ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2, 2017 POPULATION REACHED RECORD HIGH IN 2016 KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Employment and total population in the Cayman Islands hit record highs in 2016, with 40,411 people working and 61,361 people re- siding here at year’s end, according to fig- ures from the Economics and Statistics Of- fice’s labor force surveys and its 2016 annual economic report. The new all-time high in population marks roughly 1.6 percent growth over 2015, and it is the third straight year that figure has grown, the ESO statistics show. The population had been hovering around 55,000 before jumping by nearly 3,000 from 2013 to 2014. The expansion in employment outpaced that of population, increasing by about 3.3 per- cent from 2015, according to the report. How- ever, the unemployment rate remained steady at 4.2 percent, due to growth in the labor force that matched the employment increase. While the total population grew, the number of Caymanians fell by 124, from 34,237 in 2015 to 34,113 last year. The employment of non-Caymanians grew faster than that of Caymanians, increasing by 3.9 percent in the former group, com- pared to 1.8 percent in the latter. Employment 2 YEARS LATER, NO DEVELOPMENT PLAN BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Senior Cayman Islands government man- agers ignored or actively opposed the ma- jority of the recommendations made in a controversial 2015 audit that revealed opaqueness, “unlawful” acts and allega- tions of corruption in the management of public properties. Auditor General Sue Winspear on Monday identified four audit reports where either par- tial progress or little progress had been made in response to her office’s findings and rec- ommendations, which were reviewed by the Legislative Assembly’s Public Accounts Com- mittee in 2016. As a result, officials with the Ministry of Planning, as well as the Ministries of Commu- nity Affairs and Finance, will be called back to the committee this month to testify about the status of various improvements. The land management audit, made public in July 2015, recommended that the Cayman Islands update its 1997 National Develop- ment Plan. It also recommended that shore lands below the high water mark should be in- cluded in those plans, which govern the rules for building in the islands. Cayman-designed schooner gets overhaul to stay afloat SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com One of the oldest and most durable examples of Cayman craftsmanship is get- ting a face-lift. The Western Union, a schooner launched by Heber Elroy Arch in Key West in 1939, is undergoing a US$900,000 overhaul that will allow it to remain sea- worthy for another de- cade or two. The ship, built and designed by a Cayma- nian, originally featured Cayman mahogany to round out its frame. As it undergoes a refit at a boatyard in Tarpon Springs, Florida, the Western Union can thank a fundraising effort by a preservation society named in its honor. The group is still working to raise US$150,000 for the effort. The 130-foot schooner, which is listed on the U.S, Na- tional Register of Historic Places, has been named the official state flagship of the State of Florida and there is a passionate crew devoted to making sure its life is ex- tended as long as possible. “Wooden vessels need con- stant upkeep,” Cori Conver- tito, a board member of the Schooner Western Union Pres- ervation Society, said when re- cently reached by telephone. “We were at the point where it was starting to become un- safe for passengers, and our captain and crew did not feel it was appropriate to still be carrying passengers. So we decided to fundraise to get her fixed.” The Western Union was originally built to lay undersea telegraph cables in the Carib- bean, and it performed that service admirably for decades before finding a new purpose. The tall ship, which laid more than 30,000 miles of cable in its career, was used in Cuba’s Mariel boatlift in 1980, and it later found renewed pur- pose as a vehicle for training and rehabilitating troubled youths in the ‘80s. Finally, in 1997, the Western Union went home. A group called Historic Tours of America bought it and re- turned it to Key West, where PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » The Western Union was popular for sunset sails in Key West before renovation work took it out of commission. Norman Bodden and Virginia Arch Bodden hold a model of the Goldfield, built by Heber Elroy Arch. – PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER FLETCHER The Western Union, built in 1939, is undergoing a massive refit in Tarpon Springs, Florida. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 640-FILM (640-3456) SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - WEDNESDAY - ATOMIC BLONDE (R) 1:00 VIP I 3:30 I 7:10 VIP I 10:00 DUNKIRK (PG13) 12:45 I 3:25 I 6:35 I 10:05 VIP SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING 3D (PG13) 12:45 2D I 3:50 I 7:00 2D I 9:25 GIRLS TRIP (R) 1:20 I 4:10 I 7:00 I 9:20 WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES 3D (PG13) 12:20 I 3:40 2D VIP I 6:15 2D I 9:10 DESPICABLE ME 3 3D (PG) 12:20 I 2:35 2D I 4:55 I 7:10 2D I 10:00 Officer shoots dog after being attacked A Royal Cayman Is- lands Police officer shot a dog after being confronted by three pit bulls at a West Bay home Saturday while serving a court warrant, police said Tuesday. The officer said he saw three dogs running toward him as he was leaving the home around 5 p.m. “The officer called to a man in a nearby yard whom he believed to be the dogs’ owner, telling him to call off the dogs,” a police statement says. “The man did not re- spond in any way.” Police said one of the animals jumped on the of- ficer’s leg, while the other two continued to run to- ward him. He fired a shot, striking one of the dogs in the leg and injuring it. All three dogs ran away after the shot was fired. The incident is under investigation. Police on Tuesday said officers had not been able to contact the owner of the pit bulls. Police said they con- tacted “a person related to a man believed to be the owner.” That individual ad- vised police that the dog’s injury did not appear to be life-threatening. Police said they ad- vised the person that the dog should be taken to a veterinarian. No opportunity for indecent assault, coach’s attorney says CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Justice Michael Wood heard evidence Tuesday from athletes who indicated that they did not know of any oc- casion when their coach, Ato Modibo Stephens, was alone in his vehicle with the girl who has accused him of in- decently assaulting her on two occasions and exposing himself to her in one incident of gross indecency. Lead counsel Paul Keleher, instructed by attorney Amelia Fosuhene, summed up the case for the de- fense on Tuesday afternoon, saying there was reasonable doubt the girl had been as- saulted as she said. It gave him no pleasure to suggest that she was “telling a story” to exculpate herself from the sexual messaging that had taken place between her and Stephens; she did not realize she was not to blame, Mr. Keleher said. Stephens was 37 when the alleged offenses occurred, and the girl was 14. The WhatsApp messages form the basis of a charge against Stephens of using an ICT network to annoy, abuse or harass another person with indecent messages. Stephens pleaded not guilty to all four charges, but in his evidence agreed that the messages were “inappropriate.” They came to light when the girl’s mother borrowed the girl’s phone and saw im- ages the girl had sent to Ste- phens. The girl said she had sent them because she be- lieved if she did not, she would get kicked off the team. She said the indecent touching and Stephens’s ex- posure of himself had oc- curred after he dropped other athletes home from practice. Mr. Keleher said it was been inexcusable that the in- vestigating officer did not in- terview other athletes some two years ago when the girl’s mother made her re- port to police. Earlier in the day, Mr. Keleher had received permis- sion from Justice Wood to read a statement from one athlete and he was granted adjournments to await the arrival of two others who gave evidence in person. All three explained where they and their teammates lived and how the coach would drop them off after practice. In general, they were not aware of any occa- sion on which the girl would have stayed in the coach’s car after everyone else had been dropped off. Mr. Keleher said it would have been extraordi- narily reckless for the de- fendant to pull off the road where the girl said he had in order to assault her at the time of day she said the as- saults occurred. In her closing speech, Di- rector of Public Prosecutions Cheryll Richards pointed out that the alleged offenses would have occurred only on two or three occasions over an eight-month period. She said there were many vari- ables, depending on who was in the coach’s car at any par- ticular time, since parents sometimes picked up the ath- letes from their training. Ms. Richards also empha- sized the girl’s credibility. She pointed out that her mother had confronted her about the images on the phone in cir- cumstances where the girl could hardly have had time to plan a story or a response. Ms. Richards described what she called a gradual es- calation in the phone mes- sages between Stephens and the girl and they showed a clear desire on his part to go beyond phone messages. Justice Wood said he would try to give his decision on Thursday afternoon, but if he did not have sufficient time, he would send it from England, as he is scheduled to leave Cayman on Friday. Rotary district governor inducts three Brackers JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Rotary District Governor Robert Leger inducted three new members into the Rotary Club of Cayman Brac last month, bringing the mem- bership to 13. The new members, nurse Alicia Nembhard, Annie Rose Scott and daughter Julianne Scott, were inducted at the Brac Beach Resort on July 19. Annie Rose Scott said she joined Rotary “in honor of my husband, Olivia and Julie’s father, Olney Scott Jr., who was a very dedi- cated Rotarian.” The visit to the Brac was the district governor’s first club visit to the Cayman Is- lands. He was accompanied by his wife Rosa, the as- sistant Rotary governor for the Cayman Islands, A. L. Thompson, and three Rotary presidents, Suzie Bodden, Justin Bodden and Di- erdre McFarlane, along with other Rotarians. On the Brac, the group was met by Brac Club Pres- ident Lauriese Ashman and Rotarians Sheldon Scott and John Elliott. Mr. Leger said he was very impressed with the work the club was doing for its size. While on the Brac, the group visited the club’s cen- tennial project at the West End Community Park, the public library and several sites on the Bluff. They also attended a dinner hosted by the club at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort. The Rotary Club of Cayman Brac received its charter on Dec. 29, 1981. The club helped build the Cayman Brac Public Library, which was handed over to government. PUERTO RICO BETTING ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO HELP EASE CRISIS SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Jesus Aponte pushes a door open to reveal hundreds of ar- omatic, spiky green plants, a crop that Puerto Rico hopes will help it ease a grinding eco- nomic crisis by generating mil- lions in revenue and tens of thousands of jobs. Aponte, a 29-year-old bi- ologist and chemical engineer, had been thinking of joining the wave of young Puerto Rican professionals heading to the U.S. to seek work – an exodus that has aggravated the U.S. territory’s woes. But then he saw the saw the island’s med- ical marijuana industry start to expand, and found one of the rare new jobs opening up on the island, overseeing some 2,000 plants at the Natural Ven- tures facility. “This is an economic niche that we can grab on to,” he said, though he added, “A lot of people told me, ‘What are you doing with your life? You’re throwing away your future.’” But like more than two dozen U.S. states, Puerto Rico is pinning a little of its future on the recently illegal drug. The territory legalized med- ical marijuana by decree nearly two years ago and new Gov. Ricardo Rossello last month signed a measure that set out a legal framework for the in- dustry. Backers say that will spark an expansion of the pot fields, manufacturing centers and dispensaries that have been popping up across the island. “A lot of people were waiting for this law,” said at- torney Goodwin Aldarondo, president of Puerto Rico Legal Marijuana, a consulting com- pany. “It’s the only viable al- ternative we have to solve the economic situation. It’s been many, many years since Puerto Rico has had a new industry.” The WhatsApp messages form the basis of a charge against Stephens of using an ICT network to annoy, abuse or harass another person with indecent messages. Julianne Scott is pinned by District Governor Robert Leger in the company of her mother Annie Rose Scott. PUERTO RICO UNIVERSITY SEEKS TO DOUBLE FEES AMID CRISIS SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Puerto Rico’s largest public university says it is plan- ning to double its course fees following demands that it slash its budget amid a dire economic crisis. Starting next year, stu- dents seeking a bachelor’s degree at the University of Puerto Rico could pay up to $115 per credit instead of $56, while those seeking a master’s degree could pay $270 instead of $140 per credit under plans approved late Monday by the univer- sity board. The fees would go into effect next year, and officials warn that another 20 percent increase could be implemented if needed. The university on Tuesday was expected to submit its fiscal plan to the federal control board over- seeing Puerto Rico’s finances. It is the latest hit for a university that reopened in June following a two-month strike organized by stu- dents protesting $450 mil- lion in proposed budget cuts sought by the control board. The demands coupled with the strike led to the resig- nation of several top uni- versity officials, including two presidents and three board members.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2, 2017 LET’S BRING CAYMANKIND TO OUR ROADS. #ShareTheRoadKY MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, PLANNING & INFRASTRUCTURE Broadcasting Ltd.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Tourism officials are predicting another record-breaking year for stay-over visitors in the Cayman Islands. The anticipated 400,000 arrivals – a 4 percent increase over last year’s record of 385,451 – is something to applaud, even if you do not happen to lead sightseeing tours, let out rooms or serve up gourmet fare. All of these visitors should be thought of as our guests – just as if they were staying inside our homes. Collectively, we are their host country. Individually, we are their hosts. We pay handsomely to “invite and entice” them to our shores through myriad marketing and promotional campaigns, and they, in turn, pay handsomely to partake of our hospitality. Every time a tourist rents a car, buys dinner or pur- chases an emergency tube of sunscreen, it contrib- utes to our local economy and funds our standard of living. Our overnight guests are especially important in this regard, accounting for some 80 percent of overall tourist spending, according to tourism officials. Unfortunately, once our guests disembark from their flights, much of what they find is … well, a work in progress. Between the remodeling at Owen Roberts International Airport, road construction and the island- wide building boom, our visitors might perceive an environment better suited to hard hats than sun hats – at least until they finally find their way to the sancti- fied sands of Seven Mile Beach. In years past, operators and officials may have had the luxury of focusing heavily on improvement and infrastructure during the traditional “slow season,” when fewer visitors were among us. More recently, however, elbow room on Grand Cayman is in shorter supply regardless of what the calendar says, as records are being set or approached in terms of stay-over visitors, cruise visitors and, as we see on today’s front page, full-time Cayman residents (estimated to number 61,361 at the end of 2016). During a time of steady expansion, some “growing pains” are understandable – indeed unavoidable. Keeping that in mind, we encourage our tourism sector to continue “raising the bar,” not only in terms of its physical product but, perhaps even more impor- tantly, embracing a customer-centric approach. Check any popular travel website, such as TripAd- visor, and you will see that small impressions and experiences can be as important to visitors as the quality of cuisine, accommodations and excursions. A friendly taxi driver will be remembered fondly, while roadside litter or boorish behavior will leave a negative impression that is difficult to erase. We full-time islanders may be comfortable navi- gating roundabouts (whether they be mini or maxi in circumference), but, we can assure you, our visitors from America (home to 80 percent of all of our tourists) are not. To further complicate things, driving on the left is, well, foreign to them. An extra measure of kindness and patience is called for. In other words, avoid tailgating, abstain from finger pointing, and lay off the horn … Remember, Cayman is our home, and our visitors are our guests. Each and every one of us is an impor- tant member of the welcoming committee. – EDITORIAL – Make the beds: Company’s coming Praising innovation while destroying it Which U.S. government agency has done the most to destroy innovation? The American Founders tried to create an environment to foster innovation, because they understood new inven- tions would increase the well-being of the citizens. And that is the reason the Constitution enabled Con- gress to create patents of limited duration. Most politicians say they favor innovation, but at the same time they create regula- tions, taxes and government agencies that hobble or pro- hibit that same innovation. One of the most notorious in- novation killing agencies is the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), whose mission is to “protect inves- tors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and fa- cilitate capital formation.” In reality, it far too often denies investors the oppor- tunity to invest in new and promising technologies and in new companies — all which undermine produc- tive capital formation and economic growth. Last week, according to The Wall Street Journal, the SEC “moved to restrain a hot new fundraising method involving sales of digital coins.” The method is known as ICOs, (initial coin offer- ings), and more than $1 bil- lion has been raised this year through ICOs. After the an- nouncement, Bitcoin lost 7 percent of its value and Ether (another digital coin) lost 12 percent of its value. So, here again, we have the SEC, in its lust for control and power, not protecting consumers, but destroying wealth for investors in the whole new field of digital coins. The SEC, rather than pro- tecting and promoting com- panies that offer their stock to the public through IPOs (initial public offerings), has been destroying them through overregulation. The number of IPOs has dropped by 65 percent from 2014. There has also been a dra- matic decline (37 percent since 1997) in the number of publicly listed companies. Companies are choosing to remain private rather than go public because of the costs and paperwork trying to comply with the SEC — which is far more in- terested in form rather than substance. The reduction in the number of listed compa- nies is bad for savers and in- vestors, and for capital for- mation, job creation, and economic growth. The folks at the SEC ra- tionalize their actions by claiming that some investor might lose money by in- vesting in a company that does not do well — as if the bureaucrats, most of whom have never run a company, let alone worked in the private sector, have a clue about the potential success of any new or existing business. There are plenty of statutes on the books to deal with fraud or misrepresentation — so what the SEC does is redundant. If the folks in govern- ment were serious about their statements that they want to protect people from bad in- vestments, why do they pro- mote state lotteries, which take advantage of the poor and uniformed? Over the long run, the stock market pro- duces very nice, positive rates of return for most investors — while state lotteries re- sult in 100 percent losses for most people. Please spare us the hypocrisy. In addition, the SEC makes it almost impossible for people who do not have more than $1 million in liquid net wealth and high incomes to invest in IPOs — all in the name of “consumer protec- tion.” The real effect is to only allow those with some wealth to participate in investing in promising new companies — which, of course, leads to more income disparity — which, again, the hypocritical political class decries. Because the SEC has made it so costly, time consuming, and restrictive for entrepre- neurs to issue stock, they, of course, try to find other ways to raise capital. The rapid rise of ICOs is merely a market re- sponse to overregulation. All of this leads to a fun- damental question, as to why so many are trying to build digital alternatives to the U.S. dollar like Bitcoin and Ethe- reum. The answer is that the government, through the Federal Reserve, has de- stroyed much of the value of the dollar and is almost cer- tain to continue with its de- structive ways. The Federal Reserve was created back in 1913, and, as part of its charter, it was sup- posed to preserve the value of the dollar. A 1913 dollar could buy almost the same amount as the dollar in 1792 — i.e. there had been almost no sustained inflation over that 120 year period. The dollar is now worth about 1/24 of what it was in 1913, after the creation of the Fed. That is, the Fed has destroyed about 95 percent of the value of the dollar — which meets the definition of grand theft. Fed Chairman Yellen has been complaining that inflation is not high enough. She wants 2 percent per year or more — i.e. more theft. Again, the Fed was sup- posed to preserve the value of the currency, not steal more. Many smart techies are trying to develop new pri- vate digital monies and payment systems to get around the government theft and tyranny. Ever-increasing regulatory costs for banks force them to increase fees on things like international money trans- fers. The result is that the techies are also developing global money transfer sys- tems that go around the over- regulated banks. What should be abol- ished are not ICOs, but the SEC and the Fed, which are unnecessary dead weights on both our economic well- being and liberty. Richard W. Rahn is chairman of Improbable Success Productions and on the board of the American Council for Capital Formation. © 2017, The Washington Times. RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHN5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2, 2017 EE fuel depot, port still on table Government signed MOU with Navasota Energy in 2014 JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A proposal to create a new fuel depot and deep-water port in East End to service long-distance cargo ships re- mains on the table, according to the Texas-based energy company behind the project. The proposed fuel ter- minal would also serve the local market and could ulti- mately lead to the shuttering of the Jackson Point fuel depot, according to Frank Gi- acalone, owner and CEO of Navasota Energy. A fire in a diesel tank at the fuel depot on South Church Street last week caused the evacuation of homes within a mile radius and revived long-held safety concerns among neigh- bors about the location of the facility. Mr. Giacalone, whose con- sultancy firm signed a mem- orandum of understanding with the Cayman Islands government to explore a fuel transshipment and terminal project in 2014, said the com- pany has a proposal on the table that would move the fuel depot out of a residential area, bring improved public safety and substantially lower fuel prices to Cayman. He said Navasota has proposed working with gov- ernment to attract bidders to build and operate a fuel transshipment terminal, including storage tanks, berthing facilities for mega- ships and pipelines for local distribution. Mr. Giacalone said Nava- sota is a consultant that could use its industry contacts to get the best deal for Cayman. “We are not trying to build this thing,” he said. “What we have prepared for the government is a request for qualifications that has been sitting idle. That would go to the major oil businesses in the world. “We are still absolutely committed to working with the government to get this done.” The project was under discussion up to mid-2015 but stalled amid opposition from eastern districts legisla- tors Ezzard Miller and Arden McLean, and then fell off the agenda in the run-up to the 2017 election. Mr. Giacalone said the firm is now looking to re- open talks with the new gov- ernment and wrote to of- ficials inquiring about the status of the MOU. He said the company has identified a 125-acre site in the eastern districts with access to deep water that could be developed to a fu- eling station for mega cargo ships transiting through the Caribbean Sea. A fact sheet produced by the company indicates that it would seek to attract bidders for a fuel storage facility with capacity of between 3 million and 8 mil- lion barrels – a minimum of more than 10 times the size of Jackson Point. He said Navasota would seek bids from major oil ter- minal management compa- nies to build and operate the facility. Their profit margin would come from servicing passing cargo ships, while the benefits of bulk ordering would mean cheaper fuel for motorists in Cayman, for CUC, and for aircraft using the island. Speaking about the proposal in 2015, then- Infrastructure Minister Kurt Tibbetts suggested fuel prices could go down by 20 percent if the terminal was built. But he said nothing would be done unless there was consensus among elected members over the project. The Compass attempted to contact Premier Alden McLaughlin, who took over responsibility for the new fuel regulator OFREG after the election, but he did not respond to requests for comment about the location of the fuel terminal or the MOU with Navasota.The fuel terminal at Jackson Point at South Church Street, George Town. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER Warning over bogus baby sitter job ad An advertisement on the EcayTrade website for a baby-sitting job in the U.S. was a scam, the Royal Cayman Islands Police said. RCIPS Financial Crime Unit investigators issued a warning this week after a woman who applied for the job “became suspicious” and reported the matter to police. “The party she was com- municating [with] was clearly not American,” a statement from the RCIPS noted. “This report fits the profile of the kinds of so- licitations designed to ob- tain personal informa- tion for the purposes of identity theft.” Police said the scammers alternatively may have in- tended to steal money di- rectly from the applicant by asking her to pay certain bogus administrative or work permit fees at some point. Detectives have asked EcayTrade to remove the ads.6 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS LGBTQ advocacy group rallies for Brac artist KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Local LGBTQ advocacy group Colours Cayman has extended support to Cayman Brac artist Ronald “Foots” Kynes since his arrest on July 18 for “obscene publications.” Mr. Kynes has been at the center of public debate about artistic expression re- lated to a recent series of his nude sculptures, several of which depict women in a sexual embrace. The works, displayed in public view on his property, play off religious and LGBT themes, which Mr. Kynes said intend to promote a message of love. Mr. Kynes was arrested after refusing to comply with Royal Cayman Islands Police Service orders to have the sculptures removed. He is on police bail until Sept. 6. Colours Cayman coordi- nator Billie Bryan described the controversy as an ex- ample of the greater social pressure facing the islands’ LGBTQ community. “This is just another ex- ample of our struggles, our experiences, our identity as a whole being snatched at, censored or demonized,” Ms. Bryan said. “It perpetuates this idea that is still pervasive in our community that being gay or gender nonconforming is somehow immoral or sinful. It’s the 21st century. We need to demolish that attitude. … It leaves [youth] with a feeling that their very exis- tence is wrong or something to be ridiculed. It’s causing a lot of damage, not just to Foots’s reputation, but to our LGBT youth as well.” Ms. Bryan and Mr. Kynes met for the first time after his arrest when a mutual friend put the two in contact. Ms. Bryan said his case pres- ents an opportunity to bring LGBT issues to light in the Cayman Islands. “One of our main objec- tives as a grass-roots move- ment, hopefully soon to be a nonprofit, is to give visibility and provide education. What Foots is doing with his art- work is promoting visibility. It may be controversial but still, it’s something. There is certainly not enough of it,” Ms. Bryan said. Colours Cayman is hosting a free gender and sexuality workshop Friday at 4 p.m. at the George Town Public Li- brary for youth, teachers and families. Ms. Bryan said she has already experienced push- back on the workshop and an- ticipates the LGBTQ focus will attract more resistance. “The workshop is pri- marily targeted at teens and adolescents, as well as par- ents and teachers, anyone dealing with our LGBTQ youth, to open their eyes to what’s out there. Our general understanding of gender and sexuality is, for the most part, false. It’s to strike up conver- sation,” Ms. Bryan said. The Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission declined to comment on Mr. Kynes’s case for legal reasons. However, the commission did highlight the guarantee of freedom of expression estab- lished in Section 11 of the Cayman Islands Constitution. “This is a qualified right which means that the right can only be lawfully restricted or taken away by the govern- ment in certain broadly de- fined circumstances,” a com- mission spokesperson said. Ronald ‘Foots’ Kynes, pictured here with Billie Bryan of Cayman Colours, was arrested last month for ‘obscene publications’ relating to sculptures he created on Cayman Brac. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY POLICE SEEK MORE WITNESSES TO FATAL AIRPORT CRASH BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service is seeking additional wit- nesses to the July 17 auto- pedestrian crash at Owen Roberts International Air- port that killed a visiting Jamaican doctor. A 69-year-old taxi driver arrested in connection with the smash has been re- leased on police bail and has not been charged with an offense. Dr. Vary Jones- Leslie, an obstetrician-gy- necologist, died July 18 from injuries suffered in the collision. RCIPS accident investi- gators are still looking into the crash, which occurred around 10:45 a.m. on Owen Roberts Drive at the northern end of the airport. “In the course of their enquiries, officers have learned of other poten- tial witnesses to the acci- dent who have not yet come forward,” a police spokes- person said Tuesday. Cayman Islands Hos- pital officials said Dr. Jones-Leslie had traveled here to assist at the hos- pital a number of times in the past several years and was well known to hospital staff and the community. The 62-year-old doctor was regarded by her Ja- maican colleagues as a pi- oneer in the field of wom- en’s health, encouraging and training a number of female obstetrician-gy- necologists in what has historically been a male- dominated field. The Ministry of Tourism, which has overall responsi- bility for the airport prop- erty on Grand Cayman, said a safety review is under way there in the wake of the doctor’s death. The scene of the fatal July 17 accident at Owen Roberts International Airport. – PHOTO: BRENT FULLER Six young women are vying for the title of Miss Teen Cayman in the 37th an- nual competition on Aug. 26. The event at the Lions Centre features the theme “Young Women in a Changing World.” The contestants were of- ficially presented sashes by their sponsors on July 22 at a reception at The Wharf restaurant. The contestants and spon- sors are: Thalia Naranjo, 15, West Bay – Bovell; Lian Ebanks, 16, George Town – Glitz and Glam Fashion; Layah Ebanks, 18, West Bay – Burger King; Ashley Bush, 16, West Bay – Auto Spa; Kevie-Ann Peirre, 17, Bodden Town – Scott’s Industries; and Arleny Connor, 16, East End – Cayman Safari Adven- tures and Fix It Celltronices. This year’s winner will receive a four-year scholar- ship offered by the Ministry of Education. “It is a lot of work by a group of dedicated volun- teers under the direction of the Lions Club of Grand Cayman,” said the club’s president, Ian Yearwood. “Al- though the Miss Teen Pageant has a beauty component, its overriding mandate is to help young women reach their goal academically, prepare them for the world in terms of self-confidence, character building, teamwork, disci- pline and self-expression.” Reigning Miss Teen Cayman Liana DaCosta, 16, of Bodden Town, spoke to the contes- tants when they received their sashes about her expe- rience and what to expect, and offered moral support. Ms. DaCosta will be trav- eling with the group to Cayman Brac on Saturday, for an historic tour of the island. An academic test, which makes up part of the compe- tition, may include questions relating to the Sister Islands, so it is important that the contestants have firsthand knowledge and experience of the islands, according to the pageant committee. In the coming weeks, the contestants will take part in radio and televi- sion interviews. The public can also follow the contes- tants on the Miss Teen 2017 Facebook page. Six enter Miss Teen contest This year’s Miss Teen contestants are, from left, Thalia Naranjo, Lian Ebanks, Layah Ebanks, Ashley Bush, Kevie-Ann Peirre and Arleny Connor. www.seidegrees.com Regional Office: 27499 Riverview Center Blvd., Suite 223, Bonita Springs, Florida 34134, USA • Tel +1 239 444 4399 • Fax +1 239 444 4398 info@SEIdegrees.com APPLY NOW FOR SEPTEMBER 2017 INTAKE 100% FLEXIBLE 100% ONLINE 100% RELEVANT NEW MBA/MBM Exceptional value — earn an accredited UK MBA or MBM for under US$10,000 • Can be completed in 18 months • Specialisations: Banking, Entrepreneurship, Events, Finance, Health Management, Hospitality & Tourism, HRM, Info. 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We’re excited to bring you an afternoon of fun and laughs with your family. Think crazy relays meets hot potato. Even if you don’t want to participate, you’re not going to want to miss out on the show! » FANCY TAKING PART? Be the rst 30 teams to download the application form and return to Marketing@HurleysMedia.ky. » GET THE FORM HERE: https://www.rooster101.ky/ les/3/596d2d54cafae.pdf »The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS it began charter trips and sunset sails. A decade later, the preservation society was formed to make sure the schooner would be taken care of in its golden years. “It’s a working vessel. We take passengers out,” Ms. Convertito said of the schoo- ner’s purpose when it is in full working order. “Sunset is big here. Everybody likes to be out on boats, and there’s a lot of vessels that like to offer sunset cruises, but ours is unique because we’re one of the few that doesn’t go under motor power unless the weather is a bit adverse. We get our passengers involved. “We get them to help pull rigging with us. It’s really a neat experience to be on the water and not have the en- gine humming. It’s so serene to be out there and just hear the wind and the sails.” Indeed, when the Western Union hits the water, it’s a sign of times gone by. The schooner was the last tall ship built in Key West, and it’s the last surviving ex- ample of a formerly thriving industry in Cayman. The Arch family Heber Arch was one of 11 children of James Arch, and the family worked to- gether in crafting boats that would traverse the Atlantic. Virginia Arch Bodden, He- ber’s daughter, was born the year before the Western Union was launched and still lives in Cayman, and she proudly recalls her family’s former pastime. “Them old people really worked. They were so strong. And most of them lived to be so old,” Ms. Arch Bodden said of her father’s generation. “Dad worked on the boats. He didn’t just go and see what they were doing. These days, when they’re a contractor, they only go and supervise and see what they’re doing. In his day, they worked on it themselves. He would come home red like a lobster from the sun.” Heber Arch also built the S.S. Goldfield, which was launched in 1930 and had a long career as a turtle schooner and as a cargo and passenger ship. The Goldfield later fell into disrepair, and it sank in the North Sound in the 1980s on its way home to Cayman for a refitting and working retirement. Norman Bodden, Virgin- ia’s husband, said one would have to go back in time to understand how impor- tant the shipping industry was to Cayman. There was a point when these boats were built out of necessity, and they were built by men without engineering degrees or power tools. “Boatbuilding for those families was really an in- dustry that eventually Cayman lost,” said Mr. Bodden. “They built the big schooners, and on a small island like this, you can imagine they had to be very ambitious to get mahogany from the interior of this is- land and build boats to sail to Cuba and Key West and Tampa and Jamaica. That’s what they did to survive. We didn’t get an airstrip until 1951 or 1952, and prior to that, they traded with islands that were close to Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac.” The Western Union has never been to Cayman since being launched in 1939, but Ms. Arch Bodden got to take a dinner cruise on it in 2011. That was a much more pleasant experience than her sole trip aboard her father’s other vessel, the Goldfield, when she was nine years old. “We were coming back from Tampa, around Cuba. It must’ve been a hurricane,” she said of a 70-year-old memory. “They didn’t have any communications. We thought that was the last of us. I’m telling you, it turned dark and she went from side to side. The water would come in. I never prayed that much in my life. I promised the Lord if he saved my life, I’d really serve him and that’s what I’ve tried to do.” Heber Arch, uncle of con- struction company Arch and Godfrey co-founder Heber G. Arch, was born in 1898 and lived to be 95. Ms. Arch Bodden said he was vig- orous until the very end. But he probably never could have imagined that his creation could sail to a similar age. Restoration over time The Schooner Western Union Preservation Society extended the ship’s life with an extensive restoration in 2008, and it was cleared to resume sailing duty in 2011. The boat was found to need further reworking last year, and the preservation society set about raising the money to make it happen. The first contribution was a US$250,000 grant from the Key West Bight Management District Board, and the State of Florida provided another US$500,000 in a preserva- tion grant. But when the ship was hauled out of the water, termite damage necessitated another US$150,000 in fund- raising. Ms. Convertito said the board’s eight members are all working to bring in the needed cash. “We thought it would be back here by the end of the summer,” she said. “Because of the additional problems, we’re hoping it will be back in the winter or by the be- ginning of 2018. She’s going to do most of the structural work at the boatyard, and then we’re going to bring her back to Key West and re-rig her and replace the sails and everything here. As soon as we can get her back here, we will.” Fans of the ship and the restoration process can follow the work’s progress on The Schooner Western Union Facebook page, and if all goes well, they can visit Key West and see it in person next year. The schooner is recognized as the last of its kind and a historic landmark in Florida, and the preservation society hopes to inspire other groups to care for their treasures while they can. “We all care about this boat so much and we can’t say enough about histor- ical preservation. All of us need to get involved,” said Ms. Convertito. “Without that effort, this boat could’ve wound up scrapped in a yard somewhere. That’s local history that could just be tossed aside. “I’m hoping other organi- zations that have buildings or boats really pay attention to their history. It’s extremely important, and all is not lost. You can find the money. There are people out there that will fund these projects.” among permanent residents grew by 7.1 percent, the report states. The ESO cited the ex- panding population as a driver behind the territo- ry’s 2.7-percent growth in gross domestic product, which has increased for five-straight years. Specifi- cally, a growing population contributed to a “robust economic performance” in Cayman’s electricity and water supply, other ser- vices and transport, and storage and communica- tion sectors, which in- creased by 5.6 percent, 2.3 percent, and 1.5 percent re- spectively, according to the economic report. However, the growing number of people living here has put upward pressure on prices, the report states. “Notwithstanding, the declines in energy prices remained sufficient to out- weigh upward pressures on prices caused by an ex- pansion in employment levels and a larger popu- lation,” the report states, noting that the territory experienced deflation of about 0.6 percent. Deflation, which also oc- curred at a 2.3-percent rate in 2015, is projected to re- verse this year. According to the report, the territory is projected to see a 1.8-per- cent inflation rate this year and 2.3 percent next year, due to recovery in global energy prices and rising de- mand for housing. The first- quarter inflation rate was 1.7 percent, according to the ESO’s first-quarter con- sumer price index. The ESO also projects the economy to grow 2.3 percent this year and 2.6 percent next year – “con- ditional on the timing of some investment projects, upbeat growth in tourism and stable demand for fi- nancial services.” Cayman-designed schooner gets overhaul to stay afloat CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Population reached record high in 2016 Work is under way to repair the Western Union schooner in Florida. The Western Union is listed in the Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C., as the flagship of the State of Florida. 77+84+80+75+79+83+80+88+95+9816+21+9+8+14+17+16+21+26+30 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 65k 60k 55k 50k 45k 40k 35k 30k Cayman population and number of employed 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% Cayman unemployment rate ■ Total population ■ Employed 19+20+30+34+32+31+32+23+21+21 3.8 4 6 6.7 6.3 6.2 6.3 4.6 4.2 4.2 Compass graphic – SOURCE: CAYMAN ISLANDS ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS OFFICE The new all-time high in population marks a roughly 1.6 percent growth over 2015, and is the third straight year that figure has grown, the ESO statistics show.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2, 2017 *The Promotion Period will start on July 1, 2017 and end at midnight on September 15, 2017. During the Promotion Period Special Rates will apply to Scotia Plan Loans. Customers agree to be bound by the Bank’s operating processes and procedures, account operating terms and conditions and confidentiality requirements. The terms and conditions of the Scotia Plan Loan Summer Campaign can vary at any time, at Scotiabank’s discretion without giving any notice or reason. Further conditions apply. Subject to credit approval. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence. LIMITED-TIME OFFER ON UNSECURED LOANS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15* Affordable rates and flexible terms mean that you can borrow what you need to do the things you want, with easy monthly payments. Now’s the time to get a Scotia Plan Loan.* #ThingsYouWant Apply today! Visit your nearest branch or go to ky.scotiabank.com/planloan Do the things you really want. Furnish her room Book a family cruiseSend her to school No progress was reported on either recommendation. On the possibility of up- dating the development plan – now 20 years out of date – government officials re- sponded: “Due to lack of re- sources, this recommendation has not been taken forward but remains a priority.” Another recommenda- tion stated that the Cen- tral Planning Authority of Grand Cayman and the De- velopment Control Board of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman should hold open public meetings and provide “a rationale” for their deci- sions. The audit also rec- ommended changing up the membership of the plan- ning authorities. Shortly after the release of the 2015 audit, both boards were reappointed with ex- actly the same membership. Officially, Ms. Winspear said in her report that it is “not clear” whether the transparency recommenda- tions are being taken for- ward. Government officials said decisions about whether to hold open meetings are a matter for the board mem- bers themselves. Recommendations to change the membership of the boards were “in progress,” according to the government. The government did not agree with recommendations that enforcement of planning, building and electrical codes should be independent from the planning department. It will also not implement rec- ommendations that technical experts with responsibility for health and safety should have “the final say” in regula- tory enforcement of develop- ment projects. Auditors said it was not clear whether government in- tended to implement recom- mendations that the public sector should follow the law and ensure there is a pro- cess for the Legislative As- sembly to approve all govern- ment expenses. This issue arose after au- ditors found that former Cayman Islands Minister of District Administration, Works, Lands and Agricul- ture Juliana O’Connor-Con- nolly “directed” in 2012 that government funds be used to buy a $125,000 property on Cayman Brac. The purchase was made with “unspent funds” at the end of the govern- ment’s budget year, former Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick’s report on govern- ment land management re- vealed. The property was in an undeveloped subdivision on Cayman Brac. “Although a Cabinet paper states the rationale for the purchase as development of affordable housing, the prop- erty has never been vested with Sister Islands Afford- able Housing nor is there any evidence that the agency was consulted prior to the acquisition,” the audit re- port states. “[In the refer- enced case] there is a pos- sible breach of trust as there was no evident government requirement [to purchase the land] whatsoever.” Ms. O’Connor-Connolly denied any breach of trust had occurred at the time. The matter was referred to the Anti-Corruption Com- mission, but nothing fur- ther has been said pub- licly about it. Revenues, social services Government also flunked the follow-up audit in the areas of implementing rev- enue collection and social services changes. Premier Alden McLaughlin, who is now the Minister of Community Affairs, said re- cently that a number of pro- grams supported by govern- ment had “failed” to achieve their goals and that a review was under way to determine which programs should be kept and which should be cut or changed. Auditors found in 2015 that while government spent more than $50 million on various social services pro- grams, the review could not determine whether most of that spending represented value for money. “The government re- sponse [to the follow-up audit on social services] re- ports much of the orig- inal management response to the … May 2015 re- port,” Ms. Winspear’s of- fice found. “A number of responses state that the rec- ommendation cannot be im- plemented without addi- tional resources.” The revenue collection audit recommended a survey should be completed to help track annual public sector earnings, something gov- ernment has been unable to audit since it switched to its current accounting system in 2004. “At the end of June 2007, no progress has been made,” auditors found. Good news Not all was bad news for government. The audit found that with four other reports reviewed by the Public Ac- counts Committee in 2016, the government had imple- mented most or all of the rec- ommendations proposed. Those areas included im- proving government’s IT se- curity systems, managing public sector expenses for travel and hospitality, man- aging major capital projects and correcting issues identi- fied under the former Nation Building Fund program. “Government’s progress with implementing the rec- ommendations in the eight re- ports is mixed,” Ms. Winspear said. “Encouragingly, almost all recommendations have been implemented for four reports, but the picture for the other four reports is less positive.” Public Accounts Committee Chairman Ezzard Miller said he expected follow-up reviews of audit reports would become an essential part of the pro- cess, in order to ensure govern- ment is held accountable. Mr. Miller expressed disappoint- ment with some of the follow up efforts revealed this week. “Some of the original au- ditor general’s recommenda- tions date as far back as May 2015 and limited progress has been made,” he said. Two years later, no national development plan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 On the overall development plan – now 20 years out of date – government officials responded: “Due to lack of resources, this recommendation has not been taken forward but remains a priority.” Auditor General Sue WinspearEzzard Miller, PAC chairmanNext >