ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY DECEMBER 3, 2018 High of 87 Low of 88 Slight with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. LOCAL | PAGE 2 NEW CAYMAN AIRWAYS JET ARRIVES SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY ORIGINAL CHICKEN FRIES NEW CHICKEN FRIES SPORT | PAGE 14 RECORD NUMBERS TURN OUT FOR 2018 MARATHON WORLD | PAGE 9 WORLD LEADERS REMEMBER GEORGE H.W. BUSH Brian Uzzell, longtime owner and publisher of Cayman Compass, passes on at 82 See Editorial, “A Personal Remembrance,” on Page 4. MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Brian Uzzell, who spent 40 years in the Cayman Islands newspaper business and was former owner of the Cayman Compass, died Friday following a long illness. He was 82. Mr. Uzzell died at a home he owned in Pembroke Pines, Florida. “There is much we could talk about with regards to our father,” said son Justin Uzzell. “He was an entrepreneur, a publisher, an actor (for those who remember ‘The Cayman Triangle’), however, the outpouring of sentiment at his passing speaks volumes of the worlds he touched and this is the measure of his success. “The love of those in Cayman, and beyond, pays homage to Dad. He was a pioneer in the history of the Cayman Islands, publishing being his passion. He managed his company, Cayman Free Press, more as a family than a corporate entity. There are many beyond our family that feel they too have lost a loved one, and we thank them all for their kind words and wishes. Dad would be humbled.” Born in Derby, England, Brian Uzzell began working in the field of marketing at the age of 16. In 1969, he took a marketing and public relations job in the Ba- hamas. Disturbed by the rise in crime as the country moved to- ward independence, Mr. Uzzell planned a move to the United States in 1972, but was sidetracked by a job offer in the Cayman Is- lands. He said he initially planned to stay for two years. In 1974, he was asked to do a feasibility study on the deeply in- debt Caymanian Weekly news- paper. Based on his analysis, Mr. Uzzell recommended shutting the operation down. Instead, the com- pany’s board of directors asked Mr. Uzzell to run the operation. He managed to turn the fi- nances of the paper around and eventually became the major shareholder in the company. Along the way, the newspaper, re- named the Caymanian Compass, went from a weekly to twice- weekly and then to the current five-day publication schedule. Cayman’s population was just 10,000 when Mr. Uzzell arrived on the island. He once said in an in- terview that he enjoyed getting to know everyone in the community. “Media is all about people,” he said in a 2008 interview. “One has to like them, find good in them and sympathize with their causes in order to impact their life and culture. Through media, you can do it all.” Mr. Uzzell had no qualms about taking a tempered approach to his coverage of the islands’ news. He did not like the idea of confronting politicians and public figures with hard questions. “I’d far rather talk to them, point out certain factions that were not necessarily good for the country and try to get some sort of compromise before putting it in print,” he said. “Part of my ap- proach was to always cut out sensationalism.” Former Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts said Mr. Uzzell took his role seriously. “I think he felt a heavy re- sponsibility, as the primary print media in the country, to make sure what he presented to the Cayman public was as accurate as possible,” he said. Though the two men had competing businesses – Mr. Tib- betts ran Prestige Printers – they got along well and even helped one another out on occasion, Mr. Tibbetts said. “My relationship with Brian was such that if he gave me his word, or I gave him my word, we lived by that,” he said. “I held him in high esteem on a personal level.” In 1992, Mr. Uzzell branched out and bought the Lighthouse restaurant with two other partners. One of those partners, Giuseppe Gatta, called Mr. Uzzell a friend and mentor. “He was like a father to me,” Mr. Gatta said. “He was always motivating me. He had a big heart and was very generous.” He said he often turned to Mr. Uzzell for guidance and recalled one particular piece of advice he received. “Always do your business with your heart,” he said Mr. Uzzell told him. “If you don’t have your heart in the business, you can’t do it.” PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Brian Uzzell, pictured here in 2011, first became involved in the newspaper business in 1974 when he was invited to do a feasibility study on the Caymanian Weekly, which eventually became the Cayman Compass. - PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKE2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY DECEMBER 3, 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) BACKTRACE (R) 12:40 I 9:45 ROBIN HOOD (PG13) 12:45 VIP I 4:20 I 7:00 VIP I 9:30 CREED II (PG13) 1:00 I 4:00 VIP I 7:20 I 9:40 VIP THE GRINCH (PG) 12:15 I 5:05 3D I 7:20 THE POSSESSION OF HANNAH GRACE (R) 1:00 I 3:15 I 5:30 I 7:40 I 10:15 RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET (PG) 2:30 3D I 9:35 FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD (PG13) 3:35 I 6:45 New Cayman Airways jet arrives with fanfare KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Pirates, politicians and hundreds of onlookers waited anxiously Friday afternoon for the arrival of Cayman Air- ways’ newest jet, the Boeing 737 Max 8 – the first of its kind in the Caribbean. Around 5 p.m., the state- of-the-art aircraft flew over the Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport runway, dip- ping its wing to the left in a salute to the crowd. After taking another pass around the island, the plane landed about seven minutes later, offloading Cayman Airways staff, government officials, and executives from Boeing and the leasing company Air Lease Corporation. Inside the plane, blue mood-lights cast a soft glow over the 29 rows of slick, leather seats, as flight crew smiled in greeting to the people walking through there. With Cayman Airways re- cently celebrating its 50th anniversary, the company’s CEO Fabian Whorms said the 737 Max 8 is the perfect aircraft to take the airline into the future. He said the new plane has 40 more seats than the 737-300 that it’s re- placing, burns about 20 per- cent less fuel, and is more affordable than any other po- tential replacement. “Cayman Airways is at a point where we need to re- place our 737-300 fleet, plain and simple,” he said. “They’re too expensive to maintain.” Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said that it is crucial to maintain the gov- ernment-subsidized airline’s fleet, given that the company accounts for about 34 per- cent of the territory’s arrivals. “So, do not even think about how we can go for- ward and build our tourism industry and our country without Cayman Air- ways,” he said. Cayman is the first place in the Caribbean to have the new 737 Max 8, and one of the first in the world. Kishore Korde, executive vice presi- dent of Air Lease Corpora- tion, said Boeing has received orders for 5,000 of the Max 8s, but that only 215 have been delivered so far. One of the other planes in the first batch of Max 8s, op- erated by Lion Air, had a fatal crash in the Java Sea on Oct. 29. The plane crashed shortly after take-off and an investi- gation has been raised into how well it functioned, the maintenance work performed on the aircraft, and the ac- tions taken in the flight deck during flight. Last month, Cayman Air- ways stated that it is never- theless confident in the new model’s safety. “The recent accident in In- donesia should not be con- sidered as a reference for comparison with present and future operations at Cayman Airways,” said Mr. Whorms. “Outside of the Lion Air in- cident, the Boeing 737 Max aircraft model has accumu- lated hundreds of thousand of hours of safe operations with multiple operators.” The Cayman Airline Pi- lots Association also issued a statement on the issue on Sunday, saying that it, too, has confidence in the Max 8. The association said it believes that human error likely contributed to the In- donesian crash, according to the statement, signed by captains Gary Hydes and Adrian Miller. “It is CAPA’s position that when the final report is is- sued, the likely conclusion will be that human factors, as well as hardware issues, con- tributed to the fatal outcome of Lion Air Flight JT610,” stated the Pilots Associa- tion, adding “Based on our recently completed training on the MAX, which exceeded the requirements of the FAA, coupled with our profes- sional knowledge, CAPA has a high level of confidence in the safety of this aircraft.” Three other Max 8s are being leased by Cayman Air- ways, and are scheduled to arrive in March and Sep- tember next year and in Sep- tember 2020. Uses for the planes include servicing the new route to Denver, which is scheduled to begin next year. Government and airline chiefs have declined to re- veal the exact cost of the new leases, but it was estimated last month in the Legisla- tive Assembly’s Finance Com- mittee that they may lead to $10 million more in annual costs for Cayman Airways. At Friday’s ceremony, Mr. Whorms said he would not answer questions about that or other “political” issues. “Today’s not for that, to- day’s not for that,” he said. “We’re not going to get into any of the politics or any of those issues. “We’re here to simply celebrate.” Cayman is the first place in the Caribbean to have the new 737 Max 8, and one of the first in the world. The pilot waves the Cayman Islands flag after Cayman Airways’ newest addition, a Boeing 737 Max 8, landed Friday. Cayman Islands Fire Service water cannons welcome the new Boeing 737 Max 8, which touched down at Owen Roberts International Airport for the first time Friday. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Premier: Cruise lines commit to help finance cruise berth facilities KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com While speaking at Fri- day’s ceremony to christen the newest jet of Cayman Airways, Premier Alden McLaughlin made a major announcement concerning another aspect of the tourism industry. Mr. McLaughlin said gov- ernment has received “formal financial commitments” from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Carnival Corpora- tion to help build the planned cruise berthing facilities in George Town. The premier said that these financial commitments, coupled with financing pro- vided by the bidder selected to undertake the project, means that no public money will be spent on the project. “This represents a huge vote of confidence in the Cayman Islands and in the viability of this project,” he said. “It is a very significant milestone on the critical path towards the delivery of the new port facilities that this country needs to secure its economic future.” Mr. McLaughlin did not provide details about the fi- nancial commitments. Gov- ernment sent out a press re- lease on the issue on Sunday, but that did not contain many details, either. Government has intended to undertake the cruise pier development as a public-pri- vate partnership, where the selected bidders and cruise lines will finance and build the facilities and then collect passenger fees over 20 years. The press release stated that the cruise lines’ finan- cial commitments will be in- cluded in the invitation to submit final tenders to the project’s final three bidders. Those bids should, in turn, be made by the end of the first quarter of 2019, the press re- lease stated. On Friday, the premier further touted the expected economic benefits the cruise berthing facilities will bring. According to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the development is expected to create 500 construction jobs immediately, and then de- cades of increased employ- ment and business opportu- nities totalling to some $245 million in economic benefits, Mr. McLaughlin said. The premier acknowl- edged that the cruise pier will cause some environ- mental damage, but said the economic benefits will far outweigh the costs. “We acknowledge that there will be environmental impact, and while we are re- designing the project to min- imize that damage, there is no way that we can build a new cruise and enhanced cargo port without some im- pact,” he said. “The choice is that we ei- ther do nothing or we build cruise piers.” Mr. McLaughlin said government has received “formal financial commitments” from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Carnival Corporation to help build the planned cruise berthing facilities in George Town.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY DECEMBER 3, 2018 Revitalization Project GEORGE TOWN Monday, 3rd December 2018 | 6pm Heroes Square, George Town MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, PLANNING & INFRASTRUCTURE THE ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GEORGE TOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE AND CELEBRATE CAYMAN INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE 53 Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony RD 53 Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony 53 53 Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony Lighting Ceremony MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, PLANNING & INFRASTRUCTURE CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNMENTThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 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. WASHINGTON (AP) – It was a grace note for the ages. “Dear Bill,” George H.W. Bush scribbled Jan. 20, 1993, to the Democrat about to succeed him as president. “When I walked into this office just now I felt the same sense of wonder and respect that I felt four years ago. I know you will feel that, too.” Short yet intimate, the note left in the Oval Office from van- quished to victor seeded a friendship that flowered in the decades since, to a point where Bill Clinton said upon Bush’s death Friday: “I just loved him.” It is traditional for an outgoing president to leave a letter for his successor. Bush, who months before writing his letter had warned voters to “watch your wallet” with that Democrat Clinton, was self- effacing and personal in his handoff. “I wish you great happiness here,” he wrote. “I never felt the loneliness some Presidents have described. There will be very tough times, made even more difficult by criticism you may not think is fair. I’m not a very good one to give advice; but just don’t let the critics discourage you or push you off course. “You will be our President when you read this note,” he con- tinued (underlining “our”). “I wish you well. I wish your family well. “Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you. “Good Luck – George” Writing in The Washington Post on Saturday, Bill Clinton said those words showed a man with “natural humanity.” Clinton said the two men had a respectful friendship during his own presidency, but it was after that they truly got to know each other, when President George W. Bush asked his father and Clinton to be involved in U.S. relief efforts for the 2004 Indian Ocean tsu- nami disaster and Hurricane Karina in 2005. They traveled together far and wide in their efforts. “His friendship has been one of the great gifts of my life,” Clinton said. “I cherished every opportunity I had to learn and laugh with him.” They were 22 years apart – Clinton, 72, Bush, 94. In June, Clinton visited Bush in Kennebunkport, Maine, and a photo posted on Twitter shows the 41st and 42nd presidents to- gether as Bush displays a pair of “Bill Clinton socks” from his col- orful sock collection. BY DAVID R. LEGGE If I may, let me exert my publisher’s privi- lege by offering a rare signed editorial in this space, paying what is certainly an inadequate tribute to Brian Uzzell, the longtime owner of this newspaper and, more importantly, a dear friend to me and my wife Vicki. Perhaps others knew Brian longer and better than I, but our friendship spanned nearly three decades, all of which we shared as fellow travelers in publishing and the “news biz.” Long before we started haggling over business deals, we would from time to time get together for long lunches at Luca or Grand Old House, liberally punctuated with politically incorrect tales, jokes and gossip. Although we bought the Compass from Brian in 2013 in a “package deal” that included about a half-dozen magazines, a commercial printing company, more than a dozen web- sites and other publishing properties, it was not widely known that we had been trying to purchase the Compass and the company (then known as Cayman Free Press, now Pinnacle Media Ltd.) for nearly 10 years before the deal actually closed. We almost made it to the altar three times. The first courtship ended with Brian bolting, just weeks before the “I do’s.” He wasn’t com- fortable with the valuation of the company (obviously, in his mind, too low), and he em- barked on a long (creative?) process with his accountants to adjust the numbers upward. Fine, we told him, we’ll call you every six months to see how you’re coming along. For a couple of years, we continued to check in and, after yet one more call, he sug- gested we have another lunch – at Luca. This time he said he was ready to sell. He brought along his financials, wildly overstating (we thought) the value of the company – and so we bolted. The third time, in late 2012, was the pro- verbial charm. Brian had other offers from overseas but said he wanted the newspaper to remain under local control and, in partic- ular, he wanted the future of the Compass to be guided by a real journalist – not merely a businessman trying to make a buck. It should have been an easy deal – he wanted to sell, we wanted to buy, and we had, after a few more lunches, agreed on the price. It was not. On our side, our lawyers (Ogier) and our accountants (Ernst & Young) were plowing through documents, financials and other de- tritus that makes up what is known as “due diligence.” Thousands upon thousands of pages were analyzed, indexed and cross-in- dexed, making up literally a library of thick binders. Hundreds of hours (the worst kind of hours – billable hours) went into the process. Brian, too, had great attorneys (Colin Shaw and Co.), but while Brian loved his lawyers (Colin and his wife Anne), he hated paying legal fees, so he opted to save a little money by assigning much of the work to his in-house accountants and advisers. This vastly compli- cated and prolonged the negotiations. The months plodded on. When our respec- tive teams disagreed or squabbled, we could usually settle things up with another lunch at Luca (90 percent stories, lies and laughter – al- ways the laughter – and perhaps 10 percent business). The negotiations were always gen- tlemanly, and our friendship grew. On June 13, 2013, we signed the closing documents in the Grand Pavilion offices of Colin Shaw’s law firm. The mood was posi- tive but painfully emotional. Brian had spent nearly 40 years of his life, nurturing the news- paper and now passing it on to Vicki and me. We vowed we would do our best to care for it with the same principle and integrity with which he had built it. Brian cried at that meeting. We all did. As we departed the building, business con- cluded, something either natural or supernat- ural – certainly magical – occurred. A well-de- fined rainbow appeared in the late afternoon sky … We all took that as a good sign. In the years since that day, Brian Uzzell, al- though no longer an owner of the company, has continued to be a part of Pinnacle. Regularly, but always privately, we would call Brian for his counsel on various mat- ters or messes we were facing at the moment. The only time he was off-duty (for advice or even during our negotiations) was during his 11 a.m. Pilates sessions. Until the end, he was trying to stay in shape – and doing a pretty good job of it. His son Justin who, we joke, was practi- cally born in the Compass Centre building, continues the Uzzell legacy as one of our most senior executives, serving as our Director of Operations. Other than his joining us over the years at a Pinnacle table at one charity gala or an- other, we did not socialize much on island with Brian and his long-time partner Andrea Wong Sam (who is one of our top sales people at Pinnacle). Nevertheless, we discovered we were “prac- tically neighbors” in Florida, him with a home in Pembroke Pines and us 30 minutes away in Fort Lauderdale. For years now, we would spend the major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Easter), feasting and imbibing on vast quantities of Uzzell food and wine, festively prepared by Andrea for a dozen or so relatives and close friends. Nearly all of these events would evolve (devolve?) into picture-taking opportuni- ties with party hats and for-camera smiles. Brian seemed to delight in such silliness. Good for him. In recent weeks, Brian’s health took a se- rious turn for the worse. One ailment piled upon another – I guess that is the way it often happens – and our fears went one way while our hopes went the other. While ensconced in the Intensive Care Unit of the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, just minutes from his home in Pembroke Pines, his children, largely from London, gathered at his bedside while son Justin shuttled continuously be- tween Florida and Cayman, attending to his fa- ther there and tending to Cayman necessities here. Andrea for weeks never left Brian’s side. Just days ago, Justin again returned to Cayman for a quick turnaround trip to trans- port Brian’s four dogs to the Pembroke Pines home, where Brian had returned to spend his final days in comfortable surroundings among those who loved him most. In his last days, we can report that Brian was in little discomfort which, we are certain, will be a comfort to all who knew and loved him. He passed on peacefully at 12:20 a.m. on Friday, with sons Justin and Simon, Andrea, and Justin’s wife Lydia at his bedside. All of us at Pinnacle Media are in mourning. 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” MONDAY DECEMBER 3, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS AN EDITORIAL A personal remembrance of Brian Uzzell Publishers David R. Legge and Brian Uzzell at Brian’s home in Pembroke Pines, Florida, this past Easter. From Bush to Clinton, a grace note for the ages5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY DECEMBER 3, 2018 One Honeywell Lynx touch wireless residential/ commercial security alarm panel with 4.3” full colour touchscreen display Three wireless door/window contacts (white) One Honeywell pet immune motion sensor (up to 40Lbs.) One 4 button remote keychain Full installation and demonstration 12 months parts warranty WIFI module for the mobile Apps. Honeywell Lynx Intruder Alarm Package Includes: The Honeywell intruder system is linked to our 24/7 monitoring centre to keep your family and your property safe. Upon system activation our experienced monitoring station staff will handle the situation. The Total Connect app allows you complete control of your security system from your mobile device. To find out more about this special offer contact the Security Centre on 949-0004 or email info@security.ky *The free alarm system and installation is available to new clients when signing up for a 12 month monitoring contract ($660 residential - $860 commercial). 24/7 Alarm Monitoring Secure and protect your property with the Honeywell Lynx intruder protection system. Controllable from your mobile device. Elderly taxi driver pleads guilty to death by careless driving SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Local taxi van driver Roy Clivey Tamasa pleaded guilty in Grand Court Friday to causing death by careless driving in relation to the ac- cident that killed Dr. Vary Anette Jones-Leslie in July of last year. Mr. Tamasa, 70, will be sentenced on Feb. 20 next year. Justice Charles Quin or- dered a victim impact and a social inquiry report to be conducted in advance of the sentencing date. Dr. Jones-Leslie, a 62-year- old obstetrician/gynecologist, had just arrived in Cayman on a flight from Kingston, Ja- maica, when she was struck by Mr. Tamasa’s vehicle, a Toyota Hiace van, while crossing the street near Owen Roberts International Airport. She was a regular visitor to Grand Cayman and worked with the Health Services Au- thority as a visiting doctor. The airport has since in- stalled speed bumps along the road in an effort to make the area more pedestrian- friendly in the wake of Dr. Jones-Leslie’s death. The accident occurred on July 17, 2017. Mr. Tamasa first appeared in Traffic Court in February this year. The case was later transmitted to Grand Court prior. Section 79 of the 2011 edi- tion of the Traffic Law states that the maximum punish- ment for causing death by careless driving is seven years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of $10,000. The driver will also be automatically disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s license for at least three years. Mr. Tamasa, 70, will be sentenced on Feb. 20 next year. Dr. Vary Jones-Leslie Student donates to Cayman Heart Fund Money donated to help newborn baby A 12-year-old student has raised $645 from friends and family to donate to the Cayman Heart Fund to help a newborn baby in need of medical care. When Brandon Sim- monds, a Year 7 student at Cayman Prep and High School, heard that baby An- thony Vaquedano, who was just 60 days old and hospi- talized at Health City, was in urgent need of a special- ized procedure to keep him alive, he prayed every night, according to a press release from Cayman Heart Fund. With his birthday coming up, he discussed with his parents that he didn’t re- ally want or need any gifts, but instead he wanted to try to help raise money to help baby Anthony and his family. “We were thrilled with the idea, in part because it teaches philanthropy and altruism, but mostly because it was something he really wanted to do,” said his parents Marcus and Monique Simmonds in the press release. Brandon said, “I’m very fortunate and I don’t really need anything, but baby An- thony and his family need help. Baby Anthony’s mother works at Tortuga Rum Com- pany, which is owned by my grandfather, and I saw the staff collecting for her and it just came to my mind that I could help too.” Thanking young Brandon for his gift, David Dinner, chairman of the Cayman Heart Fund said, “With the holiday season nearby, we would like to encourage the community to give the gift of giving. It does good and it feels good. The perfect gift is a gift to charity and the community in Cayman continues to show this spirit year after year. Brandon Simmonds, second from right, presents baby Anthony’s mother Rosa Martiez-Vaquedano with a check for the money he raised in lieu of birthday gifts. Also pictured, from left, are Brandon’s parants Marcus Simmonds, Monique Hamaty-Simmonds, and Colleen Mellott of the Cayman Heart Fund. With his birthday coming up, Brandon discussed with his parents that he didn’t really want or need any gifts, but instead he wanted to try to help raise money to help baby Anthony and his family.6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY DECEMBER 3, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Parade of Lights A dozen boats festooned with festive bulbs sailed past thousands of specta- tors at the harborfront in Ca- mana Bay on Saturday night for the annual Parade of Lights spectacle. As if there were not enough color and lights from the boats, organizers lit up the sky with fireworks. The crowd was enter- tained by Christmas carols and songs, a visit from Santa, as well as music from Dr. Bob’s Experiment, Danny Loops, and VJ Marz. The winner among the large boats was Midnight Express, which featured giant “angel wings” of draped white lights and a Christmas angel. The small boat winner was Salt Shaker, with a shark theme. Crowds line the harborfront to watch the boats as they pass by Camana Bay’s giant Christmas tree. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY The shark-themed Salt Shaker won the small boat category. BritCay’s Power Trippin takes to the water.Santa is on hand to help with proceedings. The Lost Boys II boat seems to have found Santa Claus. - PHOTO: MAGGIE JACKSON The judge and presenters for the evening: From left, Jason Howard, Markus Mueri, Janello Muttoo, Kafara Augustine and Kevin Morales. - PHOTO: MAGGIE JACKSON Dr. Bob’s Experiment entertains the crowd. - PHOTO: MAGGIE JACKSON Fireworks light up the sky at Camana Bay as the winning large boat Midnight Express, with its angel wings, glides by below.Midnight Express, the winner of the large boat category, featured giant angel wings. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY DECEMBER 3, 2018 Cayman crowns its best young spellers Cayla Ebanks and Jemma Watson have emerged as Cay- man’s best young spellers. Cayla, who attends Bodden Town Primary School, and Jemma, who attends John Gray High School, were crowned the best primary and secondary school spellers last week at the RBC Royal Bank Primary Spelling Bee and the Lions Club of Grand Cayman Secondary Spelling Bee. Thirty-four primary school students contested the former competition, which is in its 21st year of existence, and 12 secondary students competed in the 35th annual Lions Club spelling bee. The competitions were supported by the Ministry of Education and the Depart- ment of Education Services, and they featured competi- tors from both government and private schools on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Juliana O’Connor-Con- nolly, the Minister for Edu- cation, issued a statement about the event. “As a former educator my- self, I understand the corre- lation between spelling and increased reading ability, so I am very proud of these stu- dents for taking on the chal- lenge of expanding their reading and spelling knowl- edge in order to partici- pate in these spelling bees,” said Ms. O’Connor-Connolly. “Thank you to both RBC Royal Bank and the Lions Club of Grand Cayman for their ongoing commitment to the literary development of our students. We appreciate the many years of support they have given.” “Portative” was the final word spelled for Cayla in the primary spelling bee. “Education is paramount for the growth and devel- opment of every nation and RBC is pleased to continue this partnership with the Cayman Islands Ministry of Education and the Depart- ment of Education Services,” said Mitzie Bailey, team man- ager for RBC Service Delivery – Cayman. “We congratu- late Cayla on her win and wish her and all her fellow participants continued aca- demic success.” “Nigrescence” was the final word spelled by Jemma in her winning effort. “The Lions Club of Grand Cayman is proud to partner with the Department of Edu- cation Services each year to host the annual Secondary Spelling Bee,” said Stephen Best, president of the Lions Club. “Spelling Bees are more than just words; they are a test in discipline and hard work. We are so proud of Jemma, who started in the Primary Bee, was runner-up in last year’s Secondary Bee and has persevered to take the title this year. Congratulations to her and all the competitors.” Lighting a candle for the dearly departed JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com More than 100 people at- tended a moving Light Up A Life ceremony hosted by Jas- mine, formerly Cayman Hos- piceCare, at Camana Bay on Thursday evening. One at a time, family mem- bers or friends who had lost someone made their way to- ward the Community Memo- rial Tree to place a candle for that special person as mem- bers of Cayman National Or- chestra choir sang a collection of Christmas songs and carols. A widow wiped tears from her eyes as she waited her turn. A mother and her two children knelt at the tree stand to read the names of those who had passed away. Some told their stories, others hugged. The list included people from all walks of life, with names printed on each glass jar containing a candle. Randy Von Kanel, senior pastor of the Cayman Islands Baptist Church, gave a mes- sage of hope and inspiration. As a fellow griever, Mr. Von Kanel said his son Landon had died 17 years ago, and he and his wife would light a candle in his memory. He said he was happy to share words and light a candle with many in the Cayman community. Pastor Von Kanel said the remembrance candles re- minded everyone that “light always conquers darkness, hope always dispels de- spair, and death always gives way to life.” Dr. Virginia Hobday, med- ical director at the hos- pice organization, said the event was an opportunity “to remember and honor the memory of those we lost and cared for in the last year, in particular, [but] over the past 20 years that we have been operating, as well.” “This holiday time of the year, when we celebrate, can be a very hard time for the bereaved, especially for those who have lost someone re- cently,” Dr. Hobday added. She hoped by placing a candle in the company of others, that loved ones will not be forgotten. “Memory is the key to remaining con- nected with those no longer with us and this is what the event is for,” she said. The ceremony was in- spired by a similar one origi- nally held in the highlands of Scotland, which has become a worldwide event, with many hospices celebrating in this way the lives of people who have passed on, she said. Dr. Hobday spoke of the changes coming up for the hospice charity in the new year, with the opening of the new Jasmine facility on West Bay Road in January. Jasmine will house a four-bedroom inpatient unit where people who cannot be cared for at home can be looked after by administra- tive and home care team. Bodden Funeral Ser- vices’ Scott Ruby, who at- tended Thursday’s ceremony, said, “Grief shared is grief diminished.” Jemma Watson, champion of the secondary school spelling bee, receives a trophy from Stephen Best, president of the Lions Club. People remember their loved ones by placing candles on the Community Memorial Tree in Camana Bay Thursday night. - PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY Members of the Cayman National choir sing a collection of Christmas carols. “This holiday time of the year, when we celebrate, can be a very hard time for the bereaved, especially for those who have lost someone recently.” DR. VIRGINIA HOBDAY, medical director, JasmineThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY DECEMBER 3, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Brian Uzzell, longtime owner and publisher of Cayman Compass, passes on at 82 Business was good at the Light- house until Hurricane Ivan hit in 2004. The restaurant and the Com- pass were both badly damaged. The paper had to be printed in Ja- maica for several months before the production plant in Cayman was up and running again. The fallout hit the staff hard. “One of the most painful mo- ments in my entire career here was having to just say to more than two-thirds of my staff, ‘I can’t employ you at the moment,’” he recalled in 2008. Longtime Compass employee Jewel Levy said she remembers Mr. Uzzell crying that day. De- spite being laid off, some came and helped clean up the damage to the newspaper offices. As business picked up, Mr. Uzzell rehired most of those he’d had to let go. “We all gradually came back together,” she said, adding that Mr. Uzzell inspired loyalty from his employees, some of whom worked for him for as long as 50 years. Often, he was like a father to her and other employees, she said, likening the workplace at- mosphere to that of a big family led by Mr. Uzzell. “Anything about your home life, your work life, if you needed money or you were sick, you could run to him,” she said, confi- dent that he would help out. “He worked very hard,” she added. “He was here at the crack of dawn. At one time, he was run- ning the office, writing the pay- checks. He was doing everything single-handedly. He loved the Compass and he loved the people of Cayman.” In 2008, Mr. Uzzell was awarded the Cayman Islands Certificate and Badge of Honour for his contribu- tions to media in Cayman. He re- ceived the award at an official pin- ning ceremony the following year. When he was not working, Mr. Uzzell played hard. An avid sports fan, he also played and was frequently involved in man- aging the rugby, cricket and field hockey teams he was on. Chris Johnson, who runs the financial service that bears his name in Cayman, said he played hockey and cricket with Mr. Uz- zell for 20 years. “It was his inspiring and in- fectious sense of humor on the fields of play for what I remember him the most,” Mr. Johnson said. “The two of us would joke to- gether on the field. He didn’t take the game too seriously.” It was on the hockey field that he had a personal setback in 2010, suffering a heart attack during play. He underwent by- pass surgery and, as a result, cut back on the hours he was de- voting to the Compass. In 2013, he sold the paper, several maga- zines and other media properties to David and Vicki Legge. In a 2012 interview, Mr. Uzzell said he had no regrets. “I’ve enjoyed all my life, every second of it,” he said. “I’ve had a wonderful life here and I’m very appreciative of Cayman.” Mr. Uzzell is survived by his sons Jason, Julien, Justin and Simon; his partner Andrea Wong Sam; daughters-in-law Claire, Lydia and Shelley; grandchildren Lauren, Holly, Abbie, Emily and Alexander; niece Lesley Leverett; and great grandsons Oscar and Harrison Callaghan. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Brian Uzzell, Jan. 29, 1936 - Nov. 30, 2018 “Media is all about people. One has to like them, find good in them and sympathize with their causes in order to impact their life and culture. Through media, you can do it all.” BRIAN UZZELL Brian Uzzell at the newspaper printing press. Brian Uzzell at his 80th birthday party in 2016, with his daughter-in-law Lydia and son Justin. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Salaried workers beware: GM cuts are a warning for all DETROIT (AP) – For gener- ations, the career path for smart kids around Detroit was to get an engineering or business degree and get hired by an automaker or parts supplier. If you worked hard and did not screw up, you had a job for life with enough money to raise a family, take vacations and buy a weekend cottage in northern Michigan. Now that once-reli- able route to prosperity ap- pears to be vanishing, as ev- idenced by General Motors’ announcement this week that it plans to shed 8,000 white- collar jobs on top of 6,000 blue-collar ones. It was a humbling warning that in this era of rapid and disruptive tech- nological change, those with a college education are not necessarily insulated from the kind of layoffs factory workers know all too well. The cutbacks reflect a transformation under way in both the auto industry and the broader U.S. economy, with nearly every type of business becoming oriented toward computers, software and automation. “This is a big mega- trend pervading the whole economy,” said Mark Muro, a senior fellow at the Brook- ings Institution who has re- searched changes being caused by the digital age. Cities that suffered manu- facturing job losses decades ago are now grappling with the problem of fewer oppor- tunities for white-collar em- ployees such as managers, lawyers, bankers and accoun- tants. Since 2008, The Asso- ciated Press found, roughly a third of major U.S. metro areas have lost a greater per- centage of white-collar jobs than blue-collar jobs. It’s a phenomenon seen in such places as Wichita, Kansas, with its downsized aircraft industry, and towns in Wis- consin that have lost auto, in- dustrial machinery or furni- ture-making jobs. In GM’s case, the jobs that will be shed through buyouts and layoffs are held largely by people who are experts in the internal com- bustion engine – mechan- ical engineers and others who spent their careers working on fuel injectors, transmissions, exhaust sys- tems and other components that will not be needed for the electric cars that even- tually will drive themselves. GM, the nation’s largest au- tomaker, says those vehicles are its future. “We’re talking about high-skilled people who have made a substantial invest- ment in their education,” said Marina Whitman, a re- tired professor of business and public policy at the Uni- versity of Michigan and a former GM chief economist. “The transitions can be ex- tremely painful for a subset of people.” GM is still hiring white- collar employees, but the new jobs are for those who can write software code, design laser sensors or develop bat- teries and other devices for future vehicles. Those who are being thrown out of work might have to learn new skills if they hope to find new jobs, underscoring what Whitman said is another truism about the new economy: “You’ve got to regard education as a life- time process. You probably are going to have multiple jobs in your lifetime. You’ve got to stay flexible.” Whitman said mechan- ical engineers are smart people who could transfer their skills to software or batteries, but they will need training, and that takes time and money. Nearly all of the 8,000 white-collar cutbacks will be in metropolitan Detroit, largely at GM’s technical center in Warren, a suburb north of the city. That is equal to about 4 percent of the managerial and engi- neering jobs in the Detroit- Warren area, according to the Labor Department. Manage- rial salaries in the area av- erage $124,000. Ford, which is just begin- ning its salaried workforce downsizing, has not said how many will go. But even if it’s half of GM’s total, the white-collar losses around Detroit will approach those during the financial crisis of a decade ago, when the metro areas shed 14,450 managerial and engineering jobs. That was 8.9 percent of those types of jobs in the metro areas. Layoffs are also likely to spread to auto parts sup- pliers, which will not need to design and build as many parts for gas-powered cars. Rick Knoth, a retired GM industrial engineer who sur- vived a 2008 downsizing by taking an early retirement package after 37 years with the company, said he is con- fident most engineers are smart enough to turn their skills into a new career. But all white-collar employees need to be ready for change because it comes fast, he said. “The world isn’t like it used to be, that’s for sure,” he said. “You can’t count on anything.” The cutbacks reflect a transformation under way in both the auto industry and the broader U.S. economy, with nearly every type of business becoming oriented toward computers, software and automation.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Merkel: Russia can’t block Ukraine’s ports German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday Russia must allow ships access to Ukrainian ports on the Sea of Azov through the Kerch Strait, which separates the Russian mainland from the annexed Crimean Peninsula. CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY DECEMBER 3, 2018 Bush mourned as a great statesman, a man of uncommon decency WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President George H.W. Bush is returning to Washington as a revered political statesman, hailed by leaders across the political spectrum and around the world as a man not only of greatness but also of uncommon decency and kindness. Bush, who died late Friday at his Houston home at age 94, is to be honored with a state funeral at National Ca- thedral in the nation’s cap- ital on Wednesday, followed by burial Thursday on the grounds of his presidential library at Texas A&M. Before that, his body will lie in state in the Capitol Ro- tunda for a public viewing from his arrival in Wash- ington on Monday until Wednesday morning. President Donald Trump, who ordered federal offices closed for a national day of mourning on Wednesday, is to attend with first lady Me- lania Trump and other high- ranking officials. Bush’s crowning achieve- ment as president was as- sembling the international military coalition that lib- erated the tiny, oil-rich na- tion of Kuwait from in- vading neighbor Iraq in 1991 in a war that lasted just 100 hours. He also presided over the end of the Cold War be- tween the United States and the former Soviet Union. “We didn’t agree much on domestic policy, but when it came to the international side of things, he was a very wise and thoughtful man,” former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, a Demo- crat who lost the presidency to Bush in 1988, told The As- sociated Press on Saturday. He credited Bush’s ability to negotiate with former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev as playing a key role. “It was a time of great change, demanding great re- sponsibility from everyone,” Gorbachev told the Interfax news agency. “The result was the end of the Cold War and nuclear arms race.” During that time and after, Gorbachev said, he al- ways appreciated the kind- ness Bush and his family showed him. In Washington, the former Republican president won praise from leaders of both parties. Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan lauded him for leading the nation with “de- cency and integrity,” while Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi said it was a “privilege to work with him.” Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee said Bush “befriended political foes, reminding Americans that there is always more that unites us than divides us.” At the G-20 summit in Ar- gentina, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was raised in East Germany, told reporters she likely would never have become her coun- try’s leader had Bush not pressed for the nation’s re- unification in 1990. A humble hero of World War II, Bush was just 20 when he survived being shot down during a bombing run over Japan. He had en- listed in the U.S. Navy on his 18th birthday. Shortly before leaving the service, he married his 19-year-old sweetheart, Bar- bara Pierce, a union that lasted until her death ear- lier this year. After military service, Bush enrolled in Yale Univer- sity, where he would become a scholar-athlete, captaining the baseball team to two College World Series before graduating Phi Beta Kappa after just 2 ½ years. After moving to Texas to work in the oil business, Bush turned his attention to politics in the 1960s, being elected to his first of two terms in Congress in 1967. He would go on to serve as ambassador to the United Nations and China, head of the CIA and chairman of the Republican National Com- mittee before being elected to two terms as Ronald Rea- gan’s vice president. Soon after he reached the zenith of his political popu- larity following the liberation of Kuwait, the U.S. economy began to sour and voters began to believe that Bush, never a great orator, was out of touch with ordinary people. He lost his bid for re- election to then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, who would later become a close friend. The pair worked together to raise tens of millions of dol- lars for victims of a 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, which swamped New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in 2005. “Who would have thought that I would be working with Bill Clinton of all people?” he joked in 2005. Clinton said he would be “forever grateful” for that friendship. U.S. President George H.W. Bush holds a news conference at the White House in Washington where he condemned the Chinese crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, June 5, 1989. President George H.W. Bush gestures during a joint news conference with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, at the Soviet Embassy in Madrid, Oct. 29, 1991. – PHOTOS: AP Former President George H.W. Bush, and his wife, former first lady Barbara Bush, arrive for the premiere of an HBO documentary on his life, June 12, 2012. U.S. President George H.W. Bush holds a camera for a self-portrait with Marines at the airport in Baidoa, Somalia, Jan. 1, 1993.Next >