ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 8 Butterfly Shrimp, Reg Fries and Biscuit 805 $ FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD Liquor Board must resign en masse When the Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman convenes today for its quarterly meeting, there should be only two items on its agenda: 1) The issuance of a three-month extension for all existing licenses; and, 2) The tendering of members’ resignations, en masse. For clarity and the absence of doubt, we quote directly from the Internal Audit Service report issued Wednesday: “Based on completed interviews with all Board members present at the March 24 and 28th sessions, all but one agreed that the meeting on March 28 concluded with the decision being to grant the retail liquor license to Peanuts Ltd.” Further from the report: “The approved minutes indicated a different decision than what was taken during the Board meetings in March. All Board members interviewed acknowl- edged that the approved minutes are an inaccurate representation of those proceedings.” The board is too compromised to conduct any further business following these, and other, revelations in the report. The auditor’s report further asserts that the board relied on a new “policy,” which it did not have authority to create, to reverse its March 28 decision. Further, three high-ranking civil servants – Chief Environmental Health Officer Roydell Carter, Director of Planning Haroon Pandohie, and Depart- ment of Commerce and Investment Director Ryan Rajkumarsingh – who served on the Liquor Board and voted to grant the Peanuts license on March 28, remained silent as the misleading minutes were published. These three men have vital public duties and responsibilities that extend far beyond this appointed board, and they must conduct themselves professionally so that they are beyond even the appearance of reproach. They have failed to meet this high standard of accountability and, therefore, must themselves be held accountable. (The only current board member blameless in the whole affair is Lynn Bodden, who was appointed after the Peanuts “action” occurred and after the internal audit had been commissioned. All other board members, including Chairman Noel Williams, participated in the granting of the Peanuts retail license and remained publicly silent as a new nar- rative, declaring the opposite, was being publicly promulgated.) While the audit report confirms the above events, it is not a complete report. The most glaring omission is any defense, explanation or statement from Woody DaCosta, then acting chairman of the board and the principal player in the Peanuts drama. Not only did Mr. DaCosta refuse to cooperate with auditors, refer- ring their questions to legal counsel, but his attorneys also did not respond. Mr. DaCosta’s refusal to cooperate with investigators is prima facie evidence that the Internal Audit Service was the convenient, but wrong, body to conduct this probe. When faced with reluctant or uncooperative witnesses, an investigatory body must be empowered to issue sub- poenas and compel testimony under oath. This matter should now be forwarded to the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, or some other suitable body which possesses such investigatory tools. AUDIT: LIQUOR BOARD REVERSED DECISION, ALTERED MINUTES JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An inquiry into Grand Cayman’s Liquor Li- censing Board has concluded that it approved a gas station’s application to sell alcohol on Sundays, then quietly reversed the decision and doctored official records. All board members interviewed by govern- ment’s Internal Audit Service acknowledged that the application had been approved at the board’s March meeting and that the official minutes, published in July, were an “inaccu- rate representation of those proceedings.” “Changing official board decisions while the board was in recess was inappropriate,” the report concludes. Despite this, it says the board acted in “good faith.” The unit recommends that the board en- sures an accurate version of the March min- utes is produced and published and that it addresses the application from Peanuts con- venience store at Red Bay gas station at its next meeting, which is Friday. The report also indicates that the board did not have the power to create a new policy, restricting business premises to one type of li- quor license only – the rationale given in the official, altered version of the minutes for re- fusing the application. Cline Glidden, an attorney who represents Peanuts, said the report confirmed what he 87-year-old survives Hurricanes Irma and Maria BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A battle with lung cancer, the destruc- tion of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and a 1,700-mile trip from Anguilla to New Jersey – traveled part of the way on a U.S. military cargo plane – has not slowed down 87-year- old Audrey Rogers. “So far, I’m good,” Ms. Rogers said Wednesday from a relative’s home in New Jersey, where she ended up. “I feel blessed really. I’m very grateful. If I hadn’t gotten out on that military plane, I don’t know what I would have done.” Ms. Rogers, a member of the Order of the British Empire and lifelong resident of the British territory of Anguilla, found her- self in serious trouble earlier this month as a 180-mph Hurricane Irma bore down on the eastern Caribbean. Ms. Rogers, who is the mother-in-law of Cayman’s deputy om- budsman Jan Liebaers, had no way to get to the U.S. Virgin Islands to receive her reg- ularly scheduled cancer treatment and no way to get off her home island. “I’ve been through a lot of hurricanes, but none like this,” said Ms. Rogers, who received the MBE for her efforts to im- prove education in her community. “This is the worst I’ve ever experienced [speaking of Hurricane Irma]. During the night, it Audrey Rogers with her two children and their spouses. From left, Manuela and Kevin Rogers, Audrey Rogers, and Renee and Jan Liebaers. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS STEPHANIE (Nail Technician & Eyelash extension specialist) Artista Salon welcomes STEPHANIE to our team of highly qualifi ed and experience staff, Her specialized areas are: Nails and Eyelash Extension. 345-946-9751/749-8230 Business Hours: Monday-Saturday 9:am-6:pm Email: artista.salon@yahoo.com Welcomes Amanda Master Barber Unit# 7 Berthaze Plaze, Godfrey Nixon Way (345) 749-8330 /322-8936 GROOMING Turkey Feasts US Thanksgiving (November 24th) Christmas (December 24th & 26 th) Feast for 6 – 8 CI$105.00 A 10 Pound Wood Roasted Turkey with All the Trimmings!! Garlic 'N' Herb, Mash Potatoes, or Rice3 Pints Aunt Dee's Stuffing3 Pints Baked Boniato Sweet Potatoes3 Pints Sautéed Green Beans3 Pints Homemade Gravy1 ½ Pints Cranberry Sauce (with a hint of Fresh Orange!)1 Pint Homemade Caribbean Cornbread8 Pieces Traditional Pumpkin Pie or Pecan Pie1 Pie Feast for 9 or More CI$145.00 A 12 Pound Wood Roasted Turkey with All the Trimmings!! Garlic 'N' Herb, Mash Potatoes, or Rice4 Pints Aunt Dee's Stuffing4 Pints Baked Boniato Sweet Potatoes4 Pints Sautéed Green Beans4 Pints Homemade Gravy2 ½ Pints Cranberry Sauce (with a hint of Fresh Orange!)1 ½ pints Homemade Caribbean Cornbread12 Pieces Traditional Pumpkin Pie or Pecan Pie2 Pies Dinner for One CI$ 17.50 Please Place Your Order Soon! Thank You! Thank You! Gobble! Gobble! Located in the West Shore Center 945-2290 Turkey Feasts US Thanksgiving (November 24th) Christmas (December 24th & 26th) Feast for 6 – 8 CI$105.00 A 10 Pound Wood Roasted Turkey with All the Trimmings!! Garlic 'N' Herb, Mash Potatoes, or Rice3 Pints Aunt Dee's Stuffing3 Pints Baked Boniato Sweet Potatoes3 Pints Sautéed Green Beans3 Pints Homemade Gravy1 ½ Pints Cranberry Sauce (with a hint of Fresh Orange!)1 Pint Homemade Caribbean Cornbread8 Pieces Traditional Pumpkin Pie or Pecan Pie1 Pie Feast for 9 or More CI$145.00 A 12 Pound Wood Roasted Turkey with All the Trimmings!! Garlic 'N' Herb, Mash Potatoes, or Rice4 Pints Aunt Dee's Stuffing4 Pints Baked Boniato Sweet Potatoes4 Pints Sautéed Green Beans4 Pints Homemade Gravy2 ½ Pints Cranberry Sauce (with a hint of Fresh Orange!)1 ½ pints Homemade Caribbean Cornbread12 Pieces Traditional Pumpkin Pie or Pecan Pie2 Pies Dinner for One CI$ 17.50 Please Place Your Order Soon! Thank You! Thank You! Gobble! Gobble! Located in the West Shore Center 945-2290 Turkey Feasts US Thanksgiving (November 24th) Christmas (December 24th & 26th) Feast for 6 – 8 CI$105.00 A 10 Pound Wood Roasted Turkey with All the Trimmings!! Garlic 'N' Herb, Mash Potatoes, or Rice3 Pints Aunt Dee's Stuffing3 Pints Baked Boniato Sweet Potatoes3 Pints Sautéed Green Beans3 Pints Homemade Gravy1 ½ Pints Cranberry Sauce (with a hint of Fresh Orange!)1 Pint Homemade Caribbean Cornbread8 Pieces Traditional Pumpkin Pie or Pecan Pie1 Pie Feast for 9 or More CI$145.00 A 12 Pound Wood Roasted Turkey with All the Trimmings!! Garlic 'N' Herb, Mash Potatoes, or Rice4 Pints Aunt Dee's Stuffing4 Pints Baked Boniato Sweet Potatoes4 Pints Sautéed Green Beans4 Pints Homemade Gravy2 ½ Pints Cranberry Sauce (with a hint of Fresh Orange!)1 ½ pints Homemade Caribbean Cornbread12 Pieces Traditional Pumpkin Pie or Pecan Pie2 Pies Dinner for One CI$ 17.50 Please Place Your Order Soon! Thank You! Thank You! Gobble! Gobble! Located in the West Shore Center 945-2290 Turkey Feasts US Thanksgiving (November 24th) Christmas (December 24th & 26 th) Feast for 6 – 8 CI$105.00 A 10 Pound Wood Roasted Turkey with All the Trimmings!! Garlic 'N' Herb, Mash Potatoes, or Rice3 Pints Aunt Dee's Stuffing3 Pints Baked Boniato Sweet Potatoes3 Pints Sautéed Green Beans3 Pints Homemade Gravy1 ½ Pints Cranberry Sauce (with a hint of Fresh Orange!)1 Pint Homemade Caribbean Cornbread8 Pieces Traditional Pumpkin Pie or Pecan Pie1 Pie Feast for 9 or More CI$145.00 A 12 Pound Wood Roasted Turkey with All the Trimmings!! Garlic 'N' Herb, Mash Potatoes, or Rice4 Pints Aunt Dee's Stuffing4 Pints Baked Boniato Sweet Potatoes4 Pints Sautéed Green Beans4 Pints Homemade Gravy2 ½ Pints Cranberry Sauce (with a hint of Fresh Orange!)1 ½ pints Homemade Caribbean Cornbread12 Pieces Traditional Pumpkin Pie or Pecan Pie2 Pies Dinner for One CI$ 17.50 Please Place Your Order Soon! Thank You! Thank You! Gobble! Gobble! Located in the West Shore Center 945-2290 Turkey Feast US Thanksgiving (November 24th) Canadian (October 8th & 9th) Red Cross leads the way in hurricane relief SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A wide variety of organi- zations have banded together to raise money in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and the Cayman Islands Red Cross is right in the middle of the philanthropic circle. The Cayman Islands Red Cross has raised $70,000 so far, and a local donor has pledged to match the or- ganization’s funds up to US$200,000. The British Red Cross has raised more than 2.4 million pounds thus far, and it’s made a three-year commitment to distribute 5.4 million pounds to the affected areas. “As overwhelming as it is, there’s a three-year commit- ment from the British Red Cross,” said Jondo Obi, di- rector of the Cayman Islands Red Cross. “It’s not going to end by Christmas. When the cameras go off and the people have forgotten, the Red Cross has to continue through the different phases.” Another initiative, Cayman Cares, is being spearheaded by the Tortuga Rum Com- pany. Hurley’s Supermarket, Home Gas, Discount Li- quors and Island Companies will contribute to the fund throughout September, and then they will hand their do- nations over to the Red Cross to distribute abroad. The Cayman Islands Red Cross sent an airplane to the British Virgin Islands on Thursday with a cargo hold full of medical supplies – courtesy of Cayman Medical Services – and tarpaulins. Ms. Obi said that Cayman residents remember what it was like to go through Hur- ricane Ivan and are thrilled to help others. “I’m just so thankful to the Cayman community once again stepping up and caring about our brothers and sis- ters in the northern Carib- bean,” she said. “People tend to remember the Red Cross after a disaster. Throughout the year, people don’t know quite what we’re doing be- cause there’s a lot of work we do behind the scenes. We do a lot of education, a lot of awareness and a lot of training.” International TV and broadband company Lib- erty Global has launched the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation under the um- brella of C&W Communica- tions. That foundation was begun with US$500,000 in seed money to support hu- manitarian efforts around the Caribbean, and it will operate as a fundraising hub that al- lows local, regional and inter- national agencies to execute projects in affected areas. John Reid, the chief exec- utive officer of C&W, issued an official statement about the foundation. “The 2017 hurricane season continues to have a grave impact upon some of the markets in which we op- erate, and the present situa- tion requires a concerted ef- fort to provide much needed relief,” he said in the press re- lease. “What has been truly uplifting, however, is the huge desire amongst our em- ployees, partners, and cus- tomers – as well as our ex- tended Liberty Global family – to help improve the situa- tion on the ground. The es- tablishment of the Foun- dation is our commitment to do just that – and we’re looking to get everyone in- volved to help drive hurri- cane relief and other humani- tarian efforts.” The Enterprise Rent-A- Car Foundation has also got in on the fundraising effort, and has pledged $750,000 to the American Red Cross and $250,000 to Americares. That donation will go to as- sist with relief efforts in the southeast United States and Caribbean in the wake of Irma and Maria. The Cayman Ministers’ Association has announced its own fundraising efforts, and all local pastors have been encouraged to bring in financial donations by Oct. 1. Those contributions will be sent to the Samaritans Purse, an organization headed by the Billy Graham Evange- listic Association. Members of the public can drop off donations at Agape Family Worship Centre on Fairbanks Road. All checks can be made payable to Cayman Ministers’ Asso- ciation and can be mailed to the Agape Family Worship Centre, PO Box 276, KY1-1104. CAYMAN DELIVERS AID TO TURKS AND CAICOS Hurricane relief efforts are slowly moving from re- sponse to recovery in British Overseas Territories battered by an active storm season, according to Cayman Is- lands aid workers. Crews returned to Grand Cayman on Wednesday eve- ning from yet another mis- sion to Turks and Caicos, where hurricanes Irma and Maria dealt back- to-back blows. A Cayman Airways flight transported hazard man- agement staff and govern- ment aid workers to the north Caribbean islands ear- lier this week. The crew de- livered relief supplies, in- cluding seven generators, 50 packs of heavy-duty tarps, 100 bundles of waterproof adhesive material, inflatable mattresses, batteries, flash- lights and toiletries. Just weeks after the storms, the jurisdiction’s eight islands had already made significant progress clearing debris and cleaning up communities, said Hazard Management Cayman Islands Director McCleary Frederick. “The islands’ electricity had recently been restored. Schools were expected to reopen on Monday, and while some hotels are now fully operational, most are expected to reopen by the end of the year,” Mr. Frederick said. Officials indicated the islands need more tech- nical support and re- covery talks, spearheaded by Mr. Frederick, were ex- pected to continue. Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose said the ongoing mis- sions from Cayman are the result of a communicated desire to support fellow British Overseas Territories. “This trip was about helping our neighbors in their time of need. We are only too aware of what havoc such storms can wreak. The TCI government expressed its gratitude to the gov- ernment and people of the Cayman Islands for their ac- tive support,” Mr. Rose said. “We discussed the on- going recovery efforts mounted by the government, their additional needs and were informed that it had moved on from a response to recovery mode.” On Sept. 8, four Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice helicopter crew de- ployed to Turks and Caicos to provide support, as the tail end of Hurricane Irma passed over the territory. The RCIPS aircraft was one of the first foreign aid missions to reach the islands. On Tuesday, a second re- lief mission transported medical staff and vitally needed supplies to An- guilla, where Cayman Is- lands relief crew have been working for weeks. Debris sits on the beach in Turks and Caicos, where two major hurricanes hit this month. Cayman Islands Red Cross volunteer Patrick Todd loads relief items sent to the British Virgin Islands on Thursday. 27 YEARS LATER, ARREST MADE IN KILLER-CLOWN CASE WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) – On a May morning in 1990, Marlene Warren answered her front door in an upscale Florida suburb to find a clown in an orange wig, red nose and white face paint handing her carnations and foil balloons. “How pretty!” she ex- claimed. The clown then pulled a gun, shot Warren in the face and drove away. She died two days later. Now, almost three de- cades later, authorities say they have arrested the clown: a woman who was said to be having an affair with War- ren’s husband and, years after the killing, married him. Detectives said ad- vances in DNA technology, combined with evidence gathered decades ago, show Sheila Keen Warren, now 54, was the killer. At the time of the shooting, she was an em- ployee of Marlene Warren’s husband, Michael, at his used car lot. Since 2002, she has been his wife. She was arrested Tuesday at the home she shared with him in Abingdon, Virginia, and was jailed without bail to await transfer to Florida on first-degree murder charges. Michael Warren, 65, has not been charged, but de- tectives refused to rule him out as a suspect and said he was interviewed again Wednesday. Palm Beach County au- thorities said Thursday the new examination of DNA collected in 1990 gave them what they needed to arrest Sheila Warren, who had been the primary suspect all along.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 Shoppers Nıght Out UP TO 75% OFF WIN $ 500 GIFT CARD ONE NIGHT ONLY! SPECIAL OFFERS MUSIC, FOOD & REFRESHMENTS RAFFLE PRIZES FEATURED BRANDS INCLUDE: CAMANABAY.COM where life blossoms THURSDAY OCTOBER 5 5-8 pm Prison needs new telecom system after lightning strike BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Damage to the telephone and internet lines from a lightning strike at Her Maj- esty’s Prison Northward early Wednesday is worse than of- ficials first thought. “Most of the equipment is irreparable,” said Raquel Solomon, the prison service’s human resources manager, after an assessment of the situation Thursday. Ms. Solomon said Digicel was on site replacing tele- communications servers that were fried by an elec- trical surge caused by the 1:30 a.m. Wednesday lightning strike. The bolt struck the roof of the prison storage building, destroying much of the supplies and equip- ment kept there, including telecom servers and cen- tral phone lines. Ms. Solomon said it was hoped that the phone system could be restored by Friday, or Monday at the latest, and internet service by Friday at the Bodden Town compound. In the meantime, prison officers were using their cell- phones and hand-held radios to communicate. The inmates were not able to make phone calls using the prison service landline phones, and Ms. Solomon said this had caused some consternation. “They are frustrated that they don’t have phone ac- cess,” she said of the inmates. Wednesday’s fire took about two-and-a-half-hours to extinguish, according to Chief Fire Officer David Hails. No one was injured in the blaze. A firefighter heads into the prison storage building early Wednesday. Prison officials said the damage from the lightning strike and blaze is worse than first thought. - PHOTO: DAVID HAILS New ombudsman sees ‘opportunity’ in office BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Om- budsman Sandy Hermiston sees “exciting opportunity” in her new position super- vising two partially func- tioning departments and three others which are new to the Cayman Islands. “It’s just rolling out the whole idea of what the om- budsman does and merging two offices and adding dif- ferent areas of responsibility, There’s lots to do,” Ms. Herm- iston said Thursday during Cayman’s Right-to-Know Day event at the Government Ad- ministration Building. Ms. Hermiston said the office is interviewing for a second deputy ombudsman post, as well as a senior in- vestigator who will look into public complaints against local law enforcement offi- cers, one of the three new responsibilities assigned to the office. She said Deputy Om- budsman Jan Liebaers would maintain responsibility for Freedom of Information mat- ters and data protection/ privacy protection when those responsibilities come online in 2019. Ms. Hermiston said she is encouraged by how far Cayman has already come in the areas of Freedom of In- formation and public com- plaints against govern- ment departments. “I was really impressed,” she said. “When I prepared for the interview, I saw each of the [government] depart- ments have Freedom of In- formation featured on their [website] home page. I don’t think you can find that in many other jurisdictions.” It was the same with com- plaints against entities other than those involving the po- lice, Ms. Hermiston noted, adding that most government agencies already have an in- ternal mechanism to field those complaints. “I’m very impressed by that; that’s not always the case.” The new responsibili- ties involving police com- plaints, data protection and whistleblower complaints from the public and pri- vate sectors will not be dealt with right away. The government’s Whis- tleblower Law takes effect in February, and data protec- tion legislation passed earlier this year is not coming into force until sometime in 2019. The police complaints func- tion, which is part of the Om- budsman Law, has also not come into force yet. Ombudsman Sandy HermistonThe 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. Our forefathers who built this country had a coop- erative spirit and were not afraid to face challenges. Their dreams were of an out- standing Cayman they could be proud of, where future generations would have life better than what they had. Politicians – we need you to work together. Cayman has challenges ahead. Most of you have an excellent ed- ucation – something that was lacking in the old days. That generation mostly used “common sense. Even though they were small in numbers, they made a difference. We need you to continue building on this work. What will history say of you if you do not follow the path of your forefathers? You do not want to be re- membered as the genera- tion that sat on the edge of Bartlett Deep. You want to be the generation that moved Cayman to high ground, showing the world you are born leaders and will con- tinue to lead. You have the potential to bring down the cost of living, to provide healthcare for all, to secure our borders, make our airline profitable, re- vamp our school system and address other important is- sues. As someone who helped our islands get to where we are today, I have many ideas about how we might do this: ■■ Bring down the cost of living by 25-30 percent by repealing import duties on food, gas and diesel, and replacing them with a small government stamp fee for all bank transac- tions. So much of the fi- nancial activity “on island” only takes place on paper ■■ Offer all born Cayma- nians aged 60 and older the same stipend and life insurance policy re- ceived by veterans and seamen. They were pil- lars of our economy, just as the seamen were. Re- duce health insurance premiums by offering one healthcare policy for all ■■ Diversify our economy by supporting medical tourism and biotech- nology firms that might benefit from our friendly regulatory climate ■■ Reduce the cost of gov- ernment by requiring gov- ernment employees to pay 50 percent of their health insurance and pension contributions. Pay wages comparable to the pri- vate sector. Lease govern- ment vehicles and pur- chase fuel from retail or wholesale outlets. Require regular audits of govern- ment companies and au- thorities. If they are not profitable, lease them or shut them down. Save money on education by having high schoolers at- tend school from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and rent the build- ings out for the remainder of the day – perhaps to an overseas university that wants to establish a campus in Cayman ■■ Promote tourism by moving the visitors’ infor- mation bureau to down- town George Town and making the area more pedestrian-friendly. Dis- tribute free materials promoting our history, finance industry and tourism to all visitors ■■ Protect our natural re- sources by endeavoring to go green by 2040. Protect Stingray City by limiting boat size and number – pay for enforcement by charging visitors $1 each. Immediately stop excava- tion of fill on the island, importing it, instead. Lo- cate the port in deep water – absolutely no dredging. Impose a 1 percent struc- tural fee on all present and future structures over 25,000 square feet to pay for conservation. Give the dump to Dart – he is right next door and has a vested interest ■■ Companies who have been registered in Cayman for more than seven years should be of- fered Caymanian status, with certain conditions. Children, spouses and ex- spouses of Caymanians should immediately be granted Caymanian status ■■ It currently costs govern- ment $5,950 per month to incarcerate offenders. We must reduce the number of people in our prisons, and the number who reoffend. Six months before pris- oners are scheduled for release, they should be em- ployed by government at 50 percent the going rate. If they follow rules and do the work, provide a certifi- cate of satisfactory com- pletion they can show pro- spective employers. If they do not re-offend for three years, clear their record ■■ Promote the well-being of born Caymanians by requiring all registered companies with em- ployees hire a minimum of 30 percent Cayma- nians. Hire competent Caymanians as judges and other members of the judiciary. At least 30 per- cent of our police force should be local persons. Act now to bar price gouging in time of di- saster. Outlaw monopolies to promote free enterprise ■■ Finally, create an elder advisory board to advise on these issues. We older Caymanians have a lot of knowledge to share. Think how lucky and blessed we are in Cayman. We have no direct taxation, yet our island rates among the best in the world. We have a heritage to be more than proud of, so it is to our gov- ernment to continue moving the Cayman Islands into un- charted waters, finding new possibilities. Others may follow, but Cayman must re- main the leader. Be confident, courageous and honest. We can achieve anything we set our hearts on, with God’s help. The fu- ture has never been brighter. God bless you, and may God continue to bless these beloved Cayman Islands. Eletta Soto FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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” LETTER TO THE EDITOR 10 ideas for making Cayman a better place for us all Puerto Rico: reconstruction and a chance for improvement WASHINGTON POST EDITORIAL Imagine a catastrophe that left the residents of Mon- tana, Maine and Rhode Island without power, water and food. Immediate help would be rushed to them. Any sug- gestion they might have to wait months to get electricity or phone service restored would be rejected out of hand. Similarly, there should be no question — only urgency — in getting help to the 3.4 million Americans who live in Puerto Rico and whose lives have been devastated by back-to- back hurricanes this month. A week after Hurricane Maria battered Puerto Rico on the heels of a glancing blow from Hurricane Irma, the scope of a worsening hu- manitarian crisis has come into sharper focus, as have the challenges of getting sup- plies and help to the stricken island. At least 16 people died in Puerto Rico as a result of Hurricane Maria, and Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló has warned that continuing problems could threaten more lives. Of particular concern is a dam in the country’s north- west corner that was weak- ened by Maria and could col- lapse, threatening thousands. President Donald Trump last week approved a disaster declaration for Puerto Rico that permits hurricane vic- tims to receive federal aid, but more may need to be done to overcome the logis- tical obstacles of getting help to an island 1,000 miles from Miami. Among the sugges- tions: stepping up military assistance and waiving fed- eral restrictions on foreign ships’ transportation of cargo to Puerto Rico and other areas affected by Maria, as was done after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma hit. The president’s silence over the weekend caused worry about whether Puerto Rico would be a priority for the administration. That homeland security adviser Tom Bossert and Brock Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Man- agement Agency,traveled to Puerto Rico on Monday, and that Trump plans a trip next week, are hopefully signs of the administration taking the crisis seriously. So, too, is the promise by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., that Washington will make sure the people of Puerto Rico “have what they need.” The first order of business must be getting people out of harm’s way and providing life’s essentials. But there also is a need for a sound, long- term rebuilding and economic plan. Even before the storms struck, the island’s infrastruc- ture and economy were in tat- ters. Thought needs to go into how to rebuild better and not simply replace. Does it make sense, for example, to rebuild a power grid dependent on diesel generators, or should this tropical island explore al- ternative energy? The people of Puerto Rico face a difficult reconstruction process, but out of what their governor called this “critical disaster,” there also can be op- portunities for improvement. © 2017, The Washington PostThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 © 2017 PricewaterhouseCoopers, a Cayman Islands partnership. All rights reserved. PwC’s Career development programme www.pwc.com/ky 3,012 hours of summer work experience 40 professional exams sat Talent, hard work & opportunity. You bring the first two, we’ll take care of the rest! 18 students working with Risk Assurance, People & Organization, Audit & IT $177, 683 invested in scholarships 37 students & parents attended our College, Careers & Coffee eventDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days East End North Side FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 years ago: MLAs discuss tourism In the Sept. 27, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, the fol- lowing report appeared: “The Legislative As- sembly took time to discuss the question of tourism briefly when considering … the Hotels Aid Law. “The President asked whether the House thought we were offering enough incentives. He referred to the meeting held recently with Mr. Chenea who had largely been responsible for the promotion of tourism in the Bahamas and who had given some very useful ad- vice, amongst which he had said that we need a 200-300 bedroom hotel (i.e., for 400- 600 persons) here straight away. This would entice the existing airlines to give us a better service and/or en- courage a third airline to come into the islands. It would also provide facili- ties for conventions which would ensure it being uti- lised in the summer period as well. To this should be tied a golf course. “His Honour felt that our tourist industry needs a boost and we should go flat out to build hotels espe- cially as one airline has spe- cifically stated that it has no interest in coming here until we can offer 1,000 bedrooms and we are not yet up to 700. “He invited Mr. B.O. Ebanks Jr. to give a brief report on his attendance at the meeting of the Carib- bean Travel Association in Puerto Rico recently. “Mr. Ebanks told the House that at the meeting there were representatives from Pan America Airlines, international hotels and one from the Saturday Evening Review. These were all men of high calibre, all three of them having been, at some time, advisers to the Secre- tary of Commerce in the U.S. “One thing that had struck him forcibly in talking to these men was the question of cottages in view of the feeling here that cottages are less desirable than a big hotel. “It was driven home to him that the two go hand- in-hand, because the people who occupy the cottages utilise the services – bars, restaurants, etc., that the hotels provide and this is a big part of their busi- ness. This is an important point, especially if, by the building of cottages, we can induce longer staying visi- tors which may even extend into the summer months and thus be a means of sup- porting the larger hotels.” Boy donates birthday money to Children’s Garden For the second consec- utive year, 9-year-old Kaz Conolly Basdeo has do- nated all the money he re- ceived at his birthday party to the Children’s Garden development at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. Kaz handed over the $400 donation to the park’s general manager, John Lawrus, on Sept. 23. Mr. Lawrus said he was “sincerely touched by the generous donation, yet again from Kaz.” “He truly is a leader al- ready and firmly believes in the benefits that the Chil- dren’s Garden is going to bring to the Cayman Is- lands,” Mr. Lawrus said. Kaz said he decided again to give his birthday money to the Children’s Garden because “I like the idea of how they are trying to get children to learn about nature and our surroundings.” The Children’s Garden, which broke ground last month, is situated between the Visitor Centre and the Heritage Garden in the Bo- tanic Park. It includes an “outdoor classroom” where students can take part in field trips and earth sci- ence lessons. A “grow zone” is also planned, which will include a planting bed for each school to use so chil- dren can learn about polli- nation, flowering and har- vesting, as well as pest and disease problems. There will also be a sensory garden area, discovery pond, eco- system and wildlife areas. Kaz’s mother Marilyn Conolly said, “I’m happy that Kaz decided to con- tribute to a project that will strengthen children’s con- nection to our environment through play. I hope that the garden will inspire many children to be good stew- ards of our planet, starting with their own community.” Patrick Thompson, di- rector of the Tourism At- traction Board, thanked Kaz for his contribution to the project, saying, “The interest, dedication and overall enthusiasm he has shown towards this project is an indicator of how well it will be received by the youth of our community. He is truly a shining example of the future of Cayman.” Repairs under way to restore historic Gun Bay church JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Repairs will soon be com- pleted on Gun Bay United Church, two years after the building was closed because of structural problems. The modest church, for- merly the Presbyterian church, at 110 years old is thought to be the oldest sur- viving church building in the Cayman Islands. Builder Dawson Whit- taker oversaw the renovation work, assisted by masons who removed three white lime walls and replaced them with 8-inch thick cement blocks and installed hurri- cane impact windows. The work, which began at the end of August, is expected to be completed in about two weeks, Mr. Whittaker said. “We’re just basically taking out the sections where it needs [to be] repaired,” he said. “We took out three walls – two side walls and a front entrance wall – nothing much was done to the back rooms because that was added on just recently and the top and ceilings are fine.” The Cayman Compass pre- viously reported that Bryan Bothwell, with the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, which is in charge of the church, said professional consultants had advised the church that the damage to the building could have been caused by stress or seismic activity. The Gun Bay Congrega- tional Board then decided as a safety precaution to sus- pend the use of the sanctuary because the structure had been deemed unsafe to ac- commodate any meetings. The church had at least one beam that was separating from the structure, and cracks in the walls, due to which it was closed suddenly with ev- erything inside. Members said at the time that they were given letters and locked out. The United Church in Ja- maica and the Cayman Is- land Cayman Council Of- fice said the current repairs are being carried out on the building by the church. “How it is being funded is not a matter for discus- sion,” said council officer John McMillian. An organ, which church elder Frank Conolly said the church bought for $10,000 shortly before it closed, and a piano that cost $7,000, may have gone to ruin. Before the keys to the church were taken away, he said, he regularly checked on the church. During the repairs to the church when he was able to get back in, he found the organ was “dumb.” Pastor Alice Blair says she is just happy that the congre- gation will soon be moving back into the church. The church will be hosting a re-dedication ceremony. In the meantime, while repairs are being undertaken, the 30 or so members of the church are worshiping at the Wil- liam Allen McLaughlin Civic Centre in East End. Church history The history of the Pres- byterian church in Grand Cayman, now known as the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, had its beginnings because of a shipwreck in 1845. At the time of the ship- wreck, the island had about 1,500 inhabitants. One of the people on the ship was Rev. Hope Waddell who, when he found that there was no organized church on the islands, appealed to Presbyterian authorities in Jamaica for assistance in setting one up. It is not known what year the first church structure was built on the Gun Bay site, but it was destroyed by a storm in 1903. The present church was built in 1907. 9-year-old Kaz Conolly Basdeo presents his $400 donation to the Botanic Park’s general manager, John Lawrus, on Sept. 23. New cement walls and hurricane impact windows are part of the renovation of Gun Bay United Church. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY A workman cuts lumber for the repairs that are under way.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 Charge withdrawn against business operating on public beach Specific permission needed for business on Crown land CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three defendants’ court cases have been affected by a recent grant of permission to operate a business on the public beach. In Summary Court on Thursday, Crown counsel Greg Walcolm advised that the Crown was withdrawing a charge against Eric Ebanks. He had been charged with operating E and D Rentals, renting chairs and umbrellas, at Seven Mile Beach on Sept. 15, 2016, without a license. The charge was set out in a ticket issued by an en- forcement officer from the Department of Commerce and Investment. Attorney Philip Ebanks appeared for Mr. Ebanks, as well as for Raul Gonzalez and David Gilbert Lyons, who faced the same charge. These two men were directed to re- turn to court next week. Mr. Walcolm told Mag- istrate Grace Donalds there had been “discourse” between these defendants and the De- partment of Commerce and Investment. Many other busi- ness operators were also af- fected, he indicated. As a result of discussions, there were training sessions as to how the operators were to conduct their business properly in the public area, Mr. Walcolm said. In the pro- cess, it was established that the businesses had been oper- ating without permission “in that specific area.” Many had general licenses, he noted, but licenses are “location-specific.” Since the public beach is Crown property, permission is needed to operate in that area, Mr. Walcolm continued. The Ministry of Planning has been involved in the dis- course and there has been good progress in relation to setting up the appropriate de- partment. In particular, there has been a grant of permis- sion to operate on the public beach, Mr. Walcolm stated. The grant was made quite re- cently and Eric Ebanks was on the list of people who have been granted permis- sion to operate in the area. The charge against him was brought before the grant of permission, but since the grant he had dutifully applied for his trade and business license. Since he had now regular- ized his business, it was the Crown’s view that the public interest no longer supported prosecution of the matter. In those circumstances, Mr. Walcolm concluded, he was withdrawing the charge. Regarding other operators on the public beach who come before the court, “our action today will extend to them on proof of their application for a trade and business license.” The magistrate asked the defense attorney if he wished to say anything. “A lot could be said,” Mr. Philip Ebanks replied. “What we have always believed should be the true position has occurred. We thank the Crown for taking these steps.” He later asked that the other two defendants be given a further week for the requi- site applications to be made and then for the Crown to take the same action as in the Eric Ebanks case. The matters were adjourned until Oct. 5. In the case of Mr. Gon- zalez, the attorney had previ- ously pointed out that there was a license for the busi- ness of Blue Water Island Ad- venture Tours, but it was the for the physical location of the office rather than the ac- tual site on which the busi- ness was conducted. DRIVER FLEES ACCIDENT SCENE IN GEORGE TOWN A driver of a silver Honda that collided with an SUV, forcing the driver of that ve- hicle to crash into the A. L. Thompson fence, fled after the crash Wednesday night. Police said the collision oc- curred shortly before 11 p.m. Emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene by the 911 Communication Centre to the Butterfield roundabout in George Town. When they ar- rived, they found the female driver of the SUV, a red Ford Explorer. According to a state- ment from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, “This accident occurred when a second vehicle, described as a silver Honda, collided with the front of the red Ford truck, causing the driver of the truck to lose control of the vehicle and crash into the fence. “The driver of the silver sedan vehicle did not stop and await the police.” HELICOPTER/LASER TRIAL ADJOURNED TO OCT. 11 CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The man accused of shining a laser at an in-flight helicopter and its crew has had his trial adjourned until Wednesday, Oct. 11. Javonnie Silburn, 21, has pleaded not guilty to causing harassment, alarm or distress by shining a red laser beam at the police helicopter while it was over East End on the night of April 29, 2015. Trial was to have resumed this week for the evidence of Police Officer Neil Mohammed, who had been on a hurri- cane relief mission in Turks and Caicos. However, defense attorney John Furniss ex- plained, the matter had to be adjourned again because of pressure of time. Magistrate Grace Donalds, who is hearing the matter, had another court list, he pointed out. By 2 p.m., when this trial would have continued, there were still cases to be mentioned. The next convenient date for counsel, the witness and the court was Oct. 11.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS sounded like the house was going to come apart.” In the Cayman Islands, Ms. Rogers’s daughter, Renee Li- ebaers, and her husband Jan, were starting to worry about Renee’s mother. They had not heard directly from her in the immediate aftermath of Irma, and although the Cayman Is- lands government was sending the first of its aid aircraft to its sister territory at that point, Mr. Liebaers said they could not get in touch with Ms. Rogers in enough time to get her on the Cayman Airways plane. Ms. Liebaers said time was against them. Her mother needed to maintain the cancer treatments every three weeks and that was not going to be possible any longer in the Caribbean. “The treatment center she was going to in St. Thomas [in the U.S. Virgin Islands] was destroyed in Irma,” Renee said. “We had to get her out of there. The best so- lution was for her to go back to New Jersey.” New Jersey is where Ms. Rogers’s brother, 82-year-old Cedric Rogers lives. Getting her there proved to be an ad- venture. Ms. Rogers and some of her relatives had heard of U.S. military aircraft landing in Anguilla to deliver emer- gency storm relief supplies, but she missed the first U.S. cargo flight, which arrived a few days after the Cayman Airways plane. Based largely on a rumor that another U.S. plane was coming, Ms. Rogers stayed at the airport, asking the U.S. airmen to pick her up on the next flight. After several hours, the second plane arrived. “There were just a few seats on the side, up against the [aircraft] wall,” Ms. Rogers said. “There was a lot of space in the middle, and that’s where most of the people sat, just on the airplane floor.” She estimates 15-20 Anguillians made the cargo plane flight over to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where they were placed in a 6,000-bed hurricane shelter set up for eastern Carib- bean evacuees. “There were people from all over the Caribbean there,” Ms. Rogers said. “I must say, it was wonderful, immacu- lately clean. They brought me dinner, offered me clothes and shoes, but I didn’t need any of [the clothes]. They of- fered me to stay in a hotel, but I was just tired and said I was fine there.” In the morning, another problem arose. Hurricane Maria, another Category 5 monster storm, was nearing Puerto Rico, where many of the eastern Caribbean evac- uees fled in the wake of Irma. Luckily, she was able to get a U.S. commercial flight to New Jersey the same day – about three days before Ma- ria’s arrival, which devastated the entire island. Arriving in New Jersey, Ms. Rogers was surprised to find her brother had gone on vaca- tion. However, the family made arrangements for her to stay with another relative in the area until Mr. Rogers’s return. In the meantime, she was able to at- tend the Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Center in Somerset, N.J., and received a preliminary assessment from doctors on Wednesday. Ms. Liebaers and Ms. Rogers agree that her lung cancer condition worsened be- cause she had gone six weeks without any treatment as a result of the storms. How- ever, Ms. Rogers is hopeful that the U.S. doctors can get her back on track. She hopes she can return to Anguilla as soon as possible. “My house doesn’t have any major damage,” she said. “I’ve lost a few coconut trees.” Reflecting on the whole or- deal, Ms. Rogers is quite posi- tive. “That’s life,” she said. “I’m 87 years old. I’ve had a good life. I’ve enjoyed good health. My lung cancer came on me in January and I was shocked because I’ve never been sick. But I’m still very grateful. It’s fine if I make it to 89, that’s longer than most people get.” MUFG donates to HospiceCare JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com MUFG Investor Ser- vices showed its support for Cayman HospiceCare with a $1,000 donation on Thursday. Jess Deegenaars, execu- tive and marking assistant at MUFG, along with Ri- cardo Dabrio presented the check to Kerrie McMillan, fundraising and events co- ordinator at HospiceCare’s West Bay offices. The donation was the re- sult of a terminated trust that needed to be do- nated to a Cayman Islands- based charity. Elaine Walker, MUFG legal counsel, emailed staff to ask if they had a favorite charity for the donation. The charity needed to be a Cayman Is- lands-registered nonprofit or- ganization for charitable pur- poses offered to the public. Sonia Powell’s sugges- tion of Cayman HospiceCare was selected. Felicia McLean, director of operations and nursing at HospiceCare, said the hos- pice service is grateful for the support. She thanked MUFG for hosting a volunteer day earlier this year, adding, “We have become good friends with MUFG in that regards. They are strong supporters of us and we couldn’t do what we do without it.” She also said all of the donation will go into pa- tient care, which helps to pay for nurses’ visits, equipment, medication and whatever support a family needs. “Our services are pro- vided free, and because of donations like this we con- tinue to offer the services free of charge to the people in the Cayman Islands,” Ms. McLean said. She explained that Hospi- ceCare is for people who have terminal or chronic illnesses. HospiceCare nurses and vol- unteers help with pain man- agement and provide holistic services such as massages and music to help augment treatments from nurses and physicians. HospiceCare is in the pro- cess of building a facility that will house its adminis- tration and patient care ser- vices under one roof. “We are super excited; the blocks are going up and hopefully in the next 12 to 18 months, we will have our purpose-built facility, which again would not be possible without the sup- port of the community,” Ms. McLean said. For the past year, Hos- piceCare offices have been above Duke’s in Trafalgar Place, West Bay Road. 87-year-old survives Hurricanes Irma and Maria CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Audrey Rogers visited Miss Lassie’s House the last time she was in Cayman. Jess Deegenaars of MUFG, left, and Ricardo Dabrio present the check to Kerrie McMillan, fundraising and events coordinator at Cayman HospiceCare. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY RECORD SUMMER AS TOURISM FIGURES SOAR JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Air arrival figures con- tinued to soar in July and August, with tourism of- ficials predicting the Cayman Islands could see year-end visitor numbers in excess of 400,000 for the first time in 2017. July and August were both record breaking months, with a combined total of 77,030 visitors, ac- cording to the Depart- ment of Tourism. Officials said July was the best month of the year so far, with 45,624 tourists touching down at Owen Roberts International Air- port. Typically, March is the best month of the year for tourism in Cayman. Officials were also happy with the August per- formance, which was nearly 10 percent higher than last year, suggesting the trend demonstrated their success in attracting increased visi- tation in what is typically a slower season. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said, “We can be justly proud of these positive numbers which demonstrate that the strat- egies this government has implemented to boost the shoulder season and slower periods during summer are working well. “I expected to see an uptick in arrivals for July and August from activities such as the Summer Only in Cayman and Culinary Promotions targeted at the USA, but actual results have surpassed all expectations. This is an excellent achieve- ment for the destination.” The U.S. remains the main source of visitors to Cayman and is the main market driving the increases, though there has also been an increase in tourism from Latin America. Arrival num- bers from Europe, the U.K. and Canada are down. Councilor for Tourism, David Wight said the in- crease was helping to offset the impact of a de- cline in cruise ship arrivals due to bad weather. Officials said July was the best month of the year so far, with 45,624 tourists touching down at Owen Roberts International Airport.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 Jorge “George “Rivers July 2, 1960 - September 6, 2017 Sleep in Peace until we meet again Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Sebert Taylor of Fleet Avenue, North Sound Estates, who passed away on Sunday, September 17, 2017. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 10:00a.m. at First Baptist Church, 920 Crewe Road (across from Lion’s Centre). Viewing will be from 9:00-9:45a.m. Interment follows at New Pease Bay Cemetery. had said all along – that the license was granted in March – and he urged the board chairman to now issue his client the license. “We look forward to an outcome which allows him to distribute alcohol on Sun- days in accordance with the conditions set by his re- tail license as quickly as possible,” he said. Govern- ment’s Internal Audit Ser- vice was commissioned to investigate the board’s han- dling of the applications after a series of reports in the Cayman Compass. The audit team reviewed paperwork and interviewed Department of Commerce and Investment staff and members of the Liquor Li- censing Board. The board’s acting chairman, Woody DaCosta, who was removed from the role last month as the saga continued, declined to cooperate with the inves- tigation, according to the audit report. The report concludes that the board did approve the ap- plication from the store for a retail liquor license to allow it to serve alcohol on Sun- days. At the same time, the board refused a separate ap- plication for a wine and beer liquor license, something that has never been disputed. The decision was commu- nicated to the media and the business owner, but the li- cense was not issued. The audit report states, “As concerns with the board’s decision started to materialize, the chair (Mr. DaCosta) requested that the department not proceed with the processing of li- cences associated with the March meeting. “As further information became available, the LLB, while in recess, came to the realization that the as- sumptions on which they based their decision to grant a retail licence was incor- rect. The Board then pro- ceeded to change the offi- cial records and introduce a new policy which was not within their purview.” Mr. DaCosta previously told the Compass that the original decision was com- municated in error and the application was actually re- jected at a separate “elec- tronic meeting.” The internal audit report indicates that the minutes of the March meeting were al- tered after an “extensive ex- change of emails” between board members in June. At this stage, according to the report, the new min- utes still indicated that the retail license for Sunday trading had been granted. It is not clear from the audit exactly what alterations had been made. When the board met for its June quarterly meeting, members were provided with the original set of minutes from the March meeting, rather than the ed- ited version they had agreed to on June 29. According to the report, they voted to ratify the up- dated version and provide it to the board at a later date. On July 5, Mr. DaCosta provided the new minutes to the secretariat, which now indicated, apparently for the first time, that the Peanuts application had been denied. It is not clear from the report, which contains sig- nificant redactions, who else other than Mr. DaCosta was involved in making further changes to the minutes from the June 29 version to the “official version” ultimately provided to DCI and pub- lished on its website. The report confirms, “This version of minutes was dif- ferent from the June 29 ver- sion in that the decision for the retail licence was changed to denied and the rational for both licences reference the new ‘One li- cence – One premise’ LLB interpretation.” The audit also con- cludes that the implemen- tation of a “one license, one premise” policy was over- reach by the board. It states, “The development of this new policy is outside the remit of the board.” 4-legged hurricane evacuees touch down in Cayman JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A charter plane filled with displaced people, and some four legged refugees, from hurricane-hit British Virgin Islands touched down in the Cayman Islands Wednesday night. Seats were removed from the passenger aircraft to make room for pets in crates. A total of eight people, seven dogs and six cats arrived safely in Grand Cayman just after 6 p.m. The new arrivals join ap- proximately 170 residents, the majority from BVI, trans- ferred to the Cayman Islands by businesses who have of- fices in both jurisdictions. The pets will be kept in quar- antine until they are cleared for release by the Department of Agriculture. Robert Briant, head of corporate at Conyers in BVI, was there to meet his family nanny Rowena and their English bulldog Sylvester. Mr. Briant, who was evac- uated to Cayman after the storm, will be joined by his spouse and their 16-month- old daughter, who are cur- rently in New York, next week. “We will go back to BVI, “ he said. “We don’t know how long it will take; it is going to take time to rebuild and we just want the family together in that period.” Cayman charity Must Love Dogs helped coordinate the relief flight along with Ogier law firm. Ogier partner Nick Burkill was on the plane, along with his dog and two cats, Muzzer, Growler and Tiggy. He said he had spent the last 10 days camping in the office with his wife and pets as they coordi- nated with others to put the flight together. He said Ogier’s office had survived the storm but the main problem was housing. Many of the firm’s staff, including Mr. Burkill, saw extensive damage to their homes. Jeremy Barkhouse had only moved to the BVI from England six months before the storm, which blew the roof off the home he was staying in with his wife and child and friends. He said he and four others had struggled for two hours to keep the door from blowing off as the storm bat- tered the house, ripping off part of the roof. His wife’s company arranged for the family to be transported to Grand Cayman and they have been trying to get clear- ance for their cats to join them ever since. He was at the airport Wednesday night to see the cats, Sausage and Mash, ar- rive on the charter plane. “They were part of the family. We had them as kit- tens and they are now 10 years old,” he said. The owners must wait, however, to be reunited with their pets, which were whisked immediately to a specially created quarantine zone. The Department of Ag- riculture has expedited the import process but they must still go through a vetting pro- cess, which can take from a few days to several months, depending on the animals’ vaccination records. They are currently in a secure fa- cility donated temporarily by Dart Enterprises. Aimee McKie, of Must Love Dogs, said the DOA had been extremely accommodating to allow for the animals to be imported temporarily. She said the charity had got involved because it recog- nized that people’s pets were “part of the family.” The flight returned to BVI Thursday morning loaded with supplies, including a donation of blood for the hospital. Seats were removed from the passenger aircraft to make room for pets in crates. A total of eight people, seven dogs and six cats arrived safely in Grand Cayman just after 6 p.m. Audit: Liquor Board reversed decision, altered minutes CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Shelter from the storm: BVI residents in Cayman were able to transport their pets on a charter plane, which also brought more residents to the island. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER Sylvester the English bulldog was on board the charter flight to join his BVI family in Cayman.Next >