High of 86 Low of 74 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 WELCOMING THE WORLD TO CAYMAN LOCAL | PAGE 5 ‘FRASIER’ STAR TO HOST CHARITY DINNER ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY MAY 17, 2018 Road User Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. : insurance, health, pensions, life Enjoy comprehensive cover with free roadside assistance, $200 deductible, zero windscreen deductible and many other free benefits! Ask for a quote! Cayman basks in record high season Air arrivals jump 20 percent in first quarter JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com “We broke records in January, February and March,” says Jim Mauer, the new man- ager at the Westin hotel on Seven Mile Beach. “It has been the best first quarter in the history of the hotel.” Businesses around the Cayman Islands are telling a similar story after another record- breaking tourism season. The figures were buffered by an influx of tourists, forced to steer clear of other fa- vorite destinations, like Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands, which are still recov- ering from the devastation wrought by hurri- canes last year. Even with that caveat, hoteliers say they were pleasantly surprised to see a 20 per- cent jump in arrival figures in the first quarter of 2018. Marc Langevin, manager of The Ritz-Carlton, said the hotel had been virtually full from De- cember through March. He expects to see oc- cupancy rates in the 80 to 90 percent range all the way through to August. And he does not believe the surge in air arrivals is a one-time thing, with the impact of the storms likely to continue to affect rival destinations into 2019. He added that travelers who had tradition- ally been loyal to destinations like St. Thomas were now seeing what Cayman had to offer. “We have to really look at this as an op- portunity … make sure we don’t just enjoy a wonderful year, but look at this as a long-term investment and demonstrate the worth of our destination,” Mr. Langevin said. With the airport moving toward comple- tion and several hotels investing in exten- sive upgrades, Mr. Langevin, who is also the Cayman Islands Tourism Association’s hotels director, said the money coming into the is- land through tourism was being reinvested to ACCOUNTING FIRMS WIN LEGAL DISPUTE OVER GOVERNMENT FEES KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Grand Court has struck down attempts by government to collect hundreds of thou- sands of dollars in extra business licensing fees from the territory’s major accounting firms, ruling that such efforts were unlawful. The case stems from a dispute between government and the accounting firms over the meaning of the Trade and Business Li- censing Law (2007 Revision), which includes a schedule of fees. The schedule of fees in- cluded a “per firm” fee based on the size of an accounting firm – ranging from $20,000 for a firm with six to 10 accountants to $400,000 for a firm with 51 or more accountants – as well as a “per professional” fee of $2,000 for each accountant a firm employs. The accounting firms – BDO Cayman, De- loitte and Touche, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PwC – argued at a judicial review hearing last June that only the per firm fee should apply, while government argued that both fees should apply. Based on the more than 1,110 accountants registered in Cayman, government’s interpre- tation of the legislation would have cost the major firms hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra fees. According to the Grand Court judgment, the accounting firms argued if the government wished to impose two sets of fees on accoun- tancy firms, the law should have said so in clear and unequivocal words. The firms also argued that two sets of fees would amount to unfair double taxation, ‘Here’s to another 60 glorious years’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Fresh off an embarrassing legislative re- volt among his own party during a parlia- mentary vote that sought to force public company ownership registers on British Overseas Territories, U.K. Foreign Secre- tary Boris Johnson told a London audience Monday night that Cayman would remain part of the United Kingdom. Secretary Johnson’s remarks were made at an evening event held to celebrate the 60-year anniversary of the Cayman Is- lands coat of arms, assigned to the terri- tory by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II on May 14, 1958. More than 400 people attended the event at Durbar Court at the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office headquarters, including leaders from the U.K. and the overseas territories, Caymanian students studying abroad and Cayman business representatives. Referring to the Cayman coat of arms, Mr. Johnson noted: “The turtle, the pine- apple and the rope, all supported by what? The British Lion. “The Cayman Islands is, has been, will be part of the United Kingdom. Here’s to another 60 glorious years, if not more.” The remarks came two weeks after a May 1 vote in the U.K. House of Commons that amended Britain’s Sanctions and Anti- Money Laundering Bill to force British Overseas Territories – but not U.K. Crown Dependencies – to make registers of com- pany owners public. The amendment to the PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » From left, Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller, U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Premier Alden McLaughlin, House Speaker McKeeva Bush, Governor Anwar Choudhury, MLA Chris Saunders and U.K. MP Graham Brady, back, meet Monday in London. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY MAY 17, 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. - THURSDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) LADY BIRD (R) 2:00 I 4:35 I 7:20 I 9:40 I FEEL PRETTY (PG13) 4:55 I 9:55 AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (PG13) 12:15 VIP I 12:20 3D I 3:30 VIP I 3:35 6:45 VIP I 6:50 I 9:20 3D I 9:55 VIP I CAN ONLY IMAGINE (PG) 3:50 I 10:00 OVERBOARD (PG13) 1:00 I 6:45 A QUIET PLACE (PG13) 12:25 I 2:40 I 7:30 RAMPAGE (PG13) 1:30 I 4:15 I 7:10 I 9:50 Golden Apple Awards finalists selected A dozen local educators have been selected as final- ists from a pool of more than 500 nominations for the 2018 Golden Apple Awards for Ex- cellence in Teaching. The Golden Apple Awards, which are run in partnership between the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Education, are being re-instituted after a five-year hiatus. Chamber President Paul Byles said, “We received over 500 nominations from the community, so to be in- cluded on these shortlists is no small feat. We are very much looking forward to cel- ebrating the achievements of these educators at the gala, and we wish everyone the very best of luck.” The winners will be an- nounced at a ceremony on Saturday, May 26, at 6 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. Finalists Shakeina Bush and Heather Thompson are nom- inated as primary school teachers in public schools. Ms. Bush, a teacher at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School, serves as vice presi- dent of the Motocross Associ- ation, leader of the afternoon Chess Club, and chairwoman of the Cayman Islands Foot- ball Association for Fe- male Football. Ms. Thompson, of the Lighthouse School, has been recognized as “exem- plary” on the Teaching and Learning Observation scale and was awarded Cayman First Classroom of the Month in March 2017. Emily Garvey and Asyn- thia Lewis have been nom- inated as primary school teachers in private schools. Ms. Garvey, of St. Ignatius Catholic School, has taught for 13 years and has managed to integrate social media into her teaching techniques. Ms. Lewis, who teaches at First Baptist Christian School, has incorporated au- ditory, visual and kinaes- thetic techniques to her prac- tice over the years. Denise Colquhoon and Pa- trice Hanson have been nom- inated as public school high school teachers. Ms. Colquhoon, the head of the Life Skills Department at Clifton Hunter High School, is responsible for updating the Schemes of Work for Key Stage 3 and developing curric- ulum for Key Stage 4. Ms. Hanson teaches at John Gray High School, and 100 percent of year 11 class passed their exams. Ms. Hanson has consistently been rated exceptional in her an- nual performance appraisals. Bill LaMonte and Coaine Richards have been nomi- nated as private school high school teachers. Mr. LaMonte, a science teacher for 17 years, is the lead teacher of the Science De- partment at Cayman Interna- tional School. He has been rec- ognized as a National Board Certified Science Teacher. Mr. Richards has been a mathematics teacher for nearly two decades and cur- rently serves as the sixth form mathematics coordi- nator and Gifted & Talented coordinator at St. Ignatius Catholic High School. Three candidates – Marcia Rennie, Mable Richardson and April Tibbetts – will vie for the Golden Apple in the Principal (public and pri- vate) category. Ms. Rennie, the principal at Edna M. Moyle Primary School, has emphasized the importance of holistic devel- opment, as well as cultivation of arts and sports alongside academic pursuits. Ms. Richardson, prin- cipal at Triple C School, has seen student capacity at her school almost double over the last decade. Ms. Rich- ardson has more than 25 years of experience. Ms. Tibbetts, principal of West End Primary in Cayman Brac, started in the school system as a teacher before rising through the ranks. Nimmi Sekhar, the vice principal of early child- hood and elementary educa- tion at Cayman International School, will be granted a Life- time Achievement Award. Ms. Sekhar has spent nearly 30 years serving as an educator. Tickets for the Golden Apple Awards ceremony are available for purchase at CI$50 per person, and they can be obtained by calling 949-8090 or by emailing goldenapple@caymanchamber.ky. Nimmi SekharMarcia RennieMable RichardsonHeather Thompson Asynthia LewisApril TibbettsCoaine Richards Bill LaMonteEmily Garvey MAN ARRESTED IN ABDUCTION ATTEMPT Visitor, 83, dies on snorkel trip A West Bay man, 37, was arrested Monday in connection with what police said was an at- tempted abduction. Police said officers were called to a location on West Bay Road near Piper Way Monday around 11 a.m. where a man was seen “in- teracting inappropriately with two children who were at the location.” The man was arrested later on Monday and re- mained in police cus- tody Tuesday. No charges had been filed as of Tuesday afternoon. When asked to clarify what offense the man had been arrested on suspicion of, a police spokesperson responded: “He was ar- rested on suspicion of at- tempted abduction.” An 83-year-old visitor from the U.S. died Tuesday after he went missing during a snorkel trip to Stingray City in Grand Cayman’s North Sound. According to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the man was re- ported missing from his vessel around 2:15 p.m. Tuesday. He was found unconscious by another watercraft a short while later. CPR was administered while the visitor was brought back to shore and the man was taken to hos- pital by ambulance. He was pro- nounced dead later Tuesday afternoon. This is the second death of a snorkeler in less than a week. Doris Ann Sarauer, 64, a visitor from Minne- sota, died Thursday, May 10, after getting into dif- ficulty while taking part in a snorkeling tour off South Church Street. CURACAO COURT OKS CONOCO SEIZING VENEZUELAN OIL ASSETS WILLEMSTAD, Curacao (AP) – A court on the Dutch is- land of Curacao has autho- rized the local subsidiary of U.S. oil giant ConocoPhillips to seize $636 million worth of assets held on the is- land by Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA. The move comes as Houston-based Conoco seeks to recover $2 billion in a de- cade-old dispute over the ex- propriation of its Venezuelan oil projects by the OPEC na- tion’s socialist government, which is struggling with an economic crunch that has caused widespread shortages of food and medicine. Curacao Economy Min- ister Steve Martina said at a news conference Sunday that Conoco already had taken control of some oil prod- ucts at the Isla Curazao re- finery, though he did not specify how much. Patrice Hanson Shakeina Bush Denise ColquhoonThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MAY 17, 2018 Felix is seven years old and has lived in Cayman his entire life. He was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma on Dec. 15 and is currently receiving intensive treatment at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami. Prior to receiving the diagnosis, Felix was a happy, active member of his Cayman community. He loved playing soccer with his CIS U9 team, roller hockey with the league, swimming, playing tennis, shooting hoops and surfing on weekends. While he misses his friends, teammates and coaches, he has every intention of being back very soon. First, he has to defeat this illness. And he will! FELIX’S TREATMENTS Since Felix’s diagnosis he has completed six rounds of induction chemotherapy and had surgery to remove most of the primary tumor in his abdomen. In mid May, he will start transplant. During transplant Felix will receive high-dose chemotherapy as well as stem cells that were previously harvested from his bone marrow. Felix will receive two bone marrow transplants with each cycle running about six weeks. He will then receive further treatment for six months. As challenging as this period will be for him, we are confident that he will emerge stronger and ready to face the future. ABOUT NEUROBLASTOMA Neuroblastoma is a rare type of solid tumor that occurs in the developing cells of the sympathetic nervous system. It is most commonly found in the adrenal gland, located on top of the kidney. Neuroblastoma usually occurs in infants and young children with only 600 new cases diagnosed each year. THANK YOU Felix and his family are immensely grateful for the love and support that they have received from the Cayman community and have drawn on that support as a crucial and inspiring source of strength. • CI$25 Per Walker • PrIZeS for: – MOST INdIvIdUAL SPonSorShIP money raISed – beSt CoStume – BEST dRESSEd FAMILY • refreShmentS • raffle PrIZeS • 3 Pm regIStratIon and CheCk-In at the CabanaS next to CalICo’SThe 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” Cayman did not simply break its previous record for airplane arrivals in the first quarter of this year – it shattered them, putting us on pace for a fifth straight record-breaking year. As the Compass reports in today’s newspaper, air arrivals from January through March leaped to 134,170 visitors. That is 20 percent over the same quarter in 2017 – a figure that must be particularly pleasing to our islands’ hoteliers, who are reporting occupancy rates of 80-90 percent capacity, with no slowdown in sight. The direct impact to our economy is undeniable; a Department of Tourism analysis estimated the collec- tive spending of stay-over tourists last year to be around $485 million – money that directly benefits our tourist and hospitality sector, and each of us through secondary spending and funding of government services. For “indirect beneficiaries” outside the hospitality industry, it can be easy to dwell on minor irritants. But one need only imagine the alternative – empty streets, empty hotel rooms and empty pockets – to regain perspective. No matter our profession, we all can help make guests’ visits memorable – and worthy of an encore. A friendly smile, a helpful set of directions, a clean and inviting streetscape (and – crossing our fingers – a safe cab ride at a fair rate) all help create an image of Cayman that we can be proud to share with the world. Cayman’s record-breaking tourism figures may have been helped, in part, by other Caribbean islands’ mis- fortune, as visitors have rerouted trips from hurricane- affected destinations. But we expect that once they have availed them- selves of Cayman’s beautiful beaches, exquisite culinary offerings and warm hospitality, many of today’s new visitors will become familiar faces in years to come. GM mosquito response (cont’d) This week, the Cayman Compass has published two news stories and an editorial regarding concerns raised by Mosquito Research and Control Unit scientists about the accuracy of claims made by private company Oxitec as to the effectiveness of a genetically modified mosquito trial program in West Bay. The stories, based on government emails released in response to an open records request, drew responses by both Oxitec and the Cayman Islands government, seeking to clarify and/or correct what they feel to be inaccuracies in, or misinterpretations of the emails. On Wednesday, we published verbatim the response from Oxitec. Today, we publish verbatim the response from government, appearing on the right side of this page. The government’s response includes a statement from Deputy Chief Officer Nancy Barnard, formerly the interim director of MRCU. On Wednesday, Ms. Barnard met with members of the Editorial Board. She took strong exception to descriptions used in Wednesday’s editorial about her response to concerns raised by MRCU Assistant Director Alan Wheeler – who, in today’s government statement, commends Ms. Barnard for renegotiating successfully government’s contract with Oxitec. Ms. Barnard emphasized that in her October 2017 email to Dr. Wheeler, she was strictly observing that it would be incorrect to attribute sole authorship of a report to Oxitec, rather than MRCU, because while Oxitec had contributed significantly to the report, the report had been signed off on by MRCU. Ms. Barnard also emphasized her track record of honesty and commitment to transparency, providing several examples of such conduct in her career in government and the nonprofit sector. Welcoming the world to Cayman THURSDAY MAY 17, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS MRCU responds to GeneWatch FOI release Following recent reports by some local media ques- tioning the success of the recent public health pro- gram that deployed genet- ically modified, non-biting mosquitoes to combat Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the Mosquito Research and Control Unit (MRCU) would like to clarify a number of points: 1. On June 29, 2017 the minutes of the West Bay Programme Steering Group reflect that a draft of a doc- ument, described as the interim report to be sub- mitted to the National Con- servation Council (NCC) by MRCU as part of permit conditions, was circulated for input to members in- cluding representatives from MRCU and Oxitec. 2. The minutes note that at least one previous report had been sent in February, and that the deadline for the submission of the doc- ument was the following day, June 30, 2017. 3. The minutes and sub- sequent emails also reflect that data was to be added to the report at the re- quest of one of the MRCU representatives, Alan Wheeler Ph.D. 4. Emails show the doc- ument was then recircu- lated within MRCU for members of the steering group to indicate any fur- ther requirements before circulation to the NCC. 5. The same emails con- firm that no further input was received from the MRCU team. Then MRCU Director Bill Petrie signed off on the report by phone as he was off-Island at the time. The final document became the eight page An- nual Report MRCU – June 2017 on the Friendly Aedes aegypti Project in West Bay. 6. This report is the doc- ument that was dissemi- nated directly to the media at a meeting of the National Conservation Council in October 2017. 7. Page seven of the re- port notes a 62 percent sup- pression rate, which was based on one methodology of calculating and stating the suppression rate. In the time since the report was issued, MRCU scientists have had a further oppor- tunity to review the data and believe that an alter- native methodology of cal- culating and expressing the suppression rate needs to be determined and agreed. This will be done by Steering Committee at the outset of the new project. 8. MRCU’s co-ownership of the document is what Ministry of Health Deputy Chief Officer, and then Acting Director Nancy Bar- nard, was referring to in an email of Oct. 27, 2017, when she noted that Government could not simply disclaim figures in a joint report signed off by the then Di- rector Petrie. 9. Emails between varied MRCU and Health Ministry staff, preceding and following sign-off and released in response to Freedom of Information re- quests, reflect a sometimes heated discussion between the scientists who were members of the committee concerning what key per- formance indicators for the program should look like. A common theme is what would ensure the people of the Cayman Islands the best value for money. These discussions continued for some time. 10. To address these dis- cussions and move forward in as informed a manner as possible, MRCU and the Ministry of Health subse- quently negotiated a new contract with Oxitec. The earlier program and its re- sulting data focused solely on the release of geneti- cally modified mosquitoes as a control measure. As such the new programme will seek to add to avail- able data by looking at the results when varying levels of release of these mos- quitoes is combined with traditional ground con- trol measures, as well as when the ground control measures stand on their own. (More details con- tained in a press release to be published within the next day or so.) 11. MRCU will use the combined data from the 2016-17 and 2018 programs to evaluate the potential for the release of geneti- cally modified mosquitoes to be included within its Integrated Mosquito Man- agement programme. (This is the programme that works toward the objective of eradicating Ae. aegypti from Grand Cayman.) 12. When the contract for the 2018 program ex- pires at the end of the year Government is under no obligation to renew. 13. Government has cur- rently made no direct pay- ments to Oxitec, although the parties are still dis- cussing the settlement of some costs for the exten- sion of the previous pro- gram. The contract for the 2018 programme has ar- ranged for a payment of $294,000 to be payable on May 31 and a second pay- ment of the same size later this year. To date, costs have all been in-kind, such as: providing office space, space for the Oxitec trailer on the MRCU compound, electricity and water. There have also been some per- sonnel related expenses associated with MRCU employees working on the evaluations. 14. Oxitec investment to date is estimated at CI$588,000. The program also employs four Cayma- nians and one person mar- ried to a Caymanian, all with an academic back- ground in the sciences. Commending Ms. Bar- nard for her work toward developing the new pro- gram while serving as In- terim MRCU Director, Dr. Wheeler states: “The new project will evaluate the Oxitec mosquito as part of an integrated control strategy alongside other control techniques. I con- sider Ms. Barnard to have successfully re-negotiated the contract with Oxitec to allow a thorough evalua- tion of the technique before plans to expand it to other areas of the island.” New MRCU Director Jim McNelly Ph.D. says his team and Oxitec are in agreement on how, where and when to proceed with the evaluation. It will also be up to MRCU to evaluate what success will look like. Dr. McNelly adds that discussions between MRCU and Oxitec have led to the creation of a sound strategy that includes a range of techniques, which will be PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » New MRCU Director Jim McNelly Ph.D. says his team and Oxitec are in agreement on how, where and when to proceed with the evaluation. It will also be up to MRCU to evaluate what success will look like.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MAY 17, 2018 pre-partywith10AM-1PM • 19th May and sponsored by $3.00 stoli shots $4.00 flor de cana mojitos $4.00 caybrew pints And ALL the regULAR happy hour deals ••••• Please see HAPPY HOUR menu for details ••••• pre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-party CAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMASCAYMASCAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMASCAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-party CAYMAS pre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-partypre-party RRR pre-party R pre-party R pre-party R pre-party RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR pre-party R pre-party R pre-party R pre-party RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR with 10AM-1PM • 19th May and sponsored by and and and and sponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored by 10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May sponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored by 10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May10AM-1PM • 19th May sponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored bysponsored by $3.00 stoli shots $4.00 flor de cana mojitos $4.00 caybrew pints And ALL the regULAR happy hour deals • • • • • Please see HAPPY HOUR menu for details • • • • • and and And ALL the regULAR happy hour dealsAnd ALL the regULAR happy hour dealsAnd ALL the regULAR happy hour dealsAnd ALL the regULAR happy hour dealsAnd ALL the regULAR happy hour dealsAnd ALL the regULAR happy hour dealsAnd ALL the regULAR happy hour dealsAnd ALL the regULAR happy hour deals FAMILY FEUD LEADS TO DAMAGED CARS CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man damaged four ve- hicles belonging to rela- tives following a family dispute over land, a court heard this week. Jeremy Claston Holness, 36, appeared in Summary Court Monday, where he pleaded guilty to four charges of damaging property. In each case, the property was a motor vehicle owned by a family member. The total cost of the damage was $1,630. Mr. Holness was sen- tenced on Monday and was given until the end of Oc- tober to pay for the dam- ages he caused. Crown counsel Aaliyah McCarthy and defense at- torney John Furniss pro- vided the background to the charges. Some time after 4 a.m. on Oct. 28, 2017, police offi- cers responded to a report of damage to the vehicles. The owners had been alerted by sounds in their common yard. At least one person saw Mr. Holness, who ap- peared intoxicated. He was arrested and pleaded guilty when brought to court, where a social in- quiry report was requested. This week, Magistrate Valdis Foldats said he was concerned about the attitude Mr. Holness had expressed. He quoted the defendant as saying, “What I did wasn’t wrong …. I had to do what I had to do.” Ms. McCarthy advised the court that estimates for re- pairs of the various damages were $200, $830, $450 and $150, for a total of $1,630. Mr. Furniss said the root cause of his client’s behavior was a family dispute over land or ”the governance of the family yard.” The magistrate replied that the offenses had crossed the custody threshold, but, “I think it’s more important we get the money to the people whose cars were damaged …. It has to be a sentence that deters him personally, but also protects these people.” Mr. Furniss advised that the defendant had moved out of the family yard. The magistrate suggested that the family get “a neutral person” to assist in resolving the dispute. If the matter is legal, a lawyer could give ad- vice, he pointed out. If there are other concerns, then a pastor or respected person in the community might be asked for assistance, he said. ‘Frasier’ star to host charity dinner Fundraising will benefit Cayman Islands Crisis Centre The five-time Emmy Award-winning star of “Fra- sier” is coming to Cayman. Kelsey Grammer will host the annual charity dinner at the Flowers Sea Swim on be- half of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre. The fundraising dinner is scheduled for June 14 at the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort. The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre will be raising funds for its “Raise the Roof” campaign to con- struct a new shelter de- signed to house victims of domestic violence. Ania Milanowska, executive di- rector of the Cayman Is- lands Crisis Centre, re- leased an official statement about the dinner. “We are excited to of- ficially announce Kelsey Grammer as our celeb- rity speaker at this year’s gala,” Ms. Milanowska said. “Mr. Grammer is an advo- cate against domestic vi- olence and we’re honored to have him speak at this event in support of our organization.” A live and silent auction will take place at the dinner with all proceeds going to the Crisis Centre. Dara Flowers Burke, di- rector of the Flowers Group, said she is looking forward to yet another edition of the Sea Swim. “Each year we hold this gala to feature the visiting Olympians and to use as a fundraising platform for a local charity,” she said. “The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre is the beneficiary for the Flowers Sea Swim, Walk & Watch and this gala. This charity contributes so much to the local community and we are happy the funds raised from these events will help the Crisis Centre reach their goal to build a new shelter.” Tickets are now on sale for $150 per person or a table for $1,500. To purchase tickets or for sponsorship information, contact Michelle Lockwood at michelle.c.lockwood@gmail.com. Progressives George Town headquarters for sale BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The long-time George Town headquarters of the Progressives political party is being sold, and party officials will have to move out once the sale takes effect. Progressives General Sec- retary John Meghoo said no sale had been agreed as of Monday for the property and home on Crewe Road, across from the Montessori Del Sol school, which the Progres- sives party has rented for more than 10 years. Mr. Meghoo said George Town East MLA Roy McTag- gart, a Progressives member, has also been running his constituency office out of the building. Mr. McTaggart will have to move out as well, but it is not known if the party leadership and Mr. McTag- gart will continue to share an office in the future. Under single-member con- stituencies, each MLA is en- titled to have their own con- stituent office within their electoral district. Mr. Meghoo said no de- cisions have been made on where the new George Town party headquarters will be located. Kelsey Grammer will be the featured guest at the charity dinner for the Flowers Sea Swim. The property that houses the Progressives party headquarters on Crewe Road, George Town, is up for sale. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY MAY 17, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, MAY 17 WEST BAY CERT: The West Bay Community Emergency Response Team invites all to the West Bay Community Meeting 6:30 p.m. at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School Hall. Parents are encouraged to bring their children. In preparation for hurricane season and disaster management, a special session for children is planned. Light refreshments will be served. FRIDAY, MAY 18 NATIONAL MUSEUM DAY: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Museum on the Waterfront. Local food and crafts featured. At 11 a.m. guest curator Christine Rose-Smyth talks about the 1938 Oxford Expedition to the Cayman Islands. All are invited. SATURDAY, MAY 19 MUSIC BAZAAR: Concert organized by Cayman Arts Festival featuring jazz, strings, vocalists, youth choir and junior string orchestra. 6:30 p.m. at the Marriott Ballroom. Tickets available at www.caymanartsfestival. com, US$30 adults, US$10 for students. DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross Mobile Thrift Shop will be in Bodden Town Rubis parking lot, 6-10 a.m. SUNDAY, MAY 20 PET PAWTRAIT: Pet Pawtrait Paint Party held to raise funds for local charity One Dog at a Time. Event is at the 3 Girls and a Kiln Art Gallery 2-5 p.m. Submit your favorite photo of your pet and the image is transferred onto a canvas for you to paint. $70 a ticket. Complimentary drink, nibbles and your painting to take home. For more information and to purchase a ticket, contact info@odaat.ky. CIMA WALK/RUN: The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority hosts its charity Walk/Run in support of the literacy and numeracy programs in government primary schools. Starts 5:30 a.m. at Elizabethan Square. Register for the 5K walk, 5K run or 10K run. Cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Registration deadline is May 16. Free event T-shirt to first 200 entrants. Refreshments included. Prizes awarded to the top finishers. All participants eligible for random spot prizes. For more information or to register, visit www.cima.ky or www.caymanactive.com. MONDAY, MAY 21 TALENT EXPO: The Department of Children & Family Services advises of the cancellation of the Child Month “Rise Up and Celebrate our Children’s Talent.” TUESDAY, MAY 22 MISS TEEN INFORMATION: The Leos and Lions Clubs of Grand Cayman invite interested potential contestants between the ages of 15 and 18 to an informational session 6-7 p.m. at the Lions Centre. For more info contact missteencayman@gmail.com. WEDNESDAY, MAY 23 ASTRONOMY CONFERENCE: Today through Friday. The William Hrudey Caribbean Astronomy Conference takes place from 9 a.m. at the Chamber of Commerce Conference Centre, Governors Square. Students will be invited to attend for free. The remaining passes will be $25 each day. Contact vmcleod@candw.ky. THURSDAY, MAY 24 BRAC COURT: Aston Rutty Centre, from 10 a.m. today and tomorrow. SATURDAY, MAY 26 CAR BOOT SALE: 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Credit Union parking lot, across from the farmers Market and cricket pitch in George Town. Hosted by the Edna M. Moyle Primary School PTA. Book a selling spot by email at emps.pta@gmail.com or call Carol at 547-2900 or Kim at 925-0242. $30 per vehicle in advance or $35 on the day. Bargains to customers. Food and drink on sale. DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross Mobile Thrift Shop will be in East End, close to Pirates Cove Bar, 6-10 a.m. SUNDAY, MAY 27 BRAC CHILD MONTH: Church Service, 11 a.m. to noon, Cross Road United Baptist Church. WIND OF HOPE: 5K Walk/ Run to benefit Nadine Andreas Residential Foster Home. Smith Barcadere. Walkers begin at 6:30 a.m., runners begin at 6:45 a.m. Timed race. Registration $20 adults, $10 children under 12. Trophies and giveaways. Contact windofhope5K@gmail.com or 328-2850. TUESDAY, MAY 29 ISLAND HERITAGE CHARITYDRIVE: Each time you drive by the Island Heritage roundabout or engage with them on social media, Island Heritage will donate $1 of your behalf, in support of the Special Needs Foundation. Visit www.charitydrive.ky for details. WEDNESDAY, MAY 30 ISLAND HERITAGE CHARITYDRIVE: Each time you drive by the Island Heritage roundabout or engage with them on social media, Island Heritage will donate $1 of your behalf, in support of the Family Resource Centre. Visit www.charitydrive.ky for details. THURSDAY, MAY 31 ISLAND HERITAGE CHARITYDRIVE: Each time you drive by the Island Heritage roundabout or engage with them on social media, Island Heritage will donate $1 of your behalf, in support of the Central Caribbean Marine Institute. Visit www.charitydrive.ky for details. GENERAL INTEREST SEAMEN AND VETERANS: Recipients of the ex gratia Seamen and Veterans benefit who need help completing the Continuation Confirmation Certificates can get assistance. These certificates need to be completed every two years. Community Development Officers will be at the following locations and recipients are asked to bring a current photo ID with them. Bodden Town CDO is Flavia Gardner – 926-0490. She will be at Webster United Church Town Hall Thursday, May 17, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, May 18, 2-6 p.m. Saturday, May 19, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. West Bay CDO is Vanda Powery, 916-7902. She will be at the district library 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, May 15, 22 and 29. George Town CDO is Dorline Welcome, 925-4083. She will be at Seafarers Hall 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays, May 16, 23 and 30. Dates and times for East End, North Side and Cayman Brac will be announced later. Housebound recipients should contact the Ministry on 244-2426 or their district’s Community Development Officer. CHILD MONTH: The Department of Children and Family Services celebrates Child Month in May with more than 30 interactive and family friendly events across the Cayman Islands. For the full listing of Child Month events, visit the department’s Facebook page. CONTRACTORS REGISTRATION: The Builders Board has extended the deadline for all local contractors to register with the board. The contractors’ deadline is now Tuesday, July 31, 2018. For fees and registration forms that are available online, contractors should visit www.planning.ky/boards-all/ builders-board. EARLY CHILDHOOD FEES: The Ministry of Education provides financial assistance for Caymanian children between 3 and 4 years of age before Sept. 1, 2018, to assist with fees at an early childhood center between September and June 30. Application forms can be downloaded from www.education.gov.ky or collected from the Government Administration Building, the Department of Education Services and all early childhood centers. Contact Renee Barnes at 244-5735, Turnette Stewart at 244-5724 or email ecap@gov.ky. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. CERAMIC OPEN STUDIO: Available to adults who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere, Wednesdays 9 a.m. to noon: Watler House Studio, Pedro St. James. $15 pp/$25 pp non-members. Includes use of studio, glazes, and ceramic tools. Kiln and clay orders available for extra fee. To register, email ceramics@visualartcayman.com. FARMERS ARTISAN MARKET: Noon to 8 p.m. Wednesdays. Visual Arts Society artists sell arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry, ceramics and more at the VAS tents by KARoo Restaurant. For more information or to inquire about table space, email info@visualartcayman.com. ART OPEN CANVAS: At KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay, Wednesdays 7-11 p.m. Artists of all levels are welcome to come and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Includes use of easels, lights, space, beverage ticket. No fee. For more information, contact info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Mondays, 7 p.m. For details, contact Vanessa Gilman at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor, Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., George Town. All are invited to attend. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacyman.com. GRAND CAYMAN TOASTMASTERS: Club meets each Thursday 6-7:15 p.m. on 3rd Floor, George Town Public Library. Visitors and guests welcome. The local contact is George R. Ebanks, 322-9369 or Grand Cayman Toastmasters club on Facebook. Email info@ toastmastersclub2686.org. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. One Dog At A Time’s ‘Paw-trait’ event on Sunday, May 20, gives pet lovers the opportunity to paint their pets on canvases that have been prepared by 3 Girls and a Kiln in Camana Bay.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MAY 17, 2018 EDITION BOOKING DEADLINE Monday May 21st NO PUBLICATION Tuesday May 22nd Thursday May 17th Wednesday May 23rd Thursday May 17th Thursday May 24th Friday May 18th Friday May 25th Tuesday May 22nd DISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAY Celebrate the long weekend DISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAY May 21st (345) 949-5111 • sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Please be advised there will be no newspaper on Monday, May 21st, Discovery Day. OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY PUBLICATION DEADLINES: Take a Kid Fishing ’1 8 K Registration forms are available from schools throughout the Island. For ages 6-11 years old Sunday May 27th Red Sail dock at Safehaven LenLayman 916-1059 Rotary Central will provide: (a) boats, (b) tackle and bait, (c) supervision, (d) snacks For further information please phone the following Rotarians: Red Sail dock at Safehaven May 27th id FiFiF shshs ing ’1 ROTARY CLUB CENTRALROTARY CLUB CENTRAL For further information please phone the following Rotarians:For further information please phone the following Rotarians: May 24th Port director given second chance BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Port Authority Board of Directors was “generally displeased” with the actions of its man- aging director, but not dis- pleased enough to terminate his employment, according to correspondence released by the authority. Port Managing Director Clement Reid was given a warning letter on Feb. 21, fol- lowing the release of an au- ditor general’s review to the port board that identified a number of “irregularities” in the agency’s hiring prac- tices along with other areas of concern. Those other areas included a suspected theft of boat engines that was not re- ported to police, and the as- signment of an employee to accompany a member of the Legislative Assembly during out-of-town trips. “The board wishes to ad- vise you that it is generally displeased to have discov- ered the matters raised by the [auditor general’s] report, in particular … the manner in which you have unneces- sarily created new positions and hired new staff at exces- sive salary rates in excess of the advertised salary ranges,” the Feb. 21 letter sent to Mr. Reid read. “The board is of the view that your conduct is tanta- mount to gross or serious mis- conduct in the course of your employment, which would justify the board in summarily dismissing you without no- tice,” the letter continued. However, the board stated, following a detailed presen- tation by Mr. Reid explaining his actions in relation to the various matters raised in the auditor’s report, that it would not adopt “such a draconian course” as terminating the di- rector’s appointment. Rather, board members is- sued the written warning, es- sentially stating that if sim- ilar misconduct was seen in the future, a termination of employment would occur. Mr. Reid was given a month to “commence performing du- ties in a satisfactory manner” and has now been kept on be- yond that point. “The board has taken into account your long tenure with the port authority, your de- tailed written responses to the [auditor general’s] report and willingness to meet the board at short notice on Feb. 15, 2018, your alacrity in acknowledging that mistakes were made by you, and your evident commit- ment to do your job to the best of your ability,” the port letter of warning further stated. A number of “prelimi- nary recommendations” were made by the board in Feb- ruary, including the reduction of deputy director positions following the 2016/17 budget hiring spree and a detailed description of the jobs held by each senior employee stating what roles they perform. Auditors have further re- vealed that the current com- plement of port staff salaries is estimated to be $400,000 over budget for 2018. The board also suggested that port staff start keeping time sheets to record what work they are doing each day. Those time sheets would be reviewed by a subcom- mittee tasked with resolving the port’s “human resources problem.” The subcommittee members were named as Customs Collector Charles Clifford, Richard Parchment and Ken Thompson. Budget issues Port Authority managers told Auditor General Sue Winspear in January that the new hires cost only $1.1 mil- lion during the 2016/17 fiscal period – far less than the budget provided. Auditors said last week that port managers were apparently looking at the wrong numbers. “Based on the 2017 [an- nual] budget, the expected increase in payroll cost was $1.3 million,” the audit office noted in a follow-up report issued Friday. “Based on [em- ployment] contracts entered into, that amount was $1.7 million … and all budgeted posts were not filled.” The annual costs for the new staff went about $400,000 over budget. How- ever, auditors said many of the port’s new hires during 2017 did not work the full 12 months of the year, making it appear that the agency had a “cash savings” during the year. Clement Reid, Port Authority director ROAD CLOSURES FOR THIS WEEKEND’S CAYMAS EVENTS A number of roads will be closed temporarily over the next few days for the an- nual CayMas Carnival, police have advised. Pan Explosion finals, Soca Monarch and Flaunt Fete On Thursday from 6:30 p.m., Harbour Drive will be closed between Boilers Road and Fort Street. Cardinall Av- enue and Shedden Road be- tween Elgin Avenue and Har- bour Drive will also be closed to facilitate preparation for the event. The roads will re- open as soon as the prepara- tion work is complete. On Friday, from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m., Harbour Drive be- tween Boilers Road and Fort Street, Cardinall Avenue, and Shedden Road between Elgin Avenue and Harbour Drive will be closed. CayMas Carnival On Saturday from noon to 6 p.m., Harbour Drive, be- tween Goring Avenue and Fort Street, will be closed. The parade will begin at 1 p.m. on Harbour Drive. Then it will proceed north along North Church Street onto West Bay Road, be- fore ending at Seven Mile Public Beach. As the procession passes, junctions will be closed off to vehicular traffic. These will be re- opened once the parade has moved on. When the parade arrives at Seven Mile Public Beach, the portion of West Bay Road west of the entrance to the public beach parking lot will be closed, until the parade trucks and floats have dispersed. Until this portion of the road is reopened, motorists turning onto West Bay Road from the Public Beach round- about will only be able to ac- cess the Public Beach parking lot, police said.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY MAY 17, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS make the product better. At the Westin, Mr. Mauer points to an extensive re- design of the hotel as evi- dence of that. He said the investment in the resort and the focus on its beach were paying off. “We are getting great com- ments on the redo. A lot of people were waiting for that to finish before they booked with us. We are getting guests rebooking for next year before they leave,” Mr. Mauer said. He said occupancy rates had been in the “mid-90s” per- cent for the first quarter, and next year is expected to be equally strong. He believes the Kimpton hotel, Dart’s next five- star project and the KAABOO festival are all signs that the island is moving toward be- coming an “ultra luxury destination.” There is still room for more improvement, he said. “We are still ‘unfound’ for a lot of people. I am always amazed by how many people I meet who are on their first trip to the islands,” he said. At the Kimpton Seafire Re- sort + Spa, manager Steven Andre said it had been a fan- tastic high season for the hotel. The Kimpton opened in January 2017, so this year was its first full season. He said the influx of new visi- tors put Cayman in the shop window for repeat tourism and he expects growth to con- tinue, though not at the same rate, in 2019. “2018 has been a great year to expose a new audience to Grand Cayman,” Mr. Andre said. “Whether it is guests at the hotels, condos or people coming off the cruise ships, I think the people visiting Grand Cayman have gained a new appreciation for this island.” Official statistics posted by the Department of Tourism show 134,170 visitors touched down in Cayman by air in the first three months of 2018, an increase of 20 percent on last year. Speaking to tourism leaders at the Cayman Islands Tourism Association’s general meeting last week, Minister Moses Kirkconnell gave figures for the first four months of the year, citing a 15 percent increase. He said 23,000 additional visitors had brought $29 mil- lion in additional spending to Cayman compared with the same period last year. Regarding the threat posed to the financial services in- dustry by U.K. regulation, he said, “The tourism industry must shoulder more responsi- bility, and its significance with respect to our economic well- being is increasing.” bill will require all 14 re- maining British territories to make beneficial owner- ship of companies registered in their respective juris- dictions public. Cayman has such a reg- istry now, but it can only be inspected by certain per- sonnel for the purposes of specific law enforcement or tax compliance requests. The territorial leadership, including Premier Alden McLaughlin, does not sup- port the creation of a public company registry. However, according to the legislation, if the territories do not adopt the prescribed measures, the U.K. government will draft orders in council to force the territories to make company registers public. According to a number of veteran financial ser- vices industry professionals in Cayman, such a move would put Cayman’s pri- mary money-making in- dustry at a severe competi- tive disadvantage. Premier McLaughlin, ac- knowledging his disappoint- ment at the May 1 vote in the Commons, sought to strike a conciliatory tone at Tuesday night’s event in London. “Our financial services are among the best in the world and it was truly heartening to me to hear the foreign sec- retary this evening underline the point that the U.K. gov- ernment is still soundly be- hind and soundly supportive of the Cayman Islands and what they do and what they stand for,” the premier said. Mr. McLaughlin also re- jected the idea of Cayman’s independence any time soon: “In any family, there are dis- agreements from time to time, but that has not shaken our belief in our foundation as a British Overseas Terri- tory. We have been British for 360 years. I do believe inde- pendence, like my death, is inevitable. But, like my death, I hope it not to be soon.” Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller, who also attended Monday evening’s event in the U.K., noted Mr. Johnson’s commitment as a “highlight of the evening.” Mr. McLaughlin has re- mained in the U.K. this week following the celebra- tory events on Monday and Tuesday around the coat of arms anniversary. He said last week that he intended to use the trip to meet with U.K. of- ficials in the wake of the May 1 House of Commons vote. He said he has written to U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May to request a meeting as well. which other types of busi- nesses are not subject to. Moreover, government amended the legislation in 2014 to make it clear that the firms have to pay both fees, the firms argued. If the law already required the firms to pay both fees, then government would not have had to amend the wording of the legisla- tion, they argued. Government, for its part, argued that it was the intent of policymakers for both fees to apply when the law was updated. Government’s evidence included an affi- davit from Financial Secre- tary Kenneth Jefferson, who was assistant financial sec- retary at the time the fees were being updated in 2001. “What I am clear about is that the per firm fee was intended to be an additional source of revenue for the government, to be paid on top of the existing per pro- fessional fee,” Mr. Jefferson’s affidavit states, according to the judgement. “At no time did we calculate the loss of revenue that would have re- sulted from the abolition of the per professional fee.” Government also ar- gued that other types of businesses, such as archi- tects, are subject to two sets of fees. Justice Ingrid Mangatal sided with the accounting firms, stating in her judg- ment that “it would be sur- prising, arbitrary and illog- ical” for the firms to have to pay two sets of fees. “It is my judgment that it was the legislative inten- tion to charge the Accoun- tancy Firms … only one fee for their trade or busi- ness, and that it was the Per Firm Fee,” she said in her written judgment. Ms. Mangatal declared that the firms are not re- quired to pay the per firm fees that government was attempting to collect before the new legislation was en- acted. However, she declined to make a ruling on whether government should refund potential overpayments. ‘Here’s to another 60 glorious years’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Premier Alden McLaughlin presents some thatch rope to U.K. MP Bill Wiggin Monday night in London, as Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush looks on. Cayman basks in record high season CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Accounting firms win legal dispute over government fees Tourists converge on Seven Mile Beach during this year’s high season. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Hundreds gathered Monday evening at Durbar Court in London to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Cayman’s coat of arms. enhanced by access to more efficient equipment. Ms. Barnard empha- sises the importance that the ministry, the agency, and she herself, have placed on public trans- parency for the collabo- ration with Oxitec. Noting that some of her own comments in the recently published emails have been misin- terpreted, Ms. Barnard cites as an example an email to Dr. Wheeler on Oct. 27 which when taken in context, makes clear that she is observing that as the joint author of the report on which it had also signed off, MRCU could not simply sub- sequently attribute de- velopment of the docu- ment solely to Oxitec, as Dr. Wheeler appeared to have suggested in a preceding email. The Deputy Chief Of- ficer went on to say: “In my emailed communica- tion to Dr. Wheeler which was taken out of context by the Cayman Compass, I was not implying that information should be concealed. Anyone with whom I have worked will be aware that I am a staunch supporter of openness, account- ability and government transparency.” “Rather, I was stating that the public could not be told the report was formulated by a private sector company because this was not the case. The June 2017 MRCU an- nual report on the Oxitec project was prepared by MRCU in conjunction with Oxitec under Dr. Petrie’s directorship. Dr. Wheeler, along with the rest of the MRCU-Oxitec Steering Committee approved and signed off on the contents of that report.” Accordingly, to en- sure that the Caymanian public has full access to the data contained in the FOI release and can read for themselves the documents from which media discussion is being drawn, the Ministry of Health will also pub- lish the Annual Report and full FOI release on its website www.min- istryofhealth.gov.ky by close of business today (May 16, 2018). MRCU responds to GeneWatch FOI release CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MAY 17, 2018 Belgium rejects Spanish extradition bid A Belgian court rejected a Spanish request for the extradition of three Catalan separatist leaders. The prosecutor’s office said the court rejected the request because there were no Spanish arrest orders. Prosecutors say that Spain can’t appeal the decision. The family of the Late Darwin Leitch Tibbetts regrets to announce his passing on Thursday, 10 May, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com A funeral service will take place 2:00 PM Friday, 18 May, 2018 at Red Bay Holiness Church. Interment will follow in Creek Cemetery, Cayman Brac 11:00 AM Saturday, 19 May, 2108. North Korea threatens to cancel Trump-Kim summit over drills SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korea on Wednesday threatened to scrap a historic summit next month between its leader, Kim Jong Un, and U.S. President Donald Trump, saying it has no interest in a “one-sided” affair meant to pressure the North to abandon its nuclear weapons. The warning by North Ko- rea’s first vice foreign min- ister came hours after the country abruptly canceled a high-level meeting with South Korea to protest U.S.- South Korean military ex- ercises that the North has long claimed are an inva- sion rehearsal. The surprise moves ap- pear to cool what had been an unusual flurry of outreach from a country that last year conducted a provocative se- ries of weapons tests that had many fearing the re- gion was on the edge of war. Analysts said it is unlikely that North Korea intends to scuttle all diplomacy. More likely, they said, is that it wants to gain leverage ahead of the talks between Kim and Trump, scheduled for June 12 in Singapore. White House spokes- woman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the Trump ad- ministration is “still hopeful” that a planned summit with North Korea will take place. Sanders said Wednesday that threats from the North to scrap the meeting were “something that we fully expected.” Sanders said President Donald Trump is “ready for very tough negotiations,” adding that “if they want to meet, we’ll be ready and if they don’t that’s OK.” She said if there is no meeting, the U.S. would “continue with the campaign of maximum pres- sure” against the North. North Korean first vice foreign minister Kim Kye Gwan said in a statement carried by state media that “we are no longer inter- ested in a negotiation that will be all about driving us into a corner and making a one-sided demand for us to give up our nukes and this would force us to recon- sider whether we would ac- cept the North Korea-U.S. summit meeting.” He criticized recent com- ments by Trump’s top se- curity adviser, John Bolton, and other U.S. officials who have said the North should follow the “Libyan model” of nuclear disarmament and provide a “complete, veri- fiable and irreversible dis- mantlement.” He also took issue with U.S. views that the North should fully re- linquish its biological and chemical weapons. Some analysts say bringing up Libya, which dis- mantled its rudimentary nu- clear program in the 2000s in exchange for sanctions relief, jeopardizes progress in nego- tiations with the North. Kim Jong Un took power weeks after former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s grue- some death at the hands of rebel forces amid a popular uprising in October 2011. The North has frequently used Gadhafi’s death to jus- tify its own nuclear develop- ment in the face of perceived U.S. threats. The North’s warning Wednesday fits a past North Korean pattern of raising tensions to bolster its posi- tions ahead of negotiations with Washington and Seoul. But the country also has a long history of scrapping deals with its rivals at the last minute. In 2013, North Korea abruptly canceled reunions for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War just days before they were sched- uled to begin to protest what it called rising animosities ahead of joint drills between Seoul and Washington. In 2012, the North conducted a prohibited long-range rocket launch weeks after it agreed to suspend weapons tests in return for food assistance. On Wednesday, senior of- ficials from the two Koreas were to sit down at a border village to discuss how to im- plement their leaders’ re- cent agreements to reduce military tensions along their heavily fortified border and improve overall ties. But hours before the meeting was to start, the North informed the South that it would “in- definitely suspend” the talks, according to Seoul’s Unifica- tion Ministry. In a pre-dawn dispatch, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, called the two-week Max Thunder drills, which began Monday and report- edly include about 100 air- craft, an “intended military provocation” and an “ap- parent challenge” to last month’s summit between Kim Jong Un and South Ko- rean President Moon Jae-in, when the leaders met at the border in their countries’ third summit talks since their formal division in 1948. “The United States must carefully contemplate the fate of the planned North Korea- U.S. summit amid the provoc- ative military ruckus that it’s causing with South Korean authorities,” the North said. “We’ll keenly monitor how the United States and South Korean authorities will react.” Kim Dong-yub, a North Korea expert at Seoul’s Insti- tute for Far Eastern Studies, said the North is not trying to undermine the Trump-Kim talks. The North’s reaction is more like a “complaint over Trump’s way of playing the good cop and bad cop game with (Secretary of State Mike) Pompeo and Bolton,” he said. Seoul’s Unification Min- istry, which is responsible for inter-Korean affairs, called North Korea’s move “regret- table” and urged a quick re- turn to talks. The Defense Ministry said the drills with the United States would go on as planned. Annual military drills between Washington and Seoul have long been a major source of contention be- tween the Koreas, and ana- lysts have wondered whether their continuation would hurt the detente that, since an outreach by Kim in Jan- uary, has replaced the insults and threats of war. Much larger springtime drills took place last month without the North’s typically fiery con- demnation or accompanying weapons tests, though Wash- ington and Seoul toned down those exercises. The KCNA dispatch said the U.S. aircraft mobilized for the drills include nu- clear-capable B-52 bombers and stealth F-22 fighter jets, two of the U.S. military as- sets it has previously said are aimed at launching nu- clear strikes on the North. Seoul has said F-22s are in- volved in the drills, but has not confirmed whether B-52s are taking part. In Washington, the U.S. State Department empha- sized that Kim had previ- ously indicated he under- stood the need and purpose of the U.S. continuing its long-planned exercises with South Korea. State Depart- ment spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the U.S. had not heard anything directly from North or South Korea that would change that. “We will continue to go ahead and plan the meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un,” Nauert said. U.S. Army Col. Rob Man- ning said the current exer- cise is part of the U.S. and South Korea’s “routine, an- nual training program to maintain a foundation of military readiness.” Man- ning, a Pentagon spokesman, said the purpose of Max Thunder and exercise Foal Eagle – another training event – is to enhance the two nations’ abilities to op- erate together to defend South Korea. “The defensive nature of these combined exercises has been clear for many de- cades and has not changed,” Manning said. Washington and Seoul delayed the earlier round of springtime drills because of the North-South diplomacy surrounding February’s Py- eongchang Winter Olym- pics in the South, which saw Kim send his sister to the opening ceremonies. Kim told visiting South Korean officials in March that he “understands” the drills would take place and expressed hope that they’ll be modified once the situa- tion on the peninsula stabi- lizes, according to the South Korean government. Despite Kim’s outreach, some experts were skep- tical about whether he would completely give up a nuclear program that he had pushed so hard to build. The North previously vowed to con- tinue nuclear development unless the United States pulls its 28,500 troops out of South Korea and with- draws its so-called “nuclear umbrella” security guarantee to South Korea and Japan as a condition for its nu- clear disarmament. Wednesday’s threat could also be targeted at showing a domestic audience that Kim is willing to stand up to Washington. Kim has repeat- edly told his people that his nukes are a “powerful trea- sured sword” that can smash U.S. hostility. On Tuesday, South Ko- rea’s military said North Korea was moving ahead with plans to close its nu- clear test site next week, an assessment backed by U.S. researchers who say satellite images show the North has begun dismantling facilities at the site. The site’s closure was set to come before the Kim- Trump summit, which had been shaping up as a cru- cial moment in the decades- long push to resolve the nuclear standoff with the North, which is closing in on the ability to viably target the mainland United States with its long-range nuclear- armed missiles. A U.S. F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet lands Wednesday as South Korea and the United States conduct the Max Thunder joint military exercise at an air base in Gwangju, South Korea. - PHOTO: AP Analysts said it is unlikely that North Korea intends to scuttle all diplomacy. More likely, they said, is that it wants to gain leverage ahead of the talks between Kim and Trump, scheduled for June 12 in Singapore.Next >