SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY DECEMBER 15, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Stocking stuffers The gift of entry to some 2018 events may be just the ticket! B8 Cayman Cowboy’s new gospel album Andy Martin addresses his mortality with latest CD B11 Movies Music Lifestyle Christmas cocktails at Camana Bay Get the inside scoop on recipes for five fabulous festive tipples B2 ■ ART & CULTURE ‘Follies’ on s creen Imelda Staunton stars in Sondheim hit at Culture at the Cinema. B7 ‘Darkest Hour’ is cinematic triumph Gary Oldman’s extraordinary turn as Churchill should not be missed B4 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. B2 CAYMAN WEEKENDER ‘Follies’ on screen EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 A ‘LOBSTER TALE’: ONLY 3 PER RESTAURANT — WHO KNEW . . . ? High of 85 Low of 76 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY DECEMBER 15, 2017 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY UCCI board: Education ministry threatens college’s independence MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com University College of the Cayman Islands officials are concerned about their indepen- dence as an institution and what it might mean for the way other colleges and universi- ties view the students it graduates. At a board of governors meeting on Wednesday, the focus fell on a tug-of-war with the Ministry of Education over some of the basic functional operations of UCCI’s edu- cational programs. In a purchase agreement that covers the school’s budget for the next two years, the ministry had inserted language saying that decisions on what classes to offer or discontinue should be a joint decision be- tween the college and the ministry. “The proposed change by the ministry is not a change we can accept,” said board vice chairman Thomas Simpson. “If the faculty can’t control what classes are offered, it [com- promises] the quality of the degree.” UCCI is in the early stages of exploring ac- creditation from an international body, in part to ease the process for students transferring to four-year universities. Mr. Simpson said such bodies require that colleges and univer- sities act autonomously, without interference from a political authority. UCCI President Roy Bodden said he too was concerned by the language in the pro- posed agreement. As he read it, Mr. Bodden said, the min- istry “would have the final say. We have to be autonomous.” In an email, Ministry of Education Chief Officer Christen Suckoo said the agency is ful- filling its duty in line with the Public Authori- ties Law. Having the ministry take greater con- trol is necessary, he said, “to ensure that the university is operating in a manner in keeping with the ownership and purchase agreements held between the two entities.” Materials provided to board members high- lighted a section of the University College Law, which gives authority for the college curriculum POLICE REPORT TWO DOZEN BURGLARIES IN TWO WEEKS BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Since Dec. 1, the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service has investigated 24 burglaries, the majority of which have occurred in West Bay and Bodden Town districts. Police crime statistics between Dec. 1 and Dec. 13 have shown an increase in break-ins, reporting almost two per day. Eight burglaries were reported during the period in West Bay, seven in Bodden Town, five in George Town, three in North Side and one in East End. Only Cayman Brac and Little Cayman remained untroubled by the recent spate of crimes. Police said the break-ins happened mainly at residential homes with crooks targeting valuable goods like electronics and jew- elry. In West Bay, burglars seemed to target FETE SHOOTING SENTENCE HANDED DOWN In a case that reflects growing concern about gun crime in Cayman, two men were sentenced to 12 and 13 years of imprisonment Thursday in the Feb. 4 shooting of a man outside Fete nightclub. Justice Roger Chapple noted the bullet had passed close to the victim’s spinal cord, which could have had catastrophic consequences. For more on this story, see page 8 Months-long delays for driving tests BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Those seeking new Cayman Islands drivers’ licenses are being told they may have to wait between two and three months before they can take a road test at the Department of Ve- hicle and Drivers’ Licensing on Grand Cayman. The delay is partly due to a large influx of new workers who wish to exchange licenses from their home country for a Cayman license, some of whom may not realize the local rules for ob- taining a new driving license, ac- cording to department staff. Since the beginning of the year, the Cayman Islands Immi- gration Department has noted a marked increase in the number of work permit applications from non-Caymanians who are hired within the territory. According to figures given to the Cayman Compass in August, a total of 18,847 work permit applications were submitted to the department between Jan. 1 Toy drive brings cheer to sick children PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13 » Sick children at Health City Cayman Islands will receive a dose of Christmas cheer, thanks to students from Montessori by the Sea and members of the Impact 345 community service group. The Montessori students helped collect toys for children in need as part of the annual charity drive. The gifts will help bring seasonal cheer to kids who must spend the holiday in the hospital, away from their families. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13 »2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY DECEMBER 15, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Open daily 10am -10pm West Shore Center, SMB WHY COOK? Est. in 1992 Will visit Tropical Optical December 19 - December 23, 2017 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 Mental health facility goes to Planning Department TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Architectural plans for Cayman’s first residential mental-health retreat, 54 beds in nine cottages on 15 acres in East End, are set to go to the Planning Depart- ment this month ahead of a scheduled summer 2018 groundbreaking. The Ministry of Health announced the move on Thursday after Toronto-based Montgomery Sisam Architects, design specialists in mental health, completed the nearly $900,000 five-month contract in collaboration with Cay- man’s DDL Studio architects. “This is fantastic news,” said Dr. Marc Lockhart, chairman of Cayman’s 10-member Mental Health Commission and long-time activist in support of the project. “It means it’s now tangible, no longer a dream. We finally have a date. “It’s been a long time,” he said. Minister of Heath Dwayne Seymour was pleased at the development, echoing Dr. Lockhart, looking forward to bringing home Cayman’s nearly dozen-and-a half expa- triated mental health patients. “I am very happy that the architects have now com- pleted the plans for the de- sign of the facility,” he said. “It is vital that we get it up and running as soon as pos- sible so that we can properly care for our patients in ap- propriate accommodation. “Once completed, this fa- cility will allow us to keep our loved ones here instead of having to send them over- seas for treatment, which has sometimes meant sepa- rating them from their fami- lies for years at a time,” Mr. Seymour said. Because Cayman has no long-term treatment center, patients are often sent to Ja- maica or the United States for residential care. Others who cannot be transferred over- seas because of visa problems – including criminal convic- tions – gain only short-term care at an eight-bed facility at the Cayman Islands Hospital, while still others are detained at Northward Prison or are sheltered by family members. Dr. Lockhart estimates 4,000 people in Cayman are affected with some de- gree of mental illness, and says “about 16” are in res- idential treatment in Ja- maica. Another handful are scattered in U.S. facilities. The East End facility, he said Thursday, was a major boost for the entire commu- nity, but “especially for people affected” by mental illness, and “especially those in Ja- maica. They get to come home. “It’s not that we didn’t – and don’t – care, but because we simply have nowhere to house them. It’s just that simple,” he said. A government press re- lease said officials expected “groundbreaking by next summer,” followed by opening “in summer 2019,” a slippage from initial hopes for an end- 2017 groundbreaking and an April 2019 opening. Funded and operated by government, the facility is planned for a 15-acre site – already approved by Cab- inet – in the High Rock area of East End. Officials have not announced either con- struction or operating costs, but a 2016 KPMG study sug- gested as much as $15 mil- lion for the project. Dr. Lockhart has estimated between $10 million and $15 million to build the facility, and another $1 million in an- nual operating costs, repre- senting a savings on monthly per-patient fees between $2,000 and $3,000 in Jamaica, and as much as $9,500 per month for U.S.-resident pa- tients – much of it being funded by the Cayman Islands National Insurance Company. On Thursday, officials de- clined to name building costs, describing them as “commer- cially sensitive at this stage,” awaiting what they earlier called a “construction costs consultancy phase.” The East End center, with the unwieldy moniker “long- term residential mental health facility,” LTRMHF, will com- prise nine cottages, each with six beds. When operational, the “LTRMHF” – modeled on the Massachusetts-based, 700-acre Gould Farm – will offer a rural environment and occupational therapy, in- cluding gardening, animal husbandry, woodworking, a bakery, cheese-making and a public gift shop. “The main building and seven of the cottages will likely be developed in the ini- tial phase of construction,” Thursday’s release said, “and the rest built in future as de- mand dictates.” KPMG’s out- line business case suggested at least one cottage might be dedicated to overseas pa- tients as a revenue source. Charity spreads Christmas kindness JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com For Shirlene Zelaya, Christmas will be a little less stressful this year. Miss. Zelaya took delivery of a $500 Foster’s grocery store gift voucher yesterday, part of charity Acts of Random Kind- ness’ Feed Cayman Christmas campaign. The charity is en- listing community support to provide food vouchers to around 400 families in the run up to Christmas. Foster’s has sponsored two families, including the Zelayas, for a bumper $500 donation. Ms. Zelaya, who is a full- time carer to her ill sister, Lana, said the money would make a huge difference over the holidays. “It means a whole lot, I’m so grateful for it,” she said. “My sister gets a little as- sistance from government, but by the time I have paid the light bill and put some food in the cupboards there is not much left. “This will be able to buy groceries and wipes and other supplies for two or three months, and can save some money for the other bills.” Many of the recipients of ARK’s vouchers, from a list of its regular clients and names referred by social services and primary school princi- pals, are in similar positions. For some, the vouchers might mean the chance to have a proper Christmas dinner or put at least one gift under the tree for their children. For others it will simply ease the burden of keeping the cupboards stocked over the holidays. “It is not about having extra at Christmas, it is about simply having some- thing, “ said Tara Nielsen, who runs ARK. “For some families it al- leviates some of the stress over the holidays. They can try to enjoy Christmas and make sure the children have at least one present.” In previous Christmas campaigns ARK has asked donors to collect groceries and donate presents, but Ms. Nielsen said the vouchers were easier logistically and allowed families to get what they needed. “What people want is a gift certificate. They can buy some fresh produce and they can go and choose a gift their children really want,” she said. Gift vouchers from $25 up are available at all major supermarkets and can be dropped at Cayman Hospi- ceCare, Cayman Clinic or at the visitor center at Camana Bay, which is sponsoring the campaign. POSTAL WORKER’S SENTENCING ADJOURNED AGAIN CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Sentencing was post- poned again on Monday for former post office employee Herbert Leon Conolly, who had pleaded guilty to false accounting and breach of trust. Crown counsel Greg Walcolm explained that a separate investigation was still going on. Conolly, 34, had worked as a senior customer ser- vice officer, managing the counter and supervising three junior officers. The false accounting offense oc- curred when Conolly pro- duced a check for $3,400 from a bank account he knew was closed and he used it to balance a re- port he had to submit. The breach of trust was in con- nection with the duties of his office, by removing public funds. At a previous sentence hearing, Magistrate Valdis Foldats referred to a victim impact report and said it appeared that several cus- tomers had entrusted pay- ments for their utilities to the post office, but had been served with disconnection notices. He asked that the matter be looked into. Mr. Walcolm had said he would need to find out what had happened at the begin- ning of the investigation. This week he advised that the matter of utility payments formed part of a separate investigation “and should not have any impact on this part of the case.” If investigations did lead to charges, that would be a separate aspect of the matter, he suggested. The magistrate said if he proceeded to sentence on the basis of a single in- cident, it would amount to an artificial process if other charges arose for the same time period and from the same employer. “Mr. Conolly would like it all wrapped up so he can put his life back together,” defense attorney Jonathon Hughes said. “He has been waiting 13 months.” The magistrate ad- journed the case until Jan. 30. Tara Nielsen, of Acts of Random Kindness, right, hands over a voucher to Shirlene, left, and Lana Zelaya. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY DECEMBER 15, 2017 info@creativetechltd.com www.creativetechltd.com Shops 5-6 Bay Town Plaza 36 West Bay Road Corporate Solutions 946 8324 WIDE ASSORTMENT OF TVs AT AMAZING PRICES, UP TO 75” 4K IN STOCK! OTHER SOUNDBARS STARTING AT $269 Buy SoundTouch 300 Sound Bluetooth Speakers STARTING AT JUST $139 Huge Selection of Headphones STARTING AT $119 All Models in Stock SAVE $50 WITH LOWER PRICE ON PLAY:1 AND PLAY:3 All Models in Stock Award-winning Speakers Bluetooth Speakers STOCKING STUFFERS Performance - Value - Aesthetics STOCKING STUFFERS STARTING AT $ 2999 Bar and Sub and receive FREE Surround Speakers JGHS students donate Christmas boxes JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com John Gray High School students wrapped up lots of love and gifts to give to the community during this fes- tive season at the school’s as- sembly on Thursday. Besides donating food hampers to the Department of Children and Family Ser- vices for less fortunate fam- ilies in the community, the students bid farewell to vis- iting students from the British Virgin Islands rav- aged by Hurricane Maria, do- nated money to a sick class- mate’s family, acknowledged special teachers and stu- dents, and got the chance to meet two-time Olym- pian Kemar Hyman. The special assembly also saw prominent fig- ures in society share their blessings and good tidings with students. Guest speaker, Rev. Chris- topher Rose from the West Bay Assembly of God, re- minded the students Christmas was not just a time of giving but a time to hear the “good news in bad times.” He said he knew the stu- dents would agree with him that the world has been expe- riencing some tough times, in- cluding wars and crimes. He said there is good news for those who think that every- thing is going bad. “The truth is sin is the result of all of the bad things that happens around us,” he told students. The Rev. Rose challenged students to realize the great purpose locked up inside of them and he did not care what anyone said about them – the goodness that came to earth so long ago was still applicable to them today, so they could live a strong and successful and life that would honor god. Students presented $1,000 to the family of sick class- mate Albert Ebanks. Albert was diagnosed with leu- kemia and is receiving treat- ment in the United States. A member of the Key Clubs of Grand Cayman pre- sented the family with $100 from the club. Mr. Hyman presented the students with a framed and signed T-shirt of him com- peting at the Olympics, when he set his Cayman personal record for the 100 meters, to show them what giving back was all about. He told students they must always remember to el- evate themselves and believe they can do it: “I just want to teach you guys that I did it.” He said coming through the same system as them – from George Town Primary to George Hicks to John Gray and college, he knew each and every one of them could do it too. Mr. Hyman encouraged students to get out there and put their best foot forward during the school’s cross- country race, which took place on Friday. GIFT DRIVE UNDER WAY AT CAYMAN PREP AND HIGH SCHOOL Cayman Prep and High School is running a gift drive for the Cayman Islands De- partment of Children and Family Services. All students have been en- couraged to participate by donating a gift for children under the supervision of that department. Cayman Prep and High School stated that it’s aiming to collect 200 gifts. “We just want to do something nice for children who may not have any gifts under the Christmas tree this year,” said Year 9 student Nadia Simmonds. “We want nothing in return.” Cayman Prep and High School tutor Lucy Baker said she’s “incredibly proud” of Nadia and other Year 9 students who are run- ning the program. “It fills me with great pride when students come to see me of their own volition, seeking permission to carry out such initiatives in the schools’ name without the de- sire nor request for personal recognition,” said high school principal Phillip Burgess. Students deliver Christmas boxes to the John Gray hall for less fortunate families in the community. – PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY Two-time Olympian Kemar Hyman presents students with a signed and framed T-shirt. Year 9 students at Cayman Prep and High School are running a gift drive for children under the supervision of the Department of Children and Family Services.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. FRIDAY DECEMBER 15, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS How many times have you heard it from a waiter: “Do you have any questions about the menu?” Well, in this instance, actually, we do. “Where’s the local lobster?” For those who missed it in yesterday’s Compass, we published a story that revealed – to almost everyone – that a year ago, the Department of Environment amended its regulations regarding local lobsters. The new regulations, in effect, extended the catch limit of “three per day” for the lobstermen, to the restau- rants which going forward can serve, or have on their premises, only “three per day.” There are a number of issues that derive from the DoE’s decision, but let’s start with this one: They neglected (we expect inadvertently rather than purposely) to notify the restaurants of the new regulation. The effect of that, of course, is that restau- rants continued to operate as usual, which means for the last year they have been in violation of a law that they did not know existed. John Bothwell, of the Department of Environment, told the Compass the department posted the change on “social media” and sent a notice in a press release to the media. We at Pinnacle Media, the largest media house in the Cayman Islands, cannot find a trace of that press release, but, even if we had received it, does Mr. Bothwell or anyone at the DoE believe that issuing a press release or publishing a post on social media constitutes fair and effective notice to Cayman’s res- taurateurs that they risked serious sanction if they did not abide by this new – we’ll call it what it is – “secret law.” We are reminded of a quote we came across recently in another context, namely businesses which don’t advertise new products they have to offer: “It’s like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you’re doing, but nobody else does.” For the record, the Compass contacted a number of well-known restaurants in Grand Cayman, asking the simple question of whether they knew about the “three-lobster limit” imposed by the DoE a year earlier. Not one did, including, ironically, the venerable and aptly named “Lobster Pot.” Well, if you don’t tell the Lobster Pot about a lobster law, who are you going to tell? Many of the restaurant owners or managers we talked to were not necessarily opposed to the new reg- ulations – it’s just that they had never heard of them. All agreed it would have an effect on their businesses but, in good spirit, if it were necessary for the preser- vation of the species, well, they could understand that. We sort of agree with that sentiment but are, perhaps, a little less trusting or sanguine. We would ask the DoE to produce and make public the empir- ical evidence that our lobster population is, indeed, in danger of diminishing or even disappearing. Has anyone at DoE ever actually “counted,” that is, taken a representative sample of, Cayman’s lobster population? When was that done, who did it, and what did the results show? And further, if DoE did indeed conduct such a census, how did the results compare with earlier counts? We would expect that the DoE, or any other rule-making body, would want to know whether any species is increasing or declining before proceeding with impactful measures such as writing, or in this case, rewriting its regulations. Many laws, but especially conservation laws, must be based on sound science and never based on anec- dotal observations, generally accepted “truths,” or popular or political themes of the moment. If the DoE cannot produce and make public its “sound science” on this change to its regulations, that’s bad. If it can, that’s good. We, the public, and, we’re sure, a lot of restaura- teurs and lobster-loving diners would like to see it. A ‘lobster tale’: Only 3 per restaurant — Who knew . . . ? How long will US Congress remain a bystander regarding war? WASHINGTON – The first use of nuclear weapons occurred Aug. 6, 1945. The second oc- curred three days later. That there has not been a third is testimony to the skill and sobriety of 12 presidents and many other people, here and abroad. Today, however, North Korea’s nuclear belli- cosity coincides with the in- continent tweeting, rhetorical taunts and other evidence of the frivolity and instability of the 13th president of the nuclear era. His almost daily descents from the previous day’s unprecedentedly bad behavior are prompting ur- gent thinking about the con- stitutional allocation of war responsibilities, and espe- cially about authority to use U.S. nuclear weapons. Last month, for the first time in 41 years, a congres- sional hearing examined the Atomic Energy Act of 1946 that gives presidents sole authority. There was serious discussion of whether a par- ticular presidential order for their use might not be “legal” – necessary, proportionate. But even if, in a crisis, time permits consulting law- yers, compliant ones will be found: President Obama’s ar- gued that the thousands of airstrikes that killed thou- sands and demolished Lib- ya’s regime did not constitute “hostilities.” The exigencies of crisis management in an age of ICBMs require speed of con- sultations, if any, and of de- cisions. And the credibility of deterrence requires that ad- versaries know that presi- dents can act in minutes. Fur- thermore, the authority to employ nuclear weapons is, as was said at the congres- sional hearing, “intertwined” with the authority “to take the country to war.” So, as a practical matter, President Trump can unleash on North Korea “fire and fury” without seeking the consent of, or even consulting, Congress. This, even if North Korea has nei- ther attacked nor seems about to attack America. A long train of precedents tends to legiti- mate – although not justify – practices, and this nation has engaged in many wars since it last declared war on June 5, 1942 (when, to sat- isfy wartime legalities, it did so against Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania). Over many de- cades, Congress has become – has largely made itself – a by- stander regarding war. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., says, “If we have to go to war to stop this, we will.” By “this” does he means North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons, which it has had for 11 years? Or ICBMs, which it is rapidly de- veloping? If so, Graham must think war is coming, because there is no reason to think that North Korea’s regime will relinquish weapons it deems essential to its single priority: survival. As Vlad- imir Putin says, North Korea would rather “eat grass.” U.S. actions have taught this re- gime the utility, indeed the indispensability, of such weapons. Would America have invaded Saddam Husse- in’s Iraq if he had possessed them? Would America have participated in destroying Libya’s regime in 2011 if, soon after Saddam’s overthrow, Moammar Gadhafi had not agreed to abandon his nu- clear weapons program? North Korea, says Trump, is a “situation we will handle” – “we will take care of it.” Does “we” denote delibera- tive and collaborative action by the legislative and execu- tive branches? Or is “we” the royal plural from the man whose general approach to governance is, “I alone can fix it?” Trump’s foreign policy thinking (“In the old days, when you won a war, you won a war. You kept the country”; we should “bomb the shit out of [ISIS]”) is short on nuance but of Metterni- chian subtlety compared to his thoughts on nuclear mat- ters: “I think, for me, nuclear is just the power, the devasta- tion is very important to me.” A U.S. war of choice against North Korea would not be a preemptive war launched to forestall an im- minent attack. Rather, it would be a preventive war supposedly justified by the fact that given sophisticated weapons and delivery sys- tems, imminence might be impossible to detect. The long war on the primitivism of terrorists has encouraged such thinking. A leaked 2011 memo from the Obama ad- ministration’s Justice De- partment argued that using force to prevent an “immi- nent” threat “does not re- quire … clear evidence that a specific attack … will take place in the immediate fu- ture.” So, regarding al-Qaida, the memo said that because the government might not know of all plots and thus “cannot be confident that none is about to occur,” any leader of al-Qaida or “asso- ciated forces” can be law- fully targeted at any time, without specific knowledge of planned attacks. It would be interesting to hear the president dis- tinguish a preventive war against North Korea from a war of aggression. The first two counts in the indict- ments at the 1946 Nuremberg trials concerned waging “ag- gressive war.” 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” There is no reason to think that North Korea’s regime will relinquish weapons it deems essential to its single priority: survival.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY DECEMBER 15, 2017 FAMILY STREET FAIR WITH DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES IN EACH KIRK FREEPORT CARDINALL AVENUE STORE! A SPECIAL EVENING FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY • Refreshments • Popcorn • Cotton Candy • Balloon Maker • Face Painting • Cookie Decorating • St Ignatius Bands • Fireworks CARDINALL AVENUE +1 (345) 815 7492 • KIRKFREEPORT.COM CHRISTMAS ON CARDIN ALL CHRISTMAS ON CARDINALL SATURDAY, DEC 16TH · 4PM - 7PM ENJOY THE6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY DECEMBER 15, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS LuxuriesLuxuriesLuxuries Buy any two packages and receive a free 60 minute massage! 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While population sur- veys suggest Grand Cayman is overrun with more than a million green iguanas, the invasion in the Brac is in its infancy. Only 16 iguanas, in- cluding 13 juveniles, were caught in four days of inten- sive search efforts on the is- land last week. Department of Environ- ment officials are anxious to get to grips with the problem now, before the population gets larger and becomes more difficult to contain. “Currently it is not as large a problem as on Grand Cayman,” said research of- ficer Sophie O’Hehir. “They are not easy to find on the Sister Islands, but they are definitely there. From the results of the search effort last week, there is clearly an established breeding popula- tion. With no natural popula- tion control, they can easily become as abundant on Cayman Brac as they are on Grand Cayman. “With every breeding season, the resources re- quired to manage the problem increase. We are very keen to control the issue before the adverse effects of overpopulation are felt by Brac residents, and while the means necessary to do this are manageable.” Exploding green iguana populations on Grand Cayman have impacted farmers and threaten to cause major and irreversible changes to the ecosystem, ac- cording to Frederic Burton, head of the Department of Environment’s terrestrial resources unit. The scale of the problem has become so great that gov- ernment has allocated $1.1 million a year toward culling efforts on Grand Cayman. Officials are on high alert to avoid similar impacts and costs on the Brac. The Port Authority has been asked to carefully examine shipping containers to prevent green iguanas being accidentally transported to the island. Additionally, the DoE has established a hotline for res- idents on both Cayman Brac and Little Cayman to report any sightings. “They are very inconspic- uous animals who do not want to be found. When they do appear, it is important that they are kept in sight and reported immediately to ensure the best chance of capture,” Ms. O’Hehir said. She said the support of a strong network of volunteers and the wider community was encouraging. “Their generosity and en- thusiasm for the local en- vironment makes me posi- tive about removing green iguanas from these unique islands,” she added. To report any green iguana sightings on Cayman Brac call 917-7744. To report any green iguana sightings on Little Cayman call 925-7625. Several juvenile green iguanas were discovered during the cull.Department of Environment officials and volunteers culled 16 green iguanas on the Brac.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY DECEMBER 15, 2017 Join CAYMAN’S ULTIMATE HEALTH, WELLNESS & beauty EVENT This One-Day Event Will Feature Various Fitness Classes | Healing Therapies | Exercise and Yoga Massage and Meditation | Healthy Food and Samplings Wellness Workshops and Screenings | Beauty Techniques Style and Fashion | Musical Entertainment | Sales Boutiques For partnership inquiries 815-0015 or 815-0085 january 20th8 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY DECEMBER 15, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS In Memory of Danny Tatum 1957 – 2017 We will miss you here, but we know you are happy spending Christmas with Jesus this year. Joy, DeVanney, Marcel, Carol and Bet Bet In Memory of Danny Tatum We will miss you here, but we knowWe will miss you here, but we know In Memory of Danny TatumIn Memory of Danny TatumIn Memory of Danny TatumIn Memory of Danny TatumIn Memory of Danny Tatum We will miss you here, but we knowWe will miss you here, but we know In Memory of Danny TatumIn Memory of Danny Tatum Remembering Mom On her 85th Birthday (Dec-16) Along with our beloved Sister, Aunt & Grandmother Decorating for Christmas was their favorite time of the year. Gone but not forgotten From Marva & the rest of the Family. We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Verda Mae Walton of Cayman Brac, who passed away on Friday, December 8, 2017. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday, December 16, 2017 at 3:00p.m. at Red Bay Church of God (Holiness), 38 Lord’s Way off Selkirk Drive. Viewing will be from 2:00-2:45p.m. Interment follows at Prospect Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Ruby Rubena Myles, of George Town, who passed away on Monday, December 4, 2017. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Sunday, December 17, 2017 at 2:30p.m. at Church of God Universal, Walker’s Road, George Town. Interment follows at Dixie Cemetery. We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Ruby Rubena Myles, of George Town, who passed away on Monday, December 4, 2017. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Sunday, December 17, 2017 at 2:30p.m. at Church of God Universal, Walker’s Road, George Town. Interment follows at Dixie Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com Happy First Birthday In Heaven Douglas Anthony Dawson 16th Dec 1964 – 29th Aug 2017 We hold you close Within our hearts And there you will remain To walk with us Throughout our lives Until we meet again Sadly missed by You’re Sisters, Brothers, Nieces & Nephews With love always & forever Government inks $5.9m deal for new emergency radio system KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government has signed a $5.9 million contract with Motorola Solutions to pro- vide the territory with what officials say will be “the most advanced and modern radio system in the Caribbean.” The new system will re- place “outdated” analog radios with digital radios that have the capacity for features such as GPS location, text messaging and encryption, said Home Af- fairs Minister Tara Rivers at a press conference Thursday. Chief Fire Officer David Hails said that the new de- vices will improve the safety of his officers by eliminating “black spots” in certain parts of Cayman where analog radio reception is weak. Mr. Hails said his department also experiences weak recep- tion in large, concrete build- ings, which sometimes forces them to resort to mobile phones for communication. GPS tracking is another potential life-saving mea- sure in the case of an endan- gered or downed officer, said Hazard Management Deputy Director Lee Madison. Additionally, cellphones can be integrated into the system so that “ministers and others can be in contact with network without carrying [a handheld device],” said Mr. Madison. The new radios will still be able to communicate with analog devices, he said. Some 1,000 new handheld devices and other radio equip- ment will replace old gear at the 911 dispatch center and all other emergency-response agencies. The current radios will be repurposed for other government departments that don’t need the new tech- nology, said Mr. Madison. Before the system goes online, Motorola will be per- forming initial testing on it in March, with the final testing being conducted in either Au- gust or September, he said. Along with discussing the new radio system, Mr. Hails also addressed the long-standing problem of the Cayman Islands Fire Service being on a different dispatch system than police and am- bulance services. A 2014 review of the fire ser- vices found that emergency calls to the Cayman Islands Fire Ser- vice were being unacceptably delayed by the department’s systems for handling calls. When a 911 call for fire service is received by the 911 center, it is passed to the fire service con- trol room at the airport fire sta- tion. The call is logged by hand and then the nearest fire station is mobilized to answer the call, according to the report. For some reason, the fire service does not use the 911 computer aided dispatch system used by the local po- lice and ambulance services. “This is not only ineffi- cient, but also results in an unacceptable delay in pro- cessing an emergency call,” the report found. “There is also the possibility of inac- curacies being introduced as information taken from the primary source is indirectly passed to operational crews.” Mr. Hails said on Thursday that “in the very near future,” the fire stations will be called directly from the 911 center. He said that officers are cur- rently being trained for this, and that the change should go into effect before the new radio system comes onstream. Judge imposes 12, 13 years for nightclub shooting and assaults Deportation after sentence recommended for Kashwayne Hewitt CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two men were sentenced to 12 years imprisonment on Thursday for causing grievous bodily harm to Carlney Camp- bell, who was shot in the early hours of Saturday, Feb. 4, in the vicinity of Fete night- club along West Bay Road. Kashwayne Hewitt, Malik Mothen and Mr. Mothen’s wife had been charged with attempted murder as a re- sult; the jury found all three not guilty, but convicted the two men on an alternative count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to cause such harm. Mr. Hewitt, who turned 21 just last month, received a concurrent sentence of nine years for possession of an unlicensed firearm, to which he had pleaded guilty when the trial started. Mr. Mothen, 36, had told police he assaulted Mr. Camp- bell and his cousin, Daniel Al- exander Bennett, before Mr. Campbell was shot. He said he had used a knuckle duster to do so because he had been provoked. He pleaded not guilty, but the jury found him guilty. He received two sen- tences of 12 months to run concurrently with each other, but consecutive to the 12 years, for a total of 13 years. Justice Roger Chapple ex- plained why he was giving the men the same sentence for the shooting that had re- sulted in a shoulder wound to Mr. Campbell. He noted that the bullet had passed close to the spinal cord, which could have had cata- strophic consequences. He did not wish to downplay the pain and suffering the victim had gone through and the terror he must have felt at the time, but the injury was not as bad as it could have been. The obvious aggra- vating factor was that it had been inflicted with a firearm. The judge said it was clear from the jury verdicts that Mr. Hewitt had shot Mr. Camp- bell, who was on the ground at the time. Also on the jury verdicts, Mr. Mothen at the very least had participated in the attack on Mr. Campbell. In sentencing Mr. Hewitt, the judge said he was taking into account this defendant’s age and the fact that he had no previous convictions. “By what you have done, you have thrown the next part of your life away,” he told the young man. The judge said Mr. Mothen was the older man and did have previous convictions. This was the second time he had been involved in an offense where an innocent person was shot. “You are a violent, dan- gerous man on a short fuse,” he told this defendant. Justice Chapple said the proliferation of guns and gun crime is a source of great concern in many jurisdic- tions, but particularly in the Caribbean and most particu- larly in Cayman. He said gun crimes threatened the sta- bility, well-being and repu- tation of the island and its people. For that reason, deter- rent sentences were required. Later he referred to Cay- man’s prosperity and inter- national reputation, “which so many people have worked so hard to build and pre- serve, and on which the live- lihood of so many depends.” The judge referred also to Cayman’s mandatory sen- tences for unlicensed fire- arms – seven years on a guilty plea without exceptional cir- cumstances and 10 years on a not guilty plea. For the cat- egory of injury received by Mr. Campbell, guidelines sug- gested a sentencing range of five to nine years, he noted. But it would not make sense that the sentence for an in- jury from the discharge of a firearm would be less than for possession of the firearm alone, he pointed out. He said he was making a recommendation for Mr. Hewitt’s deportation after his sentence was served. “Given your behavior in the two months you were here [before the shooting], the island is better off without you.” Mr. Hewitt’s attorney, Paul Hynes, had provided some background when he spoke in mitigation on Wednesday afternoon. He described his client as naive and unso- phisticated, coming from a rural area of Jamaica. He had graduated from high school, but with no qualifications. He came to Cayman on Dec. 26, 2016, hoping to make a better life. He got married on Jan. 19, 2017. He did not find a job and ended up making a series of wrong choices. The jury had seen a photo of him with a gun, taken on a cellphone before the Fete incident. On behalf of Mr. Mothen, attorney Jacob Hallam sub- mitted that the jury had plainly taken the view that the grievous bodily harm had not been premeditated; it was the result of an outbreak of spontaneous violence in the context of people who were looking for trouble. He suggested that the jury’s view was that Mr. Mothen had not gone out that night looking for trouble, but trouble came to him. The judge agreed that al- cohol was an ingredient in what had happened.9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY DECEMBER 15, 2017 The family of Frances A. Black regrets to announce her death on Saturday, 9 December , 2017. A funeral service will take place 10:30 a.m. on Friday, December 15, 2017 at the Elmslie Memorial United Church. Interment will follow in West Bay Cemetery . Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. 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 Phyllis Hunter regrets to announce her death on Sunday, 10 December , 2017. A funeral service will take place 10:30 a.m. on Monday, December 18, 2017 at the St. George’s Anglican Church. Interment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Pink Ladies Volunteer Corps or St. George’s Anglican Church. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. The family of Lois Ann Yates regrets to announce her death on Friday, 8 December , 2017. A funeral service will take place 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 17, 2017 at the Red Bay Church of God Holiness. Interment will follow in North Side Cemetery 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 Nikki Forbes Smith regrets to announce her death on Tuesday, 5 December , 2017. A service of thanksgiving for her life will take place 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 16, 2017 at the Church of God Chapel, Walkers Rd. Viewing will be from 10:00 a.m. prior to the service. Service attendees are asked to wear bright colors. Interment will follow in Old Man Bay Cemetery. Transportation will be provided from the church to the cemetery and return to church after the committal Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Football coach sentenced for assaulting ref Defendant has been banned from the sport for one year, court told CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A football coach who pleaded guilty to assaulting an assistant referee during a match was sentenced on Monday in Summary Court. Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats imposed a sentence that included 40 hours of com- munity service, compensa- tion to the victim of $126.82 and a discharge on condition of entering a recognizance in the sum of $950 to be of good behavior. The magistrate agreed to defense attorney Richard Bar- ton’s application for no con- viction to be recorded, but added, “This case should not be used as a precedent.” The incident leading to the assault occurred at the Ed Bush Stadium in West Bay on April 8 during a cup match between the coach’s team, Al- liance FC, and Elite FC. The defendant first ap- peared in court in August and pleaded guilty after doc- uments in the case were dis- closed to Mr. Barton. Sen- tencing was adjourned so that a victim impact statement could be obtained along with a social inquiry report for the defendant. Crown counsel Scott Wainwright outlined as- pects of the case. The game official reported to police that he had been punched in his face by the coach. The injury he sustained was described as a small cut on the inner upper left side of his lip and swelling on the left side of the lip. The defendant pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault on the basis that he was pushed by the official and responded by slapping the other man in the face. He ac- cepted that his action did not amount to self-defense, since it was an excessive response to a push. That basis of plea was accepted by the Crown. Mr. Barton said a situa- tion in the game developed to a point when all of the players had come down onto the field against the main ref- eree and the coach went out with the intention of having cooler heads prevail. He was going to ask for the game to be called off, but things es- calated quickly. He regretted what had happened. The magistrate read from the victim impact report. The injured man said he did not want the defendant in prison. He recognized that the coach had been banned for a year from all football activities. He wanted a public apology to himself and the refereeing body. He requested compen- sation for the amount of med- ical expenses that his insur- ance did not cover. The magistrate pointed out that the courtroom is a public forum and the defendant had the opportunity to apolo- gize then and there. When Mr. Barton turned to speak to his client, the magistrate added that a coerced apology was worth nothing. Mr. Barton indicated that was not the case. He said the coach had undertaken to give a written apology. The magistrate said he might also want to write to the football league and the body that oversees his team. “I do apologize,” the defen- dant said from the dock. Mr. Barton emphasized that his client, 50, had been coaching for some 20 years and was a founder of the Alli- ance Football Club, along with being involved in other com- munity service activities. He was of previous good character, Mr. Wain- wright confirmed. The magistrate thanked the coach for his early guilty plea and for going through the process of the social inquiry report. Sports are meant to be fun, the magistrate com- mented, even when things get heated. He thought there had been an increase in violence and disrespect internation- ally; there had to be a clamp- down, he said. It was a sad state of af- fairs when there had to be po- lice presence at local sporting events, but that may have been the result of cumulative experience, he suggested. Cayman’s football referees went on strike in April fol- lowing the altercation. It was the fifth reported incident during the season involving “physical attacks and discrim- ination,” against match offi- cials, according to a statement from the Cayman Islands Ref- eree’s Association. Referees called for a police presence at local games amid concerns for their safety. Mr. Barton had submitted three letters of reference. The magistrate referred to one from Alfredo Whittaker, who was elected last month as president of the Cayman Is- lands Football Association, and Mr. Whittaker’s interest in safeguarding referees. The magistrate did not read the letter aloud, but indicated its appreciation for the defen- dant’s overall contribution to his community. A second letter was from a West Bay MLA and the third was from another coach. Mr. Barton added that just recently the defendant’s club had been instrumental in se- curing a football scholarship for a female player. Montessori students donate toys to sick children JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Students at Montessori by the Sea are spreading Christmas joy by donating toys to sick children at Health City Cayman Islands. The toys are going to help children in the hospital that are getting heart surgery. “You guys are going to help them fix their hearts,” said Holly Thompson, founder and leader of the Im- pact 345 community service group, upon receiving the toys from the children at the school on Wednesday. “This is something that we do to aid the process and help them feel like they are having a better Christmas,” Ms. Thompson told the chil- dren. She said Montessori by the Sea has helped them in the past. “They are awesome, they always consider us a great place to donate and we are really grateful for every- thing they have done,” Ms. Thompson told the kids. “I like that the children are going to be happy on Christmas morning and they are not going to be bored waiting for toys,” said Henry Craig Conner, a student. Classmate Matteo Lawson said, “Why we are giving the gifts to them is because some children in the hospital don’t have presents, and some moms and dads cannot af- ford gifts, so we are getting all the gifts to give them.” Ms. Thompson said the main purpose of the 345 ser- vice group is to provide back- packs for the “Have a Heart” children at Health City that are receiving critical care. Every Christmas, the group tries to collect new toys to wrap for the children that are there over Christmas, because it’s difficult for them and some of them do not speak English and are from foreign countries, Ms. Thompson noted. “We wanted the kids to collect as many toys as they could to give to all the fam- ilies that don’t have every- thing they have,” said Mon- tessori teacher Krista Loden. “We opened the toy drive a week ago and since that time we collected triple the number of toys we were hoping to collect.” Ms. Loden arranged the toy drive along with teacher Nicky Hull. “Every year when we do the children’s Christmas party for kids involved in Have a Heart, not only do we collect toys for the sick children but we also collect many toys for children around the island who simi- larly won’t have much else for Christmas, to add as much Christmas cheer as possible,” Ms. Thompson said. Impact 345 started three years ago when Ms. Thompson met a patient with a young child at the hospital, who said the ordeal was the scariest thing she had ever done because she had to leave her baby behind. She said it made her re- alize how scary that must be, so she started inviting people to come with her to visit the hospital every time new pa- tients arrived, and before she knew it, the effort evolved into Impact 345.Next >