SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Capella concert on Festival Green Reggae musical sensation Beres Hammond leads a cavalcade of stars on stage B6 Scubaluminations: Santa by sea Events Events Music Christmas Spectacular at Harquail Theatre The Cayman National Orchestra and Choir plan a musically festive event B2 ■ ART & CULTURE Cello maestro Acclaimed musician Sheku Kanneh-Mason and his sister Isata Kanneh-Mason perform in Cayman. B4 Join in the jolly Jingle Bell Run Don your red hat and elf sneakers for a sporting social B7 STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $ 56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $ 56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July Registered Merchant of CaymanGiftCertificates. com Fine Wine and Spirits 20% OFF for the month of December Discover the true gold of Guyana. Chose from 3, 5, 6, 8, 12, 15 and 21 years of age. Jolly old Saint Nick employs his underwater reindeer B6 CAYMAN WEEKENDER Cello maestro EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ONE EU ‘BLACKLIST’ AND 47 SHADES OF GRAY High of 86 Low of 75 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2017 Well more than $10M spent since 2007 BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands government has spent more than $10 million in relation to the failed Operation Tempura corruption investiga- tion since 2007. However, there are likely millions more dol- lars in expenditures related to the probe that have never been made known and which one former auditor general declined to examine. Another former auditor general, Dan Du- guay, has always maintained his initial que- ries into Tempura investigation spending are what led to his ouster from the office after his contract was not renewed in early 2010. Mr. Duguay was the last government official to look into the ill-fated investiga- tion’s spending, and his exact tally only went through January 2009. The Tempura audit revealed that $5.7 mil- lion was spent on the investigation from Sep- tember 2007 to January 2009. Mr. Duguay es- timated a further $1.1 million was spent from February 2009 through June 2009, but it did not specifically review costs for that period. Those costs included money spent on U.K. Metropolitan Police officers seconded for the investigative efforts, additional cash for U.K.- based law enforcement consulting firms, of- ficial travel, housing, transport and office ac- commodations in Cayman. The estimates of further $1.1 million in spending between February 2009 and June 2009 were based on the costs continuing at the January 2009 levels, according to Mr. Du- guay’s audit. However, the Operation Tempura team was in Cayman through the end of 2009, and some officials involved in the probe stayed and were later hired by the Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service in April 2010. Any costs related to continued work from July 2009 and beyond were never audited. When Alastair Swarbrick took over the JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Plans for a new plaza on West Bay Road, featuring res- taurants, shops and apart- ments, have sparked opposition among condominium owners on Seven Mile Beach. 5 Points Development has submitted plans for a $20 mil- lion “mixed use” development, including space for 35 busi- nesses, 58 one-bed apartments and four rooftop pools. The proposals prompted more than 20 letters of opposi- tion to the Central Planning Au- thority from beachfront condo owners at The Great House, Plantana and Avalon. Concerns raised range from traffic and noise pollution to a predicted increase in crime as a result of the development. The developer claims the project will bring new ameni- ties to the area and have min- imal impact on traffic or crime, and claims the units will be of a high standard and will not attract what it describes as “undesirables.” The Central Planning Au- thority was scheduled to hear the case Wednesday, but ad- journed the matter after Samuel Jackson, a lawyer representing the Great House strata corpora- tion, raised objections to some late amendments to the plans. The developer has been asked to re-advertise the plans and BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands government is taking its first tangible step toward creating a new “human resources” agency that will take over some of the work permit services now provided by the Immi- gration Department and subsume the duties cur- rently performed by the National Workforce De- velopment Agency. Earlier this week, the government released ad- vertisements for what is being referred to as a “temporary leadership post” to provide advice and direction for the new National Human Re- sources Department. This department has not been formed, but pre- vious proposals for such an entity have been dis- cussed by Premier Alden McLaughlin as a way to create a “one-stop shop” regulator for public and private sector employment in the islands. The temporary leader for the new department, who will earn between $109,000 and $130,000 per year, is expected to “interim manage” the develop- ment and growth of the human resources depart- ment, according to Ministry of Human Resources and Immigration Chief Officer Wesley Howell. “The driving objectives are to ensure that Cay- manians are given priority in the workforce, with the ultimate outcome of achieving full employ- ment of Caymanians, while ensuring that busi- nesses in the Cayman Islands have the workforce needed to meet their business goals,” Mr. Howell said. “An effective change leader is critical to lead the creation of the National Human Resources Department, to implement the vision by driving change in customer service, communications, sys- tems, legislation, processes and technology.” The temporary position could be filled by a current civil service manager “on secondment” from their current government role. That person Massive unknown costs for Tempura Plans for new homes and retail plaza on West Bay Road CAYMAN SEEKS NEW WORK PERMIT REGIME PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Wreathed in smiles Red Bay Primary School Year 6 students show off traditional Christmas wreaths. On Thursday, the students got into the festive spirit with Cayman Traditional Arts instructors to make silver thatch wreaths to hang on their Christmas trees. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Employee Benefits Under Our Wings For more information, please contact your insurance broker, otherwise, we invite you to contact our Sales Team: T: 1-345-747-2000 caymanservice@generali-health.com Office: Generali Worldwide Insurance Company Limited, Second Floor, Bougainvillea Way, Grand Pavilion Commercial Center, 802 West Bay Road. Mailing address: Generali Worldwide Insurance Company Limited, PO Box 10212, Grand Cayman, KY1-1002, Cayman Islands. 