High of 86 Low of 77 Seas: Moderate to rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open waters. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 TIRED OF WAITING FOR GOVERNMENT? TAKE THE INITIATIVE … LOCAL | PAGE 7 MO BROS FLASH THEIR ‘STACHES IN SUPPORT OF MEN’S HEALTH ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2017 186905-Ad-Strip-MC-60th-Grammys-10.333x1.5.indd 111/9/17 5:15 PM MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Dan Scott thinks he can help make Cay- man’s public schools attractive. He also believes it can be done fairly quickly. Two months after being named chairman of the Education Council, Mr. Scott said he is optimistic about turning around a largely dis- paraged education system. “I want parents to say, ‘I want my kids to go to public school,’” said Mr. Scott, a man- aging partner at Ernst & Young. A product of the Cayman public schools himself, education is in his DNA. Cayman Brac’s Layman E. Scott High School is named after his father. Mr. Scott is the first civilian to head the Education Council. In the past, it has been headed by the education minister, but amend- ments to Cayman’s Education Law in 2016 changed that. The council has met twice since Mr. Scott’s appointment and he said it has identified several things it plans to focus on, including scholarships, school uniform en- forcement, the effectiveness of the current Years 12 and 13 structure and giving teachers and school administrators the tools and freedom they need to do their jobs. That in- cludes, he added, a potential reassessment of how special needs students are mainstreamed into regular classrooms. Overall, Mr. Scott said he and the council are concerned about accountability and ac- cess. And with access, money is key. A scholarship allowed Mr. Scott to pursue his education when he graduated from high school here. Had it not been for that assistance, he said, he would not have been able to attend college. Scholarship monies, he said, are not necessarily going where they need to right now. “Currently, it’s just based on grades,” Mr. Scott said of the criteria used to award scholarships. “We are looking to recommend a means test. You do not want to end up granting scholarships to people who, JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Developers in Cayman are getting an early Christmas present. Government announced on Dec. 1 that it is extending its reduced duty rate on im- ported building materials for another year. Anyone bringing in building materials will con- tinue to pay a flat 15 per- cent rate, rather than the normal 22 percent. Finance Minister Roy Mc- Taggart said the concession was stimulating economic growth and would be continued at least until Dec. 28. 2018. The Cayman Compass re- ported last month that Grand Cayman was in the midst of an unprecedented development boom with more high-value planning applications approved in 2017 than ever before. Mr. McTaggart said, “The construction industry continues to spur economic activity – the value of imported building ma- terials has increased on average by 9.7 percent per year between 2011 and 2016 and was six percent higher in the first six months of 2017 when compared to the same period in 2016.” Paul Pearson, one of the owners of Davenport Dan Scott: Optimistic on Cayman schools Reduced duty rate helping fuel development Two attacks on women Saturday morning BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A female visitor was attacked and raped while she was walking along Seven Mile Public Beach early Saturday morning, the Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service confirmed Monday. RCIPS reports on the incident released Sunday afternoon and then on Monday morning differed slightly, with the first release referring to the in- cident as a sexual assault in which “the victim re- ceived no serious injuries” and the second indi- cating the woman was raped. “A woman was reported to have been walking north from Seven Mile Public Beach when she was approached by a man not known to her and raped,” the Monday version of the statement read. The Sunday version of the police statement said she had been walking alone. The victim, believed to be in her 30s, was taken to hospital early Saturday and subsequently re- leased after receiving treatment. Police said Family Support Unit detectives are ensuring that “all necessary safeguarding mea- sures have been put in place for the victim.” RCIPS officers also investigated a second at- tack that occurred the same morning in West Bay’s Morgan’s Harbour area. Officers said there is currently no information indicating the two at- tacks were linked. Police said a woman receiving a ride home from someone she had just met was taken to a se- cluded area of Morgan’s Harbour in West Bay. “The man began making aggressive sexual advances toward her, tearing at her clothing,” police said. VISITOR RAPED ON SEVEN MILE BEACH To infinity and beyond Patrizia Bruzio, Mona Lisa Meade, Natalie Urquhart, Fleur Coleman and Dara Flowers-Burke attend the National Gallery’s Infinity Ball, which raised funds for the gallery. Guests were invited to dress in futuristic outfits for Friday’s gala event. For more photos, see page 6. - PHOTO: MAGGIE JACKSON PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL NEWS “Saying you’re sorry af- terwards won’t cover my bruises.” Those were the words on a T-shirt, written by an abuse survivor, featured as part of the annual 16 Days of Ac- tivism Against Gender-Based Violence. T-shirts conveying messages of despair, anger and sorrow, all written by survivors of domestic abuse, are placed on clotheslines for members of the public to see. On Wednesday this week, from noon, the Department of Counselling Services’ Family Resource Centre is inviting other survivors to decorate more T-shirts as part of the “Clothesline Project.” The centre will also hold a re- source session at its offices on North Sound Way the same day, at 6-7:30 p.m. The 16 Days of Activism, which runs from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10, and is used by in- dividuals and groups in- ternationally to call for the elimination of all forms of vi- olence against women. This year’s theme, “To- gether We Can End Gender- Based Violence in Education,” focuses on building aware- ness and allowing survivors to bear silent witness. “The Clothesline Project offers the opportunity to publicly air the issue of vio- lence in our homes and com- munities. The project brings together survivors of all forms of violence or sup- porters of victims/survivors to design T-shirts as a testa- ment to their experience. Rec- ognizing that males may also be victims of violence (as wit- nesses or victims as children and as adults), their partici- pation is also welcomed,” a press release from the Family Resource Centre stated. The Clothesline Project will also be undertaken at Her Majesty’s Prison Ser- vice facilities and the Cayman Islands Crisis Cen- tre’s Taya Lounge. At the start of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Violence, the clothes- lines were displayed at the Health Services Authority’s Women’s Health Centre and at the George Town Post Of- fice. Now they will be ex- hibited at other district health centres across Grand Cayman until the end of the observance. “We consistently see a spike in domestic violence incidents in December,” said Health Minister Dwayne Sey- mour. “This initiative is seen as a strong and powerful way to help survivors confront their experiences and to raise awareness of such crimes in the community.” “The concept works on many levels,” said Char- maine Miller, the Family Re- source Centre’s acting pro- grams coordinator. “Survivors of gender-based violence can decorate the T-shirt with words and images that re- late to their personal experi- ence of such crimes. They can also use it to come to terms with pent up feelings con- cerning the crime. “At the same time, ob- servers learn more about the ramifications of gender- based violence by looking at the T-shirts. In this manner, all concerned can move for- ward and be better informed about the psychological toll of such crimes.” The resource session on Wednesday evening will be for the public to learn more about the resources available to domestic violence survi- vors. It will be held in part- nership with local family wel- fare agencies including the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), the Department of Children and Family Ser- vices, and the Cayman Is- lands Crisis Centre. TUESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Daily Matinees Every Day • $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 • Additional charges will apply per 3D/VIP ticket requested 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. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) COCO 3D (PG) 7:00 2D I 9:15 WONDER (PG) 6:30 JUSTICE LEAGUE (PG13) 9:55 DADDY’S HOME 2 (PG13) 7:35 I 10:10 TIL DEATH US DO PART (PG13) 7:15 I 9:55 MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (PG13) 10:00 VIP THOR: RAGNAROK 3D (PG13) 6:30 2D I 9:30 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION (PG13) 7:00 VIP Visiting Gynecologist will be available for consultation at Novo Clinic, Britcay House 236 Eastern Avenue from 2-19 January, 2018 For appointments please call +1 (345) 746-6082 clinic@novocayman.com T-shirts carry messages against abuse The 16 Days of Activism, which runs from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10, and is used by individuals and groups internationally to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women. Organizers will hang the T-shirts on clotheslines on public display. Survivors of domestic abuse are being invited to paint messages on T-shirts as part of the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Congratulations to Emily Davies for winning the 2017 In- tertrust Marathon prize pack. Ms. Davies entered the con- test online and was randomly drawn to win two entries to the Cayman Islands Marathon, a digital photo package, three 60-minute recovery massages from Back to Health, brunch for two at the Westin, dinner for two at Cayman Cabana, a case of Caybrew Light beer and a Cayman Islands Mara- thon 2017 fun pack. For other available contests, visit caymancompass.com/contests. Marathon prize pack contest winner chosen Meals on Wheels’ second annual Turkey Trot 5K and 10K Walk raised more than $4,000 for supplies for the charity, which currently serves 218 seniors, house- bound or disabled individ- uals across Grand Cayman. Organizers say participa- tion in this year’s event, held on Nov. 25, more than dou- bled for the early morning kick-off, which started at the Holiday Inn Resort and cir- cled through SafeHaven. “I was thrilled with the attendance and sup- port this year,” said Rob Im- parato, chairman of Meals on Wheels. “We hope to see this event grow in participation each year and become an an- nual tradition.” Despite the heat, Mr. Im- parato arrived dressed in a full turkey costume to greet and take photos with participants. In first place in each of the female 5K categories were Mikaeyla Dacres in the 11-17 category, Tiffany Cole in the 18-30 category, Gill Gordon in the 31-55 category and Eva Hughes in the 56+ category. First place in the 5K male categories were Pierre So- kohl in the 11-17 category, Gearoid David Magner in the 18-30 category, Ronaldo Custodio in the 31-55 cate- gory and Mike Penner in the 56+ category. Meals on Wheels added a 10K category this year. In first place in the female runner 10K categories were Natalie Daum in the 18-30 category, Beth Biega in the 31-55 category and Celine Macken in the 56+ cate- gory. For the men’s 10K cate- gory, first place walkers were Charles Sokohl in the 11-17 category, Marq Theunissun in the 18-30 category, Kevin Huys in the 31-55 cate- gory and Martin Tedd in the Turkey Trot raised $4,000 for Meal on Wheels Rob Imparato, chairman of Meals on Wheels, dons a turkey suit to congratulate participants of the Turkey Trot. These Turkey Trotters were jumping for joy after finishing the run/walk. - PHOTOS: WIL BIGNAL PHOTOGRAPHY Emily Davies, left, is presented with the 2017 Intertrust Marathon Prize pack by Rhonda Kelly of Kelly Holding.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2017 Fidelity Pension Plan Fidelity Financial Centre on West Bay Road Wednesday, December 13th, 2017 6:00pm - 7:00pm Fidelity Financial Centre, West Bay Road & Esterley Tibbetts Highway Cayman Financial Centre, Dr. Roy’s Drive, George Town info@fidelitycayman.com RSVP: Carolee.Crowley@fidelitycayman.com Phone: 914-2179 Light refreshments 2017 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING [] Play field to be renamed after Ronald Forbes North Side Olympic hurdler to be honored in ceremony CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Old Man Bay Play Field will have a new name as of Saturday evening. With a brief unveiling ceremony followed by a fes- tive program and full-course dinner, the sports facility will be known as the Ronald Forbes Play Field in tribute to the Olympic hurdler who grew up in North Side. Organizers are inviting ev- eryone across the island to attend because they believe that Mr. Forbes is a hero to all of Cayman, not just his home district. His hard work and perseverance earned him the right to compete in events around the world, including the Olympics in China, Eng- land and, most recently, Brazil, where he was Cay- man’s flag bearer in the Pa- rade of Nations seen by mil- lions of people. Saturday’s gathering is at the field from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with the unveiling of the new signage scheduled to take place before sunset. Then the action will move to a tent at midfield where there will be speeches, en- tertainment and a buffet fea- turing seasonal and tradi- tional dishes. Members of the North Side District Council execu- tive committee met Thursday night with residents who have undertaken responsi- bility for the many tasks that need doing in preparation for a project like this. Officers, led by chairwoman Debra Broderick, have committed themselves to restoring com- munity spirit. In response, reports at the meeting indi- cated a genuine enthusiasm for the renaming as an op- portunity to bring people to- gether while acknowledging the achievements of one of their own. Volunteers, donors and sponsors are joining forces to make this event a reality, en- abling the council to invite everyone to attend and par- ticipate at no charge. The play field was origi- nally opened by then-Min- ister for Sports Juliana O’Connor-Connolly in April 2000. After the destruction caused by Hurricane Ivan, the facility had to be com- pletely refurbished. It was re-opened by then-Minister for Sports Alden McLaughlin in April 2009. Cayman Islands hurdler Ronald Forbes at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The Old Man Bay Play Field will be renamed after him on Saturday. Decorated pet bowls spread festive cheer Animal lovers got to dish over their pets at a One Dog At A Time’s charity fund- raiser Friday when they dec- orated and designed food and water bowls for their pooches and cats. Helped by the creative skills of Three Girls and a Kiln, participants en- sured their pets would have some new Christmas bowls, designed by their owners’ own hands. The event was held at the Montessori School of Cayman. “The dishes are amazing, I made mine for my dog Snoop’s birthday and he loves both of them,” said Pamela Smith. Participants used a va- riety of decorative techniques to decorate the dog bowls which were supplied by or- ganizers. After painting, the bowls were covered with a glaze and then fired to make them waterproof. The colorful dishes were delivered to the pet owners a few days later. Paula Blane, president of One Dog At A Time, said she appreciated the support and generosity of residents whose donations enable the group to pay for vet bills, food and other equipment for the dogs. So far this year, the group has sent 157 rescue dogs to New York or To- ronto for adoption – double the number of dogs it res- cued last year. “To keep up with the bills and reduce the amount of strays and dogs released from the pound, we are now looking for a location from which we can sell items on a more permanent basis as we currently rely upon using selling websites such as Cay- mums and eCay, as well as our pop up shop and garage sales,” Ms. Blane said. The charity is seeking a small building with land to continue its growth, enabling it to sell donated goods and provide extra facilities for the increasing numbers of dogs it rescues. “If the facility has an out- side area for exercising dogs and an area that can be con- verted [for] house puppies and dogs looking for their forever homes during the day on a temporary basis, that would be ideal,” Ms. Blane explained. She said the group is growing rapidly and wel- comes donations of goods. It is also always happy to wel- come new foster families. To find out more about fostering or adopting a dog, or to volunteer in any capacity, contact info@odaat.ky. Bella Partridge, 7, gets a hug during a visit with Camana Bay’s Santa. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS Christmas hug Sarah McDougall, left, and Pamela Smith decorate dog bowls for their pets. POST OFFICES TO CLOSE EARLY THURSDAY Post offices in Grand Cayman will close at noon on Thursday for a staff function, the Postal Service advised. All the post offices will re-open for business as normal on Friday, Dec. 8.The 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” Michael Myles is no hand wringer. Where others see problems, Cayman’s preeminent youth advocate sees possibilities. He identifies a need, comes up with a plan to address it, gathers resources, launches into action – all while many others are still complaining about the problem. This time, Mr. Myles, formerly government’s at-risk youth officer, now operations and development manager at Hope Academy, has targeted a need that politicians and others have been talking about for years: The lack of vocational training on island that will help local students secure decent, well-paying jobs. How appropriate that partnering with private industry, Cayman’s No. 1 “fixer” is launching a program to teach basic auto repair. Once they graduate from the program, these students will be qualified to work as entry-level mechanics: Honorable work that pays a decent wage. Everybody wins. The program, which is modeled on a now-defunct training scheme that once was run through the Superior Auto garage, will use classroom space at Hope Academy and the expertise of Owen Knight, who used to teach in the Superior mechanics program and now works at Hope. The program’s new workshop will be created from a disused shipping container, which – along with tools, engines and other equipment – has been donated by private sector partners and supporters. Once the school opens (after the program receives its accreditation through the Jamaican German Auto- motive School), students will be able to embark on a journey to self-sufficiency and a satisfying career. Mr. Myles told the Compass he already is thinking ahead to possible expansion that would include similar training for other in-demand skilled careers, such as cosmetology, barbering and electronics. Running such programs costs money, of course, but Mr. Myles appears to have taken the most efficient route possible – by tapping existing resources, lever- aging relationships and bringing together partners who all are invested in improving the outcome. He is hoping that students will be able to secure government schol- arships to help defray the cost of the training. We agree – supporting this program would be the easiest, most cost-effective way for government to finally do something about this known workforce need. As Mr. Myles told the Compass, “The average mechanic is not Caymanian, the average barber is not Caymanian, most waiters and bar staff are not Cayma- nian. These are career paths we have to open up for our people.” “I’m not sitting around waiting for government to do anything,” he said. “If they want, they can partner with us, but if not, students will have to apply for scholarships.” In addition to the stated curriculum, Mr. Myles’s ini- tiative, steadfast commitment and resourcefulness all provide important lessons for Cayman’s young people (and those who are no longer so young): If you see a problem or a need, do not waste your time com- plaining, or wait for someone else to solve it. None of us has to wait for government, or any other “savior” to come riding in to save us. We have an abundance of tools, resources, expertise and will- ingness to take on Cayman’s tough problems. We just have to stop “waiting” and start acting. Tired of waiting for government? Take the initiative … TUESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Responding to the crisis in Honduras ISHAAN THAROOR A week after voting in a bitterly contested presiden- tial election, Hondurans still do not know who their next president will be. The front- runners – incumbent Juan Orlando Hernández and op- position candidate Salvador Nasralla – have claimed vic- tory. According to the coun- try’s election commission, Hernández has a narrow lead with most of the bal- lots counted. But there is substantial evidence of voter irregularities and fraud, which seemed only to occur after Nasralla had estab- lished a significant lead in the vote count. “The fraud can no longer just be called fraud,” said Eugenio Sosa, a sociologist and political analyst, to the Guardian. “This is a type of electoral coup against the president-elect, Sal- vador Nasralla.” Days of protests have hit the impoverished Central American nation of 8.5 mil- lion people, which suffers some of the worst rates of vi- olence in the world. Residents of the capital, Tegucigalpa, have taken to the streets in defiance of a curfew and, in some instances, clashed with security forces. On Sat- urday, at least one protester was shot dead. Nasralla, a popular tele- vision host at the front of an alliance of opposition par- ties, called for a repeat of the presidential election under the “supervision of an inter- national electoral tribunal.” On his Twitter account, he urged the defense of “the vic- tory of the people” and later posted footage of himself among demonstrators in Te- gucigalpa. The government accused the opposition of in- citing violence. While the U.S. response to the situation has been muted, the dispute in Hon- duras ought to echo in Wash- ington. The Honduran gov- ernment gets millions of dollars in U.S. aid each year, and its elite police units have received training from the U.S. military. Hernández, a member of the right-wing National Party, is seen as a reliable U.S. ally with friends in high places, including White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly. Trump Ad- ministration officials have spoken positively of Hernán- dez’s stewardship of Hon- duras, which one official re- cently described as being “on the cusp of a lot of change and positive development.” “Washington has invested significant money in Central America to help turn the se- curity and economic situation around,” wrote Daniel Runde, a Republican foreign policy adviser and former official in the George W. Bush ad- ministration, who sees Her- nandez as an improvement on left-leaning – interlocutors in Guatemala and El Salvador. He adds that “if Hernández loses the election, the United States will have no effective partners in the region, the ef- fectiveness of our billions of dollars would be at risk, and more people might be tempted to come to the United States.” This, of course, has long been the dynamic in Central America, where the United States has sponsored gener- ations of right-leaning poli- ticians with ties to the secu- rity state. The current crisis is the worst facing Honduras since 2009, when the coun- try’s military ousted then- President Manuel Zelaya in a coup, in part after Zelaya moved to stage a nonbinding referendum over whether he could convene a constit- uent assembly to rewrite the country’s constitution. His critics at the time, including Hernández and the country’s political and financial elites, cast this as Zelaya’s gambit to entrench his power in the vein of Venezuelan socialist Hugo Chávez. Republicans agreed, and the Obama administra- tion – especially then-Secre- tary of State Hillary Clinton – seemed to ultimately acqui- esce to the putsch. Zelaya is back in the country after a brief political exile and is seen as the force behind Nasralla’s campaign. Hernández, meanwhile, has maneuvered adroitly around checks on his rule to run for reelection. He has put al- lies on his country’s Supreme Court and “is making a stra- tegic effort to consolidate the levers of government power, placing them within his per- sonal grasp,” according to a report from the Carn- egie Endowment for Inter- national Peace. “He is a paradox. Cred- ited with strengthening what had threatened to become a failed state, he is also reviled for stunting its development,” observed the Economist ear- lier this year. “He governs a country that serves as a con- duit for much of the cocaine that enters the United States, and where police and poli- ticians are enmeshed with drug-trafficking gangs.” Ac- cording to reports, key allies of Hernández, including his brother, have had dealings with powerful cartels. All the while, the country’s security forces, enriched and empowered in the shadow of the U.S. war on drugs, have been accused of human rights abuses and targeting dissidents, including allega- tions surrounding the 2016 assassination of Berta Cá- ceres, an environmental ac- tivist and outspoken opponent of Hernández. “The Honduran security forces are using our taxpayer dollars to repress peaceful demonstrations against stolen elections,” said Cáceres’s U.S.- based nephew, Silvio Car- illo, to the Intercept. “We are giving Juan Orlando Hernández money so he can get away with murder.” This kind of American in- volvement in Honduras is nothing new. Honduras was the original “banana re- public,” its people beholden to the needs of the United Fruit Company and other U.S. cor- porate interests, which bent the country’s laws and poli- tics to their favor. Even now, Hernández has courted con- troversy by pushing for an ex- pansion of special economic zones that would lure invest- ment from American and other foreign companies on generous terms. But as a galvanized op- position takes to the streets and turmoil reigns, some ob- servers in the United States see a cautionary tale for their own country. Over the weekend, Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., spoke of a recent trip to Honduras that opened his eyes to what’s happening in his own country. In a tweeted video message, he said he had long assumed developing coun- tries like Honduras “were on the path to be like the United States.” But now, with Amer- ican politics deeply polar- ized and yawning social inequities being further en- trenched, Ellison said he has reversed his analysis. Now, he believes, Honduras may actually represent a more likely “future” for Americans than the reverse. Ishaan Tharoor writes about foreign affairs for The Washington Post. He previously was a senior editor and correspondent at Time magazine. © 2017, The Washington Post.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2017 Mother-to-child transmission of HIV eliminated in Cayman SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The World Health Organi- zation on Friday placed the Cayman Islands on a list of countries that have eliminated the mother-to-child transmis- sion of HIV and syphilis. Anguilla, Antigua and Bar- buda, Bermuda, Montserrat, and Saint Kitts and Nevis were also recognized for that distinction Friday, which was the official observation of World AIDS Day. There have been a total of four documented cases of mother-to-child transmis- sion of HIV in Cayman. Two of those occurred in 1994, and the stricken children have passed away since then. One is an adopted child who contracted the virus while being born overseas. The last documented case of mother-to-child trans- mission of HIV in Cayman came in 2004. Dr. Samuel Williams-Ro- driguez, acting medical officer of health for the Health Ser- vices Authority, issued a state- ment Monday about Cayman’s achievement in eliminating the mother-to-child transmis- sion of HIV and syphilis. “The Cayman Islands Gov- ernment is pleased to be in receipt of validation of the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and con- genital syphilis,” he said of the WHO’s announcement. “This validation and certifica- tion is the result of work by highly dedicated and com- mitted staff at the Health Services Authority, working with their NGO partners Cayman Islands Red Cross and Cayman AIDS Founda- tion. We remain steadfast in our focus by strengthening testing for HIV within ante- natal clinic services and con- tinuing the provision of an- tiretroviral therapy to all persons living with HIV.” According to the Cayman Islands Ministry of Health, there has never been a doc- umented case of mother-to- child transmission of syph- ilis in Cayman. Minister of Health Dwayne Seymour released a state- ment last week regarding World AIDS Day, in which he included statistics regarding AIDS and HIV locally and worldwide. He said there are 69 people in Cayman living with the HIV virus, and there have been 153 identified local cases since 1985. Mr. Seymour also said that HIV and AIDS have claimed more than 35 million lives over the last three decades, and as of last year, 36.7 mil- lion people around the world were living with HIV. “It is imperative to re- member there is no cure for HIV infections,” said Mr. Sey- mour as part of his offi- cial statement. “However, ef- fective antiretroviral drugs can control the virus and help prevent transmission so that people with HIV, and those at substantial risk, can enjoy healthy, long and pro- ductive lives. “As per the World Health Organization’s theme of ‘Right to Health’ for this year’s World AIDS Day, we strive to provide the best quality healthcare possible for all persons living with HIV in the Cayman Is- lands. The right to health is a fundamental human right and every person must be able to access the appropriate health services that they need.” In 2015, Cuba became the first country in the world to receive WHO validation for elimination of mother-to- child transmission of HIV and syphilis. Thailand and Belarus have also received recognition for that achieve- ment, and Armenia was cited for eliminating the trans- mission of HIV. Great advances have been made since the Regional Ini- tiative for the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Trans- mission of HIV and Congen- ital Syphilis in Latin America and the Caribbean was launched in 2010 by the Pan American Health Organiza- tion and the United Nations Children’s Fund. New HIV infections in the Caribbean have dropped by 52 percent among children in that time. There were around 1,800 cases in 2010 and fewer than 1,000 documented cases in 2016. “The elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis is not just a dream; it’s an achievable goal,” said Maria Cristina Per- ceval, UNICEF’s regional di- rector for Latin America and the Caribbean. “Today we can say we are closer to ensuring an AIDS-free generation.” Several injured in weekend accidents Police report that there were 27 traffic accidents over the past weekend. Most serious among them was a crash on Sunday just before mid- night on Esterley Tib- betts Highway involving a Honda ACTY truck and a Jaguar S-Type sedan. The driver of the truck, which overturned, underwent surgery for his injuries at Cayman Islands Hos- pital and was reportedly in stable condition. The driver of the Jaguar was also injured and was treated and released from Cayman Islands Hospital. Esterley Tibbetts was also the site of a Saturday- night accident. Police said a southbound bicyclist was hit by a light-colored van at 10 p.m. near Lakeside Apartments. The van left the scene. The cyclist is in stable condition at Cayman Islands Hospital. Trade and Business Licensing Board announces holiday hours The Trade and Busi- ness Licensing Board will hold its last meeting of the year on Dec. 12. Meetings will resume in 2018 on Jan. 9, the Department of Com- merce and Investment an- nounced Friday. People seeking renewals and grants of their trade and business licenses be- fore the end of the year have until Friday to submit their applications to the Depart- ment of Commerce and In- vestment. Applications re- ceived after that will not be processed until next year. However, Department of Commerce and Invest- ment staff will continue ac- cepting grant and renewal applications, and collecting all associated payments throughout this month. Applications can be sub- mitted at the Business Li- censing Counter on the first floor of the Government Ad- ministration Building from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. Trade-and-business licensing forms and general information are available at www.dci.gov.ky. For the Christmas hol- iday, the Department of Commerce and Investment’s Grand Cayman office, in- cluding the Business Li- censing Counter, will close at noon on Dec. 22, and reopen at 9 a.m. on Dec. 27. For New Year’s Eve, the office and the counter will close at noon on Dec. 29 and reopen at 9 a.m. on Jan. 2. The department’s Cayman Brac office will close on Dec. 18 and re-open at 9 a.m. on Jan. 2. For more information regarding trade and business, liquor, tobacco, and special economic zone license applications, call 945-0943 or email info@dci.gov.ky. The last documented case of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the Cayman Islands occurred in 2004. Minister of Health Dwayne Seymour said there are 69 people in Cayman living with the HIV virus. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY6 LOCAL NEWS The Cayman Islands National Gallery held its Infinity Ball on Friday night, celebrating its 20th anniversary. The gallery’s Sculpture Gardens and Lower Exhibition Hall were transformed into a futuristic backdrop and guests were invited to don ‘futuristic inspired’ black tie attire. Check out these photos and others by visiting caymancompass.com/photogalleries or on facebook.com/caycompass (and don’t forget to tag yourself and your friends!) TUESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Donna Durston, Alis Elanora Tofte, Avril Ward, Karen Coles, Ava Gruszka and Heidi Teeling - PHOTOS: MAGGIE JACKSON Sheena Conolly and Bianca Francis Vicki and Bicrom Das David and Dianne Hardy with Nasaria Suckoo-Chollette and Randy Chollette Anne Briggs, Audrey Duty and Emma-Jane FisherCarroll Yates and Ivan Farrington Peta-Gaye and Brendan Rainonen, with Annick and Art Pasquali John Petts, Claire Pettinati and Daniel Petts Katie Moore Melissa Lin and Brian TangMark Matthews and Nisha Bismallah MLA Eugene Ebanks, Jennifer Ahearn, David Dinner and Ian Whan Tong7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2017 MO Bros flash their ‘staches in support of men’s health Cayman’s mustachioed men made an impressive showing in support of men’s health Friday night for the raucous close of MOvember. The annual month of fundraising and health ad- vocacy supports cancer screenings and education by challenging men to grow out their moustaches for the month of November. The boisterous crowd for Friday’s closing cere- mony at Calico Jack’s did not disappoint in its enthu- siasm for men’s health, said Cayman Islands Cancer So- ciety Operations Manager Jennifer Weber. “This year, the joint efforts of the MO Committee, all the participants and supporters meant so much because the Cancer Society had a very big year. 2017 required the most financial aid in our organiza- tion’s 22-year history. More people have needed financial aid than ever before, so we were grateful to be able to help,” Ms. Weber said. “Whenever the commu- nity supports us with fun- draising, it helps us help others in Cayman. So far we have incurred over $40,000 of expenses helping men diag- nosed with cancer who came to us for financial help. We are grateful for the help, but our work never ends because the patients keep coming.” MO Bro David Pursley, dressed as a high school sports coach, claimed the evening’s highest honor as Man of MOvember. He gave an impassioned acceptance speech, reminding the public, “There is no ‘I’ in team,” and dedicated the victory to the crowd. Competitor Iain Gow proved that often less is more, taking the title in the Barely MO category and inspiring supporters to chant to his name. Jo Austin, dressed as Futurama’s Dr. Zoidberg, grabbed her fourth consec- utive win in the MO Sis- ters category. Appeal for cancer registry While MOvember activi- ties have ended, the Cayman Islands Cancer Registry sent out a reminder that the fight against cancer continues. The Cancer Registry is appealing to male cancer survivors to come forward and add their information to its database. The anonymous informa- tion will help researchers better understand cancer trends in the Cayman Is- lands population. Cancer registrar Amanda Nicholson said despite the in- crease in registration this year, the voluntary registration rate by men remains low. “Though MOvember has ended, we want to continue the awareness of men’s health issues such as prostate and testicular cancer, two of the most common types of cancers among men. In addition, we want to promote the important role male survivors can play in the development of effective cancer programs by helping us to gain more insight into how cancer is affecting the male population in our country,” Ms. Nicholson said. Registration takes a few minutes and can be done in person or via email. To register on the Cayman Islands Cancer Registry, cancer survivors should contact Ms. Nicholson at 244-2560 or amanda.nicholson@hsa.ky. Cayman Islands Cancer Society’s Jennifer Weber poses with the Man of MOvember, David Pursley. Two of the Three Musketeers, Fede Destro and Shane Connolly, take a break from fighting and join the merriment of MOvember. MOvember participants Sandipan Bhowmik and Norman Chan show a month’s worth of facial hair growth Friday. MO Sister Maria O’Shea and Jo Austin show off creative costumes for MOvember. Iain Gow, winner of Barely MO, was a crowd favorite for the closing of MOvember. David Pursley, dressed as a sports coach, won the Man of MOvember Friday at Calico Jack’s. - PHOTOS: ALVARO SEREY Tony Myers pulled off the strongest Tom Selleck tribute ‘stache and won 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. TUESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY, DEC. 5 CHAMBER COURSE: The Essentials of Selling Part Two. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $150 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: Basic Grammar and Writing Skills Part Two. 12:30-4:30 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $150 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 6 THE CHRISTMAS STORY: The Jubilate Orchestra and Choir presents the story of the first Christmas. 6-7 p.m. at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Savannah. All are invited. TRUST HOLIDAY PARTY: Trust members and prospective members are invited to attend the National Trust’s Holly Jolly Party and Cayman Nature Store Open House 5 to 8 p.m. at the Trust Headquarters, Dart Family Park, South Sound, with canapes and cocktails. A documentary “30 Years of Conservation” will be shown in the Trust Clubhouse 5:30, 6, 6:30 and 7 p.m. SATURDAY, DEC. 9 PLAY FIELD RENAMING: The Old Man Bay Play Field in North Side will be renamed for Olympic athlete Ronald Forbes. 5-8 p.m. with unveiling before sunset. All are invited. FESTIVAL AT GRAND HARBOUR: From 9 a.m. Homemade arts and crafts festival includes live music all day, food and drink specials from Salty’s Sports Bar, kids’ crafts, and our Christmas Tree Lighting with a visit from Santa. BRAC DINNER: The Rotary Club of Cayman Brac invites senior citizens to dinner at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre. SUNDAY, DEC. 10 NATIONAL CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA: The Cayman National Choir and Cayman National Orchestra present a Christmas Spectacular at the Harquail Theater, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 adults, $10 for children. The concert features Jamaican tenor Rory Baugh, local singer Mikayla Corin, a cappella group The Singrays, and the Cayman Youth Choir. Tickets are available from caymanaisles. com/etickets or members of the choir and orchestra. TUESDAY, DEC. 12 TRADE AND BUSINESS: The Trade and Business Licensing Board holds its last meeting of the year. Persons seeking renewals and grants of licenses before the end of the year have until Friday, Dec. 8 to submit applications via the Department of Commerce and Investment. Applications received by DCI as of Monday, Dec. 11 will not be processed until January. However, DCI staff will continue accepting applications and collecting all associated payments. Applications can be submitted at the Business Licensing Counter, Government Administration Building, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. NATIONAL CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA: The Cayman National Choir and Cayman National Orchestra present their traditional Christmas carol concert 7:30 p.m. at Elmslie Memorial Church tonight and Thursday. CHAMBER COURSE: Immigration, Permanent Residence, Work Permits & Status. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square; $350 for members, $400 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 13 CONCERT AND FUND RAISER: The St. Ignatius Band Concert and Christmas Fundraiser starts at 7 p.m. at the school. Grand prize is $25,000 with lots of other prizes. Tickets are $25 and are available at St. Ignatius and from local supermarkets and other businesses. THURSDAY, DEC. 14 VAS CHRISTMAS SOCIAL: All are invited to the annual Christmas Cocktail Party, a fundraiser for the Visual Arts Society. $35, includes drinks and canapes. Prizes for best dressed Christmas, white, silver and gold theme. Email info@visualartcayman.com. SATURDAY, DEC. 16 NCVO CHRISTMAS SALE: 6-10 a.m. in the NCVO parking lot. New to You Bargain Shop, 90 Anthony Drive (off Smith Road). Clothing, shoes, books, toys, baby and household supplies. MONDAY, DEC. 18 VENDORS SOUGHT: National Heroes Day organizers are seeking independent “small-man” food vendors to provide samples of Caymanian food items at the ceremony in Heroes Square on Monday, Jan. 22. Today is the deadline to submit a proposal and completed menu form to the Protocol Office in the Government Administration Building on Elgin Avenue. Vendors can provide quotes on any menu item. Bidding instructions and the menu form can be obtained from the Government Administration Building, first floor, or by emailing nationalevents@gov.ky. For more information, call 916-2913. GENERAL INTEREST CARGO COLLECTION: Cayman Port reminds customers that all cargo collections from the warehouse must be done in a timely manner, so as to not impact safe and efficient operations. Persons importing vehicles should collect them without delay. Additional storage charges will be applied to all cargo not collected within five working days. LOBSTER SEASON: The open season for lobster runs from Dec. 1 to Feb. 28. Bag limit is three per person per day or six per boat per day, whichever is less. Minimum size is a six-inch tail length. No taking lobsters from Marine Protected Areas. Only spiny lobster may be taken. No wearing gloves while snorkeling. No take of lobster (or any marine life other than lionfish) while scuba diving. CONCH AND WHELK SEASON: The open season for conch and whelk runs from Nov. 1 to April 30. The legal limit for conch is five per person per day or 10 per boat, whichever is less. The limit for whelk catches is two-and-a-half gallons in the shell, or two-and-a-half pounds of processed whelks, per person, per day. DVDL EXTRA: The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing on Crewe Road will be open longer in December. On Wednesdays and Fridays, the office will open as usual at 8:30 a.m. but close later at 7 p.m. All other days the office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. SHAPED BY THE SEA: New exhibition at National Museum, Harbour Drive, celebrating Charles O. “Captain Chuckie” Ebanks. 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. 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 are 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, by email on soci@candw.ky or call 916-2600. CANDLE MAKING: The Visual Arts Society is offering 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. LIFE UNDERWRITERS ASSOCIATION: Advises all members that the monthly meeting luncheon is held on the last Thursday of each month. YBPW: Meets every third Monday of each month at the Woman’s Resource Centre. SERVICES EL MINISTERIO HISPANO: de la Iglesia Bautista Cayman Islands te hace una cordial invitación a nuestro culto en español cada Domingo, 6:30 p.m., Pedro Castle Road, Savannah. Para transporte, llamar al teléfono no. 946-2422, email: cibaptist@candw.ky. SPANISH WORSHIP SERVICE: First Baptist Church, Crewe Road, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Third Sunday of each month. HARBOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH: Meets for Divine Worship and Fellowship at South Sound Community Centre, South Sound, Sundays at 10 a.m. www.safeharborlc.com. MUSLIM PRAYER: Islamic Society of the Cayman Islands advises 5 times salaat/prayer at the Masjid. Fajr at 6 a.m. Dhuhr at 1:15 p.m. Asr at 5:15 p.m. Maghrib at 7 minutes after sunset. Isha at 8 p.m. website isci.org.ky. CATHOLIC CHURCH: St. Ignatius, Walkers Road, Mass 6 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 6 p.m. Sundays. Christ the Redeemer, West Bay, Mass 9:45 a.m. Sunday. JOHN GRAY MEMORIAL UNITED CHURCH: Sunday worship for the family and Children’s Church, 10 a.m. BOATSWAIN BAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: Sundays. 10 a.m. Christian Education for all ages; 11 a.m., Morning Worship with nursery for youngsters; 7 p.m. Evening Worship. Visit www.bbpca.org. SUNRISE COMMUNITY CHURCH: Harquail Theater, 10 a.m., contemporary worship. Nursery ministry, children’s church and the Explorers are for ages infant to 11. Community groups meet during the week for fellowship and growth. www.sunrise.ky. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF GRAND CAYMAN: Crewe Road. Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Main Worship Service and 6 p.m. Prayer and Praise Service. Sunday school, 9:15 a.m. Praise Factory for children to 4 years old and Children’s Church for 5-11 meet during morning service. Wednesdays 6:15 p.m. All Age Bible Study and Children’s Choir. Fridays, 7 p.m. Youth Group. Contact 949-0692 or www.fbc.org.ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The Old Man Bay Play Field in North Side will be renamed Saturday to honor Olympic hurdler Ronald Forbes. - PHOTO: CAROL WINKERThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 MADRID (AP) – Political par- ties in Catalonia started cam- paigning Monday for the early regional election called by the Spanish government in hopes of quashing the re- gion’s independence move- ment and featuring can- didates who are either in jail or living abroad to avoid detention. The highly polarized par- liamentary election set for Dec. 21 is shaping up as a plebiscite between Catalans who support secession and those who favor remaining in Spain. Voters are choosing regional lawmakers and top government officials to re- place the ones the central government removed from of- fice in late October. Hours before pro-seces- sion parties held evening ral- lies to launching their bids for seats in the Catalan par- liament, a Supreme Court judge in Madrid ruled that four prominent members of the region’s independence movement must remain jailed without bail. They include former re- gional Vice President Oriol Junqueras, who is heading up the slate of the left-re- publican ERC party in the upcoming election. Jun- queras was unseated along with ex-president Carles Puigdemont and the rest of Puigdemont’s Cabinet after regional lawmakers passed a declaration of indepen- dence that Spanish authori- ties deemed illegal. Six other Catalan pol- iticians who had been jailed with Junqueras since early November were re- leased from jails near Ma- drid late Monday after the 100,000-euro ($118,000) bail a Supreme Court judge set for them earlier in the day was posted. Meanwhile, former re- gional leader Puigdemont and four of his separatist allies learned Monday that a decision on Spain’s re- quest for their extraditions from Belgium will be made Dec. 14. That is one week be- fore the regional election in which Puigdemont is leading his pro-independence par- ty’s ticket as its presiden- tial candidate. However, a final deci- sion may not come until well after the election be- cause of appeals. The five Catalan officials fled to Belgium and are re- fusing to return to Spain to face possible rebellion, se- dition and embezzlement charges over the push for independence. The charges carry maximum penalties of decades in prison. Puigdemont’s Bel- gian defense lawyer, Paul Bekaert, insisted that there are no grounds for extra- dition because the Spanish charges were not punish- able in Belgium. “We also highlighted the danger for the impediment of their human rights in Spain,” Bekaert said. The Spanish government has said the early election is an attempt to find a demo- cratic way out of the nation’s worst crisis in nearly four de- cades. Polls predict a close race between the pro- and anti-independence camps. A government-run poll published Monday indicated that pro-independence par- ties would lose their slim majority in Catalonia’s par- liament. It had ERC, Puig- demont’s Junts per Cata- lunya (Together for Catalonia) and the far-left anti-estab- lishment CUP party win- ning 66 or 67 of the parlia- ment’s 135 seats. The CIS survey said the poll had a margin of error of 1.8 percentage points. The poll of 3,000 people was conducted by telephone Nov. 23-Nov. 27. With political cam- paigning not set to get under way until midnight, Catalan pro-independence groups held protests in front of town halls to op- pose the Supreme Court’s de- cision to keep some of the independence movement’s leaders in custody. Pilar Gonzalez, 76, said while walking her dog in Bar- celona that the jailed Cat- alan political leaders were “political prisoners.” But 53-year-old contractor Jose Luis Aguirre said the attempt to unilaterally break away from Spain “is an act that cannot be allowed.” In the hope of being freed, Junqueras and the other jailed politicians pledged last week to give up on efforts to seek unilat- eral independence for the wealthy northeastern region. But Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena said Monday that it remains to be seen if Junqueras’ pledge was “truthful and real.” ERC spokeswoman Marta Rovira described the jailing as “a covert attempt” by Spain’s central authori- ties in Madrid to get ERC out of the picture before this month’s voting. “This is a very clear at- tempt to win these elec- tions without political adver- saries,” she said. Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido was un- moved by the arguments of Junqueras’ supporters. “Those who commit crim- inal acts must place them- selves at the mercy of legal rulings,” Zoido said. The Supreme Court judge also upheld custody or- ders without bail for the former regional interior min- ister, Joaquim Forn, and the leaders of Assemblea Na- cional Catalan and Omnium Cultural, two grassroots groups that have been the main drivers of the separatist bid in Catalonia. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2017 financially, can afford to send their students to school and depriving other students who may not.” Grades would still be a factor, he said, but taking into account a student’s financial need would allow the “limited resources” of scholarship monies to be more effectively utilized. “I want to make sure that the next Dan Scott that would not be able to go to college without that scholarship, gets that scholarship,” he said. Students can only get to that point by being accountable and toeing the line, he said. He thinks a big part of that is the issue of enforcing school uniforms, which was raised during re- cent budget discussions in the Leg- islative Assembly. Even though prob- lems such as student performance and adequate staffing loom, this item was second on Mr. Scott’s list. He likened its importance to the “broken windows” philosophy of im- proving neighborhoods that gained pop- ularity in the United States in the past 20 years. The idea is that enforcing small infractions in community standards keeps blight and crime at bay. Mr. Scott pointed to the use of such an approach by former New York Mayor Rudolph Gi- uliani in reinvigorating Times Square. Teaching students proper at- tire, he said, also prepares them for the real world. “If you go to court, you’re not going to be allowed in unless you tuck your shirt in,” he said. “All the public schools have uniforms. The question is whether you comply with it. Whatever it is, let’s comply with it.” On the question of whether changes should be made to the way Years 12 and 13 are structured in the system – after Year 11 students move on to their final year or years of study at private schools or the Cayman Islands Fur- ther Education Centre – Mr. Scott said he thinks greater support for students might be needed. “Kids are graduating quite young,” he said, referring to the public system. “The question is whether that is working as effectively as it could?” The transition can be particularly hard on students from Cayman Brac who have to come to Grand Cayman and may find themselves largely on their own at 17. He said he also wants to look into the issue of special education and whether the mainstreaming of all stu- dents is appropriate. Working with a child who needs additional academic attention, he said, using the example of a student with dyslexia, may be some- thing best handled in a regular class- room. But children with certain emo- tional or behavioral problems may need the kind of assistance best han- dled in another environment. “If you have 26 kids in a class and two are taking so much of the teach- er’s time,” he said, “you’re putting 24 kids at risk.” The issue of children with spe- cial education and/or behavioral need has escalated in recent years. Inspec- tion reports from 2014 indicated that more than 20 percent of students in the public system were assessed as falling into that category. Teachers and administrators have complained there are not adequate resources to deal with so many students who need additional help. There are hints that the additional stress on classroom teachers impacts learning for all students. While there have been some im- provements in recent years, Cayman public school test scores are well below the standards set by British students. Cayman students take the same exams as those used by British schools. Mr. Scott said it is important for Cay- manians to look at the bigger picture when it comes to education. Performance needs to be measured against that of students in major countries around the world. Having leaders in place who both encourage innovation and hold teachers accountable is the key, he said, adding that the dynamic already exists at some schools and can be remedied relatively quickly at those where it does not. “We end up in fairly short order with an education system that is deliv- ering for us,” Mr. Scott said, “a system that is empowering people and one where the public school becomes a place where people are keen to attend.” “I want parents to say, ‘I want my kids to go to public school.’” DAN SCOTT, chairman, Education Council The victim struggled with her assailant, managed to get free and knocked on the door at a nearby home seeking help. Police said the case was being investigated as an at- tempted rape and that the victim involved had suffered some physical injuries. Police issued a description of the suspect in the second attack. He is described de- scribed as 5 feet, 7 inches tall, wearing a dark blue shirt. He drove a silver vehicle of un- known description. Dan Scott: Optimistic on Cayman schools Visitor raped on SMB Dan Scott is chairman of the Education Council. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Development and a former Chamber of Commerce president, said the reduced duty rate had helped ensure higher quality development in the Cayman Islands over the past few years. Combined with a general upswing in the economy, he said, the rate cut was helping spur new construction work and keeping people employed in the industry. “It impacts our bottom line and it also impacts the price we can sell units at. Ev- erything we get, whether it is through A. L. Thompson’s or Cox Lumber, there is duty paid on it. They couldn’t give us the prices they do without that duty rate.” He said the rates im- pacted the range and quality of everything from floor tiles to plumbing fixtures in new developments. Davenport is currently part way through construction on Vela, its latest condo development on South Sound, which is being built in three phases. For the purpose of the concession, building mate- rials are defined as all com- ponents and substances used in the “construction, renovation or restoration and forming a permanent part of any building or re- lated structure.” Items such as furniture, accessories, electronics and appliances are specifically excluded from the 15 percent concessionary duty rate. Government also extended the 100 percent duty waiver on building materials for the Sister Islands, a 100 per- cent stamp duty waiver for land purchases on the Brac and a concessionary rate of 12.5 cents per gallon on the importation of motor gaso- line to Cayman Brac until Dec. 31, 2020. Reduced duty rate helping fuel development CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 4 Catalan separatists kept in jail as campaigning begins The highly polarized parliamentary election set for Dec. 21 is shaping up as a plebiscite between Catalans who support secession and those who favor remaining in Spain.Next >