ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY JANUARY 2, 2018 Rising to the occasion every day, year after year PROUD TO BE THE BANKER’S BANK OF THE YEAR IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. www.butterfieldgroup.com Butterfield Bank (Cayman) Limited is licensed to conduct banking and investment business by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Address: 12 Albert Panton Street, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. 187202_HR-Ad-Strip-BOTY2017-6colPage 1 12/15/17 10:16:40 AM NUMBER OF HEDGE FUNDS DIPPED IN 2016 But value of assets increased KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The number of Cayman-registered funds continued to decline in 2016, but the value of the assets managed by such entities increased that year, according to the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority’s recently released 2016 Investments Statistical Digest. There were 10,586 funds in Cayman by the end of 2016, which was a 3.2-percent decline from 2015. Total and net assets increased by US$435 billion and US$17 billion, respectively. This continues a trend that has existed since 2013, when a record 11,379 funds were registered or licensed in Cayman, according to the Investments Statistical Digest. CIMA attributed the continuing increase in the value of assets under management to asset appreciation and positive net income, as well as lower performance, administration and management fees incurred by the funds. At the end of 2016, the total assets and the net asset value were US$6.14 trillion and US$3.59 trillion, respectively. Net income was ‘Miss Olive’ receives OBE award Betty Baraud, Bill Hrudey also honored KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Some 40 years after receiving the Member of the British Em- pire honor in 1978, philanthro- pist Olive Miller has been named an Officer of the British Empire for her lifelong community ser- vice to the Cayman Islands. The 96-year-old Ms. Miller was one of three Cayman resi- dents who were recognized in the U.K.’s New Year’s Honors List. Betty Baraud and Dr. Bill Hrudey also received MBEs. Ms. Miller called the OBE award the “crown” of her career, which includes a laundry list of achievements over the decades, including founding what is now known as the Girls’ Brigade in Cayman in 1946, helping start the Cayman Islands High School in 1949, and opening the Pines Retirement Home – where she currently resides – in 1983. She said she is likely most proud of starting the Girls’ Bri- gade here, but that all of her ac- complishments were made pos- sible through her faith in a higher power. “Of all the things I’ve done, in my opinion it’s because God sent me to do a job,” said Ms. Miller. Dr. Hrudey received his MBE for promoting science in Cayman since he moved here in 1997. Before that he was a sur- geon and an amateur astron- omer in Canada. Seeing a need to get children in Cayman more involved with science, Dr. Hrudey launched the Science Fair with the Rotary Club in 2006, and spearheaded bringing the STEM Carib Con- ference to the University College of the Cayman Islands. He has also developed mul- tiple world-class telescopes, in- cluding one that he recently fin- ished, a dedicated solar telescope. Dr. Hrudey said that the latest telescope is the second- largest of its kind, and will be unveiled later this month. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Cayman New Year: Sand, sea and spectacular pyrotechnics Residents and visitors gaze up at fireworks launched just before midnight on New Year’s Eve along Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach. For coverage of local New Year’s celebrations, see page 8. For international coverage, see page 12. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Olive MillerBetty BaraudDr. Bill Hrudey2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY JANUARY 2, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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 • Daily Matinees Every Day • $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 • Additional charges will apply per 3D/VIP ticket requested SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) FATHER FIGURES (R) 1:00 I 3:40 I 7:00 I 9:40 JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE (PG13) 1:10 I 3:50 I 4:05 VIP I 6:45 I 9:30 STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI 3D (PG13) 12:50 2D I 6:35 2D I 8:40 I 9:20 2D VIP THE GREATEST SHOWMAN (PG) 1:30 VIP I 4:05 I 6:50 VIP I 10:00 SUN: 3:20 I 6:20 I 6:50 VIP I 10:00 FERDINAND 3D (PG) 1:00 I 3:40 2D I 6:10 2D PITCH PERFECT 3 (PG13) 12:30 I 2:50 I 5:10 I 7:30 I 9:50 ROAD CLOSURE IN GRAND HARBOUR AREA Edgewater Way near the Careenage Condominiums in the Grand Harbour area of George Town will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday, Jan 2-5 for the purposes of work being done by CUC and the Water Au- thority, police said. 3-plus months after Maria, barely half of Puerto Rico has power SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Puerto Rico authorities said Friday that nearly half of power customers in the U.S. territory still lack electricity more than three months after Hurricane Maria, sparking outrage among islanders who accuse the government of mismanaging its response to the Category 4 storm. Officials said 55 percent of the nearly 1.5 million cus- tomers have power, marking the first time the govern- ment has provided that sta- tistic since Maria hit on Sept. 20 with winds of up to 154 mph. Officials had pre- viously reported only power generation, which stands at nearly 70 percent of pre- storm levels. “It’s just extraordinary that it is still so far away from being 100 percent re- covered,” said Susan Tierney, a senior adviser for Denver- based consulting company Analysis Group who tes- tified before a U.S. Senate committee on efforts to re- store power in Puerto Rico. “I’m not aware of any time in recent decades since the U.S. has electrified the entire economy that there has been an outage of this magnitude.” One of Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities remains en- tirely without power, and it’s unclear when some elec- tricity will be restored to the central mountain town of Ciales. Crews this week re- stored power for the first time to parts of the south- east coastal town of Yabucoa, which received the first hit from Maria. Among those still in the dark is Christian Pagan, 58, who lives near the capital of San Juan and said it was the government’s fault that a large number of people still do not have power. “Everybody saw that the devastation was great, but I don’t understand why they’re trying to sell people something that’s not real,” he said of the explanations the government has pro- vided as to why power has not been fully restored. “The first month was lost to bu- reaucracy and an uncoordi- nated reaction.” He especially criticized the power company’s former director, Ricardo Ramos, who resigned in late Oc- tober after signing a $300 million contract for a Mon- tana-based company that had only two full-time em- ployees when the storm hit. Ramos also had said that he did not activate mutual- aid agreements with power companies in the U.S. main- land in part because there was no way to communi- cate with them. “That’s the kind of help you ask for three days before the hurricane,” Pagan said. It is not yet known what percentage of businesses and homes now have electricity. Power company spokesman Geraldo Quinones told The Associated Press that offi- cials are still working to ob- tain that data, stressing that the optical fiber that helps provide the number of cus- tomers with power and other data was destroyed by the hurricane. Gov. Ricardo Rossello had pledged 95 percent power generation by Dec. 15, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engi- neers has said the entire is- land will have power by May. Fredyson Martinez, vice president of a union that represents workers with Puerto Rico’s power com- pany, told the AP on Friday that a recent study by local engineers found that 90 per- cent of industries and 75 percent of businesses al- ready have power, meaning residential areas are dispro- portionately in the dark. Martinez said the com- pany should have provided the number of customers without power a while ago, adding that officials had other ways of obtaining the information despite the damaged fiber optic cable. Martinez also said that a lack of supplies and equip- ment is slowing power res- toration efforts, echoing an early concern by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which also has said that Puerto Rico’s rough terrain presents another challenge. Government officials said nearly 14,000 poles already have been shipped to Puerto Rico, and that another 7,000 will arrive in upcoming days. In addition, some 3,500 workers are trying to restore power across the island, with many working through the holidays and others even stripping down to their shorts to swim across a cold river with a strong current to reach damaged infrastructure. “We know that the pri- ority of our clients is to know when they will receive the power service again,” said Justo Gonzalez, the power company’s interim di- rector. “Maria severely im- pacted most of our energy infrastructure.” Officials said Puerto Rico has 2,400 miles of transmis- sion lines, 30,000 miles of distribution lines and 342 substations that suffered substantial damage during the hurricane. Gonzalez said crews are tackling projects that include installing new poles and building primary transmission towers and connection wiring. Carlos Torres, who is overseeing power resto- ration efforts, said that crews are still finding un- expected damage including what he called severely im- pacted substations. “We will not stop working until every person and busi- ness has their lights back on,” he said. Among those still waiting for power is Ei- leen Cheverez, a 48-year-old respiratory therapist who lives in Morovis, which bor- ders Ciales. She said power was restored to homes around her, but that crews still need to set up a key cable so she can have lights. The Dart Group was selected by the Cayman Islands government to lead the modernization of the country’s waste management system, including closing and capping the existing George Town Landfill. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Dart to take over operation of the George Town Landfill SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com One of the longest- standing issues in Cayman politics received closure in October, when a consortium of companies led by Dart En- terprises was chosen to re- shape the future of local waste management. Dart will lead the process of modernizing Cayman’s waste management facilities, and will be responsible for closing and capping the ex- isting George Town landfill. The group will also build a new waste-to-energy plant, recycling and composting centers and a much smaller lined landfill site. The current landfill has had its fate debated for de- cades, and it will be capped and covered with grass. Landfill sites in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman will also be closed as a result of the new process, and waste from the Sister Islands will be shipped for disposal on Grand Cayman. The new suite of waste management facilities is expected to reduce the 100,000 tons of waste cur- rently going into the land- fill every year by as much as 95 percent. In the future, trash will be fed into the new waste-to-energy plant and subsequently sold as electricity to the Caribbean Utilities Company. The financial details of the new waste man- agement facilities were not disclosed, but an out- line business case for the project published last Sep- tember put the cost of new facilities at $106 million. Previous plans for cap- ping the landfill involved Dart building a new waste management facility in Bodden Town, but that pro- posal contributed to a 2013 election defeat for the United Democratic Party. The Progressives swept all four Bodden Town seats in the 2013 election, ta- bling the old plan for the landfill. The new facility will be built on Dart-owned land near the wastewater treatment plant. Dart and its consortium of companies will be re- quired to conduct an en- vironmental impact as- sessment before it begins building the new waste man- agement infrastructure. That study will be undertaken over the next few months, and Dart hopes to com- mence construction at some point next summer.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 2, 2018 congratulations to our winners & thank you for participating!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. Entering the New Year with resolutions and renewed resolve The dawn of a new year is more meaning-laden than the simple act of turning a calendar page might suggest. It is a time, if only symbolically, for new begin- nings in our community and our personal lives. In the spirit of getting this new year started on a positive note, we are pleased to acknowledge three highly respected members of the Cayman Islands community who have been recognized on the interna- tional stage for their local contributions. For “services to the community,” well-known Pines resident (and former manager) Olive Miller has received an OBE, an upgrade to the MBE she received about 40 years ago. Also for services to the community, entrepreneur and philanthropist Betty Baraud has received an MBE. And for “services to promoting science education,” University College of the Cayman Islands observatory director Bill Hrudey has received an MBE. We extend our congratulations to Ms. Miller, Ms. Baraud and Dr. Hrudey for their well-deserved laurels. Speaking more generally, at this time of year people find themselves ritually reflecting upon and recommitting to principles they hold dear. We resolve to relinquish bad habits and vigorously pursue higher goals. In short, we vow to be better versions of ourselves. Of course, articulating this vision is no assurance of success. It is only the first of many steps. Following through on our aspirations is another matter, requiring a steady measure of commitment, self-discipline and purposefulness. Jokes abound about fitness routines adopted in January and abandoned before the end of the month; about “strategic plans” that gather dust in a forgotten corner; about the slow, inexorable creep of inertia as the year advances and we settle back into old routines. In fact, according to psychology professor David DeSteno, writing in The New York Times last week, by Jan. 8, 25 percent of New Year’s resolutions will have already been abandoned. By the end of the year, more than 90 percent will remain unfulfilled. Some would say this “failure rate” is reason enough to eschew the idea, entirely – “resolving” not to make New Year’s resolutions at all. We look at it somewhat differently. Pausing to take stock of our lives – individually and collectively – to measure the gap between who are and who we wish to be, in itself serves a worthwhile purpose, whether it happens in January or June. Without a clear idea – a vivid mental image – of our “ideal state,” we have no hope of achieving it. The difference between making resolutions and realizing them can be likened to the difference between drawing a map and successfully completing a journey. Even if we sometimes find ourselves “recy- cling” the same resolutions over the course of several years, throwing the map away isn’t the answer. It’s akin to throwing away our dreams and aspirations. That may be one reason the making of New Year’s resolutions persists as a time-honored tradi- tion – undiminished by repetition and untarnished by their evanescence. Every great journey, for sure, begins with a single step. At New Year’s, with our resolutions, many of us make that first step. It is a sign of hope, of optimism, of our desire to do better – and to be better. We laud and applaud each and every one among us who begins the New Year with resolve to be better in the new year than in the one that just has taken its place in the history books. ALDEN MCLAUGHLIN Fellow Caymanians and residents, as we come to the end of another year I wish you and your loved ones a blessed New Year filled with good health and much happiness. This past year has cer- tainly been an eventful one. The early part of the year was filled with the sights, sounds and excitement of the election. I suspect that with 63 candidates vying for your attention, by the time Elec- tion Day came around, you were probably as relieved as the Candidates were that it would all soon be over. Indeed, this past elec- tion was historic for several reasons. It was the first General Election based on single- member constituencies and the principle of “one person one vote.” This was a major change in our electoral pro- cess and one that has had, and will continue to have, a significant impact on the out- come of our General Elec- tions as well as on the way voters and politicians ap- proach local politics. Important to me was the record number of female can- didates vying for election in 2017. I am hopeful that we will continue to see more women not only stand for election but to also be elected to serve as Members of the Legislative Assembly. A better gender balance in the Legislative Assembly would serve our Islands well. Following the election, whilst candidates linked to political parties won the majority of seats, no polit- ical party came out as the clear winner. So, the country was left nervously waiting to see who would form the new Government. In the end, I am happy that I, along with the Honour- able Speaker and our other colleagues, were able to come together and find common ground to form a Government of National Unity. From the feedback I have received, the vast majority of the country is happy, and relieved, with the Govern- ment we formed. I am honored to once again have the privilege to serve as a representative of the people of Red Bay in the Legislative Assembly as well to serve again as your Pre- mier. I am also privileged to serve, for almost seven years now, as the Political Leader of the Progressives. I thank you the electorate, and I thank the members of the Progressives, for the confi- dence you continue to display in me over these many years. As you will have seen, your Government has been working hard over the past seven months on plans to move Cayman forward, im- prove the lot of Caymanians, and to make the Cayman Is- lands an even better place to live, to work and to raise our families. And with the passage of our first two-year budget we have ensured that our expen- diture matches those plans. I am happy to report that the future of our Islands remains bright. We are continuing to build on the solid founda- tion left by the previous Ad- ministration. We have set am- bitious goals for this term and along with continuing the major projects of the last administration, we are also undertaking several major initiatives that will change the way Government oper- ates and will move our Is- lands forward. I am proud that this Gov- ernment is investing more in education than any pre- vious Government - more than $228 million over the next two years, which in- cludes funding for additional teachers and support staff, as well as on improvements to primary schools and to progress the building of John Gray High School. We have allocated about $180 Million to various other infrastructure projects, such as improved road networks, a new Mental Health Facility, as well as funding the much- anticipated new Solid Waste Management facility to handle refuse from all three landfills. When complete it will be an achievement that every Caymanian and resi- dent can be proud of. Im- portantly it will at last solve an environmental concern that has plagued all three Is- lands for decades. The New Year will also bring with it the completion of the enhanced Owen Rob- erts International Airport; an- other long overdue project of which every Caymanian and resident can be proud. The George Town Revit- alisation project will also roll into the next phase. The road improvements will con- tinue, and early in the New Year the work on both the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, and Phase 1 of the Linford Pierson Highway expansion will be completed. The New Year will also bring in a dedicated com- munity policing programme and we will also begin de- velopment of a new Coast Guard and Border Pro- tection Agency. Protecting our borders and preventing the arrival of illegal guns, drugs and people is a key initiative of this Government. Maintaining a vibrant economy is another key ini- tiative. Investor confidence and optimism in our economy can be seen throughout the Islands with many devel- opment projects under way or in the works. Indeed, as the Cayman Compass re- cently reported: “After a record year for development, in terms of the number and the value of proj- ects approved by the Central Planning Authority, Cayman looks to be on the brink of another construction boom.” This optimism and con- fidence in Cayman does not happen by chance. It is the result of a responsible and responsive government cou- pled with an innovative pri- vate sector and an efficient and effective workforce. It is this optimism in Cayman and our future that is helping drive our economy. And as our economy con- tinues to grow, we have seen tremendous growth in em- ployment opportunities for Caymanians, and Caymanian unemployment continues its downward trend. A growing economy with a growing job base is a good thing for Cayman and Cay- manians. We are working to ensure that as the economy expands, that every Cay- manian willing and able to work has an opportunity for employment. We will continue to sup- port the creation and ex- pansion of small businesses as well as promoting the Cayman Islands tourism and financial services businesses. Tourism is doing well with a record number of stay-over visitors in 2017, and cruise tourism seeing growth as well. This will con- tinue into the New Year. Our Financial Services In- dustry, despite challenges, continues to perform well. But as we all know we need to be vigilant and continue to fight to ensure that we keep this vital part of our economy intact. This is why we have been engaging di- rectly with decision makers in the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United States. We will soldier on and I am optimistic that we will continue to win the battles to come. I will say this – I and the Government will de- fend Cayman, our people and our economy wherever and whenever we need to. I spoke earlier of making the lot of Caymanians better. An expanding economy will certainly do this. But there are those for whom a booming economy also may TUESDAY JANUARY 2, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS New Year’s 2018 messages Premier Alden McLaughlin “A growing economy with a growing job base is a good thing for Cayman and Caymanians. We are working to ensure that as the economy expands that every Caymanian willing and able to work has an opportunity for employment.” 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” PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 5 »5 OPINION&LETTERS not help sufficiently. So be- ginning in 2018 our seamen, veterans and those on perma- nent financial assistance will receive a long-awaited in- crease in the assistance pro- vided by Government. Retired Civil Servants with pensions less than that received by poor re- lief recipients will also re- ceive an additional sum that will allow them to receive a decent pension. These increases will ben- efit some 2,179 persons – 855 seamen, 123 veterans, 901 persons being helped through financial assistance and 300 retired elderly civil servants. As 2017 closes and 2018 begins there is much that we can be grateful for. Let us also count our blessings and thank God for sparing us during a hurricane season that was so devastating to our region, including our sister Caribbean British Overseas Territories. I am very thankful that we were in a position to offer them some assistance in their time of need. Providing this assistance was certainly a highlight for me personally and for Cayman as one of the U.K.’s most successful Over- seas Territories. In the New Year we have plans to celebrate the 60-year anniversaries of the Cayman Islands Coat of Arms and our first Constitution. Her Majesty the Queen approved the Royal War- rant assigning our Coat of Arms in May 1958; and our first Constitution was ap- proved by Order in Council in May 1959 in the run up to the independence of Ja- maica. This was a hugely significant event, setting the Cayman Islands on a course of constitutional and eco- nomic development, which continues today. And over the course of 2018 Government will also revive the awarding of the Order of the Cayman Islands to worthy individuals. Our intention is to award up to three classes, namely Com- panion, Officer and Member of the Order of the Cayman Islands. And we will also in- corporate medals for bravery as part of the award regime. While we continue to up- lift Caymanians, this Gov- ernment will remain a good steward of the country’s fi- nances. We will continue to grow the economy in 2018 so that Caymanians can benefit and raise happy and produc- tive families. And we will continue to ably represent the Cayman Islands overseas and to fight our cause when and where needed. A New Year is always a hopeful time. While 2017 may have provided personal chal- lenges for some of us, we can look back at the past year with the belief that there are brighter days ahead. Although our challenges at times can seem great, each of us, with the help of God, can find the courage and the determination to rise up and meet the challenges that life brings our way. This has always been the Caymanian way. Our resil- ience and resourcefulness as a people is what enabled our forebears to eke out a living on these three small rocks in the Caribbean Sea, creating homesteads, raising fami- lies and plying the oceans of the world. From humble be- ginnings we have, over gen- erations, created a modern country that has welcomed people from diverse places of the world; more than 130 nationalities now call these islands home. Today our Islands remain a wonderful place to live and work, a safe place to raise our children and celebrate family and community. At the end of the day, Caymanians are still a welcoming, caring and loving people. I hope we as a people never lose those traits. On behalf of my Govern- ment, and from my family to yours, I again wish each of you and your families God’s richest blessings and a very Happy, Healthy, Peaceful and Prosperous New Year. Alden McLaughlin, MBE, JP, MLA is Premier of the Cayman Islands. EZZARD MILLER My fellow Caymanians, and in particular, the con- stituents of North Side, I take this opportunity to wish you all a happy, joyous and prosperous New Year. As we come to the end of another joyous Christmas celebration, we are thankful that Caymanians can still enjoy the freedom to cel- ebrate the birth of Christ and all that this season represents. For us Cayma- nians, paramount in that observance is the mar- velous story of the birth of Christ, as told in St. Luke’s Gospel chapter 2. In keeping with my Christmas message focused as it was on engaging our families, I invite each of you to resolve, that in the new year, you will be more in- volved with your immediate families, your extended families and your commu- nity family. In doing so, we each can contribute to en- hancing life in the Cayman Islands for all who call these islands home. Toward that goal, I com- mend to you the principles of honesty, integrity, and commitment, infused with faith, hope, charity and love. Equipped with these noble qualities and attitudes, we can still make the Cayman Islands the best place on earth to live, work and raise a family. At this reflective and often sensitive time of year, for those amongst us that have suffered the loss of family members during this year we again offer our sym- pathy and sincere condo- lences. I pray that almighty God will give each of you the fortitude to endure and over- come your loss. Even as we reflect on the past year, the New Year 2018, with its opportunities and challenges, is upon us. I encourage all Cayma- nians to rely on our Chris- tian heritage, our beliefs and principles to deal with both the opportunities and challenges ahead. We, the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, see some definite areas of op- portunity for Caymanians in 2018. These include: ■■ the opportunity to really improve and enhance ed- ucation for Caymanians ■■ the opportunity to im- prove job security, sat- isfaction and reward for Caymanians ■■ the opportunity to re- duce crime and provide a safe and secure envi- ronment in which we can all live and work ■■ the opportunity to finally, properly and adequately provide healthcare, in- come replacement, and positive social interac- tions for our senior citi- zens. We must accord our seniors the respect, enjoyment and appre- ciation they deserve, for the service they have given to our country. ■■ the opportunity to pro- vide an improved quality of life for all Caymanians through proper physical and economic planning. This should place Cay- manians at the forefront of both the financial and tourism industries, not only as token employees but also as owners and entrepreneurs. In order to embrace these opportunities Cay- manians will have to over- come some challenges, prime among which are: ■■ The challenge of gov- erning and legislating for the benefit of all Caymanians and not only for a selected mi- nority of Caymanians or inward investors. ■■ The challenge of com- pletely overhauling and improving our pen- sion, healthcare and employment legislative frameworks in the in- terest of Caymanians. ■■ The challenge of pro- ducing a revised phys- ical development plan, coupled with a supportive economic plan, for the benefit of all Caymanians ■■ The challenge of making Caymanians first in Cayman ■■ The challenge of re- turning the Good Ship Cayman to the control of Caymanians, for the ben- efit of all Caymanians, and of giving each and every Caymanian the op- portunity to fully par- ticipate in the Cayman economic miracle in line with their full potential and God-given talents ■■ The challenge of creating the environment for the introduction of an Integ- rity Commission that will stamp out corruption at all levels of society, in- cluding in the political arena, the civil service, and the private sector. I affirm that the Oppo- sition is committed to em- bracing these opportunities and working to overcome the challenges in order to im- prove the quality of life for all Caymanians. We further pledge to con- tinue to work with you the people and to give each of you the chance and responsi- bility necessary to becoming fully involved in the process of governing. We will do so, as we did in identifying the issues in education – by visiting and talking with the persons on the front line in our schools – which led us to making education our number one priority. Accordingly, we will early in the new year begin conducting a series of fact finding meetings with all stake holders, in all dis- tricts, as we seek your as- sistance in finding workable, affordable and acceptable solutions to overcoming the challenges and seizing the opportunities. The Opposition is com- mitted to a new form of gov- ernance founded on “Partici- patory Democracy,” through which all Caymanians will be given every opportunity to participate in the decisions of Government. That is your democratic right. We will work to correct the impediments created by the current coalition govern- ment made up of the rem- nants of the PPM, the rem- nants of the UDP/CDP and some Independents. This resulted from the co- alition passing into law a 2018/19 budget that offers neither hope nor opportunity for Caymanians. Unfortunately, this budget relies on incremental in- creases or reductions in the same old tried and failed strategies, while avoiding any bold new strategies that might succeed in making life better for Caymanians. We should not let this discourage us, however. While we will have to live within the constraints of this law for the next two years, but, there is much that we, the Opposition, with your help and support can do to influence necessary changes by the government for the betterment of Cayman and Caymanians. So, despite the challenges, the Opposition strongly be- lieves that if we work to- gether in a spirit of coop- eration with you the people and the government we can collectively make 2018 an exceptional year for all Caymanians. This must be our mis- sion – to improve the lives of all Caymanians in spite of their social and econom- ical position. Indeed, charity, which fol- lows faith and hope, must begin at home. As we hold these goals in our line of vision, we wish for all Caymanians a most prosperous, happy and satisfying 2018. May God in his infinite wisdom and mercy continue to bless each of us and these beloved Cayman Islands. Ezzard Miller, JP, MLA is Leader of the Opposition. MCKEEVA BUSH Fellow Caymanians – residents and well-wishers. Our Cayman Islands has fared well in the past year. While there are those that are more in need than others – and there will al- ways be that situation, we still have much for which to be Thankful. God has blessed these islands partic- ularly so as one of the worst hurricane seasons saw us spared from such disaster. So we can Thank God for our joys – sorrows, trials, failures and triumphs. We give God Thanks for our country – its beauty – the good it has for us and the gifts it showers upon us. We give thanks for our people – the resilience we have – the variety of nation- alities we have which help to build a country – our cul- tural heritage we cherish and the latent possibilities that exist for our islands to succeed and be the great place we desire it to be. We as a people should accept these gifts with Thankfulness and use them for the good of our human race, and appre- ciate and give Almighty God the Glory! So, for the New Year – we must pray for safety – good health, prosperity and improved family life. Be Thankful that the past year has left us still standing and look now to a better year – 2018 in the year of our Lord. Inspired with the spirit of Justice, Truth and Love that in all of our deal- ings with one another, we may show forth our brotherhood each to the other, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. I wish good things for all our people! Happy New Year to All. McKeeva Bush, OBE, JP, MLA is Speaker of the House. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 2, 2018 New Year’s 2018 messages, cont’d Ezzard Miller Speaker McKeeva Bush “I encourage all Caymanians to rely on our Christian heritage, our beliefs and principles to deal with both the opportunities and challenges ahead.” Premier Alden McLaughlin CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. TUESDAY JANUARY 2, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY, JAN. 2 REVIVAL: Red Bay Church of God (Holiness) continues Revival Services 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. Email sspg@foxwood.ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 2, 2018 OR Grand Prize US$2,000 Second Prize US$1,000 #MyHoliday † Conditions apply. Subject to credit approval. @ Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. Apply today at your nearest branch and enjoy: Flexible terms • Affordable payments • Any purpose Go to ky.scotiabank.com/myholiday for contest details. Hurry! Contest ends January 15, 2018. Get a Scotia Plan Loan for the holidays and you could win!† Judge affirms bank’s rights in foreclosure case JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Amid public concern over rising foreclosure rates in the Cayman Islands, a judge has cautioned home owners to understand they risk losing their property if they fall behind on mort- gage repayments. Justice Richard Williams advised that banks could and should seek to work with homeowners where possible. But he warned that anyone with a mortgage has a personal responsibility to ensure they understand what they sign and that banks have a legal right to repos- sess their home if they con- sistently fail to make their monthly repayments. He was speaking as he delivered his ruling, Friday, in the case of Gregory Watt, a homeowner who has be- come the focal point for com- munity anger over home foreclosures, which statis- tics from the Cayman Is- lands Monetary Authority and from the Cayman Is- lands Real Estate Brokers As- sociation show have been in- creasing since 2008. After a court hearing, last week, Mr. Watt was or- dered to vacate the property within seven days. Justice Richard Williams ruled that Scotiabank was within its rights to confis- cate and sell the home in Lower Valley because of his consistent failure to catch up with his monthly repay- ment schedule. He ordered Mr. Watt to hand over the keys by noon, Friday, so the sale could be completed. Though he had paid $66,000 over the course of five years toward the mort- gage and was ultimately only around $3,000 behind on his payments, the judge acknowl- edged that the bank had of- fered him numerous chances before moving to foreclosure. He said the facts of the “sad and unfortunate” case had been misrepresented in a social media campaign. “This is not simply a case involving arrears of just over $3,000,” he said. “One must have regard to the history of non-payments and the attempts by the bank to work with the defendant over a four-year period.” Over the course of a two- day hearing, held, unusually, in public, at Mr. Watt’s re- quest, the court heard that he had fallen behind on his mortgage repayments within months of signing the agree- ment for the $180,000 home in November, 2012. Though the bank and Mr. Watt arranged numerous re- payment schedules, he re- mained in arrears, fluctuating between $3,000 and $6,000 over the next four years, until the bank lost patience and moved to foreclosure. Justice Williams said Sco- tiabank had sought to work with Mr. Watt and had rene- gotiated after three previous foreclosure notices and of- fered him numerous other op- portunities to clear his debt. He said, “The account has been in arrears for a consid- erable period of time with a history of inconsistent pay- ments spread over a four year period, a pattern which started only a few months after the charge agree- ment was made.” He said the bank had acted in good faith and sold the property at market value, $210,000, as determined by an independent val- uation expert. According to statistics from the Cayman Islands Real Estate Association there were 112 foreclosure sales in the Cayman Islands in 2016 and 116 in 2015 – up dramat- ically from 30 in 2011. Statistics from the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority also indicate that foreclosure rates have been steadily increasing since 2008. According to the CIMA data, 2.37 percent of the total dollar value of residential mortgages were classified as being in foreclosure at the end of 2016 – up from 0.22 percent in 2008. Addressing public con- cerns about foreclosures, the judge said. “The court recognizes the current genuinely held con- cern in the public domain about the security of homes which are subject to a mort- gage arrangement with a lender, especially at a time when persons may be ex- periencing employment is- sues and a downturn in their income.” But he said it was up to individuals to read and un- derstand the terms of their mortgage agreements and seek legal advice if necessary before they sign. Anyone who borrowed money against their property and did not make payments as and when they fell due was at risk of losing their home, he warned. The judge said that banks could and should work with individuals when ar- rears were at a low level over a short period of time and there was an adequate explanation, such as loss of employment. But he cautioned that there would always come a time, when banks would ex- ercise their contractual right to foreclose if arrears per- sisted, as in this case, and he said home owners should not expect banks to refi- nance if they had been incon- sistent payers. CAL FLIGHT REQUESTS LANDING DUE TO STRANGE SMELL SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The customers and crew of a Cayman Airways plane experienced a whiff of un- certainty Wednesday, when an inbound flight from Chi- cago requested an “expe- dited landing” due to an unusual smell. Flight KX505, which flew from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, landed at Owen Roberts In- ternational at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Ground emer- gency services were ac- tivated by the ORIA Air Traffic Control in prepa- ration for the landing, but the flight touched down uneventfully. Cayman Airways re- leased an official statement Friday that said the flight crew aboard Flight KX505 detected an unidentifiable odor as the plane was de- scending through 8,000 feet. That caused them to request an expedited landing, and the ground crews were assembled as a precautionary measure. After landing and the passengers deplaning, the airline’s maintenance crew went through exten- sive maintenance checks without finding any defects or anomalies. The aircraft was returned to service, and Cayman Airways said Friday it has conducted several flights with no re- currence of the odor. “While this event was not an actual emergency,” said Cayman Airways pres- ident and chief executive officer Fabian Whorms as part of an official state- ment, “The precautionary action taken by ORIA ATC was clearly one of due care and diligence, and for that we are appreciative.” Gregory Watt was ordered to vacate his home in Lower Valley within seven days after a court hearing last week.8 LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY JANUARY 2, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS New Year’s Eve dancing, music ban dampens turnout for some events KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com After selling their house in New Jersey, Tery and James Miller decided to book a vacation in Cayman to celebrate New Year’s Eve in style. But when the two showed up at the Grand Old House on Sunday night, they were surprised to find a sub- dued atmosphere. “We came to party and dance, and they told us it was another hour away,” Ms. Miller said around 11 p.m. that night. “We just found out, and I was surprised no one told us.” The Millers were some of the many who were affected by 40-year-old legislation that prohibits dancing and live music on Sundays. With New Year’s Eve falling on a Sunday for the first time since 2006, dozens of restaurants and bars had to cancel their party plans, foregoing what’s usually one of their most lu- crative nights of the year. “We did way less business because there’s no live music,” said The Wharf manager Alex Saunders, who estimated that his restaurant drew about 30 percent of the customers on Sunday as it did last New Year’s Eve. “We’re closing early so everyone can go cel- ebrate and enjoy.” Rion Kirk, also known as DJ RKM, played live music at the Grand Old House after the ball dropped at midnight. Mr. Kirk – who has played regularly at Barolo Lounge, Whiskey Mist, Royal Palms and other clubs and bars – said that the music and live dancing ban did not affect him as much as it did the less-established musicians, DJs, and other entertainers. “I know a lot of my peers in the industry are probably hurting because of the hours and the cutting down. People who rent equipment, people who DJ – they’ve all been af- fected,” he said. “New Year’s Eve is typically a double- time pay event from your normal rate.” However, the ban on live entertainment did not affect the spirits of the hundreds who went on boat parties, re- laxed on the beach, or cele- brated at home. “We’ll make our own party,” said Ms. Miller as she and her husband left the Grand Old House to head to Seven Mile Beach. Despite the restriction, DJ Flex played live music at Camana Bay, with people dancing there in the hours leading up to New Year’s Day. “Everyone put your hands in the air – five, four, three, two, one!” DJ Flex shouted to ring in the New Year. Most people dispersed after midnight struck, some heading home and others out to dance and enjoy the extended hours that bars and clubs were permitted to stay open for. Cayman resident Victoria Kovalchuk, who spent her first New Year’s here after moving to Cayman from the Ukraine last year, said that she had fun throughout the evening – dancing or not. “The fireworks were amazing,” she said. PROUD OF THEM Van Genderen recognized for academic achievements Anja Ruth van Gen- deren, 17, of Bodden Town, is among the latest group of young people to be recog- nized as part of the “Proud of Them” initiative. Anja excelled academi- cally throughout her high school years at Cayman Prep and High. She started high school in Year 8 after com- pleting Grade 6 at Montes- sori by the Sea. Each year, she made significant achieve- ments and secured the Prin- cipal’s Award as well as top academic awards in various subject areas, ac- cording to a press release. In 2014, she was awarded the DART Minds Inspired High School Scholarship. At graduation from Cayman Prep and High in 2016, she received two of the most prestigious awards in academics – The Dart Award of Excellence in STEM, and the Ernst and Young 2016 Achievement Award for ex- cellence. She received subject prizes in art, biology, chem- istry, economics, English, lit- erature, French and physics. In 2016, Anja was the top achieving student at Cayman Prep and High in her external examinations, receiving passes in 11 subjects with 10 A*s and one A. In summer of 2017, she earned A’s in all five of her AS-Level examina- tions in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and ex- tended project qualification. Currently in Year 13, Anja is focusing on achieving her goal to study biochemistry at university in the United Kingdom next year. She has also been a keen participant in Model United Nations conferences each year since Grade 9. She is a prefect, and assists with tu- toring younger students with classwork and homework through her school’s Learning Buddies program. In sports, Anja is a pas- sionate equestrian and in- teracts with horses almost on a daily basis. She is the proud owner of a local Ap- paloosa pony and trained six days a week in the discipline of dressage to compete at the U.S. Equestrian Federation 2015 Second Level Test 3 cat- egory. She competes locally several times per year and has placed in the top three many times. Last summer, she was reserve champion for both the preliminary and elementary levels in the adult category. She is also a budding artist and combines her love of horses with her passion for art. In her spare time, she finds satisfaction in drawing, painting and making dig- ital images of horses and other animals. The Proud of Them initiative recognizes the positive achievements of young people between the ages of 10 and 25. Through a public nomination process, individuals are honored in various categories. Each person selected is featured for six months on billboards across the Cayman Islands and receives a certificate and $500. Anja excelled academically throughout her high school years at Cayman Prep and High. Anja van Genderen Adventist Church makes pre-Christmas deliveries The Adventist Church lowered the curtain on its 2017 community service pro- gram with a flurry of Pre- Christmas deliveries to in- dividuals, families and care institutions across Grand Cayman and in Cayman Brac. Over the pre-Christmas weekend, the church’s Com- munity Services Department, with the help of various Ad- ventist churches across Grand Cayman, distributed 175 fruit baskets and 60 bags of groceries. “The aim of this venture was to put smiles on faces for the festive season and to show love and caring to those who are sick or are otherwise unable to move around or take care of their own needs,” said Assistant Community Services Director Angela Hall. Ms. Hall noted that 60 of the fruit baskets were dis- tributed to residents and staff of the Government resi- dential homes for seniors. “As we presented the gift baskets, we sang, read scrip- tures, prayed and otherwise encouraged residents and staff,” Ms. Hall said. While making their de- liveries, the church group also recognized the roles and contributions of the staff of the various facilities they visited. For example, a pre- sentation was made to Greta Simmonds, a 21-year veteran caregiver serving at the East End Sunrise Cottage. Other than a brief stint on Cayman Brac and nine years at West Bay’s Golden Age residential home, Ms. Simmonds has served mainly at the East End Sunrise Cottage. Pre- sentations were also made to the staff at the Pines Re- tirement Homes and Maple House, among others, as to- kens of appreciation for their service. On Saturday evening, Dec. 23, volunteers from the Sa- vannah Adventist Church, along with Pathfinders (the Adventist Church’s youth as- sociation), assisted in hosting residents and seniors of the Bodden Town community at a meal at the district’s Civic Centre. Prior to the weekend round of activities, 150 bags of groceries were delivered at the recent Seniors’ Ban- quet, organized by the George Town church’s Community Services Department, which was attended by 110 seniors from George Town, North Side and West Bay. In another Commu- nity Services Department event, this time by the Kings Church, some families and in- dividuals in the Windsor Park and Prospect areas received an early Christmas gift on Dec. 17, when a band of eight volunteers and a troop of Pathfinders trekked through these communities, gift bags in hand. At the end of the en- terprise, 35 bags, packed with food items from sardines, beans and rice, to flour, sugar and milk, were dispensed. Jerry Panton, a resident of the East End Sunrise Cottage, receives a hug and a gift basket from North Side Adventist Church Community Services leader Lucille Ebanks. Just after the stroke of midnight, fireworks rocketed into the sky off Seven Mile Beach, music started playing and people began dancing (legally) to herald the beginning of New Year’s Day 2018. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 2, 2018 The science educator has volunteered at UCCI since 2010, receiving $1 per year for the efforts he has poured into the institution. “I’ve only gotten $2, I think, so they still owe me,” he joked. Dr. Hrudey added that he hopes others will con- tinue to carry the mantle of science when he is gone, as promoting STEM sub- jects – science, technology, engineering and math – is sorely needed here. “We’ve got enough bean counters and lawyers here,” he said. Ms. Baraud received her MBE for her volunteering and fundraising efforts. The businesswoman has been a driver of sports in the territory, founding the Cayman Islands Olympics Committee’s fundraising arm in 1992 after her son Stefan’s quest to reach the Barce- lona Games as a cyclist gave her insight into the funding needs of athletes. But her contributions reach far beyond sports. A Rotary Club member of some 22 years, she also organizes the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and helps beautify the venue for the Se- nior Citizens’ Party. She sup- ports Meals on Wheels, and personally redecorated the George Town Hospital Mental Health Care Unit and pro- vided patients with Bibles, books and games. From 1999-2004, her firm Baraud International con- ducted a training program for inmates at Northward Prison, working in conjunc- tion with the Labour Depart- ment to place rehabilitated prisoners into employment. Her firm is also Cayman’s first recruitment agency and immigration consultancy company, creating a new in- dustry of business from its inception in 1992. Currently, she is a member of the Labour Ap- peals Tribunal and is an Honorary 100 Women in Finance Angel. Olive Miller shows her MBE and Queen’s certificate and badge of honor awards. She recently was also recognized with the prestigious OBE honor. – PHOTO - KEN SILVA US$127 billion, an increase from US$76 billion in 2015. According to CIMA, in 2016 there was a net cap- ital outflow during the year, as redemptions ex- ceeded subscriptions by US$86 billion. “Investors shed risky as- sets amid continued global growth fears and falling commodity prices. How- ever, this unease was offset by strong labor market data and an increase in in- terest rates which helped calm concerns about the United States economic re- covery leading most as- sets to rebound from 2016,” CIMA noted. “Improved fi- nancial performance is also due to the U.S. stock market growth, the prospect of large-scale deregulation, tax reform and the general pro-business stance of the new U.S. administration.” The regulator stated that the statistics illustrate that Cayman “continues to be a leading jurisdiction within the funds industry.” PARCEL OF GANJA WASHES UP ON LITTLE CAYMAN SHORE A parcel containing ganja washed up on the shore of Little Cayman on Dec. 23, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service re- ported. A member of the public informed law en- forcement of the dis- covery and handed the package over to police. RCIPS removed the parcel from Little Cayman and planned to destroy it. Since the discovery, of- ficers have conducted sea and shoreline checks by helicopter but no further drugs have been found. POLICE: ARMED MEN ROB SMITH ROAD BUSINESS Three men with covered faces, two of whom were armed, entered a liquor-li- censed business on Smith Road around 10 p.m. Sat- urday and demanded cash, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said. Shots were fired but no one was injured, po- lice reported. The men fled the location in a silver- colored vehicle. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the George Town Police Station at 949-4222 or Crime Stoppers at 800-8477 (TIPS). SHEDDEN ROAD FIRE SUSPECTED ARSON The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service is in- vestigating a Wednesday morning fire at a residence on Shedden Road as an act of arson. The fire at the small, nine-bedroom residence behind Archie’s Bar left 12 people homeless and in- jured three people. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the George Town Police Station at 949-4222. Anonymous tips can be provided directly to the RCIPS via their confidential tip line at 949-7777. Police received three sep- arate missing-person reports on Wednesday, and found all three people involved in the reports by the end of the day, according to a Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice press release. The reports involved a child, an elderly tourist, and a teenager, all of whom were found in good health. Just before 2 p.m. on Wednesday, 911 dis- patched officers to a re- port of a missing elderly woman with memory prob- lems and limited English, who was last seen near the Cayman Beach Suites. Offi- cers received a photo of the woman and searched on the beach, finding her near The Ritz-Carlton. Later that evening, around 6 p.m., police were also dis- patched to a report of a missing 5-year-old boy who had been last seen at Public Beach. The boy had been playing with his brother, but disappeared when his parent “turned away for a few minutes,” according to RCIPS spokesperson Jacque- line Carpenter. Officers searched the beach with members of the public, finding him and re- turning him to his relieved parent at Calico Jack’s. Finally, just before mid- night, officers on proactive patrol in the School House Road area of George Town came across two males “be- having suspiciously,” one of whom hurriedly departed when he was approached, stated Ms. Carpenter. When the police checked the residence into which the male fled, they discovered a teenage girl who had been re- ported missing earlier, stated Ms. Carpenter. “Even though these re- ports are resolved happily in nearly all cases, they are extremely scary situations for those making the re- port, and we make a point of responding as quickly and thoroughly as we can,” said RCIPS Inspector Courtney Myles, the head of the Neighbourhood Po- licing Department. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Number of hedge funds dipped in 2016 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ‘Miss Olive’ receives OBE award Police go 3-for-3 in locating missing persons Israel’s Likud party members call for annexing settlements JERUSALEM (AP) – The ruling Likud Party’s central com- mittee has unanimously en- dorsed a resolution calling for the annexation of West Bank settlements, sending a tough message to the Pales- tinians in the wake of Presi- dent Donald Trump’s recogni- tion of Israel’s capital. The decision Sunday night marked the latest step by Likud to distance itself from the internationally backed idea of establishing an in- dependent Palestinian state as part of a future peace deal. The Palestinians con- demned the decision and ac- cused Trump of emboldening the Likud party. The central committee is only an advisory body, and Sunday’s vote did not reflect an official policy change. But its decisions reflect the pre- vailing opinions in Prime Minister Benjamin Ne- tanyahu’s party. Several leading politi- cians, including senior mem- bers of Netanyahu’s cabinet, joined the vote to “impose Israeli law on all liberated areas of settlement in Judea and Samaria.” Among them were Intel- ligence Minister Israel Katz, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, Environmental Protection Minister Zeev Elkin, Deputy Foreign Min- ister Tzipi Hotovely and Jeru- salem Mayor Nir Barkat. Netanyahu, however, skipped the vote, and his of- fice declined to comment. Erdan said the Likud party was responsible for annexing Jerusalem and the Golan Heights in the 1980s, and it would do so with West Bank settlements as well. “Our right to the land of Is- rael begins with Judea and Samaria,” he said. “Two states for two peo- ples is a concept that has disappeared from the world,” Science Minister Ofir Akunis was quoted as saying by the Haaretz daily. “And to my joy, U.S. President Trump is sit- ting in the White House and does not accept this mis- taken concept.” Trump has said he hopes to broker what he calls the “ultimate deal” between Is- rael and the Palestinians, and he has appointed a high- level team, headed by his son in law and adviser Jared Kushner, to come up with a peace plan. But after nearly a year on the job, they still have not floated a proposal. In a departure from his predecessors, Trump last month said he was upending decades of U.S. policy and recognizing Jerusalem as Is- rael’s capital. While Trump said his de- cision was not meant to pre- judge negotiations on the city’s final borders, it infuriated the Palestinians, who accused him of siding with Israel. The Pal- estinians seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, home to key holy sites, as their capital, and the international community has long said that the city’s fate should be decided through negotiations. CIMA says the Cayman Islands ‘continues to be a leading jurisdiction’ in the hedge funds industry. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYNext >