SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Kirk Slam reels in anglers Annual dolphin fish tournament is this weekend B2 ‘Grease’ is the word at Prospect Playhouse Tickets now on sale for May production B5 Lifestyle & Recreation Events On Stage ■ EVENTS Orange You Glad Gala Meals on Wheels Cayman Islands to host fundraiser on April 21. B7 Flamenco dancing for beginners Internationally acclaimed performer Miguel Vargas hosts special class B3 J’Ouvert pre-dawn parade returns Batabano’s early bird event promises paint, mud and music B6 PHOTO: MELISSA WOLFECAYMAN WEEKENDER Orange You Glad Gala High of 87 Low of 76 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 WELCOMING OUR NEWEST RESIDENTS ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2018 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY ORIGINAL CHICKEN SANDWICH BIG KING Manderson faces fears at YMCA ropes course SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The tower in front of him stood 53 feet tall, but for Deputy Governor Franz Man- derson, it may as well have been twice that high. Mr. Manderson faced his fear of heights Wednesday, when he was the fi rst person to take a run at the ropes challenge course designed for the YMCA of the Cayman Islands. Moments before he cut the ribbon for the ropes course at the Field of Dreams behind the Little League fi elds, Mr. Man- derson stood and listened as Greg Smith, the chief executive offi cer of the YMCA, laid out the challenge in front of him. “It’s what we call, ‘By chal- lenge and by choice.’ It’s a challenge course,” Mr. Smith said. “You’re here to challenge yourself, and what level of challenge you have is very in- dividual to you. “Your goal may be to come out and climb to the very top. Parents get tips on helping their children read On three recent evenings, parents and their Year 2 stu- dents at Sir John A. Cumber Pri- mary School worked to improve reading skills using the Partners in Print program. The comprehensive program is produced by Pacifi c Learning and geared toward providing parents with strategies to help their children read better. Cay- man’s Literacy is for Everyone, known as LIFE, sponsored work- shops on three Tuesday evenings in February and March. Parents learned such things as word-solving strategies, re- telling a text, and using the 4P model – “pause, prompt, praise and provide” – when their child becomes stuck on a word. Annette Vaughan, a teacher at the school, said 37 parents at- tended the workshops. The pro- gram is held once a year. In an email, Ms. Vaughan said, “The intention is to repeat it every school year and to ex- tend it to the other grade levels over successive years.” During the workshops, teachers provided information on a specifi c reading strategy or skill and modeled how to use it. Parents then got the chance to POLICE BREAK UP COCKFIGHTING RING The Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service arrested a 50-year-old Bodden Town man on suspicion of cruelty to animals after fi nding more than 40 roosters at a North Sound Es- tate property that police suspect were being used for illegal cockfi ghting. For more on this story, see page 8. WOMAN KILLED ON HIGHWAY BRIDGE BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 56-year-old woman from the Philip- pines died Thursday morning after she was struck while walking on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway bridge just north of the Kimpton Seafi re hotel. A gold Ford Escape traveling southbound toward George Town was involved in the crash with the pedestrian just before 8 a.m. Thursday, according to the Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service. The accident victim died at the scene. Philippines Honorary Consul Arturo Ursua said the woman worked locally and efforts were under way Thursday afternoon to notify her family about the accident. Less than an hour after the crash, a video circulated around the islands on social media showing the immediate aftermath of the ac- cident scene where a weeping man sitting alongside the road states that the victim “tried to run across” the road. The video also shows another man standing next to the victim’s body, speaking on a cellphone inaudibly. The Royal Cayman Islands Police asked the local press and residents not to share the footage “which can be extremely upsetting to family members.” The SUV driver was not injured in the crash. The wreck is believed to be the fourth fatal traffi c accident to occur in the islands during 2018, three – including Thursday’s – have oc- curred on Grand Cayman and one occurred on Cayman Brac. The fatal crash closed off traffi c in the southbound lanes of the Esterley Tib- betts between the Kimpton and Yacht Drive for more than fi ve hours Thursday as police investigated the crash. Emergency vehicles, including ambulances and fi re trucks, were wedged around the crash scene, while one of the northbound lanes was opened for south- bound drivers to travel through the area. The accident snarled traffi c during the morning rush hour. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Franz Manderson wipes his brow in relief after being lowered from the fi rst platform. Deputy Governor Franz Manderson stands triumphantly on the fi rst landing area after scaling the course ladder. – PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS West Shore Center, Seven Mile Beach • 10am to 10pm Fresh, Healthy & Delicious! Cayman Cookin’ Over a Wood Fire! Taste why we’re voted “Best”! Internati onal Award-Winning Caribbean Chicken! Dine-in! Take-out! Indulge on a feast for 2 to 4 or 6 or more! With an awesome selection of sides to choose from. 945-2290 For assistance or enquiries, please check www.eso.ky or call 244-4676 or 244-4615. Better Data...Better Decisions…Better Business Business Survey 2018...Your Response Matters! How did this change in 20 Cayman Islands: Growth in Real GDP 2007-2016 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 17? The annual System of National Accounts (SNA) survey collects the information necessary to measure the health and performance of Cayman’s economy and its various industries. The survey runs from April 9th to June 1st 2018. Data collected for the SNA survey is CONFIDENTIAL under the Statistics Law (2016 Revision) and is EXEMPT from the Freedom of Information Law. In 2016, Cayman’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.1%, the strongest growth since 2007. CLARIFICATION In relation to a story titled “Fund started to send Filipino man’s body home,” which appeared in the Cayman Compass on Thursday, relatives of Marlon Formentos Cabrera have asked the Compass to clarify that funds raised in a GoFundMe cam- paign will not only be used to pay for the repatriation of his body to the Philippines, but also to send money to his mother and family back home. Privacy protection takes world stage, little noticed in Cayman BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The issue of personal data protection took center stage in Washington D.C. this week as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg tried to explain to Con- gress how information be- longing to 87 million social media users was improperly shared with a company now accused of attempting to in- fluence U.S. elections via the use of some of that data. Meanwhile, in Cayman, the same general privacy protec- tion matters appear to be re- ceiving little public attention following last year’s hastily passed Data Protection Law and accompanying regula- tions which are now out for public comment through the end of this month. The Cayman Islands Data Protection Law is due to come into force in early 2019, ap- plying to both local and inter- nationally operating firms as well as the government itself. The substance of the data protection issue was sum- marized during Tuesday’s question-and-answer ses- sion with Mr. Zuckerberg on Capitol Hill. Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois asked: “Mr. Zuck- erberg, would you be com- fortable sharing with us the name of the hotel you stayed in last night?” “No,” Mr. Zuckerberg answered. “If you messaged any- body this week, would you share with us the names of the people you’ve messaged?” Senator Durbin asked. “I would probably not choose to do that publicly, here,” Mr. Zuckerberg replied. “That may be what this is all about: your right to pri- vacy,” Senator Durbin said. “The limits of your right to privacy and how much you give away … in the name of, quote, ‘connecting people around the world.’ What in- formation [is] Facebook col- lecting, who they’re sending it to and whether they ever asked me, in advance, my permission to do that.” Cayman law The Cayman Islands Cabinet has proposed a start date of January 2019 for strict privacy protection rules that will affect every private and public sector en- tity involved in processing someone’s personal infor- mation. It will be Cayman’s first attempt at a law to pro- tect personal data. A “working group” con- sisting of both private sector leaders and government em- ployees is reviewing the leg- islation to help draw up plans to implement the par- adigm shift in local pri- vacy protection. The group, chaired by Deputy Om- budsman Jan Liebaers, in- cludes local attorneys Peter Broadhurst, Tim Dawson and Peter Colegate, as well as Cabinet Office staffers Nadira Lord and Garfield Ellison, and Paul Morgan of OfReg, Cayman’s utilities and commodities regulator. The group has produced draft regulations to accom- pany the law that further set out how individuals can access and monitor their own personal information held by public agencies, as well as data held by private sector vendors and other companies who require the information for business purposes. Access to a per- son’s data should be pro- vided, free of charge, to that person if they request it, save for in cases of repeti- tive or fraudulent requests. The release of certain personal data, such as de- tails which could cause “mental or physical harm” to the person, personal ed- ucational records and some personal health records can be withheld from the person to whom they belong in cer- tain circumstances, under the regulations. The Data Protection Law itself sets out certain cir- cumstances where a per- son’s data, held by a gov- ernment agency, could not be accessed. For instance, if a police investigation is on- going against a person, that person could not then re- quest police to release data pertinent to that case before it goes to court. Once the Data Protec- tion Law takes effect, en- forcement and monitoring will be the responsibility of the newly created Office of the Ombudsman. The legislation and ac- companying regulations have major implications for local businesses and international firms in Cayman, as well as for any outside entities that have data processing func- tions here. The law’s enact- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a House Energy and Commerce hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, about the use of Facebook data to target American voters in the 2016 election and data privacy. - PHOTO: AP ment is seen as vital to the fi- nancial services industry, which is keen to access European mar- kets – most of which have been operating under data protection laws since the mid-1990s. Preparation Mr. Liebaers has said that Cayman businesses should start preparing for the advent of data protection, but noted that many of the larger finan- cial firms and law firms will already be familiar with the concept and already adhere to international best practices. However, many smaller, locally operating companies may be unfamiliar with or unaware of what is required. Several key changes to the law were made from previous versions of the bill, most no- tably the exclusion of a re- quirement for government to maintain a register of all “data controllers” – those workers or business entities whose job it is to handle personal information. The data controllers are given the responsibility of using an individual’s records “fairly,” processing that information only for the legal purpose for which it was provided. For in- stance, a bank teller giving out details of a person’s accounts to a third party, or an accounts re- ceivables clerk leaving records containing personal information out in a space where they can be viewed by other individuals, could land their employer – the “data controller” – in trouble under the new law. Online security Cybersecurity is vital when conducting business online, and becomes even more critical with initiatives such as e-gov- ernment that Cayman is now moving toward. Compliance with the law can be particularly important during instances where data breaches occur. “The law requires that a data controller has appropriate organizational and technical safeguards to ensure that there is no unauthorized use of per- sonal data, or loss, damage or destruction of personal data,” Maples attorney Martin Liv- ingston said, discussing the issue with the Cayman Com- pass last year. “Therefore, [a company] will have a duty to implement such safeguards. “Any liability for a hacking would therefore presumably depend on the extent to which the company has complied with such a duty and is able to demonstrate steps taken for the purposes of such compliance. It should also be noted that there is a duty to report any per- sonal data breaches and what steps have been taken to miti- gate against the adverse effects of the same.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2018 ®Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence (where applicable). It starts with you.™ The Scotia Centre and Strand Branch locations are relocating to our new 19,000 sq ft., state-of-the-art facility at 18 Forum Lane, Camana Bay on Monday, April 16, 2018. We look forward to welcoming you. A new level of banking has arrived, designed with you in mind. Welcome to your new banking experience.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Allow us to welcome officially (and very belatedly) the Cayman Islands’ 708 new permanent residents. After waiting, sometimes for years, for their appli- cations to be heard by the Caymanian Status and Per- manent Residency Board, these applicants have finally been cleared to remain on our islands, to continue working, raising families, and contributing to our soci- ety’s collective success. We also want to recognize immigration officials and PR Board members for their recent display of admin- istrative efficiency. They appear to be clearing up the massive backlog government created when it stopped reviewing (but continued accepting) PR applications toward the end of 2014. Following years of inaction, the board since last May has reviewed 1,656 applications and reached 1,236 decisions. In addition to the 708 people whose applications have been approved, 528 applications were denied, with hundreds of those decisions being appealed. Only 80 applications remain in limbo. Cayman’s newest official “permanent residents” don’t require much introduction. After many years of living here, they’re already well known to their neigh- bors, coworkers, friends and associates. (In other words, our community.) Similarly, they do not need “freshman orientation” in regard to local laws, rules, communities and idiosyn- crasies. (They know to drive on the left-hand side of the road, that a honk can mean “hello” and that “soon come” is synonymous for “make yourself comfortable, this could take a while.”) Currently, Cayman is booming and blooming – as evidenced by continued development and economic growth. Our country needs many more smart, hard- working and socially invested people to continue fueling our skyward trajectory – exactly the type of people who apply for and are granted PR status. Many (including the Compass in editorials) have voiced complaints about Cayman’s infrastructure problems, whether it’s the availability of housing, daily traffic snarls or Saturday gridlock at Owen Roberts International Airport. Although such issues range from irritations to real impediments, it is important to keep in mind that these “growing pains” are actually unde- sirable consequences of what is ultimately a good news story: Cayman is thriving. Understandably, the rise of the “New Cayman” engenders feelings of nostalgia for the “Old Cayman,” where crime was scarce, traffic rare and Seven Mile Beach a virginal expanse of white sand and turquoise sea. Of course, no place is, or was, as perfect as it is in memory. Rather than mourning the loss of an indeter- minate “Golden Age” that is most likely a sepia-toned myth, we should view the ongoing changes to our country as a forward-moving metamorphosis. Just as the integration of new residents to our islands is something to be celebrated, the continuing segregation of our society is something to be con- demned – even if it is being masqueraded as a policy of “protectionism.” Perhaps the most obvious example to us is our education system, where the decision made long ago to reserve public education almost exclusively for Cay- manians has resulted in today’s two-track system that funnels foreigners and Caymanians with means into generally superior private schools, and less wealthy Caymanians into public schools. Such state-mandated segregation (as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in its landmark 1954 decision in Brown v Board of Educa- tion) prima facie results in schools (and outcomes) that are separate and unequal. The phenomenon also can be seen in the civil service, where Caymanian-centric (and sometimes Caymanian-only) HR policies lock employees in velvet handcuffs, removing incentives and competi- tion that could ignite efficiency and innovation on an organizational level, and professional growth on an individual level. The philosophy of protectionism – which permeates Cayman, starting with immigration and employment laws – threatens to stifle the success of the very class of people officials are trying to protect. Welcoming our newest residents Protecting capital gains from inflation If your employer gives you a 2 percent wage in- crease, and inflation is 3 per- cent, has your real income increased or decreased? As- sume you bought a horse barn and 40 acres of land for $200,000 in 1988 for a riding school you operated. You have just retired from your busi- ness and sold the land and barn for $360,000. In the 30 years from the time you originally bought the prop- erty, the value of the dollar has fallen by about one-half due to inflation – so, rather than having a $160,000 gain from the sale of your prop- erty – in real (inflation-ad- justed) dollars, you suffered a $40,000 loss. The IRS will claim that you had a $160,000 gain, and charge you a capital gains tax on it (at a current rate of up to 23.2 percent, not counting any state capital gains tax rate). After adjusting for in- flation and taxes, there was a real loss of roughly a third of your investment. The government causes inflation by “printing” too much money – i.e., expanding the money supply faster than the increase in goods and services. To put it more di- rectly, the government has stolen about half the value of your money over the last 30 years and then the IRS has had the unmitigated audacity to tax you on the government theft of part of your property. It has been long recog- nized that most long-term capital gains are a result of people willing to take the risk that a proposed new in- vestment will be profitable. A large percentage of all in- vestments are not profitable and result in a loss of capital. Capital investment is neces- sary for an economy to grow and for new jobs to be cre- ated. Low investment levels result in less growth, and high investment levels nor- mally result in higher growth. A capital gains tax, in effect, raises the risk and price of the investment, resulting in lower investment and slower growth and job creation. To some extent, the cap- ital gains tax is a discre- tionary tax in that people can avoid the tax by not selling assets, such as corporate stock, real estate and other properties. If people think the capital gains tax is too high, they might defer sales, but if the tax is lowered, they might sell the asset and “realize” the gain. Some at the IRS and elsewhere have justified taxing the inflation portion of the gain on the basis that “the government needs the money” – while ignoring the facts that taxing inflation is economically damaging and immoral, and that the gov- ernment receives no revenue on assets that are locked up. The capital gains tax rate has been lowered and raised several times over the last four decades. Because people are sensitive to the effective tax rate, revenues have risen and vice versa. The huge in- crease in capital gains re- alizations has produced enough revenues to offset the reduction in the rate. There have been studies, going back to the Reagan Treasury, indi- cating that capital gains rates above 15 percent are revenue losers over the long run – again, because of the discre- tionary nature of the tax. Well-regarded tax econ- omists have argued that in- dexing capital gains for infla- tion would result in several hundred thousand new jobs and a significant boost to GDP. Larry Kudlow, who just became President Trump’s chief economic adviser, ar- gued in an article he wrote last year that the time was long overdue for indexing capital gains for inflation. Some have argued it would take an act of Con- gress to allow indexing of capital gains. However, Charles Cooper, former assis- tant attorney general of the Justice Department, along with a couple of his col- leagues, looked at the issue back in 1992 and concluded that the IRS had full au- thority to allow indexing of capital gains for inflation. In the years since, there have been several related court rulings that further clarify that the IRS has the authority to make the change. Now that Larry Kudlow has the president’s ear, I hope he will convince Mr. Trump to issue an executive order to index capital gains for in- flation – which the president has full power to do. By doing so, the government would move toward more consis- tency in the definition of cost, spur economic growth and job creation, increase govern- ment revenues, and most im- portantly stop the immoral practice of taxing govern- ment-caused inflation. Richard W. Rahn is chairman of Improbable Success Productions and on the board of the American Council for Capital Formation. © 2018, The Washington Times, LLC. RICHARD W. RAHN A capital gains tax, in effect, raises the risk and price of the investment, resulting in lower investment and slower growth and job creation. 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”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2018 6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Project opens portal to virtual tourists JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new project aims to bring the beauty of Cay- man’s underwater world to a new type of tourist – virtual scuba divers. South Africa-based WildEarth teamed up with scuba operator Don Foster’s for three live web broad- casts from Cayman’s reefs last week. More than 60,000 people tuned in for the test launch, screened on the organiza- tion’s Facebook page as well as on the website of PADI – the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. Followers were able to pose questions about Cay- man’s wildlife in real time to divers and marine biolo- gists, who were rigged up with high-tech microphones and camera equipment. The group will be back later this month for a week of broadcasts and ultimately hopes to bring daily dives from beneath the waves to armchair tourists all over the world. Emily Wallington, of WildEarth, said the DiveLive project would be an expan- sion of the company’s Safa- riLive platform – a partnership with National Geographic TV, which takes followers on vir- tual safaris. “Our mission is to share nature with the world and connect people to na- ture,” she said. “These broadcasts allow people to interact in real time and get their questions answered. You actually feel like you are transported; you are on the back of the sa- fari truck or you are with the diver underwater.” Mrs. Wallington and her husband Graham started Sa- fariLive in 2006. It currently broadcasts live feeds from wilderness areas in South Africa and Kenya on the in- ternet, six hours a day. Ed- ited content appears on the National Geographic tele- vision channel. Dedicated followers tune in daily to follow the latest goings on, like a nature doc- umentary unfolding in real time, said Mrs. Wallington. With their latest project, the couple hopes to take the concept beneath the waves. They have self funded trial broadcasts in the Cayman Islands as a “proof of concept.” They are cur- rently attempting to raise $60,000 through Kickstarter – an online platform for crowd- funding creative projects – for a three-month pilot se- ries in Cayman. If the project is successful, they will look to partner with a television company and ex- pand to other parts of the globe. Mrs. Wallington said her husband had worked as a divemaster for Don Fos- ter’s as a teenager and fallen in love with the island. Now in his 40s, she said, he had never forgotten the magic of Cayman’s reefs and wanted to make the is- lands’ ecosystem the home base for the project. The broadcasts are led by a presenter-diver wearing a full-face dive mask that al- lows him to communicate un- derwater. Viewers post ques- tions on Facebook, which are filtered through to the dive team beneath the surface. She said the concept had proved very successful with safaris and there was a ready-made audience for a dive version. “We have a huge commu- nity of people addicted to this type of thing,” she said. She added that it had spin-off benefits for tourism and also allowed people who were physically or financially unable to travel to exotic lo- cations to experience na- ture close up. “We are not preaching to people. We are just trying to get people to fall in love with the ocean,” she added. Miss Cayman and Miss Universe gain government funding TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Despite initial lack of gov- ernment support for both the 2018 Miss Cayman Is- lands and subsequent Miss Universe pageants, local or- ganizers started recruiting candidates in April, planning participation in the late-au- tumn global final. Applications opened this month for both pageants, with an April 30 deadline. The two pageants are inti- mately linked. The winner of the local contest goes on to represent the Cayman Islands in the Miss Universe compe- tition, tentatively scheduled this year for November or De- cember in Manila, capital of the Philippines. The Manhattan headquar- ters of Miss Universe declined to confirm the date or venue, however, saying “nothing has been announced yet, nothing is official.” The spokesman was unable to say when an announcement might come. Committee chair for both Miss Cayman and Miss Uni- verse, Derri Dacres-Lee, ac- knowledged that government had not initially budgeted funds for the two pageants, despite years of support and a $100,000 allocation for 2019. While offering no expla- nation for the lack of 2018 funding, she said the 2019 figure “is a two-year budget,” and that “government is cur- rently processing funding for the 2018 pageant.” Miss Cayman would go ahead as planned, she said. “The government is sup- porting the committee with funding,” she added. “They have ways of moving money around for the pageant this year, and they have allo- cated full funding, and more, should we need it.” She estimated costs for Miss Cayman at $30,000 “on the scale it has been oper- ating,” and pegged Miss Uni- verse at half that sum – “ap- proximately $15,000.” This includes wardrobe, training, travel and per diem for the titleholder. Pointing to the overall $100,000 budget, “government will have funding in place for 2019,” Ms. Dacres-Lee said. “I am looking forward to an- other exciting year.” Training sessions for the candidates will follow the April 30 deadline for applications. Ms. Dacres-Lee hoped to recruit at least five contes- tants – between the ages of 18 and 27, never married, not pregnant and with no crim- inal convictions. “We are seeking role models,” said Ministry of Tourism Administrative Of- ficer Judy Powery, govern- ment representative for both pageants. The contests are more than a simple beauty contest, she said, adding that they serve for “providing opportu- nities for our young women to get education and experi- ence through travel and in- teraction with women from all over the world. “We also offer an edu- cational scholarship in the amount of CI$70,000 for the winner and $5,000 each for the first and second runners-up.” The training teaches poise, balance and confi- dence, while the contest it- self offers international ex- posure on a world stage, Ms. Dacres-Lee said. Because Miss Cayman au- tomatically goes to Miss Uni- verse, all local contestants must meet the requirements of the New York corporate headquarters, which demands an indigenous pageant. The Cayman Islands gov- ernment acquired both the Miss Universe and Miss World franchises in the early 1990s from a private local owner. The New York parent itself had been partly owned by a consortium of U.S. TV giant NBC, Spanish-language broadcaster Univision and the Trump Organization. In 2015, after controver- sial remarks by presidential candidate Donald Trump re- garding Mexican immigrants, NBC dropped the partner- ship. Mr. Trump subsequently sued Univision for $500 mil- lion and bought NBC’s share in the Miss Universe organi- zation. He quickly sold the entire company – which in- cluded Miss USA and Miss Teen USA – to New York- based WME-IMG, William Morris Endeavors and Inter- national Management Group. “For the Cayman Islands,” Ms. Powery said, “Miss Uni- verse is a tourism product,” advertising the destination. “The members of Miss Uni- verse … if your girl is get- ting a lot of views, espe- cially on social media, say, 30,000 views, 40,000 views, that is a lot of attention for the Cayman Islands. People will follow their favorites. They’ll come to Cayman, and TV audiences all over the world tune in to watch Miss Universe.” In the meantime, Ms. Powery said, the schedule to select and train contestants, and prepare them for the global finals was “very tight.” It also means that Cayman may find itself overwhelmed in August, witnessing not only Miss Cayman Islands, but also Miss Teen on Aug. 25 and the separate Miss World contest, acquired from government in 2017 by 1992 Miss Cayman Pa- mela Ebanks-Small, who launched candidate re- cruitment in late March at www.missworldcayman.com. Miss Cayman 2016 Monyque Brooks, right, places the pageant crown on the head of the 2017 winner Anika Conolly as runner-up Kristin Amaya, who went on to represent the Cayman Islands in the Miss World contest, looks on. Recruitment for contestants is under way for the 2018 competition. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY WildEarth hopes to bring the magic of Cayman’s reefs to armchair tourists around the world. Graham and Emily Wallington, co-founders of WildEarth, are bringing live footage of Cayman’s reefs to the world, in cooperation with Cayman’s Don Foster’s dive operation.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2018 The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS The family of Marlon Cabrera regrets to announce his death on Saturday, 7 April, 2018. A viewing will be held 5:00-8:00 p.m. on Sunday, 22 April, 2018 at Bodden Funeral Service 117 Walkers Road. Mr. Cabrera will be repatriated to the Philippines. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. The family of the Late Jaime Levi Williams also known as “James” originally of Cuba, regrets to announce his passing on Monday, 2 April, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A memorial service will be held 2:00 p.m. Sunday, 15 April at Bodden Funeral Service, 117 Walkers Rd. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Cayman Islands Seafarers association. The family of the Late Ruth Moncrieffe regrets to announce her passing on Friday, 30 March, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 3:00 p.m. Saturday 14 April at the Church of God Chapel, Bodden Town, viewing will be from 2:00 p.m. prior to the service. Interment will follow in New Bodden Town Cemetery The family of the Late Armand Dilbert regrets to announce his passing on Tuesday, 27 March, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 4:00 p.m. Saturday, 14 April 2018 at the East End Civic Centre, viewing will be from 3:00 p.m. prior to the service. Interment will follow in East End Cemetery. The family of the Late Vivion Burowise Ebanks better known as Ping-Ping, announce his passing on March 21st, 2018 in Honduras. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday April 21st at 3pm at the Church of God, West Bay, 108 Capt Reginald Drive. The family of Virginia Castillo regrets to announce her death on Tuesday,10 April, 2018. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. A funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, 21 April, 2018 at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Rd.. Viewing will be prior to the service from 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow in West Bay Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Cayman Island Baptist Church-Building Fund. practice the skill with their child as assistant teachers observed, providing prompts, praise and suggestions. Parents also received a package of handouts de- tailing the key points from each lesson and tools to help them continue using the strategies at home. Program sponsor LIFE al- lowed each child at the work- shop to choose a book to take home from a selection the organization had provided. The idea was to encourage the students and their par- ents to continue prac- ticing the strategies learned during the evening. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Three workshops were held recently at West Bay’s Sir John A. Cumber Primary School to help parents assist their children with reading. Parents get tips on helping their children read Police break up cockfighting ring The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service announced on Thursday that officers ar- rested a man on March 21 in connection with an illegal cockfighting ring. According to the RCIPS, police carried out a search in the North Sound Estate area with the assistance of De- partment of Agriculture of- ficials, and found more than 40 roosters. The roosters had various injuries, which a veterinary officer deter- mined to be caused by acts of cruelty by the owner, the RCIPS stated. Officers conducted further searches and found a large quantity of artificial spurs, along with prohibited bio- medical drugs and other im- plements, which were seized, police stated. Officers also reportedly recovered more than 40 other chickens of varying ages. “Due to the types of in- juries the roosters had sus- tained, and the artificial spurs and implements that were found on the prop- erty, officers had cause to suspect the birds had been used for cockfighting,” the RCIPS stated. The property’s owner, a 50-year-old Bodden Town man, was arrested on suspi- cion of cruelty to an animal. “Activities such as cock- fighting are not only illegal, but also subject animals to inhumane conditions and cruelty,” said Adrian Estwick, director of the Department of Agriculture. “We are com- mitted to combatting such activities while partnering with other agencies such as the RCIPS, and encourage the public not to support these activities either.” The search was conducted by community police officers, the RCIPS added. “While we are excited to have community officers in- teracting with the public and providing a positive face for the organization, that is just one aspect of what they do. Enforcement of crime is the other side of the coin,” RCIPS Superintendent Robert Graham said. “Offenses such as cockfighting and other illegal gambling often lead to other, more serious crimes, such as robbery and even murder.” He added, “One of the major goals of the Commu- nity Policing Department is to put a stop to these kinds of activities before they have a chance to take root and es- calate. As such, our commu- nity officers will continue to proactively target all forms of illegal gambling.” Photographed is one of the roosters found at the suspected cockfighting ring police found on March 21. - PHOTOS: RCIPS Police also seized this collection of artificial spurs that are used for cockfighting. Assistant teachers work with parents in practicing reading strategies with their children.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2018 Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Amelia Rosa Wood of George Town, affectionately known as “Miss Amelia” who passed away on Tuesday March 27, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday April 13, 2018 at 2:00pm at Church of God Full Gospel Hall, 68 South Church Street, George Town. Viewing will be at 1:00-1:45pm. Interment Follows at Prospect Cemetery. Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Dorriel Ednie McLean, who passed away on Monday April 2, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Sunday April 15, 2018 at 2:00pm at East End Civic Center, John McLean Drive. Viewing will be at 1:00-1:45pm. Interment Follows at East End Cemetery. e have been asked to announce the passing of Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Derrington Miller, affectionately known as “Bo” who passed away on Sunday April 8, 2018. Details of a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Raymond Cecil Barnes, who passed away on Sunday April 8, 2018. Details of a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. Funeral Home Details of a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. Funeral Home Details of a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. Churchill’s Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Lessel Carney Ebanks, who passed away on Monday April 9, 2018. The family of Anthony Drake regrets to announce his death on Friday, 30 March, 2018. A viewing will be held 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon on Sunday, 15 April, 2018 at Bodden Funeral Service 117 Walkers Road. Mr. Drake will be repatriated to the Jamaica. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. The family of the Late Leighton Dixon regrets to announce his passing on Wednesday, 4 April, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. Sunday, 22 April 2018 at the East End Civic Centre, viewing will be from 1:00 p.m. prior to the service. Interment will follow in East End Cemetery. For someone else, their goal might be to just put on a har- ness, because for you, that’s well out of your comfort zone. The idea of the course is to take people from where they are and help expand be- yond their comfort zone to where they’ll grow.” The deputy governor was a fitting person to open the course, because $80,000 in funds for the equipment were raised as a result of the Deputy Governor’s 5K Run last year. That amount made up more than half the cost of the course. The course, which took months to develop, is for all age groups. Mr. Smith said he has seen people as young as 5 years old and as old as 80 take their own challenge. The point, he said, is to put yourself in a position that seems uncom- fortable and to trust yourself to overcome those obstacles. As Mr. Smith spoke, Mr. Manderson stood and lis- tened. He knew he was mo- ments away from not just donning protective equip- ment and testing his nerves, but doing so with a large public audience. “Thank you for that pep talk and telling me that 80-year-olds can do this. Now I’m going to have to do it for sure,” he joked to Mr. Smith. “I have two things that give me a hard time; two things that I fear. It’s failing at anything, and heights. I don’t know why or when I became scared of heights, but at some point in my life, I no longer could climb mango trees and do all the things that I used to do as a young boy. “This is a real challenge for me. Meet your fears. Meet the challenge. Lead by example.” The Alpine Tower, built from utility poles donated by the Caribbean Utilities Com- pany, employs several dif- ferent mechanisms to test people’s nerve. Mr. Mander- son’s first obstacle would be a ladder that led to a cat- walk about 15-20 feet off the ground. And if he chose, he could then try climbing the poles, outfitted with hand and leg holds, attempting one of the course’s chal- lenges at a time. Mr. Smith said that the tower’s total height is 53 feet, but the final platform where you stand is 50 feet above the ground. Mr. Manderson scaled the ladder with no problem, and as he stood on the catwalk facing the assem- bled crowd, he decided that was far enough for him to travel on this occasion. The crowd clapped for the head of Cayman’s civil ser- vice, and he was asked if he wanted to try to go any fur- ther. Then, Mr. Smith, holding a belaying rope, asked Mr. Manderson to trust in him. He had to face backward and step off the platform, while Mr. Smith controlled his slow descent back to the ground. Safely on the ground, Mr. Manderson received another ovation for climbing out of his comfort zone. “It was a really exhil- arating experience,” said Mr. Manderson of his ropes course feat. “Actually, climbing up was the easy part. But standing on the platform and seeing how high up you are, and then having the trust to jump off the ledge and come down? That was the really difficult part.” Mr. Manderson went on to say that the experience would be great for children and for corporate training exercises, and he thanked the YMCA for bringing the course to the community. For Mr. Smith, it was just a joy to see the new appa- ratus in action. The course – which has both low and high rope challenges – is meant to give an interesting experi- ence to both novice and ex- pert climbers. But more than the physical challenge, said Mr. Smith, is the mental and emotional one. “What you see here is a lot of perceived risk. It seems to be quite scary,” said Mr. Smith earlier in the day. “The actual risk is far lower than the perceived risk, and that’s what makes it so exciting. You’re going do this and say, ‘Man, I could get hurt today. Something bad could happen to me.’ But the reality is, the level of safety precautions that are out here make this a very safe place.” Manderson faces fears at YMCA ropes course CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Jennifer Ahearn, co-chair of the DG 5K Challenge Committee, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson and the YMCA’s Andrew Johnson and Greg Smith cut the ribbon at the official opening of the ropes challenge course. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY OIL SPILL SHUTS DOWN AIRPORT AREA ROUNDABOUT An oil spill temporarily shut down the roundabout at Shedden Road and Dorcy Drive, beside the Owen Rob- erts International Airport runway, Thursday afternoon. Police spokesman Mikhail Campbell said a truck was responsible for the spill, which happened around 10 a.m. and left residue on the roundabout and for about 100 yards up Shedden Road. The spill resulted in at least one accident. Marcia Stewart said she was nav- igating the roundabout, heading onto Crewe Road, when her van started to slide. It went off the road and ploughed into the chain- link fence on the perimeter of the airport runway. She was not injured. POLICE SEIZE GUN, ARREST 3 Police seized a Glock 17 automatic pistol and a number of rounds of am- munition at an address in Newlands, Bodden Town following a search of the premises Wednesday. Officers made the find after executing a search warrant at the address. As a result, they arrested two women, ages 50 and 27, of George Town, and a 31-year-old man, of Bodden Town, on suspicion of pos- session of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition. The three suspects re- mained in police custody Thursday while the investi- gation continues. Police seized this Glock 17 automatic pistol and bullets during a search of a premises in Newlands Wednesday. - PHOTO: RCIPS Marcia Stewart slid on an oil spill at the Shedden Rd./Dorcy Dr. roundabout and ended up hitting the airport perimeter fence on Thursday morning. She was uninjured. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSSNext >