ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2017 High of 88 Low of 78 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 REJECTING ‘PREJUDICE’: THE DAY OUR PREMIER SPOKE FOR ALL OF CAYMAN LOCAL | PAGE 7 PLANNING STATISTICS SHOW ‘EXPLOSION’ IN DEVELOPMENT Road User Our comprehensive cover is now even more generous. Free roadside assistance comes with your comprehensive insurance from BritCay. Pay up to 15% less for comprehensive insurance and claim a 10% discount if you have BritCay home insurance. Deductibles from $200 for no additional premium. Zero deductible windscreen cover too! Ask for a Road User quote! Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY 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 900 arrested for immigration offenses BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com More than 900 arrests have been made since July for various immigration violations related to staying or working illegally in the Cayman Islands, Immigration Department of- ficials confirmed Tuesday. A total of 336 people were arrested be- tween July 1 and Tuesday, Nov. 7 for over- staying or assisting another person to over- stay, Ministry of Immigration Chief Officer Wes Howell confirmed. During Legislative Assembly Finance Com- mittee proceedings this week, lawmakers like East End MLA Arden McLean said illegal im- migrants staying in Cayman were a bigger problem than the territory has seen in its recent history. “There are too many rumors of people who are living illegally on this island,” Mr. McLean said, adding that immigration, police and customs officials seemed to be stepping up their enforcement efforts within the past 18 months or so. Mr. McLean’s perception of more illegal overstayers may be correct. The 336 arrests for the offense in less than half the year were more than the combined totals the Immigra- tion Department reported for 2010 and 2011 (191 overstaying arrests for both years). However, Premier Alden McLaughlin said those arrests, while of concern, may not re- ceive the public attention previously given to the crime. “I think we’re doing more [enforcement] now than ever before,” the premier said. “But I suppose, in the grand scheme of things, sad to say, these offenses are … not making the waves they once did.” Also, many overstaying cases do not come before the Cayman Islands court system, since the Immigration Department was given the EVIDENCE LACKING IN HALF OF MOTORBIKE CASES BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nine traffic offense investigations in- volving motorbike riders arrested since last December have been closed due to “insuffi- cient evidence,” the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service reported this week. Two other matters before the Traffic Court ended in the defendants pleading guilty, with one receiving a two-year driving sus- pension and multiple fines, the RCIPS said in a statement responding to Cayman Com- pass questions. Five other cases involving the use of six dirt bikes or motorbikes remain open at present, police said. Two of those cases are due to go to court on Dec. 4. According to the RCIPS, police officers have taken possession of 23 motorbikes since the department began a heightened crackdown targeting the vehicles last December. Seven- teen of the bikes were taken as a result of traffic offenses; the six others were located as recovered stolen property. “Of those 17 [traffic offenses], nine of the cases have been closed with no further ac- tion due to insufficient evidence,” the RCIPS statement read. The determination regarding insufficient evidence in the nine motorbike cases was made following review of the various cases by the Director of Public Prosecutions, according to a department spokesperson. The depart- ment did not divulge specific reasons as to why insufficient evidence was found in any of the investigations, but generally speaking, police need to prove that the person arrested Daily complaints about taxi and bus drivers JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A total of 450 “enforcement actions” have been taken against public bus, tour and taxi opera- tors in the past year, the director of the Public Transport Unit re- vealed Wednesday. Facing questions from leg- islators about the conduct and driving standards of public transport license holders, Durk Banks acknowledged the unit was dealing with complaints on a daily basis. Despite the high number of sanctions, he said only two drivers had faced the ultimate punishment of having their li- cense revoked. Legislators’ concerns cen- tered primarily on mini bus drivers stopping in the middle of the road, driving too fast or recklessly, and failing to com- plete their routes, particularly in the eastern districts. The issue was the main talking point during discus- sion of the Public Transport Unit’s budget in Finance Com- mittee Wednesday. North Side legislator Ezzard Miller said constituents heading Extra police officers on waterfront Police Constable Christopher Donaldson directs traffic during a busy cruise ship day in downtown George Town Wednesday. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service has seconded additional officers to the waterfront to help deal with traffic and crowd management in the wake of an influx of cruise ship visitors. Cayman is expecting some 70 additional cruise calls between now and April after several cruise lines moved ships from eastern Caribbean routes following two major hurricanes that wreaked havoc in popular tourist hot spots, including Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands. For more, see page 9. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9, 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 - JIGSAW (R) 12:25 I 2:45 I 4:00 VIP I 5:10 I 7:30 I 10:00 THOR: RAGNAROK 3D (PG13) 12:30 2D VIP I 12:55 I 3:55 2D I 7:00 9:55 I 10:00 2D VIP GEOSTORM 3D (PG13) 1:00 2D I 4:00 I 7:10 2D I 9:50 BAD MOMS CHRISTMAS (R) 1:10 I 4:15 I 7:10 I 9:45 TYLER PERRY’S BOO2! A MADEA HALLOWEEN (PG13) 12:45 I 3:35 I 6:40 I 9:35 Dead snorkeler named as US doctor A snorkeler who died Saturday after getting into difficulty off Cem- etery Beach in West Bay has been named by police as Rodney Lamb. Dr. Lamb, 64, an obste- trician from Colorado, had been visiting the Cayman Islands with his family. A second man, age 57, also got into difficulty at the time. He was treated at the Cayman Islands Hos- pital and later released. The fatality is the sev- enth water-related death in Cayman this year. WOMAN ROBBED IN WEST BAY Police are investigating a robbery in West Church Street, West Bay, late Tuesday night in which a woman reported she was robbed outside her home. The woman told police that after she arrived home and exited her vehicle, she was confronted by a man who pressed an “unknown object” against her side and demanded her purse. She handed over her purse, which contained cash and personal items, police said. The suspect is described as being about 6 feet tall, with slim build. He was wearing dark clothing and the lower half of his face was covered. US tightens rules for Americans visiting Cuba WASHINGTON (AP) – Ameri- cans who visit Cuba must now avoid hotels, shops, tour companies and other businesses on a lengthy list released Wednesday by the Trump administra- tion as part of a new policy aimed at cracking down on the communist-run is- land’s government. U.S. travelers will once again be required to go as part of organized tour groups run by U.S. companies, and a representative of the spon- soring group must accom- pany the travelers. That is a return to the stricter rules that existed before former President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro restored diplomatic rela- tions in 2015. The new rules and list of off-limits entities are in- tended to put in place the tougher Cuba policy that President Donald Trump an- nounced in June. Trump’s administration took several months to finalize the details of that policy, which will take affect Thursday. Some exceptions will ac- commodate Americans who made plans or entered into business agreements before Trump’s policy announce- ment June 16, such as “people to people” trips to Cuba. But at the same time, the Treasury Department said it is expanding and simplifying a license that allows some products to be exported to Cuba without specific permis- sion from the U.S. government. The goal in allowing those exports is to enable Ameri- cans to help the growing pri- vate sector in Cuba, including small businesses that have popped up across the island in recent years. “We have strengthened our Cuba policies to channel economic activity away from the Cuban military and to en- courage the government to move toward greater political and economic freedom for the Cuban people,” Treasury Sec- retary Steven Mnuchin said. The list of off-limits enti- ties bars American business with the large military-run corporations that dominate the Cuban economy. These include GAESA and CIMEX, the holding companies that control most retail business on the island; Gaviota, the largest tourism company; and Habaguanex, the firm that runs Old Havana. It also places off limits a new cargo port and spe- cial trade zone outside the city of Mariel that has been the focus of Cuba’s ef- forts to draw foreign invest- ment in manufacturing and distribution. A list of blacklisted mili- tary-run hotels includes the Manzana Kempinski, which opened with great fanfare this year as Cuba’s first hotel to meet the international five- star standard. The actual impact on American business with Cuba will likely be limited because that trade is already sparse, and the rules allow it to largely continue. Many Amer- ican travelers stay at hotels not on the new list, and the company that imports most American food products to Cuba is similarly unaffected. U.S. flight and cruises are ex- empted as well. Left unchanged is a U.S. travel warning that urges all Americans to stay away from Cuba. The administration is- sued that warning in Sep- tember amid a series of in- visible, unexplained attacks that have harmed the health of U.S. government personnel in Havana. The U.S. says 24 Americans are “medically confirmed” to have been af- fected by those attacks. Venezuela assembly passes new law clamping down on media CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuela’s all-powerful con- stitutional assembly passed a wide-reaching law on Wednesday that clamps down on social media and broad- casters alike by ordering prison sentences of up to 20 years for anyone who in- stigates hate. The pro-government as- sembly passed the law, ac- companied by rousing ap- plause and flag-waving on the chamber floor. It prohibits Ven- ezuelans from spreading any message through television, radio or social media that in- stigates violence or hate. It drew swift criticism from international human rights ad- vocates, who say the new law cracks down on dissent by criminalizing peaceful pro- tests, the hallmark of a demo- cratic society. “The law seeks to end free speech in social media – a key space for Venezuelans to ex- press themselves in a country with shrinking free speech av- enues,” said Jose Miguel Viv- anco of the New York-based Human Rights Watch. Backers of socialist Nicolas Maduro have often accused opponents of being fascists spreading hateful messages. The law also targets polit- ical parties that promote “fas- cism, intolerance or national hate,” prohibiting them from registering with the govern- ment-stacked National Elec- toral Council. That appears aimed at opposition parties that claim council officials committed fraud in recent re- gional elections handily won by pro-government candidates. Opposition party leaders have vowed not to partici- pate in upcoming munic- ipal elections. The law requires admin- istrators of social media ac- counts to immediately remove any hateful posts. It also calls for the creation of a com- mission to enforce the anti- hate law, which carries pun- ishments of 10 to 20 years in prison. The new pro-govern- ment constitutional assembly was installed in August and given virtually unlimited powers. Many foreign govern- ments consider the assembly illegitimate. Constitutional assembly president Delcy Rodriguez, who oversaw the law’s pas- sage, defended it as sending a strong message to any- body wanting to promote war. Rather, they should spread of “messages of peace,” she said. “This is a law that pro- motes peaceful coexistence,” she said. “Something that the world needs precisely in these moments when the imperial powers threaten with more war.” A man takes a photo of a cruise ship in Havana harbor, Cuba. – PHOTO: AP MEXICO DEFENDS RECORD AFTER REPORT ON MILITARY ABUSES MEXICO CITY (AP) – The Mexican government reaf- firmed its commitment to human rights Wednesday after a study found that nearly all cases of alleged abuses against civilians by soldiers fighting the war on drug gangs go unsolved and unpunished. A government statement said the Attorney Gener- al’s Office is working to- ward “structural and insti- tutional changes to put an end to impunity and pursue human rights violations” through the creation of special investigative units. It added that prosecu- tors have already put in mo- tion changes that emerged from a February execu- tive report and that ad- dress several recommenda- tions in the study released Tuesday by the Washington Office on Latin America. The government said the military has broad- ened training for soldiers, resulting in a reduction of complaints to the National Human Rights Commission. It drew swift criticism from international human rights advocates, who say the new law cracks down on dissent by criminalizing peaceful protests, the hallmark of a democratic society.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2017 CAYMAN’S ULTIMATE HEALTH, WELLNESS & beauty EVENT presented by cayman health save the date january 20, 2018The 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. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” WASHINGTON – Such is the federal government’s sprawl, and its power to es- tablish new governing prec- edents, mere Washington twitches can jeopardize ven- erable principles and insti- tutions. This is illustrated by a seemingly small but actually momentous provi- sion of the Republicans’ tax bill – a 1.4 percent excise tax on the endowment earn- ings of approximately 70 col- leges and universities with the largest per student en- dowments. To raise less than $3 billion in a decade – less than 0.005 percent of pro- jected federal spending of $53 trillion – Republicans would blur important dis- tinctions and abandon their defining mission. Private foundations, which are generally run by small coteries, pay a “super- visory tax” on investment in- come to defray the cost of IRS oversight to guarantee that their resources are used for charitable purposes. In 1984, however, Congress cre- ated a new entity, an “oper- ating foundation.” Such or- ganizations – e.g., often museums or libraries – are exempt from the tax on in- vestment earnings because they apply their assets di- rectly to their charitable ac- tivities rather than making grants to other organiza- tions, as do foundations that therefore must pay the su- pervisory tax. Most university endow- ments are compounds of thousands of individual funds that often are re- stricted to particular uses, all of which further the in- stitutions’ educational pur- poses. Hence these en- dowments are akin to the untaxed “operating foun- dations.” Yet the Republi- cans, without public de- liberations, and without offering reasons, would ar- bitrarily make university en- dowments uniquely subject to a tax not applied to sim- ilar entities. Are Republicans aware, for example, that Princeton’s endowment earnings fund more than half its annual budget, and will support ex- pansion of the student body? It also enables “need-blind” admissions: More than 60 percent of undergraduates receive financial assistance; those from families with in- comes below $65,000 pay no tuition, room or board; those from families with in- comes below $160,000 pay no tuition. No loans are re- quired. Ph.D. candidates re- ceive tuition and a stipend for living costs. Furthermore, the endowment has funded a significant increase in stu- dents from low-income fam- ilies: Princeton has recently tripled to 22 percent the portion of freshmen from families with the most sub- stantial financial needs. The idea that Princeton is largely populated by children of alumni is a canard slain by this fact: Such “legacies” are only 13 percent of this year’s freshman class. For eight centuries, sur- viving thickets of ecclesi- astical and political inter- ferences, the world’s great research universities have enabled the liberal arts to flourish, the sciences to ad- vance, and innovation to propel economic betterment. Increasingly, they foster up- ward mobility that fulfills democratic aspirations and combats the stagnation of elites. It is astonishingly shortsighted to jeopardize all this, and it is unseemly to do so in a scramble for resources to make a tax bill conform to the transi- tory arithmetic of a budget process that is a laby- rinth of trickery. Great universities are great because philanthropic generations have borne the cost of sustaining private in- stitutions that seed the na- tion with excellence. Donors have done this in the expec- tation that earnings accruing from their investments will be devoted solely to educa- tional purposes, in perpe- tuity. This expectation will disappear, and the generosity that it has sustained will di- minish, if Republicans si- phon away a portion of en- dowments’ earnings in order to fund the federal govern- ment’s general operations. Its appetite whetted by 1.4 percent, the political class will not stop there. Once the understanding that until now has protected en- dowments is shredded, there will be no limiting principle to constrain governments – those of the states, too – in their unsleeping search for revenues to expand their power. Public appetites are limitless, as is the polit- ical class’s desire to satisfy them. Hence there is a pe- rennial danger that democ- racy will degenerate into looting – scrounging for re- sources, such as universities’ endowments, that are part of society’s seed corn for pros- perous tomorrows. Government having long ago slipped the leash of re- straint, the public sector’s sprawl threatens to enfeeble the private institutions of civil society that mediate between the individual and the state and that leaven so- ciety with energy and cre- ativity that government cannot supply. Time was, conservatism’s central ar- gument for limiting govern- ment was to defend these institutions from being starved of resources and functions by government. Abandonment of this argu- ment is apparent in the van- dalism that Republicans are mounting against universi- ties’ endowments. This raid against little platoons of independent ex- cellence would be unsur- prising were it proposed by progressives, who are ever eager to extend govern- ment’s reach and to break private institutions to the state’s saddle. Coming from Republicans, it is acutely discouraging. Disclosure: Mr. Will is a former Princeton trustee. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2017, Washington Post Writers Group “There is no future … in isolationist policies, in over- protectionism and constantly hammering … the source of Cayman’s prosperity.” – Premier Alden McLaughlin On Tuesday in the Legislative Assembly, the elected leader of our country stood tall and delivered a principled message of inclusion, decency, judicious- ness and foresight. The premier’s speech represents an important moment for Mr. McLaughlin as a statesman and the Cayman Islands as a society. When our country first began to achieve success as a financial services and tourism destination, Cayman’s population – local and foreign – was largely unified by a sense of common purpose. Over the decades – as the expatriates’ share of the population approached 50 percent – amid the accumulating trappings of wealth and the evolving physical landscape of our islands, the appearance of inequality (some real, some perceived) simultaneously began to develop. Are some individuals in Cayman “better off” than others? Of course. Is almost everyone in Cayman – to a man, woman and child – “better off” now than they would have been in Cayman’s economy of 60 years ago? Also of course. Rather than focusing on the undeniable common prosperity enjoyed by our country and made possible by the mutually beneficial partnership forged genera- tions ago between Caymanians and non-Caymanians – waves of politicians, opportunists and the down- right disgruntled have increasingly engaged in ora- torical odium that has reverberated within the walls of the Legislative Assembly, been amplified on the campaign trail and echoed throughout the anonymous comments on local websites and social media. With words and deeds, they have widened the cracks fragmenting our population and caused new fissures to form. Premier McLaughlin in his House remarks was calling on the people of these islands to reject pur- poseful divisiveness and the hate speech promulgated by the loud and the few. On the House floor, such speech is protected by parliamentary privilege; in the media it is protected by anonymity. The premier’s speech was an affirmation of the basic alignment of views of Cayman’s two major parties and leading politicians – Mr. McLaughlin and Speaker McKeeva Bush, who, to give him his due, has long sung from this songsheet. Of course, there will always be hate-filled voices in our community, and neither the premier, the speaker, or anyone else in our free society should attempt to silence them (unless they breach the boundaries of libel and defamation). No, the antidote to hate speech, divisive speech or merely speech that we may find disagreeable, para- doxically, is not less speech – but more. We must identify, isolate, and vociferously condemn those who choose to divide us as a small island nation, populated roughly equally by Caymanians and foreign residents who have moved here from more than 100 countries. In truth, many of Cayman’s actual adversaries exist beyond our borders, and they are launching continual assaults on our country, the fundamental underpin- nings of our economic model and our conservative social values. These are beliefs worth standing up for and, collectively, speaking up for. Rejecting ‘prejudice’: The day our premier spoke for all of Cayman THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS A disconcerting raid on university endowments GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE Great universities are great because philanthropic generations have borne the cost of sustaining private institutions that seed the nation with excellence. 5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2017 CINCINNATI BUFFALO IOWA SOUTH DAKOTA STATE RICHMOND UAB LOUISIANALOUISIANALOUISIANA BUFFALOBUFFALO SOUTH DAKOTA STATESOUTH DAKOTA STATE RICHMONDRICHMOND UAB WYOMING NOVEMBER 20th – 22nd 2017 COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT ENDORSED BY THE NCAA FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TICKETS VISIT WWW.CAYMANISLANDSCLASSIC.COM Cayman Islands Rum MEDIA LTD. HURLEY’S Cayman Miss World hopeful arrives in China contest city TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s Miss World rep- resentative Kristin Amaya ar- rived in Sanya, China, Monday, preparing for the Nov. 18, 116-contestant pageant in the Hainan Island resort city. Bodden Town native Ms. Amaya, 24, is Cayman’s first privately sponsored contes- tant in the Miss World pag- eant, having finished second in March’s Miss Cayman competition, subsequently winning permission from government’s Miss Cayman Islands Committee to ap- pear in Sanya. In April, the committee, which held local rights to both the Miss World and Miss Universe contests, relin- quished the former franchise. Local marketing execu- tive Pamela Small, 1992’s Miss Cayman and same-year participant at South Afri- ca’s Miss World and 1993’s Mexico City Miss Universe pageants, won the franchise for her “Miss World Cayman Islands” company in Sep- tember after “months of talks and negotiations” with London-based Miss World owner Julia Morley, widow of event founder Eric Morley. Government still owns the Miss Universe franchise. Miss Cayman winner, West Bay’s Anika Conolly, 27, will represent Cayman in the Nov. 26, 95-contestant Miss Uni- verse pageant in Las Vegas. Ms. Amaya departed Cayman for New York City on Oct. 17, leaving for Hong Kong on Oct. 20, and trav- eling north across the China border on Oct. 22 to the Shenzhen industrial zone be- fore arriving in Guangdong’s thriving provincial capital Guangzhou, joining the Miss World organization and cur- rent titleholder, Puerto Rico’s Stephanie Del Valle. “The girls get dropped off and Miss World be- comes responsible for them,” Ms. Small said. Ms. Amaya’s trainer – local businesswoman and one of Ms. Small’s six Miss World Committee members – Pear- lina McGaw-Lumsden will ultimately join the beauty queen in Sanya, followed on Nov. 15, by Ms. Small herself. Meanwhile, Ms. Small said, “Kristin is great and enjoying it.” She quoted firsthand re- ports from Ms. Amaya: “We started our Miss World Journey in Shenzhen, China. We got straight into daily rehearsals for our re- gion dances, as well as our intro dance. “Zhuhai City was our next stop where we had the pleasure to stay at Chime- long Ocean Kingdom,” Ms. Amaya said. “There we got the oppor- tunity to film, start the head- to-head challenges, continue rehearsals for the show, see a circus show and even had a day to ride roller coasters at Chimelong’s theme park,” she said. Ms. Small picked up the narrative: “Kristin’s Miss World journey then took her into the mountains in Hang- zhou, China,” close to the Chi- nese coast, 670 miles northeast of Hong Kong, “where she got the opportunity to have dinner with the mayor and visit the Stone Forest, as well as the silk museum to learn about the in- tricate process of making silk. “She also had the oppor- tunity to go to the yellow mountains to see the breath- taking view and attend the Miss World opening cere- mony on the very top of this world-famous site.” On Nov. 4, Ms. Amaya said, the group “headed back to Shenzhen, where we attended the golden egg event,” a walk/ run contest and a “worldwide beauties gala.” Nov. 6, she said, they ar- rived in Sanya “where we will remain until finals take place on Nov. 18. “The Miss World organiza- tion, sponsors and the people of China have been extremely hospitable,” she said, “re- minding me of our own warm hospitality back home in the Cayman Islands. This has truly been an experience of a lifetime, experiencing China as Miss World Cayman Is- lands with a prestigious orga- nization such as Miss World.” Ms. Small said, “Kristin looks forward to more touring, rehearsals and filming leading up to the show,” and pointed to “lots of [excitement] about the pageant and loads of pic- tures in social media and the Miss World sites.” “The head-to-head chal- lenges have started. Kristin is in group 20. For each group, a winner will be se- lected to move on to the top 40,” she said. Costs to send a contes- tant to Miss World approach $10,000, Ms. Small said, in- cluding airfare, clothing, ac- cessories, training and other services. She thanked the 14 local sponsors for their contributions. “I had a sponsor pay for my ticket without me even asking,” she said. The contingent plans to return to Cayman on Nov. 20. One of the requirements for a Miss World franchise is that owners stage an annual Miss World contest locally. Ms. Small said she would launch entry and application processes “in early 2018.” Kristin Amaya attends an IBC fashion party Monday night in Sanya, China.6 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Lawmakers in quandary over proving Caymanian status Civil service retains older workers BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands government now has 261 workers over age 60 in its ranks, following a change to the public sector’s retirement age last year. The majority of those in- dividuals, 216, are between ages 60 and 64. Under the previous em- ployment rules, most would have been forced to re- tire at age 60. The vast majority of those older workers are still paying into their civil service retire- ment funds, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said, extol- ling the success of extending government’s mandatory retirement age. “Over 5,000 public ser- vants [now] have greater flex- ibility in their careers and can save longer for retire- ment,” Mr. Manderson said. The government is also employing another 45 in- dividuals who are age 65 or above. Mr. Manderson said, in some cases, the civil service has been flexible where those older workers remained healthy and willing to serve. The number of govern- ment employees age 60 and above is not large compared with the total number of government workers, which stood at more than 5,900 people last year, including those employed with govern- ment’s companies and statu- tory authorities. However, there is a sub- stantive reason Mr. Man- derson and senior civil ser- vice managers want older workers to remain in the government service if they can, and it’s not solely be- cause of their experience and expertise. If the older government employees do stay longer, it would help reduce the un- funded financial liability in the government’s Public Ser- vice Pension fund, which has been estimated recently at close to $300 million over a rolling 20-year period. Portfolio of the Civil Ser- vice Chief Officer Gloria Mc- Field-Nixon said last No- vember that the change in the retirement age to 65 was expected to shave about $30 million off that fu- ture liability. During a presentation in 2016 to a professional devel- opment conference on Grand Cayman, Ms. McField-Nixon noted that some 1,100 civil service workers between ages 50 and 59 could still take early retirement. There were concerns at the time that mass re- tirements of hundreds of workers could hit the civil service all at once. “We’re encouraging them to stay [until 65], and we’ve found that more and more, that the baby boomers [gen- eration born after World War II] are staying with us,” she said. BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com It seems individuals sometimes referred to as “ghost Caymanians,” as well as multigenerational Cay- manians born in the is- lands, have a shared immi- gration problem that is now haunting members of the Legislative Assembly. “It is not a simple matter at all,” Premier Alden McLaughlin said Tuesday. “Some entity or some indi- vidual has got to make a pro- nouncement as to whether or not a person is Cayma- nian. That has fallen to im- migration who, believe you me, would rather not have to deal with it.” The issue surrounds proving whether a person has Caymanian status, which is akin to locally ac- cepted citizenship in the British Overseas Territory. Mr. McLaughlin said this proof apparently becomes more difficult to obtain over time for two types of individ- uals, multigenerational “born” Caymanians and those indi- viduals who came here when they were young or who were born here to non-Caymanian parents and who never reg- ularized their Caymanian status later in life. The latter difficulty, some- times referred to by local im- migration professionals as territorial laws creating “ghost Caymanians,” is about to come directly before the Leg- islative Assembly. It involves the case of a woman who has recently been granted Cayma- nian status by Cabinet. “[This is] a woman who is now in her 40s, who was born in Cayman, went to school in Cayman … considered her- self a Caymanian all the way through,” the premier said. “She wound up marrying a Cuban national who applied for a residence and employ- ment rights certificate based on her Caymanian status. “When immigration asked her to prove she was Cayma- nian, she could not,” he said. Being born in the Cayman Islands does not automati- cally make a person Cayma- nian, according to local im- migration rules. Anyone who has applied for and obtained Cayma- nian status designating their right to be Caymanian during their lifetime will have a copy of the official paperwork they can use to prove that status. However, in the case of someone who was born here to multigenerational Caymanian parents, they may not have ever received those documents. Similarly, a “ghost Cay- manian” who has lived here all their life and never reg- ularized their immigra- tion status would also never have received the neces- sary paperwork. In both cases, neither the person’s birth certificate, nor their British Overseas Territo- ries passport, would be con- sidered absolute proof of lo- cally recognized immigration status. The individual may apply to the Immigration De- partment for the “acknowl- edgement of the right to be Caymanian,” but the proofs required can be onerous – involving receiving parents’ or grandparents’ birth docu- ments or even a DNA test in extreme cases. Making matters worse, the immigration problem often does not arise until later in a person’s life when they are seeking a job, or – in the case now before the Legislative Assembly – when the person gets married to a non-Caymanian. Premier McLaughlin said even his son, Daegan, an at- torney who was recently called to the bar, had to re- ceive an acknowledgement of his citizenship rights. “He was born here to two Caymanian parents, I don’t know how many generations back,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “But he had to go through the process of getting proof he is Caymanian to provide to employers.” East End MLA Arden McLean said there is surely something the Cabinet or government civil service ap- paratus can do to resolve this situation, absent the require- ment of every “born” Cayma- nian or “ghost Caymanian” going down to the Immigra- tion Department to get an acknowledgement. “It’s too late now. They’re here, we need to deal with them,” Mr. McLean said, in reference to the “ghost Cay- manians” issue. As far as the multigen- erational Caymanians, Mr. McLean said: “It’s becoming a hassle for Caymanians and Caymanians are just getting angry about it.” “It is not a simple matter at all.” PREMIER ALDEN MCLAUGHLIN Premier Alden McLaughlin Deputy Governor Franz Manderson Road closures begin Thursday A number of roads in downtown George Town will be closed from Thursday to accommodate the Pirates Week festivities and a law en- forcement recruitment drive. The closures begins at 5 a.m. Thursday, when Edward Street will be closed between Fort Street and Dr. Roy’s Drive (next to Bread & Choc- olate) for the Joint Law En- forcement and Public Safety Recruitment Fair, which takes place at the town hall in George Town. Police advised that traffic on Fort Street will not be able to travel past Edward Street in either direction. The road closure will take place all day, until 8 p.m. From 2 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday, part of Harbour Drive will close for the Pirates Week steel pan competition. The Pirates Week Office is advising residents and busi- ness owners who will be af- fected by this weekend’s road closures to contact the office for a local access pass. This will enable those af- fected to gain access through the various roadblocks on Harbour Drive, South Church Street, downtown George Town and neighboring side streets. Passes are available for pick up at the office, located up- stairs by the Cayman Islands Museum at 10 Shedden Road. Call 949-5078 or email info@piratesweekfestival.com for more information. The Pirates Week Office is advising those affected by the road closures to contact the office for a local access pass. The introduction of a higher retirement age for civil servants means government employees can continue working past the age of 60. - PHOTO: CHRIS COURT7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2017 Cayman Islands Veterans Association REMEMBRANCE PARADE AND SERVICE 10:30 am Sunday 12th November 2017 at The Elmslie Memorial Church We ask that you remember our Veterans by sending a donation, however small, to the Cayman Islands Veterans Association at P.O. Box 11686, Grand Cayman KY1-1009 AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN, AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER THEM Planning statistics show ‘explosion’ in development JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Grand Cayman is in the midst of an unprecedented development boom, with more high value planning ap- plications approved in 2017 than ever before. Projects approved by the Central Planning Authority this year are already double the value, compared with the same period last year. So far in 2017, the plan- ning authority has approved 1,013 projects, ranging from private homes to major ho- tels, worth a combined value of $688 million. The pre- vious highest recorded net value for planning approvals in a year was $481 mil- lion, in 2008. Several major developers have hailed the impact that the increase in investment is having on the economy, and job creation in particular. Meanwhile, environ- mental support groups have warned that unchecked de- velopment risks compro- mising Cayman’s natural re- sources. Sustainable Cayman and Save Cayman called for government leaders to pro- duce a long-term national development plan that bal- ances economic and ecolog- ical interests. Planning Minister Joey Hew indicated in his budget address last week that gov- ernment will begin reviewing and updating the 1997 Devel- opment Plan this term. Some of the major projects approved in 2017 include: ■■ Dart’s underpass on West Bay Road ■■ A planned hotel at the site of the old Pageant Beach resort ■■ A 10-story luxury condo complex, Aqua, on Seven Mile Beach ■■ NCB’s new 60-room wellness resort in George Town. Both Premier Alden McLaughlin and Minister Hew cited the figures in their budget debate speeches as evidence that confidence in Cayman’s economy was high. Mr. McLaughlin said, “This reflects the increased confidence investors have as a result of the economic performance and fiscal sta- bility that now characterize these Islands.” Dart Real Estate is re- sponsible for a significant portion of Cayman’s high- value development, including plans this year for the un- derpass and for a new su- permarket in Camana Bay, among other projects. The company’s president Jackie Doak said Dart’s level of investment in Cayman was a sign of its belief in the strength and resilience of the local economy. “The Cayman Islands has rightfully earned its place as one of the regional leaders in infrastructure development, is one of the safest Carib- bean jurisdictions and is po- sitioned to receive the ripple effect caused by the recent positive economic growth in the U.S.,” Ms. Doak said. “This in turn breeds confi- dence from developers and investors alike.” She said the growth in de- velopment had a significant impact on jobs, allowing Dart to employ 682 people across its companies, including 419 Caymanians and 69 perma- nent residents. “More than 70 percent of our staff across our compa- nies are Caymanian or have the right to work. Our com- mitment extends to those we employ and train, developing our people as we continue to develop in the Cayman Is- lands,” she said. Realtor Kim Lund, co- owner of RE/MAX in the Cayman Islands, said he be- lieved the statistics from the Central Planning Au- thority showed things were looking positive for the Cayman Islands economy, though he cautioned that not all approved plans actu- ally get built. “Cayman has reached a tipping point and become quite attractive, not only to tourists, but investors wanting second homes and a safe place to invest. The huge improvements that are being made to our infrastructure make Cayman a better place to visit and live,” he said. Environmental nonprofits Save Cayman and Sustain- able Cayman sounded a note of caution about such a rapid increase in devel- opment, calling on govern- ment to follow the auditor general’s recommendation and produce a long-term de- velopment plan. “As our resources become depleted, our islands, people, and economy face signifi- cant risks. For example, pro- tective barriers such as our mangroves and coral reefs are some of our greatest pro- tections to strong storms that are becoming more fre- quent and intense. “To build resilience, we repeat our call for sustain- able development that bal- ances our ecological, human, and capital resources to pro- tect the interests of cur- rent and future genera- tions,” the groups said in a joint statement. Planning Minister Mr. Hew acknowledged in his budget speech last week that an update to the Develop- ment Plan was needed. “Clearly, the review of the 20-year-old Development Plan is long overdue and I have given it priority,” he said. The document will be completed in the next 15 months, with broad consul- tation with all sectors of the community, he claimed Dale Crighton, who is cur- rently mid build on a luxury condo project, Fin, a part- nership with former Ritz- Carlton developer Mike Ryan, said there had been an “ex- plosion of investment” in Cayman, which he expects to continue for some time. “This has to be a good thing, considering the vast amount of people employed by the construction industry. Our country can’t survive on the financial and tourism sectors alone.” He said he did not believe the amount of development was having a negative impact on the environment and said regulations, in that respect, were now stricter than they had ever been. “At the moment, the major developments are focused in areas that have already been developed,” he said. “As developers explore new areas further from George Town and the Seven Mile Beach areas any potential damage to the environment will be addressed by the new bills proposed to pre- vent the same.” Mr. Lund said increased investment and rising tourism had also impacted the real estate market. “Our property prices pre- viously were quite low, by international standards for similar real estate. They were a very good value. After the global recession, these prop- erties began selling off. “Inventory has now al- most sold out. This has cre- ated a strong ‘sense of ur- gency’ to buy quickly, or you could miss out. For example, almost every property we sell on Seven Mile Beach is at a record price and usually we have multiple offers for the popular properties.” PLANNING APPROVALS JAN–OCT 2016 760 projects, value $342m JAN–OCT 2017 1,013 projects, value $688m Jackie Doak, president of Dart Realty The combined value of development projects approved by the Central Planning Authority this year is double that of projects approved during the same period last year. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Planning Minister Joey Hew indicated in his budget address last week that government will begin reviewing and updating the 1997 Development Plan this term.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, NOV. 9 PAN IN THE CITY: Steel Bands play in this annual Pirates Week event. 7-9 p.m. Harbour Drive. RECRUITMENT FAIR: The Law Enforcement and Public Safety Recruitment Fair takes place at the George Town Town Hall, 3-7 p.m. The Prison Service, Fire Service, Department of Immigration, Department of Labour and Pensions, Department of Public Safety Communications, Customs Department and Police Service will have representatives on hand to speak with interested persons and answer questions. NWDA IN BRAC: Representatives from the National Workforce Development Agency are on the Brac to meet job- seekers and employers. Officials will assist with online registration for their National Job Link Programme from until 2 p.m. today at the DLP Office, 256 Creek Road. A workshop focused on building positive relationships within the workplace will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Appointments to meet with a NWDA representative can be made by calling 945-3114. Walk-ins are also welcome. CHAMBER COURSE: Dealing with Difficult Customers. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $150 members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: Small Business Workshop – Using Media Communication to Leverage Your Brand. 5:30–7:30 p.m., Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. Free. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, NOV. 10 PIRATES WEEK 5K RUN: Harbour Drive, 3:30-6:30 p.m. MISS FESTIVAL QUEEN COSTUME COMPETITION: 7:15 p.m. Pirates Week event, Harbour Drive. FIREWORKS: 8:30 p.m. Harbour Drive. Celebrating Pirates Week. Followed by Pirate Star and Street Dance till 2 a.m. Food Festival from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Shedden Road. BRAC REGISTRY: General Registry staff members will be in Cayman Brac to inform local business owners of the new Cayman Business Portal online system. Registry staff also will explain how to register a nonprofit organization under new legislation, and provide a refresher on how to use Cayman’s new intellectual property laws to protect creative rights. The presentation will be 9:30-11:30 a.m., then repeated 1-3 p.m. Both sessions are at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre. For more information email cigenreg@gov.ky. SATURDAY, NOV. 11 5K SEA SWIM: A Pirates Week event. 7 a.m. at Governors Beach. PIRATE POOCH PARADE: A Pirates Week event. 9-10:30 a.m. Harbour Drive. CARDBOARD REGATTA: Pirates Week event, Hog Sty Bay, 11 a.m. FOOD FESTIVAL: 1 p.m. to midnight, Shedden Road. LANDING PAGEANT AND PARADE: Harbour Drive from 3 p.m. Pre-landing entertainment from 2 p.m. Pirates Week events. TEEN UP STREET DANCE: 7-11 p.m. on Goring Avenue. A Pirates Week event. CULTURE JAM CONTEST: 7:30 p.m. Harbour Drive, followed by Street Dance. Pirates Week events. SUNDAY, NOV. 12 REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY: Grand Cayman residents are invited to attend the ceremony at the Cenotaph outside Elmslie Memorial Church in George Town, starting 10:45 a.m. Assemble by 10:30 a.m. Cayman Brac’s Service will be in front of the Cenotaph on the lawn at Administration Building, 10:45 a.m. Assemble by 10:30 a.m. TO HELL AND BACK: 10K run/walk. Raleigh Quay, 6-10 a.m. A Pirates Week event. CHILDREN’S FUN DAY: Noon to 4 p.m. at Pedro Castle. A Pirates Week event. MONDAY, NOV. 13 DISTRICT DAY: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Albert Panton Street and Cardinall Avenue. A Pirates Week event combining the districts. NIGHT ACTIVITIES: Pirates Week concludes with Sentencing of the Pirates at 7 p.m., followed by Illumination Night Parade at 7:15 p.m. Fireworks at 8:15 p.m., followed by Street Dance till midnight. TUESDAY, NOV. 14 CHAMBER COURSE: Giving Feedback. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $225 for members, $300 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 15 SCHOOL RECEPTION: All are invited to join Dorm & Day and Wilbraham & Monson Academy for a special reception and learn more about the school’s programs and offerings. 6-8 p.m. George Town Yacht Club. Refreshments will be served. RUN IN THE DARK: 5K/10K walk or run. 8 p.m. A fundraiser for the Mark Pollock Trust, which aims to find a cure for paralysis. To find further information or sign up for this year’s event, visit www.runinthedark.org/ cayman-islands. CHAMBER COURSE: Fraud Prevention Seminar. Morning session, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Afternoon session, 1:15-4:30 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. Free. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. THURSDAY, NOV. 16 SCHOOL PLAY: St. Ignatius Catholic School Musical Comedy, “The Addams Family.” Shows are at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with an additional 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Tickets on sale at the school office. Phone 949-9250. HUMANE SOCIETY QUIZ: Monthly trivia to raise funds for the Humane Society. Fidel Murphy’s. 7 p.m. Teams of six. $10 entry per person. Quizmaster will be Anna Haydon. Call Fidel Murphy’s on 322-6800 or email sarah.dyer.81@gmail.com to book a table. CHAMBER COURSE: Fraud Prevention Seminar. Morning session, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Afternoon session, 1:15-4:30 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. Free. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: Business Master class – Operations. 9–11 a.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $175 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. SATURDAY, NOV. 18 INTERNATIONAL MEN’S DAY: Men’s Day Family Day at Kings Sports Centre, 3:30-7 p.m. will feature free bowling, rock climbing and skating facilities to provide men with opportunities to further bond with their children. All are invited. DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross mobile thrift shop will be in Bodden Town from 6-10 a.m. at Rubis’ parking lot. Items available include clothing and shoes for men, women and children, ladies’ bags and accessories, linens, household items and more. USED BOOK SALE: At Foster’s Strand from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hard cover, $2. Soft cover, $1. Children’s books, 50 cents. TREE LIGHTING: Camana Bay’s annual tree lighting. 5-9 p.m. on the Crescent. THURSDAY, NOV. 23 PLAYHOUSE FAMILY CHRISTMAS: At the Prospect Playhouse. Annual holiday production. Opens tonight. Then Nov. 24, 25, 30; Dec. 1, 2 at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 26 and Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. Adults, $15. Children under 12, $12. Tickets at www.cds.ky or call 938-1998. SATURDAY, NOV. 25 TURKEY TROT: The annual 5K and 10K fun run/walk takes place at SafeHaven from 6:30 a.m. to benefit Meals on Wheels. Prizes awarded at 7:45 a.m. Cost is $25 for adults; $15 for juniors (11 to 17); $10 for children (4 to 11). Register online at www.caymanactive. com/turkeytrot. For more information, contact info@mealsonwheels.ky or 323-0848. CLASS REUNION: Cayman Islands High School, Class of 1977. 40th Reunion. Tickets are $50. For tickets call 929-9932. CHRISTMAS ARTS AND CRAFT BAZAAR: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Loyola Hall, St. Ignatius Catholic School, Walkers Road. Arts, crafts, handmade jewelry, skin care products, baked goods, henna tattoos, and more. Many local crafters and artists, over 25 vendors. Free admission. For more information, contact Allison Taylor at 939-0220 or ataylor2005@hotmail.com. All proceeds go toward Girlguiding Cayman Islands. GENERAL INTEREST CONCH AND WHELK SEASON: The Department of Environment reminds the public that the conch and whelk season opened Nov. 1. It is still lobster closed- season. The legal limit for conch is five per person per day or 10 per boat, whichever is less. Whelk limit is two-and-a-half gallons in the shell, or two-and-a-half pounds of processed whelks, per person, per day. USED BOOK SALE: Through Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Red Cross Thrift Shop, Huldah Avenue. Customers can get all the books they can fit in a single bag for only $5. CAYMAN CRAFT: The exhibition, “Revive!” – Celebrating contemporary and traditional craft from the Cayman Islands, is open at the National Gallery. HURRICANE RELIEF: The Adventist Church has started a fund in aid of Hurricane Irma victims in the Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas. Financial contributions may be made at the local office, 209 Walkers Road, during business hours, or at the nearest Adventist Church. Donations may also be deposited at the Royal Bank of Canada, to ADRA account number 500-6234. CERAMIC OPEN STUDIO: Offered by the Visual Arts Society on Wednesdays to adults. 9 a.m. to noon at the Watler House Studio, Pedro St. James. $15 per person or $25 per non-member. Clay, materials and firing facilities available. Contact info@visualartcayman.com. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers needed for weekly sports training. Tuesdays – Track, bocce, football. Wednesdays – Lighthouse School swimming at Lions pool. Thursdays – Basketball. Saturdays – Adult swim. Golf is starting soon if interested. Contact Darrel Rankine, national director at soci@candw.ky or 916-2600. CANDLE MAKING: Visual Arts Society offers this workshop at the National Trust Club House on Sundays 3–4:30 p.m. Fee of $45 per member or $55 per non-member includes materials for two candles. Parasol painting workshops, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Same fee, includes one parasol. Contact info@visualartcayman.com. HUMANE SOCIETY THRIFT SHOP: The shop has moved to Plaza Venezia, 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Steel pan bands will compete at Pan In The City on Harbour Drive Thursday night.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2017 LUNCH SPECIAL EVERYDAY MON-SAT 11.30 TO 4PM DIM SUM SUNDAY 11-3PM Plaza Venezia, North Sound Road, George Town 945-3490 OPEN FOR DINNER DELIVERY AFTER 5PM ability in recent years to issue administrative fines. In most overstaying mat- ters, individuals pay a sum of money and then volun- tarily removes themselves from the islands, the pre- mier said, eliminating the need for a “prohibited im- migrant” order from the gov- ernor’s office. There is the odd case that does come before the court, such as a man who was imprisoned and then deported in late 2016 who stayed in Cayman a decade after his work permit expired. The defendant in that case, Charlton Hooker Powell, was arrested in Sep- tember 2016 for driving without a license. “If his bad luck did not kick in with a traffic offense, he would still be living with us,” Mag- istrate Angelyn Hernandez remarked at the time. Such cases of deliber- ately overstaying for years at a time remain rare, Mr. McLaughlin told the finance committee on Tuesday. Work permits Another 460 arrests have occurred since July 1 for work permit offenses, according to Mr. Howell. Again, most of these cases end up with administra- tive fines, rather than pro- ceeding to court. These matters are some- times the fault of the em- ployee and sometimes the fault of the employer, the Immigration Department statistics show. For instance, 238 arrests were made in connection with someone being em- ployed outside the terms of a work permit during the period. This can happen, for example, when a person is hired as a bartender, but is found working in an- other occupation, such as a concierge or a waiter be- cause their employer has instructed them to do so. Fines can be leveled against the person’s employer for this type of offense. Another 149 people were arrested for working outside the terms of their permits. This is an offense against an employee who takes up another job without re- ceiving permission to do so. In addition, 73 arrests were made for individuals having no work permit at all. Any non-Caymanian taking up employment in the Cayman Islands is required to ob- tain a legal permit before starting the job. Other arrests for immi- gration offenses included making a false representa- tion on immigration forms or to an immigration officer (93 arrests) and engaging in a marriage of convenience (18 arrests). to the district were often left stranded in Bodden Town. Prospect legislator Austin Harris highlighted a recent case at Owen Roberts Inter- national Airport where an ar- riving doctor was killed in a collision involving a taxi. He said licensed cab and bus drivers routinely broke traffic laws, citing statistics from a freedom of information re- quest showing more than 400 offenses in the past year, and questioned what was being done to improve standards. Mr. Banks said there was a sliding scale of disci- plinary action, with drivers given three citations by his enforcement officers before their behavior was referred to the board for stronger ac- tion. From there, the options increase from probation, to a written warning, followed by a suspension and finally revo- cation of license. East End MLA Arden McLean questioned why only two drivers had their license revoked, given the preva- lence of incidents. He also highlighted issues with bus drivers failing to complete their routes to East End. “All of us have to see the number of infraction on a daily basis by buses, taxis and tour buses, but we are run- ning straight into motor ve- hicle catastrophes with these people,” Mr. McLean said. Mr. Banks acknowledged his unit still gets multiple complaints about drivers failing to complete their routes, but he said people were often unwilling to give evidence that could be used in disciplinary hearings. Jury deliberates in cocaine conspiracy trial One defendant gave evidence, two others did not CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A jury of four men and three women began deliber- ations on Wednesday after hearing evidence and closing speeches in the trial of three men charged with conspiracy to supply drugs. The conspiracy was not with each other, but with Al- exander Adrian Ebanks, who pleaded guilty in 2016 to a variety of drug offenses. Ex- amination of his phones by police led to numbers associ- ated with Ian Duncan, Wayne Carlos Myles and Ukel Dixon. Ebanks was not a witness in the trial. Justice Charles Quin summed up the evidence and instructed the jury about points of law Wednesday morning. He explained that the case against each defen- dant was different and each count in the indictment had to considered separately. Duncan, represented by attorney Crister Brady, was the only defendant to give ev- idence. He admitted having been a heavy drug user and told the court of his partici- pation in the Drug Rehabili- tation Court. He said he pur- chased drugs for his own use, not to supply to others. He said, as an example, that he would use for three days straight and then crash. Duncan pleaded not guilty to six charges, based on phone records with Ebanks between Aug. 14 and Sept. 10, 2015. Myles and Dixon did not give evidence. The phone number asso- ciated with Myles was en- tered in Ebanks’s phone as “Beenie.” He had denied being Beenie and his attorney, Alex Davies, argued that a po- lice officer who said he knew Myles as Beenie was not re- liable. The Crown got the number because it had been provided to the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Li- censing as a contact for Myles. Mr. Davies argued that there was no evidence of any agreement between Ebanks and Myles, who pleaded not guilty to two counts. Dixon was represented by attorney Nicholas Dixey, who pointed out that there was no evidence to show that Dixon had exclusive use of the phone number attributed to him at the material time – Sept. 19 to Oct. 22, 2015. The Crown’s case, pre- sented by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Pat- rick Moran was that Dixon was Ebanks’s “runner” or de- livery person. Evidence in the form of telephone records showed Ebanks receiving a call or message from a customer, then contacting the phone at- tributed to Dixon and then contacting the customer. But there was no evidence Dixon was personally present when those messages were sent or received and Dixon during his trial did not have the opportunity to ques- tion the people who sent the messages. Justice Quin told jurors that Dixon and Myles had an absolute right not to give evi- dence, since the burden was on the Crown to prove the case against them. However, that meant there was no ev- idence to rebut or contradict the Crown’s evidence. If jurors were sure that the Crown’s case was suf- ficiently strong to call for an answer and there was no sensible reason not to give an answer, they might conclude that the defendant had no answer to give or no answer that would stand up to cross-examination. But that inference could only lend support to the Crown’s case; it could not prove the case. The jury had not re- turned their verdict by press time Wednesday. 900 arrested for immigration offenses Daily complaints about taxi and bus drivers OFFICIAL ARRESTED IN ANTI-CORRUPTION PROBE An unnamed public of- ficial has been arrested in an ongoing investigation by the Cayman Islands Anti- Corruption Commission, bringing to 10 the number of people arrested in the probe. No one has yet been charged. On Tuesday, investigators arrested a 39-year-old male from Bodden Town on sus- picion of bribery of a public officer, fraud on the govern- ment and breach of trust. The Compass has previously reported that the investiga- tion involves activity at the Department of Immigration. All of the suspects in the investigation, including the man arrested Tuesday, are on bail. None of the suspects has been named and the commission has not elaborated on what the charges relate to. The com- mission guidelines state that it will name suspects only when they are charged with a crime. In an email, spokes- woman Deborah Bodden said, “Charges are laid once authorised.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “In the grand scheme of things, sad to say, these offenses are … not making the waves they once did.” PREMIER ALDEN MCLAUGHLIN Public buses line up at the bus terminal in downtown George Town. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >