginning of a revolution that should transform one of the world’s oldest and most con- servative industries – and make global shipping safer, faster and cleaner than it’s ever been. The commercial rationale for autonomous ships has long been clear. The U.S. Coast Guard has estimated that human error accounts for up to 96 percent of all marine casualties. A recent surge in piracy is a grim reminder that crews remain vulner- able (and valuable) targets for international criminals. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the industry is facing a chronic shortage of skilled workers who want a career at sea. By one consultant’s es- timate, carrying sailors ac- counts for 44 percent of a ship’s costs. That’s not just salaries: crew quar- ters, air-conditioning units, a bridge (which typically re- quires heavy ballast to en- sure a ship’s balance) and other amenities take up valu- able weight and space that might otherwise be used for cargo. And that dead weight contributes to a bigger problem: Maritime shipping accounts for about 2.5 per- cent of global greenhouse- gas emissions. Barring a radical change, those emis- sions are set to surge in the decades ahead. All this explains why eliminating a crew and its costs has been a longtime goal for companies and gov- ernments around the world. The most advanced effort so far has come from Rolls- Royce Holdings, which rolled out a virtual-reality proto- type of an autonomous ship in 2014. According to the company, the ship will be 5 percent lighter, and burn up to 15 percent less fuel, than a comparable vessel with humans aboard. That effort has been the subject of considerable skepticism. Seafarer unions doubt that technology can replace experienced sailors, and note that the Interna- tional Maritime Organiza- tion, the United Nations agency that oversees ship- ping, prohibits crewless op- erations. But what seemed impossible three years ago is quickly becoming reality. Most of the sensor tech- nology for autonomous ships is now commercially avail- able, and crucial collision- avoidance tools have been around in various forms since the early 1990s. The Yara Birkeland is a modest but important step forward. Although it can be operated remotely by a pilot, it will also be able to cruise on its own using an array of sensors, cameras and navi- gation tools, all guided by sophisticated algorithms. Back on shore, an opera- tions center will monitor its progress. When it launches next year, with a fully electric power plant, the ship will transport fertilizer from Yara’s factory to ports about 16 miles away, thereby re- placing 40,000 shipments a year that had once been carried by polluting diesel trucks. That short route will give the ship’s owners – along with regulators and other autonomous ship- ping aspirants – a first chance to see such a vessel in operation. Such trips may soon be- come routine. Norway has designated the waters off Trondheim as a test site for autonomous ships from con- tainer vessels to tugs. Rolls- Royce announced this year that it expects autonomous container ships in interna- tional waters within 10 to 15 years. Other groups are working to do it sooner: One British organization plans to have a solar-powered auton- omous research vessel cross the Atlantic in 2019. Lloyd’s Register, the 250-year-old ship-classification group, has already issued guidance for crewless operations. All this could potentially have enormous benefits for the shipping industry – and the world. Vast amounts of real- time data from the ships will allow fleet owners to optimize their routes (and profits) based on factors such as mainte- nance schedules, weather pat- terns, fuel prices and cargoes. Eventually, fleet owners might find themselves competing with the likes of Amazon.com and Alibaba Group Holding – major shippers with the big- data operations and deep pockets necessary to integrate autonomous ships into their logistics operations. For those companies, “all hands on deck” already means fingers on a keyboard or a joystick. Within a de- cade or two, the maritime shipping industry may well be thinking the same way. Minter is a Bloomberg View columnist. He is the author of ‘Junkyard Planet: Travels in the Billion-Dollar Trash Trade.’ © 2017, Bloomberg View 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”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 19, 2017 YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED TO Raul SATURDAY/ 7:00PM May 20, 2017 Refreshments will be provided FORWARD…CHANGE CAYMAN CAN TRUST A PUBLIC MEETING FOR Your independent candidate for Newlands! Gonzalez JR. VENUE INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 19, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Lighthouse School students get a taste of working world Six students in the gradu- ating class of the Lighthouse School interned for a day last week at the Government Ad- ministration Building. Lauren Knight, manager of the Internal Audit Service, de- signed an initiative to allow the students to get a better understanding of workplace duties, protocols and expec- tations. The students will leave school in June, and Ms. Knight hopes that the school will make the experience an annual rite of passage. On Friday, May, 12, the stu- dents had a chance to work in such diverse disciplines as ac- counting, internal control and compliance, human resources, management support, policy development and leadership and learning. “I felt it was important for the students of the grad- uating class to gain insight into corporate life, as well as learn about office etiquette,” said Ms. Knight about the project. “Additionally, I wanted them to learn about many of the different career options in Government so that they can make informed decisions about their future and, hope- fully, consider the Govern- ment as a potential employer.” The students were wel- comed on arrival and given an overview of opportunities within the Civil Service by Gloria McField-Nixon, chief officer of the portfolio of the civil service. Students had the chance to shadow staff volun- teers in one-on-one orienta- tions, and they participated in data entry, shredding and photocopying and a ques- tion-and-answer session. After lunch, they attended a workshop on leadership and teamwork given by Graeme Jackson of the Portfolio of the Civil Service. Ms. McField-Nixon was pleased to learn that one of the students of the Light- house School is challenging assumptions about what special needs students are capable of. “I was delighted to learn that one of the soon-to-be graduates, Jadhaan Whit- taker, is the first Light- house School student to be accepted into college,” she said. “He will be at- tending school in the U.K. and wants to become a vet- erinary technician. Jad- haan has effectively shat- tered the glass ceiling and proved that many things are possible through hard work and commitment. “Additionally, his success highlights the amazing work being done by Lighthouse School staff.” Deputy Governor Franz Manderson dropped by to support the students, and he said that the government employees were impressed by the students’ willingness to jump right into exploring a new career. Elroy Bryan, principal of the Lighthouse School, was also excited about the initiative. “This was the first time our school has been afforded an opportunity such as this for its entire graduating class,” he said. “The feedback I got from our students was that they enjoyed the day and welcomed the initiative as a way of preparing them for the world of work. It gave them practical, real-world insights into what office en- vironments are like, as well as the huge of range of jobs within government.” The students were given a chance to work in various disciplines during the day.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 19, 2017 Visitor arrivals continue upward trend Cayman at ‘top of league’ compared to competitors JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Stay-over visitor fig- ures continue to soar after a record-breaking April for Cayman tourism. Just under 40,000 visitors touched down in the Cayman Islands last month, more than 4,000 more than in the same period last year. The numbers for the first four months of the year rep- resent 1.92 percent growth on last year, which was also a record year. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell, speaking ahead of next week’s election, high- lighted the figures as evi- dence that his administration was doing the right things to keep visitors coming to the islands. “My ministry has worked extremely hard to achieve the right balance in terms of marketing and airlift, and since taking office in 2013 air arrivals have hit record breaking highs more than a dozen times,” he said. “This means that approximately one out of every four months has been a record breaker.” Arrival figures for stay- over tourists – the barometer the ministry uses to assess the health of the tourism in- dustry in the Cayman Islands – have risen from 321,642 in 2012 to 385,451 last year. Cruise arrivals have fluc- tuated over the same period, but overall have risen from just over 1.5 million to more than 1.7 million. Mr. Kirkconnell has tar- geted 400,000 stay-over tour- ists for this year, with the opening of the new Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa and the Margaritaville resort adding room capacity. Mr. Kirkconnell said the collaboration between his ministry, the Department of Tourism, and the hotels and airlines, particularly Cayman Airways, has helped boost arrivals. The improving U.S. economy over the past four years has also been credited with contributing to the up- tick in tourism arrival figures. “Given the continued up- ward trend, I am cautiously optimistic of achieving our goal of 400,000 stay- over visitors in 2017,” the minister said. Further gains are ex- pected with the opening of a new route from Fort Lauder- dale, through Southwest Air- lines, on June 4. Joey Hew, coun- cilor for tourism, said the increase in arrivals is helping the economy. “Performance indicators, such as the average daily rate for hotel rooms places the Cayman Islands at the top of the league compared to our competitors, which translates into tourism accommoda- tions taxes making a sizeable contribution to our national treasury and GDP,” he said. Passengers disembark in Grand Cayman from an American Airlines jet. The latest tourism figures show April was a record month for air arrivals. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY LITERARY GROUPS PLAN TWO WEEKENDS OF WORKSHOPS Cayman literary groups are preparing two weekends of events, including presen- tations from New York poet James Browning Kepple. Local cultural organiza- tion Bridges has brought to- gether Literacy is for Ev- eryone, CLM Publishing, Caywriters and Cayman Writers Circle to put on three days of workshops, school visits, discussion groups, pre- sentations and a poetry and music recital. Activities will kick off May 20 with a teen poetry workshop, where partici- pants will be able to work on poetry techniques and share their own works. “This workshop will en- courage young people to ex- press themselves through the written word. They will learn poetic techniques, write and read their own poetry while sharpening their writing and presentation skills in a cre- ative and supportive environ- ment,” explained a Bridges press release. Teachers are invited to join a May 26 workshop where government and other stakeholders will be able to plan creative writing clubs in schools for the fall semester. On May 27, the Writers Hub will bring together lit- erary minds, including author Michael Ferrier, CLM Publishing director Karen Chin, CayWriters founder Elke Feuer and poet Mr. Kepple. Presentations will elab- orate on Cayman’s cur- rent literary environment and opportunities to pro- mote local works. During his visit, Mr. Kepple, president of the New York Browning Society, will discuss opportunities to col- laborate in Cayman and will visit local schools. The conference will close with a poetry and music re- cital in association with the Cayman Arts Festival that will showcase local talent. For more information on meeting times and locations, contact Michel Powery at cayman.literature@gmail.com. Teachers are invited to join a May 26 workshop where government and other stakeholders will be able to plan creative writing clubs in schools for the fall semester.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY MAY 19, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS The public is hereby notified that the INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES affiliated with Dr. S. A. Tomlinson are in no way associated with Mr. AMJED ZUREIGAT aka the Jordanian. None of these candidates has asked him to speak or work on their behalf. “YOU FEEL GOOD WHEN YOU LOOK GOOD“ Free pick-up and Delivery 949-7104 Puritan Cleaners Now Offering Special Discounts on Men Shirts and Ladies Blouses From now until Saturday June 3rd 17% Off prepay 5 items or more or 12% Off pick up within 7 days. Available at all our stores. • Countryside Savannah • Elgin Avenue George Town • Centennial Towers West Bay • Eastern Avenue George Town ( Drive Thru Rain or Shine) pacity steam-driven waste- to-energy plant, and sales of recyclable materials to over- seas aggregators. Meanwhile, recycling is moving ahead, and the land- fill’s tire shredder began op- erating March 21, scheduled to spend just less than one year turning a half-million radials, discarded since 2000, into two-inch chips. The “tire- derived aggregate” will be used by home-builder Daven- port Development and Frank Sound’s Ironshore Develop- ment – and possibly the Na- tional Roads Authority – in road beds, building founda- tions, drainage work, erosion control and landfill cover. In mid-May, Progressives candidate for George Town North Joey Hew told a forum that he supports ISWMS, keeping the dump at its current site. “One of the key reasons why we would want to keep it in that area is we’ve already established that area as a col- lection point,” he said. “The consumers for the energy pro- duced in the waste-energy plant are right there in the general vicinity. And that’s im- portant that we can transport the energy and be able to sell the energy created there at the facility. I do support the fa- cility remaining where it is.” In late January, Pre- mier McLaughlin said the 2013 election had marked a turning point: “We said from the outset of being elected to office that we would do every- thing in our power to resolve the issue of the landfill and the need for a modern solid waste management system. “We have taken time to en- sure we identified the best possible solution and follow all the regulatory guidelines … and are at the final stages of putting our plans into place. “The country needs a waste-management system that will protect our envi- ronment, our health and our economy for generations to come, and I am confident that our plans will deliver all of these aspects,” he said. Mr. Bush’s Cayman Dem- ocratic Party manifesto does not mention ISWMS, outlining a less-ambitious strategy for solid waste management: “We will implement strategies to achieve a goal of 50 percent diversion [from the landfill] by 2025,” while closing the George Town landfill. “We believe in the en- hancement of personal re- sponsibility through ad- vocacy, education and the creation of opportunities to realize the national vision for waste management,” the manifesto says. Cayman’s Customs De- partment reported two cases of illegal ganja imports and undeclared vape pens were intercepted at Owen Roberts International Air- port last week. On May 11, a 29-year-old Caymanian man was found in possession of concentrated ganja oil and more than 200 disposable vape pens found to contain cannabis. The man was arrested and Customs Narcotics Enforcement con- tinues to investigate. On May 15, the customs K-9 unit found vegetable matter resembling ganja and vape pens suspected of containing hash oil being transported by a 25-year- old Caymanian woman trav- eling from Cayman Brac. The woman was arrested and is under investigation. Assistant Collector of Customs Tina Campbell re- minded the public that ganja imports continue to be illegal. “Even though the amend- ment to the Misuse of Drugs Law allows doctors locally to prescribe cannabis extracts, it does not give authority to the general public to import any form of ganja or engage in ganja-related activities,” she said in a press statement. The department also ad- vised against the use of e- cigarettes and vape pens, warning that they may con- tain chemicals or unknown synthetic drugs. George Town Landfill: A growing monument to governments’ inaction CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Customs intercepts illegal ganja oils at airport INTERNATIONAL FORUM TILTS FOCUS TOWARD CARIBBEAN ARTISTS KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Caribbean art and art- ists took center stage before an international audience of museum curators Thursday at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. The gallery played host to the third annual “Tilting Axis” conference, an effort between ARC Magazine and Fresh Milk Art Plat- form to turn the spotlight on Caribbean creatives. The three-day gath- ering brought together artists from across the region, as well as art pro- fessionals from the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The interna- tional convention sought to build cross-border bridges, with the Caribbean as the focal point, explained NGCI director Natalie Urquhart. “For us, it was so im- portant to bring this con- versation to Cayman and to introduce some of the world-class, international curators to our local art community and really connect them directly to the artists.” Tilting Axis co-founder Annalee Davis explained the idea behind the confer- ences as a conceptual and literal effort to centralize focus on Caribbean art. “Tilting Axis is a roving meeting, tilting on a Carib- bean axis from which all other core bits are viewed, understood and mea- sured, facilitating more and more alliances.” Ms. Urquhart said pre- vious Tilting Axis confer- ences, held in Barbados and Miami, have already re- sulted in new opportunities. “We’re seeing real-life projects emerging from the conversations that we’ve had at the gatherings and that includes everything from exhibitions to curato- rial fellowships and oppor- tunities for young creators in the region to access those professional connec- tions,” she said. The conference con- tinues Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the Business of Art symposium will offer workshops and presenta- tions for local artists on setting up a small business, networking and marketing.9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 19, 2017 Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Laten Moreland Bush affectionately known as “Brother Laten” of West Bay who passed away on Friday, May 5, 2017. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Sunday, May 21, 2017 at 3:00p.m. at the Wesleyan Holiness Church, 150 Northwest Point Road, West Bay. Viewing will be from 2:00–2:45p.m. Interment follows at Boatswain Bay Cemetery. Shank You THE FAMILY OF THE LATE ROSE ELIZABETH PARSONS would like to express our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to our family, friends and Church brethren for your prayers, telephone calls, visits, flowers, cards and acts of kindness during this difficult time. The patient and loving care provided by all caregivers, especially Mrs. Millicent Green, Ms. Christine Smith, Mrs. Gayle McClean-Dixon, Ms Emma Lumunstad and Ms. Eileen Campbell are to be commended. Our sincere appreciation to all the doctors and staff of the Health Services Authority and Health City Cayman Islands as well as Bodden Funeral Service for their compassionate service. May God richly bless you all. The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Victoria V. Ewen Nee Tomlinson regret to announce her passing on Friday, 5 May 2017. A funeral service will be held at 3:00 PM on Saturday, 20 May 2017 at Crossroads Baptist Church, Cayman Brac. Interment will follow in West End Cemetery. The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com Julian Black regret to announce his passing on Thursday, 11 May, 2017. A service celebrating Julian's life will take place on Saturday 10th June, 2017. Further details to be announced. The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Justin Ebanks affectionately known as Pinkie, regret to announce his passing on Saturday, 13 May 2017. A funeral service will be held at 4:30 PM on Saturday, 20 May 2017 at Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre, Northside. Interment will follow in W.O. Chisholm Cemetery, Northside. . Investigation pending in dog burning case SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The wheels of justice are turning for Dora, the dog burned in last week’s animal cruelty case. Rep- resentatives of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice and the Department of Agriculture have con- tacted the Cayman Islands Humane Society in the in- terest of furthering their investigation. As of press time, no charges had been filed in re- lation to the incident, and it is still too soon to know what will ultimately happen to Dora. She is currently resting and recovering at the Humane Society, and it’s not known whether she will stay there or be returned to the home where she was al- legedly injured. Adrian Estwick, director of the Department of Ag- riculture, said in an email that custody of Dora will be decided at some point in the future. “Once the RCIPS con- clude their investigation, decisions will then be taken. If the matter pro- ceeds to court, the latter will decide what ultimately happens,” he said. “Please remember that this matter is currently under active in- vestigation and as such it is premature to assume what will happen. … However, the Department of Agricul- ture will work closely with RCIPS and render assis- tance as needed.” Dora was found burned around her abdomen and taken to Island Veterinary Services on Saturday for emergency surgery. She may not be the only dog at risk. Cayman 27 reported that an- other dog is housed at the same location where Dora was injured. Mr. Estwick said Tuesday that he had not been apprised of that fact, but that the Department of Agricul- ture would look into whether the home is suitable. The Department of Ag- riculture is responsible for plant health, agronomy, live- stock production, agricul- ture sector development and animal health, in addition to animal welfare and con- trol, and Mr. Estwick said witnesses to animal abuse can make reports either di- rectly or anonymously. Petition Animal rights advocate Taura Ebanks has begun a petition to draw more atten- tion to animal abuse and she has targeted the RCIPS and Department of Agriculture to take the issue more seri- ously. More than 1,400 people have signed so far, but Ms. Ebanks does not have a spe- cific target number in mind. “I’m not trying to do a people’s triggered refer- endum. That for me is not the goal,” she said. “The laws are already there. I’m not cham- pioning for legislation. I’m not asking to put laws in. I’m saying there are existing laws. … The signatures only represent the fact that there are all these voices that want the same thing. “Your government is sup- posed to represent the will of the people. And as far as I can see, the government also has a responsibility in mon- itoring the level of lawful- ness or lawlessness. I’m not saying, ‘Government, will you please help us?’ I’m saying, ‘Government, you need to do your job.’” Ms. Ebanks said she will wait to present the petition until after the May 24 elec- tion, and she has not tailored her draft with any one inci- dent in mind. She wants to change the mindset of local citizens and educate them that harming an animal is the kind of crime that needs to be taken seriously. The petition aims to be a “Voice for the Voiceless,” and Ms. Ebanks knows that she won’t convince every- body overnight. But with her effort – and with the sup- port of perhaps thousands of people adding their voices to hers – she believes that even- tually there can be systemic change on Cayman. “I think a lot of people are frustrated and think if you get to a certain number, things are going to change,” she said. “Unfortunately, nothing is going to change. Once or twice a year, some- thing horrific happens and people get very emotive and very distraught and they de- mand action. Within weeks or months, they walk away and their lives continue. When we do this, we’re giving animals a temporary voice. We need to channel our emotions and keep the conversation going and keep the topic alive.” Tech usage a potential ‘time bomb’ for communication Concerns about tech usage and the effect it may have on the development of communi- cation habits for young chil- dren are taking center stage this month in Better Hearing and Speech Month. Each May, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association tries to raise awareness about communica- tion disorders and how con- cerned parents and educa- tors can provide life-altering treatment. This month, the focus is the risks associated with tech overuse and the ways parents can curb them. A recent poll conducted by the association indicates that current tech habits may pro- duce a “time bomb” that man- ifests in diminished commu- nication skills and abilities. Faith Gealey, chairwoman of the Caribbean Speech Hearing Association, is high- lighting the risks of personal technology devices. “At [the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority] we see a large number of children with language delays who also have long and frequent screen time exposure,” Ms. Gealey said in a press release. “Many children who have long exposure to screen time present red flag characteris- tics of other neurological and social communication disor- ders, simply because the na- ture of technology usage does not promote social and com- munication development.” She said basic behav- iors, such as making eye contact when speaking to someone, are greatly di- minished in people who overuse technology. “Research tells us that children who are engaged in technology have diminished creativity and do not interact with other people when com- pared to children who are en- gaged in non-technological activities. Although we don’t have specific statistics avail- able for the Cayman Islands, it is safe to say that the oc- currences on island are not much different than what we are seeing from other devel- oped countries.” The American Speech-Lan- guage-Hearing Association poll shows that parents and teens in the United States use technology more than five hours each day. Fifty percent of parents check their phones at the dinner table and 67 percent of them use a mobile device during leisure time with their children. Fifty- five percent of teens have reported having no restric- tion on their usage of mobile technology, which the associ- ation regards as a hazard. “You need only look around the next time you go to a res- taurant to see that a family who is sitting together are all looking at their smartphones and tablets, with very little communication exchanges,” said Ms. Gealey. “Technology definitely has its place in our society and there is no ques- tion that having a good foun- dation in technology use will assist our younger genera- tion in the future. However, technology should not be the focus in the first few years of a child’s development. It’s up to parents to establish a dig- ital diet that ensures tech- nology will enhance their chil- dren’s communication skills, not impede it.” Ms. Gealey went on to sug- gest ways that parents can en- sure their children are using technology more productively. She stressed that parents should put timers on tab- lets or on television time and that all mobile devices should be kept in the parents’ room when not in use by children. Parents should also un- plug from their own devices and be more active in their children’s lives, and they should encourage other ac- tivities to keep their children from becoming too seden- tary. Reading books to chil- dren, she said, is still the best method to ensure good language development in the next generation. “Research tells us that children who are engaged in technology have diminished creativity and do not interact with other people when compared to children who are engaged in non-technological activities.” FAITH GEALEY, Caribbean Speech Hearing AssociationNext >