SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY JUNE 29, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS July concerts in South Florida Rascal Flatts and other hitmakers are in town B2 Dreamchasers Cayman premieres ‘Layers of Self’ Dance company production at Harquail Theatre this weekend B5 Movies Events On Stage ■ MOVIES CayFilm 2018 Spotlight shines on local filmmakers this weekend. B7 ‘Jurassic Park’ big at box office Despite mixed reviews, the dinosaur flick is a certified hit B4 Week of international holidays and celebrations Canada Day, Constitution Day and U.S. Independence parties B6 STOLI FLAVOURS2 for $ 56 Until 31 July FLAVORS SAVE $ 6 For the Month of June REG. $33.99 NOW $27.99 STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July PHOTO: WIL BIGNAL PHOTOGRAPHY CAYMAN WEEKENDER CayFilm 2018 EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 MANDARIN ORIENTAL: DON’T STOP THE ECONOMIC CARNIVAL High of 89 Low of 76 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY JUNE 29, 2018 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY Cayman seeks to reduce governor’s power BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands lawmakers want to take away the U.K.-appointed governor’s ability to disallow legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly in instances where the British Over- seas Territory is not in breach of international legal and human rights standards. At the moment, Cayman’s appointed gov- ernor can overrule any legislation approved by the elected assembly members if it is viewed to be contrary to the interests of Her Majesty’s government. In practice, that power has been used rarely, if ever, by successive governors. Premier Alden McLaughlin said the gov- ernment was scheduling meetings with U.K. officials later this year to consider constitu- tional changes in Cayman that would state “where the Cayman Islands is not in breach of international standards, the power of in- ternal self-governance is absolute and the power of disallowance with respect to legis- lation passed by the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands be removed as is the case with Gibraltar.” During a lunchtime address to the Legisla- tive Assembly Thursday, Mr. McLaughlin re- iterated earlier statements that the local gov- ernment wished to remove or significantly change the U.K. government’s ability to legis- late directly for the territory. This is now contained in section 125 of the Cayman Islands Constitution Order, 2009, which states: “There is reserved to Her Majesty full power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Cayman Islands.” Mr. McLaughlin suggested Thursday that this section should be removed from the con- stitution, as was done in the Atlantic territory of Bermuda more than a decade ago. In the absence of removal, Mr. McLaughlin said the section should be clarified so that its power COUNCIL EMPHASIZES CONCERN OVER FESTIVAL SITE DECISION JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Central Planning Authority’s decision to approve the Dart group’s plans for a festival site without considering environmental impli- cations may not be legal, according to Gina Ebanks-Petrie, director of the Department of Environment. Ms. Ebanks-Petrie said the National Con- servation Law compels the authority to take environmental considerations on board. Despite this, the conservation council will not seek to appeal the decision. At its quarterly meeting Wednesday, council members expressed concern that its advice on Dart’s application had not been con- sidered. They opted to write to the planning department reminding them that the coun- cil’s advice has to be taken into account as a matter of law, and to discuss new procedures to ensure their recommendations were not ig- nored in the future. The council had suggested that plan- ning permission for the event site north of the Kimpton, which will host the KAABOO music festival next year, initially be restricted to one year, with numerous conditions in- cluding an environmental management plan. But the advice was not put before the plan- ning authority. When the council questioned this, they were told they had missed the dead- line for their comments to be included on the CPA agenda. Dart’s application was approved without the recommended environmental con- ditions attached. Ms. Ebanks-Petrie, speaking at Wednes- day’s council meeting, said neither the council or the DoE was made aware of a hard dead- line for submission of advice. BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands lawmakers finished debating a raft of legal changes to immigration rules Wednesday night, but it ap- pears that legislation is just the start of a major overhaul for the system that now allows the em- ployment of nearly 26,000 for- eign workers within the British Overseas Territory. Significant changes to work permit advertisement and ap- proval processes, as well as the establishment of what is essen- tially a complaints board for local job-seekers who do not get hired are due to come before the Leg- islative Assembly in September, Prospect MLA Austin Harris said. Mr. Harris is the ministe- rial councilor to Premier Alden McLaughlin’s immigration min- istry and has been briefed on the changes ahead. “During the fall, we will see additional bills which will fun- damentally improve the job placement and work permit sys- tems in the Cayman Islands,” Mr. Harris said. “Upcoming leg- islation is also expected to es- tablish the Fair Employment ‘Fair employment’ bill due in September Bounty of breadfruit in Cayman’s kitchens PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Breadfruit and fish are considered to be the perfect pairing by many Caymanians. Luckily for breadfruit fans, the crop is in abundance this year. The green, round fruit can be found falling from trees across Grand Cayman. Here, Marva Dixon peels the starchy staple and Chef Alford Wright gets the items ready for the day’s menu at Da Fish Shack on the George Town waterfront. To read the story by Jewel Levy, please see page 12. - PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER FLETCHER2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY JUNE 29, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS PASTA, PIZZA & SEAFOOD 3 Course Dinner CI$18 4pm - 10pm DINE IN ONLY Cimboco - A Caribbean Cafe 94-PASTA (947-2782) Located in the Marquee Plaza Dr. Frank Tran MD, FRCSC Arthroscopic Knee & Shoulder Reconstructive Surgery & Sports Medicine CAYMAN ORTHOPAEDIC GROUP PLEASE CALL 945-8380 FOR APPOINTMENTS will be at #1 SMITH ROAD PLAZA Tuesday, 3rd July, to Friday, 13th July, 2018 Customs makes 58 drugs arrests during 2017 BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Significantly increased levels of cocaine trafficking in the Cayman Islands were noted by Her Majesty’s Cus- toms service, as well as the Royal Cayman Islands Police. In an annual report re- leased Wednesday for the year ending Dec. 31, 2017, HM Customs reported its of- ficers made 58 arrests for drug trafficking and seized more than two pounds of co- caine during the period. Customs officers also seized 51 pounds of ganja during the year in var- ious operations. In a separate report for the same year, RCIPS officers reported concerns about the levels of cocaine being dis- covered during law enforce- ment drug raids. “It is significant that the amount of cocaine recov- ered is now in the kilo range, while in the past it has only been small amounts seen in street dealing,” the RCIPS report for 2017 noted. “The Drugs and Serious Crime Task Force identified per- sons coming through Owen Roberts International Air- port with cocaine in a liquid format having been swal- lowed to avoid detection.” In total for last year, po- lice patrols on land and sea seized more than 1,600 pounds of ganja and 3.7 ki- lograms (8.1 pounds) of co- caine, along with three “drug canoes,” two handguns and 115 bullets. The method of trans- porting liquid cocaine using latex, noted at least 10 years ago in South America, makes the cocaine being carried harder to detect. It is also easier for “drug mules” to swallow more of it using fewer latex containers. The method can be extremely dangerous. If the latex holding the drug ruptures, it can kill the person carrying it. Relatively small amounts of amphetamine and MDMA – more commonly known by its street name “ecstasy” – were recovered during police operations last year. A little more than 10 grams of am- phetamine were found and just under a gram of ecstasy was recovered. Most of the cocaine seized was in powdered form, but police also recovered nearly 40 grams of “freebase co- caine” – commonly known as crack – during operations. Of the more than 2,500 prisoners processed through the police jail in Fairbanks, George Town, last year, about one-fifth of them, 20 percent, were ar- rested on suspicion of drug- related offenses. Law changes make Caymanian spouses equal in citizenship claims BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Foreign spouses of Cay- manians will no longer be treated unequally when it comes to requirements for British Overseas Territo- ries citizenship. Amendments to the Im- migration Law debated Wednesday in the Legisla- tive Assembly will allow non-Caymanian wives or husbands of Caymanian na- tionals to apply for, and re- ceive, British Overseas Terri- tories citizenship before they obtain Caymanian status. The proposed changes were supported by law- makers on both sides of the political aisle. The strange anomaly that has existed within Cayman Islands Immigration Law for years was first noted by Sa- vannah MLA Anthony Eden in 2014. The rules make it far easier for spouses of non-Caymanian permanent residents to obtain British Overseas Territories citi- zenship than for spouses of Caymanians to obtain the same status. Under current Immigra- tion Law, a non-Caymanian who receives permanent res- idence can have their spouse apply as a dependent on that grant of residence, es- sentially obtaining perma- nent residence themselves during the currency of the marriage. No less than one year after that residency status is granted, the spouse is eligible to apply for British Overseas Territories citizenship. That citizenship status allows the holder to carry a Cayman Islands passport and is the penulti- mate step to receiving Cay- manian status. The non-Caymanian spouse of a Caymanian, under current law, must wait seven years before ap- plying for the right to be Caymanian themselves. The Immigration Law currently does not allow those people to apply for British Overseas Territories citizenship until after they obtain Caymanian status – a seven year wait. For the purposes of local law, British Overseas Ter- ritories citizenship is not the same as a grant of Cay- manian status, which con- fers the right to be Cayma- nian. Non-Caymanians can apply for the right to be Caymanian if they have re- mained resident in the is- lands for at least 15 years or, in the case of a mar- riage, have remained mar- ried to a Caymanian for at least seven years. The legal change will allow spouses of Cayma- nians to legally be consid- ered “permanent” in the ter- ritory so that they may apply for British Overseas Territories citizenship in the same way as spouses of non-Caymanian perma- nent residents. Premier Alden McLaughlin said Wednesday that government was glad to address an issue which had troubled many local families for some time. Deputy Opposition Leader Alva Suckoo also supported the change, but noted it was “disheart- ening” the matter took four years to come before law- makers in the form of an amendment bill. “It’s a little bit late,” Mr. Suckoo said. All current Grand Court Jurors who are in the April 4 – July 3 session are ad- vised that the report date of Tuesday, July 3, has been canceled. This ses- sion of the Grand Court Jury Service has now ended and these jurors have completed their tour of jury duties. Jurors who are in the upcoming session of July 4 – Oct. 2 are reminded that jury duties com- mence on Wednesday, July 4 at 9 a.m. Please call the Jury Information line at 244-3899 for the most up-to-date information, or email jury@judicial.ky. JURY NOTICE Plastic Free Cayman and Red Sail Sports Grand Cayman are sponsoring a trash cleanup at a pond on Outpost Road on Sunday from 8-10 a.m. Organizers say the cleanup is not a child- friendly event. The pond is just past the athletic field on Outpost Road. More information is at www.facebook.com/ events/2015297395454355/. TRASH CLEANUP PLANNED FOR SUNDAY ON OUTPOST ROAD The non-Caymanian spouse of a Caymanian, under current law, must wait seven years before applying for the right to be Caymanian themselves. Student art exhibit ends next week MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com A year’s worth of art proj- ects by children from pre- school age to high school are currently on display at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. The ex- hibit ends July 7. The artwork comes from weekly classes sponsored by Walkers. The law firm has been supporting the pro- gram for the 13 years it has been running. National Gallery Director Natalie Urquhart called the work “inspiring.” “I’m highly impressed with the caliber of the work,” she said. The exhibition, titled “In- sight,” is in the Dart Audito- rium. It was curated by the gallery’s current education intern, Tyra Ilton. The pieces range from paper sculpture to ceramics, collage and paintings. Mul- tiple works reflect the various responses to a single prompt or lesson. Some of these in- clude collages created from photos of the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, flowers and plants pressed into clay tiles, and tissue paper mosaics. Ms. Urquhart said the students in the program are grouped into six clubs, based on age, none with more than 20 students. One hun- dred students participated in the program. “Each of the clubs has its own instructor,” Ms. Urqu- hart said, “and most of the projects are connected to our current exhibitions.” Several paintings of coral are included in the student work. The gallery is currently exhibiting “Coral Encoun- ters,” a collection of photo- graphs of coral. The program is open to both government and private school students. Ms. Urqu- hart said it provides an on- going opportunity for the often separated groups to collaborate on projects. Students will be able to sign up for next year’s clubs in September. A registration form can be downloaded from the National Gallery website, www.nationalgallery.org.ky, but must be submitted in person. For more information call 945-8111. This portrait by Harvey Dicks is part of a group of collages in the student art show currently on display at the National Gallery.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JUNE 29, 2018 Discover more about FIN and its environmental program fingrandcayman.com/environment/ + 1 345 326 1400 fin@fingrandcayman.com FIN is pioneering a long-term coral reef conservation program to ensure that the views below water are just as wondrous as those above. In partnership with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, FIN is the first real estate development in the Cayman Islands to undertake the funding of a coral reef monitoring and restoration program. FIN is also the first to create continued long-term funding through the contribution of 1% of its monthly strata fees, setting a new standard for future oceanfront property development. Championing the protection and preservation of their backyard, FIN Residents will become active participants in the conservation of our most valuable ecosystem. Disclaimer : FIN Grand Cayman features and amenities are based on current development plans and concepts and are subject to change without notice. Some services and amenities are subject to service-based fees or homeowner fees. The Nova Southeastern University coral reef assessment team. A NEW STANDARD ABOVE AND BELOW WATER Watch the team assess the reef in FIN's backyardThe 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. The Caribbean summer may be hot, but Grand Cayman’s development scene is even more blistering, with projects under way from the northern tip of Seven Mile Beach all the way to East End, and around to Rum Point. The most recent news, of course, is Thursday’s front- page announcement that the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has signed on to manage the long-awaited luxury resort and residences at Beach Bay. The resort, the project of New York-based Melko- nian Capital Management, will be Cayman’s first five- star hotel that is not located on Seven Mile Beach. It will include 100 rooms, 89 residences, five restaurants and bars, and its own farm for growing farm-to-table fare. It is an exciting project that will improve an area ripe for development and will help bring more visitors (and more visitors’ spending) to the eastern districts upon its antic- ipated opening in 2021. The Beach Bay project adds to a growing list of expansions and new developments springing up in every district, from the Rum Point Club Residences in North Side to the Boggy Sands Club in West Bay, not to mention FIN’s luxury condominiums on South Church Street and Periwinkle’s sustainable, community-centric housing at Grand Harbour. (And, of course, do not forget about the presti- gious Residences of Stone Island near the Yacht Club, the planned Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman and the NCB Group’s boutique hotel at the old Treehouse restaurant site in George Town.) Lately, it seems the biggest impediment to Cayman’s ongoing development is government’s penchant for “fixing” things that aren’t broken. Not unlike a mechanic who just cannot help tinkering with a smoothly purring engine, some in the public sector can’t seem to curb their enthusiasm for suffo- cating private sector success with red tape-dispensing committees and tortuous (and torturous) application and approval processes. For example, consider the National Conservation Council’s insertion of itself into the Dart Group’s plans for a parcel of land on Seven Mile Beach. First, require- ments for an environmental impact assessment – because of concerns about the removal of beach rock – stymied Dart’s intentions to build a large luxury hotel (understood to be a Four Seasons) on the property. Now, after Dart changed tack and earmarked the land for the creation of a site for next year’s KAABOO festival – which is estimated to generate nearly $14 million in revenue and attract 11,000 people per day – the council submitted more “environmental advice” to be considered by the Central Planning Authority when weighing Dart’s application. The planning board, however, did not consider the conservation council’s advice, and went ahead and approved Dart’s plan. That irked environmental officials, including Depart- ment of Environment Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie, who questioned the legality of the CPA’s behavior. But, thank- fully, instead of trying to roll back the CPA’s decision, the council instead opted to send a strongly worded letter to planning officials to listen to them in the future. Well, here’s the thing about the future: Nobody knows what’s coming. Right now, Cayman’s economy remains strong, as does that of our behemoth neighbor to the north, the United States. The good times have been rolling for a number of years now, and while we cannot know when the current boom will end – it is certain that it will end, or at least, slow down. It is equally certain that, when a dip does occur, it will catch almost everyone off guard. Cayman has a cyclical economy, heavily dependent on foreign investment and international currents. Fueled by a global economy (that faces any number of challenges, from “trade wars,” to Brexit, to European Union woes, to China’s growing influence, etc.), the local development spree will not continue forever unabated. Instead of conceiving novel ways to impede new con- struction, Cayman should be seizing the opportunities that are present, here in the present. Targeted density and calculated growth are oxygen for Cayman’s economy. It is imperative to cultivate and nurture new devel- opments during fiscal summers, so that when “winter” comes, the projects are stable and mature enough to continue to prosper, bloom and bear economic fruit. Mandarin Oriental: Don’t stop the economic carnival FRIDAY JUNE 29, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Merging education and labor departments makes sense U.S. President Donald Trump wants to merge the Departments of Labor and Education. That makes a lot of sense seen alongside his emphasis on apprenticeships to better equip young people with the skills needed to land good paying jobs. Too many manufac- turing, construction and ser- vice businesses cannot find the technical workers they need to expand, because the whole emphasis at most high schools is on a general edu- cation to prepare students for college. Too scarce are the programs that teach prac- tical skills, coupled with on- site work experience, that permit students to jump into decent paying positions on graduation. Part of the problem is the explosion of specialized skill requirements created by au- tomation, computers, artifi- cial intelligence and the rap- idly growing service economy that are beyond the scope of what most high schools and school systems can provide without outside help. Apprenticeship programs created by businesses, in- dustry associations and unions–and championed by Trump–could help high schools address this re- source challenge and better balance the mix of col- lege bound and vocationally trained graduates. Currently, nearly 70 per- cent of high school gradu- ates enroll in two or four year colleges. Many are not ad- equately prepared for or in- clined by temperament to sig- nificantly profit from the kind of abstract thinking required in an undergraduate curric- ulum, drop out or graduate without the critical thinking skills needed for entry-level professional or managerial work and end up serving coffee at Starbucks or in sim- ilar semi-skilled employment. Many college graduates land in low-paying dead-end jobs and are saddled with a lifetime of debt when more practical alternatives are available. Folks with college degrees earn nearly double what those who go to work after high school but that is an average, which includes engineers, accountants and the like. Many college gradu- ates land in low-paying dead- end jobs and are saddled with a lifetime of debt when more practical alternatives are available. The Department of Labor (DOL) certifies apprenticeship programs. Usually completed in well under four years, these generally offer about $15 an hour while students take courses and get hands- on experience. On comple- tion, 87 percent of students are in positions that pay an average of $60,000 a year–for college graduates the average is about $50,000 and sub- tracting the above-mentioned skills-based majors, the col- lege average is a lot less. About two-thirds of ap- prenticeships are in construc- tion and manufacturing but President Trump sees great opportunity in the service sector and has doubled the DOL budget for cultivating apprenticeships. Private ac- tors like Wells Fargo, profes- sional services firm Aon PLC and the National Restau- rant Association are building out programs. In the tech sector, Course Report connects students to some 95 coding schools which annually matricu- late about 23,000 graduates through programs that last about 14 weeks, cost about $11,000 and place graduates in jobs with starting salaries averaging nearly $71,000. Through the online portal Coursera, Google offers an 8 to 12 month IT Support Pro- fessional Certificate pro- gram that connects grad- uates with employers like Bank of America, Walmart and GE Digital. More formal- ized schools are emerging like Holberton School in San Francisco, which trains soft- ware and operations engi- neers in two years and the fees are 17 percent of stu- dents’ internship and first three years’ post-gradua- tion earnings. These less expensive al- ternatives are not available in enough industries and enough places, making the vast network of community colleges and state four year colleges the default option for most high school coun- selors and parents. President Trump wants to increase the number of ap- prenticeship slots to about 5 million compared to the about 500,000 currently avail- able. Getting that many stu- dents to enroll will require a radical rethink of what goes on in high schools. Combining the roles of the Departments of Labor and Education with a single leader that can bring that vi- sion to bear seems essential. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © 2018, The Washington Times, LLC. PETER MORICI Many college graduates land in low-paying dead-end jobs and are saddled with a lifetime of debt when more practical alternatives are available. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JUNE 29, 2018 189511_PRINT-Butterfield-CompassPage 1 6/27/18 2:26:47 PM6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY JUNE 29, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Talent Xposition highlights Cayman’s young talent VICTORIA WHEATON vwheaton@pinnaclemedialtd.com The 17th Annual Xposi- tion of the Performing Arts, organized by JC Connor of the Cayman Islands Self Help Foundation, was held on June 24 at the Harquail Theatre. Performances ranged from dance to poetry and singing, and were rewarded by en- thusiastic applause from a large audience. “JC Connor and his team have once again presented a magnificent evening of en- tertainment to the Cayma- nian public,” said Antoinette Parris-Hoyte, technical di- rector of the National Youth Culinary Programme. “The lineup of young talent was amazing, diverse and spec- tacular. The show was an example of the depth and breadth of talent that can found in the Cayman Islands.”Shante Ramoon performs a poetry piece. Althea Miller sings for an appreciative audience. Dance Unlimited defies gravity. - PHOTOS: KATIE O’NEILL Daniella Shibli impresses with her opera skills. The UCCI Dancers put on a colorful display. Liana DaCosta sings the national song, ‘Beloved Isle Cayman.’ Erika Rockett McBean puts her heart and soul into her performance. Local actress Rita Estevanovich steals the night with one of the highlights of the evening.The George Town Primary School Ensemble shows its wind instrument skills.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JUNE 29, 2018 Leadership Cayman Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2018 Front Row (L - R) Adam Lambert Zimtra Asset Management SEZC Sandra Malcolm Office of the Auditor General Ariana Seales Appleby Alexandra Simonova Deloitte Suzanne Klein Blue Water Events Jenny Pooley Strategic Risk Solutions (Cayman) Ltd. Candice Czeremuszkin Moore Stephens Cayman Ounesh Reebye Wheaton Precious Metals Antonette Baptist RBC Royal Bank (Cayman) Limited Jeremy Durston Campbells Jeremy Moore Cayman International School Back Row (L - R) Felicia Deslandes Caribbean Utilities Company Grant Hiley Deloitte Brian O’Reilly Greenlight RE Ltd. Jamaal Anderson Cayman Islands Government - Cabinet Office Nicole Thompson Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, Agriculture and Lands Mideya Elliott Cayman National Corporation Casandra Morris Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Denise Gower Fountainhead Chrystal Edwards Progressive Distributors Ltd. Ravi Campbell Dart Enterprises Ltd. Patricia Mendez Cayman Islands Government John Hazard Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort Rayal Bodden Apex Fund Services Daniel Murphy A.L. Thompson’s MENTORS Cristina Durango Logic David Stephens Apex Perimeter Protection Ltd. Louise Tate Cayman Islands National Insurance Company Chevala Burke Cayman Islands Government Garth Arch Arch and Godfrey Cayman Ltd. Kaitlyn Elphinstone Cayman Enterprise City Melanie Ebanks-Jackson Accounting Concepts Ltd. Kellie McGee-Sandy Ironshore Pharmaceuticals & Development, Inc. Nicholas McLean Cayman Islands Government Oneisha Richards Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Paola Juarez Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa Prasana Walkers Roz Griffiths Chatterbox Ltd. Simon Garnett Grant Thornton PLANNING COMMITTEE Pamela J. Ebanks-Small (Chair) Logic Robert Tate (Co-Chair) Global Rational Capital Elisa Brown Campbells Faramarz Romer Greenlight RE Ltd. Isaac Espinoza Greenlight RE Ltd. Wil Pineau, CCE Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce Nikita Durrant Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce CATERING SERVICES Blue Cilantro Restaurant Cayman Brac Beach Resort Captain’s Table Edoardo’s Restaurant Foster’s Food Fair - IGA Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort Kirk Market Mise en Place Ltd. Singh’s Roti Shop Subway Grand Cayman The Hungry Horse Treats Restaurant Ltd. Leadership Cayman will accept applications for the 2019 Programme starting August 1st, 2018. For additional information, visit www.leadershipcayman.ky. VENUE Cayman Brac Beach Resort Cayman Enterprise City Cayman Islands Government Cayman International School Greenlight RE Ltd. Health City Cayman Islands Pedro St. James The Wharf Restaurant The Wyndham Reef Resort Grand Cayman SPONSORS Major Sponsor Cox Lumber Ltd. RBC Royal Bank (Cayman) Limited Seminar & Venue Deloitte Walkers Seminar A.L. Thompson’s Cayman Airways Ltd. Cayman First Insurance Company Ltd. Cayman National Corporation Island Paving (1985) Ltd. KPMG Logic Class Project Greenlight RE Ltd. Seminar & Graduation Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort8 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY JUNE 29, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS To our Precious Angel who left us fi ve sad years ago on 30th June, 2013 From your loving parents, John and Olive Bodden, your brother Michael, your aunts, uncles, cousins and host of friends Our darling DESI, we weren’t prepared for you to go so soon The shock of your sudden death still haunts us We want to wake up and believe it was a horrid nightmare These have been the worst years of our lives You were taken from us so suddenly Your room still remains the way you decorated it as if waiting for your return It’s so diffi cult to let you go our beloved Though death has left us no other choice For reasons only our Heavenly Father knows He needed you more We still mourn the loss of never seeing you again Of never hearing your precious voice Or seeing your beautiful smile The hole you left in our hearts are fi lled with our tears And we desperately search for answers but cannot fi nd them But regardless of the reason why you had to depart We still miss you every single day of our lives For you were the very pride of our hearts They say time is a healer, in time the pain becomes easier to bear But the pain we still feel, will always be there Goodbye for now our precious Until we meet in Heaven, wait for us Wheels up for scooter tournament JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Daredevil youngsters will compete for prizes and pres- tige at the Cayman Islands International Scooter Tourna- ment this weekend. The Black Pearl Skate Park in Grand Harbour will host the competition with divi- sions for under-6, beginners, intermediates and a contest for visiting pros. Michael Myles, who man- ages the park, said the sport of scootering was growing in the Cayman Islands, taking over skateboarding as the dominant activity in the park. His nonprofit organiza- tion Inspire Cayman has do- nated $5,000 to grow the sport and attract pro athletes and coaches to the island. He hopes this weekend’s compe- tition will inspire youngsters to take their scooter skills to the next level. “The majority of the kids are really loving scootering. We have been investing a lot more in the sport and inviting pros to come to the island. “We have a lot of re- ally talented young kids in the park and we want to give them every chance to develop their skills.” He said an average of 300 kids attend the park each week, the majority of them on scooters. “It is great because it is fairly easy to start with, but you can make it as tough as you like as you develop. The Black Pearl park gives you that variety, where it has something for total beginners but is still a challenge for professionals.” He said the sport was great for developing con- fidence, and for some it could even lead to a profes- sional career. “We brought in two young professionals, 17 and 19, who are travelling the world scoo- tering. This is a huge busi- ness and there are oppor- tunities for young people to develop,” he said. The competition, spon- sored in part by Harneys law firm, takes place Friday and Saturday with a pro di- vision tentatively sched- uled for Sunday. Entrants can register at the park in advance or on the day. Entry fees range from $30 for the beginner division to $150 for pros, and the competition starts at 3 p.m. Friday. Cayman International School expansion approved Plans for a $45 million ex- pansion that will double the size of the Cayman Interna- tional School were approved by the Central Planning Au- thority Wednesday. The school, based at Ca- mana Bay, aims to add pur- pose-built facilities for high school students as well as an early learning center. The new buildings will free up classroom space in the existing buildings, ulti- mately allowing for the ad- dition of at least one extra class at every age group. The school’s director, Jeremy Moore, told the Cayman Com- pass in April that the expan- sion would take the school’s capacity from around 630 to 1,100 and almost double the size of the campus. The plans, including two new school buildings and volleyball courts, went to the CPA and were approved on Wednesday. The early childhood center is scheduled to open at the start of the 2019-20 school year, with the high school opening the following year. Mr. Moore said school staff had worked with the parent organization, the U.S.- based International Schools Services, and Dart Realty, which owns the buildings, as well as the project archi- tects to ensure the expan- sion was custom built to its specifications. “It is a game changer for us to have spaces designed to fit with our philosophy of ed- ucation. We prefer collabora- tive approaches and project- based learning rather than kids sitting in rows listening to lectures,” he said. Lack of school space is a growing problem in the Cayman Islands. “The waitlists and de- mand for seats is a major factor in this expansion,” Mr. Moore told the Compass in an earlier interview. DEFENDANT DISPUTES VEHICLE DAMAGE CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Estimates to repair a damaged vehicle ranged from $2,100 to $3,100, but the defendant dis- agreed not only with those amounts but also with a trial verdict that found him guilty and liable to pay. Eddie Adrian Ebanks, 48, was found guilty of throwing objects at a ve- hicle on the night of Sept. 6, 2016. The incident occurred near his premises, after the vehicle owner and a relative of the defendant drove up. Mr. Ebanks denied being involved, saying he had been at the movies that night. Earlier, defense attorney Jonathon Hughes argued against the repair estimate provided. The magistrate said he had questioned re- pairs to a front door when evidence was that damage was to the vehicle’s wind- shield and hood. Mr. Hughes also sug- gested that when there was disagreement as to the amount of damage, the complainant could take his claim to a civil court. Crown counsel Scott Wainwright disagreed. He said the law did give the magistrate power to order compensation and the magistrate was well placed to make a finding. Further, he pointed out, the complainant was en- titled to compensation by law, and should not have to incur further ex- pense to get it. Magistrate Angelyn Her- nandez said she would con- sider the lesser estimate and deduct from that the portion for the door repair. She ordered compensation in the amount of $1,200, to be paid within six months. Her sentence for the of- fense was 80 hours com- munity service. Mr. Hughes gave no- tice that an appeal against conviction and sentence would be lodged. On that basis, the mag- istrate suspended the sen- tence and compensation order pending the appeal. Nathan Suitor, 11, shows off his skills at the Black Pearl skate park this week. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER Cayman Academy holds graduation Cayman Academy grad- uated its largest ever Year 12 class Sunday, June 24, awarding diplomas to 23 students. The ceremony was held at The Ritz-Carlton. Also for the first time, the graduating class was joined by the school’s first Carib- bean Advanced Proficiency Examinations graduate, Devonnie McEwan, since the two-year program was intro- duced at the school in 2016. Ten of 14 honor students from the class of 2017 cel- ebrated achieving seven or more subjects at grades 1-3. The graduate with the highest number of subject passes was Nickayla Graham, who earned 11 CSEC sub- jects, passing with nine dis- tinctions (grade 1) and two subjects at grade 2. Distinguished guests in- cluded Minister for Edu- cation Juliana O’Connor- Connolly, Attorney General Samuel Bulgin, MLA Kenneth Bryan, and Chief Education Officer Lyneth Monteith. Mr. Bulgin talked about the power of turning the other cheek. “No one can put you down or hold you back but your- self,” he said. “You are what you make of yourself …. As you sow so shall you reap.” He also told the students to “cherish your individuality; embrace your uniqueness.” The Home School Asso- ciation presented a check for $12,436.45 toward the comple- tion of the track surrounding the school’s football field. The donation, earned at a con- cert hosted by the school, was presented at the graduation ceremony by HSA social co- ordinator Camile Beckford- Johnson, who said that the school could anticipate more such support from the school’s Home School Association. Graduating Cayman Academy students participate in the ceremonial switching of the tassels.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JUNE 29, 2018 In Loving Memory Of Michael Albert Rollin Gourzong ‘Mickey G’ February 20, 1992- June 30, 2016 IN MEMORY OF A SPECIAL It’s sometimes hard to know why some things happen as they do for so much joy and happiness was centered around you It seems so hard to comprehend that you’re no longer here but all the happy memories will help to keep you near You’re thought about with pride , Son with each mention of your name death cannot change a single thing the love will still remain. ‘There are some who bring a light so great to the world, that even after they have gone the light remains” Forever in our hearts: Your broken hearted parents, sister, niece, nephew, aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives, Coworkers and friends. Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Lester Brazley McLain, who passed away on Wednesday June 20, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at East End Civic Center, Austin Drive on Sunday July 1, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. Interment follows at East End Cemetery. e have been asked to announce the passing of extends only to “serious mat- ters” such as the breakdown of public order and endemic cor- ruption in government, the ju- diciary or the legislature. The proposed changes have been agreed upon with Opposi- tion Leader Ezzard Miller. U.K. officials have at least seemed willing to consider them after the Theresa May-led coalition government in the U.K. bun- gled a May 1 vote in the House of Commons that British Over- seas Territories’ leaders said unfairly singled them out on the issue of public beneficial ownership registers for compa- nies and trusts. The May 1 vote in the Com- mons approved amendments to the U.K. Sanctions and Anti- Money Laundering Bill which require British Overseas Terri- tories – but not Crown Depen- dencies – to implement a public register of company ownership by Dec. 31, 2020. If that is not done, the U.K. Secretary of State is required to draft orders in council to force the public reg- ister upon the territories. Premier Alden McLaughlin has said any attempt to im- plement this public register in Cayman will be challenged in the local courts. However, the ultimate court of appeal for Cayman and the rest of the territories is the U.K. Privy Council in London. Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wim- bledon, who is the May govern- ment’s overseas territories min- ister, said that everyone should keep calm in the wake of the Commons vote – a vote that the current U.K. government ad- ministration did not agree with. “This is a time for calm- ness to prevail,” he said. “You cannot say that parliament is sovereign and then not accept its decision. It was not some- thing that we as the British government wanted, but at the same time the parliament has voted as such.” Mr. McLaughlin said Thursday that the far greater concern for local officials is the U.K.’s ability to continue to leg- islate for Cayman “on a whim” if other controversial issues arise in the future. “If the U.K. parliament, em- boldened by what it has just done, comes to believe it can legislate for the territories any- time … it is not just our finan- cial industry that is at risk, but really, our very exis- tence,” he said. Opportunities Commission.” Some of the proposed changes Mr. Harris spoke about have been men- tioned in public forums by the premier and others, but some opposition lawmakers noted that there had been little detail produced con- cerning those plans. Deputy Opposition Leader Alva Suckoo said he “didn’t see the rationale” for moving work permit approvals away from the Immigration De- partment and into a newly created agency called the Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman, or WORC. “You know what [the public is] saying?” George Town Cen- tral MLA Kenneth Bryan said during his debate Wednesday. “‘They’re just transferring [work permits] from one de- partment to another’ … that’s what they’re saying.” Mr. Bryan noted that “three administrations ago” another government agency was developed to assist in finding jobs for Cayma- nian applicants. “What was it called?” he asked. Opposition Leader Ez- zard Miller responded: “The NWDA. Need work? Don’t apply.” Mr. Miller’s comment re- ferred to the National Work- force Development Agency, which is being brought under the new WORC agency as part of a restructuring that will eventually dissolve the Cayman Islands Immigra- tion Department. Mr. Harris denied the government proposals had been developed “in secret,” noting that the premier had reviewed both the WORC agency and the new fair em- ployment commission in open public forums and during private meetings among stakeholder groups like the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. McLaughlin said in March that he believed the Fair Employment Opportu- nities Commission would help alleviate public con- cerns about the perception that qualified Caymanian job-seekers are being left out of opportunities for ca- reer advancement. Mr. McLaughlin said the problem must be han- dled delicately, as both busi- nesses and employees need to believe that such an em- ployment commission is not being politically directed. He suggested that the territorial governor – who is appointed by the U.K. – would therefore be made responsible for ap- pointing a commissioner to lead the new office. He also noted that many in Cayman’s immigration business, including attorneys and recruiting firms, have noted over the years that there is no recourse under the current law for a Cayma- nian job applicant who feels he or she has been rejected for a post unfairly. In contrast, Mr. McLaughlin said local em- ployers and non-Caymanian work permit holders can go to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal if they feel a permit has been wrongly denied. Any worker can also go to the La- bour Appeals Tribunal with a complaint against their em- ployer, he said. WORC The new work permit ap- proval process would en- sure two things occurred, Mr. Harris said. First, con- firmation that there was not an available qualified Cay- manian to take a position offered to a work permit holder and second, that the approval process would be “efficient and mindful of the needs of the business” seeking the permit. The WORC agency would also focus on “skills gaps” in the local job market, identi- fying students who are re- turning home from university or job vacancies in fields that most Caymanians can fill. Mr. Harris pointed out that 70 percent of Cay- man’s work permits were held in three areas: the ser- vice industry, domestic and general laborers, and crafts and trades. “These are all jobs that Caymanians can do,” Mr. Harris said. “They’re largely vocational jobs … but [WORC] programs will be tailored to the jobs that are available today.” Premier McLaughlin said Thursday that the WORC agency would be divided into nine separate, but interre- lated sections. Those would include: a labor market assessment unit, a training and develop- ment unit, a matching and placement unit (jobs clear- inghouse), a work permit ap- plication unit (which con- siders permanent residence and Caymanian status bids as well), an appeals unit, an audit unit and customer service unit. The WORC agency is ex- pected to launch in January, the premier said. “Unfortunately it [the development] has signifi- cant implications that are now not going to be taken on board. This is an ac- tive turtle nesting area and we have no planning per- mission requirement that mentions anything about nesting or has any kind of mitigation measures.” Colleen Stoetzel, the planning department’s rep- resentative on the council, said the conservation body had missed three deadlines to submit the advice and questioned how long plan- ning officials could reason- ably be expected to wait for comments. Ms. Ebanks-Petrie ac- knowledged there had been delays getting sign off from all council members for the advice and “screening opinion” drafted by her de- partment. But she insisted the advice had arrived in sufficient time to be in- cluded on the agenda. “My concern is that le- gally the CPA is obligated to consult with the council and take its advice into ac- count,” she said. They had the informa- tion for six clear days. I do not understand why it was not considered.” She said a year-long planning approval would have presented an op- portunity to measure the impact of the noise and lighting on a nearby turtle nesting beach and data collected could have armed the council and planning authorities with vital information to pro- pose mitigation mea- sures in future. The council voted to introduce a new in- ternal policy that when its members do not respond within a set time frame for applications that re- quire their advice, their silence can be taken as tacit approval of the po- sition taken by the rest of the members. In cases where the council is col- lectively unable to meet deadlines set by the plan- ning department, the council suggested the CPA would have to wait until they had a chance to do so. Dart said in a state- ment that it would seek to meet with the DoE to ad- dress the concerns about its application in the coming weeks. Council emphasizes concern over festival site decision CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cayman seeks to reduce governor’s power ‘Fair employment’ bill due in September CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A government-sponsored job fair in December attracted hundreds of Caymanians in search of employment. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREYNext >