ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018 6 VESSEL CARRYING 11 CUBAN MIGRANTS LANDS IN THE BRAC The Immigration Department announced on Friday that 11 Cuban migrants are in the care of its Cayman Brac officers after being spotted near the Brac around 10 a.m. that morning. According to the announcement, the group consists of nine males and two females, who say they were at sea for six days. Among the group are two repeat migrants. The vessel was hailed by Immigration and Customs officers, who determined there was a hazard to those on board. An image of the vessel shared by the department depicted five men struggling with the wooden boat near shore. “For safety reasons the boat and its oc- cupants were towed to shore, whereupon it promptly sank,” the announcement stated. The Immigration Department did not state where the migrants are being held. They were expected to be checked by doctors in Cayman Brac before being processed by Immigration officers and moved to Grand Cayman. A government press release did not specify where the migrants would be housed in Grand Cayman or if they would be held at the Immi- gration Detention Centre at Fairbanks. Thirteen Cuban asylum seekers who had been housed at the facility - in some cases for upwards of two years - were trans- ferred in July to community housing. At this time, Immigration indicated it had “agreed to review the continued detention of the migrants” and was implementing the su- pervised, community release program as an alternative. Although the detention center is now being eyed as an overflow facility for Cay- man’s crowded prisons, the Human Rights Commission flagged concerns about the fa- cility in July. Commission Chairman James Austin- Smith urged Her Majesty’s Prisons Service to respond, stating: “Due to the extensive nature of the unsanitary conditions, the government must take steps to rectify this situation.” Cayman Heart Fund recognizes ‘heroes’ at luncheon JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Heart Fund hosted its second heart health luncheon at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort on Friday. It was a call for the commu- nity to be more heart aware and to lead healthier lives. The luncheon honored all survivors of cardiovas- cular disease. More than 200 people came out in their best red attire in sup- port of the event, which recog- nized “heart heroes” and survivors, who shared their journeys on con- quering a serious health problem. “I believe the survivor is de- pendent on the love of family and of God,” said Dr. John Addleson, a survivor. “I want each and everyone of you to know that the people who are close to you, whether they be family or friends, should be embraced and endorsed.” Young Nicholas Isabel told his story of being born with a con- genital heart defect and not letting BIG SHAVE HITS $2 MILLION GOAL TO FIGHT CANCER MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Karen Watson said when her 5-year-old son Noah came to the Big Shave fundraising event last year, it made an impression on him. “He never stopped talking about it,” Ms. Watson said. By Christmas, the young boy had decided to participate in the an- nual event put on by Hannah’s He- roes to benefit St. Baldrick’s Foun- dation, which funds childhood cancer research. Between the first of the year and Friday night, when he and about 100 other participants sat on stage as buzzing razors removed the hair from their heads, Noah raised $2,311 for the foundation. His mother said he tapped schoolmates, fellow swim team members and family friends to raise the money. While her family has not been touched by cancer, Ms. Watson said, they have two friends who are cur- rently fighting the disease. “He told me he’s going to fix them,” she said. “I like to help people,” Noah said, smiling and rubbing his freshly shorn scalp. In its sixth year, the fundraiser hit a milestone, passing the $2 mil- lion goal organizers had set for the total amount raised by Hannah’s Heroes to date. Gaylene Meeson started Han- nah’s Heroes in response to her own daughter’s battle with an aggressive type of brain cancer. Hannah, now 11, was 4 when she was diagnosed. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Gaylene Meeson, founder of Hannah’s Heroes, holds her daughter Hannah while Jamie Blake shaves her hair during Friday night’s Big Shave event. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Suzy Soto, Chi Chi Foster, Minister Roy McTaggart and Nancy Rohleder show their support for heart health. - PHOTO: MAGGIE JACKSON2 LOCAL&REGIONAL MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) NIGHT SCHOOL (PG13) 12:30 I 3:30 I 7:40 I 9:00 LIFE ITSELF (R) 1:00 I 3:50 I 7:10 I 9:50 BLOCKBUSTER RE-RELEASE: BLACK PANTHER (PG13) 3:40 I 6:40 THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS (PG) 1:25 I 4:00 I 6:30 SMALLFOOT (PG) 12:40 3D I 3:00 3D I 5:20 I 6:35 THE NUN (R) 1:20 I 10:15 THE PREDATOR (R) 5:00 VIP I 7:30 VIP I 9:00 I 10:00 VIP BLOCKBUSTER RE-RELEASE: JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM (PG13) 2:00 VIP I 9:40 Hospitality students celebrate graduation A group of 38 hospitality course students were cele- brated at a recognition cere- mony Tuesday, Sept. 25. The students are the fourth cohort to complete the hospitality certificate pro- gram at the Cayman Islands School of Hospitality Studies. The group is the largest to be enrolled in the program since the school’s inception. Of this class, 13 stu- dents have received full- time job offers from local tourism partners, and 17 of the students will go on to complete further edu- cation in the hospitality field, according to a press release from the Min- istry of Tourism. “The goal of the SHS is to significantly increase the number of qualified Cayma- nians who choose tourism as a career path. The Min- istry and Department of Tourism along with stra- tegic partner University Col- lege of the Cayman Islands and the Hospitality School Advisory Council congratu- late the 2017/18 Class of the School of Hospitality Studies on this significant milestone achievement,” the ministry statement said. SUSPECT ROBS WOMAN AT KNIFEPOINT IN BT Suspects remain at large in two separate incidents that happened Friday night and Saturday morning in Bodden Town. Shortly after 2 a.m. Sat- urday, officials received a call of a robbery outside the Everglo Bar on Bodden Town Road. Police said a man with a knife con- fronted a woman leaving the bar and demanded her purse. The man fled east, police said. The woman was not injured. The suspect is de- scribed as having a brown complexion, about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 125-30 pounds. His hair was low cut and he was wearing a gray shirt and black shorts. Earlier the same night, police say two masked men attempted to break into a liquor store on Hirst Road. Shortly before 10 p.m. Friday, the two men re- portedly attempted to force open the locked front door of the store. They fled when they were unsuccessful. Anyone with any information, or who may have seen any suspicious activity in the areas mentioned, is asked to contact Bodden Town CID at 947-2220. Hospitality studies students pose with Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell and representatives of the hospitality industry. Cosmetologist’s trial continues Second complainant to be heard in November CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Trial continued on Friday for Zunilda Anaya Baldovino, who has pleaded not guilty to two charges of doing a reckless and negligent act – supplying or administering “medicine or poison or dan- gerous matter” in a manner so rash or negligent as to en- danger human life or safety. One complainant gave evidence in August about a treatment she received from Ms. Baldovino at a beauty salon in November 2016. She said Ms. Baldovino had injected her face in three places and she detailed the pain she felt and the effect on her appearance. A second complainant was scheduled to give evi- dence on Friday, but there was a delay. Inspector Win- some Prendergast, the in- vestigating officer, was in the middle of giving her evi- dence. She would have sub- mitted a CD containing the defendant’s third inter- view, but as Crown counsel Darlene Oko told Mag- istrate Philippa McFar- lane, “For some reason, it’s not playing.” Efforts were made to lo- cate another copy but they were not successful and the court was advised that there was no transcript. Taking into account other witnesses present to give their evidence, Ms. Oko and defense attorney Jonathon Hughes agreed that 3 p.m. on a Friday was not a good time to start questioning the second complainant. She was therefore asked to re- turn on Monday, Nov. 1 and also be available the next day if necessary. Ms. Prendergast, who stared her evidence in Au- gust, gave evidence of items recovered at the premises where Ms. Baldovino was arrested in January 2017. She said they included small instruments, needles and tweezers. She also submitted inter- views with the defendant, done with an interpreter of the Spanish language and with an attorney present. In one interview, Ms. Bal- dovino said, “I deny I used any injections or needles.” She said the needles be- longed to a friend she used to live with who used them to give herself treatment. She said to the best of her knowledge, she had never worked outside the condi- tions of her work permit. When it was suggested to her that she had adminis- tered drugs by injection, she replied, “No comment.” She gave the same an- swer when asked if she had a license to administer in- jections to her clients as a cosmetologist. Ms. Prendergast noted that the defendant did not have a work permit when she was arrested. She agreed with Mr. Hughes that she had found vials of a substance called “Botomax” which was sent off for testing: it proved not to be Botox. “I deny I used any injections or needles.” ZUNILDA BALDOVINO, defendant Acting Education Minister Barbara Conolly presents the Top Student award to Ashley White. JURY NOTICE All Grand Court jurors who are in the July 4 - Oct. 2 ses- sion are advised that the report date of Monday, Oct. 1, has been cancelled. These jurors are not required to attend court on any further date because the session has now ended. The new Grand Court jury session commences on Wednesday, Oct. 3, at 9 a.m. All jurors for that ses- sion must attend. VOLCANIC ERUPTION SPEWS ASH ON MEXICO MEXICO CITY (AP) – Ash spewing from the Popocate- petl volcano has reached the southern neighbor- hoods of Mexico’s capital. The National Center for Disaster Prevention warned Mexicans on Sat- urday to stay away from the volcano after activity picked up in the crater and it registered 183 emissions of gas and ash over 24 hours. The center was moni- toring multiple rumblings and tremors. Images on social media showed thin layers of ash coating car windshields in neighbor- hoods of Mexico City such as Xochimilco.3 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018 Magistrate suggests civil proceedings for pension cases CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com It may be appropriate to recover unpaid pension con- tributions by way of civil pro- ceedings, Magistrate Valdis Foldats suggested on Friday. He was speaking with Crown counsel Greg Wal- colm and attorney Graham Hampson, who represented employer Champion House. The company has been be- fore the Summary Court since 2008 on charges of failing to pay pension contributions on behalf of employees. Guilty pleas were entered in 2010, but it was not clear whether those pleas were en- tered on behalf of the com- pany or by the directors per- sonally. Pleas were entered on behalf of the company in Au- gust 2017. When the matter was before the court on Sept. 21, it was stated that the com- pany now owed more than $177,000 in pension pay- ments on behalf of 32 em- ployees from 1999 to 2008. With interest payments added on to that principal amount, the company owed more than $249,000, even before the court would impose any fine. The magistrate asked whether any company assets could be sold to repay em- ployees. Both counsel agreed that an assessment should be undertaken. On Sept. 28, Mr. Walcolm advised that he had spoken to officers at the Financial Crime Unit. He said he told them that what was needed was an ap- praisal of property owned and its value and that the defen- dant would cooperate. “They are willing to do the assessment …. It will take a couple of weeks,” he said. The magistrate said such a delay was minor and not a danger to the public. The main concern was how much money could be obtained from the company to pay back to the employees, he said. He noted that there were several other cases before the courts concerning employers who had failed to make pen- sion contributions. In some of them, “substantial sums are owing,” he pointed out. The magistrate said he had gone through the National Pen- sions Law again and it seemed to him that certain sections contemplated a civil approach. “I may be totally wrong. I don’t know,” he added. He hoped the National Pensions Board and administrators of pension funds would assist by offering their opinions. He suggested that the charge of failing to make pen- sion contributions could be laid in the time limit set by law and then “held in abeyance” until the true financial state of the employer was obtained through civil proceedings. He said Section 49 of the law was very powerful, refer- ring as it does to the employer holding employees’ pension contributions “in trust” until the money was paid into a pension fund. He also pointed to Section 91. It states that, where a pro- vision of the law is contra- vened, “the contravention may be restrained by action at the instance of the Board, of the Superintendent or of the ad- ministrator of the pension plan affected.” In the case before him, he thanked a company director for agreeing to cooperate in the investigation. He set the matter for mention again on Monday, Oct. 15, to see what progress had been made. Mr. Hampson advised that there may have been some payments made by his client that were not re- flected in the schedule of pay- ments before the court, so the sum actually due may have been ameliorated. SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man appeared in court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to attempted rape and indecent assault from an in- cident that occurred early in September. No trial date has been set. The man’s next court ap- pearance will be on Oct. 26, and he was ordered to refrain from contact with all prosecu- tion witnesses in the interim. He will also have to report to the George Town Police De- partment between 12 and 2 p.m. every Wednesday. There are two witnesses in the case, and the trial is expected to last two to four days. MAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN ATTEMPTED RAPE CASE NORTH SIDE MAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN MURDER INQUIRY SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Waylon Timothy Rivers appeared in Grand Court on Friday and pleaded not guilty in the murder of his father, Timothy Rivers. The 19-year-old will next appear in court on Oct. 26. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden indicated to Justice Charles Quin that she has received a psychiatric re- port ordered for the defen- dant and will be seeking a second opinion before the next court date. The trial is expected to take seven to 10 days and will likely take place early next year. The court consid- ered a date in February on Friday but ultimately did not choose a trial date. The elder Mr. Rivers, a 66-year-old farmer, was found bleeding and unresponsive in North Side on June 8. Po- lice officers were called to his home in the Hutland Road area around 11 a.m. that day. The younger Mr. Rivers was arrested on June 8 and taken to court on June 10. He was formally charged with murder on June 11, and the court ordered psychiatric and psychological reports to be conducted.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” If you see a newly baldheaded coworker, neighbor, friend or stranger today, please stop to tell them “thanks.” Long before the main event kicked off on Friday, the 100-plus participants in Hannah’s Heroes 6th Annual Big Shave had blown right past this year’s fundraising goal of $250,000 – money which will help fund life- changing treatments and cures for childhood cancer. The lighthearted annual event owes much of its success to big-hearted participants, teams (including the cleverly named “Maples and Balder” and “Ogier Fund-Razors”) and supporters whose efforts help advance a gravely serious cause. According to St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the child cancer research charity that is the beneficiary of the Big Shave donations, a child is diagnosed with cancer somewhere in the world every two minutes – an aston- ishing and heartbreaking figure. According to Hannah’s Heroes, over the past year at least four more children in Cayman have been diagnosed with cancer. One of those children has died. Although advances in research and treatment have increased the chance of survival for children diagnosed with the most common type of childhood cancer (Acute lymphoblastic leukemia) from virtually zero in the 1950s to approximately 90 percent, there are more than a dozen types, and countless subtypes, of childhood cancers – demanding a multiplicity of treat- ment options, according to St. Baldrick’s. It is their mission to fund continued research that ultimately will yield dramatically improved outcomes for children diagnosed with every type. Their goal is as lofty as it is worthy. According to St. Baldrick’s, only four chemotherapy drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminis- tration specifically for childhood cancer since 1980. Nearly all the chemotherapy drugs used in children’s cancer therapies were developed more than 40 years ago. The research and approval process is long, diffi- cult and costly. Hannah’s Heroes, in honor and support of cancer- survivor Hannah Meeson, 11, and parents, Gaylene and Nigel Meeson, have raised nearly US$2 million over the past six years to support ongoing research. Their efforts have funded research grants named in Hannah’s honor at prestigious research institutes including John Hopkins in Baltimore, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and Duke University in North Carolina, enabling researchers to continue their vital exploration for effective treatments and cures. In the process, they have helped increase aware- ness and empathy for the difficult journey children and their families must embark upon with a cancer diag- nosis. Through the simple act of joining together in a bit of friendly competition, individuals, families, work- places and schools have knitted together a community of support. There still is much work to do. The fight to conquer childhood cancer will be a long one. So thanks again to Big Shave organizers, to the “heroes” who went under the clippers and to their countless supporters. Con- gratulations on another successful event. Hannah’s Heroes: Hair today, gone tomorrow MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS America should do away with the death penalty WASHINGTON – Without being aware of it, Vernon Madison might become a footnote in constitutional law because he is barely aware of anything. For more than 30 years, Alabama, with a te- nacity that deserves a better cause, has been trying to ex- ecute him for the crime he certainly committed, the 1985 murder of a police of- ficer. Twice the state con- victed him unconstitutionally (first excluding African-Amer- icans from the jury, then in- sinuating inadmissible ev- idence into the record). In a third trial the judge, who during his time on the bench overrode more life sentences (six) than any other Alabama judge, disregarded the jury’s recommended sentence of life imprisonment and imposed the death penalty. The mills of justice grind especially slowly regarding capital punishment, which courts have enveloped in lab- yrinthine legal protocols. As the mills have ground on, life has ground Madison, 68, down to wreckage. After mul- tiple serious strokes, he has vascular dementia, an irre- versible and progressive de- generative disease. He also is legally blind, his speech is slurred, he has Type 2 di- abetes and chronic hyper- tension, he cannot walk unassisted, he has dead brain tissue and urinary incontinence. And he no longer remem- bers the crime that put him on death row for most of his adult life. This is why on Tuesday the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments about the constitutionality of executing him. His counsel of record, Bryan A. Stevenson, head of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, says that it was undisputed in the penalty phase of Madison’s third trial that he already “suffered from a mental ill- ness marked by paranoid de- lusions.” Stevenson says that Madison, who has been men- tally ill since adolescence and who over the years had been prescribed “numerous psychotropic medications,” cannot remember “numerous events” of the past 30 years, including “events from the of- fense to his arrest or to his trial,” and cannot remember the name of the police of- ficer he shot. The mere phrasing of the matter at issue – whether Madison is “competent to be executed” – induces moral vertigo. A unanimous three- judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that Madison lacks the req- uisite competence because he lacks understanding of the connection between his crime and his execution. The question before the Supreme Court is whether executing Madison would violate the Eighth Amendment’s pro- scription of “cruel and un- usual punishments.” The court has said “we may seriously question the retributive value of executing a person who has no compre- hension of why he has been singled out and stripped of his fundamental right to life.” For many people, the death penalty for especially hei- nous crimes satisfies a sense of moral symmetry. Retribu- tion – society’s cathartic ex- pression of a proportional response to attacks on its norms – is not, however, the only justification offered for capital punishment. De- terrence is another. But by now this power is vanish- ingly small because imposi- tion of the death penalty is so sporadic and glacial. Be- cause the process of getting from sentencing to execution is so protracted, currently av- eraging 15 years, senescent persons on the nation’s death rows are going to be prob- lems as long as there is cap- ital punishment. Madison’s case compels us to focus on the death penalty in its granular re- ality: Assisting someone who is non-ambulatory, and bewildered because he is (in Stevenson’s phrase) “memory-disordered,” to be strapped down so an ex- ecutioner can try to find a vein – often a problem with the elderly – to receive a le- thal injection. Capital pun- ishment is withering away because the process of liti- gating the administration of it is so expensive, and hence disproportionate to any demonstrable enhance- ment of public safety, but also because of a healthy squeamishness that speaks well of us. Sixty years ago, Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote that the Eighth Amendment – particularly the idea of what counts as “cruel” pun- ishments – “must draw its meaning from the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a ma- turing society.” Concerning which, two caveats are ap- posite: “evolving” is not a synonym for “improving,” and a society can become, as America arguably is be- coming, infantilized as it “matures.” That said, it cer- tainly is true that standards of decency do evolve, and that America’s have improved astonishingly since 1958: Think about segregated lunch counters, and much else. Conservatives have their own standards, including this one: The state – govern- ment – already is altogether too full of itself, and in- vesting it with the power to inflict death on anyone exac- erbates its sense of majesty and delusions of adequacy. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE The mere phrasing of the matter at issue – whether Madison is “competent to be executed” – induces moral vertigo. 5 LOCAL&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018 189483-Ad-PrimeRate-3colx8.indd 19/27/18 6:10:07 PM Cayman delegation meets with yachting elite Premier Alden McLaughlin and Financial Services and Home Affairs Minister Tara Rivers, along with represen- tatives from the Maritime Au- thority of the Cayman Islands, spent last week rubbing el- bows with yachting’s elite at the Monaco Yacht Show. According to a news re- lease, the delegation hosted events to promote the Cayman Islands and its Shipping Registry, including an eve- ning reception for friends of Cayman, with yacht owners, builders, architects and other key players and service pro- viders in the yachting sector in attendance. Prince Albert II of Mo- naco was the guest of honor at the reception. He, like Mr. McLaughlin, is a keen cyclist. He invited Mr. McLaughlin to return to Monaco to participate in the Saint Tropez to Monaco charity bike ride in support of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. The Prince also expressed an in- terest in returning the favor and visiting the Cayman Is- lands. Several others in at- tendance said they too plan to visit the Cayman Islands. The delegation also held a dinner for clientele of the shipping registry. This was the first time that the Cayman Islands has hosted a dinner at the Monaco show. Mr. McLaughlin said the dinner “provided an oppor- tunity for Cayman to thank some of the clients of our registry for the business provided to the Cayman Is- lands and for their loyalty over the years.” The Cayman Islands has more than 80 percent of that market share of the ultra- large segment of the yachting industry, the release said, and the registrations bring in sub- stantial fees. The Caymanian brand is also enhanced by so many luxury yachts being registered in the Cayman Is- lands and flying the Cayman flag, the release added. Prince Albert II of Monaco, center, meets with Premier Alden McLaughlin, left, and Minister Tara Rivers at the Monaco Yacht Show. SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Some colorful critters are peeking out from the side of Cayman roads. Graham Heron, a local dance instructor, reported a sighting of two wandering pea- cocks near Lakeside condos on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway on Tuesday. Mr. Heron snapped a few pictures and contacted local authorities who told him that the birds have been known to be in the area. “They don’t know where they came from,” said Mr. Heron of the peacock’s place in the local ecosystem. “They don’t know who the owner is, but they’ve been naturalized to the environment.” Brian Crichlow, the assis- tant director of the Depart- ment of Agriculture, said that peacocks have been owned by individuals on the island for a long time but that records show no applications have been made for import permits in recent years. Handel Whittaker, who houses around 100 peafowl off Frank Sound, identified the photographed birds as male silver pied peacocks. During mating season, from December to June, he said the birds have been known to travel long distances because they are known to be territo- rial and sensitive to sound. He recalled one pea- cock that disappeared for a year around Christmas and returned the following Christmas. The bird had ap- parently been hanging out at Rum Point. The National Conservation Law of 2013 defines an “alien species” as an animal whose natural range does not include the Cayman Islands. Peacocks would qualify under that def- inition, and Mr. Crichlow said it would require consultation with the National Conserva- tion Council to secure an im- port permit for one. Peacocks are not generally aggressive animals, said Mr. Crichlow, and their status as stray animals falls into a gray area of the law. “The Animals Law pro- vides the authority for RCIPS Officers and Animal Welfare and Control officers from the DOA to impound stray dogs in public areas and for prop- erty owners to distrain live- stock trespassing on their property and turn them over to the DOA to be impounded,” he said. “However, the Law is silent when it comes to straying pet animals, other than dogs, and as such there is no clear authority for prop- erty owners or the DOA to impound pet birds like pea- cocks where they are straying or trespassing on some- one’s property.” So what should you do if you encounter a free- grazing peacock? Mr. Crichlow said there are several things to consider be- fore you approach one or con- tact the Department of Agri- culture: “Should a member of the public encounter peacocks in a public area or on their property, the initial course of action would be to try and contact the owner, if that person is known to them or perhaps their neighbors,” he said. “If the owner is unknown or the peacocks are causing a public nuisance, then the person or property owners should contact the RCIPS so action can be taken to track down the owner and address the potential nuisance issue. Persons can also contact the Department of Agriculture, however the department’s re- sponse would be limited to either trying to identify and contacting the owner or refer- ring the matter to the RCIPS as an public nuisance, un- less there is an issue relating to the welfare of the birds, in which case the DOA would be empowered under the Law to take appropriate action with regards to any animal wel- fare concerns.” Peacocks appear on Cayman road These colorful peacocks have apparently taken up residence somewhere near Lakeside condos. Photo: Graham Heron TRUMP MEETS WITH CHILEAN LEADER WASHINGTON (AP) – Pres- ident Donald Trump met Friday with President Sebas- tian Pinera of Chile at the White House for talks that focused on trade, security and the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. Trump welcomed Pinera to the Oval Office days after he imposed financial sanc- tions on members of Ven- ezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s inner circle and suggested Maduro could be ousted in a military coup as a way to restore the coun- try’s democracy. Tens of thou- sands of Venezuelan migrants are in Chile. “Venezuela is a mess and it’s got to be cleaned up and people have to be taken care of,” Trump said in response to a question from a reporter. It was Pinera’s first visit to the White House since he returned to Chile’s presi- dency last spring. Chile has been watching Trump’s trade fight with China, which is Chile’s largest trading partner. Chile is the world’s largest exporter of copper and its central bank has raised concerns about the U.S.-China trade and a de- cline in copper prices. The White House said after the meeting that the two leaders discussed secu- rity issues, freedom and de- mocracy in the Americas and “fair and reciprocal” trade be- tween the two nations.6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Students learn work can be a game MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Prep student Randa Witter was sur- prised to hear that cre- ating a computer game was far more complex than she thought it was. “I thought gaming was just programming and you draw,” she said. She’d just listened to Joshua Kanies, a professor with Art Institutes based in Florida, talk about the ways in which such subjects as history, anthropology, physics and storytelling play a part in game development. “I didn’t know there were so many aspects of it,” Randa said. That was one of the pri- mary messages for 40 stu- dents attending a workshop Friday at the University Col- lege of the Cayman Islands. It was put on by the organizers of Gamers Bay along with the Youth Services Unit and the Ministry of Education, and was inspired by the Gamers Bay computer game competi- tion that took place Saturday at Camana Bay Arts & Rec- reation Centre. Lance Jefferson is co- founder of NetGeekz, which produces the Gamers Bay event. He said the idea of using the competition as a springboard to talk to schoolchildren about careers in gaming rose out of last year’s event. “This particular year, we wanted to focus on the tech- nical side of it,” Mr. Jef- ferson said. “The kids of the Cayman Islands have the skill set for this particular industry. It’s just a matter of guiding them.” Originally, the work- shop, which was promoted as a STEM-oriented event, was limited to 33 students who were identified from a series of school visits ear- lier in the week. There was enough interest that 40 stu- dents were invited to at- tend. They learned about ca- reer possibilities in gaming, game structure and the so- cial media aspects of the gaming world. Organizers said more stu- dents wanted to attend. “We’re already in the plan- ning for next year,” Mr. Jef- ferson said. “We’re probably doing a workshop in the Brac as well as enhancing this one.” He said they may hold the workshop in the gym at John Gray High School to accommodate all those who are interested. Michael Myles, dean and program director for Hope Academy, was attending the workshop with some of his students. He said more events like it are needed. “We seem to have a one- track idea of what our kids can get into,” Mr. Myles said, referring to Cayman in gen- eral. “Making a living is more than the tourist industry or the financial industry.” Computers, he said, offer another avenue for stu- dents to pursue. Other sub- jects should receive at- tention as well. “I think workshops like this are going to be critical for our children,” he said. “I’m hoping it’s going to broaden their horizons.” Mr. Myles said he is amazed how much his stu- dents already seem to know about the different aspects of computer gaming, which is, for many, a big part of their lives. “These kids could be pro- grammers, but we don’t push it,” he said, acknowl- edging that even his school doesn’t offer a coding class. “I’d like to see careers like this pushed to the forefront. They’re all plugged in, why not push it?” Dreshaun Barnes is a stu- dent at Wesleyan Christian Academy. He’s not sure about gaming, but it’s close to what he would like to pursue. “It involves the career path I want to get into, which is IT and programming,” Dre- shaun said. “I like the pro- gramming aspect (of gaming) with the textures, the envi- ronments. That’s what I’d like to do, or writing the rules or the physics.” Speaking before the start of the workshop, Youth Ser- vices Unit coordinator James Myles said this is the first workshop on video gaming to be held in the Cayman Islands. “It’s the next big thing,” he said. “I think it’s time we have young Caymanians maximize the information age.” “I’d like to s ee careers like this pushed to the forefront. They’re all plugged in, why not push it?” MICHAEL MYLES, Hope Academy From left, Joshua McField, Cristhian Sanchez and Randa Witter work on changing the rules for Connect 4 during a gaming workshop on Friday at UCCI. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS Gamers converge on Camana Bay Hundreds of young people headed to Camana Bay’s Arts & Recreation Centre on Saturday for a full day of gaming and fun. The Gamers Bay 3 convention – a creation of NetGeekz Media – brought 12 hours of video game com- petitions, virtual reality ex- periences and the chance to meet some gaming and in- ternet stars. Gaming fans showed up ready to play, some dressed as their cosplay characters. A few of the most popular games of the day were Fortnite and FIFA 18. Gamers face off in an all-day Fortnite competition.One young gamer is immersed in a virtual reality experience. - PHOTOS: ALVARO SEREY Popular cosplay model Joanie Brosas poses as Phoenix from X-Men.Young people enjoy a variety of computer games during a day of fun.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018 Limited space available, reserve your seat by 12 Oct via - Registration Now Open 1 6 O C T O B E R PEOPLE, PURPOSE & PASSION: The Pathway to Success 2018 ANNUAL TOURISM CONFERENCE events@caymanislands.ky 9:00AM - 12:30PM Westin Grand Cayman Resort & Spa, Governor’s Ballroom Learn more about the state of our local tourism industry and gain global market insights with local & international speakers his condition hinder or affect him in any way. He said his parents encouraged him to live an active lifestyle, which led him to participate in the 2018 CARIFTA Games and he was happy to report he had won a goal medal for his achievements. “Millions of people with congenital heart disease around the world can go on to live long, productive lives,” he said. He added that people can reduce the risk of heart dis- ease by the choices they make. The luncheon was chaired by Suzy Soto, founder of Cayman Heart Fund in 2007 after herself receiving a pace- maker.“ I was proud of ev- eryone that participated … my daughter did a wonderful job and a lot of my family was involved. I am grateful all the heart survivors got their awards,” Ms. Soto said. Barrie Quappe, Ms. Soto’s daughter, said all she asked was for people to take care of themselves. “Life is not a rehearsal. Celebrate every day. Don’t take it for granted and don’t forget to get out,” she said. Ms. Quappe spoke of in- juring her back after jumping off a 50-foot cliff and sur- viving and the importance of exercise and nutrition. The lively social event was full of laughter and uplifting messages. One eye-catching moment was a muscle- flexing display by 59-year- old body builder and fitness trainer Hugh Cotterell. Ben Hart, founder of Hart for Hearts, the pediatric arm of Cayman Heart Fund, said funds raised enable parents to take time off work and be with their children while treatment is in progress. “There will continue to be families who need help, guid- ance and support and this is what Harts for Hearts and Cayman Heart Fund will con- tinue to do,” Mr. Hart said. Cayman Heart Fund recognizes ‘heroes’ at luncheon CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cayman Heart Fund representatives check in guests. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Robert Hamaty, who survived a heart transplant, speaks at Friday’s event. Members of Team Cristiano pose in recognition of 4-year-old Cristiano McKenzie, who died in June 2017 after a battle with heart disease. - PHOTOS: MAGGIE JACKSON Shelley Addleson, left, smiles alongside husband John Addleson, who is a survivor. Survivor Bernie Bush, left, is recognized by Suzy Soto and Colleen Mellott.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Ms. Meeson said doctors at the time said Hannah had only a 5 percent chance of living, partly because there weren’t specific drugs to treat the disease in children. Most cancer research is fo- cused on adults. “Kids deserve more,” Ms. Meeson told several hundred people gathered for the event Friday night in the parking lot next to the Brasserie. “We can give the next generation a better chance.” Speaking earlier, as people funneled into the tented area, where seven chairs lined the stage waiting for volunteers to be shaved, she said she was surprised at the con- tinued growth of interest in the event. “Every year, I think it won’t have an appeal because (supporters) give and give,” she said, adding she fears they might get tired of it. “But it seems to become more ex- citing and people are even more passionate. “I feel we’ve had a bigger reach this year,” she added. “We seem to have more of the community, particularly the younger members of the community. We’ve had more school shaves this year. The amount of donations we’ve had online is about $100,000 more than last year.” Figures announced Sunday showed that this year’s event brought in $350,000, just enough to push the six-year total for the Big Shave over the $2 million mark. Kelly Forbaugh, director of hero funds for St. Baldrick’s, said she continues to be im- pressed by the commitment of the Cayman community. “I think what’s unique is that a community of 60,000 people has raised $1.9 mil- lion,” she said at the start of the night, before final fig- ures were known. “This year, fundraising has been through the roof.” Ms. Forbaugh told the at- tendees about a young man she knew who had been di- agnosed at 10 with leukemia. The boy qualified as a sub- ject in a medical trial as part of research sponsored by St. Baldricks. He is now 18, in college and healthy, she said. “All of you here helped make that happen for him,” she told the crowd. “This is magic.” Colleen Shields, whose son Beau, 8, is a cancer survivor, said Hannah’s Heroes has be- come like family to her. Beau was just 5 months old when he was diag- nosed with neuroblastoma. He had tumors in his brain, spinal column and liver, Ms. Shields said. He relapsed after an initial round of che- motherapy and had to go through months of treatment a second time when he as a year old. Ms. Shields said she remains involved to sup- port other children and their families and to share her story of hope. “When Beau was going through treatment, there was no children’s medication,” she said. “It was watered-down adult medication.” Ms. Meeson, who trav- eled with Hannah from Hong Kong, where the family now lives, to attend the event, said that’s why continued research targeting childhood cancer is so necessary. She said volunteers and supporters should be pleased Cayman has played a role in the ef- fort by contributing more than $2 million. “That’s a significant amount of research that wouldn’t have been done otherwise,” she said. “Every dollar we raise makes a dif- ference, so we can never fail.” Big Shave hits $2 million goal to fight cancer CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Hannah’s Heroes founder Gaylene Meeson, center, embraces Woody Foster after both gave up their hair for the Big Shave fundraiser. The organization is named for cancer survivor Hannah Meeson, left. Gaylene Meeson, back row third from right, and her daughter Hannah, front, second from right, pose with supporters of Hannah’s Heroes after undergoing the Big Shave. Paul Storey, owner of Paperman’s Coffeehouse, was a hit with the crowd when his flowing white hair was dramatically removed as part of Friday’s Big Shave. The Big Shave crowd cheers as Paperman’s Coffeehouse owner Paul Storey is relieved of his flowing locks. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Seven chairs and seven barbers made for some quick hair loss at Friday night’s Big Shave event, which benefited childhood cancer research.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018 UK to send 800 troops to Arctic Britain’s defense secretary says the U.K. plans to deploy 800 army and marine commandos to Norway amid concerns about increasing Russian aggression. CAYMAN ISLANDS TAEKWONDO ACADEMY COME VISIT US AT OUR BRAND NEW LOCATION Crown Square, Eastern Avenue Regular classes resume on the 1st of October 2018 For Children and Adults. PLUS Fitness and Self Defense Classes for all Ages. and PRIVATE and SEMI PRIVATE LESSONS MORE INFORMATION Enquire at our New Location CROWN SQUARE, EASTERN AVENUE Call 938-5348 or 328-5006 O ce hours 10.00 am – 5:00 pm FREE TWO WEEKS of regular classes available for new STUDENTS ONLY WITH THIS ADVERT Indonesia tsunami death toll tops 800 TYPHOON PUMMELS JAPAN; FLIGHTS CANCELED, TRAINS SHUT DOWN TOKYO (AP) – A powerful typhoon ripped through Japan on Sunday, forcing cancellations of flights and trains, including in the Tokyo area as authorities warned of strong winds and torrential rain. Farms and homes in Miyazaki on the southern main island of Kyushu were flooded as Typhoon Trami swept across southwestern Japan. Evacuation orders were issued for tens of thou- sands of people over a wide- spread area, including more than 250,000 people in the city of Tokushima on the is- land of Shikoku, the national broadcaster NHK reported. At least 51 people were injured in southern Japan, it said. Many flights were can- celed at major airports throughout Japan, in- cluding Tokyo’s Narita and Haneda. The storm de- stroyed power lines on the southern islands of Oki- nawa on Saturday. Trami was expected to hit Tokyo late Sunday, and slam northern Japan on Monday. Bullet trains and other train lines were shut- ting down while the storm passed. Tokyo’s train lines announced they were shutting down after 8 p.m. (11 GMT). The typhoon is projected to hit regions ravaged ear- lier this month by Typhoon Jebi, which caused land- slides and floods and tem- porarily shuttered Kansai International Airport. The strongest typhoon to hit Japan in 25 years, Jebi caused 11 deaths in and around Osaka. The airport also was closed for this latest typhoon. In July, heavy rain in western Japan killed 221 people, setting off land- slides and flooding. PALU, Indonesia (AP) – Rescue officials feared the full scale of Indonesia’s earthquake and tsunami could climb far past the more than 800 al- ready confirmed dead, as sev- eral large coastal towns re- mained cut off Sunday by damaged roads and downed communication lines. The country’s disaster agency said the death toll more than doubled to 832, and nearly all of those were from the hard-hit city of Palu on the island of Sulawesi. The regencies of Donggala, Sigi and Parigi Moutong – with a combined population of 1.2 million – had yet to be fully assessed. “The death toll is believed to be still increasing since many bodies were still under the wreckage, while many have not been reached,” said disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. He said a mass burial would be held Sunday for health reasons. Bodies covered in blue and yellow tarps lined the streets of Palu, while rescuers dug through rubble in the hopes of finding survivors from the twin disasters that struck Friday evening. There was particular focus on the eight- story Roa-Roa Hotel, where voices from underneath the rubble could be heard calling out for help on Saturday. The cries from beneath the hotel, which appeared to have toppled over with its walls splintered like pickup sticks, had gone silent by Sunday afternoon. Offi- cials had estimated some 50 people could be inside. “We are trying our best. Time is so important here to save people,” said Muhammad Syaugi, head of the national search and rescue team. “Heavy equip- ment is on the way.” Metro TV showed about a dozen rescuers in orange jumpsuits climbing over debris with a stretcher carrying the body of a victim from the modest business hotel. Other rescuers were working to free a 15-year-old girl trapped under concrete in her house in Palu after it col- lapsed on her family during the magnitude 7.5 earthquake that spawned a tsunami. Unable to move her legs under the heavy concrete rubble, Nurul Istikharah was trapped beside her dead mother and niece. Rescuers struggled to control water from a leaking pipe, fearing the girl may drown. Istikharah was uncon- scious during part of the ef- fort to free her, but rescuers continued to talk to her to try to keep her awake. Others of- fered her food and water. Aid and supplies were being sent to the area via military and commercial aircraft, including helicop- ters, to reach badly affected areas. Officials said the area was lacking medical supplies, fuel, fresh water and experts. Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo toured Palu on Sunday. “There are many chal- lenges,” Jokowi said. “We have to do many things soon, but conditions do not allow us to do so.” He said rescuers were having difficulty recovering victims because of a shortage of heavy equipment. He said authorities were deploying more heavy machinery that he hoped would arrive Sunday night so emergency workers can help recover more victims on Monday. It’s the latest natural di- saster to hit Indonesia, which is frequently struck by earth- quakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. In December 2004, a mas- sive magnitude 9.1 earth- quake off Sumatra island in western Indonesia trig- gered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries. Last month, a pow- erful quake on the island of Lombok killed 505 people. In Donggala, the site closest to the earthquake’s epicenter, aerial footage aired on Metro TV showed the sugary blond sands of beaches swept out to sea, as were some buildings. Damage to some buildings in the town was severe, with plywood walls shredded and chunks of concrete scattered on the pavement. Much of the damage, however, appeared limited to the waterfront. Palu, which has more than 380,000 people, was strewn with debris from the earthquake and tsunami. A mosque heavily damaged by the quake was half sub- merged and a shopping mall was reduced to a crumpled hulk. A large bridge with yellow arches had collapsed. The city is built around a narrow bay that appar- ently magnified the force of the tsunami waters as they raced into the tight inlet. Nu- groho, the disaster agency spokesman, said waves were reported as high as 20 feet in some places. A vessel tilts on one side after it ran ashore at a pier as a typhoon approached Yonabaru, Okinawa prefecture, southern Japan. - PHOTO: AP At least 51 people were injured in southern Japan. Rescuers try to reach trapped victims in collapsed buildings following earthquakes and a tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, Sunday. - PHOTOS: AP A man holds a family picture from a damaged house following a massive earthquake and tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, Sunday.Next >