SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Early bird tickets for ‘Anne Frank’ Drama Society’s production opens in September B2 Latest ‘Mission: Impossible’ garners great reviews Action-packed movie is a clear winner B4 Events Lifestyle & Recreation Movies ■ LIFESTYLE & RE CREATION Touring Jamaica and Appleton Estate New culinary journeys and the Joy Spence Appleton Estate Experience. B6 Cayman’s Jamaican Independence celebrations The Lions Centre hosts events this weekend B3 The best things in life can be free Cheap and cheerful activities on the island B5 Fine Wine & Spirits TORTUGA ® TORTUGA ® MADE IN CAYMAN COMBO PACK ONLY $25 Contains Local TORTUGA® 500mL Gold Rum with a 4 oz. Golden Original TORTUGA® Rum Cake and a Cayman Islands Tote Bag. 15 stores island-wide & Mary Lou’s in Cayman Brac. CAYMAN WEEKENDER Touring Jamaica and Appleton Estate EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 GOV. CHOUDHURY: KEEPING POLITICS OUT OF THE PROCESS High of 90 Low of 78 Slight with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY UK LORD ‘HOPES’ GOVERNOR CHOUDHURY PROBE DONE SOON Opposition concerns not addressed BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A litany of concerns related to the ongoing investigation involving absent Cayman Islands Governor Anwar Choudhury made public last week were not addressed in responses made by senior U.K. and Cayman officials Thursday. Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon wrote to Cayman Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller in response to Mr. Miller’s July 27 letter to the lord. Mr. Miller sent a separate memo to Acting Governor Franz Manderson the same day. “It is important that the investigation pro- cess is able to proceed in a manner that is fair and protects the privacy of all involved,” Lord Ahmad, the minister for the British Overseas Territories, wrote Mr. Miller Thursday. “It is therefore inappropriate for me to comment on the specific nature of the investigation until it has concluded. “I do hope that the investigation process can be concluded as swiftly as possible for the benefit of all concerned.” Governor Choudhury, 59, was “temporarily withdrawn” from office on or about June 12 by the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office amid unspecified allegations. It was later re- vealed that complaints had been made against the governor by staff members, but U.K. of- ficials have repeatedly declined to discuss those matters. A six-week deadline set at the beginning of the investigation against Mr. Choudhury was passed on July 25 with no action behind taken. Officials acknowledged the delay was partly due to the death of Mr. Choudhury’s mother in July. Mr. Miller’s July 27 letter to Mr. Manderson questioned, among other things, whether the Calico Jack’s to leave Seven Mile Beach JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Calico Jack’s, an institution on Seven Mile Beach for the last 15 years, is planning to move to Barkers Beach in West Bay. Handel Whittaker, owner of the popular beach bar, said he would move the venue and at- tempt to create a “Rum Point- style” destination on the western side of the island, when his lease runs out on Dart’s Seven Mile Beach property at the end of 2020. He said Public Beach was be- coming congested and the new location would offer the busi- ness a better opportunity to grow. The move is the latest in a growing trend of beachside venues moving away from the Seven Mile strip or closing com- pletely. Mr. Whittaker said Calico Jack’s was looking for an oppor- tunity to expand. “We will be moving to a new home – bigger and better,” he Cayman sailor completes round-the-world odyssey JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Caymanian sailor James Macfee said it was a “beautiful high” to sail into Liverpool, U.K., at the helm of his team’s 70-foot yacht to complete his round-the-world odyssey. The 31-year-old accountant was given the honor of taking the wheel for the final leg of the Clipper Round the World Race. The race saw 11 yachts, crewed by ama- teur sailors led by professional skippers, cover 40,000 nautical miles in 11 months. The fleet returned to Liverpool Saturday to find the dock crowded with family and friends. James Macfee’s family were among thousands of well-wishers that lined the dock in Liverpool for the end of the race. Calico Jack’s, which has been located on Seven Mile Beach for 15 years, will move to Barkers Beach in West Bay in 2020. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY After an 11-month round-the-world odyssey, James Macfee and his Liverpool 2018 team arrive back in the northwestern U.K. city on Saturday. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Open daily 10am-10pm • West Shore Center, SMB Whole Jerk Chicken Feast $29.99 CELEBRATE JAMAICAN INDEPENDENCE WITH CHICKEN! CHICKEN! RICE & BEAN STEAMED VEGE TABLES JAMAIC AN STYLE COLE SLAW FESTIV ALS HOME BREAD PUDDING $29.99 We are pleased to announce Dr. Stephen Tomlinson now works exclusively at The Savannah Medical Clinic Countryside Shopping Village Hirst Rd & Shamrock Rd. Monday through Friday Phone 749-6066 for appointments Fire Service team tests its search and rescue capabilities RCIPS unveils its new drone KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Swimmers and beach- goers in the territory’s wa- ters should feel safer, as the Cayman Islands Fire Service now has the training and ca- pacity to carry out inshore search and rescue missions. Previously, such rescues were largely handled by the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service’s Joint Marine Unit with the support of the RCIPS helicopter, according to Phil Bostock, a United Kingdom coastguard com- mander here to help local law enforcement establish the Cayman Islands Coastguard. “In the past, the marine unit has been alone in con- ducing search and rescue with the help of the heli- copter, but there’s only one unit on the opposite side of the island,” Mr. Bostock said. “The Fire Service is a really good resource [to as- sist in rescues] because they have a 24/7 staff capability, they’re on the alerting chain already, and now they have the assets that can support that capability and react a lot quicker in many cases than the police can.” For instance, on Sunday, the police assisted several distressed swimmers, but had to use a private vessel to reach them, said Steve Fitzgerald, the RCIPS air op- erations unit commander. “The aircraft can find people quickly, but we need to get people in the water,” Mr. Fitzgerald said. “This is where the Fire Ser- vice’s inshore boat will come in handy.” On Wednesday, the Fire Service was put to the test to make sure they will be ready to assist when a po- tential emergency arises. As the RCIPS helicopter hov- ered over the West Bay Public Beach, fire officers partici- pated in a simulation, taking their boat in the water to rescue a distressed swimmer. Chief Fire Officer David Hails said the exercise was the culmination of 12 months of his department acquiring the necessary equipment and training to be able to handle a live search-and- rescue situation. “This exercise today has brought together all of that training … to make sure ev- erything is working and ready to go,” Mr. Hails said. Along with carrying out the distressed-swimmer exer- cise, the RCIPS also unveiled its new drone, a DJI Ma- trice 210 model. Mr. Fitzgerald said his unit has been operating a smaller drone for about a year, and now has a larger model similar to ones used by law enforcement agencies around the world. The drone will be used when it is needed during po- lice operations, he said. Alvaro Serey contributed to reporting this story. Seniors dive into good health JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Water therapy is doing won- ders for 20 senior citizens in the East End district. Every Thursday morning at the break of dawn, the seniors gather at the Morritt’s Cayman Islands Resort pool for some low-impact water exercises and free breakfast. East End Development Of- ficer Delmira Kirchman-Bodden started the hour-long water ses- sions for seniors four weeks ago as a way for older people to stay active and mobile. “Water therapy is very ef- fective. It’s easy on the seniors; they need active exercise or they are going to seize up on us,” said Ms. Kirchman-Bodden. “Normally we find seniors only get some form of exercise and therapy when they get an in- jury,” she said. She said it is the Cayma- nian culture to go sea bathing. “People went sea bathing to strengthen their legs and ease the pains, as well as socialize. Getting the seniors back in the water makes the impact of ex- ercise easier for them than walking on the streets. It cush- ions them and is not as hard to do,” she added. Pamela Dixon, 76, said she was almost bed-ridden before she started going in the water, Trevor Watler, 82, says he feels more energetic. “I wish I could get in it every day,” said Ms. Dixon, a former store clerk. She said she fully recognizes the strength and im- portance of her connection with the water. For her, time spent in the pool or sea means tem- porary relief from stiffness of the joints, which enables her to do much more. “Before I started the pro- gram four weeks ago, I could not lift my arms very high … I can lift them a lot higher now … I can even walk much better without the stick and every- thing now,” she said. The group, composed en- tirely of seniors ranging in age from their early 60s to upper 90s, sees the water therapy as a way to mingle and to get some healing power. They find the water therapy relieves ail- ments such as arthritis, cir- culatory stiffness and other chronic illnesses. Although the pool is a nice alternative, the seniors say they prefer the sea. “It’s better than the pool,” said Nadine McLean, who was also working out in the pool Thursday. “We started off in the sea … It’s only because of all the sea- weed out there that we can’t go in the sea,” said Janice Welcome, who provides bus transporta- tion to the seniors free of cost. “They need to clear the sea, so the seniors can get back in the salt water,” said Mr. Watler. Vernie Watler-Harris is vol- unteering her services as water aerobics instructor. She teaches the seniors how to preform leg and arm lifts, squats, rolls, water waves, floating and laps around the pool. The group also has a safety team, consisting of EMT Kendal Connor and RCIPS officers Davis Scott and Darren Kirchman. Seniors participate in water exercise at the pool at Morritt’s resort in East End. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Fire Service officers participate in a distressed-swimmer exercise on Wednesday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Fire Service officers keep an eye on the water as efforts are made to locate a ‘distressed’ swimmer during a mock search-and-rescue exercise on Wednesday.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018 ® Registered trademark of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. Malynda began her career in nancial services in 1995 as a customer service representative. Over her 20-year career in banking she has progressed into management and has taken on more senior roles. In December 2016 Malynda joined RBC Royal Bank and became Branch Manager at the main branch in George Town. In her new role as Country Manager, Malynda will leverage her experience in Retail Banking in The Cayman Islands to bring the best of our RBC solutions and creativity to our clients. She has been appointed to the bank’s Board of Directors in The Cayman Islands and will take on the management of all regulatory relationships. In addition, she will continue to serve as Branch Manager at RBC’s George Town branch. With more than 100 years of dedicated service to the region, RBC has a presence in 17 countries, with 60 branches and over 3,500 employees serving more than one million clients. As one of the Caribbean’s leading diversied nancial services companies, RBC provides personal and commercial banking, wealth management, corporate and investment banking, insurance and trust and asset management services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, small businesses, general commercial entities, regional and multi-national corporations and governments. For more information, please visit rbc.com/caribbean. Executive Appointment at RBC Royal Bank ABOUT RBC IN THE CARIBBEAN RBC is pleased to announce that Malynda Gibson - Nixon has been appointed Country Manager of RBC Royal Bank (Cayman) Limited, eective July 1, 2018. The appointment was announced by Roger Cogle, Regional Vice President, Retail Stores, RBC Royal Bank.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. 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” Petitions are – and deserve to be – one of the weakest and most ineffective forms of protest or com- munication. They are wildly unscientific, easily manipu- lated and almost always discounted by those they are trying to persuade. But in this mid-summer hiatus, it is no surprise that Cayman is witnessing what we will call “dueling peti- tions” – one advocating for the return of Governor Anwar Choudhury and the other urging that acting Governor Franz Manderson, of Cayman soil and service, be elevated into the position of our full-time, full-term governor. And so, not unlike football fans donning colored jerseys, hundreds of petitioners have been declaring their support for “Team Choudhury” or “Team Man- derson” – despite the absence of a shred of official information about Governor Choudhury’s suspension, the investigation, or the unspecified complaints that preceded his removal. It is not even clear whether Mr. Manderson would be interested in serving a full term as governor, or whether the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office would consider appointing a Caymanian to represent the Queen’s interests here (which would be a radical depar- ture from the U.K.’s approach to colonial administration). That has not prevented members of Cayman’s politigensia – most notably, House Speaker McKeeva Bush – from joining the scrum. This week, Mr. Bush indicated his support for an online petition asking Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon to appoint Mr. Manderson as Governor Choudhury’s replacement as, so the petition states, “the time and opportunity has come to have a child of the soil as Governor of the Cayman Islands.” By midday Thursday, 700 people had signed the petition, which states, “For forty-seven (47) years we have been governed by someone outside of our country. We agree that in the beginning years it was necessary to have outside governance, but we submit that it is no longer necessary, as Mr. Manderson’s civil service career is only ten years less than the overall governance of the Cayman Islands.” Meanwhile, members of “Team Choudhury” have been flocking to sign petitions held at several local businesses to indicate their support for another course of action – calling on Lord Ahmad to return and rein- state Mr. Choudhury as governor “as soon as possible” unless the investigation reveals criminal actions that would warrant his removal. That petition asserts, “Mr. Choudhury has been the first Governor by attitude and action to show equal respect and regard for all sectors and individuals in Cayman and not limited to a small elite and self-impor- tant few who wish to be given special treatment.” It continues, “the feeling among the general public is that the one public figure who by his actions has shown he takes positive interest on the public’s behalf for true good governance has suddenly been taken away.” It is understandable that people would be eager to bring an end to the tension and uncertainty swirling around Cayman’s highest office. The Foreign & Com- monwealth Office (FCO) has no one to blame but itself for this entrenchment. But Cayman has nothing to gain by polarization or further division into opposing camps. The governor’s office is not – nor should it be – a partisan or elective position. It certainly should not be a “popularity contest,” the “winner” of which is influ- enced by most signatures, Tweets, anonymous blogs, or calls to radio talk-show hosts. What is required here is swift action from the FCO, whose performance to date on this matter has been as inept as it has been opaque. Its credibility continues to diminish every moment this matter remains unresolved. Gov. Choudhury: Keeping politics out of the process FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS A California election could catalyze K-12 improvements LOS ANGELES – November’s congressional elections will decide which party will con- trol a narcoleptic institution that is uninterested in per- forming fundamental func- tions: Only 43 of the 535 House and Senate seats – ten in the Senate, 33 in the House – are occupied by leg- islators who were serving in 1996, the last time Congress obeyed the law requiring it to pass all appropriations bills before the Oct. 1 begin- ning of the fiscal year. Con- gress, controlled by fore- lock-tugging Republicans, is a passive bystander as the president decides to shovel out $12 billion to compensate farmers for the damage his trade war – regarding this war, as with real ones, Con- gress is powerless by choice – is doing to them. So, the country reverberates with campaign sound and fury signifying nothing so much as the preposterous dispro- portion between the money and energy people expend to get into Congress and this in- stitution’s lassitude. Here, however, there is a contest that might matter. The choice Californians make for the next superin- tendent of public instruction could catalyze improvements regarding the education of grades K-12. Marshall Tuck, who looks 10 years younger than his 45 years, worked in fi- nance before Harvard Busi- ness School, then became an education reformer running charter schools, which ex- plains why $3.11 million of the $3.7 million donated to support his opponent in the June primary came from teachers unions and other public-school employees or- ganizations. The rest came from the Democratic Party. Tuck is a Democrat, as is his opponent, Tony Thur- mond, a state legislator. Thurmond finished a close second to Tuck in Cali- fornia’s primary system, wherein candidates of both parties appear on the same ballot and the top two meet in the general election. Thur- mond, who knows who but- ters his bread, says, “I am not trying to cultivate Re- publican votes.” California has the largest (about 6.2 million students; 33 states have fewer resi- dents) and one of the most polyglot student population: There are 92 languages other than English spoken in the homes of Los Angeles pupils. More than 3 million of the state’s children cannot read at grade level. The 10 charter schools that Tuck helped to create in this city’s poorest neighbor- hoods dramatically outper- formed local schools in pu- pils’ results on standardized tests and in graduation rates, and eight were ranked among the nation’s top high schools. Education reform, says Tuck, is not like “trying to figure out how to colonize Pluto.” Often it just requires pruning the California Education Code’s 2,500 pages, a 40-year accu- mulation of creativity-stifling regulations written to pla- cate the unions whose mem- bership dues help to elect the regulation-writers. In endorsing Tuck, the San Francisco Chronicle noted that Thurmond, “was no- where to be found” when the state Assembly voted on – and defeated – a measure that he claims he supports but that the California Teachers Asso- ciation, the union supporting him, opposes. The bill would merely have extended from two to three the number of years teachers must teach be- fore being given tenure. Forty- two states require three to five years before tenure; four states never grant tenure. California actually noti- fies teachers of their tenure status after just 18 months in the classroom. When incompetent or neg- ligent teachers get tenure, dismissal procedures are so complex, protracted and costly (upward of 10 years and $450,000) that a court has called the power to dis- miss “illusory.” Because about two of California’s 277,000 teachers (0.0007 per- cent) are dismissed each year for unsatisfactory perfor- mance, school districts resort to what is called “the dance of the lemons,” shuffling in- competent teachers from one school to another. Califor- nia’s charter schools do not grant tenure. A French minister of edu- cation once bragged that he could glance at his watch and tell what was being taught at that moment in every French classroom. Fortunately, Cal- ifornia’s superintendent of public instruction cannot set education policy for the en- tire state, which leaves room for local improvisations. The superintendent can, however, set a tone. Unfortunately, the best predictor of a school’s performance is the quality of the family life from which the children come – the quantity and quality of reading matter in the home, the amount of electronic en- tertainment consumed in the home, the amount of home- work done there – and, most important, the number of parents in the home. Family disintegration is the stubborn fact that se- verely limits the efficacy of even the best education pol- icies. But at least out in the country that is contiguous to Capitol Hill there are elec- tions that might matter. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL Because about two of California’s 277,000 teachers (0.0007 percent) are dismissed each year for unsatisfactory performance, school districts resort to what is called “the dance of the lemons,” shuffling incompetent teachers from one school to another. The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018 2018 REGISTRATION NOW OPEN September 13-14, 2018 Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, Grand Cayman Join renewable energy industry experts at CTEC 2018 to explore sustainable social and economic growth, recognise the threat of climate change to our islands, as well as determine the actions that we can take now to invest in our future. www.cteccayman.com EARLY BIRD TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE AT: CI$350 EARLY BIRD PRICE: KEYNOTE SPEAKER Adrian Grenier Actor and UN Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, PLANNING & INFRASTRUCTURE CREA6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS *The quoted sale fares are based on roundtrip economy class purchase. Additional government and airport taxes and fees of up to CI$110.11 roundtrip apply for travel from Grand Cayman to: New York, Miami, and Tampa; up to CI$158.89 roundtrip for travel from Grand Cayman to Kingston, Montego Bay, La Ceiba, Roatan, and Havana; and up to CI$13.13 for travel between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. Government and airport taxes and fees are subject to change without notice. No minimum stay is required. A maximum stay of 30 days is allowed. All tickets must be purchased between Aug. 3-11, 2018, and must be purchased within one day of booking, or by Aug. 11, 2018, whichever is earlier. All segments must be confirmed. Fares are valid for travel from Sept. 7, 2018 through Nov. 7, 2018. From the Cayman Islands, travel is not permitted to Florida Oct. 19-21, 2018, nor Nov. 8-10, 2018. From Florida, travel is not permitted to the Cayman Islands Oct. 26-28, 2018 nor Nov. 11-13 2018. From the Cayman Islands to Jamaica and Honduras, travel is not permitted Nov. 8-10, 2018, and from Jamaica and Honduras, travel is not permitted Nov. 11-12, 2018. Between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands, travel is not permitted Nov. 9-12, 2018. Seats are limited for these sale fares and may not be available on every flight at the time of booking. The following change fees apply: CI$126 plus any fare difference for travel to any US gateway; CI$63 plus any fare difference for travel to all other international gateways; CI$21 plus any fare difference for flights between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. Fares are non-refundable and non-transferable. In case of no show, ticket has no value. For connecting flights to/from the Sister Islands, additional through-fares of up to CI$65.94 roundtrip apply, with no overnight on Grand Cayman. SINCESINCE *The quoted sale fares are based on roundtrip economy class purchase. Additional government and airport taxes and fees of up to CI$110.11 roundtrip apply for travel from Grand Cayman to: New York, Miami, and Tampa; up to CI$158.89 roundtrip for travel from Grand Cayman to Kingston, Montego Bay, La Ceiba, Roatan, and Havana; and up to CI$13.13 for travel between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. Government and airport taxes and fees are subject to change without notice. No minimum stay is required. A maximum stay of 30 days is allowed. All tickets must be purchased between Aug. 3-11, 2018, and must be purchased within one day of booking, or by Aug. 11, 2018, whichever is earlier. All segments must be confirmed. Fares are valid for travel from Sept. 7, 2018 through Nov. 7, 2018. From the Cayman Islands, travel is not permitted to Florida Oct. 19-21, 2018, nor Nov. 8-10, 2018. From Florida, travel is not permitted to the Cayman Islands Oct. 26-28, 2018 nor Nov. 11-13 2018. From the Cayman Islands to Jamaica and Honduras, travel is not permitted Nov. 8-10, 2018, and from Jamaica and Honduras, travel is not permitted Nov. 11-12, 2018. Between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands, travel is not permitted Nov. 9-12, 2018. Seats are limited for these sale fares and may not be available on every flight at the time of booking. The following change fees apply: CI$126 plus any fare difference for travel to any US gateway; CI$63 plus any fare difference for travel to all other international gateways; CI$21 plus any fare difference for flights between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. Fares are non-refundable and non-transferable. In case of no show, ticket has no value. For connecting flights to/from the Sister Islands, additional through-fares of up to CI$65.94 roundtrip apply, with For details and to book call 345-949-2311, contact a local travel agent or visit caymanairways.com BOOK BY AUGUST 11, 2018 *Quoted fares are roundtrip from Grand Cayman, and taxes & fees are additional LITTLE CAYMAN CAYMAN BRAC Up to CI$ 89* MIAMI TAMPA LA CIEBA ROATAN MOBAY KINGSTON HAVANA CI$ 152* NEW YORK CI$ 194* AIRFARES NOW ON SALE! Celebrating five decades of connecting the Cayman Islands with the world! Inflation picks up during first quarter Cayman’s inflation rate hit 3.2 percent in the first quarter of this year, compared to prices from the first quarter of 2017, according to a recently released report from the Eco- nomics and Statistics Office. Inflation in Cayman has been on the rise recently, reaching an average rate of 2 percent in 2017 after a period of 0.7-percent de- flation in 2016. The rising inflation rate has been attributed to in- creased global oil prices, as well as a growing popula- tion here. The territory had a record 63,415 people living here at the end of 2017. Cayman’s transport sector saw the largest spike in the first quarter of 2018, with prices rising by 7.5 per- cent over the first quarter of 2017. Passenger transport by air rose by 21.5 percent, fuels posted an increase of 5.7 percent, and other ser- vices in respect to personal transport equipment rose by 3.4 percent, according to the ESO data. Health sector prices rose by 5.5 percent, largely due to pharmaceutical products in- creasing by 17.3 percent, the ESO’s report stated. Other medicinal products rose by 10.2 percent, but dental, para- medical and hospital services showed no price movement. The food-and-beverage price index moved up by 4.8 percent as a result of a “no- table” increase in the price of fruit by 18.1 percent, according to the ESO. A downward move- ment was observed in tea, coffee and cocoa of 4.5 per- cent and sugar, sugar confec- tionary and snacks by 0.4 per- cent, the ESO added. Education costs rose by 4.1 percent, driven by 5.6 per- cent and 5.1 percent increases in primary education and sec- ondary education, respectively. Household furnishings and equipment prices were 3.7 percent higher than in the first quarter of 2017, with fur- niture and furnishing costs leading the increase with a 13.7 percent jump. Housing and utilities costs also increased by 3.1 percent, due in large part to a 16.5 per- cent increase in electricity costs, the ESO report stated. The communications pricing index moved up by 1.2 percent due to an increase in the average cost of “telephone and telefax” equipment of 15.1 percent, stated the ESO, adding that there was also a slight de- cline in telephone and telefax services of 0.1 percent. Alcohol and tobacco prices increased by 1 percent, with tobacco rising by 2.4 per- cent. Spirits and alcoholic cor- dials rose by 1.8 percent, while the price of wine declined by 0.3 percent. The price of “miscellaneous goods and services” also rose by 1 percent, with jewelry and watch prices increasing by 15.2 percent. Vehicle insurance premiums declined by 1.3 per- cent, according to the ESO. Clothing and footwear costs increased by 0.7 percent, while recreation and culture rose by 0.4 percent, the ESO report stated. The category that posted the smallest increase was res- taurants and hotels, rising by 0.2 percent. The rising inflation rate has been attributed to increased global oil prices, as well as a growing population here. The territory had a record 63,415 people living here at the end of 2017. Lions Club of Tropical Gardens installs officers The Lions Club of Tropical Gardens has installed its new officers for the upcoming year, with Donett Chung handing over the presidential baton to the club’s 26th president, Jasmine Minott. At an installation ceremony in June, the outgoing presi- dent noted that the club had a remarkable year serving the community in areas of dia- betes, breast cancer awareness and education, and projects re- lated to environment, sight and early childhood, and serving the elderly in the community. Ms. Minott pledged to con- tinue the club’s many service projects and pledged to put more effort in all areas, but mainly youth, health, fund- raising and environment. In March, Ms. Minott went to celebrate Lions Day at the United Nations General As- sembly, where she witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Lions International and the In- ternational Diabetes Federa- tion, to assist people with dia- betes. The club heard that she is already in dialog with var- ious health sectors to see how best they can reduce the rate of the disease. During the evening’s pro- ceedings, Lions Phillip Laing and Maxine Bravo were rec- ognized as Lions of the Year for their service to club and community. A new lion, James Walrond, was also inducted into the club. The 2018-2019 Board of Directors are: President Jas- mine Minott; Immediate Past President Donett Chung; 1st Vice President Tonita Powell; 2nd Vice President Kareefa Mohammed-Jalim; Secre- tary Norma McField; Trea- surer Elva Smith; 1 Year Di- rector Patricia Bazell-Taylor; 2 Year Director Suzette Powery; Membership Director Mel- rose Gooding; Program Coordi- nator Ann Hunte; Information Technology, Belinda Blessit- Vincent; Constitution and By- Laws, Wendy Wiltshire; Service Chairperson Miriam Ebanks; Tamer Cato Lee; and Tail Twister Gina Barnes. For more information, email lctgpr@gmail.com. Members of the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens gather for the annual installation ceremony.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018 Among them were Mr. Macfee’s extended family, in- cluding his parents who trav- eled from Cayman to be there for the finish. He said it was the perfect end to the race. “As you get towards the shoreline, you hear the music and the whistles and the drums beating and then you hear that shout for your name and it feels pretty special,” he said. “Everyone had so many friends and family there, it made the finish very exciting.” With Mr. Macfee at the wheel, the team finished third in the final leg of the race – a short but swift hop from Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Australian Sailor Wendy Tuck became the first woman to ever win the race after leading her Sanya Se- renity Coast team to clinch overall victory. Mr. Macfee’s team, Liverpool 2018, were ninth overall. Completing the round-the- world journey was the culmi- nation of a lifelong ambition for Mr. Macfee, who grew up racing Laser Pico dinghies in the North Sound. He said, “It still hasn’t quite sunk in yet. It has been an extraordinary experience. “At times, we have had beautiful sailing conditions and great people on the boat and it has been extremely ex- citing. At the other end of the scale, we have had the most dramatic waves and raging storms that have terrified more than half the crew.” Mr. Macfee, who was made watch leader for the crew of his boat, the Liver- pool, said the experience had tested his management skills, as well as his sailing skills. “I learned a lot about people,” he added. Among his most memo- rable experiences were the cityscapes. Being greeted by the sight of Table Mountain illuminated by the lights of Cape Town after a month of endless ocean views is some- thing he will never forget. New York and Sydney were similarly spectacular. He said sailing around the world was a dream that he had always planned to make come true. “It has been a dream of mine since I was a kid,” he said. “There was something that always made me be- lieve I would do it. When I heard about this race, that became my primary focus and I concentrated quite hard for a long time on making it happen.” Mr. Macfee plans to spend some time in Eng- land with family before re- turning to Cayman to resume working for Estera at the end of the month. public spokesperson in the investigation of withdrawn Governor Anwar Choudhury – Head of the Governor’s Office Matthew Forbes – is the same person who filed complaints against the absent governor. Mr. Miller also asked why Mr. Forbes seemed to be given the same standing as Mr. Manderson in responding to the public about Mr. Choud- hury’s situation. Mr. Manderson’s re- sponse to Mr. Miller, also sent Thursday, was sent under the governor’s office letter- head and did not include Mr. Forbes’s signature at the bottom of the document. “It is important that the in- vestigation is allowed to con- clude in a manner that pre- serves and respects the rights of all involved,” Mr. Man- derson wrote. “Given that you copied your letter to the media, I believe it is only fair that I do the same.” In his July 27 memo to Mr. Manderson, Mr. Miller noted that an attempt by the acting governor and Mr. Forbes to quell community concerns via a “letter to the editor” to local media outlets sent on July 26 had done the opposite. “If indeed the ‘Head of the Governor’s Office’ is also the chief complainer, the signing of the [July 26] letter would amount to a one-upmanship over [Mr. Choudhury] that would all but concede that the complainer was justified,” Mr. Miller wrote. “This would fly in the face of your letter’s asser- tion that the foreign and com- monwealth office was com- mitted to an “investigation … that is fair to all.” “In the larger picture, this whole spectacle, as under- scored in your letter, creates further alienation in U.K./ Cayman relations and trust.” Mr. Manderson said Thursday that he remained opposed to discussing the Governor Choudhury investi- gation until it is completed. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 UK Lord ‘hopes’ Governor Choudhury probe done soon Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon Cayman sailor completes round-the-world odyssey The race saw 11 yachts, crewed by amateur sailors led by professional skippers, cover 40,000 nautical miles in 11 months. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 James Macfee, standing, fourth from left, with fellow crew members of the Liverpool 2018 yacht racing team.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Gil Freytag, 89 died peacefully in his sleep with his beloved daughter at his side on July 10, 2018 in his home in Grand Cayman. He was born June 10, 1929 in Mexico and immigrated to the United States where he attended and graduated from the Engineering School at the University of Texas at Austin in 1952. Gil was predeceased in death by his wife and life partner Anne and is survived by his three daughters Maria, Vivian and Pat as well as his son-in-law Charlie and grandchildren Leeanna and Hale. He was buried on July 16, 2018 in Grand Cayman with a private ceremony held at graveside in accordance with his wishes. Should you wish to make a donation in his name please consider Cayman HospiceCare, or, US Friends of Cayman HospiceCare at www.caymanhospicecare.ky, or by calling (345) 947-7447. A Wonderful Husband, Father and Grand Father George (“AG”) Hydes July 13th 1931-August 5th 1998 It has been 20 years since you left us so suddenly and without a goodbye but we thank God for giving you to us and we are comforted that we will be reunited one day. Missing you greatly and loving you always Alicia, Philip, Gene, Esme, Cindy, Ashley, Ti ani, Hannah, Farrah Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Nora Mae Jackson, who passed away on Monday July 30, 2018. Details of a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Neville Owen Style, who passed away on Friday July 27, 2018. Details of a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. said. “We have 500 feet of beach that we are going to be developing. It is going to be awesome. We will try to at- tract cruise ship passengers and locals alike. It will be much bigger and more of a destination, like Rum Point.” He said development on Seven Mile Beach combined with a surge in stay-over tourism meant there was lim- ited space to expand at the current location. He believes the construc- tion of a new cruise ship ter- minal will put more pres- sure on the beach, and cruise tourists and tour organizers will look to destinations be- yond the Seven Mile strip. He hopes Calico Jack’s can be part of an expansion of ac- tivity on the Barkers penin- sula that helps fill that niche. The idea of turning Barkers into a national park has pre- viously been mooted, but Mr. Whittaker said his proposed location was not in the area outlined for that purpose. He said he would be sad to shutter the existing loca- tion but confident that the new venue could have a sim- ilar impact in another part of the island. “We started selling ham- burgers and sodas and built something and turned it into an institution that the tour- ists and locals love,” he said. “When I think about that, I do feel down about [moving location] but I am also con- fident that the new location will be fruitful.” The decision is the con- tinuation of a trend on Public Beach that has seen several beachside venues close or an- nounce plans to close. Surfside beach bar closed when work began on the Kimpton Seafire hotel, while Tiki Beach has been incor- porated into the resort. The owners of Hemingways have indicated that the venue will close later this year amid un- certainty about its future as Dart considers its options for the entire Beach Suites site, which the company bought in 2016. The future of the Royal Palms is also unclear, with Dart announcing preliminary plans for another new hotel on the site encompassing the beach bar. Bar owner raises beach crime concerns JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Thieves posing as waiters conned beachgoers into handing over cash in a new escalation of petty crime on Seven Mile Beach. Calico Jack’s owner Handel Whittaker said two people had stolen menus from the restaurant and started taking orders from tourists on the beach. The duo apparently promised to deliver food and drinks to their deck chairs and asked for cash up front before dis- appearing with the money. He only found about the scam when the victims turned up at the restaurant wondering why their meals were taking so long. “We had some people come to Calico’s extremely upset wanting to know where their food and drinks were,” he said. “We had no knowledge of it.” He said he had given the victims a meal on the house. But he is concerned that the incident last month and other petty crime on the beach is getting out of hand and im- pacting Cayman’s reputation. “To come up here and ex- perience something like that leaves a bad taste in your mouth,” he said. “Almost every cruise ship day, we have a complaint of some kind – people being robbed, ripped off or ap- proached for drugs. It is getting to the point where something has to be done. I would like to see tourism police on the beach every day. It is something we have to address before the next high season.” He also highlighted con- tinuing problems with ven- dors using public beach. “You can’t even get to the beach at times because there are so many deck chairs lying around. It is chaotic,” he said. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Calico Jack’s to leave Seven Mile Beach DCI pitches in for citizen in need The Department of Com- merce and Investment found a way to come to the rescue of a Cayman citizen. The DCI has developed a community project and worked with the Cayman Islands Red Cross and Meals on Wheels in the past year, but for Sarah Wil- liams, the situation called for a more personal touch. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service brought Ms. Williams, 92, to the DCI’s at- tention. Ms. Williams’ George Town home was in dire need of repair. The DCI, along with com- munity officers from the RCIPS and Department of Children and Family Ser- vices, visited the home to find out what repairs needed to be done. The house needed 10 windows replaced, plas- tering and drawing of sewage, and the yard needed gravel to lessen water intake when it rains. Trees need to be pruned, and the front screen door had to be replaced. The eaves of the house were removed and replaced, and the interior and exterior of the house was given a fresh coat of paint. Ms. Williams was pro- vided a medical chair to be used in the bath, and workers sprayed the yard with pes- ticide, installed a wheel- chair ramp and removed and relocated an air con- ditioning unit. Work on the home began on July 7 and was completed the following week. “We are so grateful to have had this opportunity to make such a positive impact for Ms. Sarah,” said Ryan Ra- jkumarsingh, director of the DCI. “This was truly a com- munity coming together to make the life of a fellow cit- izen better. We want to ex- press our thanks to the com- panies and individuals who donated to this cause or rolled up their sleeves to get the work done.” “I commend DCI for what they’ve done for Mrs. Wil- liams,” added Joseph Hew, minister for commerce, planning and infrastruc- ture. “Government’s role is to make the lives of Cayma- nians and Cayman’s resi- dents better through the ser- vice we provide. “The staff of DCI has taken that spirit to new heights. I hope other government de- partments and entities are inspired to do the same and work toward building up a strong community.” Pictured at work at Sandra Williams’ house are, from left, Auxiliary Constable Marvin Hinds, Sergeant Kevin Bogle, DCI Director Ryan Rajkumarsingh, DCI Compliance and Enforcement Officer Charmane Dalhouse, Constable Byron Morgan and Constable Christopher Donaldson.9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018 PARTICIPATING STORES C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Polyn Summer Scan and Win.pdf 1 7/31/18 12:00 PM Man obtains fake passport stamp from acquaintance at liquor store Defendant caught trying to leave island CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Alvin Oricho Harriott, 43, was fined $300 on Wednesday after pleading guilty to pos- session of a forged endorse- ment of an immigration stamp in his passport. He told authorities he ob- tained the stamp through someone he knew “from a liquor store.” Crown counsel Emma Hutchinson said Mr. Har- riott was attempting to leave Cayman through Owen Roberts International Airport on Tuesday, July 24. The immigration officer processing him noticed that the stamp in his passport was irregular. Ms. Hutchinson handed up to Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats a photocopy of a page from a passport. A genuine stamp showed that Mr. Har- riott, a Jamaican national, had the right to remain in Cayman until June 28, 2018. On the same page was a stamp purporting to give permission to remain until July 22, 2018. The magistrate, Ms. Hutchinson and defense at- torney Dennis Brady agreed that the stamps being next to each other made it easy to see the differences. Mr. Brady called the forgery “a partially good at- tempt” but noted that some of the words were missing. The defendant main- tained that he had met a “Mr. Johnson” at a li- quor store and had given him $150 and the pass- port. When he received it back, it had the new en- dorsement in it. Mr. Brady said the defen- dant was not a sophisticated man and there were people who preyed on those in Mr. Harriott’s circumstances. He indicated that there is an area of George Town in which Jamaican na- tionals hang out after work, discuss issues and share information. The magistrate said he thought any mature person would realize that speaking to someone in a liquor store was not the way to up- date a passport. Mr. Brady replied that some people think there are “corrupt officials who can be approached …. I’m sure he had in his mind that Mr. Johnson knew someone who knew someone who knew someone.” He urged the court not to impose a convic- tion, noting the defen- dant’s hitherto good char- acter and his desire to come back to Cayman. The magistrate said the offense was too se- rious for a conviction not to be recorded. He ques- tioned whether it passed the custody threshold. After checking the Immi- gration Law, he determined that the maximum sentence under the general penalty section is one year. Given the variety of offenses cov- ered by this section, he de- termined that a fine would be appropriate, setting the amount at $300. Even on the false stamp, Mr. Harriott was guilty be- cause he was leaving two days after its expiry date, the magistrate pointed out. Quad bike rider pleads guilty Man admits dangerous driving, no plea to reckless act CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man facing eight charges relating to a quad bike pleaded guilty to seven of them in Summary Court on Wednesday. Maleke Kavir Wesley Molina, 31, pleaded guilty to riding the vehicle in a manner that was dangerous to the public, from Bodden Town to George Town, on Nov. 26, 2017. That charge was brought under the Traffic Law. Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats noted that Mr. Molina was also charged with doing a reckless and negligent act, a criminal offense brought under the Penal Code. He said the two charges were based on the same facts and suggested that the Crown might review the reckless charge, given the plea to dan- gerous driving. Details of the criminal al- legation are that Mr. Molina drove a quad bike on Lin- ford Pierson Highway on Nov. 26 in a manner so rash as to endanger the life of po- lice officers. The circumstances of the offense were not given, but defense attorney John Furniss said his client “was not on board in any way with the bad behavior of others …. He left …. He was seen by the [police] helicopter.” The attorney’s refer- ence to “the bad behavior of others” concerned a reported incident involving up to 200 people riding around Grand Cayman that Sunday on dirt bikes, quad bikes and mo- torcycles in a manner that disrupted traffic and en- dangered safety. The magistrate indicated that it had been a serious criminal event. The other charges in- volving the bike on Nov. 26, to which Mr. Mo- lina pleaded guilty, were: driving without insurance, failing to comply with an order of a police officer, the vehicle was not registered, it had no certificate of road- worthiness, it had no li- cense plates displayed, and the rider was not qualified for that category of vehicle. Mr. Molina did have a reg- ular driver’s license and the magistrate disqualified him from driving. Mr. Furniss asked that the disqualifica- tion not take effect until 6 p.m. so that the defendant could take care of a family matter and get home. The magistrate agreed. He ordered a social inquiry re- port and set the next mention for Monday, Oct. 1.Next >