SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS November films at Camana Bay Cinema From ‘Fantastic Beasts’ to ‘Robin Hood’ - hot ticket movies B2 Men’s MOvember month is fast approaching Prepare to grow your MO for charity B6 Movies & Television Events Events ■ EVENTS Poinciana Film Festival Three short films, three Caymanian directors, one great night. B3 ‘Halloween’ brings Michael Myers back This time, Laurie Strode is ready for him! B4 Spooky Halloween parties on land and sea See the roundup of events for adults and kids B7 CAYMAN WEEKENDER Poinciana Flim Festival EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 TO GRAND CAYMAN’S GREEN IGUANA CULLERS: HAPPY (AND SAFE) HUNTING High of 89 Low of 77 Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 2 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 2018 6 Busy first week for governor JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands’ new governor Martyn Roper touches down in the territory Monday morning, before a hectic first week of official engagements. Mr. Roper, the former deputy head of mission for the U.K. in Beijing, China, and his wife Elisa- beth will be welcomed with a po- lice guard of honor on the airport tarmac when their plane arrives from Miami around 11:30 a.m. Premier Alden McLaughlin, members of the Cabinet, and Deputy Governor Franz Man- derson will be among the dig- nitaries to greet Mr. Roper and his wife. They will then be escorted to Government House before re- turning to George Town for an official swearing-in ceremony at the Legislative Assembly. Mr. Roper is expected to give his first speech as Cayman gov- ernor at the swearing-in cere- mony before inspecting a second police guard of honor out- side the assembly building. The public are invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony. The new governor, Mr. McLaughlin and Mr. Manderson will jointly host an invitation- only welcome reception Monday night at Government House, where Mr. Roper will get to meet some of the figureheads of the community. A packed schedule of meet- ings is planned for the early part of the week with senior politi- cians, opposition leaders and civil service heads, as well as with the police commissioner, ombudsman and auditor general, as the new governor gets up to speed with the areas of govern- ment directly under his purview. A press conference is planned for Thursday morning and the governor will visit the Sister Is- lands at the weekend. He will fly to Little Cayman on Friday morning, before traveling to the Brac that afternoon. He plans to take part in the Cancer Society Stride walk on the Brac Saturday morning before returning to Grand Cayman to appear at the Central Caribbean Marine Insti- tute’s Festival of the Seas gala on Saturday night. Further events, including visits to the districts, are planned the following week. Road closures Police advised that to facili- tate the swearing-in ceremony on Monday, portions of Fort Street, Albert Panton Drive and Edward Street will be closed be- tween 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. that day. Fort Street will be closed be- tween Harbour Drive and Ed- ward Street; Edward Street will be closed between Dr. Roy’s Drive and Fort Street; and Al- bert Panton Street will be closed between Fort Street and the en- trance to Butterfield Bank. NO ONLINE COURT RECORDS UNTIL 2019 SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s push to computerize its court re- cords will not be completed this year. The Cayman Islands court system origi- nally intended to digitize its court records in September 2017, and all existing public regis- ters were intended to be online by the end of that year, but that did not happen. Clerk of Courts Shiona Allenger said Wednesday that process also will not be fin- ished this year. “We are in the process of installing our Court Search platform; however, we are not be in a position to provide a launch date until all internal processes have been tested and are functioning for public use,” said Ms. Allenger. “We do hope to have this suite available to the public in 2019.” The issue came up in 2017 because of a brief dispute about which court records were available to the public and which methods DEH DIRECTOR’S SETTLEMENT REMAINS UNDER WRAPS JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government has declined to reveal the de- tails of any settlement with former director of Department of Environmental Health Roydell Carter after an open records request from the Cayman Compass. Mr. Carter was said to have retired from the civil service in September, after nine months on leave for unspecified reasons. An internal audit report, later released under the Freedom of Information Law, blamed “substantial mis- management and widespread abuse” of the system for an 800 percent overspend on over- time at the department. The report, which highlighted $2 million in overspending on overtime payments, mostly to trash collectors and landfill workers, identi- fied multiple employees with what were de- scribed as “implausible overtime records.” The issue also arose during a Public Ac- counts Committee meeting this week. The first part of the internal audit report, which would have been available to ministry PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11 » JetBlue begins flights from Fort Lauderdale to Cayman The first JetBlue flight from Fort Lauderdale to Grand Cayman landed on Thursday, marking the beginning of a new daily flight option for tourists and Cayman travelers. The flight was welcomed with a water cannon salute from Fire Services Department fire engines. Fort Lauderdale is the third JetBlue destination from Grand Cayman, joining existing flights to New York and Boston. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Governor Designate Martyn Roper2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS West Shore Center, Seven Mile Beach • 10am to 10pm Fresh, Healthy & Delicious! Cayman Cookin’ Over a Wood Fire! Internati onal Award-Winning Caribbean Chicken! Dine-in!Take-out! Indulge on a feast for 2 to 4 or 6 or more! With an awesome selection of sides to choose from. 945-2290 Call 345-949-7028 | Visit caymanfirst.com CHOOSE CAYMAN FIRST WITH FIRST RESPONSE ACCIDENT AND ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 365 DAYS A YEAR! ALL AGES UP TO 4 YEARS OLD. WE HAVE EVERYTHING FOR YOUR BABY INCLUDING express Address: Cannon Place Formerly known as Mirco Centre 294 North Sound Road PO Box 1839 Grand Cayman KY1-1110 Grand Openin g 5% - 10% O 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 October 29th - November 2nd, 2018 WOMAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER ON BRAC A 29-year-old woman from Cayman Brac appeared in court on the Brac Thursday charged with attempted murder and wounding with intent. She was arrested after a man was stabbed on Wednesday morning. She was remanded in custody and will ap- pear in court on Grand Cayman on Nov. 9. The stabbing occurred on Legend Drive, shortly before 5 a.m. According to a po- lice press release, the man, who was known to the suspect, was stabbed with a knife twice and he also received injuries to both hands during a struggle that ensued. He was taken to Faith Hospital where he received treatment for his injuries. CAYMAN INTERNATIONAL HOLDS PUBLIC MEETING ON EXPANSION Cayman International School is holding a public meeting at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 1, on the ex- pansion of the school campus. The $45 million project, planned for a 9-acre site, would nearly double the size of the existing school and allow for increasing enrollment, from 630 to 1,100 students. The meeting will be held in the school’s mul- tipurpose room. The school is located at 95 Minerva Drive, Camana Bay. To get more information, call 944-4664. A new exhibit by Cay- manian artist Gordon Sol- omon goes on display Nov. 8 in the community gallery of the National Gallery. Mr. Solomon, whose work reflects his concerns about societal issues in Cayman, brings an intui- tive approach and unique style to his work. The 18 works in the cur- rent show are prompted by a sense of disillusionment and of growing social di- vision within the Cayman community, according to a release from the Na- tional Gallery. Those issues range from the use of GMO mosqui- toes to beach access, poli- tics, birthrights, seaman’s benefits, environmental con- cerns, mental and physical health issues, immigration and economics. The exhibition runs through Dec. 5. Admission is free. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. SOLOMON WORK FEATURES AT NATIONAL GALLERY Gordon Solomon’s work will be featured in a show opening Nov. 8 at the National Gallery. Public will decide future of Mexico’s $13 billion airport MEXICO CITY (AP) – The fu- ture of Mexico City’s new air- port, already about a third completed, comes down to a public vote this week in a political high-wire act by the president-elect that could shut down the country’s largest infrastructure project in recent memory. After his election, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Mexico’s people should de- cide the fate of the $13 billion airport designed in collabora- tion with celebrated architect Norman Foster. He had prom- ised during his campaign to cancel it if elected. Over four days beginning Thursday, citizens will cast ballots on whether to con- tinue with the new airport or update Mexico City’s existing one and another airport two hours away in Toluca, while building two new runways at a military base that would be converted to commercial use. Supporters of the new air- port say it is needed because Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport handles more traffic than its designed capacity and a solution is urgently needed to satisfy growing demand. Surrounded by residen- tial neighborhoods, the old airport has no room to add new runways. And sup- porters point to a study by U.S. corporation Mitre saying that while the alter- native plan is technically feasible, it presents impor- tant logistical problems and overall is unviable. Opponents counter that not only is the new airport a potential sinkhole of cor- ruption, but it is an environ- mental disaster, threatening a decades-old effort to restore the lakes that originally cov- ered the valley in which the capital sits. Locals also say they were not consulted. Lopez Obrador has said he wants to remain impartial, but he and his Cabinet picks consistently make the case against the new airport, char- acterizing it as too expen- sive and a windfall for cor- rupt interests. Last week, he said the second option could save $5 billion. He has not said, though, what will be done with the skeletal remains of new airport if it loses. About $6 billion has already been poured into the site northeast of Mexico City. “Corruption is over, in- fluence is over, impunity is over,” Lopez Obrador said in a recorded message this month. “We’re going to re- solve this issue in the way that best suits Mexico, the national interest, and what the people decide.” Ivonne Acuna Murillo, a professor in the polit- ical science department at Iberoamericana University in Mexico City, said Lopez Ob- rador has continually said he wants to govern with and for the people. He won 53 percent of the votes in July’s election and takes office Dec. 1. “He understands very well where his strength lies,” she said. Still, Acuna believes Lopez Obrador is playing a bit of a “cat and mouse” game trying to pressure Mexico’s busi- ness elite into footing the bill for the airport. It could be working. On Tuesday, the current tourism minister, Enrique de la Ma- drid, said on a local radio show the new airport is such a good business that it could be paid for without public funds. Lopez Obrador cast his own ballot Thursday morning amid a mob of news cameras in the southern Mexico City borough of Tlalpan, at one of more than 1,000 voting sta- tions in the capital. At one station about a dozen people were in line at midmorning. Cynthia Riverol, 65, said she voted for the air- port to proceed. “I believe that even though this referendum is not the wisest thing to do, because we’re missing a lot of tech- nical information, we have a more-orless educated opinion,” Riverol said. “And I believe that, financially and technically, the current con- struction must go on.” The nationwide “consul- tation,” as the vote is being called, is not being conducted by the governmental National Electoral Institute. Law- makers from Lopez Obrador’s Morena party have put up the money to hold it and volun- teers are staffing the polling stations. The vote count will be conducted by the Arturo Rosenblueth Foundation, an academic institution. On a recent morning, Lopez Obrador’s pick for transportation minister stood above an open pit mine as trucks dumped muddy sedi- ment from the new airport site about 10 miles away. Surrounded by residents of communities near the project, Javier Jimenez Es- priu said he was gathering information and helping to inform citizens about the project and its impact. His talk was interrupted by Felipe Alvarez Hernandez, a member of Peoples in De- fense of the Earth Front, a group that has been fighting proposed airports in the area for nearly two decades.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 2018 OPEN THE DOOR TO A WORLD OF LUXURY 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. THIRDHOME has created a safe community for like-minded second home owners to exchange time at their property for world exploration in a luxurious manner. Through the club you can visit spectacular destinations around the world and never pay rent. In addition to thousands of private homes, yachts, ranches and safari camps, THIRDHOME gives its members access to hundreds of full-service destination clubs, including: The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, The Four Seasons Anguilla and Nanuku Fiji. Mantis Collection is the only hotel group with a presence on all seven continents. A family run collection of award winning, privately owned, five star properties divided into five distinct groups: Boutique Hotels, Game Reserves, Eco Lodges, Ski Lodges and Chalets and Yachts. Mantis Owners Collection is the newest addition to Mantis, joining the well-established Mantis Collection and Mantis eXtreme portfolios. All of the handpicked fully staffed properties represent the finest examples of their kind and celebrate the culture, gastronomy, architecture and nature of the locations in which they are found. Luxury Apartment on the Grand Canal, Venice, ItalyLe Chardon Mountain Lodge, Val d’Isere, France FIN owners will have complimentary memberships to the Mantis Collection, Mantis Owners Collection and THIRDHOME, all exclusive property and travel clubs providing access to luxury accommodations in spectacular destinations around the world. WHERE WILL YOUR HOME TAKE YOU? Find out more about FIN and discover why it has the last word in luxury + 1 345 326 1400 fin@fingrandcayman.com FIN.cayman fingrandcaymanThe 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. “Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and hunt game for me.” – Genesis 27:3 We’ve written so much on Grand Cayman’s green iguana problem and government’s efforts to combat the invasive lizards that we hardly know what else to say … But we (and, starting Monday, the country’s cullers) will give it our best shot. More than 350 people have signed up for the Department of Environment’s Green Iguana Cull Project. Local firm Cornwall Consulting has been hired to manage the islandwide eradication campaign. Police have created a special class of firearms license to enable and regulate the use of air rifles by regis- tered cullers. With the project set to begin officially on Monday at 8 a.m. sharp, it seems that officials have done their best to get all their administrative ducks in a row. Next up: One million green iguanas. The magnitude of the issue has been well-estab- lished. It is understandable to treat with skepticism the government’s estimate of the green iguana population (1.1 million-1.6 million and counting … er, procreating), but anyone who lives near a golf course, tree or strip of grass is surrounded by an abundance of evidence – i.e., an abundance of iguanas – that these flora- devouring, pool-befouling and road-spattering lizards are out of control. In past editorials, we have acknowledged the seri- ousness of the issue and advised that government’s response – if any is to be taken – must be equally serious. At the same time we have expressed reser- vations about ensuring that vital details have been addressed (such as verification of cullers and disposal of carcasses) and, most importantly, that the public peace and safety be preserved. Past iguana culling attempts have not met those criteria, perhaps most notably the ill-conceived “Lizard Lotto” from last year – in no small part due to a lack of committed funds, and therefore commit- ment, from Cabinet. The impending project, however, appears to be more promising. With a budget of $9 million, officials aim to remove a million green iguanas from their hitherto Edenic exis- tence on Grand Cayman in the next year. That is not enough to effect the extinction of the reptiles from our shores, but it should be more than adequate to offset further growth in the population over the time period. The Department of Environment has conscripted a formidable army of hundreds of cullers, who will be paid $4.50-$5 per culled iguana. And on Thursday, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service endorsed offi- cially the project by releasing much-needed rules for iguana cullers whose weapon of choice is an air rifle. • Registered cullers who wish to use an air rifle must apply to RCIPS for the special license; • The special licenses are only for .22 or .25 caliber air rifles; and, • Registered cullers may only use an air rifle to cull iguana within 40 yards of a public road. In addition, the DoE has also issued sensible- sounding guidance, reminding participants that a license to cull is not a license to trespass on private property, and instructing cullers to be sensitive and deferential to the significant portion of the populace that is not comfortable with the killing of animals. Throughout the next year, we will be monitoring closely the results of the project and accordingly updating our readers as to its successes or short- comings. But for now, we wish the DoE and its cullers a safe and happy hunting season. And we will leave them with a bit of advice from a man who was quite familiar with bullets, battles and decisive action. Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “If you are going to take Vienna, take Vienna.” More to the point: If you are going to kill green iguanas, kill green iguanas. To Grand Cayman’s green iguana cullers: Happy (and safe) hunting FRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Harrowing times for stock investors These are harrowing times for small investors. Oc- tober is historically a turbu- lent month for stocks but do not panic. Equities remain an essential tool for accom- plishing long term goals like a secure retirement. In recent years, big tech stocks have accounted for the lion’s share of stock gains. But virtually every hot tech company of recent years faces new challenges. Facebook and Twitter must bear added costs to ensure user privacy, police content for foreign interference and cope with additional govern- ment oversight. Along with Google, those social media enterprises’ basic business model – mining user data to sell ads and information to market analytic firms – will require more self-discipline or en- counter new regulation. Amazon and Google face closer antitrust scrutiny from their treatment of busi- ness partners. Even if formal charges are not forthcoming, the public eye will compel more limits on their behavior. Apple is casting about for new businesses, because it does not have any hot new gadgets and iPhones are ap- proaching market saturation. The stock market will have to get its growth from more traditional companies. How- ever, with the economy ex- panding at three percent, in- stead of the two achieved during the Bush and Obama years, opportunities for main- line companies – everyone from consumer products to legacy tech companies – are improving. Even with the lofty valu- ations of the glamour tech stocks, the average price- earnings ratio for the S&P 500, which accounts for about 80 percent of publicly trade U.S. equities, is a bit below its historical average of 25. With annual earnings growth for the third quarter coming in at about 19 percent, the market has reasonable potential for an upside gain of about the same amount. Of course, uncertainty abounds about the future of the recovery. The IMF has marked down forecasts for global growth from 3.9 to 3.7 per- cent, blaming trade disputes, rising interest rates and the like. The facts are most de- veloping country businesses are hardly affected by U.S. tariffs and borrow too much when U.S. interest rates are low – they do not take into adequate account investment activity of similar businesses in other emerging economies and overcapacity results. And too much money is siphoned off by inept and corrupt gov- ernment bureaucracies. The Fed cannot keep U.S. interest rates near zero for- ever and has been gradually raising rates to fend off fu- ture inflation. Most economists and Fed policymakers see the infla- tion neutral, short term in- terest rate a bit less than 3 percent, and that would imply only three more rate in- creases. If the Fed stops there, the global economy should be able to reasonably absorb it, and the U.S. recovery can go indefinitely. Forever is a long time and inevitably, something bad happens – but when and what is virtually impossible to pre- dict. When something does occur, a recession will result but the economy and mar- kets will set right again – within a few years. Over the last 50 years, the S&P 500 has outperformed 10- year Treasuries 2 to 1, and no compelling argument has been offered that the coming decades will be any different. Picking the next Apple or timing the market is virtu- ally impossible for small in- vestors. Virtually all should broadly diversify and invest for the long term by buying a fixed amount each month. Put most of the money you will not need over the next ten years for emergencies or big expenses into stocks – espe- cially retirement savings. Once you are within 10 years of quitting, gradu- ally move about half of your money into fixed income ve- hicles with maturities of less than three to five years. Throughout, invest in a low cost S&P 500 index fund of- fered by USAA or Vanguard or a similar service. And per- haps an international index fund to smooth returns – sometimes U.S. equities do better while other times for- eign stocks lead. That is what Angela and I did, and now we only work as much as we like. Frankly, writing these columns is a treat for me. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © 2018, The Washington Times, LLC. PETER MORICI Most economists and Fed policymakers see the inflation neutral, short term interest rate a bit less than 3 percent, and that would imply only three more rate increases. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 2018 Some numbers We were given some numbers, but no details of the financial and other data behind the decision to build in the first place. A graph showed a dipping revenue from cruise over the past year, which leapt up on the back of inclement weather in the rest of the Caribbean; the graph apparently demonstrated our falling cruise market. I found this confusing: figures from the government website show that cruise numbers have gone from 1,517,585 in 2009 to 1,728,444 in 2017, a rise of 14% over 8 years. They were at their highest-ever level in 2017. The marketing ‘numbers’ In the numbers used to support the project, government tells us that ‘80% of tourism comes from cruise’ – but what is ‘tourism’ in this context? Upon investigation, ‘tourism’ in this instance actually means TourISTS; it is true that 80% of our tourists are cruisers (and the remaining 20% stay-overs). But much more interesting is what we earn from each sector. Using figures from the government website for January to June (i.e. 6 months) 2017: We earned $78 million from the 80% of cruisers (882,000) compared to $259 Million from the 20% stay-overs (218,000) So actually (in revenue terms), we should be saying that 77% of tourISM comes from stay-over visitors rather than cruise. And this is an important number, because if 218,000 stay-over visitors earned us $259 million in the first 6 months of 2017, this is surely, by far and away, the more valuable sector of our tourism and as such deserves our protection most. In addition, this higher income from far fewer visitors puts much less stress on our infrastructure and environment. Now, this did come up during the meeting and Mr Kirkconnell noted that huge strides have been made to encourage stay-over visitors as well, e.g. the expansion of the airport and numerous hotel projects in the pipeline. He said that of course they understood the value of our stay-over sector. The unheeded conflict But what was not mentioned was the conflict between these two types of visitor: how the footprint of up to two million cruisers per year and all the crowding, pollution, congestion and degradation that this brings to our island, actively damages that stay-over golden egg. Not surprisingly, wealthy stay-over visitors, looking for an exclusive upmarket experience, do not enjoy sharing limited space and facilities with milling cruisers. Our most popular attractions are seriously overstretched. Public Beach is a zoo, with rows scruffy chairs, mismatched parasols, and most cabanas requisitioned by trinket sellers. Stingray City is seriously overcrowded, almost dangerously so. I invite all to visit Fort Street in St. Maarten or Bay Street in Nassau on a cruise ship day to see what the future could hold for us (visit, don’t google; they only put up the pretty pictures) and then understand that our stay-over tourists will go elsewhere. So, I think the greatest point not made the other night was that we are attempting to shore up our cruise sector, knowing that it will cause some damage to the popular reefs around the harbour and add two huge, ugly concrete piers to our pretty little harbour, but most importantly, with no guarantees that it won’t damage or even kill our two golden eggs: stayover tourism and Seven Mile Beach. The numbers again Back to the numbers — and purely for the purpose of illustration — 882,000 cruise visitors brought in US$78 million in the first six months of last year. By comparison, it would take about only 65,000 stay-over visitors to bring in the same amount. Of course, I don’t suggest that we cancel cruise visits altogether and replace them with stay-over visitors, just find a happier middle ground. Why does government seem not to see a middle way? Many describe the GT port expansion as a vanity project, but I don’t think this right. When you understand how much professional time, effort and money have, over many years, gone into this concept (as explained at the meeting), it’s inevitable the government defends it. A project that seems to have been genuinely conceived to protect the future of Cayman and her people. But the picture has changed since we first conceived of this idea. Our numbers are up, the economy is more robust and we now have better options. Rather than persevere with the port expansion, rather than all the agonising, increased cost and unclear outcomes, here is our perfect opportunity to start developing Cayman into a predominantly high-end destination, where stay-over visitors outnumbers cruisers. We could choose simply to let the cruise sector reduce organically over the next ten years and allow those who work in the sector to transition to servicing more stay-over visitors at a gentle rate. I appreciate that this is an easy thing to say and harder to implement. But with all the resources set up to manage such a huge project, I am sure those heads can come up with plans to retrain and re-employ as necessary. High-end destination I know this has been a vision for many years and we struggle to feel we are achieving it, but we are closer than ever to being a high-class destination. We have four luxury hotels on the way, and Camana Bay is a world-class facility that affluent tourists love. Our districts have huge cultural appeal for more discerning visitors who look for a genuine, uncontrived cultural environment. These have not truly been tapped to date and offer huge potential for “boutique” visitors who wish to stay off the beaten track, enjoy less developed areas, seek out empty beaches with their snorkels and enjoy exploring the interior. We can encourage those villa rentals, boutique hotels and Airbnbs in the districts, those little eateries such as Vivine’s and Big Tree BBQ, without turning them into Disney World offerings. We could even put our energies into becoming a leading eco resort to beat them all, with clean energy, reduced plastic waste and state-of-the-art recycling; what better headlines to attract the high-end visitor? And of course, most importantly, train our youngsters to become highly qualified hospitality providers along the way. We are already a safe destination with a robust infrastructure, we just need to make that final commitment to reduce our day visitors to improve our attractiveness. The global trend of high-end destinations We are not alone. Many high-end destinations are now beginning to make this change, from just passively accepting more and more visitors to actively controlling numbers. Venice has finally decided that cruise ship volumes are detrimental, not just environmentally but to the well-being of the city’s residents. The island of Santorini in Greece — very similar to us, a small island with two million cruise visitors per annum — is starting to limit numbers. Italy’s coastal Cinque Terre National Park; Dubrovnik; Iceland; Barcelona …there are so many examples. And now a few words about THE COST The figures have not been disclosed as yet and clearly, once the final numbers are in they will be scrutinised by government and the project will only proceed if the numbers work. In addition, the hope is that in the interests of clarity, these figures will be disclosed before the deal is signed. But let’s have a go with some guesswork: We know that we currently collect around a $5 tender fee and $15 landing fee from each cruise visitor and we receive 1.8 million cruise visitors a year, so we earn US$36 million per annum, of which government earns revenue of US$27 million. If the project costs US$200 million (a conservative estimate) and we pay for it over 25 years, at an interest rate of 5% we will be paying US$8 million per annum in capital repayments and US$5 million per annum in interest. This amounts to US$13 million per annum just to cover the building of the structure. Add to this the ongoing annual costs — insurance, maintenance and salaries for the extra manpower, which will have an actual cost, however wrapped up in the deal. Let’s say US$6 million per annum. So 13 + 6 = US$19 million per annum repayments. If we have US$36 million income, then 36 – 19 = US$ 17 million left for government, US$10 million less a year than it currently receives. For fun, how many extra passengers will we need to cover that US$10,000,000 shortfall. US$10 million divided by US$20 = 500,000 that would be a 28% increase from our highest number of arrivals to date for the year 2017. So, in addition to incurring a huge additional liability for less money in, we will most likely need to increase our cruise visitors quite considerably in order for government to simply maintain current income. I hope I am wrong. And so Whatever cruise operators imply, Cayman will always attract cruise visitors as we are unique, safe, clean, small, charming and, above all, we have Seven Mile Beach’s crystal-clear water and super-soft sand, and our underwater coral world — currently shore accessible for our cruise visitors — and George Town Harbour is still pretty and pristine, despite the boat traffic. Let us remain unique and not bow to the pressure to become just another destination with huge piers and duty-free shops. Let us provide a higher-quality experience to a lower number of cruise visitors, that in itself will give them the time and space to enjoy Cayman for longer and bring all the benefits outlined at the meeting to the attractions around the island without the cost of a pier. If we reduce our day trippers we lose very little revenue, if any, if we gradually aim to replace them with more stay-over guests, and we will gain immeasurably from the improvement to our space and attractions. If we slowly allow the number of cruise visitors to decline and put our energies into redirecting the thousands of workers who rely on the cruisers to transition to stay-over visitors (they are more than likely straddling the sectors anyway) then we will prosper, and in a more sustainable way. So, abandoning the project may well be our saving grace. Yes, we would have to forgo the costs incurred to date, but think what we save — and I don’t just mean money. Candy Whicker writes: I attended the public meeting, headed by Minister for Tourism Moses Kirkconnell, on the proposed Cayman cruise berths. Although I had a number of questions, the opportunity to ask them didn’t arise, so I hope the following will prompt a response from government and give others further food for thought on this most important decision facing our country. Mr Kirkconnell gave a comprehensive overview of the lead-up to and process of managing the port expansion, followed by information on the project’s engineering, infrastructure and management. The only redundant speakers were two cruise ship reps, who just fed us platitudes and cruise-marketing speak with very little meat — and, as we subsequently discovered, are deeply compromised given they are both connected to a bidder for the build. Mr Kirkconnell’s responses to questions were respectful and measured. He said he would never support a project that would damage the country, and appeared sincere. He also expressed the balanced view that sometimes sacrifices must be made for the wider good, and that he was truly sympathetic to the upset this caused. So, what did I learn? That the government seem to have been diligent in their approach to this project; I think I learnt this project is not intended to increase the numbers of cruise visitors, but simply to bring in the same number on bigger ships (so, we incur all this cost just to maintain our numbers?). I learnt that Carnival has 22 new ships being built, only nine of which are the large ones — so then the majority being built are smaller, which can be tendered? But no chance to clarify this matter. CAYMAN CRUISE BERTHS — a letter from Candy Whicker6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Gov’t considers future of donated house JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A historic house in central George Town could be used for the benefit of older resi- dents, if the Cayman Older Persons Council gets its wish. The two-bedroom, one bathroom family home lo- cated alongside RBC Royal Bank Cayman Ltd. on Louise Llewellyn Way, George Town, was given to government by the late Arlette Elaine Dias. The Older Persons Council last year wrote a letter to government requesting that the property be made avail- able for use by the council. “The Chair and Deputy Chair of the Older Persons Council recently met with representatives from the Cab- inet Office and expressed their desire for the property to be used for the benefit of Older Persons,” Cabinet Sec- retary Samuel Rose told the Cayman Compass last week. He also said while no formal proposal or funding provision has been made, the Cabinet Office has offered to conduct a walk-through of the property with other key government agencies, as well as representatives from the Older Persons Council, to view its current condi- tion and to consider what changes would be required to ensure that it provides a safe, accessible and usable envi- ronment for any future users. According to relatives, Ms. Dias, a fiercely indepen- dent person, realized that as she grew older, she may not be able to take care of her- self, and wished to spend her remaining time at The Pines Retirement Home. She negotiated with the Department of Children and Family Services to assume full responsibility for her welfare for the remainder of her life, in return for the transfer of her property to government, according to a document provided to the Compass by Ms. Dias’s rela- tive Tony Bernard. The agreement, signed on Sept. 12, 2007 by government officials and Ms. Dias, gave the government the .19-acre property and home, which was built before 1932. Ms. Diaz passed away at the Cayman Islands Hospital on Sept. 15, 2007, just short of turning 83. Following her death, the house was boarded up and government would clean the grounds every so often. Then, a distant rela- tive of Ms. Dias stepped in. He found that the property had not been registered and took government to court for ownership. Government won the case, filed the transfer and officially took owner- ship of block 14B H8 on Oct. 13, 2017. “Ms. Dias did all she was requested and required to do to effect the transfer of her property to government before her death,” said Mr. Bernard, who added that he would like to see her name honored. According to Lucille Sey- mour, chairperson of the Older Persons Council, once the viability of the property is ascertained, “it can be a center for older persons, for them to be able to hone their artistic and literary skills for the benefit of being ambas- sadors to the country, espe- cially for our tourists and our young people.” She said individuals had already stepped forward to offer their assistance in turning the home into a fa- cility that can be used by elderly people. “People have already said they will help … an electri- cian said he is willing, others said they are willing to do something for the older per- sons,” Ms. Seymour said. Zemrie Thompson, a com- munity development officer with the Children and Family Services Department, who was involved with Ms. Dias’s well-being at the time, said she would like to se Ms. Dias honored if government turns her former home into an el- derly center. “Ms. Dias’s desire was to have it turned into something for the seniors,” she said. Ms. Thompson recalls Ms. Dias as someone who was very proud and who wanted no handouts or freebies. She was financially secure and only involved government when she realized she did not have the ability to look after herself. Emily Seymour, 87, grew up next door to Ms. Dias. She described her as a kind, quiet and private person who loved her garden and at- tended the Elmslie Memorial United Church. Inside, she said, the house was decorated with beautiful Jamaica mahogany furniture. It has one bathroom, two bedrooms, a kitchen, dining room and a living room. She lamented that the government seemed to have done nothing with the house since Ms. Dias passed away. Attorney Steve McField said he knew Ms. Dias, as his grandmother would send him to her house to pur- chase yeast cakes to make bread. He was about 12 at the time and Ms. Dias was a young woman. He later assisted govern- ment with the recovery of the property, he said. He said that when he went to look at the house, around 2010, there was a leak in the kitchen which had dam- aged some of the floor, but the furniture and the rest of the items in the house were still intact, with the beds still made up. An outside toilet is still located on the property, Mr. McField noted. Ms. Dias was born Sept. 28, 1924, the only child of Reginald Cecil and Louise “Dean Dean” Dias. She had an older sister, Elsa Dias, through her father’s pre- vious marriage. She grew up on Goring Avenue and attended Gor- ing’s School and government public school. She assisted in the family grocery store, helped her Aunt Elsie with her baking and worked as store keeper at William Nixon’s store for many years. Ms. Dias loved the simple things in life, and spoke fondly of the good old days: Swimming at Hog Sty Bay, looking crabs and mangoes, gardening and attending church. She was an active member of the Elmslie Me- morial Church and her last act was to give her property to the government, according to Mr. Bernard. The government now owns this house, which belonged to the late Arlette Dias. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 2018 Bills tabled on immigration reform, workforce development agency JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Bills to establish a new workforce development agency, to create new con- cessions for first time Cay- manian home buyers, and to increase penalties for illegal gambling are among those scheduled for debate at the next session of the Legisla- tive Assembly. A suite of bills seeks to facilitate the restruc- turing of various agencies responsible for immigra- tion, customs and workforce development. The legislation creates a new Workforce Opportu- nities Residency Cayman agency, which will merge the work permit and resi- dency responsibilities of the immigration department with the mandate of the Na- tional Workforce Develop- ment Agency to ensure fair opportunity for Caymanians in the workplace. The bill also creates a Customs and Border Con- trol Service, which unites customs with the border control and enforcement aspects of immigration in one agency. The Customs and Border Control Bill and the Im- migration (Transition) Bill are the two underpinning pieces of legislation for the change. A third bill, the Ad- vance Passenger Informa- tion Bill, seeks to facilitate a new system of vetting travelers before they come to the Cayman Islands, in order to improve border se- curity and speed up the flow of passengers arriving in the territory. It is expected that the new workforce and border control agencies will be up and run- ning by Jan. 1. Mr. McLaughlin, in a press release earlier this year, said the ultimate aim of the new WORC department was to achieve full Cayma- nian employment. “Through this reform ini- tiative, our objective is to en- sure all Caymanians suc- cessfully attain employment, where every Caymanian who is able, willing and quali- fied to work has a job,” Mr. McLaughlin said, “We plan to continue our progress for- ward leaving no one behind.” Stamp Duty Bill Also on the legislative agenda for next month is a Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill. The bill introduces a new schedule of conces- sions for Caymanians buying their first home. It raises the threshold for stamp duty ex- emptions, in such cases, to $150,000 for land purchases and to $400,000 for a house, condo or apartment. The bill also seeks to close what government describes as a “loophole” that has previ- ously allowed people buying homes to pay reduced stamp duty if they purchase prior to construction. “This situation of ‘linked property transactions’ has resulted in stamp duty being paid only on the value of the raw land, as opposed to stamp duty being paid on the greater value of the property once the dwelling has been completed. This practice has resulted in significant rev- enue loss for the Govern- ment,” according to a press release about the bill. Amendments to the Freedom of Information Law to carve out new exemptions to open records requests are also included among the 11 bills tabled for the next ses- sion. Following the 21-day public consultation period, the bills will be discussed in the Legislative Assembly be- fore the vote is taken. The Department of Envi- ronmental Health will begin this year’s annual bulk waste collections early next month. The collections will begin on Saturday, Nov. 3, in the eastern districts, and will end on Dec. 21 in West Bay. The DEH is advising members of the public to place their bulk waste on the kerbside before their dis- trict’s scheduled collection date (listed below). “The bulk waste should be in an area that is easily accessible to DEH collection crews and does not obstruct the roadway. DEH will not collect any items that are put out after scheduled dates,” the department noted in its announcement of the col- lection dates. Bulk waste refers to large items, such as old furniture, tires and metal items that are not collected as part of the DEH’s weekly residential pick-up services. The DEH advised that metal waste must be sepa- rated from other bulk waste items. Metal waste includes old appliances, metal furni- ture and metal roofing. Veg- etative waste, as well as construction and demoli- tion debris, will not be col- lected during the bulk waste removal activity. People wishing to dispose of that type of material should make alternative arrange- ments to transport those items to the nearest landfill, the DEH stated. The collection dates for each district are as follows: ■■ North Side, East End: Nov. 3-9 ■■ Bodden Town: Nov. 10-23 ■■ George Town: Nov. 24-Dec. 7 ■■ West Bay: Dec. 8-21 ■■ Cayman Brac East: Nov. 28-29 ■■ Cayman Brac West: Dec. 5-6 ■■ Cayman Brac South: Dec. 12 ■■ Little Cayman: Dec. 17 and 19 (tentative) For more information, call the DEH at 949-6696, email dehcustomerservice@gov.ky, visit deh.gov.ky, or message its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DEHCaymanIslands. The DEH is advising members of the public to place their bulk waste on the kerbside before their district’s scheduled collection date. ANNUAL BULK WASTE COLLECTIONS BEGIN NOV. 38 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Tell me it’s okay to just want to cry, Tell me it’s okay to never say goodbye. Tell me it’s okay to be afraid to be strong, Tell me it’s okay and that you’re coming along. Tell me it’s okay and that you’re staying by me, Tell me it’s okay and that this life is meant to be. Tell me it’s okay to feel how I’m feeling, Tell me it’s okay - the way that I am dealing. Tell me it’s okay – that there is a reason for it all, Tell me it’s okay, even if I fall. Tell me it’s okay to lose control today, Tell me it’s okay, just tell me it’s okay. No one knows my silent heartaches, Or my grief that’s borne in silence. My heart still aches from losing you. I will always love you Mom, Your daughter, Michele. In Loving Memory of my Beloved Mother Wosila Rochester 10 May 1945 – 29 October 2012 6 Years At Rest Tell me it’s okay to just want to cry,Tell me it’s okay to just want to cry,Tell me it’s okay to just want to cry,Tell me it’s okay to just want to cry, In Loving Memory Evadney A Williams (nee Thomas) In Loving Memory Evadney A Williams (nee Thomas) December 11, 1954 – October 26, 2017 Today is the anniversary Of the day we lost you, And for a while we felt as though Our lives had ended too But losing you has taught us many things And now we face each day, With hope and happy memories To help us on our way And though we are full of sadness at you are no longer here, Your in uence still guides us And we still feel you near What we shared will never die It lives within our hearts Bringing strength and comfort, While we are apart God has you in his keeping We have you in our hearts. Sadly missed by her Daughter, Nadine, her Granddaughter, Ebunaé, relatives & many friends Police: Special firearms license needed for iguana cullers Participants in the green iguana cull will need to apply for a special license if they plan on using an air rifle to hunt the invasive species, even if they possess an ex- isting firearms license, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service pointed out in an ad- visory Thursday. Cullers who apply for the special license will be able to use air rifles of .22 or .25 caliber and they will be able to use the weapon to cull iguanas within 40 yards of a public road. The license granted by the RCIPS for this pur- pose will provide an exemp- tion from Section 18 of the Firearms Law. Cayman’s Department of Environment hopes to cull a million green iguanas in the next year, and it has agreed to pay registered cullers $4.50 for every iguana culled, rising to $5 a head if they meet monthly and annual quota targets. More than 340 people have signed up to be regis- tered cullers. The cull begins on Monday, Oct. 29. The RCIPS said Thursday those cullers are required to apply for a special license to use firearms whether or not they already possess a fire- arms license. An exception to this will be for landowners who already have a fire- arms license and who will be culling iguanas on their own property, in accordance with the conditions of their license. Applications for a fire- arms license will take about two weeks, and cullers should drop them off in person to the RCIPS’s Secu- rity and Firearms Licensing Unit at Windjammer Plaza on Walkers Road. Cullers applying for the special license can down- load a Form C application and submit it in person to the Security and Firearms Licensing Unit office. Those who have never had a fire- arms license in Cayman will also need to complete Form A as well. “We support the DoE’s mission to manage the popu- lation of invasive species on island and appreciate that air rifles can be the most effi- cient way to do that,” said Su- perintendent Adrian Seales, who oversees the Secu- rity and Firearms Licensing Unit of the RCIPS. “How- ever, there are strict require- ments for holding a firearms license which must be com- plied with. We will do our best to expedite the process wherever possible, but there will be no relaxing of the requirements.” More than 340 people have signed up to be registered cullers. The cull begins on Monday, Oct. 29. A culler armed with an air rifle takes aim at a green iguana in a tree during an earlier cull. Police are advising cullers taking part in an iguana cull that begins next week that they will need special firearms licenses. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERS Behavior program expands into school setting MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Officials with the Family Resource Centre are ex- panding their SNAP pro- gram by training teachers and school counselors. Pro- gram manager Charmaine Bush-Miller said the center has trained 60 teachers and 25 counselors since June to help increase access to the program. SNAP, which stands for Stop Now and Plan, is a be- havior modification system for helping children deal with social conflict and crisis. Children are taught coping mechanisms for controlling their emotions and thinking about conse- quences before taking ac- tion. Targeted at children with behavior problems, the Family Resource Centre ad- opted the program – which began in Canada – a year and a half ago. Ms. Bush-Miller said the teacher training is an ef- fort to address a shortfall in recruitment. “We found a gap,” she said. “Our numbers were not where we wanted them to be.” Working with the Depart- ment of Education, she said, the center was able to coor- dinate the training of school personnel. She said she is hoping integrating with educators on the ground will lead to more recruit- ment of students. School counselors, she said, will also be doing some sessions with students in the classroom. Ms. Bush- Miller said she is hoping it will boost the success she says the program is al- ready enjoying. “From the reports our parents are bringing back to us, there’s been a signifi- cant change in how our SNAP boys are handling issues in school,” she said. Materials for the program come from the Toronto-based Child Developmental Insti- tute and consist of Power- Point presentations, videos and training literature. Chil- dren in the program spend time role-playing in various problem situations. In a news release, the in- stitute’s Desiree Phillips said that exposing teaching staff to the SNAP methodology will give them an in-depth understanding of the pro- gram before making refer- rals. It will also help align the support for such students both in the classroom and in the Family Resource Centre’s program, she said. “Educators, students, par- ents and caregivers will even- tually come to have a shared language, goals and expec- tations when combating disruptive attitudes,” Ms. Phillips said. The next session of the program is scheduled to begin Jan. 10. Interested parents can call 949-0006 or visit www.dcs.gov.ky/frc/family resource-centre-programs.9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 2018 Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Robert Ariel Ebanks, better known as “Small Robert”, who passed away on Saturday, October 13, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at Wesleyan Holiness Church, West Bay on Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. Viewing will be from 9:30 - 10:00 a.m. Interment follows at Boatswain Bay Cemetery. The Memorial Mass and Thanksgiving for the Life of the late Reverend Har�is C. Spence, Retired Rector of St. George's Anglican Church, Grand Cay�an will be held Thursday, November 1st, 2018 at 5:30p.m. at the St. George's Church 64 Cour�s, George Town. The family of the Late Dorothy Ebanks regrets to announce her passing on Saturday, 13 October, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 3:00 p.m. Saturday, 27 October, 2018 at Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, West Bay. Viewing will be from 2:00 p.m. prior to the service. The family of the Late Leonard Hughes regrets to announce his passing on Monday, 22 October, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A memorial service will be announced at a later date. The family of the Late James Knapp regrets to announce his passing on Wednesday, 17 October, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A memorial service will be announced at a later date. The family of the Late Aldrid Sheldon Bodden regrets to announce his passing on Saturday, 20 October, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 3:00 p.m. Sunday, 28 October, 2018 at the Crossroads United Baptist Church, Cayman Brac. Viewing will be from 2:00 p.m. Prior to the service. Interment will follow in West End Cemetery Kiteboarders to brave elements to raise funds for cancer Kiteboarders and the Cayman Islands Cancer So- ciety are coming together once again to fight the ele- ments of sea and sky to ben- efit lives affected by cancer. The second Kite for Cancer event, called The Es- tera Little Grand Race 2019, is scheduled to take place at the end of February next year, weather permitting, and will involve kiteboarders tra- versing the sea from Little Cayman to Grand Cayman. They will cross some 80 miles of the Caribbean’s deepest water in as little time as possible in a grueling endurance race. “Two years have passed by and we’ve all got itchy feet,” said organizer and partici- pant Amy Strzalko. She added, “The first time round, it was such a success it seems a shame not to go for it again.” The first team-based kite- boarding event, in 2016, saw 10 kiteboarders make the crossing from Little Cayman to Grand Cayman in just under 8.5 hours and raising $174,000 for the Cancer Society. Next year’s event is open to kiteboarders from the Cayman Islands and around the world who are looking for an endurance race challenge. The race will be held during daylight hours and is a “whacky races” format, in that all manner of kites and boards and teams are en- couraged to enter. “Anyone who wants to become in- volved, whether via kiting, as boat crew or land sup- port, can find the right role,” Ms. Strzalko said. A key challenge for com- petitors in mounting the race campaign is to secure their own $5,000 sponsor- ship, support team and boat. Kiters may opt to compete as individuals or as part of a relay team. Well-known local kite- boarder Derek Serpell, who is both an organizer and partic- ipant in the upcoming event, said, “We really need as much support as possible – espe- cially with boats and crews. If you know anyone who may be interested please get in touch; the more support we can get the better.” The organizers are also looking for corporate spon- sors to bolster the efforts of each team, who will also be raising personal sponsorship. All proceeds from the event will again be donated di- rectly to the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. Although still several months away, and with an ambitious target of $200,000, the race has already se- cured support to the tune of $76,000 from individuals and companies, including the recently announced title sponsor, Estera, which has donated $20,000, according to Ms. Strzalko. A statement from Estera Cayman noted that the com- pany chose to support the Kite for Cancer Little Grand Race because the funds go directly to the Cancer Society, a charity that is close to the hearts of its employees. Es- tera’s Andre Slabbert, who works in the company’s client directorship services, partic- ipated in the event in 2016 and plans to participate again next year. For more information on The Estera Little Grand Race 2019, visit www.kiteforcancer.ky or contact Ms. Strzalko at amystrzalko1@gmail.com. Estera representatives present Kite for Cancer with a $20,000 donation for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. Kiteboarder Amy Strzalko in action. - PHOTO: AARON REBARCHEKNext >