‘No support’ for civil servant healthcare contributions BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said last week there was “no sup- port” for plans to require government workers to pay a portion of their healthcare premiums. Mr. Manderson’s comments came in an administrative circular released to civil ser- vants last week. “Many of you have … shared anxieties about proposals for cost-sharing on health- care,” Mr. Manderson’s email read, noting that any decision to charge for healthcare pre- miums would reduce workers’ take-home pay. “While work needs to continue to identify proposals to tackle the very real concerns of a growing healthcare liability, I can now advise that there is currently no support for existing civil servants to contribute to their healthcare costs,” the deputy governor wrote. The statement put paid to any notion that government would begin charging its workers for healthcare premiums by the start of 2018, as was envisioned by the former Progressives- led administration during 2015-2016. At present, all civil servants, their spouses, underage children and civil service retirees re- ceive 100 percent free healthcare coverage, as long as they use the public hospital system. Government taxes and fees are used to fund tens of millions of dollars each year in health- care payments on behalf of civil servants. An employee survey completed last year by the civil service found that pay and benefits received the lowest scores among employees who rated various aspects of their jobs and working environment. “Civil service pay has not kept pace with the changes in inflation and we have now fallen behind by about 10 years,” the deputy governor wrote in the administrative memo. Mr. Manderson’s comments last week left FACT-FINDING FINISHED FOR ‘FOOTS’ OBSCENITY TRIAL Matter could continue in June KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nearly two full days of proceedings was not enough to complete the trial of Cayman Brac artist Ronald “Foots” Kynes, who faces a charge of possessing an obscene publication in relation to four statues he had on display at his property since last summer. Both Mr. Kynes and the prosecution pre- sented all their factual evidence, but they have yet to argue whether the defendant is pro- tected by his constitutional right to freedom of expression. At the end of Friday, Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn said she will have to make a ruling on the facts of the case before the constitutional arguments can be made. If Ms. Gunn’s “in- terim finding” rules that Mr. Kynes possessed CAYFILM FESTIVAL CANCELED FOR 2018 This year’s Cayman International Film Festival has been canceled be- cause of a lack of funding, according to organizer Tony Mark. CayFilm, which debuted in 2015, has attracted movie stars, producers and other high- profile industry players to the Cayman Islands over the past three years. Mr. Mark said he hoped the festival would return next year. For more on this story, see page 5. More than 2,000 partici- pants took part in Deputy Governor Franz Man- derson annual 5K Chal- lenge on Sunday. Led by Mr. Manderson, the challenge raised money for charities Meals on Wheels, Feed our Future, and the Kiwanis’ Buy-a-Kid- Breakfast program. “We had an absolutely tre- mendous turnout today,” Mr. Manderson said in a press release. “It was fantastic to see so many people from across the community come along and support these great charities. I thank each and every person who sup- ported the event to help make it such a success.” The overall fastest male runner was Victor Mag- alhaes, with a time of 17 minutes, 52.2 seconds. The overall fastest female Record turnout for Deputy Governor’s 5K challenge Junior Batabano a spectacle of colorful fun A George Town Primary student smiles as she and her classmates, along with students from six other schools, paraded through the streets in Saturday’s annual Junior Batabano. The theme of this year’s parade, held a week before the adult Batabano festival, was ‘Splendor of the Skies.’ Cayman’s schools embraced the theme, coming up with a wide variety of celestial-themed costumes and names. The parade competition was won by Savannah Primary School with its ‘Rain … and More Rain’ costumes. For more on this story, see page 6. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, right, and Governor Anwar Choudhury cross the finish line at the DG 5K on Sunday in George Town. - PHOTO: GIS PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY APRIL 30, 20182 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 30, 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) AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR 3D (PG13) 12:15 2D VIP I 12:20 I 3:30 2D VIP 3:35 2D I 6:45 2D VIP I 6:50 2D 9:10 I 9:55 2D VIP WRINKLE IN TIME 3D (PG) 2:40 2D I 5:05 I 7:30 2D A QUIET PLACE (PG13) 12:15 I 7:35 I 10:15 I CAN ONLY IMAGINE (PG) 2:30 I 10:00 EVERY DAY (PG13) 12:20 I 5:10 I 9:50 RAMPAGE 3D (PG13) 12:35 2D I 4:40 2D I 10:00 2D READY PLAYER ONE (PG13) 1:35 I 3:05 I 7:10 Visiting Gynecologist will be available for consultation at Novo Clinic, Britcay House 236 Eastern Avenue from 8-21 May, 2018 For appointments please call +1 (345) 746-6082 clinic@novocayman.com New Autism Society launched in Cayman JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new nonprofit organiza- tion, launching Monday, aims to provide support for fami- lies impacted by autism. Among the key concerns for the new Autism Society is the lack of insurance cov- erage in Cayman for proven therapies for children with the condition. The society also hopes to raise funds to assist af- fected families and improve access to education and em- ployment for young people on the spectrum. A launch event is planned Monday evening at Camana Bay. The event will include a showing of the documen- tary “Life Animated,” an Oscar-winning movie about a young man on the au- tism spectrum. A reception will follow at Abacus from 8 p.m. featuring a question-and-answer ses- sion with the board. Premier Alden McLaughlin is sched- uled to attend. Morne Botes, one of the founders of the organization, said, “The Autism Society of the Cayman Islands was formed by a group of par- ents who understand first- hand the challenges faced by their children and their fam- ilies and who are committed to making a positive contri- bution to our community, and supporting other families im- pacted by autism.” Mr. Botes, whose son has autism, said the society wanted to increase public un- derstanding of the condition. He said, “Many local pri- vate insurance companies do not cover evidence-based in- tervention treatments for au- tism, and of those that do provide some benefit, it is generally minimal (US$1,000 per year) compared to the considerable cost of special- ized interventions.” He said the primary goals of the society are to raise awareness through public education, advocate for better access to health in- surance, raise funds to sup- port families with funding interventions, and to create a supportive network for im- pacted families. The founding board of di- rectors include Mr. Botes, Shani Petzer, Kim Voaden, Wendy Whittaker, Shan Har- riman, Erik Faustino and Shirleen Thames. Among the key concerns for the new Autism Society is the lack of insurance coverage in Cayman for proven therapies for children with the condition. Former minister’s assault trial adjourned CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former government min- ister Michael Thomas Adam will have to wait until August before his trial for common assault can resume Mr. Adam pleaded not guilty to a charge of common assault, following an inci- dent that occurred on June 27 last year. The complainant is a man who owns property next to his in West Bay. The men met at the property line to wit- ness the placement of prop- erty markers by a surveyor and words were exchanged. When the trial began in March, the complainant told the court that Mr. Adam “placed his right fist against my cheek with slight pressure.” Mr. Adam, in his evi- dence, said he did raise his fist during an encounter with the complainant, but it was in self-defense. He ex- plained that he felt insulted when the complainant called him “senile” and felt threat- ened by the man’s aggres- sive behavior. Defense attorney Waide DaCosta told Magistrate Grace Donalds he had wit- nesses to call and the matter was adjourned until Thursday, April 26. On that date, however, it was not pos- sible to proceed and a new date was canvassed. This proved diffi- cult, in part because the magistrate serves part- time and has a schedule that includes weeks de- voted to Traffic Court apart from criminal mat- ters. Also to be considered was the schedule of Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson, along with Mr. DaCosta’s own commitments. The date finally agreed on was Monday, Aug. 27. Mr. Adam, whose govern- ment ministry included com- munity affairs and housing from 2009-2013, is now 68. The complainant is 42. Cayman Prep digs into Earth Day activities Cayman Prep Primary School held its first Eco Week, April 23-27, in cel- ebration of Earth Day and Earth Month. The school’s Eco-War- rior group, which was set up two years ago as a way to make the school more envi- ronmentally friendly, played a major role in preparing for the week and even held an assembly to educate the school on the subject, ac- cording to a press release is- sued by the school. Students, teachers and parents were encouraged to participate in various ac- tivities and initiatives, with an effort to make everyone aware of how the waste that we produce impacts the environment. Throughout the week, sev- eral guest speakers gave pre- sentations to students on subjects including reducing plastic waste, local sustain- able farming and conserving our oceans. Speakers in- cluded representatives from Plastic Free Cayman, the Na- tional Trust, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, Saucha, Farmacy, Charlito’s Green- house, the Department of En- vironmental Health, Vigoro and Eco Divers. Inspired by the presenters, students have been writing letters to the government, designing posters and creating their own presentations. Students were also given numerous eco-tasks and activities to complete at home, including car- pooling, walking or cycling to school, making waste- free lunches, going on na- ture walks, doing a beach or road clean up, designing cos- tumes and T-shirts for Earth Day, as well as planting seeds and saplings. Cayman Prep students urge everyone to use less plastic, as part of their Eco Week campaign. When the trial began in March, the complainant told the court that Mr. Adam “placed his right fist against my cheek with slight pressure.” Rider injured in motorcycle crash JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A motorbike rider was injured Friday in an accident on Shedden Road involving his bike and two trucks. The accident, which happened around 8:35 a.m. near St. Alban’s Church and Bodden Place briefly snarled the morning commuter traffic. Police and ambulance services responded after 911 was called and EMT assisted the rider who was lying on the street. The rider was taken to the Cayman Islands Hos- pital by ambulance for medical assistance and treated for minor injuries, police confirm. The accident happened just past the Shedden Road stoplights in the vicinity of St. Alban’s Church. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 30, 2018 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. Trash pickup: Time for truth from government When we wrote last week that we feared the result of volunteer Earth Day litter cleanup efforts would be temporary, we meant eventually – not almost as soon as the last trash bag had been tied. How disappointing, then, to read Philippa Walsh’s letter to the editor expressing her dismay at the Department of Environmental Health’s utter failure to dispose of the trash-filled bags she and her two young children had diligently filled with litter they collected during that well-attended and highly effective event. Hundreds of volunteers took time to remove thou- sands of pounds of trash from beaches, roadsides, vacant lots and waterways over Earth Day weekend. But, as Ms. Walsh writes, “Several days after the volunteer cleanup … I noticed that the bags which were placed on the side of the roads, as instructed, remained there – many of which had now been torn open by wild chickens or stray dogs and were back to being strewn all over the road and verge!” It is bad enough that the DEH appears unable to figure out the timely and proper disposal of trash on its regular routes – to the point that frustrated resi- dents have taken to driving their trash to leave it in the parking lot of the George Town landfill. Further, the irony cannot be ignored that volun- teers, who surely had better things to do than play “trash collector,” felt the need to step in to do the job that taxpayers pay the government to do. It should go without saying that garbage collection should be one of the least controversial and most routine responsibil- ities of government. It is Public Works 101. Clearly, something is seriously amiss at the DEH, and the minister responsible for that department, the Hon. Dwayne Seymour, has an obligation to share with the public what is really going on. Of course, it’s not just the post-Earth Day cleanup debacle. Residents and their elected politicians have been screaming about the lack of timely and consistent trash pickup. Meanwhile, the landfill, we are told, is full to overflowing and is not accepting certain materials, including derelict automobiles and scrap metal. At the same time, the director of the DEH, Roydell Carter, has been “out of office” since December. No further expla- nation has been forthcoming, other than a statement, totally devoid of details, in January from Jennifer Ahearn, chief officer at the Ministry of Health, that Mr. Carter “is currently on leave.” That is not nearly good enough. If this is not the “people’s business,” what is? As Ms. Walsh writes, her children are keen to do another cleanup, but she is reluctant to waste more of their (and her) time. She writes, “What is the point of doing the cleanup if the garbage is not collected immediately thereafter?” A week ago, even as we offered our thanks to the volunteers, the businesses, Chamber of Commerce, environmental and diving associations, neighbor- hood groups and committees who came together to clean up our island, we bemoaned the fact that some thoughtless individuals would surely undo all their hard work. We were referring to litterbugs somehow lacking the civic pride and sense of personal responsibility that compels decent people to clean up the messes they have made. Add DEH to the top of the list. MONDAY APRIL 30, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Cleanup effort is wasted without follow-through The recent islandwide ef- fort by members of the public, who voluntarily took time out from their personal sched- ules to pick up thousands of individual pieces of gar- bage carelessly strewn around by irresponsible fellow is- land dwellers, is an almost wasted effort. Several days after the vol- unteer cleanup, which I per- sonally did with my 5-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter, I noticed that the bags which were placed on the side of the roads, as instructed, re- mained there – many of which had now been torn open by wild chickens or stray dogs and were back to being strewn all over the road and verge! What is the point of doing the cleanup if the gar- bage is not collected immedi- ately thereafter? My children are asking to do another cleanup this weekend, and again thereafter, but I’m now reluctant when our hours of effort are seem- ingly wasted. This needs to be a group effort by both the members of the public bagging the garbage to the Department of Environment promptly col- lecting it, otherwise it com- pletely defeats the object! Philippa Walsh Sunday liquor sales set bad example I am truly puzzled why there is such desperation to go without liquor for a day. It is pure nonsense that our tourists demand it. No, our li- quor merchants demand it. I have spoken to a number of tourists and when they find they cannot buy liquor on a Sunday, they are dis- appointed, but the usual re- sponse is, “That’s all right. I didn’t come here to find what I left, nor did I come here to find everything as I want it. I came to experience your cul- ture and I respect that.” Why is it that we feel so compelled to provide, protect and promote a drug that is the most dangerous drug on earth? It causes more social and health problems than all of the other drugs combined and yet we kowtow to those who sell and consume as if it was a dire necessity of life. We even give special privi- leges to those who buy liquor by allowing it to be brought in duty-free. I go over my al- lowance and buy some vita- mins and I have to pay duty. He goes over his allowance and buys liquor and he gets it in duty-free. This makes me angry. A customs allow- ance should be a customs al- lowance. If a person wants to buy liquor, it should fall into whatever allowance he is given, not outside what he is allowed. Why is his li- quor more valuable, more precious, more desirable than my vitamins? Frankly, I am fed up with the type of mentality and leaders that feel we cannot stand our ground on any- thing and then we wonder why our children and youth are not growing up to be sober, diligent, dependable young people. They are not stupid; they’re watching us and we should be ashamed of ourselves for setting such a bad example. Marjorie Ebanks Plastic Free Cayman volunteers sort through bags of trash at Safehaven during an Earth Day cleanup event. 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”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 30, 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 An appeal made to the Of- fice of the Ombudsman over a Freedom of Information re- quest in September 2017 has resulted in an eight-page re- port which asks the Min- istry of Finance and Eco- nomic Development to make an apology to the applicant. An apology is in order, Ombudsman Sandy Herm- iston said, due to the poor customer service the un- named applicant received. Had the applicant used one of the 30 customer satis- faction kiosks the govern- ment has installed in various public areas, Ms. Hermiston wrote in a news release on the report, “she would not have selected the ‘happy face’ as a reflection of her cus- tomer experience.” “Even if I had the power to order the Ministry to apol- ogize, I would not,” the om- budsman said in the report. “Apologies must be made freely in order to be effective and to achieve the ultimate goal of repairing mistakes.” The applicant, according to the report, was forced to re-file a freedom of informa- tion request regarding stamp duty abatements when the first request was not com- pletely responded to. The second part of the request in the first application asked for the letter of abatement of stamp duty for some spe- cific parcels. The ministry responded that it did not have informa- tion on those parcels. The applicant then filed an appeal with the ombudsman, based on the first response she received from the finance ministry, on Sept. 7. On Sept. 13, the finance ministry pro- vided a complete response to the applicant’s second sub- mission of a freedom of in- formation request. In her report, Ms. Herm- iston said neither the ap- plicant nor the ministry in- formed her office that the information request had been completed to the applicant’s satisfaction. The analyst investigating the matter did not find out until Sept. 26. Eight months later, the ombudsman’s office issued its investigative report – the second report it has issued this year – suggesting the Ministry of Finance make an apology to the FOI applicant. The ministry had not re- sponded to a request for comment by press time. The applicant, according to the report, was forced to re-file a freedom of information request regarding stamp duty abatements when the first request was not completely responded to. Ombudsman asks Ministry of Finance to apologize CayFilm festival canceled for 2018 SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Organizers of the Cayman International Film Festival announced Friday that the 2018 edition of the event will be canceled due to lack of funding. “It was one of the toughest decisions I had to make,” said festival orga- nizer Tony Mark of halting the 2018 CayFilm. “It was a combination of many things including sponsor- ship, available plane tickets to Cayman that weekend and some changing sched- ules of some of our VIPs coming. That combination caused us to look at the big picture and realize we want to always deliver the highest quality event.” CayFilm debuted in 2015 and has established itself as a part of Cayman’s summer schedule. Several notable ac- tors, producers and other movie personnel have vis- ited Cayman as part of the festival over the years, and the CayFilm organizers is- sued a press release ex- pressing their regret at not being able to carry the ball forward in 2018. “Unfortunately, the funding available for an event of this magnitude rarely ever aligns with the grand vision in our heads or the potential for greatness that we know exists,” it said. “Furthermore, we would never put on a Fes- tival that is watered down or less than the Festivals that have gone before it.” There are currently efforts to secure sponsorship to en- sure the return of the fes- tival in 2019. The festival organizers said there are already ideas and plans in progress for the 2019 edition of CayFilm, and they hope to bring the expe- rience back to Cayman in a bigger and bolder way. “I’m really upset because I especially want CayFilm to showcase local Cayman filmmakers to the world,” said Mr. Mark. “I hope this pausing of the 2018 event doesn’t deter local film- makers in continuing to grow and make movies. We will be back bigger and stronger and continue the tradi- tion of CayFilm.” “Unfortunately, the funding available for an event of this magnitude rarely ever aligns with the grand vision in our heads or the potential for greatness that we know exists.” CAYFILM ORGANIZERS, on the cancelation of the 2018 festival CayFilm organizer Tony Mark speaks at an earlier ‘Star Wars’-themed festival. The 2018 CayFilm festival has been canceled because of a lack of funds. - PHOTO: MAGGIE JACKSON6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 30, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Junior Batabano a spectacle of colorful fun JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com From Angels decked out with jewel-encrusted wings to beautifully designed “Smiling Sunbeams,” Cayman Junior Batabano was a sea of color and laughter on Saturday. Hundreds gathered along George Town streets and on the grounds of the old Glass House for the junior parade, which is held a week be- fore the annual adult Bata- bano festival. Savannah Primary kids, dressed in white with lots of sparkling tinsel representing “Rain … and More Rain,” earned first place for cap- turing the theme of the pa- rade – “Splendor of the Skies.” The vibrant group also im- pressed judges with their costumes and a coordinated dance to win Batabano “Ju- nior Band of the Year.” Red Bay Primary stu- dents, whose costume theme was “Swirling Winds,” took second place, while Pros- pect Primary’s “Smiling Sun- beams” won third place. The titles King and Queen of Junior Batabano went to two students from George Town Primary School. The school designed their own costumes under the theme “Guardians of the Sky,” as- sisted by festival costume designer Reba Dilbert and Sagicor staff. School leaders, teachers and parents kept a no-non- sense eye on kids around the parade routes. DJs stationed on backs of trucks kept the parade moving along with funky Soca music. Organizers said this year – the 15th of the junior fes- tival – had a record turnout, with 450 children, in groups with a variety of celestial names, like Cayman Prep and High’s “Solar Eclipse;” St. Ig- natius’s “Fluffy Clouds, Mid- night Moonlight and Thunder and Lightning;” and Cayman International School’s “Wel- come to Heaven.” During the presentation of trophies, Donna Myrie- Stephen, chairwoman of the Cayman Carnival Batabano Committee, praised the chil- dren for a job well done, as well as parents and sponsors for supporting the event. Most of the costumes at this year’s Junior Batabano were designed once again by one of Trinidad’s “Junior Mas” costume designers, Richard Bartholomew. Participating schools in- cluded Cayman International School, St. Ignatius School, Cayman Prep and High School, Red Bay Primary, Prospect Primary, Savannah Primary and George Town Primary. Feeling sunny: A young George Town Primary student in his ‘Guardians of the Sky’ costume. A Cayman International School student shows off the wings of her ‘Welcome to Heaven’ costume theme. St. Ignatius Catholic School students parade in their ‘Fluffy Clouds, Midnight Moonlight, and Thunder and Lightning’-themed costumes.Cayman Prep and High School channel a ‘Solar Eclipse’ as their theme. Red Bay Primary’s ‘Swirling Winds’ in action. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Savannah Primary students don wings, raindrops and umbrellas in their ‘Rain... and More Rain’ theme. A St. Ignatius Catholic School student with a ‘Fluffy Clouds, Midnight Moonlight and Thunder and Lightning’ theme.Savannah Primary’s ‘Rain... and More Rain’ dance through the street.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 30, 2018 CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, TOURISM & TRANSPORT MINISTRY OFThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY APRIL 30, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS an obscene publication, then the parties will move on to their constitutional argu- ments; if she does not, then Mr. Kynes will have been found not guilty and the trial will be finished. The two-day trial at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre en- tailed the prosecution calling eight witnesses; playing a nearly hour-long recording of Mr. Kynes’s interview with police; and having Deputy Di- rector of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran questioning the defendant. Mr. Kynes, for his part, submitted a slew of documents in his defense and contended that “my art is love.” The magistrate also vis- ited Mr. Kynes’s properties to examine some of his statues. The Crown’s witnesses al- leged that two statues on Mr. Kynes’s roadside property both featured two women in- dulging in sexual acts with one another. Two other statues of women with skulls by their vaginas were also the subject of the trial, but did not receive nearly as much attention from the prosecution or witnesses. When it was Mr. Kynes’s turn to cross-examine the witnesses, at times his line of questioning devolved into arguments that appeared to have little to do with the matter at hand. For instance, when he cross-examined Cayman Brac Pastor Thomas French, the two began a debate about two statues Mr. Kynes had created and displayed several years ago, one of a cross with a bloody goat head skull and the “666” mark on it. Pastor French said he found it “disturbing” that Mr. Kynes would erect such a statue around the Easter holiday. Mr. Kynes insisted that his statue was depicting the Battle of Armageddon. When Ms. Gunn asked Mr. Kynes how the argument is rel- evant to the current case, he re- plied, “The relevance is that ev- erything I do is art.” Another witness, Brac resi- dent Elvis McKeever, called Mr. Kynes’s statues an “outrage” and “disgusting.” Mr. Kynes pointed out that Mr. McKeever has 28 convictions, including one for insulting the mod- esty of a woman. When it was his turn to present evidence, Mr. Kynes submitted a packet of letters he said he said he had received from tourists who like his art. He also submitted a book of statues he said he bought at the local library, which shows a statue of a woman getting raped. Mr. Kynes further sub- mitted a video of 2017 Brac- cannal, which showed women wining and grinding on men’s crotches during the carnival- like celebration last year. Ms. Gunn said she would not allow the video to be entered as evi- dence, but that as a resident of the Cayman Islands, she would consider events such as Brac- cannal and Batabano when de- termining whether his statues are obscene to local values. After Mr. Kynes presented his evidence, he was ques- tioned by Mr. Moran. The prosecutor repeatedly suggested that Mr. Kynes’s statues were sexual in nature, but the defendant refused to state that he intended to de- pict that. “It all depends on the individual. Some might [think the statues are sexual],” said Mr. Kynes. “I can’t control their thoughts.” The matter is scheduled to continue on June 27. Ronald ‘Foots’ Kynes, left, looks on as Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn examines his statues as part of his trial for possessing an obscene publication. - PHOTO: KEN SILVA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Fact-finding finished for ‘Foots’ obscenity trial runner was Tiffany Cole, with a time of 19:35.9. Participants walked and ran the DG 5K, beginning and finishing at the Government Administra- tion Building. Among the runners and walkers were Governor Anwar Choudhury and government minis- ters Roy McTaggart, Joey Hew and Dwayne Seymour. The annual 5K brings together civil servants, private sector em- ployees and members of the general public in a fitness and fundraising challenge – part of Mr. Manderson’s vision to have a healthier, more ac- tive and more socially engaged civil service, while benefiting charitable organizations and initiatives in the Cayman Islands Organizers said the group trophy winners, along with the final fund- raising total, would be announced at a later date. Sunday’s run followed the DG’s 5K Challenge on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Those events raised funds for provision for meals at the Kirkconnell Community Care Centre in the Brac and a “grow box” for the school in Little Cayman. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Record turnout for Deputy Governor’s 5K challenge Victor Magalhaes takes the prize for the fastest male runner. - PHOTOS: GIS Minister Roy McTaggart hands female winner Tiffany Cole her trophy as Deputy Governor Franz Manderson and Bryan Hunter of Appleby look on. Runners head down Smith Road in the DG 5K. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 open the possibility that new civil service hires may be required to pay a portion of their healthcare costs at some unspecified date. Financial Secretary Ken Jefferson told Legislative As- sembly members in February that the proposal was still under discussion. “It is intended that cost- sharing would only apply to civil servants at a future hire date and, to the best of my knowledge, that hire date hasn’t been decided,” Mr. Jef- ferson said at the time. He added that the gov- ernment believed that the public recognized the se- rious issues faced in con- tinuing to provide health- care to a population that was living longer after retirement. He said a review of healthcare liabilities com- pleted in late 2017 had looked at how much the government expects to owe for health costs in the next 20 years, as well as how much taxpayers are funding public sector healthcare an- nually. The question now is, what to do about it, he said. The numbers can look scary, Mr. Jefferson told the legislators, but he said, at this stage, the issue is not a public “crisis.” In 2014, the government estimated its present value healthcare liability for both current and retired civil servants would be $1.18 bil- lion over the next 20 years. By June 2016, those fu- ture liabilities were esti- mated to have increased to $1.4 billion and last year, to nearly $1.7 billion. It is not all money that is due at once, Mr. Jefferson said. However, if the health- care costs continued to grow as expected, they could end up “overwhelming the gov- ernment’s budget,” he said. CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 30, 2018 On the 17th April 2018 at the UWI Hospital in, Kingston Jamaica. She leaves to mourn; her four children: One daughter; Charlie, Three sons; Sean, Clint & Oral. Six grandchildren: Chae, Tyler, Dequhan, Levi, Sean Jr & Sirianna. Also, a host of friends and colleagues, such as: The Cayman Islands Cancer Society, FIWI Cash Loans, CCZ, PAL Services, China Village, Mango Tree, Welly’s Cool Spot, among others. A celebration for her life will take place at: King’s Gate United Church (A congregation of the United church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands) 49 Hope Road, Kingston 10, St: Andrew, Jamaica, on the 5th of May 2018 at 11:30 am. Interment will follow at the Dovecot Memorial Cemetery. Please wear bright cheerful colors, to refl ect the way, she lived her life. It is with regret that we announce the passing of Miss. Sonia May Johnson CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ‘No support’ for civil servant healthcare contributions Officials tour off-road racing’s future home Police, Customs, Youth Services Unit, Cayman Is- lands Hot Rod Association and Cayman Islands Moto- cross representatives visited a site in East End Thursday that has been earmarked as the site of a new off-road racing facility. Officials hope that opening the racing track will help tackle the ongoing problem of non-street legal motorbikes being ridden on Cayman’s public roads. “While this is just an early step, we are excited to be making progress in the cre- ation of this facility, which we envision will provide an outlet for motorcycle enthu- siasts who do not have any- where to legally ride,” said James Myles, president of the Cayman Islands Moto- cross Association. Deputy Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton said the RCIPS would enforce the law for those who choose to ride on public roads il- legally, “but we also know that there are many who have expressed an in- terest in a proper facility where they can ride without breaking the law.” He added, “We are in sup- port of any initiative aimed at providing enthusiasts with the opportunity to enjoy their hobby responsibly.” The officials also viewed plans for the proposed site, which includes an off-road course for dirt bikes, a mul- tipurpose concrete pad for stunt bike riding, a quarter- mile strip for drag racing, and a circuit racing track. “Now that the government is finalizing the lease of the land and we have drafted the plans, the next step is com- pleting the clearing of the land and then beginning con- struction of Phase One of the project. We are reaching out to the business community for the needed funds to de- velop this long-awaited fa- cility,” Mr. Myles said. Officials pose at the East End site where a new off-road racing facility is planned. From left, Deputy Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton; President of the Cayman Motocross Association James Myles; Joe Myrie and Billy Ebanks of the Cayman Hot Rod Association; Deputy Collector of Customs Marlon Bodden; Cecil Walton Jr. of the Cayman Hot Rod Association; Inspector Courtney Myles; and Chief Inspector Everton Spence. Trump finally hosts African leader at the White House LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) – After more than a year in office, President Donald Trump for the first time is hosting an African president at the White House. The meeting with Nigerian President Mu- hammadu Buhari on Monday comes after an uncomfort- able start to the Trump ad- ministration’s approach to the world’s second most pop- ulous continent. Security and economic issues top the agenda for the bilateral meeting and working lunch. Nigeria, Afri- ca’s most populous country with almost 200 mil- lion people, is the largest economy on the continent and the leading crude oil ex- porter. Buhari was one of the first two African leaders Trump called after he took power, along with South Afri- ca’s president. Nigeria is also one of Afri- ca’s most troubled countries when it comes to extremism. Extremist group Boko Haram launched a violent insur- gency in the northeast nine years ago with the aim of creating an Islamic state, and tens of thousands of people have been killed. Mass abductions of schoolgirls brought Boko Haram interna- tional notoriety and one fac- tion has declared allegiance to the Islamic State group. Boko Haram is now active in neighboring Cameroon, Niger and Chad and poses one of the most severe secu- rity threats to West Africa’s vast Sahel region. With Nigeria nowhere close to fully defeating Boko Haram despite government claims of having “crushed” the extremists, Buhari is ex- pected to seek further U.S. military assistance. Already the Trump administration has made a $600 million deal to supply military planes and security equipment, one that was stalled under the Obama administration because of al- legations that Nigeria’s mil- itary has been involved in human rights including rape and extrajudicial killings. “Absent clear evidence of a systematically abusive re- gime, moral preening is of little utility in dealing with situations like this,” J. Peter Pham, director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center, said in a blog post on Thursday, saying Buhari’s adminis- tration has taken a “much more decisive approach” to Boko Haram. Buhari, facing elections early next year, is under pres- sure to deliver on promises to defeat Boko Haram that helped him win office in 2015 in a rare democratic transfer of power in Nigeria. In addition to seeking greater security collabora- tion, Buhari and Trump also will “discuss ways to enhance the strategic partnership be- tween the two countries and to advance shared priorities, such as promoting economic growth,” the Nigerian presi- dential spokesman, Femi Ad- esina, said in a statement. Nigerian newspapers re- port that a team of govern- ment officials that traveled to the U.S. ahead of Buhari have signed an agreement to provide four companies led by General Electric the op- portunity to invest an es- timated $2 billion to mod- ernize key railways between Nigeria’s commercial hub, Lagos, and the northern city of Kano and between Port Harcourt in the oil-rich Niger Delta and the northern city of Maiduguri – the birthplace of Boko Haram. China, the top investor in Nigeria, already is deep into similar infrastructure work in the country. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will be hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House, Monday. – PHOTO: AP LEBANESE EXPATS VOTE IN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS BEIRUT (AP) – Lebanese expatriates began voting Sunday in the first par- liamentary elections held by the tiny Arab country in nine years The current legislature has extended its term sev- eral times, citing security threats linked to the war in neighboring Syria. Leba- non’s political system dis- tributes power among the country’s different religious communities, and the main parties are led by political dynasties that fought one another during the 1975- 1990 civil war. Sunday’s vote in 33 countries comes two days after thousands of Lebanese voted in six Arab countries. The vote marks the first time that Lebanese are al- lowed to vote abroad. Mil- lions of Lebanese live abroad, but Lebanon’s state-run news agency says the number of regis- tered voters is 82,970. The voting inside Lebanon will be held next Sunday. Australia has the largest number of regis- tered voters, with about 12,000, followed by Canada with 11,438 and the United States with about 10,000.Next >