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For more information, please call 949-7701. 2for$28 For the Month of May Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Cayman National Choir turns 40 CAYMAN WEEKENDER EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ONE MAN, ONE VOTE: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE ELECTION Election over, scramble for gov’t begins Independents, Progressives in private meetings BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands voters have had their say. Now it’s time for the 19 people they elected to decide who will run the government for the next four years. As of Thursday afternoon, a group of inde- pendent elected members were meeting pri- vately to try to hammer out a compromise on who will form the next Cabinet. Bodden Town West MLA Chris Saunders, who was participating in the meetings, said all the independent members – minus West Bay South’s Tara Rivers – had spent the morning discussing matters. He declined to elaborate on the options being pursued, but said the group would inform the public as soon as a firm plan was decided. “We’re not going to do the people’s busi- ness in secret,” he said. Prospect MLA Austin Harris, who was also involved in Thursday’s talks, said the results of the Wednesday’s election sent “a resounding and clear message in support of change” for the Cayman Islands. Mr. Harris also declined to comment on the nature of the closed-door meetings. “It is still early days, but a government has to be formed,” he said. Progressives members were in meetings of their own through Thursday afternoon, but declined to speak about what options were being discussed. Although the Progressives party finished with seven seats to the independents’ nine on Wednesday night, one of the independents – Ms. Rivers – had helped form the party’s co- alition in the last government, meaning the Progressives could have significant input on a new coalition arrangement as well. Ms. Rivers did not return messages seeking comment. West Bay MLA and Cayman Democratic Party Leader McKeeva Bush could not be reached for comment by press time Thursday. One of the potential scenarios being dis- cussed, according to those inside the talks, would make Mr. Bush Speaker of the House TOMLINSON ‘ECSTATIC’ OVER INDEPENDENTS’ ELECTION VICTORIES JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com One of the main backers of independent candidates, Dr. Steve Tomlinson, said he was “elated” with an election result which in- cluded nine candidates elected without any party affiliation. Dr. Tomlinson said he is now hopeful that the different groups will unite behind a leader and give the country what it has asked for – an independent-led government. Though only two of the candidates publicly endorsed by Dr. Tomlinson – Austin Harris and Kenneth Bryan – were elected to the Legisla- tive Assembly, he said he was “ecstatic” about the results. Dr. Tomlinson says he supported 19 independent candidates in one way or an- other, including five who were elected, though he declined to name them. “I do feel that the message I was pushing got through to the public,” Dr. Tomlinson said. “I think it has been a victory in that regard. The public has spoken and they have said no to political parties.” He said “his dream” is for an independent coalition to lead the government in an envi- ronment in which all 19 elected members have a voice in the decision-making process. “I don’t know exactly what they will do to form the government. There are a lot of forces at work and a lot of discussions now taking place. I am not going to pre-empt anything,” he told the Cayman Compass on Thursday morning. He said he felt the time and money he had Fewer than 50 votes decide six races BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com About one-third of the win- ning political candidates in the Cayman Islands general election Wednesday owe their success to a margin of fewer than 50 votes, according to final results issued late Wednesday. The slimmest margin of vic- tory among all of the candidates was in Newlands district where independent Alva Suckoo beat incumbent Progressives Minister Wayne Panton by just 15 votes. The next closest race went to Progressives candi- date David Wight, who beat challenger Jon Piercy by 16 votes in George Town West. A total of 22 votes separated North Side MLA Ezzard Miller from his closest rival, while Mr. Miller’s colleague in East End, Arden McLean, won by 26 votes. In the biggest upset of the night, independent Kenneth Bryan topped Progressives Finance Min- ister Marco Archer by 35 votes. Longtime MLA Juliana O’Connor-Connolly retained her seat in Cayman Brac East by just 42 votes. The slim margins of victory in some of the districts were partly the result of a very small number of voters under the new “one man, one vote” system, Legislative chamber awaits new occupants The Cayman Islands’ latest class of lawmakers is expected to be sworn in shortly, but the question of which newly elected Legislative Assembly members will control the next parliament remained open Thursday afternoon. The various competing political groups were meeting privately to discuss the situation. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Award-Winning Caribbean Chicken! Fresh, Healthy & Delicious! West Shore Center, SMB 945.2290 • chicken@chicken2.com® Dine-in!Take-out! 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Terms and Conditions Apply. Man remanded for ganja, women bailed CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Ganja found in a man’s house and car resulted in charges of possession with intent to supply against him and two women residing in the same house. Gregory Bent appeared in Summary Court on Thursday afternoon. Defense attorney Jonathon Hughes told Mag- istrate Grace Donalds that Bent, 32, admitted to police that all the drugs found be- longed to him. “Mr. Bent has accepted responsibility for what was found. He has ab- solved his sister and his wife of any responsibility,” Mr. Hughes said. Bent appeared in the dock alone because Crown counsel Neil Kumar was ob- jecting bail for him but not for the women. Mr. Kumar said Bent was arrested on Monday, May 22. He explained that there had been a joint operation at Bent’s residence in Savannah between 6:05 and 8:48 a.m. Bent had already left for work, but his wife Felisha and his sister Marsha were present. They were informed of the purpose of the search and the authority for it. Officers found ganja in glass bottles in various places, including a tool kit in the dining room and in a kitchen cupboard. They found more ganja in a red trans- parent bag in the freezer in the kitchen and a white plastic bag in a kitchen drawer. Seven buckets con- taining glass bottles with ganja and residue were found at the rear of the yard along with one bucket of ganja. Two plastic bags contained ganja and seeds. A quantity of cash was found under the bed in Marsha Bent’s room. The two women, both 30, were arrested and officers then went to Gregory Bent’s workplace. They searched his vehicle and approxi- mately one pound of ganja was found in the trunk of the car along with a grinder and other implements. Mr. Kumar said the total weight of the vegetable matter was unknown at this time, but was estimated to be in excess of 10 pounds. Mr. Hughes said his client could be granted bail because he had no previous convic- tions and had been in Cayman 12 years. He was married to a Caymanian. “This is where his life is, his family, his work. There is no suggestion he would not attend court,” the attorney submitted. The magistrate with- held bail, citing the nature and seriousness of the of- fense alleged. She remanded Bent in custody until Tuesday, June 6. With no objection from the Crown to bail for the women, the magistrate granted their applications. She imposed conditions that included resi- dence at a specified address, surrender of passports and reporting to a designated po- lice station once per week. These defendants are to return to court on June 6 also. Two students receive scholarships from Digicel They survived a “Shark Tank”-style pitch meeting and won a scholarship for their efforts. More than 80 students from Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac applied for a Digicel competition called the Digicel Young Leaders Pro- gram, and 24 were selected to create a commercial product and ultimately pitch it to exec- utives who would judge them for their utility, marketing and craft savvy. Brianna Bodden of Cayman Academy and Dairilys Ebanks from Grace Christian Academy were named the winners and were each awarded a $2,000 scholarship to aid their edu- cation. Ms. Bodden won for her Rub-a-Dub Spa, selling the panel with her detailed marketing plan, brochure and props. Ms. Ebanks was re- warded for her 360 Glam salon, which allowed potential customers to use a custom app that had 360-degree camera technology to create a hairstyle and book an appointment. The applicants participated in Enrichment Days hosted by industry professionals in mar- keting, IT and finance. By the end of the program, they were invited to use the skills they had developed to create and develop a personal business idea that would be critiqued by industry professionals. Derricka Neysmith, an- other Digicel Young Leader, re- ceived an award for achieving the highest AS level scores for the Cambridge Travel and Tourism course. “I am so happy to say that it was more than I could have hoped for,” Ms. Neysmith said of her participation in the pro- gram. “As an A Level business student learning tedious text- book work, I got to apply what I learned in the program to a real-life situation.” Digicel has decided to follow up with another ini- tiative at the beginning of the next academic year. The com- pany will again focus on cre- ating learning opportunities and internships for talented students seeking employment. “Digicel has a long-standing history of commitment to the local community and the Young Leaders Program is the third major strand of our CSR ini- tiatives this year, in addition to supporting people with special needs and developing a pas- sion for technology amongst the youth with the YMCA Dis- covery with Drones program,” said Digicel Cayman Chief Ex- ecutive Officer Martin Bould. “As a leading employer in Cayman, with technology and digital skills at our core, we see it as our duty to help equip tomorrow’s leaders with the skills necessary to excel both locally and on the global stage. We are thrilled to be in a po- sition to offer this opportunity to students in Cayman …. I’d like to thank and commend all the participants for their en- thusiasm and entrepreneur- ialism during the ‘Shark Tank’ pitches, but specifically our two winners.” SUSPECT SOUGHT IN ALLEGED INDECENT EXPOSURE CASE The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police are seeking a man who reportedly ha- rassed and exposed him- self to a female pedestrian on Wednesday afternoon in the vicinity of Crewe Road. A woman reported walking along Crewe Road around 1:40 p.m. when a man in a black Honda pulled alongside her and began making suggestive remarks. The pedestrian tried to ignore the man and walked into a nearby minimart, but when she came out of the market, the driver was waiting outside and continued to follow her, a police report states. The man allegedly made crude remarks and exposed himself to her, and mo- ments later tried to block her path with the car while simultaneously threatening to pull her inside. The woman ran and called police. She was not harmed. The suspect is de- scribed as having a dark complexion and of average height. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 949-4222, the anonymous tip line at 949-7777, or Crime Stoppers at 800-8477. Brianna Bodden of Cayman Academy also received a $2,000 scholarship from Digicel. Dairilys Ebanks of Grace Christian Academy received a $2,000 scholarship from Digicel. FLORIDA’S SIESTA BEACH NAMED BEST IN U.S. SIESTA KEY, Fla. (AP) – The sand on Siesta Beach on Florida’s Gulf Coast is as fine as powdered sugar, a pure, sparkling white and soft as a kitten’s fur – all because it’s com- prised of 99 percent pure crushed quartz. For that reason, and many others, it was selected this year as the best beach in America by a professor who’s made a career ranking and studying beaches around the United States. “The sand is out- standing,” said Stephen Leatherman, aka Dr. Beach, a professor at Miami’s Florida International University. “Every time I go there, I’ve got to take a bag home with me. It’s almost sacrilegious to walk on it with shoes on.” Other beaches that made the list this year, in order of ranking, are: Kapalua Bay Beach in Maui, Ha- waii; Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach on the Outer Banks of North Carolina; Grayton Beach State Park on the Florida Panhandle; Coo- pers Beach in Southampton, New York; Coast Guard Beach on Cape Cod in Mas- sachusetts; Caladesi Is- land State Park in Dunedin/ Clearwater, Florida; Ha- puna Beach State Park, Big Island, Hawaii; Coronado Beach in San Diego, Cali- fornia; and Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island, South Carolina.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017 SALE! 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SAVE 10% on in-stock AV Receivers SAVE $500 15-50% OFF SAVE 10% Chess Grandmaster to demonstrate skill SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Dust off your rooks and bishops. English chess Grand- master Nigel Short, who lost to Garry Kasparov in the 1993 World Chess Champion- ships, will visit Cayman and take part in a few different challenges next week. Mr. Short, who achieved his high rank at the age of 19, will participate in a Grandmaster Corporate Challenge at the Kimpton Seafire resort on Monday, and will play against 30 Cayman students on Tuesday. Enterprising adults can play against Mr. Short at the corporate challenge fundraiser at the Kimpton for a fee of $500. Mr. Short, who will turn 52 on June 1, is still ranked in the World Chess Feder- ation’s top 60 players. The native of Lancashire first achieved prominence in 1977 when he became the youngest-ever qualifier in the British Chess Champion- ship just three days before his 12th birthday. He became the youngest International Master in chess history in 1980 and finished second in the World Junior Championships that year. Mr. Short lost to Mr. Kasp- arov on that occasion, and the two adversaries would meet again 13 years later in the World Chess Champion- ships in London. Mr. Short, a three-time winner of the British Chess Championship, will bring his expertise to Cayman in an ef- fort to boost interest in the game. Proceeds of the Grand- master Corporate Challenge will benefit the local Chess in Schools program, and he will take a more hands-on ap- proach one day later. The grandmaster will play against 30 children Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at the George Town Public Library. The Cayman Chess Club held a successful pilot program and will now teach a chess cur- riculum in all Cayman Is- lands government schools. Places are still available for the Grandmaster Corporate Challenge. Registration deadline is Friday, May 26. Those interested can email register@caymanchessclub. com, or call Shaun Tracey at 525- 5862 or Carlo Lee at 924-6246. MAN REMANDED FOR GANJA, ILLEGAL LANDING No bail application made CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Christopher Oliver Baker, 45, appeared in Summary Court on Thursday, charged with illegal landing and ganja-related offenses. Baker, whose address is in Westmoreland, Ja- maica, is accused of landing in the Cayman Islands on or about May 22 without lawful excuse and without being authorized. He is further charged with being concerned in the im- portation of ganja, posses- sion of ganja with intent to supply and possession of ganja in the Marina Drive area of Prospect. No quan- tities were specified, but police earlier on Thursday released photographs showing a large amount of ganja seized in a police raid on May 22 in the Marina Drive operation. Defense attorney Crister Brady did not apply for bail at this stage, so Crown counsel Neil Kumar was not called on to provide any background to the charges. Magistrate Grace Donalds remanded Baker in custody until Tuesday, June 6, at Mr. Brady’s request. Chess Grandmaster Nigel Short is scheduled to arrive in Cayman on Friday. Police recovered a significant quantity of ganja in a raid in Marina Drive, Prospect, on Monday. - PHOTO: RCIPSThe 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 26, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS “Whom the gods would destroy, they first tempt to resolve the Arab-Is- raeli conflict.” – Irving Kristol WASHINGTON – The quixotic American pursuit of Middle East peace is a perennial. It invariably fails, yet every ad- ministration feels compelled to give it a try. The Trump ad- ministration is no different. It will fail as well. To be sure, no great harm has, as yet, come from President Trump’s enthusiasm for what would be “the ultimate deal.” It will, however, distract and detract from remarkable progress being made else- where in the Middle East. That progress began with Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia, the first of his presidency – an unmistakable declaration of a radical reorientation of U.S. policy in the region. Mes- sage: The appeasement of Iran is over. Barack Obama’s tilt to- ward Iran in the great Muslim civil war between Shiite Iran and Sunni Arabs led by Saudi Arabia was his reach for Nixon-to-China glory. It ended ignominiously. The idea that the nuclear deal would make Iran more moderate has proved spectac- ularly wrong, as demonstrated by its defiant ballistic mis- sile launches, its indispens- able support for the geno- cidal Assad regime in Syria, its backing of the Houthi in- surgency in Yemen, its world- wide support for terrorism, its relentless anti-Americanism and commitment to the anni- hilation of Israel. The reversal has now begun. The first act was Trump’s Riyadh address to about 50 Muslim states (the overwhelming majority of them Sunni) signaling a wide Islamic alliance com- mitted to resisting Iran and willing to cast its lot with the American side. That was objective No.1. The other was to turn the Sunni powers against Sunni terrorism. The Islamic State is Sunni. Al-Qaeda is Sunni. Fifteen of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi. And the spread of Saudi-funded madrassas around the world has for de- cades inculcated a poisonous Wahhabism that has fueled Islamist terrorism. Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states publicly de- claring war on their bastard terrorist child is significant. As is their pledge not to tol- erate any semiofficial sup- port or private donations. And their opening during the summit of an anti-terrorism center in Riyadh. After eight years of U.S. policy hovering between ne- glect and betrayal, the Sunni Arabs are relieved to have America back. A salutary side effect is the possibility of a detente with Israel. That would suggest an outside-in approach to Arab- Israeli peace: a rapproche- ment between the Sunni state and Israel (the outside) would put pressure on the Palestin- ians to come to terms (the in- side). It’s a long-shot strategy but it’s better than all the others. Unfortunately, Trump muddied the waters a bit in Israel by at times reverting to the opposite strategy – the in- side-out – by saying that an Israeli-Palestinian deal would “begin a process of peace all throughout the Middle East.” That is well-worn non- sense. Imagine if Israel dis- appeared tomorrow in an earthquake. Does that end the civil war in Syria? The in- stability in Iraq? The fighting in Yemen? Does it change anything of consequence amid the intra-Arab chaos? Of course not. And apart from being delusional, the inside-out strategy is at present impos- sible. Palestinian leadership is both hopelessly weak and irredeemably rejectionist. Until it is prepared to accept the legitimacy of the Jewish state – which it has never done in the 100 years since the Balfour Declaration com- mitted Britain to a Jewish homeland in Palestine – there will be no peace. It may come one day. But not now. Which is why making the Israel-Palestinian issue central, rather than pe- ripheral, to the epic Sunni- Shiite war shaking the Middle East today is a serious tac- tical mistake. It subjects any now-possible reconciliation between Israel and the Arab states to a Palestinian veto. Ironically, the Iranian threat that grew under Obama offers a unique op- portunity for U.S.-Arab and even Israeli-Arab cooperation. Over time, such cooperation could gradually acclimate Arab peoples to a nonbellig- erent stance toward Israel. Which might in turn help persuade the Palestinians to make some concessions be- fore their fellow Arabs finally tire of the Palestinians’ cen- tury of rejectionism. Perhaps that will require a peace process of sorts. No great harm, as long as we re- member that any such Is- raeli-Palestinian talks are for show – until conditions are one day ripe for peace. In the meantime, the real action is on the anti-Ira- nian and anti-terror fronts. Don’t let Oslo-like mirages get in the way. Charles Krauthammer’s email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com. © 2017, Washington Post Writers Group As soon as the Progressives administration approved the switch to 19 single-member constituen- cies, we (and everyone else with a pencil and scratch pad) could foretell that the vote totals of winning can- didates would be ridiculously minuscule. So they were: North Side MLA Ezzard Miller won with 201 votes; Cayman Brac East MLA Juliana O’Connor-Connolly won with 225 votes; and East End MLA Arden McLean won with 272 votes. A more important (and eye-popping) point than the “magnitude” of the voting totals is the razor-thinness of candidates’ margins of victory. Newlands MLA Alva Suckoo won by 15 votes; George Town West MLA David Wight by 16 votes; Mr. Miller by 22 votes; Mr. McLean by 26 votes; and George Town Central MLA Kenneth Bryan by 35 votes. Taken altogether, the combined margins of victory in those five closest races was 114 votes, total. Those 114 votes (equating to 0.7 percent of the nearly 16,000 people who voted in Wednesday’s election) have effectively swung the balance of power in Cayman and could alter the fate of the country and all of its 60,000 inhabitants … for better, or for worse. The thing about razors is – they cut. (Again, none of these observations are new. We could have sketched the outline of this editorial on Oct. 20, 2015 – the day after the Progressives gov- ernment OK’d the boundaries of the 19 mini-districts – placed it in a drawer, and retrieved it today to fill in the blanks with specific figures.) As we went to press, independent and party candidates were still powwowing, horse-trading and promise-making, with the objective of forming Cayman’s next ruling government. We do not know who will be in the administration, or who will lead it, but we do know that whatever group emerges will appear to lack a clear mandate from Cayman’s voting public. Out of the 19 winning candidates, nine of them (nearly half) failed to gain a majority of votes in their constituencies. Three winning candidates didn’t break 40 percent. Even more difficult to discern than the mixed support for individual candidates at the district level are the mixed signals sent by voters on a countrywide scale. For example, the Progressives achieved a plurality of winners – seven, and eight if you include former Minister Tara Rivers, who ran as an independent. On the other hand, the Progressives lost three incumbent ministers – Marco Archer, Osbourne Bodden and Wayne Panton. Did Cayman’s voters, on balance, approve of the policies and performance of the Progressives administration since 2013, disap- prove, or other? With British chess Grandmaster Nigel Short set to visit Cayman, we’ll observe that a fundamental tenet of the game of chess is protect the king at all costs. That mentality among the Progressives resulted in perhaps the biggest strategic mistake of the election. The party placed its king – former Premier Alden McLaughlin – into a political “safe zone” in Red Bay, a maneuver conducted in stealth on Nomination Day, while Mr. Archer was selected (and assented) to go up against the young, hungry and eminently well-pre- pared Mr. Bryan in George Town Central. To continue the chess metaphor, Mr. Archer willingly sacrificed himself by playing the role of a pawn in Mr. McLaughlin’s political game. Unlike a chess tournament, a democracy should not be confused with a meritocracy. The inherent imperfections of this model of gover- nance are highlighted, exacerbated and amplified by the tiny size of Cayman’s new constituencies. Carving up the country in the name of one man, one vote is a symbolic, practical and political act of division and divisiveness – one which our insular terri- tory can ill afford. Instead of making Cayman’s districts smaller, more numerous and more inward-facing, officials should have done the opposite: Make the entirety of the Cayman Islands one single district, and allow residents to vote on the same slate of candidates. We should be going to islandwide elections, and last night proved it. One Man, One Vote: Lessons learned from the election 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” Charles KrauthammerKrauthammer Middle East peace starts in Saudi Arabia5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017 Social media rumors fuel Election Day confusion Political rumors and cam- paign canvassing confusion colored Election Day in the Cayman Islands. While police reported no serious, election- related misconduct, spec- ulative reports trickled in throughout the day. Several reports of polling station canvassing beyond the 300-foot boundary were received by the Elections Office on Wednesday. The Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service indicated it re- ceived no complaints about the issue, however, other than reports forwarded from the Elections Office. Some individuals crossed the line demarcating the ex- clusion zone around the polling stations, but complied with officers when asked to move away, an RCIPS offi- cial confirmed. Social media posts against George Town North candidate Joseph Hew fueled some of the day’s most incendiary ru- mors and provoked confusion among voters. The RCIPS is- sued a statement on Elec- tion Day afternoon denying any issues with Mr. Hew or any other candidate. They called the reports “spurious and baseless.” “We can categorically state that no candidate or any other person has been arrested today in connection with any election offences, or is under house arrest,” an RCIPS statement said. Mr. Hew said he was dis- appointed by the unproven al- legations against him but was proud to be vindicated by his victory at the close of polls. Speaking to the Cayman Compass late Wednesday, he said, “There was a lot of mischief today. It was very hurtful for myself and my family. Everyone is exposed to that. There are people that love to hide behind social media and make these accu- sations wildly. I say to them, ‘Just think about your own kids one day.’ They may feel the effects of that.” Another issue arose when a candidate asked to ac- company a box of postal ballots between a polling station and the Elections Of- fice, Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell said. Mr. Howell described the request as “inappropriate” and told the candidate he could not be accommodated. Shortly after this request, Mr. Howell said rumors began to circulate about a missing postal ballot box. He said this was not true and that no ballot boxes went missing. RCIPS reported no other election-related incidents from Wednesday. Mixed reviews for first run of ‘one man, one vote’ system KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com As voters made their way to the polls Wednesday, can- didates expressed mixed feel- ings about the new “one man, one vote” electoral system. With 61 hopefuls across 19 single-member districts, the new system attracted a record number of candidates. However, the voter partici- pation rate fell slightly this year, down to 74.8 percent from 79.82 percent in 2013. Before polls closed, West Bay West winner and Cayman Democratic Party leader McKeeva Bush had predicted low turnout. “I suspect there was a low turnout because there is a lot of dissatisfaction,” he said. “People are not sup- portive of the system. I don’t think it worked well for our democracy. “We got through the count quicker, and there were less people to contend with, but as I say, we cannot be satisfied because it was a low turnout.” Coming in just shy of 70 percent, Mr. Bush’s con- stituency had the islands’ second-lowest voter turnout, beating only George Town North, which had 69.24 percent turnout. Several other victo- rious candidates expressed their reservations about the system. George Town East winner and Progressives can- didate Roy McTaggart said he sensed apprehension and confusion from voters. Fellow Progressives can- didate Joey Hew from George Town North described sim- ilar sentiments on election day, but said he believes the system will work well in the long run. “There’s a little confusion with the single-member con- stituencies, but I think people are determined to vote,” he said. “It’s very mixed. But with anything new, people are going to have some con- cerns and feel a bit uneasy about it. But I think once they go in and do it this first time, we’ll be OK.” In George Town North, Progressives winner Barbara Conolly said the new system made it easier for candidates to reach the public since they were able to target smaller voting pools. “I feel one man, one vote is a good system in that it sup- ports accountability between the MLA and the constitu- ents,” she said. However, she expressed concern that voter turnout could be depressed by low enthusiasm for candidates in certain constituencies. George Town South chal- lenger Paul Hurlston said, “I think one man, one vote will give people more power. They can hold it accountable …. I am really pleased with it.” Independent candidate Kent McTaggart, who lost in Savannah to Anthony Eden, described single-member con- stituencies as a good first step toward greater parity of voting power. “Is it perfect? Absolutely not. I think the fact that every voter has the same in- fluence on the makeup of our legislative body is a definite plus,” he said. Progressives candi- date Marco Archer, who lost George Town Central in an upset to independent Ken- neth Bryan, said many of his constituents preferred the old system. “Some of them are a bit dissatisfied. They wish it had not changed,” he said. “Therefore, over the next four years, we’ll have to see what the people really think. If there are sufficient people who think it’s not what they wanted, the Constitution pro- vides for the people to speak in such a way.” In East End and North Side, voting under the new system was business as usual. As some of the smallest voting districts, these con- stituencies have been single- member districts since 1959. East End had the highest voter turnout at 85.98 percent. North Side ranked among the top five constituencies for turnout with 83.78 percent. Compass journalists Spencer Fordin, Michael Klein and Carol Winker contributed to this article. The voter participation rate fell slightly this year, down to 74.8 percent from 79.82 percent in 2013. A police officer directs a voter to park his car outside the 300-foot exclusion zone at the North Side polling station Wednesday. Police officers were on hand at all 19 polling locations throughout Election Day and reported no serious incidents. – PHOTO: CAROL WINKER CDP leader McKeeva Bush says many voters were dissatisfied with the new system. - PHOTO: MICHAEL KLEIN Roy McTaggart, of the Progressives, says some voters expressed confusion over the new voting system. - PHOTO: SPENCER FORDIN The Progressives’ Barbara Conolly says the one man, one vote system makes politicians more accountable to voters. - PHOTO: KAYLA YOUNG Marco Archer, who was defeated in George Town Central, says many voters preferred the old system. - PHOTO: SPENCER FORDIN Kent McTaggart, who ran unsuccessfully in Savannah, thinks the new system is not perfect, but still a ‘definite plus.’ - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The Progressives’ Joey Hew, who won in George Town North, believes the new voting system will work well in the long run. - PHOTO: SPENCER FORDIN6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS “What will cruise ship passengers learn about my country. What will they remember most and hold with them?” Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association www.caymanislands.ky Essay Contest All Cayman Islands students aged 16 and under are invited to submit an essay on the topic: Tunisia Barnes, Prizes for Junior and Senior Divisions: First Place: US$3,000.00 Second Place: US$1,500.00 Third Place: US$1,000.00 For full contest guidelines and entry forms contact: tbarnes@caymanislands.ky, tel:244-1252 Deadline for submission: 30 June 2017 FIND YOUR The two first place winners will be invited to the FCCA Caribbean Cruise Conference in Merida, Mexico – October 23 – 27, 2017. Dry Election Day gets mixed reaction CAROL WINKER AND JAMES WHITTAKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com, jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Morritt’s Tortuga Club and Resort in East End is a different type of business op- eration than Over the Edge Cafe in North Side, but they have one thing in common: They would like to have been able to sell liquor to their guests on Election Day. They, like all licensed prem- ises in the Cayman Islands, were forbidden to sell or give away intoxicating liquor until one hour after the polls closed – 7 p.m., or shortly thereafter if voters were still waiting in- side the polling stations at 6 p.m. to cast their ballot. Philippe Gros, who oper- ates Over the Edge, called the liquor ban “an ancient law, something out of the past.” He pointed out that his business is a restaurant first of all and people come there pri- marily to eat. Typically his cus- tomers are a mix of residents and visitors to the island, but around noon Wednesday, he said, “Look at my dining room today – all tourists,” pointing to about a dozen diners on the outside deck and another 20 inside. If any of them re- quested an alcoholic beverage, servers advised that no liquor is allowed on Election Day. “We explain, they shrug their shoulders and say, ‘OK, I’ll have water,’” Mr. Gros said. Along with the loss of revenue, he pointed out that a holiday means double pay for staff. Wanting to serve liquor on an Election Day does not mean Cayman is a nation of alcoholics, he joked; “It just means that we are now in the 21st century. That’s just my opinion as a businessman.” Over at Morritt’s, super- visor David Coneron said the resort guests were told about the Election Day liquor ban on Monday and again on Tuesday. “They find it a bit strange,” he said. Back in the U.K., where he is from, people can drink on Election Day and there aren’t problems, he noted. A lot of countries allow the sale of alcohol on Election Day, his guests pointed out. Later, speaking for senior management, Mr. Coneron told the Cayman Compass, “Because we’re serving guests who are primarily from over- seas, we feel we should be able to open for liquor sales. However, we respectfully obey the law.” At Fidel Murphy’s on West Bay Road the bar was packed in spite of the alcohol ban be- cause of the Europa League Cup Final between Man- chester United and Ajax Am- sterdam. Football fans sipped sodas or drank coffee and tea as they watched Manchester United take the title. Caitlin Dunne, one of the owners of the pub, said, “We were lucky enough to have the game on and when there is football, there is usually a crowd, whether they can drink or not. “It was actually a pretty good day for us. I’m sure it impacted the bars that cater more to tourists.” She said the bar had a drinks special at the close of polls to thank patrons for their patience. All licensed premises in the Cayman Islands, were forbidden to sell or give away intoxicating liquor until one hour after the polls closed – 7 p.m., or shortly thereafter if voters were still waiting inside the polling stations at 6 p.m. to cast their ballot. Philippe Gros, who runs Over The Edge, stands on the restaurant’s deck as customers enjoy an alcohol-free lunch on Election Day. - PHOTO: CAROL WINKER Football fans spend a sober afternoon at Fidel Murphy’s on Election Day watching a Manchester United match.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017 NCB GROUP IS PLEASED TO INTRODUCE SOLARA. A distinctive collection of energy efficient luxury town houses that will provide the ultimate lifestyle haven in a location that continually inspires. Situated in beautiful Crystal Harbour, SOLARA consists of 26, three story, 3 bedroom residences. Every home will enjoy incredible water views of an expansive canal and bay. Boating enthusiasts will be able to access the North Sound right from their own boat slip in a private Marina that is wrapped with a unique waterfront promenade. www.ncbgroup.ky 345.946.9622 SOLARA@NCBGROUP.KY WWW.SOLARA.KY The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Your Birthday brings back memories of laughter and of tears of all the celebrations held throughout those precious years, as your now watching over me I hope that you can see how much those memories we made will always mean to me I’ll always cherish times we had and smile just at the thought, I hope you know the magnitude of joy your life has brought. On holidays and birthdays it is so hard to be apart, like every day that falls between your memory lls my heart. You’re with me now where ever I go, your part of all I do, I’ll celebrate your special day and the gi of knowing you. Your Brokenhearted Wife Cherie Walton 2nd Birthday in Heaven Happy Birthday in Heaven Best Bday Daddy. Love & miss you. Your Daughter Tanya Walton Charles L Walton Snr May 26, 1944 – March 02, 2016 My Dad’s 2nd Birthday in Heaven Dad, how heartbroken I am and how much I miss you. I just can’t explain in words the pain of losing you. e family of the Late Yris M. Glasgow Regret to announce her passing on May 14, 2017 A memorial service Celebrating her life will be announced at a later date. e family of the Late Yris M. Glasgow Regret to announce A memorial service will be announced at a 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. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Phyllis Rudon nee Evans of West Bay who passed away on Wednesday, May 17, 2017. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Sunday, May 28, 2017 at 2:00p.m. at the Church of God at West Bay, 108 Captain Reginald Parson’s Drive. Interment follows at West Bay Cemetery. In lieu of owers, donations can be made to Cayman Hospice Care. FRIDAY, MAY 26 CHILD MONTH: IAM2K17 Youth Empowerment Conference, Marriott resort, 9 a.m. For more information, call 949-0290. SATURDAY, MAY 27 BUSINESSMEN’S FELLOWSHIP: The Grand Cayman chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International holds its monthly breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at Lola’s restaurant in Camana Bay. There will be open sharing. EVENING OF MUSICAL EXCELLENCE: Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Cayman National Choir, 7-10 p.m. at the Arts and Recreation Centre. Performance includes the Cayman National Orchestra in a special collaboration with Steve Higgins and friends. All are welcome. CHILD MONTH: Circle of Love Children’s Breakfast at Marriott resort. 8:30-11 a.m. Call 949-0290. DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross mobile thrift shop will be in North Side, junction of Hutland and North Side Roads, 6-10 a.m. Items available include ladies’ bags and accessories, clothing and shoes for adults and children, linens and more. SUNDAY, MAY 28 PUBLIC ASTRONOMY VIEWING: Pedro Castle, 7:30 p.m., weather permitting. Please park outside and walk in. Call Richard on 925-4917 for more details or to check cancellation if more than 50 percent cloud cover. CHILD MONTH: Family Fun Day at Agricultural Pavilion, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 949-0290. DOGS AHOY: Allura boat trip, 1-6 p.m. Fundraiser for One Dog at a Time. Tickets, $35. The Allura sails to Stingray City and Starfish Point, stopping at two different snorkeling sites. Food is provided. Email info@odaat.ky or message on Facebook page Onedogatatime13 or website www.odaat.ky. MONDAY, MAY 29 CHESS GRANDMASTER CORPORATE CHALLENGE: Grandmaster Nigel Short takes on chess players in a Chess in Schools program fundraiser. $500 gets you a game with the Grandmaster. Register by May 26 by email to register@ caymanchessclub.com; call Shaun Tracey at 525-5862 or Carlo Lee at 924-6246. Kimpton Seafire. 5:30 p.m. Everyone welcome. QUIT SMOKING: Smokers who wish to quit the habit have until today to register for Smoking Cessation Classes. The Public Health Department advises that classes will take place every Wednesday for seven weeks in the Public Health Waiting Room, starting Wednesday, May 31, 5:15-6:45 p.m. For more information, or to sign up, contact the Public Health Department on 244-2889/244-2621, or email sarah.hetley@hsa.ky or nola.sanderson@hsa.ky. TUESDAY, MAY 30 CHESS GRANDMASTER JUNIOR CHALLENGE: Children who have registered for the Junior Challenge will take on chess grandmaster Nigel Short at George Town Public Library. 3:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, MAY 31 SHELTER VOLUNTEERS: Training takes place this evening and tomorrow evening for persons willing to assist in hurricane shelters in the event of a major storm. Anyone interested in volunteering for hurricane shelter training will need to attend both sessions, from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Prospect Primary School Hall. Attendees will be instructed on all aspects of shelter management, including basic radio skills and rules governing the shelter. To sign up contact Paulette Rhoden on 949-0290. SATURDAY, JUNE 3 KITTEN ROADSHOW: View kittens available for adoption from the Cayman Islands Humane Society show, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Camana Bay Visitor Centre. SATURDAY, JUNE 10 CONCERT: Musicians and singers from around the island will perform at Mary Miller Hall from 7 p.m. to raise funds for North Side Wesleyan Holiness Church new church building fund. The Seaside Sisters & Friends include Elroy Stewartson, Karen Edie Turner, Rico Rolando, Nina Orrett, Jonelle and Justine Ebanks, Nicole Barnett, Darwin Ebanks, Ed Gibson, Jayden Hanna, Jonathan Ebanks, Roger Wilson. Tickets available from any of the Seaside Sisters, Christian Enlightenment Centre, Funky Tang’s, Edie’s Decor or any of the Wesleyan Holiness Churches. $10 prepaid or $15 at the gate. Refreshments will be on sale. GENERAL INTEREST HIGH SCHOOL PTA: The John Gray High School PTA seeks sponsors, vendors and volunteers for its June 24 Summer Fair and Raffle. The PTA is raising funds to assist students traveling overseas to represent the school and country in track and field, swimming, fine arts, academics and more. The PTA invites applications from visual and performing artists, food vendors and volunteers. Email ptajghs@gmail.com for registration forms. If you have a product you would like to sell to the student body and public at the fair, sign up. Booths are $50 and $75. CONTRACTORS REGISTRATION: The deadline for general and civil contractors to register with the Builders Board has been extended by a month. The deadline is now May 31. Registration deadlines for the other categories of contractors remain the same: Residential and Building Contractors, June 30; Trade Contractors, Aug. 31, 2017. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The Thrift Shop opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed evenings. Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed. Tuesdays at the Truman Bodden Complex at 5:30 p.m. for track/field, football and bocce. No experience necessary, just a smile and patience. Wednesdays at Lions Pool 10:15–11 a.m. You do not have to swim, just be able to walk in water chest-deep. Thursdays at First Baptist Church for basketball, 5:30–7 p.m. Saturdays, volunteers needed for Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30–10:30 a.m. Deck support and in-water swimming assistance needed. For more information, contact Penny McDowall at 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Cayman National Choir on Saturday, May 27, from 7-10 p.m. at the Arts and Recreation Centre in Camana Bay.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 26, 2017 nikonusa.com at the Sunset House Hotel 390 S. Church St. in a coalition arrangement between the CDP and the in- dependents. However, it was not known whether Mr. Bush would accept such a deal. A second scenario in- volved Ms. Rivers joining the rest of the independents and then potentially poaching a member or multiple members of the Progressives team for the coalition government. A number of other itera- tions were being discussed, but nothing was decided by press time Thursday. The 2017-2021 class of lawmakers will be sworn in shortly. Typically, the ap- pointment of a Speaker of the House and a premier for the incoming government is han- dled as a formality. However, if no agree- ment can be reached by the first meeting of the Legisla- tive Assembly, a Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House must be elected by a ma- jority vote of the assembly members. Once the Speaker is in place, if no coalition is formed, the Cayman Islands Constitution makes provision for “plan B” in section 49. It states: “If no political party gains such a majority or if no recommendation is made [by the governor for the premier’s appointment by a majority of legislative mem- bers], the Speaker shall cause a ballot to be held among the elected members of the Leg- islative Assembly to deter- mine which elected member commands the support of the majority of … members.” The Constitution requires the elected member who re- ceives a majority of votes (10) to be appointed premier. Compass journalist James Whittaker contributed to this story. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Election over, scramble for government begins Appeals court rejects Trump administration travel ban WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump’s revised travel ban “speaks with vague words of national security, but in context drips with re- ligious intolerance, animus and discrimination,” a federal appeals court said Thursday in ruling against the ex- ecutive order targeting six Muslim-majority countries. In a 10-3 vote, the U.S. Cir- cuit Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit said the ban likely violates the Constitution. And it upheld a lower court ruling that blocks the Republican administration from cut- ting off visas for people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The Richmond, Virginia- based 4th Circuit is the first appeals court to rule on the revised travel ban unveiled in March. Trump’s adminis- tration had hoped it would avoid the legal problems that the first version from January encountered. A second ap- peals court, the 9th U.S. Cir- cuit based in San Francisco, is also weighing the revised travel ban after a federal judge in Hawaii blocked it. White House spokesman Michael Short said the ad- ministration is confident that its order is legal. “These clearly are very dangerous times and we need every available tool at our disposal to prevent ter- rorists from entering the United States and commit- ting acts of bloodshed and violence,” he said. The Supreme Court al- most certainly would step into the case if asked. The justices almost always have the final say when a lower court strikes down a federal law or presidential action. Trump could try to per- suade the Supreme Court to allow the policy to take ef- fect, even while the justices weigh whether to hear the case, by arguing that the court orders blocking the ban make the country less safe. If the administration does ask the court to step in, the jus- tices’ first vote could signal the court’s ultimate decision. A central question in the case before the 4th Circuit was whether courts should consider Trump’s public statements about wanting to bar Muslims from entering the country as evidence that the policy was primarily mo- tivated by the religion. Trump’s administration argued the court should not look beyond the text of the executive order, which does not mention religion. The countries were not chosen because they are predomi- nantly Muslim but because they present terrorism risks, the administration said. But Chief Judge Roger L. Gregory wrote that the gov- ernment’s “asserted national security interest … appears to be a post hoc, secondary justification for an executive action rooted in religious an- imus and intended to bar Muslims from this country.” The three dissenting judges, all appointed by Re- publican presidents, said the majority was wrong to look beyond the text of the order. Calling the executive order a “modest action” Judge Paul V. Niemeyer wrote that Supreme Court precedent required the court to consider the order “on its face.” Looked at that way, the executive order “is entirely without constitu- tional fault,” he wrote. Ilya Somin, a law pro- fessor at George Mason Uni- versity, said the partisan split was troubling. If the Supreme Court fol- lows the same kind of par- tisan divide, the Trump admin- istration may fare better since five of the nine are Republican nominees. Still, he said, it’s difficult to make a confident prediction because “Supreme Court justices don’t always vote in ideological lockstep.”Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Justice Roger GregoryNext >