SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX SPECIALFEATURE A1 THE CAYMANIAN COMPASS • FRIDAY 10 AUGUST 2018 2018 SPECIAL FEATURE Back to school 2018 EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 TECHCAYMAN: SILICON VALLEY, ‘ISLAND-STYLE’ High of 90 Low of 78 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2018 9 PCS OF THE BEST DRESSED CHICKEN, 2 LARGE SIDES & 5 BISCUITS New tech venture planned for Cayman KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Thursday was touted as a red- letter day for Cayman’s technology sector with the launching of Tech- Cayman, a business platform that aims to attract software developers and other entrepreneurs to the ter- ritory, and to provide Caymanians with the tools they need to start their own companies. TechCayman is being spear- headed by Health City’s Gene Thompson and Harry Chandi, as well as Silicon Valley entrepreneur Samir Mitra, a software developer who was on the team that created the Java programming language. The organization aims to create a budding tech industry in Cayman by helping people establish their companies; by providing technical, legal and other advice to their cli- ents; and by providing education for Caymanians who want to learn about software development and related fields. On Thursday, the TechCayman founders signed an agreement with government that lays out the frame- work for the work-permit fees and other legal matters for establishing TechCayman-sponsored firms. TechCayman is similar to Cayman Enterprise City’s “Cayman Tech City” – the recently branded branch of the special economic zone that caters to tech-related entities – but with several key differences, ac- cording to its founders. “We’re substantially different from [Cayman Enterprise City]. CEC is a great model, but they’re a com- mercial space rental model. You rent a desk, and can do all the things that they offer in their zone,” Mr. Thompson said. “We’re an innova- tion center. We want to create value. It’s a completely different mindset.” Mr. Mitra said the initiative has been in the works for some five years. It started when he was working with Health City founder Dr. Devi Shetty on developing healthcare software. However, the territory’s intellectual property laws would not have protected any soft- ware he created. “I was working with Dr. Shetty on some healthcare software proj- ects, and I wanted to open up a dig- ital healthcare software company in Cayman. But the foundation of the tech industry is associated with [in- tellectual property] laws. If I were to write code in Cayman in 2013, I was exposed, [in] that it could be copied legally because there was no copyright law. So I couldn’t form my company.” Mr. Mitra, Mr. Thompson and Mr. Chandi notified government of this problem, and work was started to update Cayman’s intel- lectual property laws. This culmi- nated last year when the Legislative Assembly amended the Patents and Trade Marks Law, the Trade Marks Law, and the Design Rights Reg- istration Law. Now, Cayman has world-class intellectual property legislation that WaterMark condos approved for Seven Mile Beach Ten-story condos, bridge approved with no objections JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Central Planning Au- thority has approved plans for a $177 million, 10-story luxury condo complex on Seven Mile Beach. The complex will be linked by a new pedestrian bridge over West Bay Road to a three-story building featuring a restaurant, a spa and guest suites. The WaterMark develop- ment includes 54 units, ranging in price from US$5 million to US$24 million. There were no objections to the plans at Wednesday’s plan- ning meeting. Michael Meghoo, architect for project developer Fraser Wellon, said he had con- sulted extensively with neigh- boring property owners before finalizing the design. The apartments will be built close to Public Beach between the Avalon and Harbour Heights condominium developments. Kim Lund of RE/MAX, one of the realtors licensed to sell the properties, said The WaterMark GOVERNMENT BEGINS CUTTING RED TAPE BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Governor Anwar Choud- hury may be gone, but his pledge to “burn or shred” pieces of government bureaucracy has not been forgotten. Government officials announced Thursday that 15 different areas of the public sector’s burgeoning red tape had been snipped away, affecting government operations in the areas of immigration, land registries, public prosecutions, customs and animal welfare, among others. “By cutting unnecessary red tape, we are demonstrating, in a very real and tan- gible way, that the civil service is serious about improving customer service and the experience of all those who interact with us,” said Acting Deputy Governor Gloria McField-Nixon. In early June, Mr. Choudhury told the Cayman Compass during an interview that The WaterMark, a new condo complex on Seven Mile Beach, was approved by the Central Planning Authority Wednesday. - ARCHITECT’S ILLUSTRATION TechCayman is being spearheaded by, from left, Gene Thompson, Harry Chandi and Samir Mitra. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS 94-P ASTA [ 947.2782 ] • Marquee Plaza Breakfast Brunch Lunch Dinner Daily Specials Caribbean Flair Local Seafood Pizza & Pasta DR. PERVEZ ALI, MD, FRCSC Orthopaedic Surgeon and Adult Hip and Knee Joint Reconstruction Specialist CAYMAN ORTHOPAEDIC GROUP PLEASE CALL 945-8380 FOR APPOINTMENTS will be at #1 SMITH ROAD PLAZA Monday, 13th August 2018 to Friday, 24th August 2018 Dr. Wayne R. Porter MD F.A.A.D. Dermatologist call : 946-9020 between 9am to 5pm Dees Plaza #282 on Crewe Road, GT He will be in office from August 11th - August 16th, 2018 Government officials express support for education changes MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Legislative Assembly appears to be lining up be- hind changes in the Cayman Islands education system being proposed by the Edu- cation Council and to tap into the budget surplus to pay for those changes. Both govern- ment and opposition leaders are expressing support. Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller is calling on the gov- ernment to work out ways to implement the changes. “We’re willing to sit down with the government,” Mr. Miller said. “We’re pre- pared to help the ministry with funding.” Dan Scott, chairman of the Education Council, out- lined some of the proposed changes in a front page story in Wednesday’s Cayman Compass. Among the changes being proposed are an in- crease in teacher salaries to a minimum of $5,000 per month, increasing autonomy for schools and class- room teachers, revamping the school curriculum and raising standards, and incor- porating Year 12 in the gov- ernment schools. On the last of these, Mr. Miller said he supports pro- viding A-Level preparation in the schools. He said he thinks the chances of the proposals being implemented is “very good.” “They have indicated we have somewhere in the re- gion of a $50 million sur- plus,” Mr. Miller said. “All of that should not be spent on the airport. I’m not one of those to be bragging about a surplus when our children are suffering.” Six-month budget fig- ures are due to be announced Friday. It’s not unusual for the government to see an op- erational surplus in the first half of the year, as much of its taxation revenue is col- lected between January and March. In March, the govern- ment reported a $199 mil- lion surplus. That figure typ- ically dwindles as the year progresses and expenditures outpace revenue. Premier Alden McLaughlin was unavail- able for comment, but his senior political adviser Roy Tatum said he believes there is support among the government’s ministers for at least some of the pro- posals, including that of in- creasing teacher pay. “I don’t think we’re very much out of sync with Dan Scott,” Mr. Tatum said. He noted that Education Minister Juliana O’Connor- Connolly is expected to for- mally lay out the proposals at an Aug. 23 address to gov- ernment educators. “What she announces will have support,” Mr. Tatum said. “There’s a lot of reasons what she’s doing makes sense.” Mr. Miller said he thinks some of the proposed changes can happen quickly, even in time for the coming school year which starts Aug. 27, including disseminating more control to the school level and incorporating A- Level exam preparation into the government schools. He said the A-Level cur- riculum is provided by an external exam body and the number of students pursuing them would not be an over- whelming addition to the high schools. “It’s not in the hun- dreds,” he said. On the control issue, he’d like to see school princi- pals have a greater say in the teachers hired for their schools and greater involve- ment in their individual school budgets. He’d also like to see teachers have a greater voice, he said, and is pro- moting the formation of a teachers association. “I think it’s now essential for teachers to participate in the decision making process,” Mr. Miller said. Education Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly is expected to formally lay out the proposals at an Aug. 23 address to government educators. Cruise ship passenger sentenced to time served CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A U.S. national who was arrested aboard a cruise ship last month appeared in court Wednesday for resisting arrest and possession of ganja. At the conclusion of his trial, he was sentenced to time served. Aries Raphael Woodfin, 37, first appeared in Sum- mary Court on July 27, when he pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm to a named female aboard the ship two days earlier. He pleaded not guilty to the other charges and trial was set for Aug. 8, with Mr. Woodfin remaining in custody. Attorney Jonathon Hughes assisted him on a volunteer basis, but was unable to con- tinue on Wednesday because he was in a Grand Court trial. He did attend the Summary Court during the lunch break and told Magistrate Philippa McFarlane that the defendant was not prepared to accept a summary of facts presented by Crown counsel Garcia Kelly. Mr. Woodfin did not agree that he had said certain words to the police officer who went aboard the cruise ship after re- ceiving a report of the assault incident. The words referred to another female present, to the effect, “I will try to hurt her if you try to put handcuffs on me.” Mr. Woodfin said from the dock, “If I agree, can I get out of here? But I didn’t say that.” The magistrate said she could not act as his lawyer, but she would explain each step of the trial process and would not allow any inappropriate question to be put to him or to any witness. After hearing evidence that lasted past 5 p.m., the magis- trate found Mr. Woodfin not guilty of possessing a small quantity of ganja found in his cabin. She said she was giving him the benefit of the doubt be- cause other people in his travel party had been in his room. She found him guilty of resisting ar- rest, but said she would not add to his sentence for the assault. If Mr. Woodfin resided in Cayman, one option would be for him to participate in a men’s non-violence program. Since that was not an option, she imposed a custodial sentence equal to the time he had already been in custody, some 15 days. Mr. Hughes told the court that the American consul in Cayman had been assisting Mr. Woodfin. It was expected that, once the court paperwork was completed, he would be re- leased and leave the island. BRAZIL HITS NEW RECORD FOR HOMICIDES RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – An independent organiza- tion that tracks Brazilian crime statistics says a re- cord 63,880 people were killed in Brazil last year, making it the deadliest year in the country’s history. The Brazilian Public Security Forum released the num- bers on Thursday. Latin America’s largest nation has long been the world leader in overall ho- micide numbers, and its homicide rate is also one of the highest. The organization said increasingly violent po- lice interventions are one reason this rate keeps growing. It counted an av- erage of 14 deaths per day at the hands of police offi- cers – a 20 percent increase over last year. It also says more than 1,000 women were killed in hate crimes due to their gender. Public security is a major issue for candidates in Oc- tober’s presidential election. MEXICO NABS ALLEGED LEADER OF CAPITAL’S TEPITO UNION GANG MEXICO CITY (AP) – The al- leged leader of a Mexico City gang that is blamed for drug dealing, extortion and killings in the capital has been arrested, authorities announced Thursday. National Security Com- missioner Renato Sales said at a news confer- ence that the suspected head of the Tepito Union gang known as “El Betito” was detained Wednesday in a southwestern neigh- borhood. He didn’t give a full name, but local media reported it as Roberto Moyado Esparza. Sales said “El Betito,” 37, had used hair implants and lost more than 66 pounds through gastric by- pass surgery to try to es- cape recognition. Sales said the suspect is presumed to oversee the Tepito Union gang’s drug sales, extortion and pro- tection rackets in upscale neighborhoods, as well as robbery and money laun- dering, especially in the central borough of Cu- auhtemoc. He is also being investigated in connection with various murders. He was previously ar- rested in 2008 and sen- tenced for robbery. The Tepito Union takes its name from the notori- ously gritty Tepito neigh- borhood just a few blocks north of the main square known as the Zocalo, the political, cultural and so- cial heart of the capital and the country. “El Betito” was de- tained after anti-drug agents identified him on a street and launched an operation to capture him. He was arrested in pos- session of 10,000 U.S. dol- lars, drugs and a handgun, and along with his 50-year-old brother. Sales said the sus- pect had apparently moved among a number of homes and apartments in fancy neighborhoods to try to avoid detection by police and gang rivals.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2018 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. Only eight residences remain. Two to four bedroom residences priced from USD $1.8M SECRET, CROWDLESS BEACH Beach cabanas, attendant and a private salt-water lagoon. DISCREET, RELIABLE, READY A full service team to care for your every need and safety. PRIVATE RESIDENCE ENTRY Private elevator access, private foyer, no corridors. WALLED, GATED AND LUSH A hidden oasis surrounded by tall privacy hedges. PRIVATE UNDERGROUND PARKING Gated with singular entry and exit access points. ART D ECO OCE ANFRONT RESIDENCES fin@fingrandcayman.com + 1 345 326 1400 Reserve your private tour and discover the last word in luxury PRIVATE, SECURE AND DISCREETThe 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” “We are going to create an industry.” — Gene Thompson, principal, TechCayman Today is a good news day in the Cayman Islands because it foreshadows the dawn of a new industry based on innovation and digital exploration. Yesterday, a trio of successful entrepreneurs – Gene Thompson, Harry Chandi and Samir Mitra – signed an agreement with government that will enable them to proceed with a new undertaking called TechCayman. Their vision is “to bring the ‘digital economy’ to the Cayman Islands by creating intellectual property and digital assets in a tax neutral environment.” As recently as five years ago, this company, and this industry, could not have existed in the Cayman Islands. Our laws governing intellectual property, including copy- rights, trade marks, patents and design, were largely based on U.K. law and deemed insufficient to protect the work product of creators of locally created intellectual property, including computer code. After years of team effort, which included a task force of attorneys, international experts and government offi- cials, Cayman’s intellectual property laws were localized, fortified and passed into law last year, thus enabling the formation of TechCayman and, hopefully, jumpstarting a fourth industry to take its place alongside financial services, hospitality and healthcare tourism. For background, all three of the principals in Tech- Cayman played critical roles in bringing Health City to the Cayman Islands. Mr. Thompson and Mr. Chandi (along with current Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush) were prime movers in recruiting Dr. Devi Shetty to Grand Cayman, and Mr. Mitra created much of the technology that keeps Health City on the leading edge of patient care. Mr. Thompson and Mr. Chandi, of course, are well known locally – Mr. Thompson currently serves as director of Health City and oversees a myriad of family busi- nesses, and Mr. Chandi, who owns Magnum Jewelers, is an international businessman and generous philanthro- pist. (He is a founder of “Have a Heart,” which provides heart surgeries and other procedures for Indian children, and “Have a Heart Cayman,” a local charity.) While Mr. Mitra may be less known locally, globally he is recognized and highly regarded as a pioneer in digital innovation. For the past 28 years he has lived in Silicon Valley and was a member of the original team that created the Java software and Java Mobile. For the unini- tiated, Java is the No. 1 computer programming language in the world, and Java Mobile underpins the Android operating system, which is the heart of more than half of the world’s mobile phones. Mr. Mitra currently advises the governments of India, Singapore and Dubai on their digital policies and strategies. To us, Cayman appears ideally positioned to play a prominent role in the technology space. Technology is the largest (but still the fastest-growing) sector in the world economy (seven of the world’s Top Ten companies, measured by market capitalization) are technology-based. To prosper, digital developers and entrepreneurs need to reside in a jurisdiction with a protective legal frame- work and with ready access to a professional infrastruc- ture that includes top tier lawyers, accountants and, ideally, potential investors. Cayman now has all of those ingredients in place. Finally (Gene Thompson might even say “primarily”), this new venture will include internships, apprentice- ships and engagement with local schools and the educa- tion ministry to develop programs and promote curricula relevant to the sector. The continual creation of outstanding opportunities for young Caymanians who wish to pursue technology- related careers will be built into every fiber – indeed into the “source code” – of TechCayman. TechCayman: Silicon Valley, ‘island-style’ When I give speeches about modern welfare states, I’ll often cite grim data about the depressing fiscal consequences of ever-ex- panding government. And if I really want to worry an audience, I’ll aug- ment those numbers by talking about the erosion of societal capital and the dif- ficulty of adopting necessary reforms once work ethic and self-reliance have been re- placed by a culture of depen- dency and entitlement. I sometimes share a slide suggesting there are two pos- sible outcomes once an eco- nomic crisis occurs: Does a crisis caused by bad govern- ment lead to even more bad government, which is the pes- simistic hypothesis in Robert Higgs’ classic, Crisis and Le- viathan? Or does an economic crisis force politicians to scale back the size and scope of government, which is the hy- pothesis in Naomi Klein’s The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. I’ve generally sided with Higgs. But, based on new re- search from the International Monetary Fund, Klein may have a stronger argument (which would be a depressing outcome for her, since she fa- vors bigger government). The authors wanted to find out whether bad economic news (as captured by data on “GDP growth, deep recession, unemployment, crisis”) leads to pro-market reforms. The answer is yes. The authors write, “Our main re- sult supports some form of the crisis-induces-reform hy- pothesis across all four re- form areas. High unemploy- ment, recession and/or an open economic crisis tend to be associated with a greater likelihood of reform. The ef- fect is economically signifi- cant. For example, an increase of 10 percentage points in un- employment (as seen in sev- eral European economies in the aftermath of the Great Re- cession) is associated with an increase in the probability to undertake a major EPL reform for regular contract of about 5 percentage points – that is, about twice the average prob- ability in the sample.” Keep in mind, by the way, that some nations (such as Austria) may not have re- formed because they never adopted bad policies in the first place I’ll close with a very im- portant caveat. The IMF study looked at regulatory policy. There are no lessons to be learned from this research about whether crises produce better fiscal policy. For what it’s worth, based on all the post-financial-crisis tax increases that were im- posed in Europe, I suspect that the Higgs hypothesis is still very relevant. Daniel J. Mitchell, chairman of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, is on the Editorial Board of the Cayman Financial Review. FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR Select Vantage responds In response to the Cayman Compass article, “Privy Council rejects chal- lenge against CIMA” (Aug. 7) Select Vantage Inc. (SVI) is disappointed that the Cayman Compass pub- lished its article without first seeking comment from SVI. If comment had been sought, SVI could have cor- rected some significant errors in the article. Here are the facts: SVI always complies with inquiries from securities reg- ulators regarding the particu- lars of its trading activity and is pleased to share all relevant information with regulators. However, in this instance, the Australian regulator (ASIC) requested that CIMA require SVI to produce con- tact particulars for all 1,400 of the traders who had traded in Australia on SVI’s behalf. Neither ASIC nor CIMA ex- plained to SVI why that infor- mation was required, or how it was relevant to any inves- tigation, or how the informa- tion would be used by CIMA or ASIC if it was produced. Indeed, the direction that CIMA gave to SVI requiring SVI to produce the contact in- formation did not refer to any investigation – it was simply a demand for the contact infor- mation of every person who traded on behalf of SVI in Australian markets. SVI was concerned by the regulator’s refusal to ex- plain why the contact infor- mation was sought or how it would be used. SVI respects CIMA’s stat- utory authority to compel production of information held by CI-domiciled enti- ties when requested by for- eign regulators. In this instance, SVI con- sidered that as a matter of principle it ought to seek to protect the confidentiality of its traders’ contact infor- mation in response to what SVI considered to be an un- reasonable request that was not rationally connected to any proper regulatory investigation. Further, SVI was con- cerned that ASIC’s demand that SVI produce its traders’ contact information only arose after SVI’s Australian lawyers had notified ASIC that SVI was contemplating civil proceedings against ASIC for false and injurious statements made by ASIC of- ficers to various market par- ticipants in 2014. SVI provided CIMA with the contact information it sought in December 2017. Thus the Privy Council ruling discussed in the Cayman Compass article is effectively moot. SVI continued with the proceedings because it con- sidered there to be an im- portant question of prin- ciple at stake. Daniel Schlaepfer, President Select Vantage Inc. Do crises produce liberalization or statism? DANIEL J. MITCHELLThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2018 RSM congratulates the Cayman Men’s golf team on winning the Hoerman Cup at the 2018 Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships held last week at the North Sound Golf Club. This is a first for the Cayman Islands and an amazing achievement against the much larger countries of The Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados and the US Virgin Islands. RSM would also like to congratulate the Cayman Ladies Team on an excellent performance against very strong opposition. RSM is the primary sponsor of the Cayman Islands golf teams, working together with the Cayman Islands Golf Association (CIGA) to support the Juniors, Men’s and Ladies programmes. RSM pays special focus to the CIGA Junior Golf Programme run in conjunction with the world-renowned David Leadbetter Golf Academy based in Orlando Florida. RSM supports the monthly coaching clinics in Cayman and specialised trips to Orlando for more intensive coaching. This is now reaping rewards as illustrated by the success of the Men’s team this past week which included three teenagers. The Cayman teams also include two current 2018 Junior Caribbean Champions in Aaron Jarvis and Holly McLean. Justin Hastings Aaron Jarvis Andrew Jarvis Brian Ross Michael Wight Philip Wight Payten Wight Nitti Howe Holly McLean Isabel Mendes Emily Ribbins Erick Fowler – Head Coach John Taylor – Assistant Coach CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING PLAYERS AND TEAM MEMBERS:6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 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! Nearly half fail Cayman drivers’ license test BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The failure rate in the written drivers’ license tests taken last year was almost 50 percent, according to Depart- ment of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing records. A total of 6,851 written exams were administered to test-takers and, out of those, the department recorded 3,599 passes, an overall pass rate of 52.5 percent. It is possible that some of the exam-takers who failed the exam retook the 40-ques- tion test in the same year and were recorded more than once. The test scores were some- what lower than the depart- ment recorded during pre- vious years. However, it seems – over the past decade – Cayman drivers have never enjoyed an abundance of suc- cess on their written exams. The highest pass rate for any year since 2007 was 61 percent, recorded in 2014. In 2011, more drivers failed the test than those who man- aged to pass it. A score of 80 percent cor- rect answers, 32 out of 40, is required to pass on the de- partment’s touch-screen test administered at the DVDL. The department states in its advice to drivers: “You may be expected to know other signs/signals in the tests. To pass the test, it is recommended for you to an- swer all road signs correctly, and 16 out of 24 questions or alternatively, 10 or more road signs correctly and at least 22 or more to make up the 32 questions that is required.” The “road code,” up- dated with regulations to the Cayman Islands Traffic Law in 2011, is 98 pages long, in- cluding seven pages of images on traffic signs drivers might encounter during their tests. The multiple choice ques- tions are not provided to li- cense-seekers before the test, but the DVDL does give a few sample questions: “Q. Why should you not wave people across at a pe- destrian crossing? a) It is safer for you to carry on, b) They may not be looking, c) They may be ready to cross, d) There may be another ve- hicle coming.” “Q. A large vehicle is over- taking you but is taking a long time to do so. What should you do? a) Hold your speed, b) Slow down, c) Speed up, d) Change direction.” While the written test proved problematic for many takers, drivers fared much better on the road test, which is administered to new drivers and also res- idents from countries that are not part of the Ge- neva Convention. Last year, about 90 per- cent of drivers passed the road test, with 95 per- cent of road test-takers passing during 2016. The lowest pass rate ever achieved on the drivers road test was 75 percent, in 2007. More tests given Before legal changes made in 2011, non-Cayma- nians who came to the is- lands for work purposes did not have to sit an exam or take a road test as long as they swapped out their for- eign drivers’ license for a Cayman license within three months of arrival. Following the passage of the Traffic Law, 2011 revision, everyone coming to Cayman, as well as all new drivers, is required to take at least the written portion of the exam. Those new road rules took ef- fect in September 2012. That has led to a large increase in the number of people taking the written drivers exam. In 2013, the number of people taking the test went from about 2,220 to nearly 4,000 – nearly dou- bling in one year. Since then, the numbers of drivers taking the tests have grown larger. More than 6,000 tests were taken during 2016 and nearly 7,000 tests were adminis- tered last year. Learner drivers and others taking the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing written test are finding the exam hard to pass. Police open recruiting to foreigners Non-Caymanians who have legally resided in Cayman for at least the past four years will be allowed to apply for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service’s latest recruiting class. The deadline for recruit- ment application forms has been extended from Friday to Aug. 24, giving prospective police officers another two weeks to apply. Police Commissioner Derek Byrne said, so far, 82 suitable applicants have sought positions in the re- cruit class, but the RCIPS wanted to widen the pool of potential officers. “Our express objective continues to be the recruit- ment of Caymanians first and foremost,” Mr. Byrne said. “Only those places in a recruit class not filled by a Caymanian will be open to non-Caymanians. “Through expanding the minimum criteria in this way we will strive to repre- sent some groups in the Is- lands that are currently un- derrepresented in the service, while also adding varied skill sets, including language skills, to our day-to-day working capacities.” Previously, only Cayma- nians and non-Caymanians who have permanent resi- dence through marriage to Caymanians could apply. Recruitment is available to applicants aged 18 to 40. There are also basic fitness, educational and background requirements for poten- tial officers. Application forms can be found at www.rcips.ky/local-officer-recruitment. A total of 6,851 written exams were administered to test-takers and, out of those, the department recorded 3,599 passes, an overall pass rate of 52.5 percent.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2018 Recognise early signs of financial trouble. Serious illness, losing your job, going through a divorce are all unexpected traumatic events that could impact your ability to make your mortgage payment. Act immediately and proactively seek a solution. 1 What is foreclosure? Foreclosure is a legal process that creditors use to satisfy your financial obligations to them. Non-payment of a debt or mortgage can result in foreclosure. 1 Can I sell my home? Depending on the market you may be able to sell your home for a price that allows you to pay your debt in full. In a “short sale” scenario, you may be liable for any shortfall and may need to negotiate with your bank. 4 What law governs mortgages in the Cayman Islands? The Registered Land Law (2004 Revision), specifically Division 3, deals exclusively with legal charges. 7 If I miss one mortgage payment, am I at risk of losing my home? Yes. After missing one mortgage payment, you have breached your agreement with the bank. While, most banks do not usually start foreclosure proceedings after only one missed payment, note that you will incur added costs. 2 Do I get money back if my foreclosed home sells for more than I owe? Yes, if the property is sold for more than what you owe the bank. 5 What is the role of CIMA in the foreclosure process? CIMA regulates and monitors the activities of all banks licensed in the Cayman Islands to ensure compliance with regulatory laws and requirements, and industry best practices while safeguarding the interest of all stakeholders. CIMA cannot, under normal circumstances, stop a residential property from being foreclosed if the bank has adhered to appropriate foreclosure processes. 8 If I’m delinquent with my mortgage payments, what options do I have? Your bank can help you understand the specific options available to you, which could include modifying the terms of your mortgage to help you get back on your feet. You may also wish to consult with a credit counsellor to help identify and consider all viable options. 3 If my foreclosed home sells for less than what I owe, will I owe the bank the balance? Your bank will likely require you to pay the difference between what your foreclosed home sold for and what you owe. To avoid mortgage delinquency, begin working with your bank before the property reaches foreclosure. 6 Get in touch with your bank without delay. Contact your bank at the first sign of financial difficulty to explore the options available to you. 2 Prioritise your spending. Cut or reduce nonessential expenses such as vacations, cable TV, entertainment, spa and salon visits. Once you are back on your feet you can add some of these expenses back into your budget. 3 Be organised. Open and respond to all notices; keep copies of everything; keep records of your last twelve mortgage payments; and update your budget. 4 Open and respond to all mail and communication from your bank. Your bank will help you keep your house if possible. Pay very close attention to all correspondence and communication from your bank and respond accordingly. 6 Know your mortgage rights. Carefully review your loan agreement, research foreclosure laws and timelines, and seek information on your bank’s policy on foreclosure. 7 Commit yourself to the agreed plan with your lender. Work closely with your bank to ensure that you stay on course with your plan. 8 Be proactive and get results. Everyone experiences difficulties at some point. Don’t let pride or fear stop you from seeking help and finding a solution. 9 Understand your options. When experiencing financial hardship, be sure to discuss all available options with your bank. 5 TIPS FAQS www.cima.ky Full details can be found within a Public Advisory and list of FAQs issued by CIMA.8 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Clifton Nevis Bodden Affectionately known as “CB” who passed away on Thursday August 02, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at Church of God Chapel, Walkers Road on Sunday August 12, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Interment follows at Pease Bay Cemetery. We regret to announce the passing of Betty Lou Knoebel Who departed this life on Monday, 30 July 2018. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Ms. Knoebel was repatriated to the United States of America. We regret to announce the passing of Hupert Bailey who departed this life on Saturday 4 August 2018. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. A Thanksgiving service for the life of Mr. Bailey will be announced at a later date. We regret to announce the passing of Juan Santiago Who departed this life on Thursday, 26 July 2018. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Mr. Santiago was repatriated to the United States of America. 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. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at Calvary Baptist Church, 191 Walkers Road on Saturday August 11, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Interment follows at Boatswain Bay Cemetery. We regret to announce the passing of Monica Bryan Who departed this life on Tuesday, 7 August 2018. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. A funeral service for Ms. Bryan will be announced at a later date. DEH advises on disposal of derelict vehicles Now that the George Town landfill is again accepting derelict vehicles, the De- partment of Environmental Health, which operates the dump, is advising the public on the procedure for dis- posing of such vehicles. The department’s acting director, Richard Simms, noted in a press release is- sued this week that dere- lict cars should not be left in public spaces “or in a way likely to cause or contribute to the defacement of the envi- ronment or that is harmful to public health.” He said such vehicles must be disposed of at the George Town landfill. Under the Cayman Is- lands Litter Law (1997 Re- vision), a derelict vehicle is any vehicle that appears to be abandoned by reason of its condition. This includes any vehicle that is without its engine, any of its wheels or other critical parts and has remained unlicensed during the preceding six months. Ve- hicles that do not fit those criteria are not considered to be derelict vehicles. Members of the public may refer such vehicles to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service when they are located in a public space, the DEH pointed out. If the vehicles are located on private prop- erty, they must be elevated from the ground and properly concealed using a car cover. “It is important to note also that once the derelict ve- hicle is identified by an of- ficer of the DEH, he or she is empowered to issue a written notice to the owner for its removal within 24 hours. This notice is usually placed on the body of the ve- hicle and should not be re- moved,” the advisory from the Department of Environ- mental Health read. The owner can make ar- rangements with a private hauler or with the DEH to have the vehicle removed to the landfill. A fee of $75 per vehicle is payable to the DEH upon request for the removal of derelict vehicles from private property. The DEH stated that the current waste handling and disposal fee of $250 that is payable to the Customs De- partment on the importa- tion of all motor vehicles is used for the processing of derelict vehicles upon dis- posal and does not cover the cost of transportation to the landfill. Failure to comply with a removal notice of a dere- lict vehicle within the speci- fied period means its owner becomes guilty of an offense and is liable to a minimum fine of $500 upon conviction. At that time, the DEH will make arrangements for its removal to the George Town landfill for disposal. For more information and to make arrangements for the removal of derelict vehicles, or to report any issues with collection, members of the public can call the DEH’s main administrative office at 949-6696 or email dehcustomerservice@gov.ky. A Department of Environment Health employee removes a derelict vehicle for disposal at the George Town landfill. - PHOTO: GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICE A fee of $75 per vehicle is payable to the DEH upon request for the removal of derelict vehicles from private property. 50 YEARS AGO Replenishing Cayman’s turtle population In the Aug. 8, 1968 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, the following story, titled “Plans ready to re- plenish turtles in Cayman waters,” appeared: “Eminent zoologist Dr. Robert Schroeder Ph.D. hopes to repopulate the green turtle in large numbers in Cay- manian waters and to re- store the turtle trade to its former glory. The marine bi- ologist plans to do this in three years’ time. “It is natural for turtles to be in the Cayman Islands and that is why we chose to operate the project here,” Dr. Schroeder said in an inter- view here last Wednesday. “The sponsors of the project will import turtle eggs from Central America. The eggs will be incubated in the North Sound. The hatch- lings will be confined, fed and protected until they are 10 months old when they should weigh about 8 pounds. “At that stage, the ani- mals will be released to graze on the preserves of chicken liver, sponge and turtle grass in the area. “All the animals will be branded and then released to be recovered by conventional methods when they weigh about 100 lbs. “Dr. Schroeder aims at hatching 5,000 during his first year of operation and 10,000 in each suc- cessive year.” In the same edi- tion, a story titled “Apart- ment living: New trend in Cayman” appeared: “Apartment living is a new trend in Cayman. Many new apartments are being built and although this is so, it is still very diffi- cult to find apartments for rental as there are more cus- tomers than houses. “This is a direct result of the economic expansion which has brought an in- flux of expatriates into the island. But it is not expatri- ates alone who seek apart- ments. Young Caymanians es- tablishing their own families and tourists who come for long stays require these self- contained units. “Because apartments are in such great demand, their prices are very expensive ranging from £35 to £100 per month. But the demand is there, and people rent them. “‘It is ridiculous for house rental to be so high,’ one ex- patriate worker said, ‘when salaries are so low in pro- portion. Imagine renting a house for more than three quarters of your salary. What is happening is that people expect you to pay North American rent on Cay- manian wages.’”9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2018 Police: Eight church break-ins since June BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Eight church burglaries have been reported within the past two months around Grand Cayman, including two that occurred Wednesday morning, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service con- firmed this week. According to the RCIPS, there have been eight break- ins at church properties since early June. Four have been reported in the eastern dis- tricts and four have been re- ported in George Town. Pastor Alson Ebanks, vice chairman of the Cayman Is- lands Ministers’ Association, said there has been recent discussion among the local religious community about the burglaries and a number of concerns were raised. “Some people dis- cussed how appalled they were that places of wor- ship were no longer sacro- sanct,” Pastor Ebanks said. “If those are no longer sac- rosanct, then what happens to businesses? We’re con- cerned about a real deterio- ration in values.” “It is a very troubling trend,” he said. Pastor Ebanks said his Church of God Chapel on Walkers Road has not been broken into recently, but he said the facility has had its safes stolen in the past and, last year, the pastor said he found one trespasser who had broken in to use the bathroom. Before the rash of break- ins in June, only one church had been burgled during 2018, police said. In most of the cases, the suspects have take small amounts of cash, though in some instances the churches’ officials were not aware of precisely how much had been stolen. One man, a 42-year-old Bodden Town resident, has been arrested in connec- tion with a church burglary in July where some elec- tronics were taken. Churches can be vulner- able to burglars because they are sometimes vacant and those that take collection plates during Sunday ser- vices often will not be able to make a bank deposit until the next day. Pastor Ebanks said, while the Church of God Chapel does have a secu- rity system, other smaller houses of worship may not. “Of course, that’s not a guar- antee,” he said. RCIPS community po- lice officers have been hosting meetings with var- ious churches to review secu- rity precautions. Officers asked for anyone with information on the recent church burglaries to contact their district police station, the RCIPS tip line at 949-7777, Cayman Crime Stoppers at 800-8477 or the RCIPS website www.rcips.ky to submit online anonymous tips. “Some people discussed how appalled they were that places of worship were no longer sacrosanct.” PASTOR ALSON EBANKS BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Im- migration Department has identified four overstayers so far during its August am- nesty period, including one individual who turned up at Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport with a plane ticket to depart. According to immigra- tion officers, one person who was already wanted for over- staying turned himself in. An- other two individuals that immigration were not aware of called to report themselves to authorities. The amnesty period began on Aug. 1 and will end Aug. 31 at 3 p.m. Typically, immigration amnesties focus on the spe- cific offenses of overstaying and working without a valid permit. However, local em- ployers can also turn in workers who are here il- legally without risk of being prosecuted. Acting Chief Immigra- tion Officer Bruce Smith said that during the amnesty pe- riod, people who reside in Cayman and who are unsure of their immigration status have the opportunity to at- tend the Immigration Depart- ment where checks will be carried out without fear of being arrested. The amnesty also includes workers who have reached the end of their term limit, but who have not left the is- lands, or visitors who have not received an extension to remain beyond their au- thorized time. “I strongly urge those per- sons who are not compliant with the Immigration Law, to quickly utilise the time they have before being identified and subsequently arrested,” Mr. Smith said in an an- nouncement of the amnesty on Aug. 1. “Those who forego the opportunity and do not depart voluntarily can expect the full weight of the Law to be applied as a consequence.” The last time the Im- migration Department at- tempted an amnesty was in mid-2010, during which time more than 40 people – ranging in age from six months to 80 years – were deported from the islands. At the time, immigra- tion officials were concerned about so-called “work per- mits of convenience” – those for individuals who have ir- regular or no work offered by the permit holder. The Immigration De- partment reported that 336 people were arrested be- tween July 2016 and No- vember 2017 for the offense of overstaying or assisting another person to overstay. FOUR OVERSTAYERS IDENTIFIED DURING AMNESTY Overstayers can turn themselves in at the Immigration Department without fear of prosecution during the August amnesty period. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYNext >