ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY AUGUST 17, 2017 High of 91 Low of 81 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ILLEGAL MOTORBIKERS: POLICE MUST TAKE BACK CONTROL OF OUR ROADS SPORTS | PAGE 17 LIVERPOOL CLOSES ON CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Premier Health This is what smart health insurance feels like! Health insurance that does the thinking for you! Just over 6 out of 10 local and 8 out of 10 US claims are submitted electronically and 95% of claims are settled in 5 working days. British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Limited acts solely as an agent on behalf of Colonial Medical Insurance Company Limited and it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. : insurance, health, pensions, life LIQUOR BOARD: TWO SETS OF MINUTES, TWO DIFFERENT STORIES JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com During its controversial March meeting, the Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman granted an application from a gas sta- tion to sell alcohol on Sundays and, fur- ther, agreed that all gas stations that applied could obtain similar permission, according to an original set of minutes obtained by the Cayman Compass. The final published minutes (which were released later and differ significantly from the original minutes) suggest the application from Peanuts store at Red Bay Gas Station was rejected. Included in the original draft minutes of the board’s deliberations on March 28 is an account of a wider discussion on Sunday li- quor sales, following Peanuts’ application – a first of its kind in Grand Cayman. The draft minutes suggest that not only was the license granted, the board formulated a policy that would allow any gas station that sought a re- tail license to open on Sundays. The minutes, in note form, indicate: ■■ Board agreed that gas stations will have to apply for a retail li- cense in order to sell on Sundays ■■ Board agreed that liquor stores will have to apply for a retail license in order to sell liquor on Sundays ■■ Board agreed that permitted hours for a retail license at all gas stations and li- quor stores will be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. Christmas Days and Good Fridays are non-permitted days ■■ There were six applications be- fore the board to consider sale of al- cohol on Sundays and it was expected this would increase at each meeting. Those minutes, which also indicate that CAR ERUPTS IN FLAMES IN DOWNTOWN GEORGE TOWN A section of North Church Street on the George Town waterfront was closed Wednesday afternoon after a vehicle burst into flames out- side the Lobster Pot restaurant. For more, see page 2. Mental health court helps ‘clients’ avoid incarceration TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com The man in the North Side park used to think the commu- nity nurse was “Becky from the Planning Department,” happily retaining the delusion despite her perennial questions about his stability. “Becky” had no good reason to disabuse her patient of a harmless belief, and so Dympna Carten, one of two commu- nity psychiatric nurses who tour Grand Cayman in pursuit of their “clients,” did not be- labor the point. “Nurse Carten” – her pre- ferred form of address – has been at the Health Services Au- thority for 19 years, working with a host of government units: the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Community Rehabilitation, the Health Services Authority, parole officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, a rehabilitation team and the courts. Also a member of the Mental Health Commission, she is a fre- quent presence in the mental health court, sharing her time between Summary Court in gen- eral and the still-developing “di- versionary court,” started in 2010 by Magistrate Margaret Ramsay-Hale to address mental disability issues. Despite seven years and well- established operations mod- eled on its drug court prede- cessor, the mental health court is still finding its feet. In Jan- uary, launching Cayman’s “legal year,” Attorney General Officials break ground on Children’s Garden JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A dedicated garden for children is being created at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park in North Side. Park officials and politicians broke ground at the Children’s Garden on Wednesday. The garden covers almost an acre and is situated between the Visitor Centre and the Heritage Garden. One of the focal points will be the “Schoolhouse,” for all-weather teaching of students. A large wooded area has already been cleared to make way for the Children’s Garden and site work is scheduled to begin in late November. The project is hoped to be completed by late 2018. “The garden is a place for children to play and learn,” said park manager John Lawrus. An education area and open play area with a tree house and grow zone is also a part of the garden. “Every school in the Cayman Islands will have their own little growing area,” Mr. Lawrus said. From left, Kaz Conolly Basdeo, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell, East End MLA Arden McLean, Botanic Park manager John Lawrus, Tom Balon from Vigoro Nursery, Janet Morse of the Garden Club, Rotarian Michael Pratt, Elizabeth Bowen from GreenLight Re and architect John Doak break ground at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park Children’s Garden. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY AUGUST 17, 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. - THURSDAY - ARMED RESPONSE (R) 1:25 I 5:05 I 6:35 I 9:25 EMOJI MOVIE 3D (PG) 1:35 2D I 2:50 2D I 4:20 I 7:05 2D SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING 3D (PG13) 12:45 2D I 3:45 I 6:45 2D I 9:40 DARK TOWER (PG13) 12:30 VIP I 2:50 VIP I 4:00 I 7:40 VIP 9:10 I 10:00 VIP GIRLS TRIP (R) 1:25 I 4:15 I 7:00 I 9:45 DUNKIRK (PG13) 12:20 I 5:10 VIP I 7:20 I 9:50 Sentencing for FIFA defendant Takkas set for Oct. 31 Car fire blocks North Church Street traffic Two students receive Minds Inspired scholarships AT LEAST 7 DEAD IN ATTACK ON GUATEMALA HOSPITAL ECUADOR: 300 TONS OF MARINE ANIMAL REMAINS FOUND ON SHIP Emergency services re- sponded to a 911 report of a vehicle on fire out- side the Lobster Pot Res- taurant on Wednesday just after 12:30 p.m. Police officers ensured the safety of the public by di- verting traffic on the North Church Street thoroughfare from Fort Street to the south, and from the Catboat Club to the north. The Fire Department sent two trucks to the scene. A police media officer said that after putting out the fire and examining the vehicle, officials determined that this was an electrical fire, with nothing suspicious seen at the time. The roadway was cleared for regular use shortly after 2 p.m. Thomas Sevik Jr. of Layman E. Scott Senior High School on Cayman Brac and Diandra Whittaker of St. Ig- natius High School in George Town have been chosen as Dart’s Minds Inspired schol- arship recipients. Each student will each receive a four-year high school scholarship based on their academic excel- lence, with a focus on math- ematics and science. The students will also be invited to participate in a multiyear mentoring pro- gram with Dart employees and “special enrichment ex- periences designed to intro- duce new horizons and ex- pand recipients’ world view outside of the classroom,” a press release states. The most recent enrich- ment experience took scholars to Oxford University in the U.K. where they attended a two-week residential academy that focused on preparing them for university studies. Organizers said the Minds Inspired High School scholar- ship program involves a blind- selection process designed to remove distinguishing details such as school, age, gender, etc., and keep the identity of the applicants confidential from the selection panel. This year, 10 students were short-listed and ad- vanced to a second round: a mathematics and science test and a timed essay. Eight stu- dents progressed to the third round, which involved an in- terview with a Dart execu- tive. During the fourth and final round, a selection com- mittee reviewed the informa- tion on each of the five fi- nalists and selected the two scholarship recipients. According to the press re- lease from Minds Inspired, Thomas has a natural affinity for science, technology, en- gineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. He won the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman Science Fair in April and is well known at Minds Inspired events, having par- ticipated in the Minds In- spired Mathematics Chal- lenge, Cayman Islands SeaPerch competition and the Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture Camp. Thomas is not yet sure of the career or profession he is interested in pursuing, but he knows he wants to graduate from university with a degree in one of the STEM disciplines. In his free time, Thomas enjoys exploring nature, is an avid diver and has a keen in- terest in conservation and the environment. Diandra is described as a “well-rounded student who has excelled within the class- room, in sports and through community service.” Rec- ognized numerous times as the Student of the Month at St. Ignatius Catholic School, she has been named Stu- dent of the Year for the past three years. She is active in her school’s extracurricular activities and plays multiple sports, including football and touch rugby. She was also elected Patrol Leader for her school’s Girl Guides group by her peers and manages pro- grams for her unit. She serves on her school’s Builders, Science, and Key Clubs. Diandra hopes to become a neurologist and wants to be the first Caymanian physician to focus on treating chronic brain-related illnesses in children and adolescents. Each year, three other fi- nalists are recognized for their strong performance in the selection process. This year’s finalists were Na- talia McCoy of John Gray High School, Bijou Forget of Cayman Prep and High School, and Oisin Mc- Geough of St. Ignatius Catholic School. “Every year, we are amazed by the student ap- plicants and their high level of achievement both inside and outside of the class- room,” said Mark VanDe- velde, chief executive officer of Dart Enterprises. “It be- comes more challenging each year for the scholarship se- lection committee to choose from the bright, diverse group of applicants. Diandra and Thomas are committed to their education and plan to use their knowledge to im- prove our community. We are confident that they will be excellent ambassadors for the Minds Inspired brand.” The selection committee consists of eight profes- sionals, five leaders in local industry and the commu- nity, plus three Dart se- nior executives. GUATEMALA CITY (AP) – Gunmen stormed one of Guatemala’s largest hospi- tals and opened fire early Wednesday in an assault staged to free an impris- oned gang member, offi- cials said. At least seven people were killed and five were arrested. Carlos Soto, director of the Roosevelt Hos- pital in the capital, said an unknown number of at- tackers entered the facility in the morning and began shooting. The jailed suspect, who had been brought there for lab tests, was at large. Deputy hospital di- rector Marco Antonio Bar- rientos told reporters that 12 people were wounded, including a child who un- derwent surgery and was in critical condition. National Civil Police said the five men in custody were members of the Mara Salva- trucha gang. Via Twitter, the agency showed photographs of assault rifles seized from the attackers. Astrid Villatoro was at the hospital waiting for her son to get an X-ray when the gunfire broke out. “You heard a lot of shots,” Villatoro said. “I was in the emergency room when I felt a stray bullet hit my foot. I saw a man hit in the face by another bullet. It was terrible. Ev- eryone ran for cover.” A body lay in the parking lot outside after- ward covered with a plastic sheet, next to an assault rifle and blood drying on the pavement. Police spokesman Jorge Aguilar said there were at least six deaths and five arrests. The hospital later raised the death toll to seven. Officers searched the hospital room by room. QUITO, Ecuador (AP) – Au- thorities in Ecuador have detained 20 Chi- nese crew members on a ship found near the Gala- pagos holding 300 tons of frozen marine animals – including some species in danger of extinction. Ecuador’s navy stopped the ship Sunday near San Cristobal, the easternmost island of the Galapagos ar- chipelago treasured for its unique animal species. Environment Minister Tarsicio Granizo says a large portion of the animal parts found aboard the ship consisted of frozen shark fins. Endangered hammer- head shark remains were also discovered. Shark fin soup is a Chinese delicacy. The Galapagos Ma- rine Reserve is among the world’s largest and designed to protect the region’s sub- stantial number of sharks and other marine life. BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Longtime Cayman Islands resident and former Jeffrey Webb attaché Costas Takkas will be sentenced Oct. 31 in a U.S. federal court. Takkas, who pleaded guilty in May to one charge in the FIFA corruption in- vestigation, will learn his fate in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, according to court records. Takkas, a U.K. national, was a Cayman Islands resi- dent for some 20 years be- tween the 1980s and early 2000s and also served as former general secretary of the Cayman Islands Foot- ball Association. He agreed to change his earlier plea of not guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy in the indictment against him. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn) accepted the guilty plea in relation to a scheme in which fed- eral prosecutors said Takkas helped funnel US$2 million in bribes to Webb. The bribes were allegedly paid by two sports marketing companies in exchange for the award of lucrative commercial rights to FIFA tournaments, in this case, World Cup quali- fier matches to be held in the Caribbean region ahead of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments. According to a press state- ment released by U.S. pros- ecutors: “Webb, Takkas and Traffic USA, one of the sports marketing companies, ar- ranged for Traffic to secretly funnel half of Web’s US$3 million bribe through front companies and accounts con- trolled by Takkas.” A vehicle burst into flames on North Church Street Wednesday afternoon. - PHOTO: SUSAN FAUSETT Back row, from left, Dart executives Alasdair Foster, Mark VanDevelde and Cameron Graham, with Minds Inspired high school scholarship recipients Thomas Sevik Jr. and Diandra Whittaker.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 17, 2017 Aunt sentenced for hitting boy with belt School alerted police after teacher found bruises on student CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 7-year-old boy sent home from school for mis- behaving was reported to police the next day as being the victim of an assault by the relative who had picked him up. The relative, a sister of the boy’s mother, appeared in Summary Court for sen- tencing this week before Magistrate Angelyn Her- nandez. The defendant had previously pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm. The charge of cruelty to a child was withdrawn and the woman received a conditional discharge. Crown counsel Greg Wal- colm said the boy was taken home from school early by his aunt because he had been “behaving poorly.” At home, she hit him with a belt, causing bruises on his arm and back. The next day, a teacher noticed the bruises and the matter was reported to police. The boy said his aunt slapped him. Defense attorney Dennis Brady said the defendant ad- mitted slapping the boy with a belt because of his poor be- havior at school. That method of discipline is not acceptable in this jurisdiction, he agreed. “But it was done out of love,” Mr. Brady said. “She didn’t want her nephew to follow the path of delin- quency that happens when these things go unchecked.” He noted with some irony that it was the school that sent the boy home one day and called the police the next day. “What do we do?” he asked. “We’re trying to cor- rect the child; we don’t want him expelled from learning.” The incident had exposed the child’s need for profes- sional help, Mr. Brady added, because of other incidents at school. The adults in his life also needed help, he told the court. The boy does not have a father figure and the aunt is often called upon to assist. She and the boy’s mother were participating in a parenting program and availing themselves of pro- fessional help, the defense attorney said. Mr. Brady said it would be unconscionable for the defen- dant to have a conviction for trying to do good. The magistrate referred to the social inquiry report and asked about the circum- stances of the hitting. It said the woman had told the boy to hold out his hand and when he shifted about, the belt hit his arm and back. Mr. Brady said it was the aunt’s intention to hit the boy’s hands, but he had moved away. Mr. Walcolm confirmed that was the ini- tial indication when the de- fendant was first interviewed. In passing sentence, the magistrate said she took into consideration the defendant’s early guilty plea to the as- sault charge. “I also accept there is great remorse and you are like a co-parent,” she told the aunt. “The reality is that a belt should not be used on a seven-year-old,” she said. Following the recommen- dation of the probation of- ficer who wrote the social in- quiry report, the magistrate ordered a conditional dis- charge – the condition being probation for 12 months. During that time she is to at- tend counseling and there is to be no further violence against the child. HUNTING SEASON SET TO BEGIN FOR GAME BIRDS SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Hunting season begins soon for Cayman’s game birds. The Department of Environment sent out a no- tice Tuesday alerting hunters that the blue-winged teal and white-winged dove will soon be on the menu. Hunting for blue-winged teal is prohibited from May through August, and the white-winged dove is pro- tected from April through September. There is a three- bird bag and possession limit for the teal, which can be hunted in September, and a 12-bird bag and possession limit for the dove. Cayman’s game birds are regulated by the 2013 revi- sion of the Animals Law and by the National Conservation Law, said John Bothwell, se- nior researcher at the Depart- ment of Environment. The law also applied to a third species – the bald pate – but that bird is no longer regu- lated in Cayman. “It was previously part of the Animals Law and when they switched to the National Conservation Law, it came under our purview,” said Mr. Bothwell. “Bald pates, be- cause the numbers were down, people hadn’t been hunting them a while. When the law changed over, they were removed from the list.” The Animals Law and National Conservation Law does not stipulate what weapons hunters can use, and firearm registration is handled by the Royal Cayman Islands Police. “We don’t deal with any- thing with that” said Mr. Bothwell. “How they choose to hunt them is between them and all the other reg- ulators of the world. Obvi- ously, with the Animals Law, people are encouraged not to torture animals when they’re hunting them, but they know how to hunt better than us.” White-winged doves compete for food with local roosters in Bodden Town. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYThe 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. “Dirt bikers cause havoc at Rum Point” … The country’s most-wanted and least-liked band of blacktop bullies made headlines in the Cayman Compass again this week. As alarming as Wednesday’s front-page story was, it could have been far worse. It was sheer luck that no one was injured or killed during Sunday’s commotion at Grand Cayman’s famed getaway spot, when an illegal motorbiker, attempting to make his own “getaway” from police, drove his vehicle onto the beach and reportedly “nearly struck people and children on the sand,” according to law enforcement. In sum, a half-dozen rowdy motorbikers had gathered in the area, popping wheelies, revving their engines and endangering everyone nearby. They scat- tered in all directions after police arrived, and for now have managed to evade arrest. What exactly will it take for authorities to get control of this problem? With every incident, it becomes increasingly clear that current means, methods and strategies are not dealing effectively with Cayman’s menacing motorbikes. • Last month, a 15-year-old boy riding a stolen Kawasaki was permanently injured when he collided with a car • In May, a man interfered with a political meeting in George Town, shouting obscenities and revving his motorbike so loudly it drowned out the speakers. He then crashed his bike into a car, injuring the driver, before running from police • And who could forget last year’s “Ride of the Century” – when more than 100 motorcycles, dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles (some street legal, many not) terrorized the residents of Grand Cayman en masse while openly flouting traffic laws? The above bullet points are merely anecdotes. The real “evidence” of Cayman’s motorbike problem is witnessed by road users every day, as bikers exhibit flagrant disregard for public safety and the law, riding without helmets, popping wheelies, speeding, cutting through traffic between lanes, etc., with apparent impunity. The difficulties police have in apprehending mis- creant motorbikers are obvious. The small, nimble and speedy vehicles are notori- ously hard to catch and – particularly with so many unlicensed, untagged and unidentifiable bikes on the road – difficult to trace. We are certain that police are as frustrated as the citizenry by the motorbike problem, perhaps even more so. Clearly the blame lies elsewhere, and the evidence points to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the courts. To date, the DPP has been unable to secure even one conviction of an illegal motorbiker since the so-called “crackdown” began. In fact, delays in prosecution are now compel- ling police to return confiscated motorbikes to their owners, without innocence or guilt being adjudicated. While police may indeed be discouraged, they could and should be making many more arrests. If we as motorists see illegal motorbikers every day on Cayman’s roadways, surely 300 police officers see 300 times that number. No one should be comforted by the police pro- nouncement that they are receiving fewer complaints than before. An alternative interpretation: Maybe people have simply grown tired of complaining. Why bother? Perhaps Cayman’s public prosecutors consider these violations to be low-level, unimportant cases. If so, they are wrong. Frankly, we have no idea why these cases are not being vigorously, and expeditiously, pursued. The motorbikers’ ongoing display of unlawful behavior threatens not only the security and tranquility of our island but, importantly, it also erodes the public faith in our entire law enforcement apparatus. Illegal motorbikers: Police must take back control of our roads THURSDAY AUGUST 17, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Old ideas about foreign trade are being retired NOAH SMITH Most academic models of international trade are pretty simplistic. Some of these models are surpris- ingly effective for making certain types of predic- tions — for example, econo- mists are very good at pre- dicting how much different countries will trade with each other. But they’re not so good at predicting what kind of things the countries will specialize in, which country will have a trade deficit or surplus, how trade will affect growth, or which workers and businesses will benefit from trade. It might be that in order to get at these questions, economists will have to abandon their simple models and think about the com- plexity of international trade. Economic theorists have long realized that the linkages between different products, both within and between countries, might be crucially important to those nations’ prosperity. But until recently, the data and statis- tical methods didn’t allow a detailed mapping of the structure of economic spe- cialization around the world. Now, a number of econo- mists are working on new empirical approaches that take into account the huge variety and complicated connections between the products and services that get traded across interna- tional borders. Two such economists are Ricardo Hausmann of Har- vard’s Kennedy School and Cesar Hidalgo of Massa- chusetts Institute of Tech- nology. They and their re- search team have a theory that the more different prod- ucts a country makes, the better positioned it is to grow. This idea runs counter to the conventional wisdom — and the predictions of many standard models — that different countries hy- perspecialize in only a few goods and services. Ac- cording to Hausmann and Hidalgo, countries are better off when they can make a multitude of things. Coun- tries such as Saudi Arabia that rely on a single product will perform worse, all else equal, than countries such as Japan that can make al- most anything they want. The economists claim that their so-called eco- nomic complexity index is much better at predicting long-term economic growth than other forecasting methods based on things like the level of regulation or the amount of investment in education. They recently put out a report predicting that China’s growth will slow over the next decade, while India’s will remain rapid. Here are some of Hausmann and Hidalgo’s predictions for country growth rates from 2016 to 2025: Obviously, more than just economic complexity matters here — population growth is also important, as is a country’s initial level of income (richer countries have less room to grow). But if Hausmann and Hidalgo are right, investors should be looking at India, Indo- nesia and Vietnam. Another group of re- searchers from the World Bank, World Trade Orga- nization and elsewhere, led by David Dollar, have taken a different approach. This group has mapped out global value chains — the se- quences of trade where raw materials are turned into components, then into fin- ished products and finally into retail sales. Dollar’s team has iden- tified something they call the smile curve. This is the tendency of countries in the middle of the production chain to get a smaller share of a product’s final value. The countries and compa- nies that make the complex components in a phone or a computer tend to earn high profits, as do those that handle the research, design, marketing and retailing. But the countries in the middle, that assemble components into finished products and then ship them off to be sold, tend to get a thinner slice of the pie. Dollar et al. find that despite its huge domi- nance in manufacturing in- dustries, China is located precisely at the most unfa- vorable middle part of the curve. In other words, China is stuck doing low-value as- sembly instead of the more lucrative component manu- facturing, research, design, marketing and sales. That’s actually good news for Chinese manufac- turing employment, since China tends to do the things that require large numbers of hands and eyes. But it’s less good for the profits of Chinese companies, which is why China would prob- ably like to start building more globally recognized brands. Unless China moves into higher value-added ac- tivities, its robust economic growth may slow — just as Hausmann and Hidalgo also predict. The development of these new models is good news for the economics profession. It means that mainstream economists are diversifying their approaches, supple- menting their old simple models with new ones that recognize the fantastic com- plexity of the real-world economy. That should help defuse some of the criticism that has been leveled against the field for underestimating the damage wrought by overselling of policies like financial deregulation and free trade with China. And it might help policy makers devise better strat- egies toward trade and de- velopment. If Hidalgo and Hausmann are right, coun- tries should focus on cre- ating highly diversified economies. If Dollar et al. are right, countries should focus on trying to escape the trap of assembling other countries’ products. Old development strategies based on simple approaches like deregulation and free trade might turn out not to be enough. Noah Smith is a Bloomberg View columnist. He was an assistant professor of finance at Stony Brook University, and he blogs at Noahpinion. © 2017, Bloomberg View. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 17, 2017 All ProMar 400 EG-SHEL fi nish interior paint On sale now through August 31st See in store for additional discounts See in store for additional discounts See in store for additional discounts 27 Godfrey Nixon Way (345) 945-5665 www.koolkoteings.com Available at 25% OFF On sale now through for additional discounts (345) 945-5665 Church solar donation honors late wife KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com When Charles Watler de- cided to memorialize his late wife, Jacqueline Ann Watler, he knew he wanted to capture her bright spirit and her love for the church community. For a woman who was always working on one project or another, Mr. Watler thought solar panels would provide a fitting analogy. “She was always doing something, giving. Solar is like that, always producing. That’s what I wanted to em- phasize,” Mr. Watler said. “She was always doing at least two things at one time. It was the same thing at church. She was in- volved in the women’s fel- lowship, teaching Sunday school. She was the Sunday school superintendent. We raised funds for the bas- ketball court.” In honor of her chari- table spirit, Mr. Watler do- nated 62 solar panels to Sa- vannah United Church’s hall and main building with the assistance of Precision Solar and fellow churchgoers. He said the church’s in- stallation was one of the last accepted under the Ca- ribbean Utilities Company scheme that reimburses solar users for their excess energy production. He has requested that any funds produced by the panels be di- rected to the youth ministry, where Mrs. Watler dedicated much of her time. The youth ministry was a passion of Mrs. Watler’s and a common source of her attention. When the family needed a new car, she sug- gested they buy a station wagon. The church did not have a bus and she wanted to have space to take children home to Spotts, Savannah and Newlands. On another occasion, she started a Sunday school puppet show. The show was so successful that she helped another church, Elmslie Me- morial United Church, set up a show for its Sunday school. She frequently helped or- ganize clothing and shoes for donation to the Mount Olivet Boys Home in Jamaica with her good friend, Beryl Arch. The Watlers were mar- ried for 44 years before Mrs. Watler passed from cancer in 2014. They had five children and 10 grandchildren. Mr. Watler said his wife’s dedication to their children shows through in their hard work and good education. “Jacqueline was a very kind person, with a strong moral compass and high in- tegrity, and who always loved helping the poor and the needy,” Mr. Watler said. “She wanted to make you feel spe- cial and she always tried to lift people up that fell. She wanted to do good for every- body. She served her Lord. She put him first.” The couple moved from the U.S. to Grand Cayman, Mr. Watler’s home, in 1970. Mr. Watler, dubbed the “father of the Immigration Board,” has also been recog- nized over the years for his public service career. On the official Queen’s Birthday in June, Mr. Watler received the prestigious Member of the Most Ex- cellent Order of the British Empire medal. He thanked Frank Hall Homes and several members of his church for contributing solar panel donations, in- cluding the King family, the Conolly family and the Paire- audeau family. Charles Watler, front row, second from left, gathers with family members, Reverend Euthman Wray, back row, center, and Precision Solar’s Dale Nickason, back row, left, at Savannah United Church, on which the family has erected solar panels in memory of Mr. Watler’s late wife. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Bodden Town THURSDAY AUGUST 17, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS H is for Heritage: Cayman A-Z teaches about islands’ story KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Savannah-based au- thor Karen Chin, known by the pen name EK Jasmine, finds inspiration in family friendly literature, fiction and non-fiction books that she can share with children. “It means that if I’m reading and my daughter walks in the room and wanted me to read it to her, I wouldn’t have to say, ‘It’s not yours to read,’ or ‘You can’t read it right now,’” Ms. Chin said. “So I’m always inter- ested in family because it helps the family to grow. If I can share it and you can share it, it means that one more reader is available in this world.” Her latest children’s book, “Cayman Islands A-Z,” was written with that young audience in mind. The idea of a Cayman- themed book first occurred to Ms. Chin during a trip to Alaska, where she saw the “Alaska ABCs” and later the “Victoria ABCs.” She decided Cayman deserved a ver- sion of its own. She hopes the book will not only teach the alphabet, but also help educate young Caymanians about their na- tional heritage. “I’m excited about it. It’s the fact that when I asked a child to name a national hero, they would say, ‘Do we have national heroes?’ Then I know we need to get some- thing instilled in schools from a young age that they can carry on,” Ms. Chin said. She already has the ap- proval of one young reader from her church, Ga- briela Harper, 6, who vis- ited the Cayman Com- pass office with her mother and Ms. Chin to read from the book. Her reading will be available to view on www.caymancompass.com. “When I started working on editing in my office, she was visiting her mom there. She picked up the book and she read it and read it, and asked, ‘Can I have it?’” Ms. Chin said. “She started from A and got to ‘L for Lighthouse’ and said, ‘Can I keep this?’ I was excited because if a child is excited for a book like that you know some- thing is there.” The book will be for sale through CLM Pub- lishing, in print and as an e-book. Ms. Chin hopes the it will reach local primary schools as well. Ms. Chin is the editor of Christian Lifestyle Magazine and CLM Publishing. Chris- tian Lifestyle Magazine will celebrate its 10th year next year. CLM Publishing has operated for eight years. She is also an organizer of the Cayman Islands’ Lit- erary Awards, now entering its third year. 50 years ago: Caymanians study abroad In the Aug. 16, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Compass, “Bodden Town Report” corre- spondent Floris McCoy wrote: “Nurse Josie Solomon, after three months of hard study, re- turned home for two weeks well- earned vacation. Nurse Solomon is very involved in her studies and is doing extremely well. We want to congratulate her and encourage her as a very ambi- tious Caymanian. “Leaving for England to study for one year was Miss Carlyn Hislop, former head teacher at the Primary School at Savannah. Miss Hislop is looking forward to hard work and studies and we wish her much success in this adventure. Accompanying her was her mother, Mrs. Dora Hislop, going to Freeport, to visit her other daughter. “Mrs. Vienna Wood and son Hartwell went to Miami. “Returning home to Port Richey, Florida, for a few weeks were the Donald Armstrongs. “Mr. and Mrs. Olney Wood and children returned to the U.S.A. They took with them Mr. Carlton Wood. “Arriving home after being in the U.S.A. with her little son for several months is Mrs. Selkirk Watler. Mr. Selkirk Watler also came home from his trip abroad. “Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Miller, accompanied by sister Mrs. Lindal Berry, are here from New York. After a few days, Mr. Stalin Berry arrived here, son of Mrs. Lindal Berry. “Messrs. Winsom Whit- taker and Stephani Miller went to Jamaica to enjoy two weeks vacation. “Mr. Marcus Thompson, em- ployee of West India Shipping Co. arrived home this week. “Mr. Walter Chisholm, an em- ployee of NBC, returned to his job. “Mr. and Mrs. Haig Bodden returned from their vacation.” WEEKEND WATER INTERRUPTIONS Homes and businesses on Sham- rock Road, between Northward and Manse roads, as well as all adjoining roads, will experience water supply interruptions between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday. The Water Authority – Cayman an- nounced in a press release that the in- terruption is necessitated by a pipe- laying operation along Condor Road. The pipe-laying work will be car- ried out at the junction of Condor and Shamrock roads, immediately adja- cent to the pedestrian crossing, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and is likely to impact traffic, the utility company stated. Traffic will be reduced to a single lane while work is carried out. Traffic signs will be posted in the general vi- cinity of the work. Karen Chin, known as EK Jasmine, hopes her Cayman-themed children’s book will teach young Caymanians about their heritage. Kids receive free backpacks for upcoming school year JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com More than 50 children in the Savannah/Newlands com- munity are ready for the new school year, which begins for all students on Sept. 4. The Bodden Town Pro- gressives’ Back to School Community provided stu- dents ages 5-10 with new backpacks with school sup- plies on a first-come, first- served basis. Kids not only got new supples, they were also treated to a “Back to School” bash with refreshments and a bouncy castle. The event was hosted at the Savannah/Newlands Playing Field on Pedro Castle Road on Saturday afternoon. According to the Pro- gressives, around 250 children across the is- land are receiving the free school supplies. “It was an absolute great and delightful day. The par- ents were grateful and the children were very happy with the supplies they re- ceived. We are grateful to all who assisted to make the day a special event,” said Heather Bodden of the Progressives.Children sample free snacks at a back-to-school party.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 17, 2017 the Peanuts application was approved, were never pub- licly released. Board secretary Marva Scott did send out a list of decisions, similarly indi- cating the approval for Pea- nuts to sell liquor on Sun- days. The business was also listed as having both a re- tail and package license in the Department of Commerce and Investment’s official list of license holders for the next three months. Acting liquor board chairman Woody DaCosta has since said that was an error. He attributed this to an “untimely and unauthorized release” by a member of De- partment of Commerce and Investment staff. He claimed the decision had been post- poned and later rejected fol- lowing a separate meeting later in the quarter. He later clarified that this was an “electronic meeting.” The final published min- utes, which appeared on the DCI website in June, make no reference to any electronic meeting or any extension of the meeting beyond March 28. The references to the board’s discussion on Sunday opening for gas sta- tions are not included in those minutes. The published minutes in- clude new bullet points, not in the original draft, which refer to a discussion and agreement on a new policy that would mean all busi- nesses will be restricted to one type of liquor license per premises. They also indicate that Peanuts’ application was rejected, partly on the basis of this new policy. Mr. DaCosta has acknowl- edged that this discussion and decision did not take place on March 28, as the minutes indicate, but at the later “electronic meeting.” The original copy of the minutes, understood to have been drafted in April and cir- culated within DCI and to board members, also con- tains more detail on the board’s deliberations over the Peanuts application. They state, “Board member Wayne Kirkconnell abstained from this application. He made significant contributions asking the board to consider they were clear on the deci- sion being taken on allowing sale of alcohol on Sundays.” Following advice that per- mission had been granted, Peanuts began selling alcohol on Sundays in April. The business ceased sales when the minutes were published in June, indicating that it had not, in fact, been granted a li- cense for Sunday sales. Government has ordered an independent inquiry into the matter, to be carried out by the Internal Audit Unit. The Cayman Compass has contacted Mr. DaCosta and every member of the Li- quor Licensing Board with a number of questions, in- cluding when this electronic meeting took place; who at- tended; who was notified that the meeting was taking place or of its findings; and why there was no men- tion of it in the official min- utes. The paper has yet to re- ceive a response. Liquor board: Two sets of minutes, two different stories CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Sam Bulgin said “a working group” was likely to be es- tablished to look at “a legis- lative framework that would underpin the court.” What that means is simply that proper legisla- tion would “mandate that various agencies provide support and facilities,” and that “funds would be allo- cated for that purpose,” ac- cording to Court Adminis- trator Suzanne Bothwell, formalizing the largely vol- untary services government now provides. Magistrate Ramsay-Hale created the Metal Health Court following the success of its Drug Court twin, also founded by magistrates and also an informal operation, supported by such agencies as Drug Counseling, the Pro- bation Department, the Of- fice of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Criminal Defence Bar Association, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and the Health Ser- vices Authority laboratory for drug testing. At the time, more than 600 drug courts – many in the U.S. – operated world- wide. The local judiciary asked Toronto Judge Paul Bentley, who founded Can- ada’s first drug treatment court in 1998, to conduct two local workshops, resulting in formal proposals to create Cayman’s own treatment court, ultimately established through court rules and reg- ulations by the Legislative Drafting department, magis- trates and “all other stake- holders,” Ms. Bothwell said. “Following the approach used for setting up the Drug Court, the responsible agen- cies were approached by the courts through then-Chief Magistrate Ramsey-Hale, and they agreed to partici- pate,” Ms. Bothwell said. Bail conditions in both the drug and mental-health “diversionary courts” are used to gain a defendant’s compliance with treatment and rehabilitation programs. Breaches can mean revoca- tion of bail. Those habitu- ally breaching the conditions may land in a Summary Court criminal trial. “I’ve been working on the [mental health] court since 2008 or 2009,” says Dr. Marc Lockhart, chairman of the Mental Health Commission and longtime advocate for Cay- man’s mentally ill, a popula- tion he pegs at 4,000, afflicted in one degree or another. Mental Health Court de- fendants often also ap- pear in Drug Court because the problems are often inti- mately linked. Dr. Lockhart said 50 per- cent or more of the 4,000 have “serious chronic mental health issues,” such as schizophrenia or bipolar problems and many “deal with drug issues.” Nurse Carten said many are “self-medicating,” yielding a “high rate of people using cannabis or co- caine,” seeking to dampen the relentless stress of mental disability. “We see a wide range of disorders from depression to anxiety, to bipolar, to per- sonality and developmental disorders,” she said. “Our role is to keep people out of inpatient care in the hospital and in the commu- nity, and to do monitoring so they do not have to go to psychiatric care.… Maybe they can go in another direc- tion,” she said. “The mental health court,” Nurse Carten said, tries “to improve the well-being of people with mental ill- ness and involved with the judiciary.” She acknowledges the sometimes-circular na- ture of the endeavor, how- ever: “It can be a chicken- and-egg [situation]. Every time someone stops using [drugs], the underlying anx- iety can re-emerge.” The court designs treat- ment programs tailored to each defendant, involving assessment, counseling, random drug screening and follow-up. “Psychiatric and psycho- logical assessment can be ordered,” Nurse Carten said. “The magistrate, community psychiatric nurses, parole of- ficers and client counselors meet pre-court to discuss in- dividual cases.” Calling it a collaborative process, she said the magis- trates – Valdis Foldats, Nova Hall and Kirsty-Ann Gunn – have a “very serious say” in the resulting recommenda- tions. “They’re very good and it’s a very caring court.” Dr. Lockhart says coun- selors examine the impact of each client’s condition on such things as “decision- making, compliance with treatment programs and gen- eral functioning in society.” Like Nurse Carten, he ac- knowledges the downward spiral that can afflict “cli- ents.” Homelessness and un- employment breed more of the same, meaning “the risk of them being charged, of coming into contact with po- lice, is greater.” Community psychiatric nurses deal with a host of persistent questions, in- cluding compliance and follow-up as ordered – with doctors and the courts. “Sometimes they fall out and just can’t keep up with the meds,” said Dr. Lockhart, describing the most basic is- sues. “They have difficulties with time and with [court] appearances, but they still have to show up.” Nurse Carten and the nurses literally go out to find and interview them, al- though she indicates that her clients are not hard to locate – once you know where to look. “You learn to work with them. I do home visits and district clinics five days per week. Sometimes I go to po- lice cells. Out in the com- munity, we meet in cabanas, under shady trees. I once met a patient in a grave- yard,” she said. One consultant to the courts is Cayman Islands Hospital psychologist Dr. Clement von Kirchenheim. He interviews and tests two to three patients per week, determining if they are “in- tellectually cognitive,” per- haps neurologically impaired or present a recidivism risk. “Some people are so low- functioning, they cannot be held responsible for their actions,” he said, and his subsequent written reports identify issues for the court. Ms. Bothwell said the number of defendants in court at any given time “varies throughout the year, but is “currently approxi- mately 16 persons.” Nurse Carten’s case load is between 12 and 17 cli- ents per month, most of them recurring. Court-man- dated treatment periods range “from six months to 12 months, maybe 14 months.” Follow-ups depend on the problem: Schizophrenia and bipolar disorders require more sustained efforts while lesser difficulties may need as little as one month. “I have had some pa- tients for 19 years, but who are well-managed,” she said. Most have stayed out of court and in the com- munity – and been consis- tently employed. “I have seen some mas- sive changes since establish- ment of the mental health court by frequent users of the court system. They have maintained mental-health stability and employment,” Nurse Carten said. Treatments can change as clients improve, she ob- served, and “can be done at the request of a patient. They may say they’re feeling better, and so we can set up a review and after a pe- riod of reduction the meds can be stopped. “Sometimes it’s all right, and sometimes there’s a re- lapse and the patient is sta- bilized again.” Often, she said, “people with insight as to their own problems can identify their own needs. Mental health is manageable.” The court convenes on the third Wednesday of each month at 2 p.m. Both Nurse Carten and Dr. Lockhart hope the ques- tions around long-term care will be addressed by the re- cently announced residential mental health facility, sched- uled to open in 2019 on 15 acres in East End. The 42- bed home will be Cayman’s first permanent care unit for those with chronic mental disabilities. To read more about Cayman’s Mental Health Court, see page 8. Mental health court helps ‘clients’ avoid incarceration CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Located off Shamrock Road, only a few lots remain in this new subdivision. • Special Offer: Developer Pays Stamp Duty • 10,000 sft lots • Very high land 15+ feet above sea level • Great location CI$65,000 for first time Caymanian buyers Call or Whatsapp Josephine for full plans & details. 926-6102 House Lots For Sale 100% Financing from select banks - Limited Time Offer8 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY AUGUST 17, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Mentally ill man kept at Northward Prison One defendant’s history shows courts’ efforts CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who has been in and out of Cayman’s courts for more than a quarter-cen- tury probably will not be back in court anytime soon. Now in his 50s, he is in Northward Prison because he is of unsound mind. Inmates convicted of a crime have a determined date for their release, but this man was remanded “there to be kept until discharged by order of the Governor.” Earlier this year, two months before the man’s re- mand, defense attorney John Furniss told the court that the defendant had been as- sessed and was not fit to plead. By that time, he had been in custody more than two years. The new charges against him were crim- inal trespass and damage at a restaurant. His early court appear- ances also involved a restau- rant. Brought to Cayman as a youth, he was looked after by the family of a man who op- erated a restaurant, and fre- quently had his meals there. When the restaurant owner died, the business changed hands, but the defendant still went there for food. After the new owners let him know he was expected to pay, the man broke in and helped himself. He committed other “nui- sance” offenses over the years. Sentences included supervi- sion by a probation officer and a mental health worker, with family members willing to provide a place for him to stay. But he didn’t like having to abide by the ordinary rules of a household and he left. By 2005, he was in prison for a residential burglary. The man then appeared before Justice Alexander Henderson. Mr. Furniss asked for an adjournment because he had learned there might be a facility that had been used as a halfway house. He subsequently learned that the premises had been destroyed in Hurricane Ivan in 2004. At that appeal hearing, Mr. Furniss noted that Cayman does not have a large number of cases like the defendant’s. But there are others who are housed at the prison because they can receive their medi- cations there regularly. Justice Henderson ob- served, “One of the signs of mental illness is the belief that you’re not sick and so you don’t take the medication and it’s a vicious cycle.” He asked the man if he thought he needed to take medication. “No, sir,” the de- fendant replied. “Sometimes they tell me I have nerves.” The man next appeared before the late Justice Priya Levers. Mr. Furniss told her that the defendant received his medication while in prison, but at some point he would need a different structured environment – one from which he could go out to work and come back at night for a roof over his head, food and medication for his bi- polar affective disorder. The Crown counsel in court said measures were going to the Legislative Assembly to open a halfway house as part of Probation Services. “It’s absolutely essen- tial,” Justice Levers replied. “You can’t throw away these people [or] just lock them up. It’s inhumane.” By November 2005, efforts to find alternative accom- modation had been unsuc- cessful. Because the man had a potential early release date in January 2006, Mr. Furniss advised he would have to abandon the appeal so that it would not interfere. Mr. Furniss said the Mental Health Unit at the hospital was meant only for short-term stabilization. Justice Levers pointed out that a case should not have to come to court for society to look after its mentally ill. In June 2007, he was back in Summary Court, where he pleaded guilty to charges of being an idle and disorderly person for begging outside George Town restaurants. Mr. Furniss said each incident had occurred toward the end of the month, shortly before he received his medication. The magistrate sentenced the man to 30 days, but won- dered if there would be a problem again when the time came for his medication. In 2010, he pleaded “guilty with explanation” to burglary at a duty-free store. He said he gave some of the jewelry to a Jamaican man and some to a local man in exchange for food. Chief Magistrate Margaret Ramsay-Hale said she had difficulty creating a sentence for someone preyed on by people in the commu- nity. The sentence imposed, plus one previously sus- pended, equalled 27 months. By 2012, he was back in court for breaking into a car. He made approximately 23 court appearances that year. On one occasion, he refused to stop talking or let the magistrate speak. On another occasion, he gave the name of a movie star instead of his own. A psychiatric report was ordered, but he needed to be stabilized first. He was found not fit to plead. In 2013, an order was confirmed that he should be remanded to the Mental Health Unit as soon as a bed became available. Two months later, he was fit to plead, but no accommoda- tion had been found and he was still at the unit. The fol- lowing month, an apartment was found and his bail was varied, but then he did not appear for his next court date. He was arrested for burglary, pleaded guilty and was released on bail with conditions that included a curfew and attending mental health appointments. In January 2014, he faced his final charges, with nine court appearances sched- uled that year. In 2015, after being reas- sessed, he was placed in the informal mental health pro- gram. He became upset at yet another magistrate dealing with his case. He was disrup- tive and had to be taken back down to the cells. Appear- ances were then arranged from the prison via video link, but he refused to appear. In May that year, prob- lems arose concerning his immigration status. Little progress seemed to have been made in 2016, with several court dates noted as “Refused to appear” and one “Unfit to attend.” In January 2017, he again refused to appear. Mr. Furniss summarized the situ- ation: the defendant was now being treated as a foreign na- tional and if released would not get government assis- tance; there was no halfway house or secure place where he could stay; even if there were, the Immigration De- partment was not likely to give him a work permit. Mr. Furniss noted that the man had again refused to ap- pear in court and it was clear the matter was going to have to go before the governor. It did. The defendant was found to be of unsound mind and, under section 159 of the Criminal Procedure Code, he was conveyed “to any hospital or other place for the time being appointed under any law to be a mental hospital or for the reception of crimi- nally insane persons, there to be kept until discharged by order of the Governor.” Northward Prison is a place so appointed. A day in Mental Health Court CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Sixteen defendants at- tended a recent session of the informal Mental Health Court, which is held on a monthly basis. All have been in the court before. At the next court sitting, almost all were expected to return. They are not in this spe- cial court because they have mental health issues; they are there because they have been charged with one or more criminal offenses and either a magistrate or an officer of the court has suspected a mental health problem. A procedure has been es- tablished, although it is not written in any law or regu- lation. Before the session be- gins, a team that includes social workers, probation of- ficers and medical personnel meets with a magistrate, usu- ally Valdis Foldats, to dis- cuss each case confidentially. When open court begins, de- fendants are called in and members of the public may attend. Defendants are gen- erally required to stay for the whole session and learn from other cases. The Cayman Compass is not identifying the defen- dants by name, but is as- signing each a letter to differ- entiate between them. Defendant A is charged with consuming ganja, has been tested for drugs and found to be clean. He has been attending drug coun- seling meetings as required, so the magistrate congrat- ulates him and tells him to come back on another date as he continues to be monitored. C faces charges of dishon- esty, nothing drug-related, but a test shows ganja in his system. “You’ve got to stop,” the magistrate tells him. “For some people, it messes up their head. For everybody, it’s illegal.” Then comes the warning. “If you don’t stop, we’ll have to put you in jail. We don’t want to.” The defen- dant is told to come back the following month. T is charged with pos- session and consumption of ganja, and has tested clean. The magistrate reminds ev- erybody that when the court met before Christmas, T was put in the cells for the after- noon because he had tested positive for drugs. “He got the message,” the magistrate points out. T still needs an- other appointment with a psychologist. For now, he is allowed to leave early. Ev- eryone is the room applauds and T smiles as he heads to- ward the door. J comes to court from custody, charged with dam- aging property and assault. She is waiting to be re-eval- uated by a psychiatrist. “Your case is pretty complicated,” the magistrate tells her. One of her problems is getting someone to act as a surety so she can be bailed. W is in Northward Prison and appears in court via video link. The magistrate re- minds him that he was taken into custody because he did not come to court and he cut off his electronic monitoring device. Charged with threats to kill and assaulting police, he awaits an appointment with a psychologist. Another person is charged with threats to kill, plus causing fear or provocation of violence. The magistrate thanks him for cooperating and taking his drug test, but it has proved positive. “Ganja is illegal,” he repeats. “For some people it affects their head.” The defendant replies, “I have bigger issues. You need to help me out.” After a further exchange, he tells the court, “You’re not pleading my cause. Police tried to drown me.” The magistrate tells him that is a separate issue. He suggests filing a complaint and the defendant says he has already done so. Asked if he has applied for legal aid, the man says he has, so the matter is adjourned. A woman from that group was sentenced later for bur- glary, criminal trespass and common assault after 26 months of abstaining from use of any illegal substances. She was given a sus- pended sentence and placed on probation so that she could continue the same treatment she had been un- dergoing – mental health ap- pointments, recovery meet- ings and random drug tests. The magistrate said her case files showed she had come to court 35 times. She had been in custody for three months and worn an elec- tronic monitor for 13 months. She attended five recovery meetings every week. She spent time in a halfway house and time on house arrest. “There were a few re- mands for drug use, but you got the message very quickly and you decided you wanted to change,” the magistrate said. She had 26 months with no more offending and no more drug use. The magis- trate thanked the court team that had been involved in the woman’s treatment – pro- bation officers, nurses, doc- tors, psychologists and psy- chiatrists. “What we tried to do was help you change your future, but it’s your work,” he said. “I want to continue that for the rest of my life,” the woman replied. The informal Mental Health Court hearings are held at various courtrooms within the Courthouse Building in George Town. “For some people, [ganja] messes up their head. For everybody, it’s illegal.” MAGISTRATE VALDIS FOLDATSThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 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. CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 17, 2017 THURSDAY, AUGUST 17 QUIZ NIGHT: 7 p.m. at Fidel Murphy’s. Jonny Kern will host. Proceeds benefit the Cayman Islands Humane Society. CHAMBER COURSE: Providing Exceptional Customer Service. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $150 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, AUGUST 18 CHARITY DEADLINE: SMP Partners invites applicants for their Charity of the Year initiative. Applicants should describe the work of the charity, number of volunteers involved and why it should be chosen. Email smpgives@smppartners.ky by end of business today. LIQUOR LICENCES: Today is the deadline to submit applications for liquor license renewals, including music and dancing licenses. Application forms can be downloaded from the Department of Commerce and Investment’s website www.dci.gov.ky. For more information, contact Shelise Jeffery on 244-2202. For Sister Islands operations, contact Lolita Bodden at 948-2400 or Dave Tatum at 244-4401. SATURDAY, AUGUST 19 TIME ATTACK: At Uncle Clem’s, off Airport Road. Participants must register Friday, Aug. 18, at Parker’s parking lot, 7 p.m. STUFF THE BUS: Deadline to collect school supplies for families with children needing assistance. Drop off new items at boxes inside Cost-U-Less or Caribbean Alliance Insurance Office at 203 Alissta Towers. Supplies needed include pencil pouches, pencil erasers, No. 2 pencils, blue or black pens, 24-packs of crayons, wide-rule single subject notebooks and 150-page packs of wide-rule loose leaf paper. DARKNESS TO LIGHT: Free training program, 9-11:30 a.m., for parents, teachers and others who work with or provide services to young people. Cost is free. Gain knowledge and skills to prevent child sexual abuse, recognize signs of abuse and learn how to react responsibly. Pre-registration is required. Contact vrm@redcross.org.ky. SUNDAY, AUGUST 20 PIPE LAYING: Water Authority – Cayman will be laying pipes in the area of Shamrock Road and Condor Road from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Traffic will be reduced to a single lane. Traffic signs will be posted in the vicinity and motorists are asked to drive with caution. This work will also necessitate a planned service interruption between 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that will affect customers on Shamrock Road between Northward Road and Manse Road, as well as adjoining side roads. MONDAY, AUGUST 21 SOLAR ECLIPSE VIEWING: The public is invited to safely view the partial solar eclipse at the University College of the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands Astronomical Society will be on hand to assist people to view the eclipse on screens and telescopes, as well as through eclipse glasses donated by Dart’s Minds Inspired. The eclipse will be visible in Cayman from 12:38-3:26 p.m. TUESDAY, AUGUST 22 MOONLIGHT & MOVIES: “Trolls” (2016, PG) on The Crescent at Camana Bay. Free. 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23 NON-PROFIT LAW: An information session on the new Non-Profit Organisations Law will be held 10-11 a.m. in Room 1038, Government Administration Building. Presented by the Ministry of Financial Services. For more information contact wilbur.welcome@gov.ky. THURSDAY, AUGUST 24 PUBLIC ASTRONOMY VIEWING: Pedro Castle, 7:30 p.m. weather permitting. Park outside and walk in. Call Richard at 925-4917 for more details or to check cancellation if more than 50 percent cloud cover. BRAC COURT: Aston Rutty Centre, today and tomorrow, from 10 a.m. SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT: 8 p.m. at Seven Mile Public Beach Park. Organized by Family Empowerment Group. Call 916-6182. TUESDAY, AUGUST 29 PERTINACITY, PAGEANTS & POLITICS: Former Miss Cayman and attorney Theresa Lewis Pitcairn discusses “A purposeful life beyond the crown.” 6 p.m. Part of the speaker series at the National Museum on Harbour Drive. $10 general admission, $6 members, includes entry to exhibits. Wine and refreshments follow. Reserve a seat by contacting shenicemcfield@museum.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: Dealing with “Problem People.” 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $150 for members, $225 for future members. www.caymanchamber.ky. NON-PROFIT LAW: An information session on the new Non-Profit Organisations Law will be held 2-3 p.m. in Room 1038, Government Administration Building. Presented by the Ministry of Financial Services. For more information, contact wilbur.welcome@gov.ky. THURSDAY, AUGUST 31 CHAMBER COURSE: Business Master class – Strata Management. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $175 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. BRAC WORKSHOP: The Family Resource Centre holds a three-day domestic violence intervention workshop at the Brac Reef hotel. The free training is Aug. 29-31, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The workshop is for front-line professionals who interact with domestic violence victims and their families. Contact FRC at 949-0006 or email frc@gov.ky. GENERAL INTEREST GAMEBIRD SEASON: The Department of Environment reminds hunters that the open season for blue-winged teal opens in September (three bird bag and possession limit). For white- winged doves the season opens in October (12 bird bag and possession limit). ANNIVERSARY DINNER: Tickets for Wesleyan Christian Academy’s 40th anniversary dinner buffet are on sale. The dinner will be at Schooner’s restaurant at the Cayman Turtle Centre on Sept. 17. Tickets are available to all past/present attendees of WCA and their families, $20 adults, $15 children. Inquiries may be made to 949-3394 or 949-1121. LAW SCHOOL PROGRAMS: Applications are being accepted for one of the new postgraduate programs offered by the Truman Bodden Law School – the Master of Laws in international finance, law and regulation, and the postgraduate diploma in international finance, law and regulation. Full details on the admissions procedure are available at www.lawschool.gov.ky. NATIONAL GALLERY: All are invited to view the new temporary exhibition “Mediating Self,” a display of works from the Cayman Islands National Collection that illustrates the ways in which our bodies are used to create and navigate our personal and collective identities. Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. HUMANE SOCIETY THRIFT SHOP: The shop has moved to Venetia Plaza, next to China Village. The thrift shop is open Tuesday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., closed on Sunday and Monday. Phone 945-5596. 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. 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, Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30–10:30 a.m. Contact Penny McDowall at 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. ARTISAN MARKET: Every Wednesday, noon - 8 p.m. at Camana Bay. Visual Arts Society artists display arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale with 3 tents on display by Karoo Restaurant/Bar. info@visualartcayman.com. OPEN CANVAS: Every Wednesday Visual Arts Society supports this event at Karoo Restaurant located in Camana Bay. 7-11 p.m. No fee. Easels provided for artist of all levels to come out and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. For more information, call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Mondays, 7 p.m. For details, contact Virginia Castillo at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The Cayman Islands Astronomical Society and the Dr. Wm. Hrudey Observatory are inviting the public to view Monday’s partial solar eclipse safely at the University College of the Cayman Islands. At its maximum, 55 percent of the sun will be covered. The public is reminded that attempting to view the eclipse without proper protective eyewear can severely damage the eyes.Next >