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Cayman’s marathon man makes final push for CCMI KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Between active volcanos in Guatemala and reckless drivers in Cayman, mara- thon runner Derek Haines faced some close encoun- ters this year. At times thrilling, the dan- gers represented a personal sacrifice for Mr. Haines in the name of service and science. The 69-year-old athlete and Rotarian, commonly seen training alongside Grand Cayman’s roads, accepted the risks as part of his intensive, five-race “Volcanoes and Mar- athons” challenge for the Cen- tral Caribbean Marine Insti- tute’s program, Reefs Go Live. With the conclusion of the Intertrust Cayman Islands Marathon Sunday, the phys- ical challenges have come to an end, but Mr. Haines’s work is not yet done. He took on the challenge to climb two volcanoes and run three marathons this year to raise $50,000 for the CCMI initiative. The program will enable scientists to broad- cast live from Little Cayman’s ocean floor to classrooms across the islands. With $40,000 already raised, CCMI has begun es- tablishing the program’s framework but Mr. Haines said more funds will be needed for maintenance. “CCMI has actually bought the equipment to start the reef research that will direct the program into schools. There will be that link between the students and the researchers on the ocean floor so the students can ask questions of the re- searchers and see what he or she is doing to sort it out,” Mr. Haines said. “What we’re trying to do now is make sure they have enough money to keep it going. There is no point in buying it and it falls flat.” Mr. Haines estimates he has already run some 1,900 miles this year for the charity challenge. His efforts began in Guatemala in April at the demanding Lake Atitlan mar- athon, where he took second place in his age group. “It’s one of the top 10 most-challenging marathons in the world and I’m not going to dispute it. It starts at 5,000 feet on the shore of Lake Atitlan in Guate- mala. It continues to climb from there. It’s on the side of a volcano. So it’s very steep,” he said. “It was quite a tough course. It took me about five hours or so, which is the slowest I’ve ever been and an indication of how dif- ficult it was.” He returned to Guatemala in late June to climb two volcanoes, Pacaya and Acat- enango. Heavy rain, mud- slides and the threat of hot lava from the active Fuego Volcano did not deter Mr. Haines, nor his companions, daughter Lizzy Haines and friend Gaby Amado. “We were actually looking down on Fuego. It was erupting at the time. It was quite exciting and enjoyable to watch from an interest point of view. Fortunately, we were only subjected to loud bangs and smoke, nothing else. We never got ourselves in danger,” he said. During the marathons, Mr. Haines endured some phys- ical battering. In July’s San Francisco marathon, he took a spill, joking, “I left DNA across the street there.” His final feat, the Inter- trust Cayman Islands Mara- thon, proved physically de- manding. The athlete got off to an early morning, waking a 3 a.m. to prepare for a 5 a.m. start time. “The first 20 miles were fine and after a two-hour first half, I was on for a rea- sonable time. Unfortunately, I had a serious attack of cramps and the last six miles were not a pleasant expe- rience and took about one hour, 45 minutes. But I fin- ished and was very proud of the effort by [daughter] Lizzy in her finishing a close second in the female cate- gory,” he said. Despite the difficulties, Mr. Haines said he found en- couragement through sup- port from the community and the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman, which manages his fundraising efforts. “People know that money is safe [with Rotary]. The other thing is that they also know we don’t have any admin fees or expenses. Any expense for traveling, I pay for myself and there are no management fees. If someone gives us a dollar or $10 or $1,000, all of that goes to the charity,” he said. CCMI Director Carrie Manfrino praised the efforts of Mr. Haines and fellow Ro- tarian Chris Bailey. Mr. Bailey also contributed to fund- raising by taking on Ironman Florida in November. Ms. Manfrino expects the Reefs Go Live program to launch in January. “Derek has achieved the most remarkable feats this year. His physical efforts and his vision to help launch the Reefs Go Live project dem- onstrate his incredible com- mitment to the local com- munity and to the world. Derek helped raise the pro- file of Reefs Go Live and will forever be remembered for helping establish this important program,” Ms. Manfrino said. “Being able to communi- cate our work from the ocean directly to the classrooms is a stunning advancement in teaching methodology, and we will begin to impact local students so that every child can be ocean literate.” For those who would like to contribute to the program, Mr. Haines can be contacted through the security office at Camana Bay, where he works for Dart Enterprises. Checks should be made out to Rotary Club of Grand Cayman, with CCMI indi- cated in the memo. Derek Haines Mr. Haines estimates he has already run some 1,900 miles this year for the charity challenge. His efforts began in Guatemala in April at the demanding Lake Atitlan marathon, where he took second place in his age group.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2017 info@creativetechltd.com www.creativetechltd.com Shops 5-6 Bay Town Plaza 36 West Bay Road Corporate Solutions 946 8324 Up to 75” 4K UHD Models Available Sound Bars & Home Theater Packages Bluetooth SpeakersHuge Selection of Headphones All Models in Stock NEW LOWER PRICE ON Play:1 and Play:3 Award-winning Speakers Bluetooth Speakers Up to 75” 4K UHD Models Available STOCKING STUFFERS Performance - Value - Aesthetics STOCKING STUFFERS STARTING AT $ 2999 The National Trust is ramping up its campaign to raise funds to buy and safe- guard environmentally im- portant land from develop- ment, following a government decision to drop its funding to the National Conserva- tion Council to buy land for protected areas. The Trust’s Land Re- serve Fund is embarking on an education and fund- raising campaign. “The Trust has some chal- lenging goals to meet in order to continue preserving native habitats in the Cayman Is- lands where so many indige- nous but endangered species of trees, plants, birds and an- imals live,” the organization stated in a press release. “While development is inevitable, more and more wild areas which make up the habitats of our native plants and animals are being cleared and developed. Un- less we work quickly to set aside land for preservation, our indigenous species will be lost forever.” The National Conservation Law created the framework for Cayman’s first protected areas. Armed with $6 million in funding from the Environ- mental Protection Fund, the conservation council, over the past 18 months, has begun acquiring ecologically signif- icant land to be registered for protection. That process continues. However, with funding cut to zero in the latest two-year government budget, it is un- clear whether the council and the Department of Envi- ronment will be able to meet its objectives. The National Trust for the Cayman Islands Law sepa- rately allows it to acquire property for protection. The press release states that raising funds for such purchases will be a priority campaign next year. “One of the main aims for 2018 is to raise sufficient funds to pur- chase specific areas that have been identified as being crucial to the preservation of biodiver- sity in the Cayman Islands, across Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. “ Christina Pineda, exec- utive director of the Trust, said, “The team at the Na- tional Trust works tirelessly to understand, identify and preserve the areas of land that are crucial to ensuring the unique and diverse range of plants, trees and creatures that we have here in Cayman. “Education plays a huge part in the work we are doing, and we need the next generations of Caymanians to be as passionate, if not more passionate, about main- taining the crucial balance between preservation and development.” National Trust Environ- mental Programmes Manager Stuart Mailer said, “Without action, survival of Cayman’s native wild plants and an- imals cannot be guaran- teed, but we need the help of the community.” The Land Reserve team at the National Trust also hosts talks and lectures within schools and colleges and works with scientists to as- sess and identify the most essential areas of land for preservation among other projects and programs, ac- cording to the release. National Trust raising funds to protect land The National Trust is seeking funds to help buy land for conservation. BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A staff dispute concerning overtime pay and difficulties with operating some of the government’s garbage trucks have led to delays in trash collection and recommenda- tions for an internal audit at Cayman’s Department of En- vironmental Health. On Nov. 24, the depart- ment issued a press release apologizing to residents for delays in garbage collection “over the past week.” How- ever, delays persisted be- yond that date and the gov- ernment noted they had been caused “by unavailability of some of the garbage col- lection trucks.” Questions from the Com- pass to the Department of Environmental Health concerning the garbage trucks were not answered by press time. On Thursday, Ministry of Health Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn did confirm there had been “an escalation” of over- time at the Department of Environmental Health within the past 18 months. “The ministry has asked for [the] Internal Audit [Ser- vice] to look at the situation,” Ms. Ahearn said. “There are no funds unaccounted for at Department of Environ- mental Health.” Internal Audit Unit Man- ager Andy Bonner said officials were still “scoping” the review requested by the ministry. “But it certainly focuses on over- time pay at Environmental Health,” Mr. Bonner said. The department did ap- parently change earlier policies in the doling out of overtime assignments, that led to employees’ con- cerns last month. The min- istry denied that any landfill workers had gone “on strike” because of those changes. “The situation that has been brought to your atten- tion is a pre-approval process for overtime which is really a best-practice standard oper- ating procedure for most or- ganizations,” Ms. Ahearn said. “There is a need for the De- partment of Environmental Health to be more judicious with their use of overtime in the coming months as we are approaching financial year-end and, as is the usual situation, tight budgets are becoming in- creasingly tighter and need to be carefully managed.” Government trash troubles delay garbage pickupsThe 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. There’s good news, there’s bad news and then there’s … gray news. Developments out of Brussels this week fell into the last category, as the European Union placed the Cayman Islands among 46 other countries and juris- dictions on a so-called “graylist” – meaning our gov- ernment has made certain commitments in writing to address EU criteria on tax transparency and “fairness,” which the EU claims we do not now meet. The good news, of course, is that Cayman was not outright blacklisted by the EU for being “non-coopera- tive” on taxation matters, thanks in no small measure to the efforts of our financial services “diplomats,” including Premier Alden McLaughlin, Financial Services Minister Tara Rivers and the ministry’s Chief Officer Dax Basdeo. Eric Bush, Cayman’s representative in London, and Andre Ebanks, senior legislative policy advisor, also played important roles. Premier McLaughlin told us the series of discussions comprised the most challenging set of circumstances he has faced in public office. Hearkening back to his adversarial interview with tough BBC journalist Stephen Sackur in 2014, the premier said, in effect, compared to the EU discussions, “HARDtalk was softball.” It is important to understand clearly what happened last week in Brussels. The graylist is not by any means an acquittal of Cayman by the EU, but can be thought of more as a one-year reprieve during which Cayman must make changes to the requirements it imposes on companies registered in these islands. During the next year, our leaders have com- mitted to address the EU’s concerns regarding “fair taxation” and “economic substance” – aimed at dis- couraging “letterbox companies,” which are legal but distinct from bricks-and-mortar enterprises resident in the jurisdiction. However, when it comes to Cayman’s relationship with the EU, we should not be unduly distracted by “letterboxes” or “ticking the boxes.” It is imperative to keep in mind the underlying motivations and goals of the EU as they relate to offshore jurisdictions. Fortunately, for clarification, we need look no further than statements made by EU tax commis- sioner Pierre Moscovici, a longtime leader of the French Socialist Party. Mr. Moscovici is a plain-talking individual who recently spoke thusly: • “[The EU list] remains an insufficient response to the scale of tax evasion worldwide.” • “The countries that have taken commitments must change their tax laws as soon as possible. I also call on ministers to agree quickly on dissuasive national sanctions. We must do everything we can to keep up the pressure on all of these countries. We must not accept unfair tax competition and opacity.” • “Tax havens must not slip off of Europe’s radar screen. As a European citizen, I share the expec- tations of those who hoped for more. I say to them, let us take this list for what it is: a first step. And let us keep up the pressure together, on the member states and on third countries.” Cayman should never lose sight of the fact that the European Union, which is attempting to dictate the tax and economic policies of our islands and dozens of other countries around the world, is itself an amalgam of debt-laden, left-leaning states. The fact that these countries (some of which are on life-support umbilical cords to German banks and the International Monetary Fund, among others) would put themselves forward as a model for other countries to emulate borders on the preposterous. It portrays a level of arrogance rarely witnessed (thank Heaven) anywhere but on the European stage. The curtain on that stage, we predict, may soon fall. While we should make every reasonable effort to pursue a mutually beneficial resolution with the EU, we must also contemplate a future for these islands that does not include the EU. There is a probability that the European bloc will implode under the weight of its own debt and its smothering liberal orthodoxy, or, despite our best efforts, we may be unable to reach a satisfactory reso- lution of our differences with these European nations. While no one wants that outcome, Cayman must be prepared to reimagine and reposition our finan- cial services industry so that it remains viable without our surrendering to, or succumbing to, the dictates of bureaucrats in Brussels. One EU ‘blacklist’ and 47 shades of gray FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Republicans’ tax wager is worth the gamble WASHINGTON – The Repub- licans’ tax legislation is built on economic projections that are as confidently as they are cheerfully made concerning the legislation’s shaping ef- fect on the economy over the next 10 years. This claim to prescience must amaze alumni of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, which were 85 and 158 years old, respec- tively, when they expired less than 10 years ago in the un- anticipated Great Recession. The predictions of GDP and revenue growth as- sume, among many other things, continuation of the current expansion. It began in June 2009 and has been notable for its anemia rela- tive to other post-1945 ex- pansions: Its average annual growth rate has been 2 per- cent; theirs, 4.3 percent. But it also has been remarkably durable. It is 102 months old; the average since after World War II is 58 months. Unless the business cycle has been repealed, a reces- sion is almost a certainty during the 10-year window for which the tax bill has been tailored. What the legislation’s drafters anticipate, indeed proclaim, is that Congress will not allow to happen what the legislation says, with a wink, will happen. So, this might mark the historic moment when Washington decided that it no longer will bother to blush. The legisla- tion says the tax reductions for individuals will expire by 2025. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, however, says “we have every expec- tation that down the road Congress will extend them.” Of course Congress will. The phantom expiration is an $800 billion fudge, a cooking of the books in order to cram the tax bill into conformity with arcane parliamentary procedures that make the measure immune to filibuster. We have been down this road before: For the same reason, some George W. Bush tax cuts of 2001 were scheduled to expire at the end of 2010; 82 percent of them (measured by revenue) did not. The Democrats’ denun- ciation of the Republicans’ tax cuts because they espe- cially benefit the wealthy is a recyclable denunciation of any significant tax cut. The top 1 percent of earners supply 39 percent of in- come tax revenues, the top 10 percent supply 70 per- cent, the bottom 50 percent supply 3 percent, 60 percent of households pay either no income taxes (45 percent) or less than 5 percent of their income, and 62 percent of Americans pay more in pay- roll taxes than in income taxes. So, any tax cut sig- nificant to macroeconomic policy must be primarily a cut for the affluent. Democrats pretend to worry that Republicans are executing a diabolical double play, using tax cuts to placate donors, then citing the cuts’ enlargement of the national debt as an excuse to cut en- titlements. Surely Democrats know that Republicans are not insubordinate to their president, who has vowed to oppose any significant (i.e., touching Social Security or Medicare) entitlement re- forms. Besides, whenever Re- publicans run large budget deficits – the tax legislation probably means that the next decade’s will be even larger than they would have been – they serve the Democrats’ basic agenda: They legitimize the bipartisan penchant for making big government seem cheap. Republicans, too, give people $X worth of govern- ment services and charge the recipients $Y, with Y signifi- cantly less than X. In 2002, when Dick Cheney – a strict constructionist, but not of economic data – said “Reagan proved deficits don’t matter,” the publicly held na- tional debt was 33 percent the size of GDP; today it is 75 percent. At some point, the debt’s size matters, and we seem determined to learn the hard way where that point is. This tax legislation, an amalgam of earnest hoping and transparent make-be- lieve, is a serious lunge for sustained 3 percent growth. Without this, the economy, and hence the entitlement state, will buckle beneath the strain of 10,000 of the elderly each day becoming eligible for Social Security and Medi- care. The Republicans pur- port to know how changed tax incentives will affect cor- porations’ and individuals’ decisions, and how those de- cisions will radiate through the economy. Republicans do not know – nobody, including the Republicans’ equally overconfident critics, does – but they might be right, and their wager is worth trying. Economics is a sci- ence of incentives, and like all sciences it is never “set- tled.” Both sides, with their thumping predictions, have given hostages to the future, which will deal harshly with some. Perhaps most. Pos- sibly all of them. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2017, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE 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” Economics is a science of incentives, and like all sciences it is never “settled.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2017 Rolex giveaway is on January 2nd. 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DEC 1ST: ENTRY COLLECTION BEGINS Dec 8th US$5,000 Dec 15th US$5,000 Dec 18th - 22nd US$1,000 each day Dec 23rd US$5,0006 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS ®Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence (where applicable). ky.scotiabank.com #StartWithYou Technology now makes banking better. Send money, pay bills, check balances, transfer funds, and even top up your phone. So you can have time to do what you love. We’re a small part of your life. You’re a big part of ours. Memorial tombstone sought to honor Dr. William Hortor JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A West Bay man has been trying for years to memori- alize Dr. William Alfred Conrad Hortor, a medical doctor who served Cayman from the mid- 1930s until his death in 1961. Kenrick Welds hopes to erect a tombstone befitting Dr. Hortor, who is buried in West Bay Cemetery. The doc- tor’s grave, which is located on the southeast portion in the cemetery, is currently just a plain white cement slab with no markings. Mr. Welds has been trying to raise funds to put the tomb- stone in place for several years. He says he has raised $2,000 so far, and the tomb- stone will cost $4,500. Dr. Hortor, who hailed originally from England, was among the early pioneers of medicine who was honored in the 2015 Heroes Day. His name is also included in the Wall of Honour in Heroes Square in George Town, which was un- veiled during the Cayman Is- lands Quincentennial celebra- tions in 2003. “This has been a long haul and tender passion to my heart to raise the dollars to get a tombstone in place,” Mr. Welds said. He recalls hearing his fa- ther and others talk about the late Dr. Hortor walking through cow pastures at 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning to reach the sick. He says he remembers the doctor walking with a little umbrella to protect himself from the rain or sun. “He walked from East End to George Town and from George Town to West Bay,” Mr. Welds said. “It wasn’t for money – not like a lot of people who come to these islands today. It was the love for the people of this country.” Most of the time, he said the doctor would not charge people. Dr. Hortor was born in 1896 and died in 1961 at the age of 64, in George Town. He arrived in Grand Cayman in 1936, on board the Cimboco from Jamaica, and remained in Cayman for the rest of his life. At the time, he was the only doctor in Cayman. Many lives were saved through his compas- sion and medical interven- tions, according to the Na- tional Archives. With no paved roads, street lights or telephones on Grand Cayman, travel and commu- nication were not easy, and the doctor, who was known for wearing high rubber boots to trudge through the mud and water along the narrow, winding dirt roads, visited his patients throughout the island. According to archival re- cords, he mixed all his own medicine and his special “pep- permint oil medicine” was well known to be effective for a va- riety of ailments. “He tasted each one first and would attend to every pa- tient, no matter how late it got,” Mr. Welds said. Dr. Hortor, who Mr. Welds said was hard of hearing, re- ceived little monetary compen- sation for his services, but was known to never turn away a patient who could not pay. He practiced medicine until his death, first as a government doctor and later in private practice after his retirement. He helped found Cayman’s first hospital and which had four beds and was on the site of the present Immigra- tion Department. He also helped to get the first set of nurses certi- fied on the island. About 20 nurses were the product of his training. “Many people in the com- munity told me he saved their lives [or] the life of a family member,” Mr. Welds said. He recalled Woody McLaughlin and Craddock Ebanks’s truck loaded with people from East End and North Side heading into George Town to see Dr. Hortor. He said he was only 6 years old when he hurt his eye and the doctor stitched it up. Be- cause he was a good boy, Dr. Hortor rewarded him with a bag of candies. At that time, Dr. Hortor had set up a little clinic in the home of West Bay resident and nurse Leila Yates, where he also resided. In later years, the doctor built a home next door to the West Bay Police station. The house is presently occu- pied by Nurse Yates’s adopted daughter Trilby. Mr. Welds has also sug- gested a memorial plaque be placed on the old home in rec- ognition of Dr. Hortor. “Many people in the community told me he saved their lives [or] the life of a family member.” KENRICK WELDS Kenrick Welds sits at the unmarked grave site of Dr. Hortor. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Kenrick WeldsDr. William Alfred Conrad Hortor The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing an- nounced it will close all of its offices Dec. 15 “to facilitate a staff function and meeting.” DVDL announces holiday closures Additional holiday closures will take place as follows: Dec. 22, all locations close at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 23, West Bay and Breakers locations closed Dec. 25 and 26, all locations closed Dec. 29, all locations close at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 30, West Bay and Breakers locations closed Jan. 1, all locations closed7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2017 Police to crack down on drunk driving Traffic stops will be prevalent through the holidays Police announced that on Friday they will begin “Oper- ation Winter Guardian,” their annual campaign to crack down on drunk driving and other traffic offenses. The operation will en- tail high-visibility patrols and traffic stops around Cayman, along with a public awareness campaign in- cluding radio and televi- sion appearances. “The large number of so- cial events during the hol- iday season often results in more people driving under the influence, and more se- rious traffic collisions,” ex- plained Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service Acting Chief Inspector Everton Spence. “Our annual holiday safety campaign, together with the anti-drunk driving initiatives of our partners, helps to manage this in- creased activity and deter drunk driving and other traffic offenses.” As in past years, the RCIPS is also partnering with the National Drug Council to facilitate their annual Des- ignated Driver Campaign and New Year’s Eve Purple Ribbon Bus Service. The Designated Driver Campaign, an initiative among local restaurants to provide any designated driver of a party with complimen- tary soft drinks throughout the evening, began on Dec. 1 and continues throughout the holiday season. The New Year’s Eve Purple Ribbon Bus Service is or- ganized on an annual basis to provide regular, free bus service between West Bay and Bodden Town on New Year’s Eve from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. During those times, oc- casional service will also be provided to East End and North Side. The ser- vice will also be offered in Cayman Brac for the first time this year. Mr. Spence said he hopes that the territory can have a repeat of last year, when no drunk-driving incidents were recorded on New Year’s Eve. “Last New Year’s Eve, 2016, there were no DUIs re- corded. This positive accom- plishment comes in large part as a result of these cam- paigns, and we expect the positive results to continue this year,” he said. “Let’s con- tinue to work together to pre- vent any tragedies on the road this holiday season.” The RCIPS’s announce- ment of Operation Winter Guardian – which will run through Jan. 1 – comes on the heels of a recent spate of drunk-driving incidents in Cayman, including one on Saturday involving a driver whose blood-alcohol content was twice the legal limit. That driver was observed speeding and swerving in a white van on West Bay Road around 12:30 a.m. on Sat- urday. Police arrested the driver after his blood-alcohol content tested at .218. “Incidents this weekend continue to show a disre- gard that some motorists have for traffic laws, and the RCIPS remains concerned about the potential for in- jury in such cases,” the RCIPS stated on Monday. HONDURAS TRAVELERS ON CAL CAN CHANGE FARE AT NO COST Demonstrations and vi- olence in the wake of the presidential election in Honduras has led Cayman Airways to offer passen- gers with tickets to the country to change their itin- erary at no cost. The temporary waiver ap- plies to passengers who have been ticketed before Dec. 6, for travel to, from, or through the destinations of La Ceiba and/or Roatan between Dec. 7 and Dec. 17, according to a statement from the airline. Travel must be resched- uled in the same cabin and between the same cities for a date up to six months from the dates of travel on the original ticket. Changes are subject to availability, and tickets will be voided in cases of no- show, the airline said. Cayman Airways oper- ates twice-weekly flights to Roatan and La Ceiba. A state of emergency, in- cluding a 10-day dusk-till- dawn curfew, was declared in Honduras last week fol- lowing outbreaks of vio- lence following the Nov. 26 presidential election. The curfew was lifted in some areas Thursday. According to local media reports, President Juan Or- lando Hernandez, who is seeking reelection, narrowly leads in the vote tally. His challenger, Salvador Nas- ralla, alleges fraud. No victor of the election had been announced by press time Thursday. Cayman Airways is urging passengers flying to or from Honduras on its airline to call its reserva- tions office on 345-949-2311 or 1-800-422-9626 (toll free within the USA). For more on the unrest in Honduras, see page 8. Police will be increasing the number of traffic stops they make from Friday through the holidays in an effort to curb drunk-driving incidents. – PHOTO: RCIPS8 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS The family of Linda “Campbell” Haddleton announces her death on Thursday, 30 November , 2017. A private Funeral service will be held. Friends, colleagues and those that knew Linda are invited to attend a wake in her honour, at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, 15 December 2017 at Silver Sands Beach, West Bay Road. Dress Code: White or Pastel Colours The family of Glenda Lee Ebanks announces her death on Thursday, 30 November , 2017. A service of thanksgiving for her life will take place on Sunday, December 10, 2017 at the Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, West Bay at 3:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Interment will follow in Boatswain Bay Cemetery . Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. The family of the Late Astor Collin Powell regrets to announce his passing on Tuesday, 5 December , 2017. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday, 16 December 2017 at Webster Memorial United Church, viewing will be from 1:00 p.m. prior to the service Interment will follow in New Bodden Town Cemetery. nfunfunf eralservices.com & The family of the late Mrs. Evelyn Merle Jacques would like to extend their heartfelt apperception and thanks to the well-wishers and friends who provided support during their time of lost. Your love was felt when we needed it the most. Our beloved Evelyn is no longer with us, but our memories of her will always remain in our hearts. From husband Desmond Jacques, Children, Grand & Great-grand Children well-wishers and friends who provided well-wishers and friends who provided Children, Children, Chicago firm ‘excited’ to invest in Cayman The new owners of the Grand Caymanian Resort on the North Sound have an- nounced a partnership with Interval International for the time-share properties at the resort. Chicago-based Singerman Real Estate bought the prop- erty, which includes 117 hotel rooms and 56 fractional own- ership units, last month. The hotel element of the property will remain branded as a Holiday Inn. The deal with Interval re- lates to the shared ownership component of the resort. Seth Singerman, presi- dent of Singerman Real Es- tate, said the group would be making upgrades to the property. “We are truly excited to be investing in the Grand Cay- manian Resort and thrilled to be a part of this commu- nity,” he said. “We envision improving the owner experi- ence by providing great ser- vice and making capital im- provements to the asset. “Our team is also very pleased to be working with Interval, whose executives have been invaluable in helping us to evaluate the in- dustry and will be a key re- source in the future.” Interval operates an inter- national time-share exchange program which allows owners to exchange time-share weeks at their home resort for an- other time-share elsewhere. David Gilbert, the com- pany’s president, said in a press release, “Opportuni- ties in shared ownership con- tinue to be compelling as re- sorts operating in the region enjoy high occupancy levels and strong demand among prospective buyers and cur- rent owners. We welcome this well-established firm [Sing- erman] to the industry and look forward to supporting their business as they expand operations at the resort.” Trump administration praises Honduras amid election crisis TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) – Amid a deepening electoral crisis in Honduras, the admin- istration of President Donald Trump on Thursday certified the country’s progress in pro- tecting human rights and at- tacking corruption. The move comes nearly two restive weeks after a presidential election, but Hondurans still do not know who their next leader will be. President Juan Orlando Hernandez narrowly leads in the vote tally, but has not been declared the winner. His challenger, Salvador Nasralla, alleges fraud. Troops and police units, some trained by U.S. forces, are patrolling the streets of the capital and have been accused of killing and wounding demonstrators after Hernandez declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew and suspended some constitu- tional rights to tamp down pro-opposition protesters. If accepted by U.S. con- gressional appropriations committees, the certifications by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would ensure that Honduras receives millions of dollars in U.S. funds that are conditional on progress in human rights and corruption. Human rights defenders in Honduras were stunned by the certification. “We were really sur- prised that in the middle of this crisis the State Depart- ment comes out with this kind of statement when the government of Honduras is not meeting the conditions,” said Carlos Sierra, a security and human rights investi- gator with the Center for In- vestigation and Promotion of Human Rights in Honduras. “It came right in this institu- tional and political crisis.” The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Hernandez said Wednesday that he appreci- ated the U.S. certification. “That determination sig- nifies a very important mes- sage,” he said, “and re- flects how they (the U.S.) are seeing Hondurans.” The certification affects only half of the U.S. funds that go directly to Hon- duras’ central government, which amounts to between $15 million and $20 mil- lion, according to the office of U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. Other U.S. assistance is unaffected by the certifi- cation process. Leahy said the certifica- tion conditions are important to send a message that U.S. aid is not a blank check. “We expect our own gov- ernment to hold them ac- countable,” he said. “The cer- tification just received, in the midst of an election debacle that has triggered a political crisis, requires careful scru- tiny by the Congress.” As vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations com- mittee, Leahy could put a hold on all or some of those funds, but the senator has not decided how to respond to the certification and wants to discuss it with the State Department, his office said. While the certification was published Thursday in the Federal Register, Til- lerson signed the memo rec- ommending it on Nov. 28, two days after the election. Nasralla had held a five- point lead in the electoral court’s first partial results when the count stalled for some 24 hours. When results resumed, his lead gradually diminished and then disap- peared entirely. He alleged fraud and called his sup- porters into the streets. An election monitoring team from the European Union released a preliminary report on Nov. 28 criticizing the electoral tribunal’s poor communication about the de- layed results. By the end of the week, security forces and protesters began to battle in the streets. The Honduran Committee of Detained and Disappeared Relatives said Wednesday that it had documented 14 deaths related to protests or the curfew between Nov. 30 and Dec. 5. It blamed the vast majority on military po- lice. The government has said only that it is investigating the killing of a 19-year-old woman in Tegucigalpa, alleg- edly by police. The United States has fun- neled money into Honduras in large part to train security forces so they can better par- ticipate in the war on drugs. Honduras is a major trans- shipment point for cocaine moving toward the U.S. But it also funds development work aimed at stanching the flow of Honduran mi- grants to the U.S. There is no U.S. ambas- sador in Honduras; the Trump administration has yet to appoint one. The Em- bassy’s charge d’affaires, Heide Fulton, has made no public remarks related to the certification. An Embassy spokesman said Thursday “she is focused on the current political situation, as you might imagine.” Fulton Armstrong, who worked for the CIA in Hon- duras, criticized Tillerson for the endorsement of a gov- ernment that he said has not done enough to protect human rights and for making it during a political crisis. Chicago-based Singerman Real Estate bought the Grand Caymanian Holiday Inn property last month.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 appear again before the plan- ning authority in January. Agenda papers to the meeting included multiple letters of objection from condo owners on the oppo- site side of the road. A sampling of the com- plaints includes claims that the apartments envisaged are smaller than hotel rooms and therefore likely to attract “temporary workers.” One complainant wrote, “We originally bought with the aim of having an exclu- sive beach condo, with sim- ilar neighbors to ourselves. “We would like any devel- opment to help with making the Cayman Islands a better place, rather than gravitating to the lowest common de- nominator and having small condos with temporary workers in them.” Another resident wrote, “I fear there will be nightclubs and open air restaurants that allow loud music and late night dancing.” Other residents referred to the potential impact on their enjoyment of the beach. “Our privacy will be in- vaded with people accessing our private beach from across the street and it would be im- possible to maintain proper security,” one objector wrote. Responding to the claims in a written submission to the Central Planning Au- thority, Kyle Broadhurst, a lawyer representing the de- veloper, pointed out the property does not have a private beach. He wrote. “The residen- tial units in the development are being constructed to a high standard. The price per square foot in the develop- ment is higher than the ma- jority of units in the proper- ties owned by the objectors. “[The] development will have a park and pools avail- able to its residents. It will also offer shops and restau- rants, which will benefit not just residents of the develop- ment, but also the rest of the island. It is anticipated that those amenities will be of specific benefit to the [owners of] nearby condominium complexes, who will be able to take advantage of their proximity to nearby dining opportunities. “It is suggested that the development may somehow impact upon the objectors’ ability to enjoy their own properties. Some objectors even reference interference with their ‘private beach.’ There will be no interference with the objectors’ quiet en- joyment of their properties. “The development is well away from the other devel- opments and there is no reason to believe that there will be any interference at all. With respect to the beach, the objectors do not have an exclusive right to Seven Mile Beach, and given the public access points, they have no reasonable cause for objection.” would not necessarily have to become the full time di- rector, but would be eli- gible to apply for the full- time position at a later date, Mr. Howell said. What happens to the re- mainder of the Immigration Department if its adminis- trative permit processing section is hived off is un- clear at this stage. Premier McLaughlin has said that was only one option avail- able for transferring the work permit function to another agency. At present, the Immi- gration Department – in addition to its border con- trol and enforcement re- sponsibilities – handles all applications that involve non-Caymanian workers coming to the jurisdic- tion including work per- mits, temporary work per- mits, visitors work visas, and applications for per- manent residence, spouses of Caymanians and Cayma- nian status, among many other types of landing and working permissions in the Cayman Islands. According to records recently provided to the Cayman Compass, fewer than one-quarter of the current Immigration De- partment’s staff works in the permit processing area. Over the past two years, as Cayman’s economy has grown, immigration of- ficials have found them- selves overwhelmed with a much larger number of work permit applications, being handled by a reduced staff complement. The processing of those permits is lately taking be- tween six to 12 weeks on average, according to pri- vate sector firms that as- sist businesses with work permit applications. The Immigration Department’s stated goal is to have a permit “turned around” in 14 days once an applica- tion is received. According to figures given to the Cayman Com- pass in the fall, a total of 18,847 work permit appli- cations had been submitted to the department between Jan. 1 and July 31. The Im- migration Department re- ported that roughly the same number of permit ap- plications were processed for all of 2016. Some opposition polit- ical members have com- mented during the period that Caymanian unemploy- ment has stayed the same or even increased slightly during the same period of economic growth. Cay- manian unemployment stood at 6.2 percent in the spring of 2017, compared to 7 percent in the fall of 2016 and 6.2 percent in the spring of 2016. Overall unemployment during the same period has hovered around 4.2 percent. audit office later in 2010, his long-term plan included a second look at “value for money” received by Cayman for the Tempura investigation. However, in 2013, when asked about the poten- tial new audit for Opera- tion Tempura spending, Mr. Swarbrick said he did not see any “value” in delving back into the issue. Legal costs More than $3.1 million has been spent on legal set- tlements and attorneys fees related to ongoing Tem- pura court battles, but it is likely that amount does not even reflect half of what was actually spent. The wrongful arrest of former Grand Court Jus- tice Alex Henderson during the Tempura investigation cost government $1.275 mil- lion to settle in 2008. How- ever, details of other settle- ments reached with former RCIPS Police Commissioner Stuart Kernohan, Deputy Commissioner Rudi Dixon and retired Police Inspector Burmon Scott were never made public due to various non-disclosure agreements. Legal bills for other mat- ters cost nearly $1.8 million as of early 2014, but that sum also may not account for all the costs incurred. Those ex- penses included: ■■ The Attorney Gener- al’s Chambers spent $728,700.17 for outside counsel in relation to the wrongful termina- tion lawsuit Mr. Ker- nohan filed in May 2009 over his firing from the RCIPS. The lawsuit was settled in early 2014 ■■ Another $299,618.37 was paid for outside attor- neys in relation to a case the attorney general’s of- fice described as “Bridger matters.” This is presum- ably a reference to a case filed against former Oper- ation Tempura senior in- vestigator Martin Bridger by attorneys general in Cayman and the U.K. seeking to recover docu- ments Mr. Bridger held from the investigation between 2007 and 2009 ■■ A government payment of $343,214 went for “Polaine/Bridger com- plaints.” This is a refer- ence to money spent on an evaluation of a com- plaint former Opera- tion Tempura legal ad- viser Martin Polaine filed with the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the aftermath of the failed investigation. Mr. Polaine later dropped the matter, but Mr. Bridger carried it forward, al- leging misconduct on the part of some mem- bers of the Cayman judi- ciary, as well as certain members of the attorney general’s chambers ■■ The territory’s former government said the Polaine/Bridger alle- gations were “without merit,” but the govern- ment spent another $375,000 in legal fees haggling over the public release of that report be- tween 2014 and 2016 be- fore finally releasing a redacted version of it. ■■ Finally, $41,617 was spent on outside at- torney’s fees in what is termed the “A. Hen- derson matter.” This was in relation to the lawsuit filed by Mr. Henderson over his 2008 arrest. U.K. costs Not all spending in rela- tion to the Operation Tem- pura probe took place in the Cayman Islands. According to records ob- tained by the Cayman Com- pass and reports in the U.K. press, former Operation Tempura senior investigator Martin Bridger had been paid roughly CI$250,000 (£180,000) in legal assistance as of mid-2014 and had au- thorization at the time to receive about CI$372,500 (£268,000) more should the need arise. The veteran police officer has told the Compass that he had sought additional fi- nancial assistance from the U.K. Metropolitan Po- lice in defending civil claims brought against him by the Cayman Islands govern- ment in Britain. Mr. Bridger said during 2014 that he re- ceived a £200,000 bill from the Cayman government fol- lowing a hearing in the U.K. where Caymanian officials attempted to recover certain records they believed the re- tired U.K. lawman still had in his possession. Mr. Bridger said at the time that he feared his fam- ily’s home would have to be mortgaged in order for him to afford rapidly mounting legal bills related to civil ac- tions filed against him in the Tempura matter. Mr. Bridger was also placed under investigation in the Cayman Islands some- time during 2013 over what officials alleged was a bogus complaint he made about se- nior Cayman and U.K. offi- cials lying to him about cer- tain issues in the Tempura investigation. That criminal investigation lasted more than four years and the matter was only set aside last month with no charges against Mr. Bridger. CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2017 I never imagined I would be sending Birthday greetings this way. I thought we had many more years together. But I know where you are now, you are no longer struggling, but at peace, celebrating with loved ones passed. We miss you terribly, but know you are forever in our hearts and thoughts. Martha Carolyn Milburn nee Bush Dec. 10, 1956 - Apr. 13, 2017 First Birthday in Heaven Until we meet again from Miriam, your heartbroken Parents, son Adam, Ruth, Andy,Phillippe,Matthew, special nephews Jared & Jonathan,- Joshua, Leighton,Christopher, nieces Amy, Adrianna,Alexandra and grandnephews Lucas & Jeremy,Laurie, Michelle and Brenda. in our hearts and thoughts. Until we meet again from Miriam, your heartbroken Parents, Until we meet again from Miriam, your heartbroken Parents, in our hearts and thoughts. in our hearts and thoughts. In 2013, when asked about the potential new audit for Operation Tempura spending, Mr. Swarbrick said he did not see any “value” in delving back into the issue. “The driving objectives are to ensure that Caymanians are given priority in the workforce … while ensuring that businesses in the Cayman Islands have the workforce needed to meet their business goals.” WESLEY HOWELL, chief officer, Ministry of Human Resources and Immigration The developer claims the project will bring new amenities to the area and have minimal impact on traffic or crime, and claims the units will be of a high standard and will not attract what it describes as “undesirables.” Massive unknown costs for Tempura Cayman seeks new work permit regime Plans for new homes and retail plaza on West Bay Road CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >