High of 86 Low of 76 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 GIVING A VOICE TO THE PEOPLE LOCAL | PAGES 8 AND 9 YEAR IN REVIEW: MONTH BY MONTH ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY DECEMBER 28, 2017 Holiday office hours Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! The management and staff at BritCay extend sincere season’s best wishes to you and your family. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky Holiday early closing at noon, December 22nd and 29th Year in review: The permanent residence predicament BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The year 2017 began with nearly 1,000 people waiting for rulings on their permanent residence applica- tions and no visible effort on the part of the Cayman Islands govern- ment to deal with those matters. In June, that number had grown to more than 1,100. By the end of the year, decisions had been made on more than 600 residency applications with roughly two-thirds of those being approved. Although the issue is not new to Cayman, the delays in the system that allows non-Caymanians a chance to remain in the islands for the rest of their lives began trans- lating into a series of lawsuits begin- ning in late 2016 and continuing into this year. Those requests for judges to review the issue, and the aftermath of the May 2017 general election, spurred the public sector to action. The first of these legal challenges involving the current Immigration Law and the system it uses to re- view residency applications was filed in December 2016 by Mark Ed- munds, a financial services com- pany manager. Mr. Edmunds’s at- torneys alleged that his 29-month wait for a decision was unlawful and “can be seen as applying a mor- atorium to the processing of perma- nent residence applications.” Since January 2017, at least six similar judicial review requests were filed by other residency- seekers who had been delayed for various lengths of time. By April 2017, the government had not pro- cessed a single permanent resi- dence application since at least January 2015. Lionfish study expands amid positive results JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Lionfish are being hunted by na- tive predators on Cayman’s reefs at much greater rates than previously imagined – an encouraging sign that nature may provide a solution to the problem of invasive species. The finding comes from an ongoing study by the Central Caribbean Marine In- stitute in Little Cayman monitoring the movement, habits and mortality of tagged lionfish on reefs around the island. The early findings of the study also re- inforce the value of culling programs, using trained divers to target the invasive fish. The data from 30 fish, tagged be- tween June and July this year, also shows that lionfish have strong “site fidelity” and typically stay within a 200-meter zone along the reef wall. Though researchers found evidence that lionfish often stray into deeper water, well beyond recreational diving limits, they con- cluded that the fish travel between the shal- lower depths and these deeper zones rather than staying at depth. According to CCMI, the results are en- couraging because they show that regular Acoustic tags have been surgically implanted in lionfish in Little Cayman to track their movements. - PHOTO: CCMI COCAINE WASHES ASHORE AT EAST END RESORT JAMES WHITTAKER, CAROL WINKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com, cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com This was not the kind of “white Christmas” that Bing Crosby was singing about. A resort security guard was confronted by a masked man wielding a machete after tour- ists found several bricks of cocaine washed up on an East End beach. Holidaymakers were relaxing and playing volleyball when the drugs washed ashore at Morritt’s Tortuga Resort on Christmas Eve, ac- cording to manager Jose Kirchman. He said there were numerous brick-shaped packages, tightly wrapped in what looked like black bin liners. A resort security guard se- cured the drugs while they waited for the po- lice to arrive. Before officers arrived on the scene, around 4:30 p.m., he said, the man with the machete turned up and took the packages. He said the tourists who had found the packages, regular visitors to the resort, had taken the incident well but other guests were left shaken and he has added addi- tional security. “It is OK; thankfully, no one was hurt. Some of the guests were pretty upset,” he added. More details of the incident emerged Wednesday when a man accused of taking the packages appeared in Summary Court. Marvin Gregory Grant, 35, appeared be- fore Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez charged with robbery – using force to steal between 50 and 60 pounds of cocaine from the secu- rity guard; possession of cocaine with in- tent to supply; and possession of an offensive weapon, the machete. He was refused bail. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY DECEMBER 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Daily Matinees Every Day • $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 • Additional charges will apply per 3D/VIP ticket requested SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - THURSDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE (PG13) 1:20 I 4:05 I 7:25 I 10:05 DOWNSIZING (R) 12:30 I 3:30 I 6:30 I 9:30 STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI 3D (PG13) 1:20 2D VIP I 4:10 2D I 5:00 2D VIP 6:45 2D I 8:30 2D VIP I 9:00 JUSTICE LEAGUE (PG13) 1:20 I 6:15 FERDINAND 3D (PG) 1:35 I 5:00 2D I 10:05 2D PITCH PERFECT 3 (PG13) 12:20 I 2:40 I 7:30 I 9:50 THE STAR (PG) 4:05 Judge grants bail in child porn case Conditions include no internet, no contact with anyone under 17 CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com After being refused bail in Summary Court, a man charged with possession of child pornography suc- cessfully appealed to Grand Court on Friday. Pierre Pavlov Rameau, a former lecturer at the University College of the Cayman Islands, was re- fused bail last Thursday when he appeared be- fore Magistrate Kirsty- Ann Gunn on charges re- lating to images of a child or children in erotic or in- decent poses. He also faces a charge of using an in- formation and communi- cations technology net- work to annoy, abuse or harass a named female by requesting indecent photos from her. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden appealed the lower court’s deci- sion before Justice Roger Chapple, who granted bail after hearing objections from senior Crown counsel Nicole Petit. Mr. Rameau, 49, must comply with 12 conditions. He must surrender all pass- ports to police. He must not go within 100 yards of the airport or any seaport and a “stop notice” was to be registered with immigra- tion authorities. He must lodge a $10,000 cash secu- rity and have two sureties sign for him in the total sum of $20,000. He must live and sleep at a specified address, and observe a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Mr. Rameau is required to wear an elec- tronic monitor and present himself to a specified po- lice station daily. The court also ordered him not to have any con- tact, directly or indirectly, with the complainant in the ICT charge, and he is not to have any contact with anyone under the age of 17. Final conditions are “No use of the internet what- soever” and he is not to be found within 200 yards of any school. The matter is due back in Summary Court on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Stolen car torched A Honda Integra, stolen in early November, was set alight on Hirst Road, Bodden Town, on Thursday, Dec. 22, police reported. A police spokeswoman said the Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service is in- vestigating the apparent arson, which was reported to 911 around 9 p.m. When police and the fire service arrived at the scene, near the Ma- rine Base, they found the car still ablaze. After the fire was extin- guished by fire officers, it was determined that the car had been stripped of many parts before being set ablaze. The two-door, red and black vehicle had been stolen from the parking lot of Reflections, next to Airport Foster’s, some- time between Nov. 3 and 5, police said. It was re- ported stolen on Nov. 6. Three injured in fire Three people were in- jured after a fire broke out at a small resi- dence behind Archie’s Bar on Shedden Road on Wednesday morning. Police said they re- ceived a report of the blaze at the premises “with multiple occupants” around 6 a.m. Firefighters put out the fire, the cause of which is under investigation by the Fire Service and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. The three injured oc- cupants, a man and two women, were taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital. One woman had been re- leased by Wednesday af- ternoon, and the other two people remained in hos- pital in stable condition. Social media messages request ‘sexy’ photos of minors A child in Cayman re- ceived Instagram requests to provide “sexy” images of herself from a company purporting to be recruiting models, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service re- ported Tuesday. According to police, the child’s parent complained on Dec. 21 that an Insta- gram message had been circulated on Dec. 16 pur- portedly from a prior Miss Universe, stating that a company named “MoreTastyTeas” was re- cruiting models. “A communication with minor children had started in response to this message, and these children were asked to send ‘sexy’ pic- tures of themselves in min- imum clothing, after which they were informed that they had been selected [as a] top model with Rihanna and Nicky Minaj,” police said in a statement. The girl’s parent learned of the exchange and inter- vened, sending messages to the Instagram account, but those messages were not responded to. Police said messages are also being sent to mi- nors on WhatsApp. The RCIPS noted that a company by the name of MoreTastyTeas legitimately operates in the Bahamas. “The company has clar- ified that these messages have nothing to do with their business and that they are not conducting a re- cruitment for models. The company also informed that they have received other complaints from other juris- dictions,” police said. Police are advising par- ents to be aware of the com- munications of their chil- dren via smartphones and other devices. “The RCIPS recommends parents hold open discus- sions with minor children regarding inappropriate communications and ex- changes, especially of pic- tures, with adults via these devices,” police said. Canada revokes Venezuelan diplomat’s credentials TORONTO (AP) – Canada is moving to expel a Ven- ezuelan diplomat from the country and strip his cre- dentials in retaliation after his Canadian counterpart was kicked out of the South American nation. The latest developments come after months of sanc- tions and criticism by Canada against Venezuela, which two days ago declared Can- ada’s charge d’affaires per- sona non grata. They stripped him of his diplomatic creden- tials and barred him from re- turning to the country. Officials from Canada and the United States have been increasing critical of Presi- dent Nicolas Maduro’s gov- ernment for consolidating power and isolating the country’s opposition parties ahead of next year’s presi- dential elections. Venezuelan national con- stituent assembly president Delcy Rodriguez accused Ca- nadian diplomat Craig Kow- alik of meddling in the coun- try’s politics and tweeting “rude and vulgar” comments about the nation. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Monday that Venezue- la’s ambassador to Canada, who had already been with- drawn by his government to protest Canadian sanctions, was no longer welcome in the country in response. She also declared the Ven- ezuelan charge d’affaires per- sona non grata. “Canadians will not stand by as the government of Ven- ezuela robs its people of their fundamental democratic and human rights, and denies them access to basic human- itarian assistance,” Freeland said in a statement released on Christmas Day. “We will continue to work with our partners in the re- gion … to apply pressure on the anti-democratic Maduro regime and restore the rights of the Venezuelan people.” Venezuela drew inter- national condemnation on Wednesday when its pro-gov- ernment constitutional as- sembly effectively stripped three of the country’s most influential opposition par- ties of the right to partici- pate in next year’s presiden- tial election. It followed a threat by Maduro to punish the oppo- sition groups for boycotting recent mayoral elections, pro- testing what they considered an unfair, rigged system run by a dictatorship. Canada has already im- posed sanctions against 40 key members of Maduro’s re- gime since September. Freeland said the officials had been implicated in “cor- ruption and gross human rights abuses.” Economic sanctions are also being carried out by the Lima Group, a body made up of Canada and 11 other Latin American countries. Freeland called Venezu- ela’s decision to expel the Canadian diplomat a typ- ical move by the Maduro re- gime, saying that efforts to restore democracy in the country have been consis- tently undermined. BRAZIL KICKS OUT VENEZUELA’S TOP DIPLOMAT AMID TENSIONS BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) – Au- thorities in Brazil say they are stripping Venezuela’s top diplomat of his creden- tials and kicking him out in a dispute between the neighboring South Amer- ican countries. Brazil’s ministry of for- eign affairs said Tuesday it considers Venezuelan chargé d’affaires Gerardo Antonio Delgado Maldo- nado a persona non grata. Venezuela is in a deep- ening political and eco- nomic crisis under the rule of socialist President Nicolas Maduro, drawing international criticism from several nations, including Brazil and Canada. The RCIPS noted that a company by the name of MoreTastyTeas legitimately operates in the Bahamas. 3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY DECEMBER 28, 2017 MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, PLANNING & INFRASTRUCTURE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, PLANNING & INFRASTRUCTURE Broadcasting Ltd. #ShareTheRoadKY BE RESPONSIBLE. SHARE THE ROAD. DUI INCIDENTS IN CAYMAN ROSE BY 12% LAST YEAR. DON’T BE ANOTHER STATISTIC. NOMINATE A DESIGNATED DRIVER, OR TAKE A TAXI IF YOU’RE ENJOYING DRINKS TONIGHT. Local businessman found dead in home SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Christian Sorensen, a busi- nessman who designed and operated the Crystal Caves tourist attraction in North Side, was found unresponsive at his home in George Town and later pronounced dead on Dec. 23. Mr. Sorensen was 53 years old. The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service con- firmed Sunday that officers and emergency personnel re- sponded to a report of an un- conscious male at an address on Palm Heights Drive in George Town. Police confirmed Mr. Sorensen’s identity in a press release Wednesday, and said a post mortem had been scheduled. The matter remains under police investigation. In an earlier press release, police said foul play was not suspected. According to the Crystal Caves website, Mr. Sorensen’s family developed the highly successful Harrison’s Cave in Barbados. Mr. Sorensen con- ducted a survey of Cayman’s caves in the early ‘90s and found that the Old Man Bay caves were unique and laden with historical significance. Mr. Sorensen told the Cayman Compass in 2016 that he was born in Denmark and left at age 8 to live with family in Barbados. Mr. So- rensen studied in the United States and opened a manu- facturing company that he subsequently sold, and then he set about trying to rec- reate his father’s work. “I wanted to return to the Caribbean,” he told the Cayman Compass. “And I thought perhaps another tourist attraction could be duplicated in Cayman, as all caves are unique.” Following Mr. Sorensen’s death, Moses Kirkconnell, Cayman’s deputy premier and the minister of tourism, spoke about what he meant to the community. “Mr. Sorenson was a trail- blazer in the tourism field and pioneered the establishment of Cayman Crystal Caves, one of the most popular land based attractions in Grand Cayman,” he said in a news release. “Having worked closely with the government of the Cayman Islands since the late 1990s to create a unique, dy- namic ecotourism site in North Side, Chris demonstrated a passion and commitment to growing the tourism market- place for the betterment of our people, employing many locals to work the site, from develop- ment to tour guides. “He will be remembered fondly as a visionary who ex- emplified delivering Cayman- kind to all those who visited his world-class caves. On be- half of the Cayman Islands Government and the Tourism industry, we offer our sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.” Mr. Sorensen moved to Cayman in 1995. He spent the years from 1997 to 2011 pur- chasing land and building an access road to his caves. He began work on the cave exhibit in 2012 and fully opened the Crystal Caves in March 2016. Two remanded for ‘small quantity’ of ganja on boat CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two men were remanded in custody on Wednesday for importation of a “small quantity” of ganja found aboard a vessel early Sat- urday morning. Dencle Vic Barnes, of a Prospect address, and Marvin Campbell, of Westmoreland, Jamaica, appeared in Sum- mary Court before Magis- trate Angelyn Hernandez, who heard a bail application on behalf of Mr. Barnes. Mr. Barnes is also charged with human smuggling, while Mr. Campbell is charged with illegal landing. Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson said the incident leading to the men’s arrest began on Friday night, Dec. 22, when the police helicopter was patrolling the coast off Manse Road in Bodden Town shortly after 10:30 p.m. The crew saw two men in a 28- foot canoe powered by a 65-horsepower Yamaha en- gine. The marine unit subse- quently intercepted the canoe. Mr. Barnes was piloting the boat, while Mr. Campbell was sitting near the front. The vessel was towed to the Lobster Pot boat ramp, Mr. Ferguson said. A search revealed a parcel containing about five pounds of ganja. Other items included three cellphones, a GPS and a night vision device. A press release from po- lice about the incident stated that shoreline, air and water searches were carried out on Saturday morning, but “fur- ther parcels that may have been dumped overboard were not recovered.” Mr. Ferguson said Mr. Barnes had left Cayman for Kingston on Nov. 29 and there was no record of his returning. The men were interviewed and Mr. Campbell gave an account that essentially amounted to an admission, Mr. Ferguson said. Mr. Barnes said he went to Jamaica to purchase the boat. He said he needed someone to operate the boat and he was going to pay $1,500. He said he was going to clear Customs and Immigration, but was inter- cepted before he could do so. Mr. Ferguson said this de- fendant had 14 previous con- victions related to drugs. Defense attorney John Furniss said he was aware of his client’s previous history and his position as owner and captain of the boat. He called the ganja “a very small quantity” and pointed out that it was found next to Mr. Campbell’s clothes. The attorney suggested that a condition of bail could be that Mr. Barnes “not go boating” while the matter was before the court. In denying bail, the mag- istrate said it was not the amount that concerned her, but the charge itself – im- portation. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden did not make a bail application for Mr. Campbell. Christian SorensenThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. THURSDAY DECEMBER 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Jan 10: A New Year of great possibilities … and no need to fear Trump We here in Jamaica and the Caribbean are about to embark on a New Year, one which offers extraordi- nary opportunities and pos- sibilities for those who dare to dream big. I would like to encourage all of our countrymen to reach out with both arms stretched wide for a future filled with hope, a chance for new be- ginnings and the range of op- portunities available to us in measures I believe have never been seen before. I am aware that many among us are labouring with fear and apprehension about the new United States Pres- ident-elect Donald Trump. I, personally, think a Trump Administration will be great for all of us. I have known him since the 1990s and our paths have continued to cross. While he, like all of us, has his faults, a great many of the things the mainstream media say about him are just not true. The Donald Trump I know is by no means crazy, preju- diced or a bigot. He is prob- ably the most patriotic, na- tionalistic American I have ever met. He is always en- gaging and respectful. He is a well traveled individual from New York and someone I re- gard as a highly international man. He is not a politician and so he does not polish his words as well as a seasoned politician would. Instead, he shoots from the hip and says it like it is. I believe he means to do the best he can for the United States and that he will be good for Jamaica and the Ca- ribbean region. Each time that I met him I found him to have a tremendous respect for our region. He was partic- ularly very inquisitive about Jamaica and always wanted to know about life in our country. In a historic gesture, within the first week after the election, Vice President- elect Mike Pence called our Prime Minister Andrew Hol- ness. That immediate, warm, welcoming telephone call is a signal that this new U.S. Ad- ministration intends to keep Jamaica in its focus. … Hon Gordon “Butch” Stewart, OJ, CD Feb. 24: Physician responds to Lisa Turner’s death The reality of life is that from the moment we are born the ultimate endpoint is death. Death has an even more shocking and devas- tating impact when it appears to be untimely or premature, as in the case of Ms. Lisa Turner. Her passing reminds us that tomorrow is prom- ised to no one. My thoughts and prayers go out to her friends and family. Having lost both parents within the past two years I can empa- thize with your pain. I was not involved with Ms. Turner’s surgical pro- cedure or her postopera- tive care and await the com- pletion of the post-mortem and medical reviews which will hopefully explain the cause of her death. Until that time we should refrain from speculation. Medicine is an imperfect science, and as long as it has as its two focus points physi- cians and patients, there will always be room for human error. We as physicians, healthcare professionals and hospitals must try our best to limit these errors. If we can not eliminate them, at least learn from them. Some of the most valued lessons I have learned have been from mis- takes I have made. As we strive to improve medicine in the Cayman Is- lands, it is advisable that: 1. Health care profes- sionals continue to push for higher standards and excel- lence in quality healthcare; 2. We educate the commu- nity that in medicine there will be complications, those complications can lead to death, and that can happen whether it is Chrissie Tom- linson Memorial Hospital, the Health Services Authority, Health City Cayman Islands, South Florida Baptist Hos- pital, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic or any other hospital. That is not an excuse it is simply a reality; and 3. We are transparent and accountable. Darley Solomon, MD March 9: Liquor sales at gas stations I am publicly calling for an investigation by Minister Wayne Panton into the cab- inet order 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010 regarding the pro- hibition of gas stations ob- taining liquor licenses. At the Liquor Licensing Board meeting held Dec. 5, 2016, Prentice Panton, David Khouri and myself appeared before the Board to object to an application brought by Gary Rutty/Peanuts Ltd. for a grant of a package li- quor license within the pre- cincts of a gas station in Prospect, the details of which are already well known to the Board. The basis of the objec- tion, was twofold: That the previous Chairman, Campbell Law had acted ultra vires when he in- correctly made the grant for the license unilaterally under Section 13 of the Liquor Li- censing Law (2016 Revision) instead of a consideration before the full Board under Section 12; and That the grant was pro- hibited by the existence of an Order in Cabinet which had existed at least since 2002 prohibiting grants to gas stations. It was my contention that the prohibition was a sep- arate order, separate from lifting the moratorium and that it was not automati- cally revoked when the pe- riod, lifting the moratorium, had expired. We further con- tended that for the prohibi- tion to be revoked it would have required a subsequent gazette order. The Board dis- agreed with us and made the grant in favor of Garry Rutty/Peanuts Ltd. However, we had asked for the matter to be referred to the Attorney General as a matter of national impor- tance considering that it went against long established practice, that saw a moral in- congruity with gas stations serving alcohol and gas in the same establishment, not to mention that in the event that our arguments proved to be correct, the action of the Board would have been ultra vires and the license and any subsequent license so granted would be void. These reasons are separate from the obvious economic fallout that the 75 package liquor license retail industry would suffer, when all gas stations (backed by powerful petrol franchises like Esso and Sol) inevitably applied for liquor licenses to match their competition Rubis, and there are 27 gas stations in the Cayman Islands. … Robert Hamaty March 24: Derek Haines on bad driving, texting, toddlers and dirt bikes The awful driving habits of some of our drivers were again exposed on my run home about 5:35 p.m. yes- terday (March 22). Traffic was nose-to- tail and moving slowly as I ran south along the Es- terley Tibbetts when I was again confronted by a ve- hicle overtaking the traffic by driving north along the hard shoulder. I held my ground and on this occa- sion the driver did pull back onto the road. Over the next 10 minutes, I witnessed one driver tex- ting with both hands off of the steering wheel whilst still moving, a toddler being al- lowed to stand on the center console between the adults in the front of the vehicle, a baby sitting on the knee of the front-seat passenger (airbag option I suppose), and approximately 40 percent of the other drivers using their cellphones to chat or text. As I passed the airport, a motorcycle (trail bike) with no rear license plate was overtaking the traffic. As there was no spare seat, his passenger was standing on the extensions on the rear axle with his hands on the rider’s shoulders; no helmet, of course. The sad thing is that these are daily happenings and can only ensure that our road death and injury rates are ridiculously high for a small population. Derek Haines April 21: Where’s my birth certificate? … For many, many years now, I have been trying to obtain a copy of my orig- inal birth certificate but without success. I have been to our MLAs in my district and other govern- ment officials including the previous governor and asked for their assis- tance, but up until now they have done absolutely nothing to help me. Also, the personnel in the General Registry, the department responsible for birth certificates, have re- peatedly refused to issue me a copy of it. I am a Caymanian, born on June 15, 1956, to James Derwin Whitaker and Grace L. Smith. I was later re-registered by my mother as being born on June 1, 1957, and my father named as Kivi Albert Ebanks. My name was then changed to Turly Albert Ebanks. This should never been allowed to happen. My “original” birth certificate has the correct details and I need my true identity back. It is not right for me to be living like this. … If not one pol- itician can help me then they are not worthy of their seats in the House. Turly Albert Ebanks April 25: Who’s trashing the Brac? It was Earth Day and once again we found our- selves cleaning up after those shape-shifting, mytho- logical, but-all-too-real dup- pies who inhabit the bluff on Cayman Brac. Those rascals had been at it again, partying and wrecking this beautiful is- land! I could not believe it. They must boogie at night because we had al- ready walked down Ashton Reid road a day or so before, collecting their discarded beer cans, bottles, cigarette packs, styrofoam dinner plates and boxes; and we had bagged them up for the trash collectors. But there was the mess, all over again. Unbelievable! Why do they want to litter such an island gem and what can we do about them!? Surely they were here even before people set- tled the place. Maybe some of the old- timers can communicate and give them a comeuppance. Or the teachers in the schools. Or the pastors. Maybe some of these good candidates hoping to be elected … maybe some of them speak duppy. Roger Bowen, Cayman Brac May 17: Qualities to look for in political candidates We have only seven days to go until a historic elec- tion in the Cayman Islands. Maybe everyone has made up his/her mind already, but I felt compelled to share the following thoughts and hope you will find it relevant and helpful in this very impor- tant decision. I am most heartened to see a large number of young, mature, seasoned, educated professionals that have de- cided to offer themselves to their country at a time when they have so much to give, so much time to give, so much to learn, and so much to tackle. I am heartened that many of them have been trained in Creative Christian Character and that gives me reason to feel optimistic. Most politicians are viewed as selfish, over-con- fident, untrustworthy, and in it for the money. We have had some reason to believe that eyes are dazzled by the money, the prestige, and the power, and I am not naive enough to believe that some are not like that but I choose to take a different view. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” Editor’s note: The Compass will resume publication of a daily editorial in the new year.. “Speak what you think today in hard words and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said today.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance The free exchange of ideas is a necessary com- ponent of any healthy democracy. That is why the Compass reserves space in each issue for readers and leaders to share their perspectives as let- ters to the editor. In 2017, we published dozens of letters from readers discussing everything from pet peeves and pleasant experiences to development and interna- tional affairs. Today, we republish excerpts from some of those letters as a reminder of the impor- tance of informed opinion and public deliberation, and in the hopes of inspiring many more letters in the year to come. Giving a voice to the people PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 5 »5 OPINION&LETTERS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY DECEMBER 28, 2017 Excerpts from the year’s notable letters to the editor Although I have had a number of disappoint- ments in our representa- tives, I choose to believe that many are unselfish, sacrifi- cial and passionate about this small island country and its people. It takes both a lot of pride and a lot of humility to ask the people to give you a job every four years, to brag about yourself and your accomplishments and to take the “abuse” from the naysayers. This election is historic in many ways, not the least of which is that choice has been greatly reduced and we are no longer able to vote for the person in our dis- tricts that we feel is best for the country. Our choice has been limited to a very small group who has chosen to be- come candidates in a mini- constituency of approxi- mately 1,500 people. … You may not have all the information you need about your candidates … but find out what you can, establish your priorities, rate them and then finally, pray for guidance in making a choice. You have only ONE vote. Choose thoughtfully, crit- ically, prayerfully. Marjorie Ebanks June 21: Lawmakers setting a frugal example? I was just trying to stay calm whilst reading of MLAs’ unconscionable “con- stituency allowances.” … It is especially disap- pointing to note the dis- graceful amounts of money claimed by our two Sister Is- lands representatives. They have apparently been col- lecting $15,000 between themselves each month, sup- posedly for constituency and “travel requirements.” This amounts to $720,000 over the last four years. … I have a suggestion for the next four years, based upon the wonderful ex- ample set by our Premier in 2009, when he decided to forego his “constituency allowance.” If all of the MLAs withstood the temp- tation of greed and limited any “constituency needs” to a bare minimum, the country would save some $2.5 million over the next four years. … Brackers do not think kindly of Government frit- tering away money in an unnecessary, unmonitored fashion. I sincerely hope representatives, in exer- cising their Christian con- science, will simply claim a minimum monthly al- lowance for their negli- gible “constituency” needs going forward. J.L. Bodden June 26: RIP, Judge Douglas RIP, Kipling Douglas, one of the greatest judges in Cayman history. I came be- fore him 20 or so years ago as six people were arrested for speeding on the Brac’s lower crossover road. We were all speeding the same (39 MPH in a 25 MPH zone) and when he asked if any of us had anything to say, I said if so many of us were going the same speed, perhaps there was some- thing wrong with the police radar machine. Judge Douglas said he was letting me off without endorsing my CI licence as perhaps I was right! I paid the fine and drove carefully ever after on the Brac. A brilliant man and fine judge, God bless him! Nan Socolow July 19: Something new in Cayman education? Let’s return to the old The recent story of 17 stu- dents passing a math exam out of 139 re-taking it points out the sorry state of edu- cation in Cayman’s public schools. We have spent mil- lions of dollars on new phys- ical facilities which turn out the same unacceptable re- sults. Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and ex- pecting different results. Want a different result? Go back to the tried and true old ways. Ever since educators bought into “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” in other words, into the “new math,” that there is no need for teaching English grammar nor sentence con- struction, and into the fan- tasy that every child is in- tellectually curious, many high school graduates cannot read, write or do basic math, let alone know very much about the wide world around them. This is the product being foisted on unsuspecting, but increas- ingly aware, employers. … I do not blame teachers who are caught up, along with students and their parents, in this grand cha- rade. However, it is time to stop the charade and tell the truth. Why were methods of teaching and doing math, which had been successful for centuries, thrown over for the “new” math, the new utopia? I would venture a guess that Linton Tibbetts, when growing up on the Brac, was not taught the “new” math. I would also venture that, along with the “old” math, he was taught Eng- lish grammar, geography, physics and civics. … Paul Simon Aug. 26: Why all this hatred for ‘Foots’? Not many years ago a young Jamaican lady apol- ogized to the Caymanians for what her countrymen were saying about Cayma- nians. Now some of us Cay- manians would like to apol- ogize to Mr. Ronald “Foots” Kynes regarding the way Caymanians have been treating him. The scripture tells us that God created us equal in His image and likeness, so how can we have hatred in our hearts concerning Mr. Kynes and his art pieces? God loves him just as much as anyone else. This reminds me of what Jesus said about those without sin casting the first stone. He even told His dis- ciples that people might kill them and think that they were doing God a favour. Where have Cay- man’s God-fearing people got this hatred from? Where is the love? Velma Herod Sept. 22: Visitor is concerned by growth I have been coming to Grand Cayman since 1983. Nice island, good people and beautiful water. I had oc- casion to spend some time there recently for the first time in several years. As I usually do, I rented a car and drove around the island. I was stunned at the massive growth and in- crease of traffic. I hope you get a handle on things. It’s just like driving around in the U.S.: stressful. As a Caymanian told me, “We have lost our island charm.” Sadly, she’s right. Larry Neichter Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. Oct. 4: The necessity of true values- based decisions It has been wisely ob- served that when public policies are crafted and de- cisions made with finan- cial gain as the “bottom line,” the end results are never in the interests of the public at large. In a free- market system, it is nat- ural to expect that a major value steering the decisions of merchants is financial gain; money is the bottom line. However, governments exist to ensure that capital- ism’s greed does not go un- checked or unregulated. Reflecting on the on- going drama of “Pea- nuts” and the Liquor Li- censing Board, and the growing list of cast mem- bers, it is clear to me that the values driving public policy and merchants’ as- pirations are too similar to provide any protection of public interests. Clearly it does not matter that the results of mixing gasoline and alcohol, so to speak, create a deadly cocktail, as our road-death records re- mind us. Nor does it seem to matter that there is no dearth of retail outlets for the sale of liquor in our little island, nor, sadly, that the one day that Cay- manians traditionally held some level of respect for, and therefore exer- cised some restraint in the matter of dispensing liquor to the public, is now being treated like any other day. I suppose that policies and decisions are made by those in authority on the basis of what is fair. But fair to whom? Is it just the merchants that must be considered, so that if “Co- conuts” has a license to sell liquor, then to be fair, one cannot deny “Peanuts.” What about the rest of us? The general public? Does it not matter that it is an established fact (not per- sonal opinion) that alcohol as a drug has caused more deaths in multiple ways than any other drug – legal or prohibited? I applaud the notion of “value-based decision- making” as a sane and conscientious approach to policy formation and ac- tions. Thus I would plead for our legislators to re- visit, review and reap- praise the values that underlie the laws, and therefore shape the deci- sions that bodies like the Liquor Licensing Board are constrained to make. There are values far greater than financial gain that must inform the de- cisions of public-serving bodies, from the Legis- lature down to statutory boards, if the true inter- ests of all persons are to be served. M. Alson Ebanks Senior Pastor, Church of God Chapel Oct. 17: Anguilla is grateful for aid from Cayman I have lived on your sister island and British Overseas Territory of Anguilla for more than 30 years. Being in the financial ser- vices industry (and serving on the boards and councils of various organizations), we have great working relation- ships with excellent service providers in Cayman. It is my regret that I’ve only been to Cayman once, about 25 years ago when Cayman hosted the training sessions for incoming Rotary presidents and secretaries and, even then, much about Cayman impressed me. As adequate words do not exist, and in my capacity as a private but very appre- ciative individual, please allow me to express the ut- most thanks to the Govern- ment, the Rotary Club (and especially Chris Johnson), Health City Cayman Islands, as well as all of the people of the Cayman Islands for all of the help and assis- tance they have provided to Anguilla in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. I am in receipt of a dona- tion and this is being handed over to the Anguilla Red Cross, who have been doing excellent work, making sure that those in the greatest need are taken care of. We are gradually recov- ering but it will take quite a while before we are fully re- covered, but we would not be at this stage without your thoughtfulness, decisiveness and generosity. Heaven forbid that Cayman should ever “get an Irma” but I would expect that Anguilla would do what it could to help. With gratitude, Graham Crabtree Nov. 21: Protecting marine life is a matter of survival As much as I appreciate and support the National Conservation Council’s dedi- cation to and faithful efforts toward preserving our envi- ronment, I respectfully and fervently disagree with their proposed change in plans to phase out spearfishing (aside from licensed li- onfish spears). I grew up fishing and spearfishing in California, but gave up both after wit- nessing how devastating my own spearfishing was on reef fish, which are territo- rial and much longer lived than I had thought in my youthful ignorance. … Mature fish do not cross pelagic waters, so there is no new stream of them coming in from the deep sea. The edge of our shelf acts like an aquarium wall to them. Studying marine biology, I learned that egg produc- tion increases exponen- tially with a fish’s age and size. Unlike us, they never stop growing as they age. The older and bigger, the more valuable they are to any restoration effort. It is human nature to go for the largest fish you can find, so spearfishing, which affords selectivity, is very effective at reducing replenishment. This is especially problem- atic on our reefs, which are severely over-fished from roughly 40 years of unsus- tainable take by a wide va- riety of methods … not just from spearfishing! My argument is not about how we got into this dilemma, but what we must now do to resolve it. Having moved to Cayman in 1983 as a scuba instructor/underwater pho- tographer, I heard our most experienced divemasters grumbling and moaning about how quickly all of the big fish and big schools of fish were disappearing, and soon saw it for myself. The big old territorial masters that I had gotten to know intimately and could count on greeting the divers I was leading, were not returning after spawning season. With thousands of dives since, I have seen our most valuable tourism attraction vanishing before my eyes. … There is more at stake than merely what is cur- rently tens of millions of dollars per year in diving tourism income if we fail. This is a significant, poten- tially perpetually sustain- able food stock for all future generations of Caymanians that we are losing. ... At the very least, every resident should download the De- partment of Environment’s easy-to-use phone app called “Siren” available on its web- site, which makes all of the regulations immediately ac- cessible to you so that you can become part of the so- lution. Use it to help stop poachers and to avoid un- knowingly becoming one yourself. He hath founded it upon the seas and then He made us His stewards. Courtney Platt “A letter always seemed to me like immortality because it is the mind alone without corporeal friend.” EMILY DICKINSON “To say nothing is saying something. You must denounce things you are against or one might believe that you support things you really do not.” — GERMANY KENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 46 THURSDAY DECEMBER 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS YEAR IN REVIEW Sunday liquor sales saga erupts JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com It seemed like a fairly rou- tine application. But busi- nessman Gary Rutty’s efforts to get approval to sell liquor at his gas station store on Sundays turned into an ad- ministrative nightmare that was still rumbling at the close of 2017. The saga began at the Liquor Board’s quarterly meeting in March when law- yers for Mr. Rutty first sub- mitted an application for a “retail liquor license” which, together with its existing “package license,” would have enabled the store, Peanuts, to serve alcohol to customers seven days a week. In what was seen as a sig- nificant break from policy, the Liquor Board, through board secretary Marva Scott, announced shortly after the meeting that it had granted the license, enabling Sunday sales. Several other gas stations and liquor store owners indi- cated they would soon seek similar licenses. Then things started to unravel. As the months went on, Mr. Rutty had still not re- ceived his official written li- cense and was beginning to get worried. When the minutes to the March meeting were pub- lished, in June, they indi- cated that the application had actually been rejected and a new policy created re- stricting businesses to one type of liquor license per premises only. Liquor Board chairman Woody DaCosta claimed, in a written response to ques- tions from the Compass, that the original statement, indi- cating that the license had been granted, had been sent out in error. He attributed this to an “untimely and unauthorized release” by a member of De- partment of Commerce and Investment staff. He claimed the decision had been post- poned and later rejected fol- lowing a separate “elec- tronic meeting.” A series of stories by the Compass, based on in- ternal documents obtained by the newspaper, including an original draft copy of the minutes, suggested that the board had, as indicated ini- tially, approved the license. The draft minutes sug- gest that not only was the li- cense granted, the board for- mulated a policy that would allow any gas station that sought a retail license to open on Sundays. In the wake of those rev- elations, government ordered an inquiry from the Internal Audit Service. Mr. DaCosta was not retained as chair or as a board member when Commerce Minister Joey Hew announced a shake-up of the board membership. The audit report con- cluded that the liquor board approved the gas station’s application to sell alcohol on Sundays, then quietly re- versed the decision and doc- tored official records. All board members inter- viewed by government’s In- ternal Audit Service acknowl- edged that the application had been approved at the board’s March meeting and that the official minutes, pub- lished in July, were an “in- accurate representation of those proceedings.” “Changing official board decisions while the board was in recess was inappro- priate,” the report concluded. Despite this, it said the board acted in “good faith.” Following that report, the new board granted the license. But that was still not the end of the issue. The license expired at the end of Sep- tember – just days after it was formally issued. The new board deferred a decision on whether to renew the license, as well as two additional Sunday liquor sales applications, pending legal advice and/or political intervention. It still had not ruled on the application by the end of the year. Bush arrested at casino, but ultimately not charged SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The eyes of Cayman fell upon a foreign shore in July, when McKeeva Bush was ar- rested at a south Florida ca- sino. Mr. Bush, the Cayman Islands Speaker of the House, was arrested by Seminole Po- lice on July 17 for a misde- meanor case of one count of “touch or strike/battery” in Coconut Creek, Florida. Former Premier Mr. Bush, who had been overwhelm- ingly elected as a repre- sentative of West Bay in May’s election, was alleged to have wrapped his arm around a casino employee and forcefully pulled her in his direction. The Seminole Police De- partment took a sworn state- ment from the alleged victim, who worked as a waitress at the casino, and reviewed the surveillance video before ar- resting Mr. Bush, who was able to post a cash bond of US$1,000. Mr. Bush’s Florida attorney, Keith Seltzer, told the Cayman Compass that allegations “by one person” had led to the arrest. The Seminole Police de- clined to release the surveil- lance video to the Cayman Compass. Mr. Bush spoke four days after the incident, telling the Compass his case was a “wrongful arrest.” “I regret the attention and concern that my wrongful ar- rest has caused to all con- cerned overseas, my constit- uents and the great citizens of Cayman,” said Mr. Bush, who returned to Cayman on July 21. “I am certain that once my attorney and the pros- ecutor have an opportunity to review the evidence, the only conclusion that will be reached is that I committed no crime.” Less than a month later, Mr. Bush was granted the re- sult he had hoped to receive. The Florida State Attor- ney’s Office announced on Friday, Aug. 4 that it would not pursue a charge of mis- demeanor battery against Mr. Bush. Mr. Seltzer said that the state attorney had opted not to prosecute be- cause it did not have “any physical evidence” to get a conviction. Former college president Syed sentenced to eight years JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Almost a decade after he fled the island, former Uni- versity College of the Cayman Islands President Hassan Syed faced trial for de- frauding the establishment of more than CI$700,000. Over the course of a five- week trial, the details of Mr. Syed’s scam finally emerged. The erstwhile professor pre- tended to have a doctorate to gain the president’s job and six-figure annual salary, then used his college credit card to rack up more than US$200,000 in personal ex- penses, including expensive jewelry, exotic overseas trips and a car for his girlfriend. He was also convicted of forging documents and falsely claiming expenses in connection with work to set up the Civil Service College of the Cayman Islands. He fled the island after his crimes began to be un- covered, telling a few close friends that he was seri- ously ill – a claim that pros- ecutors did not seek to chal- lenge at trial. Mr. Syed was on the run from Cayman authorities for six years before being caught in Switzerland and extradited to the Cayman Is- lands in 2014. It took another three years for the matter to come to court for trial and on March 9 this year, after five weeks of evidence and two days of deliberation, a jury unani- mously found him guilty on all 12 counts against him. Justice Philip St. John- Stevens passed an eight- year jail sentence in Au- gust, describing Mr. Syed as a “manipulative and dis- honest” individual who stole from the people of the Cayman Islands. “The money or monies- worth that you obtained, you stole, was public money – money that each and every citizen of the Cayman Islands would expect to be used for the benefit of their islands and its people. It should have been used to build the edu- cation system of the Cayman Islands,” he told him. Mr. Syed, who was in the witness box for five days during the trial, sought to claim that he had permis- sion to use the card for per- sonal expenses and that he had a repayment scheme that the UCCI accountant was in charge of implementing. His lawyer, Tom Price, summing up Mr. Syed’s de- fense at trial, said his client had been “pathetic” but was not a thief. He said he had “overborrowed” on the UCCI credit card but had al- ways intended to pay the money back. He said Mr. Syed had acted recklessly while “in the throes of a passionate love affair” with a much younger woman. The jury found him guilty of two counts of theft, seven counts of obtaining money transfers by deception, and three counts of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception. In an intriguing sub- plot to the Syed saga, Pre- mier Alden McLaughlin and broadcaster Hurley’s Media were publicly admonished over a radio interview that threatened to derail the trial before it reached the jury. Lawyers for Mr. McLaughlin apologized during a brief court appear- ance for what the premier accepted were “ill-judged and incautious” remarks made on the Rooster FM morning talk show midway through the trial. The pre- mier referred to Mr. Syed as a “scamp” and ques- tioned the evidence of a po- lice officer who had testi- fied in the case, leading to a near three-day delay in the trial and an application from the defense to have the jury dismissed. Neil Timms, QC, who ap- peared for Mr. McLaughlin, said his client had reacted to protect his reputation fol- lowing news broadcasts about the police officer’s tes- timony that Mr. McLaughlin had declined to give a state- ment in the Syed case. “It was an error of judg- ment in the heat of a vir- ulent election campaign,” said Mr. Timms. Speaker McKeeva Bush Former UCCI president Hassan Syed is led in handcuffs to a police car on March 9 after a jury found him guilty on 12 charges. – PHOTO: MATT LAMERS “The only conclusion that will be reached is that I committed no crime.” MCKEEVA BUSHThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY DECEMBER 28, 2017 RSVP: Vanessa Scoo 814-2537 vscoo@mybafsoluuons.com BAF Insurance Company (Cayman) Limited invites all Members of the BAF Cayman Pension Plan to attend the Annual General Meeting. PENSION PLAN MEMBERS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING THURSDAY, DEC. 28 IMMIGRATION DEPT.: The Immigration headquarters, including public counters and the Passport and Visa offices, is open today from 8:30 a.m. These offices will close again to the public on Friday, Dec. 29, at 11:30 a.m. and reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 2, at 8:30 a.m. NEEDS ASSESSMENT: The Needs Assessment Unit is open for the full day 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. today; half day on Dec. 29. GENERAL REGISTRY: General Registry’s Grand Cayman office, including its counter at the Government Administration Building, is open today from 8:30 a.m. The office and the counter will close at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 29 and reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2. For a birth- or death-related emergency, call 925-8673. NATIONAL MUSEUM: The National Museum and Gift Shop on Harbour Drive are open today and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Saturday, Sunday and New Year’s Day. FRIDAY, DEC. 29 VEHICLE AND DRIVERS’ LICENSING: All locations close at 12:30 p.m. West Bay and Breakers will be closed tomorrow. All locations closed on New Year’s Day. SATURDAY, DEC. 30 CHOIR CANTATA: All are invited to share in worship at the John Gray Memorial Church, West Bay, where a repeat of the Choir Cantata “Sing the Glory” will be presented at 6:30 p.m. COMMUNITY MEAL: John Gray Memorial Church would like their friends in West Bay, to whom they normally deliver meals at Christmastime, to know that this year they will be delivering by noon today. SUNDAY, DEC. 31 JOHN GRAY MEMORIAL CHURCH: West Bay. Morning Service, 10 a.m. Watch Night Service, 11 p.m. ST. GEORGE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: Off Eastern Avenue. Service for First Sunday after Christmas, 8 a.m. Watch Night Service and Feast of the Holy Name, 11 p.m. MONDAY, JAN. 1 REVIVAL: Red Bay Church of God (Holiness) welcomes all to Revival Services on Monday, Jan. 1 through Sunday, Jan. 7. Monday to Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Pastor Mark Surbrook of the U.S. will be the guest speaker. GENERAL INTEREST LOBSTER SEASON: The open season for lobster runs from Dec. 1 to Feb. 28. Bag limit is three per person per day or six per boat per day, whichever is less. Minimum size is a six-inch tail length. No taking lobsters from Marine Protected Areas. Only spiny lobster may be taken. No wearing gloves while snorkeling. No taking of lobster (or any marine life other than lionfish) while scuba diving. CONCH AND WHELK SEASON: The open season for conch and whelk runs from Nov. 1 to April 30. The legal limit for conch is five per person per day or 10 per boat, whichever is less. The limit for whelk catches is two-and-a-half gallons in the shell, or two-and-a-half pounds of processed whelks, per person, per day. SHAPED BY THE SEA: New exhibition at National Museum, Harbour Drive, celebrating Charles O. “Captain Chuckie” Ebanks. CAYMAN CRAFT: The exhibition, “Revive!” – Celebrating contemporary and traditional craft from the Cayman Islands, is open at the National Gallery. OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIPS: The Ministry of Education is receiving applications for overseas scholarships for the 2018/2019 academic year. The application period is open until Jan. 31. Anyone planning to apply for a government scholarship for 2018/2019 is invited to complete the Overseas Scholarship Application at www.education.gov.ky. Contact the Scholarships Secretariat for any further information at scholarships@ gov.ky or 244-2482. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The Thrift Shop opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed evenings. Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. OPEN CANVAS: Every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society supports this event at KARoo Restaurant located in Camana Bay. 7-11 p.m. No fee. Easels provided for artist of all levels to come out and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Mondays, 7 p.m. For details, contact Virginia Castillo at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., GT. All are invited to attend. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacyman.com. ROTARACT BLUE OF CAYMAN: Meets Wednesdays 6 p.m., at Royal Palms Beach Club, West Bay Road. Contact rotaractblue@gmail.com or www.rotaractblue.org. LEO CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 6:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, contact Secretary Letisha Allen at 924-2819. THE LIONS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets every first and third Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, email LionsClubGCM@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Elizabethan Square (corner unit next to the MLA’s office). Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. website at www.rotarysunrise.ky or contact info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at Britannia Golf Course Restaurant. Projects include promoting well- being of children in the community and schools. email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. OPTIMIST CLUB: Meets first and third Thursdays at the Hibiscus Conference Room, George Town Hospital at 6:30 p.m. Email optimistcayman@ yahoo.com. THE MODEL AIRPLANE FLYING CLUB: Meets Sundays 2 p.m. at the J. Bodden Marlpit/Old Raceway. Call 916–2327. PARENT AND TODDLER PLAY GROUP: For children from 2 weeks to 4 years. Meets Mondays 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the South Sound Community Centre. Children must be accompanied by parent or helper. Toys, activities, light refreshments provided. $6 per session per family. For information, email sspg@foxwood.ky. HEARTS THROUGH HANDS: Meets Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to noon at The Family Life Centre, Room 10, Academy Way. Women make crafts for charity and missions. For information, call 946–3067 or 947–1863. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events.8 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY DECEMBER 28, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Year in review: Month by month JANUARY Pacquiao lands local punch Boxer Manny Pacquiao stirred things up on Jan. 6, bounding into Grand Cayman for the Island Rumble at Truman Bodden Stadium. In addition to watching the boxing matches during his 48-hour visit, Mr. Pacquiao visited with local dignitaries and the public, shook a lot of hands and vowed to come back for a visit. Track coach extradited Track coach Ato Modibo Stephens, 37, was ordered to be extradited by a U.S. federal court to face charges of inde- cent assault, gross indecency and the misuse of a commu- nications network to contact an underage female. Stephens was eventually convicted on the charges for sending and receiving indecent text mes- sages and images from a 14-year-old female member of his track team. He was sentenced, in August, to 18 months in prison. Fatal police shooting In the first such instance in decades, police shot and killed a man they were at- tempting to arrest on Jan. 6. Norval Barrett, 34, of Ja- maica, was in Grand Cayman illegally and had previously been convicted here of armed robbery. In court testimony in November, officers testi- fied that during the arrest at- tempt, Mr. Barrett emerged from the rear of a George Town apartment with a .357 handgun. He advanced on one of two officers in the vi- cinity, aiming his weapon, the officers testified. Mr. Bar- rett, who never fired his gun, was shot multiple times and died at the scene. Neither of- ficer was injured. Anti-corruption probe Five people, including three Immigration Depart- ment workers, were arrested on Jan. 19 in an Anti-Corrup- tion Commission probe into suspected bribery of immi- gration officials. The com- mission said the five were arrested on suspicion of bribery, fraud on the govern- ment and breach of trust. As the year progressed, eight other people were arrested for similar reasons. None have been publicly named nor charged. All are on police bail. GM mosquitoes The Mosquito Research and Control Unit announced Jan. 26 that the release of 8 million genetically modified mosquitoes in West Bay was successful in reducing the in- sects’ activity. Figures from the previous week showed an 88 percent reduction in mosquito eggs in the treat- ment area, leading officials to discuss the possibility of expanding the release pro- gram islandwide. FEBRUARY Former UCCI president’s fraud trial begins The trial of former Univer- sity College of the Cayman Is- lands President Hassan Syed opened Feb. 2, with prosecu- tors laying out a lavish life- style he enjoyed at the expense of the UCCI. Mr. Syed was shown to have misused uni- versity credit cards for more than US$200,000 that he spent on such things as vacations, jewelry and gifts. Mr. Syed, who was extradited from Swit- zerland in 2014, defrauded the college in a number of ways, including telling officials he had a Ph.D. in order to obtain the position of president. He had no such degree. Prosecu- tors showed he bilked the in- stitution of CI$700,000. Tunnel approved Dart Real Estate an- nounced Feb. 9 that it had ap- proval to build a pedestrian overpass on West Bay Road, completing its plan to link Camana Bay with Seven Mile Beach via a walking path. Dart says it plans to expand Camana Bay by developing new restaurants and retail along the pedestrian corridor. Immigration standstill The Compass reported Feb. 17 that delays of up to more three years had affected more than 900 people who applied for permanent residence, finding that the government failed to implement a points- based system which took ef- fect October 2013. Less than three weeks later, the govern- ment announced that it had clarified the rules under the new system, allowing it to begin processing applications. MARCH Syed found guilty Former University College of the Cayman Islands pres- ident Hassan Syed was con- victed of stealing more than $500,000 from his former em- ployer, nearly a decade after he left the islands claiming to be suffering from serious health issues. Mr. Syed was found guilty on all 12 counts against him relating to his time at the helm of the UCCI between 2006 and 2008. Representatives for Pre- mier Alden McLaughlin and Rooster FM were called to court to explain comments made in a radio interview midway through the trial, which led to a lengthy delay in proceedings. It took a jury of five women and two men just over two days to reach unanimous guilty verdicts on each of the charges against Mr. Syed. Anika Conolly crowned Miss Cayman Islands West Bay’s Anika Conolly was chosen over four other women to wear the Miss Cayman Islands crown and to represent the islands at the Miss Universe competi- tion in Las Vegas. Ms. Conolly also won a $70,000 scholar- ship to be used anywhere in the world.. She also won Best Smile and Best in Gown. Luxury resort planned for Pageant Beach The long-vacant 7.1-acre Pageant Beach site at the southern tip of Seven Mile Beach was slated for devel- opment as a five-star luxury resort by Howard Hospitality Group. Initial plans were to build 450 suites with 10- foot ceilings and 9-foot glass doors. HHG is the same com- pany that on Feb. 18 com- pleted renovation of Seven Mile Beach’s old Treasure Is- land Resort, reopening it as the 285-room Margaritaville Beach Resort. HHG also an- nounced plans to build a 42- room “boutique” hotel near Lawrence Boulevard. Nomination Day brings record number of candidates A record 63 candidates registered on Nomination Day to contest the May 24 general election. Some inter- esting races emerged in the 19 single-member districts – Premier Alden McLaughlin against Denniston Tibbetts, the brother of his political mentor Kurt Tibbetts, in Red Bay; and Finance Minister Marco Archer against inde- pendent Kenneth Bryan in George Town Central. The Progressives party registered 15 candidates and supported independent Tara Rivers. The CDP registered 11 candidates and backed inde- pendents in other districts. The rest of the nominations were from independents. APRIL Ritch Report blocked by governor Governor Helen Kilpatrick ruled it “would not be in the public interest” for the terri- tory’s information commis- sioner to see a copy of the im- migration consultant’s report that taxpayers spent $312,000 to obtain last year. The gover- nor’s ruling ends efforts by the Compass and another re- quester, writing under the name “Bender Rodriguez,” to make public a copy of the document, which has become known as the “Ritch Report,” via the Freedom of Informa- tion Law. The consultant’s re- view was conducted at the request of Premier Alden McLaughlin, whose govern- ment was attempting to ad- dress a series of legal de- ficiencies in the process of awarding non-Caymanians permanent residence. No extradition for cruise ship tourist A cruise ship tourist spoke of joy and relief after being told he would not be sent to Turkey to face trial for al- leged terrorist activity nearly 30 years ago. The decision of the Cayman Islands court that Celal Kildag should not be extradited to his home- land brought to an end a four- month ordeal for the 58-year- old and his family. Magistrate Grace Donalds said there was no adequate explana- tion from Turkish authorities for the 29-year delay in pur- suing the charges, which in- cluded allegations that he was involved in the burning of a school and the murder of two people in 1988. BritCay, Health City come to coverage agreement Medical insurance pro- vider BritCay agreed to rein- state to clients its coverage of all healthcare services at Health City Cayman Islands. The announcement came less than two weeks after BritCay said it would only reimburse cardiac care at the East End hospital due to contractual concerns. The in- surer reinstated full coverage on April 17. Cayman athletes clean up at Carifta games Cayman Islands track and field athletes claimed six medals in the Curacao Carifta games, including three gold medals. The team came in sixth overall in the track and field medal count. Cayman’s swimmers won a record 47 medals in the pool and three more in open water at the Carifta Swimming Cham- pionships in the Bahamas. Among the team members, 17-year-old Lauren Hew led the way with 11 medals. Pensions Law changes prompt fear of worker exodus Cayman Islands business leaders anticipated an exodus of up to 2,500 foreign workers before the end of 2017 as a result of changes to the Pen- sions Law that prevent expats from cashing out their retire- ment savings when they leave the country. The law particu- larly affected workers from developing countries, many of whom had counted on re- ceiving the cash windfall when they left the island. The hotel, restaurant, security and service industries were ex- pected to be most affected. The Chamber of Com- merce estimated the change would lead to mass resigna- tions and has warned that government must be ready to process an unprecedented number of new work permit requests later in the year. Hurricane Hunter lands in Grand Cayman Storm trackers flew into Grand Cayman on their public awareness tour ahead of the Caribbean’s hurri- cane season. The Hurricane Hunter, a U.S. Air Force WC- 130J aircraft, landed with crew at Owen Roberts In- ternational Airport between stops in Honduras and Turks and Caicos. The visit was part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis- tration’s annual tour of Latin America and the Caribbean. Hundreds of schoolchildren and members of the public were invited to tour the plane and view its weather-tracking tools used to monitor ac- tivity from Africa’s western coast to Hawaii. MAY Coalition government formed Eight independents won seats in the Legislative As- sembly, besting the Progres- sives (seven) and Cayman Democratic Party (three). The Progressives lost three sit- ting ministers but party leader Alden McLaughlin and deputy Moses Kirkconnell easily won re-election in their districts. With the election over, the scramble to form a government began. Initially, it seemed that the Progres- sives would form a govern- ment with the three members of the CDP, but then things got complicated. CDP leader McKeeva Bush tried to form a government with a group of independent legislators. That deal fell apart and the final coalition included Alden McLaughlin as premier and Mr. Bush as speaker of the house. Seven members of the Progressives, three mem- bers of the CDP and three in- dependents joined a coalition helmed by Mr. McLaughlin. 4 die in East End crash Four people – including three elderly tourists from the U.K. – were killed in a head- on collision in East End be- tween two cars. The tourists had been staying at Morritt’s Tortuga Resort and crashed into a Honda. According to the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service, the Honda had passed a police vehicle trav- eling at excessive speeds and police had just turned around to pursue the vehicle when the accident occurred. The Honda was driven by a 22-year-old Jamaican man who passed away in the accident. Two people – a 26-year-old Ja- maican man and an 11-year- old boy – who were riding in the Honda’s trunk at the time of impact survived the crash. JUNE Southwest adds new destination Southwest Airlines added the Cayman Islands to its list of international destina- tions, becoming the first new Manny Pacquiao attended the Island Rumble boxing event as part of a whirlwind visit in January. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Anika Conolly became Miss Cayman Islands 2017 on March 25. She went on to represent Cayman in Miss Universe in Las Vegas in November. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY DECEMBER 28, 2017 airline to serve Cayman since JetBlue in 2012. Southwest offered daily flights year- round from Fort Lauderdale to Grand Cayman. The inaugural flight, which took just 91 minutes, was met with a celebra- tory spray from a fire truck’s water cannon. Arrests made in sugar glider case Two people were ar- rested after a sugar glider, a type of possum, got loose on a Cayman Airways flight from Miami. Jimel Martin McLean, son of East End MLA Arden McLean, and Sabrina Robin Walton, were subsequently charged with importing an alien animal without a valid import permit. The case re- mains before the courts. JULY Blake/Watson arrested in CIFA probe Bruce Blake and Canover Watson were arrested in an ongoing investigation re- garding corruption and money laundering involving the Cayman Islands Foot- ball Association. Blake, the vice president of CIFA, was arrested July 3 following an investigation by the Cayman Islands Anti-Cor- ruption Agency. Watson, who is serving a seven-year sen- tence at Northward Prison for fraud and public corrup- tion, was taken to Fairbanks jail for questioning on suspi- cion of money laundering. Visiting doctor dies in road accident Dr. Vary Jones-Leslie, a visiting gynecologist and ob- stetrician from Jamaica, was struck by a taxi shortly after arriving at Owen Roberts In- ternational Airport on July 17 and passed away less than 24 hours later. Dr. Jones-Leslie, 62, had arrived for a shift at the Cayman Islands Hos- pital, where she was a sub- stitute assisting local physi- cians. She was struck while crossing Owen Roberts Drive, just north of the terminal. The taxi driver was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. Fire erupts at fuel terminal Emergency personnel spent eight hours battling a fire inside a diesel tank at the Cayman Islands fuel depot at Jackson Point on July 23, and residents were evacuated from a mile radius around the terminal. No one was in- jured in the incident. The evacuation order was lifted at 3 a.m. on July 24. According to emergency per- sonnel, the fuel tank was about one-third full, which meant that approximately 15,000 barrels of diesel – about 525,000 imperial gal- lons – were at risk of igniting. AUGUST Florida prosecutors drop case against Speaker Bush Prosecutors in the State Attorney’s Office in Broward County, Florida, stated on Aug. 4 that no charges would be filed against Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush in relation to allegations that he inappropriately touched a Florida casino waitress a month before. Walton wows at world championships Cayman track star Jamal Walton ran the men’s 400-meters in a near-per- sonal record 45.05 seconds on Aug. 5 to advance to the semifinals at the IAAF world championships in London. At the semifinals a day later, he finished in fourth place, run- ning the event in 45.16 sec- onds. However, that time was not fast enough to put the 18-year-old through to the fi- nals. Walton’s 44.99-second personal record is the fastest 400m by a high school stu- dent in the last 35 years. He was the only Caymanian at the event. Syed sentenced to eight years in prison Former UCCI President Hassan Syed was sentenced to eight years in prison Aug. 18 for defrauding the college of more than $700,000 during his tenure at the helm of the institution from 2006 to 2008. Mr. Syed pretended to have a doctorate to gain the posi- tion, and then used his col- lege credit card to rack up more than US$200,000 in per- sonal expenses. He was also convicted of forging docu- ments and falsely claiming expenses in connection with work to set up the Civil Service College of the Cayman Islands. Bryan parts with opposition Before the first sitting of the 2017-18 legislative session began on Aug. 23, George Town Central MLA Kenneth Bryan said he was “pushed out” of an alliance with opposition leaders, and is now independent of any voting blocs in the Leg- islative Assembly. Mr. Bry- an’s rift with the opposi- tion group, led by North Side MLA Ezzard Miller, was due in part to him disagreeing with an opposition state- ment calling on government “to take the necessary ac- tion to restore dignity, honor and prestige to the position of the Speaker” – a statement made after Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush was arrested in Florida a month earlier (see above). SEPTEMBER Hurricane Irma tears swath through Caribbean Hurricane Irma became the first Atlantic Ocean hur- ricane to maintain 185 mph winds over a 24-hour pe- riod. Irma battered the Lesser Antilles and made a direct hit on the British Virgin Is- lands before sweeping north- west and making landfall over Florida. The category 5 storm dis- placed millions of people and caused more than a million power outages as it lashed population centers with heavy winds and rain. Cayman took in 170 evac- uees from storm-ravaged re- gions in the wake of Irma, and relief workers fanned out to aid several of the high impact areas. Hurricane Maria follows in Irma’s wake Hurricane Maria, fol- lowing closely in Irma’s path, devastated the island of Dom- inica and completely knocked out the power supply on Puerto Rico. Irma had done $1 billion of damage to Puerto Rico, but Maria made a direct hit and devastated the island’s power grid. Hur- ricane Maria also made a heavy impact on Turks and Caicos before spinning off into the North Atlantic and petering out. Former minister asks court to send blogger to prison Attorneys for former fi- nance minister Marco Ar- cher applied for a committal order against local blogger Sandra Hill, alleging that she had violated a court order prohibiting the publica- tion of defamatory material against Mr. Archer. Ms. Hill’s attorney denied that she had breached any court order, and the committal order was stayed in November following an agreement by both parties. OCTOBER Cayman Airways fined for flying undocumented passengers An internal audit report released in October showed that the government-subsi- dized Cayman Airways did not pay more than $450,000 in government fines and fees levied against it in 2016, some of which were im- posed for bringing in passen- gers who boarded without valid entry documents. Ac- cording to the audit report, about 41 percent of all fines assessed to airlines landing at Cayman Islands air- ports during 2015-16 were charged to Cayman Airways. When contacted by the Com- pass, Cayman Airline offi- cials said in October that they were “researching” the fines and would pay any out- standing amounts. Dart chosen to build waste management facility Government announced on Oct. 11 that a consor- tium of companies led by Dart Enterprises will take over responsibility for waste management in the Cayman Islands in a 25-year deal that will involve the closure and capping of the existing George Town landfill. Gov- ernment selected Dart’s con- struction company DECCO and its partners as the “pre- ferred bidder” for the project, and the consortium will be paid an annual fee to deal with waste from all three islands through the new system. The fee is expected to cover the cost of construc- tion of the suite of new facil- ities, as well as annual op- erating expenses. Officials said negotiations would take several months to complete, and a deal has not been fi- nalized as of this issue’s press deadline. Dart buys Ritz-Carlton hotel Days after Dart Enter- prises was named the “pre- ferred bidder” for the waste management system project, Dart Real Estate announced that it had added The Ritz- Carlton, Grand Cayman re- sort to its portfolio of proper- ties in the Seven Mile Beach area. The long-rumored deal for Dart to buy The Ritz- Carlton from alternative in- vestment firm Five Mile Capital Partners LLC was fi- nalized on Oct. 13. Officials said the property will con- tinue to be branded and op- erated as a Ritz-Carlton hotel under a long-term manage- ment contract. In the last two years, Dart has acquired the Beach Suites resort, the old Hyatt hotel, the Britannia golf course and the Royal Palms property, all along the Seven Mile Beach corridor. NOVEMBER ‘Paradise Papers’ reports released On Nov. 5, the Washington, D.C.-based International Con- sortium of Investigative Jour- nalists and affiliated media outlets published a flurry of reports on a trove of 13.4 mil- lion files from the offshore law firm Appleby. The files – dubbed the “Paradise Papers” – contained records involving dealings of U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Queen Eliza- beth II, advisors to U.S. Presi- dent Donald Trump, political donors and other high-pro- file Appleby clients. They also reportedly illustrate the role Cayman and other offshore centers play in facilitating tax avoidance by multina- tional corporations. Appleby said it was a victim of an “illegal hack” and took aim at the media for re- porting on confidential client information that was obtained illegally. The company subse- quently filed a lawsuit against the U.K.-based BBC and The Guardian newspaper. College basketball tournament comes to Cayman Eight U.S. college bas- ketball teams vied for the Cayman Islands Classic bas- ketball tournament title, a three-day event which began on Nov. 20. The Cincinnati Bearcats won the champion- ship in a 78-53 victory over the Wyoming Cowboys. The event drew more than 1,000 visitors, with more than 5,500 people attending the tour- nament. Government spent an estimated $8.8 million to build the John Gray High School gym, partially to create a facility that could double as a national indoor arena. Orga- nizers plan to bring the tour- nament back here in 2018. DECEMBER First glimpse at $55 million airport upgrade Airport bosses unveiled the first section of the $55 million upgrade to Owen Roberts International Airport in early December, with the opening of a new wing to the check-in area. Southwest Airlines, British Airways and American Air- lines were the first to move into their new home. Albert Anderson, CEO of the Cayman Islands Air- ports Authority, said travelers could expect similar unveil- ings every few months during 2018 as the airport is com- pleted, piece by piece. A new arrivals area will open in January. The tempo- rary departure area expan- sion will come down in Feb- ruary. Then the wall between the departure lounge and the current customs and immi- gration area will be demol- ished as work takes place to combine the two halls. Cayman evades EU tax blacklist The Cayman Islands was not included on a list of 17 countries that the European Union deemed uncoopera- tive in tax matters. However, Cayman found itself on a so- called graylist of 47 coun- tries and jurisdictions that have made commitments in writing to meet the EU cri- teria applied to the process of singling out countries for their lack of tax transparency and “tax fairness.” Cayman complied with most EU criteria in relation to the exchange of tax in- formation or the implemen- tation of the OECD’s base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) program. Cayman also does not offer preferential tax regimes that would treat local companies differently than Cayman-registered over- seas companies. But, according to the EU Council, Cayman has fallen foul of a fair tax criterion aimed at tax regimes that fa- cilitate offshore structures which attract profits without real economic activity. The Cayman govern- ment has committed to ad- dressing the concerns re- lating to economic substance by 2018, the EU said. Year in review: Month by month CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 Dart Real Estate was granted approval in February to construct a pedestrian overpass on West Bay Road to complete its connection of Camana Bay with Seven Mile Beach. Louisiana’s Frank Bartley IV scores on a layup against the Iowa Hawkeyes. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAYNext >