SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY JANUARY 19, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman HospiceCare throws a thoroughly Scottish event at Grand Old House B2 Family Fun Day at the Botanic Park The Garden Club of Grand Cayman offers activities for all ages B3 Events Music Events ■ EVENTS LiveWell 2018! The groundbreaking wellness experience and shopping event launches at the ARC this Saturday. B7 Books & Book s toy drive Call goes out for donations of toys for sick tots B2 Muzaic weekend highlights Cayman’s talent Concerts and an awards night feature local DJs and musicians B5 STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July Registered Merchant of CaymanGiftCertificates. com Fine Wine and Spirits TORTUGA 15 stores island-wide and Mary Lou’s in Cayman Brac. For more information, please call 949-7701. JANUARY ONLY 20% OFF 750mL & 1L Blanco. Reposado. Añejo. 100% Blue Weber Agave. Burns Supper promises a ‘braw’ night out CAYMAN WEEKENDER LiveWell 2018! EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 SUPPORT THE COURT - BUILD THE BUILDING High of 82 Low of 74 Rough with wave heights of 5 to 7 feet. Small craft warning remains in effect. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY JANUARY 19, 2018 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY WHITE VERSIONS BELOW ™ ® Jury duty: When the court calls CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com On Wednesday, Jan. 10, exactly 111 men and women between the ages of 18 and 69 began an experience they will re- member the rest of their lives. They were responding to a summons issued weeks ago that will require their presence at the courthouse from time to time for the next three months. They were reporting for possible selection as mem- bers of a Cayman Islands jury. The involvement of ordinary citizens in the criminal trial process has been spoken of as both “duty” and “service.” Cayman’s Judicature Law makes the duty plain: Any person who has been sum- moned and fails to attend, without having been excused by the court, commits an of- fense and is liable to a fine of $500. The service aspect is usually touched on by the judges of the Grand Court when they address potential jurors before the start of a trial. Justice Roger Chapple, for example, told one such assembly in No- vember: “Ladies and gentlemen, we really do appreciate your presence here today. All of us involved in the administration of criminal justice appreciate the upheaval and the inconvenience which is caused by jury service, and we understand the very real sacrifice that we ask you to make in your personal lives by committing to a particular case. “That said, the public duty that you are being called upon to perform, I don’t really need to tell you, is of crucial im- portance and central to the administra- tion of justice.” The jury summons There are four Grand Court sessions per calendar year, and there is a new set of ju- rors summoned for each session. These ses- sions start in January, April, July and Oc- tober – usually on the first Wednesday of that month. Summonses are sent out well in advance so that recipients can adjust their personal plans accordingly. The list of jurors is made up from the Of- ficial Register of Electors, but is limited to those under the age of 70. Each year, the court bailiff is required to make an alphabetical list of all individuals liable to serve on juries. The Clerk of Court takes from this list names of persons who have not served as jurors in the last six pre- ceding sessions. Partly because there may be more than one trial going on at a time, the number of people summoned per session will be not fewer than 100 and not more than 160. Some people are exempt by reason of their profession or office: medical practi- tioners, constables, prison officers, and at- torneys actively engaged in litigation prac- tice, for example. The governor, deputy governor, MLAs, judges and magistrates are also exempt, as well as their spouses and children. A person who is mentally disordered, as defined in the Mental Health Law, is exempt. A person is disqualified from jury service if he or she has been charged for an offense and is currently before a court pending trial, or who has been convicted and received a sentence of imprisonment. During a quarterly session, a person can end up serving on a jury for several trials within that time period. However, once a person has served for a session, he or she will be excused for the next six sessions – in other words, at least a year and a half. Jury selection The first time a jury pool (referred to as the “panel”) comes together is for an orienta- tion. Court staff explain procedures and fa- cilities, and present a video that illustrates the role of each person involved in a trial. Importantly, they answer questions. The most common questions are addressed on the judicial website www.judicial.ky under the heading “Guidance.” Premier foreshadows more immigration changes BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Although his annual speech to the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce Thursday was short on specifics, Premier Alden McLaughlin said further “radical” changes to local im- migration and labor policies would be forthcoming during his national unity government’s term in office. Mr. McLaughlin, giving the address at the Kimpton Seafire resort on Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach, said the gov- ernment’s changes would not simply involve a “reshuffling of the bureaucratic deck chairs” at the Immigration Department and the National Workforce De- velopment Agency. “It is clear that a radical shift is necessary … if we are to build effective workforce readiness skills,” the premier said. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » WHAT IF THEY RUN OUT OF JURORS? The Judicature Law contains a contingency provision – that today is rarely if ever exercised – in case, for any reason, the number of avail- able jurors is fewer than what is required for a trial. The law empowers the Clerk of the Court to se- lect jurors on the spot, known as “talesman,” from “bystanders or others attending the court and eli- gible for jury service.” Any talesman who refuses to serve “commits an offence and is liable to a fine of thirty dollars,” ac- cording to the Judicature Law. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » The view from the jury box in Court 1 in the Law Courts Building in George Town. Juries typically consist of seven members, except for murder and treason trials, for which 12 jurors are chosen. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Premier Alden McLaughlin speaks to hundreds of Chamber of Commerce members during a luncheon Thursday at the Kimpton Seafire resort. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLER TREASURE HUNTER AND HOTELIER HERBO HUMPHREYS DIES, AGE 69 Herbert “Herbo” Humphreys, who owned the Holiday Inn on Seven Mile Beach and was a noted treasure hunter, died Tuesday after a battle with cancer. He was 69. Family members said he passed away in Memphis, Tennessee. Mr. Humphreys led an adventurous globe-trotting life and is fondly re- membered in Cayman as a pioneer of the tourism industry and an avid wreck hunter. For more on this story, see page 6.2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY JANUARY 19, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman’s Most Affordable Cimboco - A Caribbean Café 94-PASTA (947-2782) Located in the Marquee Plaza Brunch & Breakfast till 3pm Saturday, Sunday & Holiday Monday! Former Cayman couple returns with fruit of the vine SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The seed for a boutique winery was planted in Cayman, but first it had to be grafted to Europe to begin life on the vine. Goran and Renee Radevic were living in Cayman when they conceived of the idea for Radevic Estate, and now, they are back to share their celebrated cre- ation with the world. Dr. and Mrs. Radevic will stage a tasting of their award-winning wines Saturday evening at the Tasting Room and Wine Cellar, but the event will really be a return to their former home. The couple met and married while living in Cayman, and they moved back to Montenegro shortly after Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Dr. Radevic, an emergency room doctor by trade, worked at the Cayman Is- lands Hospital for months after Ivan before leaving for his native Monte- negro and beginning his dream job. “Every night when he got off his shift, we’d sit and discuss our dream of owning a vineyard,” Mrs. Radevic said. “We’d discuss it in great detail, down to how many buildings and how we were going to run the business. No holds barred. We were going to do it to the best of our ability or not do it at all.” Dr. Radevic prides himself on being the 26th generation of his family born in Montenegro, and he lived most of his adult life dreaming of running his own vineyard. His 27-year career as a doctor took him to South Africa, China, the Middle East and Cayman before his calling brought him back to Montenegro. “I’m a medical doctor and my grandfather was an Orthodox priest,” he said. “He’s the one who taught me about wines and grapes. I knew how to graft the grapes be- fore I could read and write. Despite knowing so much about grapes, I became a doctor, and I’m kind of the black sheep in my family.” And while that knowledge has been with him his whole life, the practical experience of beginning his own vineyard was a different story entirely. Radevic Estate is based in Rogami, Montenegro, and Renee Radevic said it took quite a bit of imagination to envision the vineyard becoming a success. “We left the island and started the vineyard. From scratch,” said Mrs. Radevic, who earned degrees in criminology and sociology prior to her turn to the wine business. “There was nothing there. No water. No home. Nothing. Goran wanted to show me the land, and when we walked there, thank God, I had lived in Cayman and knew how to use a machete. Because that’s what I used to go up the mountain.” The couple spent a few years get- ting their vineyard off the ground, and Radevic Estate had its first harvest in 2009. The wine label is very much a family enterprise and their son literally cuts the grass and trims the trees in the vine- yard, but Dr. Radevic made sure to credit his winemaster Ivan Dasic and agricultural engineer Milena Mugosa for their contributions to Radevic Estate. Mr. Dasic, a former employee of Plantaze, Montenegro’s largest vineyard, came up with the con- cept for the best received bottle in the vineyard’s arsenal. That vintage is a white port called Renee, named after Mrs. Radevic and a winner of multiple awards at the Monde Se- lection competition in France. “He’s a gray-haired guy with a lot of life experience working in the winery and making wines,” said Dr. Radevic of his vineyard’s secret weapon. “He came to me and said, ‘Doctor, from my student days, I’ve wanted to make port.’ I said, ‘Why didn’t you?’ And he said, ‘During the Communist time, they didn’t have ears for it.’ They didn’t allow him. So he made his first port with us. We couldn’t use the word port be- cause of copyright, so we named it after my wife Renee. We have a white and red Renee.” Radevic Estate makes 16 vari- eties of wine, and it produces about 15,000 bottles a year. The Radevic family mostly sells their wares in the Balkans, but they have also begun selling in Germany and the United States. Learning how to sell in new markets, Dr. Radevic said, has been a challenge in and of itself. “In 2009, our first harvest, we sent some samples to some friends in the United States,” he said. “They had a blind tasting with some res- taurant owners, and they loved our wine. But they said, ‘Your bottle is not nice. Your cork is not perfect.’ So I told my wife, ‘Darling, America is a very spoiled customer.’” Renee Radevic threw herself into solving the bottle and cork equa- tions, and now the vineyard finds itself running in full bloom. The wines of Radevic Estate are made without pesticides, herbicides or in- secticides, and Mrs. Radevic said they are made without adding any extra sulfites to the mix. The wine label has become the signature wine for Aman Resorts, a luxury hotel line that is situated in 30 different countries, and Radevic Estate is growing alongside its rep- utation. Now, 14 years after leaving Cayman, Dr. and Mrs. Radevic are excited to come back and share the fruits of their vineyard. There will be six wines to taste at Saturday’s event, including the white port that won the silver medal at the Monde Selection, and Radevic Estate wines should be available at the Tasting Room going forward. “After experiencing the suc- cess we’ve had,” Mrs. Radevic said, “we wanted to bring our story full circle and bring it back home to the birthplace of the idea. That’s where Mario [Lacoviello] comes in at the Tasting Room.” Renee and Goran Radevic enjoy a glass of their own wine at their vineyard in Montenegro. The grapes at the Montenegro vineyard are lovingly harvested and made into several different wine varieties. Traffic signal reinstalled on Huldah Avenue National Roads Authority crews on Wednesday night reinstall the traffic signal that fell onto the road last week at the junction of Bobby Thompson Way and Huldah Avenue. The NRA said in a statement that the traffic light had fallen because of a ‘structural failure.’ – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The couple spent a few years getting their vineyard off the ground, and Radevic Estate had its first harvest in 2009. The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 19, 2018 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” It is no secret that Cayman’s court facilities are “shabby, cramped and wholly inadequate,” as Chief Justice Anthony Smellie described them on Wednesday at the opening of the Grand Court for 2018. The chief justice has been issuing the same judgment about court facilities for years, but government seems unable to replace these overcrowded, ill-equipped and antiquated facilities. Not surprisingly, the issue appears to be either one of priorities – or a lack of cash. On Wednesday, Chief Justice Smellie reiterated some of the most impactful recent examples of the ways that inaction was negatively effecting the administration of justice on our islands. He described: • Parties in a legal case paying for a hotel confer- ence room so that their case could be heard (call it “Marriott Justice”) • Parties paying to equip a courtroom with the technical equipment necessary to conduct a proper trial • Courtrooms without adequate security for the safe hearing of criminal cases • A lack of courtroom space that sometimes requires magistrates to share a single courtroom, exacerbating court delays. In addition, current facilities for administration of the courts – offices, meeting rooms, record keeping repositories, etc., – are overflowing and operating far beyond capacity. Speaking of capacity, we offer this example: the coffin-sized elevator at the Kirk House courthouse annex on Albert Panton Street. The elevator, which leads to the chambers of the chief justice, measures only 3.5 feet in width, less than half the wingspan of an average- size pelican. (We know this because we sent Milo Dack, our newest newsroom intern, to the annex with a tape measure. He did fine with the elevator but was reluctant to hit the button to the fourth floor to attempt to assess the chief justice’s measurements. No matter. Even a casual observer would concede Chief Justice Smellie is certainly large enough, in stature and prestige, to deserve better vertical transportation than an elevator designed, obvi- ously, for Lilliputians.) It is worth noting that of the three branches of gov- ernment, the judicial branch may be the most participa- tory. Today, on the front page of the Compass, we focus on citizens’ role in the dispensation of justice, via a com- prehensive report by journalist Carol Winker on Cayman’s jury system. (Through decades of professional experience, Ms. Winker has gleaned perhaps more knowledge about Cayman’s courts than anyone not donning a robe and wig). What will it take for government to commit to con- structing the spacious, modern and secure building that is required for the proper functioning of our courts? If leaders are unmoved or unembarrassed by the current state of our judicial infrastructure, they might want to consider the negative impact on Cayman’s international reputation that is created by these obsolete accommodations. As the chief justice said on Wednesday, “Modern court- rooms capable of accommodating complex trials are now standard facilities in many of our competing jurisdictions.” Yes – in the realm of international finance, offshore centers such as Cayman “compete” to host blockbuster civil trials that could, legally speaking, take place in any number of jurisdictions. The chief justice continued: “A main reason why people chose to do business within the Islands is its judicial system’s reputation for independence, integrity, incor- ruptibility and, yes, efficiency as well. When hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars worth of assets are at stake, inefficiency and its resultant delay become intoler- able.” Where we should build the facility (may we suggest the site of either the old “Glass House” or the Tower Building – the government already owns both parcels) and how much we should spend on it are questions for another day. For today, the verdict issued by Chief Justice Smellie is clear, correct and, in a just world, unappealable: It is past time for Cayman to address the inadequate facilities of our courts. Support the court — Build the building FRIDAY JANUARY 19, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Remember why Americans lost trust in government WASHINGTON – Is there anything more depressing than a cheerful liberal? The question is prompted by one such, historian David Goldfield, who has written a large-hearted book ex- plaining that America’s problems would yield to government’s deft amelio- rating touch if Americans would just rekindle their en- thusiasm for it. Goldfield’s new book, “The Gifted Generation: When Government Was Good,” notes that in 1964 nearly 80 percent of Americans said they trusted Washington all or most of the time; today, about 20 percent do. Gold- field does not explain why trust in government waned as government’s confidence waxed. The question con- tains its answer. He rightly celebrates the 1944 G.I. Bill of Rights, but misses what distinguished it from many subsequent social programs. It was in- tended as a prophylactic measure against unem- ployment and political ex- tremism among millions de- mobilized from the military. It worked. Veterans over- whelmed campuses; Gold- field says that some in Cali- fornia resided in fuselages of half-built airplanes. Eli- gibility for the bill’s benefits was contingent upon having performed military service. The bill used liberal means – subsidies for veterans’ ed- ucation and homebuying – to achieve conservative re- sults: Rather than merely maintaining people as per- manent wards of govern- ment, it created an educated, property-owning middle class equipped for self-re- liant striving. In contrast, much of the Great Society’s liberalism sought to de-moralize pol- icies, deeming repressive those policies that promoted worthy behavior. This liber- alism’s political base was in government’s caring profes- sions that served “clients” in populations disorganized by behaviors involving sex and substance abuse. Surely this goes far toward explaining what Goldfield’s narrative leaves inexplicable: Postwar America’s po- litical process chose Harry Truman and then Dwight Eisenhower to preserve the post-New Deal status quo. And then it chose Lyndon Johnson over Barry Gold- water, who was (rightly) viewed as hostile to the New Deal’s legacy. But just 16 years later, the electorate, whose prior preferences Goldfield approves, made an emphatic choice that he considers a sudden eruption of dark impulses that hith- erto were dormant. Gold- field does not distinguish, as Ronald Reagan did, be- tween New Deal liberalism – of which the G.I. Bill was a culmination – and liberal- ism’s subsequent swerve in another direction. And he has no answer as to why the electorate, so receptive for so long to hyperactive govern- ment, by 1980 was not. Goldfield flecks his nar- rative with fascinating facts: Not until 1943 did the gov- ernment remove the racial classification “Hebrew” from immigration forms. Cor- nell University’s president promised to prevent Jewish enrollment from making the school “unpleasant for first-class Gentile students.” When Jonas Salk, who would invent the polio vaccine, ap- plied for a fellowship, one of his recommenders wrote, “Dr. Salk is a member of the Jewish race but has, I be- lieve, a very great capacity to get on with people.” That we cringe is a better metric of social progress than is government spending on so- cial programs. Goldfield’s grasp of con- temporary America can be gauged by his regret that the income tax, under which the top 10 percent of earners pay more than 70 percent of the tax and the bottom 50 per- cent pay 3 percent, is not “genuinely progressive.” He idealizes government as an “umpire,” a disinterested ar- biter ensuring fair play. Has no liberal stumbled upon public choice theory, which demystifies politics, punc- turing sentimentality about politicians and government officials being more nobly and unselfishly motivated than lesser mortals? Has no liberal noticed that no gov- ernment is ever neutral in society’s allocation of wealth and opportunity? And that the bigger government be- comes, the more it is ma- nipulated by those who are sufficiently confident, artic- ulate and sophisticated to understand government’s complexities, and wealthy enough to hire skillful agents to navigate those complexities on their behalf? This is why big government is invariably regressive, transferring wealth upward. During his long look backward through rose- tinted glasses, Goldfield, a Brooklyn native, pines for the days he remem- bers, or thinks he does, when his borough was de- fined by its devotion to the Dodgers (who decamped to Los Angeles in 1958). Such nostalgia is refuted by information: There still are seemingly millions of moist-eyed, aging mem- bers of the Brooklyn di- aspora who claim to have spent every day of every summer of their halcyon youths in Ebbets Field (capacity 31,902). Actu- ally, in the team’s greatest season, 1955, when it won its only World Series, at- tendance averaged 13,423, worse than the worst 2017 team average (Tampa Bay’s 15,670). The past – in- cluding government’s salad days, when it said it could create “model cities” and other wonders, and people believed it – was often less romantic in fact than it is in memory. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE 5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 19, 2018 Government facilities worker faces 11 charges in theft case BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A former government fa- cilities management em- ployee has been charged with 11 criminal counts re- lated to the theft of rent money that was paid for the use of public com- munity centers. The 38-year-old woman was charged Wednesday with eight counts of ob- taining property by de- ception, two counts of false accounting and one count of theft. The allegations relate to what police said was the theft of cash and other items valued at a total of more than $30,000. “The thefts and purchases occurred between 2012 and 2016 while the woman was employed by the Cayman Islands government,” the police noted. The suspect, who police did not identify, is due to ap- pear in court Tuesday. The former administrator at the Facilities Management Department was arrested in August 2017 on suspicion of theft. Government officials told the Cayman Compass last year that the employee left the public service before her arrest on Aug. 16, 2017. The alleged thefts were uncovered in two audits conducted during 2017, the first in March and the second in May. Those re- cords were passed to the Fa- cilities Management Depart- ment which then notified the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. According to a statement police gave the Compass about the initial arrest, “It is alleged that in her former po- sition [the suspect] arranged for short-term rental of gov- ernment facilities to a com- munity group … and that monies paid by the group to the woman were not paid to the Cayman Islands govern- ment finance department.” Typically, the government charges private companies and nonprofit groups for the use of its civic centers, al- though exemptions can be made to those rental charges for events considered com- munity enrichment activities. In this case, the allegation is that the government em- ployee simply did not pass on funds she collected for those rents to the public purse. The government has a number of community cen- ters around the islands. One of the theft cases being looked into involved rent money paid for the use of the South Sound Community Centre facility. Phone photos of guns lead to court Sentencing adjourned until March for two defendants CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two people pleaded guilty this week possessing an unlicensed firearm after police recovered photos of them with a gun from a cellphone. The cases against Mat- thew Carlyle Ebanks and Kayla Powery Hewitt were separate, but the gun each was pictured with was the same – a Colt .45 semi-au- tomatic for which Kash- wayne Hewitt was sentenced last year to 12 years’ im- prisonment for his involve- ment in a shooting incident outside Fete Night Club on Feb. 4, 2017. Ms. Powery, who asked to be called by her maiden name, said she married Mr. Hewitt on Jan. 19, 2017. When she first appeared in Summary Court on the charge last year, Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin said that the photo showed Mr. Hewitt with his arm around Ms. Powery and holding the gun, while she was described as holding on to the end of the firearm. She pleaded guilty to pos- session on or before Feb. 10, 2017. That date is when the gun was recovered by police, along with the phone. Justice Charles Quin con- tinued her bail until sen- tencing on March 28. Mr. Ebanks pleaded guilty to possession of the firearm on or before Feb. 4, 2017. In his case, he was alone in a series of photos in various poses with the gun. He was remanded in cus- tody until March 28. For both defendants, Jus- tice Quin ordered a pre-sen- tence social inquiry report. CRUISE SHIPS SKIP CAYMAN AMID ROUGH CONDITIONS JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com There were no cruise ships in port Thursday after all four captains decided con- ditions were too rough to moor in George Town harbor. The skippers opted not to use the alternate landing point on the southern coast of the island, at Spotts Terminal, and headed back out to sea. David Carmichael, who runs Caribbean Marine Ser- vices, said his boats were ready and able to ferry the passengers to shore. He said cruise ships had been tendered in worse con- ditions this season and he was baffled by the decision. “We were all set up and ready to go, then one ship canceled and the rest fol- lowed suit. It was the cap- tains’ call,” he said. No one from the Port Au- thority responded to requests for comment Thursday. The Regal Princess, MSC Opera, Carnival Breeze and Carnival Sensation were all due in port but all were listed as “missed” arrivals on the Port Authority website.6 OBITUARY FRIDAY JANUARY 19, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Your financial pawn is no match for the ransomware king. Varonis protects your financial organisation from the inside out. info.varonis.com/demo, call eShore +1 345 946 3673 Treasure hunter and hotelier dies at 69 Former Holiday Inn owner Herbert ‘Herbo’ Humphreys dies in Memphis JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Herbert “Herbo” Hum- phreys, the long-time owner of the Holiday Inn and a treasure hunter credited with discovering numerous historic shipwrecks, died Tuesday after a battle with cancer. He was 69. Mr. Humphreys led an ad- venturous globe-trotting life and is fondly remembered in Cayman as a pioneer of the tourism industry and an avid wreck hunter. Former Premier McKeeva Bush said the development of the Holiday Inn in 1972 ush- ered in a new era for Cayman tourism, bringing the first major brand to the islands and giving many Cayma- nians their first opportunity to work in the industry. “He was a nice person and had a special love for Cayman,” Mr. Bush said Thursday. Master boat builder Kem Jackson worked for Mr. Hum- phreys, both at the Holiday Inn and as an engineer and diver on his treasure hunting boats, which made frequent trips to the Bahamas in search of lost shipwrecks. He said he was shocked by his friend’s death. “He was a wonderful person and a very smart fella,” he said. Mr. Jackson and Bob Soto, one of the pioneers of scuba diving in the Cayman Is- lands, were both with Mr. Humphreys when he made his most famous discovery off the coast of Grand Ba- hama in 1986 – the wreck of the Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas. Mr. Humphrey’s company, Marex Global, secured sal- vage rights to the vessel and a crew of seasoned divers spent months diving the site. Mr. Soto recalled the inci- dent in an interview with the Compass shortly before his death in 2015. “Coins, swords, gold bars in a chest, you should have seen it,” he said. “The silver coins were as black as tar and weren’t even recognizable. I found an 80- pound silver bar, equivalent to a 50-gallon drum, as well as a 40-pound gold bar.” Anderson Humphreys, cousin and close friend of Mr. Humphreys and also a share- holder in the Holiday Inn, said the discovery had been one of the big finds of his cousin’s career. Anderson, who also made the movie “Cayman Tri- angle,” said the prize jewel was an emerald-studded cross that was being trans- ported to Spain for Queen Isabella when the ship went down in 1656. He said he and Herbo had persuaded the actress Cy- bill Shepherd, who starred in “Taxi Driver” and the “Last Picture Show,” to wear the cross during an appear- ance on the “Tonight Show” in an effort to bump up its price at auction. Much of the profits from Mr. Humphreys’ wreck- hunting endeavors went to pay off his investors and the cost of running a fleet of well- equipped boats, according to friends who dove with him, including Mr. Jackson. Though he made nu- merous other interesting finds, including a gold-laden paddle steamer off the U.S. coast in 2011, Mr. Hum- phreys was still searching for the “mother lode” at the time of his death, according to his cousin. He said Mr. Humphreys continued to run his wreck- hunting business from his home in Memphis and did extensive archival research on the trail of planes that had crashed with diamonds on board and ships that had gone down laden with gold coins and other treasure. “Herbo kept the treasure- hunting thing going to the end and that is what made him a legend,” he said. “He was still looking. He never really got the big one that he was after.” He said he and Herbo were born just days apart and grew up together learning a love for the sea in the Bahamas, before part- nering on the Holiday Inn project as young men. “It is very sad,” he said of his cousin’s death. “His life certainly was an adventure,” he added. “He was extremely well trav- eled. We went around the world together.” Mr. Jackson said he had remained in touch with Herbo and was sorry to hear of his death. “All I can tell you is that me, him and Bobby [Soto] were like family,” he said. “I can’t remember us having an argument. “He loved boats; he bought at least four of them and most of the time we were repairing them or away looking for wrecks.” Suzy Soto remembered many voyages with Mr. Hum- phreys and friends on his boat, the Beacon. “I am really upset,” she said. “He was like a son to Bob. I was there for the opening of the Holiday Inn. We all loved Herbo.” Horst Nowak, better known as the Barefoot Man, performed at the Hol- iday Inn for two decades and remembers Mr. Hum- phrey as quiet and down-to- earth. “We would hang out there and have drinks and go fishing,” he said. “He was a regular guy. “The Holiday Inn was The Ritz of its day. It was the first big hotel to come in to Cayman.” Herbo Humphreys, who owned the Holiday Inn in Grand Cayman, died Tuesday at the age of 69.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 19, 2018 CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Attorneys Alasdair Rob- ertson and Stephen Watler between them made a com- prehensive case for Cayman’s legislature to pass a new Legal Practitioners Law this year. The men were speaking as presidents of the Cayman Is- lands Law Society and Cay- manian Bar Association, re- spectively. They made their comments when they for- mally seconded the motion for the opening of Grand Court on Wednesday. “The public is entitled to expect that we have modern, fair and proportionate regula- tion for all lawyers in private practice,” Mr. Robertson said. Without reforming the law as it currently exists, Cayman’s financial services will continue to be hin- dered, he said, and that in turn will have a negative im- pact on local jobs and pros- perity. Families and busi- nesses who need assistance from lawyers will continue to be disadvantaged. “Caymanian attorneys will continue to lack the opportu- nity to be admitted in Eng- land and Wales and other jurisdictions and thereby greatly expand their opportu- nities,” he pointed out. The failings of the current law have long been recog- nized and successive govern- ments have failed to remedy them, Mr. Robertson said. He referred to a letter written to Cayman’s Attorney General in January 1988. Even then, the Law Society considered that the Legal Practitioners Law was “inadequate as a frame- work given the nature of the current practice of law in the Cayman Islands,” he quoted, adding that the letter en- dorsed a “complete overhaul” of the law 30 years ago. He did not go into detail, but Mr. Watler did, outlining the key requirements the bar association said should be contained in the law. He said the law should contain provision for a self- regulating body, free from political or governmental interference. Second, there should be a practical, efficient, trans- parent and cost-effective dis- ciplinary process. Third, the law should con- tain a modern and manda- tory code of conduct. As to training and de- velopment, he urged provi- sions for articles of clerkship, post-qualification training for associates and man- datory continuing profes- sional development. The law should have pro- visions for admission to the Bar of the Cayman Is- lands that are consistent with public policy, “in par- ticular the promotion of the legal profession and advo- cacy in the islands, its sus- tainability, competence and advancement.” The law should address the practice of Cayman Is- lands law outside the islands and limits on foreign offices. Licensed law firms should be required to include at least one Caymanian equity partner “and for the majority of voting and economic inter- ests in the firms to be held by Caymanians and attorneys ordinarily resident in the Cayman Islands,” Mr. Watler said. Other recommended provisions referred to busi- ness staffing plans and post- qualification experience. He said the content of the law should be limited to “admis- sion, practicing certificates and discipline.” Mr. Watler endorsed Mr. Robertson’s comment that the legislation “is long overdue and urgently needed for the future development and continued success of this profession.” He said the bar asso- ciation looked forward to working with government, the Law Society and other stakeholders on this impor- tant piece of legislation. 1 (345) 945-4040 | 1 (345) 640-4040 | healthcitycaymanislands.com Keep your health in check Maintain an active lifestyle, improve your health and help identify the risk of future disease with our Executive Health Checks. Choose from three programs which can be personalized to suit your exact health needs. Executive Health Check Alongside a physician consultation, we’ll carry out a series of tests, including blood count, blood sugar, fat profile, chest X-rays, uric acid and urine exams, thyroid panel tests, liver and kidney function and an electrocardiogram (ECG). Combines the Executive Health Check with further tests, including treadmill testing, abdominal ultrasound, diet and cardiac consultations, PAP smears and pelvic exams for women and a prostate-specific antigen for men. Comprehensive Executive Health Check Includes both the Executive and Comprehensive tests, as well as a CT calcium score and an echocardiogram. Cardiac Executive Health Check For more information or to make your booking, contact Ingrid Harris at ingrid.harris@healthcity.ky or +1 (345) 325-8432. *Some insurance policies cover wellness checks. Please enquire with your insurance provider for details of your policy. Law association chiefs call for new Legal Practitioners Law Alasdair Robertson, president, Cayman Islands Law Society Stephen Watler, president, Caymanian Bar Association Several roads and junc- tions will be closed in the run-up to Monday’s National Heroes Day and throughout the day of the ceremony. Closures will begin from 7 p.m. Friday, and remain in place until 9 p.m. Monday, to allow for setup and break- down, organizers said. How- ever, the roads will be tempo- rarily reopened between noon and midnight on Saturday. The road and junction clo- sures are as follows: ■■ The top of Fort Street at the junction of Fort Street and North Church Street ■■ The bottom of Fort Street by the Clock Tower; Ed- ward Street at the junc- tion of Edward Street and Main Street ■■ The end of Edward Street, at the junction of Edward Street and Cardinall Avenue ■■ Albert Panton Street at the junction of Al- bert Panton Street and Cardinall Avenue. Organizers advised that customers will have access to businesses and banking, for those establishments open on Saturday and on the holiday Monday. ROAD CLOSURES FOR HEROES DAY The failings of the current law have long been recognized and successive governments have failed to remedy them, Mr. Robertson said. The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY JANUARY 19, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS The jury panel is then told when to come back for selec- tion for a trial. For most cases, seven people are selected for a jury. For murder or treason, 12 ju- rors are chosen. If the judge is of the opinion that the trial will be complex, the judge may order that it be tried by a jury of 12. But before that happens, the prosecutor will read out the names of the defendant(s) and witnesses. Jurors are asked if they know any of the people involved. If anyone with some personal knowledge is then called into the jury box, he or she should explain what relationship exists with what individual. It is not un- usual for jurors in Cayman to have gone to school with a de- fendant or witness. The judge may ask questions to deter- mine whether that contact has continued and might interfere with the need to be objective and impartial. Some trials involve indi- viduals or institutions that are widely known or touch many lives. For example, when four men went on trial in 2016 for the armed rob- bery of a Cayman National Bank branch, the jury panel of 92 was not enough. In ad- dition to standard questions asked of potential jurors, the judge asked if they, or a family member, worked for Cayman National Bank or any bank in the Cayman Islands. Many potential jurors were excused by the judge because they or a relative worked for CNB or another bank. Others had con- nections with the police or prison service. Several knew one of the defendants or one of his family members. At least two people were excused on medical grounds. Jury selec- tion went into a second day so that more people could be con- tacted and asked to attend. In 2017, when former Uni- versity College of the Cayman Islands president Hassan Syed went on trial for theft from the school, prospective members of the jury were given a ques- tionnaire to answer in an ef- fort to eliminate those with close connections to the uni- versity or with any of the wit- nesses scheduled to give evi- dence. A total of 51 potential jurors were excused by the judge from that case and a jury was chosen from the re- maining panel. Each juror has an as- signed number, which stays the same throughout the ses- sion. The numbers are on small tiles kept in a covered wooden box. The court clerk pulls one number at a time from the box, checks the list of jurors and calls the corre- sponding name. That person is expected to answer “Present” and proceed to the jury box. The process is repeated until the required number has been selected to complete the array. In addition to concerns ju- rors themselves may have about possible conflicts, the prosecution and defense at- torneys may choose not to have someone sit on the jury. They may simply announce a “Challenge” and need not say why. Each defendant has five such challenges, known as pe- remptory, and the prosecu- tion has five in respect of each person on trial. If a party runs out of chal- lenges but wishes to object to a particular juror, then a reason must be given and the judge will decide. In recent years, some judges have adopted the prac- tice of having one or two “al- ternate” jurors selected so that if a problem arises with one juror, the trial can still go ahead without delay. Juror’s oath Each juror is asked sep- arately to take an oath. For those who do not swear on a Bible, similar wording is avail- able in the form of a declara- tion or affirmation. The court marshal recites the oath, a phrase at a time, for the juror to repeat, as follows: “I swear by almighty God that I will faithfully try the several issues joined between our Sovereign Lady the Queen and the defendant(s) at the bar and give a true verdict ac- cording to the evidence, so help me God.” The judge then gives the jurors instructions as to his role as judge of the law and their role as judge of the facts. After these preliminary re- marks, the Crown (prosecu- tion) opens the case. It is not unusual for a trial to last a week or more. Some matters, in which there are few witnesses, might be heard in three or four days. When ju- rors complete a trial, the judge will tell them when they are to return for another pos- sible selection. Chief Justice Anthony Smellie hears a variety of trial matters each year, in- cluding criminal. Other crim- inal trials are presided over primarily by Justice Charles Quin and judges from the U.K. and Caribbean Common- wealth countries who are ap- pointed temporarily. In addition to the chief jus- tice, Cayman currently has eight full-time Grand Court judges, several of whom are assigned to financial services and other civil cases. Delays and interruptions Definitely one of the most unusual – and longest – in- terruptions in court proceed- ings occurred in 2004 during what was known as the Cash4Titles trial. The prose- cution had closed its case in early September when court adjourned in advance of Hur- ricane Ivan. The destruction of that storm’s passage Sept. 11-12 disrupted everyone’s life, but courts were sitting again within days. The presiding judge, Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, met with Cash4Titles jurors and advised them that the trial would resume on Oct. 11. “No doubt, as in the case of everyone, you have been af- fected by this wretched storm,” he said. He asked them to advise the court clerk if they had any particular dif- ficulties, so that assistance could be offered. Then, on Oct. 11, he had to tell jurors about other “factors beyond our control,” including the absence of forensic accoun- tants and overseas attorneys. The trial was then adjourned until Nov. 11 – a recess of more than two months. More typical are delays that last a few minutes or result in court adjourning early in the day, for example, when one witness finishes his or her evidence sooner than expected and the next witness is not yet available. Sometimes something hap- pens, or does not happen, that prompts an attorney to raise a point of law: legal ar- guments are held in the ab- sence of the jury. What seems to irritate jurors most is when they all gather for jury selection only to be told they will not be needed that day. “Why didn’t you tell us sooner?” is the common question. The answer can be straightfor- ward – the defendant has de- cided to plead guilty. Even a last-minute admission usually merits some dis- count in sentence. Of course, there are other reasons for delays and inter- ruptions. The court has es- tablished a jury hotline tele- phone number that can be checked any time for the most up-to-date information. When there is sufficient time, notices are sent to the media for print or broadcast. Coroners Court Jury duty for the Coroners Court is a completely separate matter, for a different purpose and regulated by additional legislation – the Coroners Law. When a death is reported to the coroner (a judicial posi- tion held by a specifically ap- pointed magistrate), he or she must promptly decide whether or not to hold an inquest. The coroner will make this deci- sion based on the facts and circumstances of the death, and, where relevant, the con- tent of the autopsy report by the pathologist (who is a med- ical doctor) and any state- ments from, or obtained by, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. The purpose of an in- quest is not to blame anyone or find someone guilty or not guilty. The purpose is to es- tablish the identity of the de- ceased, when and where he or she died, and the cause and manner of death. In Cayman, the majority of inquests seem to be held after road accidents or incidents in- volving water sports. Several verdict are avail- able to a jury, with the most usual being natural causes or misadventure. When evi- dence is insufficient for jurors to reach a conclusion, they can return an open verdict. Possible verdicts are ex- plained by the coroner, who also presides over court pro- ceedings, sums up the evi- dence and instructs jurors on any applicable law, as well as their duties. The Coroners Law pro- vides that 12 persons shall be summonsed at a time. The period for which they serve is usually not more than a week or two. “It’s difficult for people to have to deal with a series of matters that can involve so much grief,” explained Deputy Clerk of Court Cecile Collins. “All court matters are quite sensitive, but the death of somebody’s loved one can be especially difficult to be faced with when it comes time to render a verdict.” Given the small jury panel and the likelihood of several people being excused because of some personal knowledge or connection, some jurors could end up serving for sev- eral inquests in succession. The period of service is therefore relatively short compared to Grand Court service. The law also pro- vides for a period of two years before Coroner’s Court jurors can be called again for any jury. Jury duty: When the court calls CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cayman Islands’ court structure SUMMARY COURT All criminal cases start in the Summary Court, which is pre- sided over by a magistrate. Daily court lists are generally di- vided into criminal and traffic. On Fridays, magistrates deal with civil lists. These include fi- nancial suits to a certain value, plus maintenance and affiliation matters. Friday is also the usual day for Youth and Family Courts, gener- ally presided over by a magis- trate or not less than two Jus- tices of the Peace. The Drug Rehabilitation Court, under the direction of a magis- trate, is the only treatment court established by law. A Mental Health Court and a Do- mestic Violence Court currently operate on an informal basis; they are presided over by a magistrate. Summary Court is usually held in Cayman Brac one Thursday per month, with matters continuing on the Friday if necessary. CORONERS COURT This court is presided over by a magistrate specifically appointed as coroner. It is held for cases of sudden death or deaths in un- usual circumstances. It is not concerned with criminal or civil liability. It requires a jury of seven people. GRAND COURT The Grand Court is presided over by a judge. It deals with crim- inal matters coming up from the Summary Court, for which the defendant may choose to be tried by a jury or by judge alone, as well as civil suits, including admiralty, family matters and es- tate matters. The court includes a Financial Services Division. The Grand Court hears appeals of Summary Court decisions, both criminal and civil. COURT OF APPEAL Overseas judges come to Cayman three times per year. A panel of three judges hears appeals from Grand Court deci- sions, both criminal and civil. PRIVY COUNCIL The highest appeal court for the Cayman Islands is the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, for both criminal and civil mat- ters. The Privy Council is situated in the Supreme Court building in Parliament Square in London. While court officials and civic- minded individuals may empha- size the “duty” and “service” as- pects of participation on a jury, there’s no question that fulfilling the requirements can have re- percussions on an individual’s employment. The Judicature Law recognizes the consequences of a person having to be absent from work in order to attend court during a three-month period, and possibly having to participate in one trial or more during that time. Ac- cordingly, the law delineates ob- ligations on behalf of the juror’s employer and authorizes a com- pensation scheme. When a person receives sum- mons for jury duty, “an em- ployee shall on the next day he is engaged in his employment show the summons to his im- mediate supervisor and the em- ployee shall thereupon be ex- cused from his employment for the day or days required of him in serving as a juror,” according to the law. The employer must provide full pay to the employee for the days taken to fulfill jury duty. An em- ployer who refuses to pay the employee on those days, or who terminates an employee be- cause they are serving on a jury, can be found guilty of contempt of court (carrying a maximum penalty of six months’ imprison- ment and a $500 fine). A juror is entitled to an allow- ance of $50 per day for court at- tendance, plus a maximum trav- eling allowance of $1 per mile to attend court. The allowance is paid out of the public treasury. However, a juror who receives the $50 daily allowance (if em- ployed) must pay the allowance to their employer. If the juror’s normal daily compensation is less than $50 per day, then they must pay their employer a por- tion of the $50 equal to their daily compensation. When a juror has been serving for more than two months, and their employer can demonstrate financial loss because of the ju- ror’s absence from employment, the employer can apply to the courts administrator for compen- sation to help offset the loss. JUROR PAY AND EMPLOYER OBLIGATIONS There are four Grand Court sessions per calendar year, with a new set of jurors summoned for each session. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 19, 2018 Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Delano Roosevelt Bodden of West Bay and Cayman Brac, who passed away on Sunday December 31, 2017. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Sunday, January 21, 2018 at 3:00p.m. at George Town Church of Christ, 43 Anthony Drive, off Smith Road. Viewing will be from 2:00-2:45p.m. Interment follows at Boatswain Bay Cemetery. We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Ethline Patricia Bush of West Bay, who passed away on Tuesday, January 9, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 3:00p.m. at the Lord’s Church Ministry of Peace Town Hall Road, West Bay. Viewing will be from 2:00-2:45p.m. Interment follows at Boatswain Bay Cemetery. We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Ethline Patricia Bush of West Bay, who passed away on Tuesday, January 9, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 3:00p.m. at the Lord’s Church Ministry of Peace Town Hall Road, West Bay. Viewing will be from 2:00-2:45p.m. Interment follows at Boatswain Bay Cemetery. We have been asked to announce the passing of Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Darleen Elgin Conolly of East End, who passed away on Thursday, January 11, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at 2:30p.m. at the East End Civic Centre, John McLean Drive. Viewing will be from 1:30-2:15p.m. Interment follows at East End Cemetery. Please Wear Lively, Cheerful Colours The family of the Late Adam Mark Anthony Ebanks regrets to announce his passing on Saturday, 23 December , 2017. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday, 20 January, 2018 at Church of God (Universal). Viewing will be from 1:00 p.m. prior to the service Interment will follow in North Side Cemetery. The family of Christian Sorensen regrets to announce his death on Saturday, 23 December , 2017. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Mr. McLaughlin said a 6.2 percent local unemployment rate, according to the latest figures available, was “still too high” and that “full Cay- manian employment” would be his government’s goal during the 2017-2021 term. “The Caymanian success story was built upon the im- plicit understanding that Caymanians must have an opportunity to participate in and benefit from economic growth,” he said. “They...must be the part of the building up of an even brighter future for these islands.” Premier McLaughlin urged Chamber members to reject “the naysayers” whom he said would scuttle the British territory’s economic success with populist rhet- oric about joblessness and lack of opportunities. “There are those … who it appears would rather be king of nothing than prince of something,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “We must recognize that while we may fundamen- tally disagree with their con- clusions, there is a kernel of truth at the heart of the argu- ments of some naysayers and prophets of doom.” “We are not building an economy to only benefit busi- nesses or an elite few, but we are building for all Cay- manians. Both sides [refer- ring to local companies and workers] must accept that economic contract.” Outgoing Chamber of Commerce President Kyle Broadhurst noted that it would be easier for local companies to accept “the con- tract” referenced by the pre- mier, if they saw it before it was agreed. “A new [immigration] system cannot be imple- mented without consul- tation and an open and frank dialogue … well prior to implementation,” Mr. Broadhurst said. The attorney urged corpo- rate and government leaders to have an honest conversa- tion about the true state of unemployment in the terri- tory, not an argument based on “anecdotes” and emotion. “We continue to require foreign labor to allow Cay- man’s economy to continue to flourish,” Mr. Broadhurst said. “That would be true even if every single Cayma- nian was employed.” Early on in his term as Chamber president, Mr. Broadhurst stressed the need for a better educated, better prepared local workforce. However, once those attri- butes are achieved, he agreed local companies must give opportunities to Caymanian workers first. “I do not believe I have heard this commitment stated by the Chamber so clearly ever before,” Mr. McLaughlin said. Education The premier said his gov- ernment has set goals of getting three-quarters of Cayman Islands high school graduates into further edu- cation or trade schools when they leave secondary school. He noted progress with this in the Public Works De- partment’s apprentice pro- gram, that now has 15 local students participating. Government’s budget seeks to spend $228 million on education over the next two years, and foresees the completion of the John Gray High School project in 2021. The $228 million was “more … spent that ever be- fore” on education, according to the premier. Economy The premier also touted various infrastructure and economic development proj- ects under way, stating that the current phase of the Owen Roberts International Airport expansion project should be completed by the end of the year. He said Cayman’s gov- ernment and the cruise ship lines were discussing a “fi- nancial model” for the new cruise pier in George Town. Meanwhile, work would begin on the new landfill/ waste management project later this year, he said. A bevy of road improve- ments through George Town that will result in “two lanes in both directions from Sa- vannah to West Bay” is still in the works. The premier gave no completion date, however, for either the Esterley Tib- betts Highway or the Linford Pierson Highway expansion. New courthouse? One project that may not happen within the gov- ernment term is a new courthouse facility, the premier said. Although more than $800,000 has been included in the next two government budgets for facility planning purposes, Mr. McLaughlin said government could not provide the funding Chief Justice Anthony Smellie re- quested. Mr. Smellie had re- ferred to a lack of funding available for a new court- house in a speech at the of- ficial opening of the Grand Court on Wednesday. “Government found it dif- ficult to agree to a request to allocate a sum as large as $4 million to purchase land for a new court facility … when there are no agreed plans for such a facility and there is no property being consid- ered,” he said. Mr. McLaughlin also made reference to an outline business case study that in- cluded one option for a new courthouse with a price tag of between $150 million to $177 million. “At this point, [we] cannot afford to spend [that amount] on a court facility,” the premier said. Farewell to governor The Chamber also bid farewell to Cayman Islands Governor Helen Kilpatrick, who attended the event but spoke only briefly to tell the audience that she would be leaving on March 5. Premier McLaughlin also took a moment to praise the outgoing governor, who has been in her post for four and a half years. “It has been a pleasure and an education working with her,” he said. “She will be sorely missed.” Premier foreshadows more immigration changes 50 YEARS AGO: Honda thefts; Chamber backs Cayman dollars In the Jan. 18, 1968 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, the fol- lowing story about the theft of Honda cars appeared: “There has been a spate of thefts of Hondas, about six have been reported, which appears to be due to the fact that no spare parts are available here. “In each case, the vehicle has been stolen, stripped of parts and dumped, usu- ally somewhere on the West Bay Road. “Owners of Hondas are therefore warned to take particular note of this trend.” The following story, ti- tled “Chamber of Commerce members favour Cayman dollars: The $$ Question,” appeared on the front page: “Currency was the BIG question on the agenda when the Chamber of Com- merce held an Extraordi- nary General Meeting of members on Thursday last at the Town Hall. “The rate of exchange to be used by the mercan- tile community in accepting dollars for sterling-priced goods and in cashing trav- ellers’ cheques came up for discussion in view of the fact that there has been a good amount of confusion on the issue. It was discov- ered at this meeting that visitors tendering U.S. dol- lars had been receiving dif- ferent exchange rates from different sources, i.e., 8/-, 8/1d or 8/4d being in the majority. The banks pay 8/1d for currency and 8/3d for travellers’ cheques and the Hotel Association had recently agreed to use the figure of 8/-. “Two proposals were placed before the meeting, one from Capt. E. Kirkcon- nell who moved that the merchants should use the same rate of exchange as the banks for U.S. or Cana- dian currency. The counter proposal was moved by Mr. Jim Bodden, i.e., that the Chamber recommend that its members use the ex- change rate of $2.40. “The voting on these mo- tions was taken several times and proved to be al- most 50-50. To break the deadlock, Mr. Ian Kennedy proposed that the Chamber recommend to its mem- bers that they use either the current bank rate or $2.40 and this was unani- mously approved.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Governor Helen Kilpatrick bids adieu to the Chamber of Commerce during Thursday’s Legislative Luncheon at the Kimpton Seafire. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLERNext >