ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY APRIL 23, 2018 High of 88 Low of 76 Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 2 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: WHEN IS A ‘STORY’ NOT A STORY? LOCAL | PAGE 6 HISTORIC HOME DAMAGED BY FIRE SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY ORIGINAL CHICKEN SANDWICH BIG KING Police: Toughen traffic laws BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is backing changes to local traffic laws that would make it easier to seize and destroy motorbikes that are not street legal, Police Commissioner Derek Byrne said Friday. In addition, Mr. Byrne said the police service was working with other govern- ment agencies to increase traffic fines for things like speeding, DUI, driving without insurance and other traffic offenses “across the board.” The proposals are under discussion with the attorney general’s office and would eventually need legislative support to take effect, the commissioner said. Mr. Byrne told reporters Friday that po- lice are having difficulty seizing illegal bikes in certain cases because of the way the current Traffic Law is written. “[In some cases] police officers do not have the power to seize those bikes … and the bikes we take possession of, we cannot destroy them,” Mr. Byrne said. “We want the power to seize and destroy il- legal motorbikes.” Cayman law currently does not allow unlicensed, unregistered vehicles of any sort to be used on the road, but there is an outstanding legal question of whether certain dirt bikes or other unlicensed mo- torbikes could be made street legal with modifications. In 17 traffic prosecutions pursued by the RCIPS last year involving unregistered or illegally operated motorbikes, the vehi- cles had to be given back to the owner in at least five instances because no offense was detected, according to records obtained by the Cayman Compass via the Freedom of Information Law. Eight of those 17 investigations ulti- mately led to no prosecution. The main difficulty those cases, ac- cording to records obtained by the Com- pass, is that police could not formally iden- tify the motorbike driver. The Cayman Compass reviewed the specific details of the eight investigations where no charges were preferred and found that in some cases, no one came forward to claim the seized vehicle, which remained in police custody. In other investigations, the vehicle owner demanded to receive it back from police impound and if there was no proof of that person using the motorbike il- legally, it was returned. “The RCIPS has no legal basis on which to continue to detain motorbikes once the required documents are presented and veri- fied,” said Chief Inspector Raymond Chris- tian, who responded to the Compass open records request. BURGLARIES DOUBLE IN BODDEN TOWN BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Royal Cayman Islands Police district- by-district breakdown of burglaries and related crimes has revealed that Bodden Town district saw more than a two-fold increase in home and business break- ins last year. The number of burglaries and related crimes reported during 2017 in Bodden Town, including attempted burglary and aggravated burglary, more than doubled when compared to 2016. There were 156 burglary-related crimes in Bodden Town last year compared to just 68 during 2016. Bodden Town still came second in overall number of burglaries for the year when compared to the larger and much more populous George Town area, but the vast majority of the increase in break-ins reported for last year came from Bodden Town district, police said. “During the spring [of 2017], a wave of burglaries affected Bodden Town, most of which fit a similar pattern and were found to have been committed by the same group of individuals,” an RCIPS state- ment indicated. Meanwhile, burglaries for East End and North Side, which have experienced similar problems in earlier years, either dropped off or stayed about the same be- tween 2016 and 2017. Overall, burglaries at local homes and FAST TRACK PASSENGERS BYPASS AIRPORT CROWDS JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com “This is a huge step forward,” said Kent McTaggart as he breezed past the immigration and customs lines at Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport and out into the warm Cayman evening Friday. Mr. McTaggart and his family were among the first passengers to bypass the notoriously long wait lines at Grand Cayman’s airport after going through a new fast track customs and immigration process in Miami. It took passengers less than five min- utes from stepping off the plane in Cayman to hailing a cab outside the Arrivals Hall as Deputy Police Commissioner Anthony Ennis, Commissioner Derek Byrne, Superintendent Robert Graham and Acting Superintendent Brad Ebanks speak with the press Friday morning. – PHOTO: BRENT FULLER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » All hands on deck for Earth Day! Plastic Free Cayman volunteers Nick and Kate Grieff were among those who took to the canals around SafeHaven Saturday in kayaks and stand-up paddleboards to clean up more than 400 pounds of trash. It was just one of several Earth Day events to occur over the weekend. Please see the full story on page 10 of today’s newspaper. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 23, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) GRINGO (R) 1:35 I 6:35 TRAFFIK (R) 4:15 I 9:15 TRUTH OR DARE (PG13) 1:45 I 7:20 BLOCKERS (R) 4:30 I 10:00 A QUIET PLACE (PG13) 1:25 I 5:00 I 7:15 I 10:05 VIP WRINKLE IN TIME 3D (PG) 1:10 I 3:55 2D I 6:35 2D I 9:10 RAMPAGE 3D (PG13) 1:35 2D VIP I 2:30 2D I 7:30 2D VIP I 9:30 READY PLAYER ONE 3D (PG13) 3:40 I 4:15 2D VIP I 6:45 2D I 9:50 2D JURY NOTICE All current Grand Court Jurors who are in the April-July session are advised that the report date of Monday, April 23 has been changed and they are not required to attend. In- stead, they must report for jury duty on Monday, April 30 at 9:45 a.m. The most up-to-date information can be obtained at 244-3899 or jury@judicial.ky. SPECIAL IMMUNIZATION CLINIC FOR VACCINATION WEEK The Public Health De- partment is hosting a spe- cial immunization clinic on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for children who need vaccinations, including those with missed/out- standing doses. The clinic coincides with the 16th Vaccination Week in the Americas. Cayman health offi- cials will contact parents to schedule appointments for their children. For others seeking vaccines, no ap- pointment is necessary and they will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, contact the Public Health Department on 244-2648. This year’s Vaccina- tion Week has a foot- ball theme in honor of the 2018 World Cup. The campaign slogan “Strengthen your defense! #GetVax #VaccinesWork” links strengthening defence on the football team with strengthening the body’s defence against vaccine- preventable diseases. Since 2003, more than 700 mil- lion people have been vac- cinated under the frame- work of Vaccination Week in the Americas, according to a news release from Minister for Health, En- vironment, Culture and Housing Dwayne Seymour. “Due to our very ro- bust immunisation pro- gramme in the Cayman Islands, headed by the Public Health Department for more than 65 years, we have surely seen the results of hard work and diligence. I am proud to say that we have eliminated small pox, polio, neonatal tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, mea- sles, rubella [German mea- sles], mumps, and tubercu- lous meningitis,” Minister Seymour said. “As Minister of Health, I use this platform to re- affirm my commitment to support the strengthening of all public health initia- tives and outputs to ensure eradicated diseases do not reappear in our beautiful islands. This feat, however, cannot be achieved in iso- lation – it requires us all to work together,” he said. Ground broken for new automotive training center MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Denise DeMercado still remembers how terrible she felt in 2009 when she turned away a young man looking for a job at Superior Auto, a business she runs with her husband Mark. Chris Jackson, she re- called, had no training as a mechanic. She told him without that training she could not hire him. “I saw the disappoint- ment in his eyes when he walked away,” Ms. DeMer- cado said. “I knew I had to assist him. I told my husband he had to start teaching classes.” A year later, the couple started an apprenticeship program with six students, Mr. Jackson being one of them, in the DeMercado’s ga- rage. Over the years, the pro- gram, which is internation- ally accredited, grew. Then, in 2016, the couple was forced to close the program, due in part to logistics issues. But on Thursday, April 19, the DeMercado’s presided over a groundbreaking cere- mony for a new facility they hope will eventually handle as many as 20 apprentices at once. About 100 people at- tended the event along with some of the island’s top dig- nitaries, including Assembly Speaker McKeeva Bush, Ed- ucation Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly and other legislative ministers. A short distance from the Superior Auto garage, the 2,250-square-foot two-story building will house three service bays on the ground floor and classrooms on the second floor. Mr. DeMer- cado said he hoped to have the new facility ready to ac- cept a new class of students within six months. “This is something that I’d always dreamt of,” Ms. Demercado said. “This will provide opportunities for many talented young Cay- manian people.” Derren “Mikey” Burl- ington is one of the ben- eficiaries who addressed the crowd. He was in the second group of students in the program and now works as a mechanic on large ma- chinery for CUC. “I can’t imagine where I’d be without it,” Mr. Burlington said of the program. “I’m ac- tually kind of scared to think about it. It still plays a part in my daily life at work and out of work.” Mr. Burlington said he dis- covered his love of cars when he came to Superior Auto as part of a work experience program while a student at Triple C School. He made the point that he did not have to pay for the apprenticeship. It was funded through govern- ment and private contribu- tions to the program. “I didn’t spend a cent,” he said, looking at the DeMer- cados. “And you guys made it all possible.” Ms. DeMercado said stu- dents have never had to pay for the $12,000 to $15,000 cost of the 14-month pro- gram. She hopes to keep it that way, but currently does not have a commitment from government for funding that it has provided in the past. She said Minister O’Connor- Connolly has requested information on the costs. During the event, Ms. O’Connor-Connolly addressed the crowd and expressed support for the program. “This is a textbook ex- ample of how we nation- build,” she said, adding that it was important to produce Cayman trained mechanics who understood the needs of island motorists. She also said this is the type of program that could be sustained over the years. “When you have a good idea, it transcends polit- ical parties and it tran- scends changes in leader- ship,” she said. Ms. DeMercado said she sees the construction of the school as a new beginning. “We’re starting on an- other leg of the journey,” she said, where she hopes to pro- vide “opportunity, indeed hope, purpose and fulfillment for many more Caymanian young people.” The apprenticeship program is currently taking applications. Those interested can call Superior Auto at 949-9570. E. Coli found in Brac well water Residents in a section of Cayman Brac are being asked not to use well water for any household purposes until further notice, according to the Department of Environ- mental Health. Well water samples in Watering Place, Cayman Brac tested Friday, April 13, and again on Tuesday, April 17, revealed high levels of fecal bacteria contamination. Areas likely to be affected are Poppy Lane, Mary Eli Road and Plaza Drive. Environmental health of- ficials warned residents of those areas not to use well water to drink, bathe in, brush their teeth, cook, wash their hair or to wash kitchen utensils. The results of the April 13 initial testing and retesting four days later were an- nounced Friday, April 20. “Eight water samples were tested,” said Patience Eke, an environmental health officer on Cayman Brac. “After 24 hours of incu- bation, seven of those sam- ples showed unsatisfactory levels of E. Coli and other coliform bacteria.” The tests were con- ducted after several resi- dents of Watering Place complained about sewage- like odors emanating from their well water, the de- partment said. The Water Authority- Cayman has also been called in to help deter- mine the source of the contamination. Escherichia coli, or E. coli, and coliform bacteria are commonly found in the digestive tracts of hu- mans and other animals. Their presence in food or water is an indication of fecal contamination. Un- derground or well water is usually contaminated when there is improper dis- posal of sewage. Mark and Denise DeMercado address the crowd at Thursday’s groundbreaking for Superior Auto’s new apprentice training facility. - PHOTO: MAGGIE JACKSON Since 2003, more than 700 million people have been vaccinated under the framework of Vaccination Week in the Americas. ELDERLY VISITOR DIES AFTER DIVE A 70-year-old Amer- ican visitor died Friday after she suffered diffi- culties while on a dive. The incident was re- ported around 9 a.m. Friday off the coast of East End. According to a Royal Cayman Islands Police statement on the incident, those with the woman at- tempted to revive her with CPR. She was pronounced dead after being trans- ported to the Cayman Is- lands hospital.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 23, 2018 P r i z e P ac k ag e i n c l u d e s Airfare and accommodations at a five-star hotel Tickets for exclusive seating at UEFA Champions League Final KIEV 2018 Private city tour of Kiev, Ukraine Exclusive dining 188013-Ad-FP-Comp_CAYMAN_UEFA_CL_Final_2018.indd 14/12/18 3:49 PMThe 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” In the Cayman Islands, perhaps the “highest- voltage” issue of the moment is same-sex marriage. While some jurisdictions have chosen to sanction legally such unions (or in the case of the United States, had that legality imposed by the courts), here in Cayman the topic continues to be a “third rail” issue most politicians dare not touch – not only out of fear of jeopardizing their incumbency, but also, simply, because most of Cayman’s electorate is against legal- izing same-sex marriage. Periodically, some individual or group (not beholden to the will of the majority) will poke at the hornet’s nest, hoping to prod governmental action. Enter into the arena Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden Bush, two women whose recent request for the right to marry in Cayman (denied by government) has ignited a firestorm in some media outlets, locally and abroad. But not in the Compass – and for good reason. It raises a journalistic judgment question that we ask, and answer, many times a day, namely: When is a “story” not a story? To date, the only “news” regarding Ms. Day and her partner Ms. Bush is that their application to marry was rejected. This is hardly surprising since Cayman’s law defines marriage as being between a man and a woman — not two women and not two men. The women have stated publicly that they intend to sue but, so far, they have not sued. But there is a backstory to this non-story. A Compass reporter has been in communication with the two women, who sought him out for coverage in this newspaper. Compass editors became wary of this solicitation when the women later told the reporter the publica- tion of any interview would have to be delayed because they had entered into an exclusive agreement with a British newspaper (The Independent) to tell their story. The Independent story ran last week along with an essay penned by Ms. Day, who is an attorney. Further, in Cayman, a local website interviewed Ms. Day, who is quoted liberally and sympathetically throughout the story. The story was also “tagged” with information regarding how the public could contribute to help fund the women’s lawsuit. This was beginning to look to us (in addition to being a “love story”) like an orchestrated public rela- tions campaign to challenge Cayman’s marriage law. (Tina Turner once famously sang, “What’s love got to do with it,” but such an interpretation is most likely unfair to the two ladies who appear to be commingling a genuine desire to marry with an activist cause they believe in. This is clearly not solely a “marriage of con- venience.” The women have been in a relationship for six years and are raising a daughter together.) In the end, motive makes little difference. The matter of same-sex marriage in Cayman won’t be determined in online forums, on barstools or, probably, even within the local Legislative Assembly. Barring an act of U.K. Parliament or Governor Anwar Choudhury (who, so far, has confined his comments on the subject to saying there should be a “conversation”), the likely venue for any change, or ratification, of Cayman’s marriage law will occur via the courts. We want to emphasize, however, that both women are well within their “free speech” rights recognized in both the U.K. and the Cayman Islands. They have a right to say whatever and to whomever they wish in furtherance of their wish to marry, but, let’s be equally clear: No media, including the Compass, have any obligation whatsoever to champion, support or advance their cause. When, and if, they file a formal writ for judicial review, Compass readers can be assured we will cover their lawsuit thoroughly, objectively and fairly. Same-sex marriage: When is a ‘story’ not a story? MONDAY APRIL 23, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Striking a blow against the administrative state WASHINGTON – Last week, one week after the first an- niversary of Neil Gor- such’s ascension to the Su- preme Court, he delivered an opinion that was excellent as it pertained to the case at issue and momentous in its implications pertaining to the institutional tangle known as the administrative state. If he can persuade his fellow court conservatives to see why they were mistaken in disagreeing with him, and if he can persuade his lib- eral colleagues to follow the logic of their decision with which he concurred, the ju- diciary will begin restoring constitutional equilibrium. It will limit Congress’ impre- cise legislating that requires excessive unguided impro- vising by all those involved in seeing that the laws are “faithfully” executed. In 1992, when James Di- maya, a Philippine citizen, was 13, he became a lawful permanent resident of the United States, where, unfor- tunately, his behavior has been less than lawful: In 2007 and 2009, he was con- victed of residential burglary. The Department of Home- land Security says he should be deported because he com- mitted a “crime of violence,” hence covered by a portion of immigration law that, after listing specific crimes (rape, murder, etc.), adds a catch- all category of crimes in- volving “a substantial risk that physical force against the person or property of another may be used in the course of committing the of- fense.” How are judges sup- posed to apply this? Writing for the majority in a 5-4 decision – and joined by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Ste- phen Breyer and Sonia So- tomayor (with Gorsuch con- curring in the judgment and much of the opinion) – Elena Kagan wrote: The law’s cat- egory, a “crime of violence,” is so indeterminate (“fuzzy,” she said) that deporting Di- maya under it would violate the Constitution’s “due pro- cess of law” guarantee. Vague laws beget two evils that are related: They do not give cit- izens reasonably clear no- tice of what behavior is pro- scribed or prescribed. And they give – actually, require of – judges and law enforcement officials excessive discretion in improvising a fuzzy law’s meaning. In agreeing with this (and disagreeing with John Roberts, Anthony Ken- nedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito), Gorsuch wrote: Vague laws “invite the ex- ercise of arbitrary power” by “leaving the people in the dark about what the law de- mands and allowing prose- cutors and courts to make it up.” The lack of “precise and sufficient certainty” (criteria stipulated by the English jurist William Blackstone, whose writings influenced the Constitution’s Framers) invites “more unpredict- ability and arbitrariness” than is constitutional. Fur- thermore, the crux of Amer- ica’s constitutional archi- tecture, the separation of powers, is implicated. All leg- islative power is vested in Congress. The judicial power, Gorsuch wrote, “does not li- cense judges to craft new laws” but only to discern and follow an existing law’s prescribed course. With the fuzzy “crime of violence” cat- egory, Congress abdicated its “responsibilities for setting the standards of the crim- inal law.” So, allowing vague laws would allow Congress “to hand off the job of law- making.” Hence such laws not only illegitimately transfer power to police and prosecu- tors but also would “leave it all to a judicial hunch.” The principle Gorsuch enunciates here regarding one provision of immigration law is a scythe sharp enough to slice through many prac- tices of the administrative state, which translates often vague congressional senti- ments into binding rules, a practice indistinguishable from legislating. Gorsuch’s principle is also pertinent to something pernicious con- cerning which he has hitherto expressed wholesome skepti- cism: “Chevron deference.” This is the policy (named for the 1984 case in which the Supreme Court pro- pounded it) whereby courts are required to defer to ad- ministrative agencies’ inter- pretations of “ambiguous” laws when the interpreta- tions are “reasonable.” Gor- such has criticized this emancipation of the admin- istrative state from judicial supervision as “a judge-made doctrine for the abdication of judicial duty.” It also is an incentive for slovenly law- making by a Congress too lazy or risk-averse to be pre- cise in making policy choices, and so lacking in institu- tional pride that it compla- cently sloughs off its Article I powers onto Article II enti- ties. Gorsuch wants Article III courts to circumscribe this disreputable behavior. Gorsuch represents the growing ascendency of one kind of conservative jurispru- dence, “judicial engagement,” over another kind, “judicial deference.” Many conserva- tives have embraced popu- lism where it least belongs, in judicial reasoning. They have advocated broad judi- cial deference to decisions because they emanate from majoritarian institutions and processes. Progressives favor such deference because it lib- erates executive power from congressional direction or ju- dicial supervision. Gorsuch, a thinking person’s conserva- tive, declines to be complicit in this, which raises this question: When has a pro- gressive justice provided the fifth vote joining four conser- vative colleagues? George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL Many conservatives have embraced populism where it least belongs, in judicial reasoning.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 23, 2018 william.forsythe@caymancaptive.ky Applications should be submitted by pdf only, no later than 18th of May 2018 to: The above Foundation is currently offering a scholarship for a maximum of four years to a Caymanian High School graduate. Preference will be given to those candidates who intend to pursue a career in the nancial services industry upon graduation from university. However applications from all disciplines will be accepted. Candidates should be prepared to begin their university degree programme in the 2018 school year. The choice of university must be approved by the Foundation. Applicants should possess a minimum of ve good passes at CXC or ICGSE or equivalent. Evidence of educational achievements and, if possible university acceptance should accompany the application. In addition, a brief biography and a narrative as to the reason for the choice of University/Course should be included. Additional details and an application form can be obtained at www.caymancaptive.ky “A scholarship from IMAC has been a tremendous opportunity of which I will always be grateful for. It has enabled me to pursue a degree at a top university to compete against some of the most intelligent students in the UK. Similarly, becoming a doctor means so much to me and this journey would have been a nancial burden without the generosity of the IMAC scholarship. Through IMAC I have embarked on a path where I can offer so much more to the people of the Cayman Islands than I would if I had not had this opportunity. Name: Whitney General Degree: Medicine (MB ChB) and BSc in Health Sciences at the University of Bristol S C H O L A R S H I P Whitney GENERAL INSURANCE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION OF CAYMAN EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION Whitney GENERAL Whitney GENERAL Whitney INSURANCE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION OF CAYMAN EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION CURRENT RECIPIENTCURRENT RECIPIENT Arson totals police cars, bill is $95K Suspect in custody BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two police patrol cars that were set on fire last week cannot be repaired and will have to be replaced by new vehicles, Police Commissioner Derek Byrne said Friday. The Ford Interceptor ve- hicles, which were about to be outfitted with lights and Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice decals, were torched early April 17 inside the se- curity fence at the Vampt Mo- tors Toyota-Ford dealership parking lot on Walkers Road. Two other police vehicles parked right next to them were undamaged. Damage to one vehicle ap- peared severe. Damage to the second patrol vehicle was limited to the inside, but was still serious enough to force police to write off the car. An arson suspect has been arrested, police said last week. “It’s a very serious attack on the community, on gov- ernment, on the police ser- vices … it was obviously a targeted, criminal act,” Commissioner Byrne said Friday when asked about the incident. Mr. Byrne said the vehi- cles were fully insured for the replacement costs – which will be about $95,000 com- bined – and that new vehicles were already being ordered. The commissioner said he estimated the order and de- livery process to take about “eight to 10 weeks,” but said that time frame was depen- dent on certain suppliers po- lice do not control. The April 17 incident was the second time this year that an arsonist targeted vehi- cles connected with local po- lice. In early February, a se- nior police officer had two of her personal vehicles burned outside her family’s George Town home. A third vehicle burned in that incident be- longed to the senior officer’s next-door neighbor. The February incident was followed by a string of other car fires, including three that happened on Feb. 14 around Grand Cayman and a fourth on Feb. 17. The police crime statistics for 2017 reflected a signifi- cant increase in the number of arsons that occurred, as well as a sizeable increase in the number of car thefts re- ported to police when com- pared with 2016. Police said there were 28 auto thefts reported for all of 2016, while last year that number skyrocketed to 53. There were 14 arsons re- ported last year, compared to just nine in 2016. Arson charges sent to Grand Court Two vehicles damaged and flammable liquid thrown into apartment CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Rupert Junior Spence, 32, appeared in Summary court on Friday charged with two counts of arson and one count of attempted arson relating to an incident in George Town last year. Crown counsel Garcia Kelly said police received a report of a fire at 3:34 a.m. at Palm Dale Avenue on Sept. 12, 2017. The Fire Service was notified and responded. On arrival they observed a red Honda and a green Dai- hatsu on fire. An apartment nearby was observed to have a broken window and it was discov- ered that a bottle of flam- mable liquid had been thrown into the premises. Mr. Spence was charged with two counts of arson in relation to the vehicles and one count of attempted arson in relation to the apartment. Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn noted that arson is a charge that can be dealt with only in the Grand Court and she transmitted the matter to Grand Court. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden applied for bail, pointing out that the incident occurred over six months ago, there was nothing to link Mr. Spence to the complain- ants, and he was not seen at the scene. After hearing the Crown’s objections to bail, the mag- istrate remanded Mr. Spence in custody until Friday, April 27, when he is to appear in Grand Court. Two RCIPS patrol vehicles set afire last week will cost $95,000 to replace. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLER Damage to one vehicle appeared severe. Damage to the second patrol vehicle was limited to the inside, but was still serious enough to force police to write off the car.6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 23, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Historic home damaged by fire OBITUARY Ruth Moncrieffe nee Bodden Ruth Moncrieffe nee Bodden was born in Bodden Town, Grand Cayman. Ruth was the ninth child in a family which was tightly knit and supportive of one another. Growing up in a household whose matriarch was a devoted Seventh-day Adventist, one would have expected Ruth to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Ruth, however, became endeared and mentored by her ma- ternal Aunt Glandore – and followed her to worship at the Chapel Church of God in Bodden Town. Schooled under the tu- telage of the legendary Mr. Spencer, Ruth left the Bodden Town All Age School for the world of work. In the early 1950s, she availed herself of the opportunity to join her elder sister Iris in Ja- maica. In her quest to im- prove and better herself for employment, she enrolled at the Durham Commercial Col- lege in Kingston. It was while sharing ac- commodations with her sister Iris that Louis Mon- crieffe came in Ruth’s life. By a fortuitous complica- tion of circumstances, Ruth and Louis’ acquaintanceship progressed from friendship to courtship. In the second year of courtship Louis pro- posed. Ruth accepted and the two were married at the Saint Andrew’s Parish Church in Kingston, Jamaica on Aug. 28, 1954. During the early years of the marriage, Ruth supple- mented the couple’s income by holding various jobs in a retail store in downtown Kingston. She remained at this establishment until the births of her last two chil- dren, after which Ruth re- tired to become a full-time mother. As a stay-at-home mother, Ruth devoted herself to the well-being and com- fort of her husband and her seven children. A conscientious and frugal existence enabled the family to purchase a home in the popular Harbour View development. While Louis’ job necessitated his absence from home often – Ruth, in almost legendary matriarchal fashion, reared the children to be respectful, responsible and industrious. Increasing crime rate in Harbour View and an eco- nomically vibrant Cayman led Ruth to return to home with her family. It was a de- cision which immediately proved favorable since both she and Louis obtained em- ployment in the Civil Ser- vice. Ruth’s employment in the Postal Service spanned from the 1970s until her re- tirement in the 1990s. Upon exiting the Civil Service, she joined the Kirk Freeport group. She held a sales rep- resentative position in this establishment until she and Louis decided to venture into business for themselves. Purchasing and oper- ating Seven Seas Tees, a re- tail store located at Treasure Island Resort along West Bay Road. Ruth remained at this store until the effort and energy required to op- erate the store was beyond what she was prepared to give. Retirement from nine to five employment, how- ever, only meant that Ruth would spend more time nur- turing her grandchildren. She maintained this devotion until old age and ill health forced her into a more sed- entary lifestyle. After suffering a fall in 2015 she was unable to walk without radical assis- tance. This sedentary state of being took a mental as well as physical toll on Ruth and led to a further deterioration in her physical health. Failing health and a slower pace of life led her to a renewed faith in God. On Saturday, March 17, events took a turn for the worse and she had to be hospitalized. Released shortly thereafter she had to be re-admitted on March 22, and she remained hospi- talized until her passing on March 30. She was preceded in death by her parents Joseph Sc- obel Bodden and Genenera Bodden, brothers Gillis and Leroy, and sisters Iris, Janet, Joyce, Verna and Sylvia. Left to mourn her passing are husband Louis Moncrieffe, children Allison, Ludovic, Fred, Ian, Kim, Karla, Karen, special son-in-law Anthony Ennis, a host of 11 grandchil- dren and 5 great grandchil- dren, nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives. The family of the late Ruth Moncrieffe wishes to take this opportunity to thank Miss Perline Mal- colm, Suzette Phillips and Dr. Kenrick Webster. Written by UCCI Presi- dent Roy Bodden, nephew of Ms. Moncrieffe. MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com A historic Bodden Town home that was at one time visited by Queen Elizabeth was damaged by fire on Friday morning. Police arrested two Bodden Town men, ages 59 and 60, on suspicion of arson and took them into custody. The home on Nettie Levy Court was the former res- idence of Ms. Levy, who died in 1994 at the age of 105. Family members said the structure is as much as 250 years old. No one was injured in the incident. Kevin Levy, who lives next door, said he was the first person to notice the fire, when he stepped outside his home to make a phone call. “I saw the smoke coming out from under the eaves of the front door and I called the police,” Mr. Levy said. He said by the time fire personnel arrived, about 10 minutes later, he could see flames inside the house.” An estimate of the damage was not immediately avail- able from fire officials. Family members who gathered near the scene were angered and upset by the loss. They reported that two relatives had been living in the home for the past two years without permission. When other members of the Levy family moved to evict them in recent days, they said the two men threatened to burn the small home down. Police were called to the home earlier Friday morning because of that threat. Family members identi- fied one of the two men, who was standing near the home. He refused to provide his name. Other than saying he was not in the home when the fire started, he refused to answer any questions. “I cannot believe such a thing could happen in my lifetime,” said Emil S. Levy, who broke down in tears when he arrived at the scene. “This is the biggest dis- grace in the history of the Levy family.” He and other family mem- bers said Annette “Nettie” Levy lived in the home for most of her life. She was re- portedly visited by Queen Elizabeth during the 1983 royal visit. Other digni- taries, including the governor, stopped in over the years. Her granddaughter, Twyla Vargas, said Levy family members had been upset about the two men living in the home, calling them squat- ters, even though they are rel- atives. The police have been called to the home numerous times for various nuisance complaints, she said. Ms. Vargas said her sister, Trilby Lingard, recently took title to the property and was in the process of evicting the two men. She had given them a deadline of Thursday, April 19, to be out of the home. The men were still in the home Friday morning. After calling police, regarding the arson threat, Ms. Vargas said she and Lingard went to George Town to file a legal eviction notice. While there, they received a call that the house was on fire and raced back to the scene. She said the family had hoped to turn the historic structure into a museum at some point. “Everybody knows about the heritage of this house,” Ms. Vargas said. She at one point did a series of radio broadcasts called “Granny’s Backyard,” which recounted local history. “All the stories came from that house,” she said. “I just want to cry.” “This is the biggest disgrace in the history of the Levy family.” EMIL S. LEVY Police arrested two men on suspicion of arson, in connection with the fire that damaged the historic home. Fire investigators examine the damaged Bodden Town home Friday. - PHOTOS: MARK MUCKENFUSS Increasing crime rate in Harbour View and an economically vibrant Cayman led Ruth to return to home with her family.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 23, 2018 A killer net in Cayman waters? Not today, Bobo JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A deadly “ghost net” de- vouring fish and sharks off the coast of the Cayman Is- lands was removed from the water Friday thanks to the ef- forts of local fishermen. The net, spotted sev- eral miles offshore Monday with multiple dead fish and sharks trapped inside, was relocated by angler Charles Ebanks near Rum Point late Thursday afternoon. Mr. Ebanks tied it off to a dive mooring overnight and returned Friday morning to drag it ashore. It was lifted out of the water at Harbour House Marina using an exca- vator and dump truck. Tim Austin, deputy di- rector of the Department of Environment, said it was transferred to the landfill temporarily and an interna- tional group had volunteered to dispose of it safely. He said the net was ripped and many of the crea- tures, including a juvenile Oceanic whitetip shark poi- gnantly photographed en- snared in the mesh, were no longer inside. He said the shark could have been dragged out by a larger predator or the net could have partially unspooled, releasing some of its grim cargo, as it snagged on the reef or the ocean bottom. Mr. Ebanks said it was floating in around 35 feet of water when he found it Thursday. The fisherman, who fa- mously tackled an armed robber during a liquor store holdup telling him “not today, Bobo,” took a similar no- nonsense approach to the killer net. He said he had been de- termined to get it out of the water as quickly as possible. “I went out at 7 a.m. Friday because I wanted to get it out before it did any more damage,” he said. “It has probably killed thousands of fish in the time it has been drifting. I am so thankful it is out of the water. I make a living fishing. We can’t have stuff like that in our waters.” Mr. Ebanks and his brother Adroy free dove on the net, using ropes to cinch it into a manageable bundle, before towing it through the North Sound. Along with DoE research officers they helped release multiple lobster, crab and smaller fish from within. De- spite initial estimates ear- lier in the week that there were 20 or more dead sharks trapped inside the net, there was no sign of any still in- side on Friday. Experts have estimated the net – an illegal pelagic long gill net – could have been adrift for as long as two years. Conservationist Guy Harvey said the presence of mature Sergeant Major fish in its midst suggested it had been floating for a long time. Jason Washington, a dive instructor and photog- rapher who joined the re- trieval operation Friday, said an 18-inch lobster found in the net seemed to confirm that hypothesis. “That lobster would have attached to the net as larvae which means it could have been drifting for several years.” He said it had grown to maturity with the net existing on prey drawn into the mesh. “It had become its own ecosystem,” he said. “It is eye-opening. These nets are travelling the world’s oceans, and if they don’t wash ashore or hang up on a reef they continue to do what they are designed to do, and that is to kill indiscriminately.” The net was first spotted Monday around four miles offshore. Dominick Martin- Mayes, one of the fish- ermen who found it, said it spanned 40 feet across and around 40 feet deep and was filled with dead fish and sharks, some of which were so decomposed it was im- possible to tell what spe- cies they were. The fish- ermen took photographs of the net and passed the co- ordinates on to the Depart- ment of Environment, but it was too heavy to move. An alert went out to all boaters and pilots in the area, and it was finally spotted by Mr. Ebanks Thursday. In the circumstances, Mr. Austin says this was a good result. “It is out of the ocean, which is the best case sce- nario,” he said. The net is lifted out of the water at Harbour House Marina Friday. – PHOTO: EUGENE THOMPSON “It has probably killed thousands of fish in the time it has been drifting. I am so thankful it is out of the water. I make a living fishing. We can’t have stuff like that in our waters.” CHARLES EBANKS8 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 23, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Jail and deportation for admitted bigamist Appeal court agrees with 14-year sentence MAN SAYS HE WAS FRAMED FOR BURGLARY WITH HIS OWN BLOOD Arguments rejected after status scam trial CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Paul Anthony Hume Ebanks did not succeed in getting his convictions or 14-year sentence overturned when he appeared before the Cayman Islands Court of Ap- peal on Thursday. Mr. Ebanks had applied to appeal after a Grand Court jury found him guilty in November 2016 on 26 counts of obtaining property by deception. The decep- tion was Mr. Ebanks telling people that, for a fee of be- tween one and three thou- sand dollars, they could be granted permanent res- idence or status. He told them there was a bona fide arrangement in place for this, that he worked for gov- ernment and was in direct contact with the premier and deputy governor. Mr. Ebanks obtained $164,000 between July 2012 and December 2014. One ground of appeal put forward by attorney Alex Da- vies on Mr. Ebanks’s behalf was based on the fact that the Crown prosecutor had invited trial judge Michael Wood to require former pre- mier McKeeva Bush to come to court, but Mr. Ebanks’s at- torney at the time did not support that request and the judge declined to issue a summons. Mr. Ebanks’s position at the appeal was that he had wanted Mr. Bush to attend to give evidence at his trial, but his attorney did not act on his instructions. Court president Sir John Goldring said he and his colleagues – Justice John Martin and Justice Sir Richard Field – found it “in- credible” that the defense attorney would have acted contrary to Mr. Ebanks’s instructions. He also pointed out that, far from assisting Mr. Ebanks, the premier’s evi- dence would have seriously prejudiced Mr. Ebanks. It seemed clear to the appeal judges that “the safety of the convictions could not con- ceivably have been affected” by Mr. Bush’s absence. Other grounds of ap- peal had to do with Justice Wood’s summing up of the case and his instructions to the jury, the dismissal of a juror after the trial had started, and several proce- dural points. In summary, Justice Goldring said there was no basis on which to grant permission to appeal against conviction. As to sentence, Mr. Davies described 14 years as “mani- festly excessive.” He pointed out that the maximum sen- tence for obtaining property by deception is 10 years. Justice Goldring pointed to Mr. Ebanks’s record of similar previous convictions – twice in 2006 and again in 2009. He had been out of prison less than a year be- fore he began re-offending in 2012. “In our view it is diffi- cult to conceive of a more se- rious example of offending of this type,” he said. The judge commented that Mr. Ebanks had known that his victims were desperate and could ill afford the money they were giving him. “In our opinion, the judge was quite entitled to impose 14 years,” he declared. With 27 offenses, some of the sen- tences were made to run con- currently and some consec- utively to achieve the total. The appeal judges indicated they might have organized the sentences a bit differ- ently, but it didn’t matter and, in their view, there were no grounds to appeal the total sentence. They did grant an appeal on one point – how much credit Mr. Ebanks should be given for the time he was on bail but required to wear an electronic monitor. His trial attorney had asked for half- credit for 1,099 days. Jus- tice Wood allowed one year and three months, which had the effect of leaving Mr. Ebanks 12 years and nine months to serve. The court directed Mr. Da- vies and Crown counsel Toyin Salako to have the time re- calculated and see whether the one year three months was appropriate. Window broken at commercial premises, safe removed CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A young man charged with burglary at a com- mercial premises told po- lice he was “framed” with his own blood, Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn heard when the matter came be- fore her on Friday. Crown counsel Garcia Kelly explained the case against Othneil Hezekiah Williams, 21, including the fact that blood at the scene contained DNA that was consistent with the defendant’s. Mr. Kelly said police re- ceived a report that some- time over the night of March 8-9, 2018, a shop at West Shore Plaza was broken into. The store manager discovered that someone had broken a glass window and en- tered the premises. There were drops of blood near the broken window and inside the shop. A scene- of-crime officer recov- ered samples of the blood from which DNA was ob- tained and then compared to DNA profiles in Cay- man’s databank. Mr. Williams was ap- prehended at his residence on April 18 and told police, “I did nothing.” He denied breaking into the shop and said he was home sleeping. He indicated that if his blood was there it was be- cause someone was trying to “frame” him. He said he drains his blood and had left some in a cup at a “hangout spot.” An officer noticed a wound on Mr. Williams’s hand and asked how he got it. The defendant said it was from a splinter he got at work. Mr. Kelly de- scribed the location of a safe on the premises and how it was removed. The owner reported that it had contained US$16,050.25. The owner also reported viewing CCTV and seeing three persons in dif- ferent parts of the prem- ises as the burglary was taking place. Defense attorney John Furniss referred to aspects of the burglary that made it sound professional. That suggested knowledge be- yond what Mr. Williams would have, he told the court. He agreed that his client was on a recently imposed suspended sen- tence supervision order, but lived at home with his par- ents and worked six days a week in construction. The magistrate re- manded the defendant in custody and Mr. Furniss said he would go to the Grand Court for bail. Meanwhile, the matter was set to be mentioned again in Summary Court on Tuesday, April 24. Woman’s second partner committed suicide, Crown tells judge CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Honduran national was sentenced on Friday to two months imprisonment after pleading guilty the pre- vious week to bigamy. De- fendant Kenia Alonzo Solis, 29, was also told that she was to be deported “as soon as possible” from the Cayman Islands. Justice Michael Wood passed sentence after hearing the background of the of- fense from senior Crown counsel Nicole Petit and mitigation from defense at- torney Neil Kumar. The offense was going through a ceremony of mar- riage with Aric Matthew Brooks on March 12, 2016, when in fact a man she had married in 2005 was still living and there had been no divorce. In presenting details, Ms. Petit handed up to the judge a statement signed by Mr. Brooks. She noted that he was deceased. Justice Wood observed that Mr. Brooks was just 28 years old, and asked the cause of death. Ms. Petit said he had committed suicide. The judge did not say anything, but paused before he continued the hearing. Mr. Brooks’s statement was not read aloud. Later, in passing sentence, Justice Wood told Ms. Solis that when Mr. Brooks dis- covered she was still mar- ried to another man, “he was naturally shocked, angry and upset. It obviously had sig- nificant impact on him. You deceived him, causing signif- icant distress.” Mr. Kumar ac- knowledged that Mr. Brooks was distressed, as set out in his statement. The attorney said Mr. Brooks had made an appointment with an immi- gration officer, but cancelled it, “because he didn’t want to get her in trouble.” The first time the charge of bigamy against Ms. Solis was in court was Tuesday, March 27 this year. Three days earlier, on Saturday, March 24, Mr. Brooks had been pronounced dead after being transported to Cayman Islands Hospital for emer- gency treatment. At the time of her first ap- pearance in court for bigamy, Ms. Solis had recently been released from prison for as- sault causing actual bodily harm to Mr. Brooks. She had pleaded guilty, admitting that she took the wine glass her husband was holding and smashed it into his face, breaking the glass and cut- ting him across the eye. That incident occurred at a social function in Bodden Town on Jan. 8 and she was arrested that night, re- maining in custody. On March 8, she was sen- tenced to seven weeks im- prisonment after the mag- istrate was told that the Immigration Department had revoked the defendant’s right to remain on island. Justice Wood summed up the information provided to him. He said Ms. Solis had used a false passport to enter the Cayman Islands in 2003, when she was probably only 14 years old. In 2005, here in Cayman, she married a Cay- manian. “That marriage has never been dissolved and you are still married to him,” he reminded the defendant. Ms. Solis left Cayman in 2006 and returned in 2014. She met Mr. Brooks and went through a marriage ceremony with him while still married to the first man. In 2017, she was questioned by immigra- tion official about using a false identity. She admitted it and was administratively fined $4,500. Further records were checked and the 2005 mar- riage was discovered. Ms. Solis falsely claimed that she was divorced, saying she had signed divorce-re- lated documents. In November, 2017, her residency certificate was re- voked. The judge said the only reason she had remained on island after that was to await the outcome of this case. He thanked Ms. Petit for the helpful precedent case she had provided, saying sentences for bigamy had to vary depending on cir- cumstances. In many cases the sentence could be non- custodial, but this case had clearly crossed the custody threshold, he stated. The sentence would have been three months, but he bore in mind her guilty plea and gave her the full one- third discount for a term of two month imprisonment, immediate. “As soon as pos- sible” after that, she is to be deported from the Cayman Islands, the judge said. Later, in passing sentence, Justice Wood told Ms. Solis that when Mr. Brooks discovered she was still married to another man, “he was naturally shocked, angry and upset. It obviously had significant impact on him. You deceived him, causing significant distress.” Wanted WB man turns himself in A man who ran from po- lice officers after they al- leged he was spotted carrying a packet of il- legal drugs under his arm turned himself in to po- lice Thursday. Dorlin Allen Ebanks, also known as Allan Barnett, ar- rived at West Bay Police Sta- tion around 9 p.m. Thursday. Mr. Ebanks was ar- rested on suspicion of pos- sessing cocaine and other drug-related offenses. He also faces additional alle- gations of escaping lawful custody, damage to prop- erty, threats to kill and car- rying an offensive weapon, but had not been charged with any of those crimes at press time Sunday. Police said earlier in the week that the suspect was spotted “acting suspi- ciously” along Watercourse Road Tuesday morning and became “extremely ag- gressive” when officers approached him. According to a police ac- count of the incident: “Of- ficers attempted to subdue [the suspect] and recovered a package of cocaine from his person before he brandished a knife and made aggressive motions towards the officers while threatening them. The man then ran in the direction of Duxies Lane and managed to escape into nearby bushes.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 23, 2018 businesses rose nearly 20 percent last year while at- tempted break-ins went up more than 30 percent, ac- cording to RCIPS crime sta- tistics which compared 2017 crime reports to those for 2016. Commercial burglaries increased sharply during 2017, going up nearly 40 percent when compared to the year before. The RCIPS crime report also highlighted a 70 percent increase from year-to-year in criminal trespass crimes. The police report looked at the number of burglaries committed in the islands be- tween 2013 and 2017 and found that last year had the second-lowest number of burglaries – 515 break- ins – out of the five years. Only 2016 had a lower total. During 2014 there were nearly 700 burglaries in the islands, by 2016, that number had dropped to 439. “It is the position of the RCIPS that even the lowest burglary figure … is still too high an annual inci- dence of burglary for a pop- ulation of 60,000,” the police report stated. Other crimes In addition to burglaries, rapes and arson reports in- creased. The number of motor vehicle thefts also nearly dou- bled year to year. On the positive side for the RCIPS, robberies and assaults decreased, as did thefts and damage to property reports. Overall, the crime rate for Cayman stayed about the same during 2017 as it had in 2016, according to police re- cords, with 31 fewer crimes being reported during last year than in 2016. Crime reports The RCIPS changed its format for reporting crimes during 2017, to include a district-by-district division for burglaries. Police Commissioner Derek Byrne said that would be done for other serious crimes as well, following the May 1 launch of the new police web- site which he said would host a “pin map” for various crimes around Grand Cayman. Mr. Byrne said the map will show – at the district level – where serious crimes were happening and would hopefully be reported on a monthly basis once the web- site was up and running. “It’s a community-based policing service and we are accountable to the people we serve,” the commissioner said. “We won’t be giving away any secrets in terms of the investigations … but as much as we can give freely, we will. That’s the concept of any modern democratic po- licing service.” Rudolph Willis April 23, 2006 We thought of you with love today But that is nothing new We thought about you yesterday And days before that too We think of you in silence We often speak your name All we have are memories And your picture in a frame Your memory is our keepsake With which we’ll never part God has you in His safe keeping We have you in our hearts Still missing you after 12 years Your Mother, Sisters, Brothers And other relatives. We thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love todayWe thought of you with love today Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Ricardo Norberto Swaby Rivers, who passed away on Thursday April 19, 2018. A Graveside Service will be held on Tuesday April 24, 2018 at 2:00pm at Boatswain Bay Cemetery, Kings Road. Interment Follows at Boatswain Bay Cemetery. Traffic matters Regarding the increase in traffic fines, Commissioner Byrne said police were dis- cussing the specific amounts for each offense with Depart- ment of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing officials. The commissioner said it was clear from 2017 data that police traffic enforcement had fallen off, while the number of vehicle crashes had increased. Cayman reported 2,725 traffic accidents during 2017, while having just 1,295 col- lisions in 2016. Meanwhile, the number of offenses for traffic violations, particularly for things like speeding, cell- phone driving and seatbelt violations decreased dras- tically during the same pe- riod. Speeding tickets fell from 1,702 issued in 2016 to just 647 issued during 2017, for instance. “For part of 2017, we did not have a fully functioning traffic unit,” Mr. Byrne said, adding that the traffic officers police did have needed new radar equipment for their ve- hicles. That equipment is now on order, he said. The traffic unit has since been fully staffed with an inspector, two sergeants and 10 offi- cers solely focused on traffic enforcement and the results are starting to show so far in 2018, according to Police Su- perintendent Robert Graham. Mr. Graham said, for the last quarter of 2017, police is- sued 192 speeding tickets. In the first three months of this year, 672 speeding tickets have been issued – surpassing the total number recorded during all of last year. For drunken driving cases, police went from 78 citations during the last quarter of 2017 to 153 citations in the first three months of this year. Mr. Byrne said local resi- dents would continue to see more visible police traffic en- forcement efforts with daily road checks in school zones and roadblocks continuing as necessary. the new system got off to a smooth start. Dubbed “FastTrack Cayman” the pre-clearance program allows passengers on Cayman Airways flights from Miami to be vetted by Cayman border control offi- cials in the U.S. “This is a brand-new ini- tiative, first in nation for both the U.S. and the Cayman Is- lands,” said Michael Ebanks, deputy chief officer for the Ministry of Immigration, who travelled to Miami, Friday to oversee day one of the new system. Initially a pilot pro- gram involving CAL flights on Friday and Saturday af- ternoons, the fast track pro- cess could be expanded to include other airlines and other travel days. Mr. Ebanks said it was an innovative way of easing the pressure on Cay- man’s airport. “We know the conges- tion is quite severe due to the ongoing renovations and this project is designed to help overcome some of those challenges. “It only takes one or two planes to relieve that pressure point and make things easier for everyone coming through the air- port, particularly on a Sat- urday afternoon.” He said the vetting pro- cess was still the same, it just happens in Miami rather than in Cayman. “We’re just making use of that time lag when you’ve cleared security and you’re waiting for your flight.” Mike Balero, of the U.S. Customs and Border Protec- tion Agency, said this was the first time customs and immi- gration officers from a for- eign government had been authorized to process pas- sengers on U.S. soil. He said, “We’ve es- tablished a partnership where we look at ways of working together and right now we are supporting the Cayman government with this process.” Mr. Balero added that U.S. agencies would also share expertise and resources with their Cayman counterparts. On Friday, passengers were greeted by customs of- ficers at the check-in desk in Miami, where they filled out customs declaration forms and went through an initial check. Immigration officers were at the gate to process immi- gration cards and passen- gers were able to bypass the lines and go straight to bag- gage claim on their return to Cayman. Baggage checks, where required, still occur in Cayman and all duty fees are still paid in Cayman. The vast majority of passengers on Friday’s inaugural flight were processed at ORIA within a few minutes. Tourism counselor David Wight, one of the first passengers to use the new system, said it could only be good for the tourism industry. He said: “This will make travelling much less time consuming and more com- fortable for everyone. For tourists, they will be able to get to the beach quicker in- stead of waiting in lines at the airport.” Greg Chin, communi- cations director for Miami Dade Aviation Department, said the fast track concept had come about through Cay- man’s initiative. He said no other country had asked for a similar service but the U.S. would be open to discussing it if the Cayman pilot project proved successful. Passengers using the system for the first time gave generally positive feedback on the experience. Rose Gadsby, an off duty flight attendant on a shop- ping trip to Miami, said it was refreshing not to have to worry about lines at Grand Cayman. But she said she hoped the new system would be just as thorough in ensuring duties were paid and the proper security checks were done. Mr. McTaggart said he was unaware the new system was launching until he got to Miami for his return flight Friday. “It was fantastic,” he said. “It is like going back 30 years when it was like this all the time. Hopefully they can get other airlines on board and roll this out for every flight coming from the U.S.” Burglaries double in Bodden Town CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Police: Change laws on dirt bikes, raise traffic fines CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Fast track passengers bypass airport crowds Customs officer Kara Ebanks assists passenger Rose Gadsby with her forms. Dan Agostino, assistant operations director of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, and Michael Ebanks, of Cayman’s Ministry of Immigration, launch the new system. – PHOTOS: JAMES WHITTAKER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >