ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2017 High of 86 Low of 76 Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 2 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 EXCELLENT TEACHERS: THE SECRET TO EXCELLENT SCHOOLS WORLD | PAGE 10 ZIMBABWE’S INCOMING LEADER MNANGAGWA RETURNS HOME TO CHEERS Personal Insurance Save up to $400 with home and car insurance Your first BritCay buildings insurance policy comes with a $250 gift certificate and a 10% discount on car insurance. With the lowest standard deductible at $200, you also save when you claim. Ask for a quote! 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 Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky FREE $10 Million ASSET PROTECTION! with motor cover* *private car insurance cgigrp CROOKS GET INTO POLICE STATION COMPOUND AGAIN BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Would-be thieves broke into the back parking lot of the George Town Police Sta- tion early Wednesday and attempted to take a motorcycle that was stored there, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service reported. According to an RCIPS statement on the matter: “Two hooded males gained entry to the back lot of the station and it appears that they attempted to steal a motorcycle from a motor- cycle enclosure.” The break-in occurred around 1 a.m. Wednesday, police said. Officers said they were aware of how the intruders managed to gain entry to the enclosure, but did not want to disclose that for security reasons. The suspects were seen by police officers and fled before they managed to take the mo- torbike. No arrests had been reported in the incident by press time Wednesday. This is not the first time criminal suspects have found their way into the back area of the George Town Police Station, which is used to store wrecked or seized vehicles and other evi- dence taken during police operations. Five non-street legal dirt bikes were taken from the same area in March 2016 by individ- uals who got into the back lot unnoticed, and another three motorbikes were taken in late February 2016. Three of the motorbikes taken were recovered and arrests made at the time. The motorbikes involved in those incidents had all been seized during police operations IMMIGRATION OFFICER’S TRIAL ADJOURNED AGAIN The trial of suspended senior im- migration officer Jeannie Lewis, who was arrested in August 2016, did not go ahead as scheduled on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Her trial originally had been scheduled to begin in June, but was adjourned. An abuse of process ar- gument has been scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 12. Lewis is charged with knowingly as- sisting a person to land (remain) in the Cayman Islands without permission and permitting a premises to be used for the consumption of controlled drugs. For more on this story, see page 2. 38 immigration staff process $100M in annual fees BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Less than one-quarter of the civil servants working in the Cayman Islands Immigration Department collect the vast ma- jority – budgeted at more than $200 million over the next two years – of revenues paid for var- ious work permit, residency and other fees charged for immigra- tion services. In contrast, 36 percent of the department staff is focused on border control and enforce- ment, which has averaged an an- nual collection in fines for im- migration violations of about $365,000 each year between 2013 and 2017. The figures come from budget documents and the Immigration Department which provided, at the Cayman Compass’s request, a breakdown of its staff and the functions members perform in their daily jobs. The Immigration Depart- ment currently has 171 em- ployees. Sixty-two of those work in the enforcement/border secu- rity arm of the department, in- cluding airport and port border checks and proactive enforce- ment operations. Another 62 employees work in administrative tasks, including financing, customer service, human resources, management of records, information technology and training. Ministry of Immigration Chief Dart tunnel expansion denied JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Central Planning Authority has rejected the Dart group’s plan to expand the length of an overpass it is building on West Bay Road. Representatives from the Dart group appeared before the CPA Wednesday in an effort to allay fears that the overpass would restrict beach access and cause traffic management issues, including ac- cess concerns for oversized vehicles. The National Roads Authority had objected to the proposal, saying there was not suffi- cient justification for the extension. Though CPA chair A. L. Thompson de- scribed some of the NRA’s objections as “pe- culiar,” given that the roads authority had supported the initial tunnel application, planning officials confirmed Wednesday eve- ning that the extension had been rejected. The full reasons were not available at press time and are not likely to be avail- able until a written decision is pub- lished next week. A spokesperson for Dart said the com- pany was awaiting the CPA’s official ra- tionale for the decision before deciding its next steps. Dart had been seeking to expand the length of the overpass, on West Bay Road, by another 195 feet. Permission was granted earlier this year, with the support of the NRA, for a 406-foot overpass, part of Dart’s plan to link its properties on Seven Mile Beach with Camana Bay. Work on the tunnel is nearing comple- tion, with the beams bridging the road put in place over the past few weeks. The new application seeks to expand the overpass toward the Royal Palms Beach Club. Dart Real Estate announced it had purchased the site occupied by the Royal Palms in September. The NRA supported the initial application but objected to the extension, PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Vehicles pass through the new tunnel at the overpass along a stretch of West Bay Road Wednesday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 JUSTICE LEAGUE 3D (PG13) 12:30 2D VIP I 12:50 I 1:30 2D 3:50 I 4:20 2D I 6:40 2D VIP 7:00 I 7:10 2D I 9:35 2D VIP 9:50 2D I 10:00 2D MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (PG13) 1:00 I 4:00 I 7:00 I 9:50 THOR: RAGNAROK 3D (PG13) 12:50 2D I 3:20 2D VIP I 3:55 I 6:55 2D 9:55 TYLER PERRY’S BOO2! A MADEA HALLOWEEN (PG13) 1:30 I 4:20 I 7:15 I 9:45 *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 - Immigration officer’s trial adjourned again Defense to argue abuse of process CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The trial of senior immi- gration officer Jeannie Lewis did not go ahead as sched- uled on Wednesday, Nov. 22. An abuse of process argu- ment has been scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 12. Lewis is charged with knowingly assisting a person to land (remain) in the Cayman Islands without permission and permitting a premises to be used for the consumption of controlled drugs. The charges were laid after a pre-dawn raid at the defendant’s residence on Aug. 25, 2016. She was arrested along with her two sons, the girlfriend of one of the sons, and a Bahamian national who turned out to be an illegal lander. Lewis first appeared in court on Nov. 29, 2016. She pleaded not guilty on Dec. 15 and trial was set for June 15. The matter could not go ahead on that day and Lewis appeared in court two more times before the Nov. 22 date was set. On that date, defense at- torney Richard Barton told Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn that he had received the statement of the investigating officer just 48 hours earlier. The statements of two other officers still had not been re- ceived, he said. Mr. Barton noted that dis- closure had been ordered during a previous appearance. He said it escaped him as to why the statement of the of- ficer who was “intimately in- volved” in the matter would not have been at the top of the bundle of evidence provided to him by the Crown. He advised the court that he and his client had met last week to prepare for the trial and they did not consider the issues that they were subse- quently faced with. He said he did not want to remove the possibility of arguing that there had been an abuse of the court process. Crown counsel Scott Wainwright said he was not opposing any applica- tion for an adjournment. He submitted that there was no abuse of process if the de- fense were given time to consider the contents of the statements. He said the statements of the other two officers would be served that day and a trial could be set for March. Mr. Barton in reply said the delay of 16 months was self-evident and could not be explained away and the de- fendant could no longer get a fair trial. He had not seen the statements of the other two officers and could not know if they would be beneficial to his client. He said Mr. Wain- wright could apply for an ad- journment if he wished to do so, but the defense was ready. The magistrate adjourned the matter briefly in order to deal with other cases on her list for the day. When she returned to this case, Mr. Barton said that he and Mr. Wainwright were asking for a date to argue whether abuse of process had occurred. On that date, he suggested, the court could then “set a trial date or let Ms. Lewis go home.” The magistrate set the matter for Tuesday, Dec. 12. Mr. Barton is to submit his arguments and authori- ties by Dec. 1 and the Crown is to respond by Dec. 8, with the court receiving copies that same day. The magistrate extended Lewis’s bail until Dec. 12. After her first appearance in court on these charges, the acting chief immigration of- ficer confirmed that Lewis had been placed on required leave – suspended with pay – since her arrest. The illegal lander, An- thony Bullard, was dealt with in Summary Court last year. He pleaded guilty, was sen- tenced to 30 days’ imprison- ment and deported. One of Lewis’s sons was charged with possession of a firearm found on the prem- ises. A jury found him not guilty after hearing that a DNA profile found on the gun and ammunition inside did not match anyone in the house except Bullard, and by the time that DNA infor- mation was received, Bullard had been deported. Lewis first appeared in court on Nov. 29, 2016. She pleaded not guilty on Dec. 15 and trial was set for June 15. The matter could not go ahead on that day and Lewis appeared in court two more times before the Nov. 22 date was set. Jamaica bans mining from 185,000 acres KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) – Jamaica’s government says it will protect nearly 185,000 acres in a north- west region dotted by mines that features forests, rivers and cultural sites. Prime Minister An- drew Holness says all mining will be banned in the area known as Cockpit Country. He says licenses awarded to com- panies which are mining there for bauxite and lime- stone will be amended and that current mining opera- tions will cease. Cockpit Country is home to a critically endan- gered frog species, a large population of the black- billed Amazon parrot and the largest butterfly in the Western hemisphere. Holness said Tuesday that the government also will work with descen- dants of escaped slaves who live in the area and are known as Maroons to help manage resources. Venezuela arrests chief of state-owned oil company Citgo in anti-corruption dragnet CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Ven- ezuelan authorities detained the acting president of Citgo, the state-owned oil company’s U.S. subsidiary, and five other executives for their alleged involvement in a corruption scheme, officials said Tuesday. Jose Pereira and five Citgo vice presidents have been de- tained on suspicion of embez- zlement stemming from a $4 billion agreement to refinance company bonds, chief prose- cutor Tarek William Saab said. Saab said the deal pro- vided “unconscionable and unfavorable” terms for state oil giant PDVSA and offered Citgo itself as a guarantee on repayment without prior gov- ernment approval. Mediators of the contract were purport- edly eligible for a 1.5 percent payoff of the total. Saab described the Citgo executives as facilitators of U.S. and international pres- sure on Venezuela’s oil sector, “putting at risk Citgo’s as- sets while obtaining per- sonal benefits.” President Nicola Maduro called the thefts blatant and he urged employees of the state-run oil com- pany to stand with him in the fight against corrup- tion and attacks from the U.S. government. “While I’m working hard every day, there’s a group of bandits stealing from the people,” Maduro said in a televised address. “What’s that called? Treason.” The detentions are part of an investigation by Ven- ezuelan authorities into the country’s oil sector, which has struggled in recent years amid mismanagement and declining production. Thus far, Saab’s office has made nearly 60 arrests re- lated to alleged corruption involving PDVSA, including many senior managers of the state-run firm and sub- sidiaries in Venezuela and the United States. Citgo runs three refineries in Illinois, Texas and Louisiana. Officials at Houston-based Citgo distanced themselves from the arrests, saying in a statement that the firm op- erates independently and meets the standards and reg- ulations set by the United States. The company adds that it is closely monitoring the situation. The arrests come amid an ongoing probe by U.S. prosecutors spanning mul- tiple years into corruption at state oil company PDVSA. The U.S. Treasury Department in 2015 accused a bank in Andorra of laundering some $2 billion stolen from the state oil company. Some 10 individuals have pleaded guilty for their role in the payment of bribes and kickbacks, and U.S. federal officials in October arrested four high-ranking officials, including at least two aides to Venezuela’s ambassador to the United Nations. The Trump administra- tion imposed sweeping finan- cial sanctions against Vene- zuela in August, prohibiting financial institutions from providing new money to the government or PDVSA. The sanctions also prohibit Citgo from sending dividends back to Venezuela. Venezuela’s Chief Prosecutor Tarek William Saab has ordered the detention of the acting president of Citgo, the state-owned oil company’s U.S. subsidiary, and five other executives. – PHOTO: AP 10 MISSING AFTER BOAT CAPSIZES IN COLOMBIA BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) – Colombian authorities say eight people have been res- cued and 10 are missing following a boating ac- cident near the border with Venezuela. John Botia, chief of emergency operations in the state of Meta, told The Associated Press that a shipwreck alert was re- ceived at approximately 4:30 a.m. Tuesday when a vessel towing another boat hit a rock in the Ori- noco River and people fell overboard. Botia said the occu- pants of the wrecked vessel were headed to the town of Puerto Carreno in the state of Vichada. Civil Defense divers and Colombian navy boats were partici- pating in search and rescue efforts. Licenses awarded to companies mining there for bauxite and limestone will be amended and current mining operations will cease. A vessel towing another boat hit a rock in the Orinoco River and people fell overboard.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2017 SALE All Theraband products at wholesale prices EVERYTHING MUST GO!! Tomlinson Building 3rd Floor www.rvcrehab.ky 949-6024 Starts at 9am NOVEMBER 2017 SPECIALS SPIN TO WIN 66% OFF VARIOUS PRODUCTS NOVEMBER 24 PLUS NIBBLES AND BUBBLES! In celebration of Ms. Jacqui’s Birthday! Saturday, Nov 25, 9AM - 6PM SPIN TO WIN 66% OFF PRODUCTS CONTINUES SMALL BUSINESS 3 rd Floor Tomlinson Building, Corner of Walkers & Hospital Road, GT SMALL BUSINESSSMALL BUSINESS PLUS NIBBLES AND BUBBLES! In celebration of Ms. Jacqui’s Birthday! 3 rd Floor Tomlinson Building, Corner of Walkers & Hospital Road, GT ALL OTHER PRODUCTS 15% OFFThe 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. THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Without fresh water, gardens are doomed to shrivel and die. In the absence of excellent teachers, young minds face a similar fate. The saga of the “teacherless” East End Primary School children (seemingly resolved, at least for now) is only one anecdotal example of the teacher shortages plaguing the Cayman Islands government school system. A front-page story in Tuesday’s Compass con- tained some basic figures that sum up the problem from a quantitative angle. During the government’s 2014/15 budget year, about 20 percent of public school teachers left their jobs (greater than the total turnover rate in the civil service of 14 percent). Teacher turnover dropped in 2015/16 to 10 percent (which was still greater than the overall civil service rate of 9 percent). Put another way, in the past two years, education officials had to scramble to fill 127 teacher vacancies. As any Cayman Islands businessperson knows, that is a formidable human resources endeavor, particularly considering the academic credentials and professional certifications required of teacher applicants. Compensating for high teacher turnover is not a one-off phenomenon, either, but more of an annual exercise for government. For example, during the 2012/13 school year, about 20 percent of teaching staff left the public school system. First, let us state that a high turnover rate, in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing – that is, if there were evidence that local education officials were sys- tematically culling low-performing teachers from the ranks. We hold good teachers in the highest regard. They should be handsomely compensated, treasured as invaluable assets and held in high esteem among the rest of the community. As for bad teachers … well … let’s just say the more that leave, the better. As the saying goes, a bad teacher multiplies his or her ignorance by the size of the class. There is no room in a superior school system for subpar or “clock punching” teachers who are not driven by the desire to help their students achieve. Culling low-performing teachers requires tough, principled management – descriptors which unfortu- nately do not seem to fit Cayman’s educational admin- istration in recent times. Indeed, throughout the civil service, departures are overwhelmingly due to resignations (“I quit!”) rather than dismissals (“You’re fired!”). We do not purport to understand exactly why each of the 127 educators left government schools in the past two years, but in general there are two main reasons why teachers quit: 1) Unprepared, unruly students; 2) Overbearing administrators. Documents reviewed and reported on by the Compass last year back up those observations. We will share again just two of the many telling excerpts from teachers’ exit interviews: “Despite what the statistics may be saying, any teacher at [school name redacted] will tell you that these students are far, far behind their international peers in literacy and mathematics, and that isn’t an issue that can be pretended away with political speeches and new-age school structures.” “The students feel they have the run of the school and teachers are second-class citizens. I thought I would be sad to leave but all I feel is relief.” Government could spend (and has spent) decades emptying, refilling and re-emptying taxpayer coffers on school buildings and school consultants without sup- plying the basic ingredient of excellent schools – excel- lent teachers. Like a good businessperson, a good teacher desires only a couple of things: First, adequate resources. Second, for government officials to get out of their way, and allow them to flourish in their chosen vocation. In the case of teachers, that is, of course, to teach. Excellent teachers: The secret to excellent schools A nod to another year of American hilarity WASHINGTON – Tryptophan, an amino acid in turkey, is unjustly blamed for what mere gluttony does, making Americans comatose every fourth Thursday in November. But before nodding off, give thanks for another year of American hilarity, including: A company curried favor with advanced thinkers by commissioning for Manhat- tan’s financial district the “Fearless Girl” bronze statue, which exalts female intre- pidity in the face of a ram- pant bull (representing (1) a surging stock market or (2) toxic masculinity). Then the company paid a $5 million settlement, mostly for paying 305 female executives less than men in comparable po- sitions. New York’s decrepit subway system took action: Henceforth, gender-neutral announcements will address “passengers” rather than “la- dies and gentlemen.” Wash- ington’s subway banned a civil liberties group’s ad con- sisting entirely of the text of the First Amendment, which ostensibly violated the rule against ads “intended to in- fluence members of the public regarding an issue on which there are varying opinions.” California now can jail certain caregivers who “will- fully and repeatedly fail to use a resident’s preferred name or pronouns.” A Mas- sachusetts librarian rejected a donation of Dr. Seuss books because they are “steeped in racist propaganda,” and The New Yorker discovered that “Thomas the Tank En- gine” is “authoritarian.” Al- ways alert about planetary crises, The New Yorker also reported: “The world is run- ning out of sand.” A food truck offering free lunches to workers cleaning up after Hurricane Irma was banished from a Florida town because its operator had no government permit to do that. United Airlines said: Assault? Don’t be misled by your eyes. That passenger dragged off the plane was just being “re-accommodated.” Even Sen. Bernie Sanders went to Mississippi, to the Nissan plant in Canton, to help the United Automobile Workers with yet another at- tempt to convince Southern workers of the delights of unionization. The workers, 80 percent of whom are black, voted 2-to-1 against the UAW. A New York Times tweet about the South reported a shooting at a nightclub “in downtown Arkansas.” Lou- isiana’s Democratic Party joined the virtue-signaling by changing the name of its Jef- ferson-Jackson Day dinner. In toney and oh-so-pro- gressive Malibu, the City Council voted to become a sanctuary city. The council- woman who made the motion for protecting illegal immi- grants said: “Our city depends on a Hispanic population to support our comfortable life- style.” In more-progressive- than-thou Oregon, where you can get state-subsidized gender reassignment sur- gery at age 15 without pa- rental permission, the Legisla- ture made 21 the age at which adults can buy cigarettes. UCLA researchers warned that because Americans’ pets eat meat, they endanger the planet by generating 64 mil- lion tons of carbon dioxide. Forty-two years after the government began (with fuel economy standards) trying to push Americans into gas- sipping cars, the three best- selling vehicles were the Ford, Chevrolet and Ram pickup trucks. A year after a NASA climatologist (from the “set- tled” science of climate) said California was “in a drought forever,” torrential rains threatened to break dams. Pierce College in Los An- geles was sued after it pre- vented a student from giving away Spanish-language copies of the U.S. Constitution because he was outside the .003 percent of the campus designated a “free speech zone.” Two years after social justice warriors convulsed the University of Missouri in Co- lumbia, freshman enrollment was down 35 percent. An Ar- izona State University pro- fessor allowed some students in her human rights class to stage anti-Donald Trump pro- tests in lieu of final exams. The University of Arizona guide instructed instructors to encourage students to say “ouch” when something said in class hurts their feelings. Clemson University’s diver- sity training washed brains with this idea: Expecting punctuality might be insensi- tive because in some cultures time is considered “fluid.” The Chronicle of Higher Educa- tion reported that student snowflakes are not the only victims of academic suffering. It seems that after the nine- month school year, professors endure isolation, solitude and depression during their three- month vacations. Massachusetts continues to be surprised that the smuggling of cigarettes into the state increased when state cigarette taxes in- creased. Although San Fran- cisco’s hourly minimum wage has not yet reached its desti- nation of $15, the city is sur- prised that so many small businesses have closed. Mc- Donald’s probably was not surprised when its shares surged after it announced plans to replace cashiers with digital ordering kiosks in 2,500 restaurants. Finally, Domino’s Pizza is going to need bigger menus. Government labeling regula- tions require calorie counts for every variation of items sold, which Domino’s says (counting different topping and crusts) includes about 34 million possible combina- tions. None, however, have ex- cessive tryptophan. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2017, Washington Post Writers Group. 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” GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE Don’t be misled by your eyes. That passenger dragged off the plane was just being “re-accommodated.”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2017 Governors Square Friday, November 24 10 am to 10 pm UP TO 50% OFF FINE WINES & SPIRITS UNDER THE TENT 15% OFF ALL WINE AND SPIRITS IN STORE SPEND $100 AND BUY A CASE OF LANDSHARK BEER FOR ONLY $ 25! 20% OFF SELECT SPIRITS IN STORE 10% OFF SELECT CRAFT BEER BLACK FRIDAY TENT SALE Tariff set for selling ganja to tourists Magistrate considers damage to Cayman’s reputation and industry workers CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats could not find any pre- vious cases of selling ganja to tourists, so on Tuesday he declared a tariff: the starting point for the offense will be 12 months’ imprisonment. The first recipient of this tariff was Devon Scott, 41, who had pleaded guilty to selling 2.89 grams of the drug to a cruise ship pas- senger who came ashore on Jan. 18 this year. The magistrate imposed a sentence of one year plus two months consecutive for ganja offenses in March while on bail for the Jan- uary offenses. Senior Crown Counsel Candia James summarized the case. She said customs officers were in the Shedden Road area near the water- front when they saw Scott and a tourist around 12:45 p.m. Scott matched the de- scription they had received of someone selling drugs to tourists. When they ap- proached him, he started to run. There was a struggle and he was detained. A package of vegetable matter was found in the yard of the National Museum and an- other quantity in the tour- ist’s backpack. The tourist, who had ar- rived on a cruise ship, was obliged to stay on island for court two days later, when he pleaded guilty and was fined for buying ganja. Scott was granted bail to attend the Customs Head- quarters on Feb. 20, but failed to surrender on that date. On March 14, officers saw Scott in the vicinity of Bayshore Mall on South Church Street. They requested a search and found a grinder with matter in it that appeared to be ganja. He also alleg- edly had a small portion of vegetable matter wrapped in clear plastic. He was taken to court, where Magistrate Grace Don- alds temporarily banned him from the waterfront and con- tinued his bail with other conditions. Scott pleaded guilty in August and sen- tencing was adjourned for a social inquiry report. Before Magistrate Foldats this week, defense attorney John Furniss acknowledged Scott’s previous convic- tions, which included pos- session and consumption of ganja. He also had been sen- tenced to two years’ impris- onment after being convicted of wounding his former girl- friend and her new boy- friend in 2014. Neither the magistrate, the Crown nor Mr. Furniss had found any precedent cases of selling ganja to tour- ists, although they agreed there had been instances of supplying cocaine to under- cover officers posing as vis- itors. For the soft drug, the magistrate said, “We’re going to set a starting point …. We have to send a message to you and like-minded indi- viduals. When you target the tourism sector, you are essen- tially undermining the repu- tation of the Cayman Islands. You’re hurting everyone in the industry.” With a one-year starting point, Scott’s significant criminal record raised the sentence to 18 months. One- third credit for his guilty plea reduced that term to 12 months. Sentences for pos- session and consumption on Jan. 18 were made to run concurrently. For posses- sion of ganja and a utensil in March, the sentence was two months consecutive, for a total term of 14 months. The magistrate noted Scott’s “resistance to assis- tance” and urged him to ac- cess professional help avail- able in prison. “It’s time to change your life,” he said. Rental car stolen Nearly two months after renting a Hyundai to a cus- tomer for a week, a rental company has reported the ve- hicle stolen to police. Police said the com- pany, which it did not name, rented a white 2017 Hyundai Grand i10 to a customer on Sept. 27. It reported the ve- hicle stolen on Wednesday morning, Nov. 22. The car’s registration number is 173 136. Anyone with informa- tion regarding this stolen ve- hicle is asked to call 911 or the George Town Police Sta- tion at 949-4222. A car similar to this Hyundai Grand i10 was stolen from a rental company, police reported. CHRISTMAS ‘LOOKY YA!’ TO BE HELD SATURDAY A special Christmas “Looky Ya!” celebration will be held at the Cayman Is- lands National Museum Sat- urday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., to mark the museum’s 27th anniversary. The event will coincide with the opening of the museum’s new exhibition “Shaped by the Sea,” which celebrates the life and work of Charles “Captain Chuckie” Ebanks, who was re- nowned locally as a model boat builder, fishing rod maker, tourism ambassador and pro- tector of the environment. The exhibition is scheduled to run for six months. “Looky Ya!” events are family-friendly block par- ties held outside the museum that feature local artisans, artists, musicians, performers 6 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 601 suspicious activity reports filed in 2016/17 Financial Reporting Authority dealing with growing backlog KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com More than 600 suspi- cious activity reports of po- tential money laundering and other financial crimes were made between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017, ac- cording to the Financial Re- porting Authority’s 2016/17 annual report. The 601 reports, known as SARs, filed that year marked the second straight year the Financial Re- porting Authority received more than 600 reports, and was just 19 shy of the record 620 SARs filed in 2015/16. The Financial Reporting Authority attributed the in- creased number of SARs to more stringent regulations and reporting rules that have come into effect in recent years. “The substantial number of reports in the past three fiscal years appears to have been influenced by due dil- igence reviews as a result of overseas tax, legal and regulatory updates coming into effect,” the authority’s report states. “In 2016/2017, reports appear to have been in- fluenced by overseas cor- ruption investigations in- volving multinational conglomerates.” Most of the reports in- volved suspected “sus- picious activity” – typi- cally reports on accounts showing activity that is out of line with the account holder’s expected level of income – while other re- ports suspected fraud, tax evasion, corruption and money laundering. Of the 601 SARs, the au- thority completed the anal- ysis on 206, referring 107 of them to law enforce- ment authorities, states the report, which was tabled last week in the Legisla- tive Assembly. The Financial Reporting Authority is dealing with a growing backlog of uncom- pleted reports. Due to un- finished reports from pre- vious years, the authority had 980 SARs to analyze in 2016/17. The agency com- pleted 398 reports in total, carrying the remainder into the 2017/18 fiscal year. The authority said 2016/17 was “particularly challenging” due to the res- ignation of one of its most experienced staff members, Senior Financial Analyst Julian Hurlston. The plurality of reports (209) the Financial Re- porting Authority received came from banks, though the number of banks re- porting decreased from 34 in 2015/16 to 25 in 2016/17. Other reports came from overseas financial intelli- gence units (81), trust com- panies (76), corporate ser- vice providers (56), and money transmitters (41). The number of reports filed may have slightly de- creased in 2016/17, but the number of suspects in the reports increased from 1,257 to 1,538. The report states that there were 978 “natural persons” and 560 legal enti- ties. Ninety natural persons and 48 legal entities were named in multiple SARs. Cayman had the most subjects of SARs, with 64 people and 233 legal enti- ties suspected of wrong- doing. The U.S. had the second most suspects (108 people and 13 enti- ties), followed by Ecuador (84 people and 12 enti- ties), Brazil (69 people and eight entities), and the U.K. (50 people and two enti- ties). Canada, the British Virgin Islands, Panama and China were the only other countries with 30 or more subjects. The nationality of 417 subjects – 237 people and 180 entities – was unknown. “In some cases, particu- larly where the service pro- vider has limited informa- tion about a counterpart to the transaction, the nation- ality or domicile of the sub- ject is not known,” the re- port notes. “This is also the situation in those reports relating to declined busi- ness and scams.” ROADWORKS SCHEDULED FOR WEST BAY ROAD Roadworks will be carried out on West Bay Road, between Marsh Road and Cemetery Road, from Wednesday, Nov. 22 to Thursday, Nov. 30, the National Roads Au- thority advised. Workers will be car- rying out construction work to improve road surface and drainage, according to the NRA. While the road will not be closed, the NRA is urging motorists to use the Esterley Tib- betts Highway be- tween the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Majority of port board reappointed BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Port Authority Board was appointed with mostly the same membership and the same chairman as of Nov. 1, according to gov- ernment records. Errol Bush will stay on as chairman for a four-year term, according to the ap- pointments approved by Cabinet on Nov. 3. Former Deputy Chairman Gerry Kirkcon- nell has been replaced by new deputy Arek Joseph, an architect, who will serve a three-year term. Another former member, Woody DaCosta, has also been re- placed on the board. Other members of the Port Authority Board in- clude Robert Foster, Edgar A. Bodden, Jacqueline Scott- Rankine, Richard Parch- ment and Ken Thompson. Other non-voting mem- bers on the board include the government chief of- ficer with responsibility for the port, the collector of customs and the financial secretary or their respec- tive designates. The Financial Reporting Authority attributed the increased number of suspicious activity reports to more stringent regulations and reporting rules that have come into effect in recent years. Errol BushThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2017 @Tasteo f Cayman TasteofCayman.org january 27, 2018 · festival green · 5pm - 11:45pm Available at TasteOfCayman.org, Funky Tangs & all Blackbeard’s & Big Daddy’s stores until December 1, 2017. GET YOUR EARLY BIRD Taste Tickets! CAYMAN’S CULINARY MAGAZINE Tickets on sale now Only $35 Save todayThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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, NOV. 23 BRAC COURT: Summary Court is held from 10 a.m. today and tomorrow. 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 now on sale at www.cds.ky or call 938-1998. SATURDAY, NOV. 25 WINTER PLANT SALE: Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All 1 gallon plants are only $4. Other plants will be priced on the pot. SHAPED BY THE SEA: New exhibition opens at National Museum, Harbour Drive, celebrating Charles O. “Captain Chuckie” Ebanks. Part of the Christmas Looky Ya, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with local artisans and food. All are invited. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: Bag Sale from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Purchase a bag (medium $5, large $10). Fit as many things as you can in a bag without tearing the bag. The item must not be falling from a bag to be considered “in” a bag. Items that fall from tearing of the bag will NOT be considered in. Huldah Avenue, RC headquarters building. BRAC BREEZE FUSION: 5K WALK/RUN 6:30 a.m. Adults $15, students 16 and under $10. Route is Public Beach to Foster’s Corner and back. Visit www.radiocayman.gov. ky for more info. T-shirt and participation medals for the first 100 registrants. Chance to win random prizes for all participants. BRAC ANNIVERSARY: 50th anniversary celebration for the high school. Football game features Alumni vs. Students. 7 p.m. Cayman Brac Sports Complex. Refreshments and souvenirs on sale, Visit www.facebook. com/lshs50th for more information. SINGING CHRISTMAS TREE: 6:30 p.m. tonight and tomorrow on the grounds of First Assembly of God, 195 Old Crewe Road, George Town. Admission is free. Special guest singers are the Fort Lauderdale Christian Life Centre Singers and Gillian Seecharan-Nancoo from Trinidad. MEMORIAL WALK: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church invites all to attend the annual memorial walk starting 6:30 a.m. Meet at the church. SMALL BUSINESSES: Today is Small Business Saturday. Discounts will be available at participating small businesses. ART & CRAFT SALE: Paseo, Camana Bay, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Organized by Visual Arts Society. Fine Art & photography, Christmas souvenirs, decorations, ceramics and more. Christmas shopping and socializing. 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. 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. CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST: The Grand Cayman chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International is holding its annual Christmas breakfast at 8 a.m., at Lola’s restaurant in Camana Bay. Spouses are invited as guests. The speakers are Mr. and Mrs. Tom Mason. SUNDAY, NOV. 26 ANNIVERSARY SERVICE: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church invites all to attend their 87th anniversary service at 11 a.m. and Benefit Concert at 7 p.m. for Stanley “Stan” Ebanks. TUESDAY, NOV. 28 HURRICANE RELIEF: Today is the deadline to contribute to hurricane relief in Turks and Caicos through the Community Services Department of the Adventist Church. Clothing, bed and bath linen, and non-perishable goods are requested. Items may be taken to Angela Hall at Cayman Academy, Walkers Road. FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE: The Family Resource Centre hosts a three-day domestic violence intervention training program today through Thursday. For further information or to register contact frc@gov.ky or 949-0006. THURSDAY, NOV. 30 LIGHT UP A LIFE: Cayman HospiceCare hosts its annual Light up a Life ceremony of remembrance at Cassia Court, Camana Bay. A minimum donation of $10 is requested. Pre-registration advised. All are welcome. Contact fundraising@ caymanhospicecare.ky or call 945-7447 for further information. FRIDAY, DEC. 1 INFINITY BALL: Celebrating the National Gallery’s 20 years anniversary and raising funds to make the visual arts available to everyone. Starts 6:30 p.m. Contact events@ nationalgallery.org.ky or 945-8111. SATURDAY, DEC. 2 MISSION FUNDRAISER: John Gray Memorial Church invites everyone to a fundraising sale to assist their Mission Ministries. Items for sale will be gently used clothing (children & adult sizes), household items, shoes, bags, etc. Also traditional homemade cakes. 6:30 a.m. until noon. Church Hall adjacent to the 4 Way Stop, West Bay. SUNDAY, DEC. 3 REDEDICATION: All are invited to a service of rededication of Gun Bay United Church. 3:30 p.m. GENERAL INTEREST BUY A BAG SALE: The NCVO New to You Thrift Shop hosts a sale now through Dec. 15. Buy a bag for $5 and whatever it holds inside is yours. 90 Anthony Drive, off Smith Road, next to Miss Nadine’s Pre-School. 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. CAYMAN CRAFT: The exhibition, “Revive!” – Celebrating contemporary and traditional craft from the Cayman Islands, is open at the National Gallery. OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIPS: The Ministry of Education is receiving applications for overseas scholarships for the 2018/2019 academic year. The application period is open until Jan. 31. Anyone planning to apply for a government scholarship for 2018/2019 is invited to complete the Overseas Scholarship Application at www.education.gov.ky. Contact the Scholarships Secretariat for any further information at scholarships@gov.ky or 244-2482. 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 Lucky House Pizza on Sundays 1:30-3:30 p.m. Fee of $45 per member or $55 per non-member includes materials for two candles. Parasol painting workshops, 4-6 p.m. Same fee, includes one parasol and paint. Contact info@visualartcayman.com. OPEN STUDIO: Painting, Mondays, 1-4:30 p.m. at Watler House, Pedro Castle grounds. $5 for members, $15 non-members. Fee includes use of studio, easels, painting boards and library. Thursday, 10 a.m. till noon for arts and crafts. Contact info@visualartcayman.com. 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. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The Thrift Shop opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed evenings. Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. OPEN CANVAS: Every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society supports this event at KARoo Restaurant located in Camana Bay. 7-11 p.m. No fee. Easels provided for artist of all levels to come out and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Mondays, 7 p.m. For details, contact Virginia Castillo at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., GT. All are invited to attend. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacyman.com. ROTARACT BLUE OF CAYMAN: Meets Wednesdays 6 p.m., at Royal Palms Beach Club, West Bay Road. Contact rotaractblue@gmail.com or www.rotaractblue.org. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. A new exhibition, ‘Shaped by the Sea,’ opens at the National Museum on Saturday, Nov. 25. The exhibition celebrates the life and work of the late Charles O. ‘Captain Chuckie’ Ebanks, who passed away in July this year. - PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKEThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 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 cracking down on the use of illegal dirt bikes that have plagued Cayman Islands roads in the past two years. It appeared the suspects in the early 2016 thefts climbed over the back wall of the police station which is adjacent to the Elizabethan Square prop- erty, took the motorbikes and then walked out of the main security gate which opens via motion sensor. Since that inci- dent occurred, the police have made security enhancements to the area, including the in- stallation of a barbed wire fence around most of the com- pound above the concrete wall that encircles it. Police officers have since been stationed in the back lot area “around the clock,” Deputy Commissioner Kurt Walton said at the time. There was no immediate word on how the suspects managed to get into the lot during Wednesday’s early morning break-in. In addition to the 2016 dirt bike thefts, a significant quantity of cocaine and ganja was stolen from a police con- tainer in the back yard of the police station in July 2015. After initially reporting that nothing had been taken in the July 13, 2015 break-in, the RCIPS confirmed in Sep- tember 2015 that “a quantity” of illegal drugs was taken from an evidence container there. The container was used to store “old evidence” and “drugs awaiting disposal,” police said at the time. The police also stated in September that the “ac- tions of those responsible” for following evidence han- dling and storage procedures at the police station would be reviewed. Former Police Commissioner David Baines said that police officers were being investigated in connec- tion with the drug thefts, but no officers were ever charged in connection with the case. Under formal questioning in the Legislative Assembly, Deputy Governor Franz Man- derson revealed that 24 kilo- grams of cocaine and 33 ki- lograms of ganja were stolen from the container in July 2015. Mr. Manderson indi- cated that the drugs were not intended to be used as evidence in any ongoing in- vestigation, but had been set aside for destruction at the earliest opportunity after having washed ashore. Officer Wesley Howell said these staffers include the “frontline” service providers, such as the individuals working the immigration front desk at its Elgin Avenue headquarters. Those customer service staff members will receive work permit and other immi- gration applications and pay- ments at the front counter, Mr. Howell said. “[They] are not involved with the processing/deci- sion making of applica- tions,” he said. There are 38 Immigra- tion Department employees focused on assisting the im- migration-related boards in the hearing and processing of various applications, in- cluding the Caymanian Status and Permanent Resi- dency Board, the Work Permit Board, the Business Staffing Plan and the immigration boards’ secretariat. “These individuals work directly with work permits, business staffing plans, per- manent residence and Cay- manian status,” Mr. Howell said. The number does not in- clude the actual board mem- bers, who are volunteers and not civil servants. Another nine employees work in immigration’s passport and corporate services unit. According to budget doc- uments, the Immigration De- partment will collect many times its total annual per- sonnel budget (about $11.4 million) in permit revenues over the next two years. The Compass estimated the gov- ernment would take in $209 million in immigration-re- lated fees during its 2018 and 2019 budget years – with the vast majority of that money coming from work permit fees, permanent residency fees and Cayma- nian status fees. Mr. Howell said adminis- trative fines and fees are typ- ically paid into the govern- ment’s general revenue fund, while permit application fees are mostly kept by the Immi- gration Department. Processing problems The Immigration Depart- ment acknowledged this summer that its employees are handling a much larger number of permit applica- tions, particularly work per- mits, than they were a year ago, leading to longer-than- usual delays in processing. According to figures given to the Cayman Compass, 18,847 work permit applica- tions were submitted to the department in seven months between Jan. 1, 2017 and July 31, 2017. Those appli- cations not only include an- nual permit grants and re- newals, but cover a wide range of temporary permits, work permit extensions, spe- cial economic zone permits and amendments to business staffing plans. The Immigration Depart- ment reported that roughly the same number of permit applications were processed for all of 2016. The processing, which can depend on the specific details of each case, is now taking between eight and 12 weeks, on average, according to pri- vate sector firms that assist businesses with work permit applications. The Immigra- tion Department’s stated goal is have a permit “turned around” in 14 days once an application is received. As of mid-July, there were 24,880 active work permits in the Cayman Is- lands, including government contracts and individuals awaiting word on permanent residence applications. Also during the summer, the Immigration Department brought in six additional em- ployees to help process long- outstanding permanent resi- dence applications, and have managed to cut a backlog of more than 1,100 residency bids to around 800. However, more applications are being filed weekly, and it seems likely that the backlog will take until at least mid-2018 to wade through. Enforcement More than 900 arrests have been made since July 2016 for various immigration violations related to staying or working illegally in the Cayman Islands, Immigration Department officials con- firmed this month. A total of 336 people were arrested between July 1, 2016 and Nov. 7, 2017 for overstaying or assisting an- other person to overstay, Mr. Howell said. Many overstaying cases do not come before the Cayman Islands court system, since the Immigration Department was given the ability in re- cent years to issue adminis- trative fines. In most over- staying matters, individuals pay a sum of money and then voluntarily remove them- selves from the islands, elim- inating the need for a “pro- hibited immigrant” order from the governor’s office. Another 460 arrests have occurred since July 1, 2016 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. 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). 38 immigration staff process $100M in annual fees CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Crooks get into police station compound again According to budget documents, the Immigration Department will collect many times its total annual personnel budget (about $11.4 million) in permit revenues over the next two years. arguing in written advice to the CPA that the developer had not provided sufficient justification to show that it was necessary. It also highlighted is- sues with traffic manage- ment, including the dif- ficulty of moving large pieces of equipment through the tunnel. Christine Maltman, a se- nior manager at Dart, told the board the developer had always envisaged a 601-foot overpass. She said negotiations over the acqui- sition of the Royal Palms site had taken longer than expected, preventing the original application from including the full length of the tunnel. Alex Russell, Dart’s senior manager for design, said the purpose of the overpass was to create “connectivity” and to allow for building over the road, extending Camana Bay from the North Sound to Seven Mile Beach. He said it was too early to say what type of buildings would go over the road and Dart was still developing its “master plan” for the area. Ms. Maltman said she could not explain the NRA’s opposition to the extension. “I am not sure why their memo contained some of the things it did, especially since they fully approved the orig- inal application,” she said. The NRA’s memo, re- leased with the agenda pa- pers to the meeting, argued that it should be the final decision-making authority on the application and con- cluded, “Ultimately, there is no justifiable reason or need to extend the tunnel and the NRA Board’s decision is not to approve the application.” Mr. Thompson suggested at the meeting that some of the NRA’s concerns, partic- ularly about the height of the tunnel, should have been raised earlier. “We are not talking about something that hasn’t already been done,” he said. “We are talking about an exten- sion here and, quite frankly, some of the comments by the NRA should have been made when the application was first presented.” Mr. Russell said there were three “clear to the sky” routes through Camana Bay that could be used for ve- hicles carrying equipment that could not fit through the tunnel, though he sug- gested this would be a rare occurrence. Dart representatives also attempted to address con- cerns raised by citizens about rights of way to the beach. Dart acknowledges that the overpass, at its extended 601-foot length, cuts off ac- cess to two paths to Seven Mile Beach. It proposed re- moving and consolidating these into one larger path along the Royal Palms prop- erty. The CPA requires devel- opers provide a six-foot ac- cess path for every 200 feet of land. Dart proposed con- solidating that into a single 12-foot wide access across the length of its property. Alice Mae Coe and Ezmie Smith of the Concerned Cit- izens Group, which has fought a long-running cam- paign to preserve beach ac- cess, were among the mem- bers of the public at the meeting Wednesday. Ms. Smith said she felt consolidating the beach ac- cesses was not adequate. “The CPA, according to the planning regulations, has a duty to protect and safeguard public access to the beach and we hope they will do that” she said. Section 20 of the 2015 planning regulations states, “It is the duty of the Au- thority to ensure that the open character of scenic shoreline land is preserved, in particular that of the beaches, and also to safe- guard the public’s right to use the beaches and to gain access to them through public rights of way.” Dart tunnel expansion denied CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 For pedestrians, the new tunnel under the West Bay Road overpass includes a walkway. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYNext >