$ 399 MEALDEALS MONDAY - SATURDAY 9pcs MIXED , 2 Sides & 5 BISCUITS NEW FAMILY SUNDAY ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY DECEMBER 24, 2018 High seas batter Grand Cayman’s west coast JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman waterfront businesses were working Sunday to clean up and repair their premises after winds and high waves bat- tered George Town, Seven Mile Beach and West Bay over the weekend. Some restaurants and businesses re- ported major damage but said they nonethe- less planned to be up and running over the Christmas public holidays. Paradise Restaurant and Rackam’s bar on the George Town waterfront remained closed Sunday morning as they carried out repairs. Both businesses were badly hit by the high waves and staff were working Sunday to clean up the sites. Rackam’s Waterfront Bar general manger Julie Allan said the business had sustained a lot of damage. The bar will be closed over Cayman ablaze with festive lights Throughout all the districts of Grand Cayman, Christmas scenes and sparkling fes- tive lights abound. Again this year, two of the biggest displays are at the Crighton house on Shamrock Road and Maureen and Maxine Bodden’s home in South Church Street. On any given evening over the Christmas period, cars slow to a crawl as motorists take in the colorful sights, while others pull over and explore the gardens of these homes. Both families open up their gates to allow members of the public to stroll along their garden paths and get a close-up view of the spectacular displays that run the gamut from traditional Cayman Christmas scenes to some impressive animatronic creatures. Meanwhile, Cayman’s roundabouts are fes- tooned with festive scenes, such as the brightly lit-up catboat and a trio of angels at the Island Heritage roundabout on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, and an eye-catching blue star dis- play at the Cayman National roundabout. Many roadfront and canalfront homes and condos around the island are ablaze with lights as well, adding to the festive cheer. Hotels have also gone all out this year, with pastry chefs making increasingly creative gin- gerbread houses to delight guests and resi- dents at lobbies along West Bay Road. For more photos of Cayman’s Christmas lights, see In Focus on page 6. A model of a traditional Cayman cottage at Christmastime, complete with conch shells and a white sand yard, at the Crighton house. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » The cleanup begins: A bulldozer operator removes sargassum seaweed and debris from Harbour Drive Saturday afternoon. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY DECEMBER 24, 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, TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) AQUAMAN (PG13) 12:45 VIP (MON & WED ONLY) I 2:05 3D (MON & WED ONLY) I 3:30 (MON ONLY) 3:45 (WED ONLY) I 5:00 (TUE ONLY) 6:30 VIP (MON ONLY) I 6:35 VIP (WED ONLY) I 6:55 VIP (TUE ONLY) I 8:00 (WED ONLY) I 8:10 (TUE ONLY) I 9:40 3D (TUE & WED ONLY) SECOND ACT (PG13) 4:00 (MON ONLY) I 5:00 (TUE & WED ONLY) 6:30 (MON ONLY) I 7:30 (TUE & WED ONLY) MORTAL ENGINES (PG13) 12:40 3D (MON & WED ONLY) I 3:40 (MON & WED ONLY) I 6:35 (MON ONLY) 6:50 (WED ONLY) I 7:00 (TUE ONLY) ELLIOT THE LITTLEST REINDEER (PG) 12:15 (WED ONLY) I 4:05 (MON ONLY) 4:50 (TUE & WED ONLY) BUMBLEBEE (PG13) 12:50 (MON ONLY) I 1:00 (WED ONLY) 3:50 VIP (MON ONLY) I 3:55 VIP (WED ONLY) I 4:20 VIP (TUE ONLY) I 4:25 (TUE ONLY) I 6:40 3D (MON ONLY) I 7:00 3D (TUE & WED ONLY) I 9:25 (TUE & WED ONLY) I 9:50 VIP (WED ONLY) I 10:00 VIP (TUE ONLY) ROBIN HOOD (PG13) 1:20 (MON & WED ONLY) 10:00 (TUE & WED ONLY) SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (PG) 4:15 (TUE ONLY) I 5:20 (MON & WED ONLY) I 9:50 (TUE & WED ONLY) THE GRINCH (PG) 1:40 (MON ONLY) I 2:30 (WED ONLY) I 6:20 (MON ONLY) I 7:05 (TUE & WED ONLY) FCO: Beneficial ownership register to be made public by 2023 MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The U.K. has indicated that it will issue an order in council instructing British Overseas Territories to estab- lish fully operational public registers of beneficial owner- ship by 2023, if they have not done so by the end of 2020. The U.K. revealed the time- line in discussions with the Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council ear- lier this month. The House of Commons passed the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act in May, including a controver- sial opposition amendment calling for the U.K. govern- ment to force Overseas Ter- ritories to make information on the owners of companies and other entities registered there available to the gen- eral public. British lawmakers be- lieve having this type of in- formation accessible on the internet would help in the fight against tax evasion, money laundering and fi- nancial crime. Although most of Britain’s 14 Overseas Territories, in- cluding Cayman, have benefi- cial ownership registers that grant access to British law en- forcement and tax authorities, the registers are not public. The Cayman Islands gov- ernment has described the action by the U.K. parliament as “a potential constitutional overreach” as it touches on financial services, an area of policy that is devolved to the territory. The government an- nounced that it would there- fore mount a legal chal- lenge to such an order if it were ever made. Although members of the Legislative Assembly in a session on Monday, Dec. 17, hailed the more detailed time- line as “a delay” resulting from the significant push-back against the measure, it does not change when an order in council would be issued. This is fixed in the U.K. act. It just specifies and sets a deadline when the U.K. gov- ernment expects the public registers to be operational, once an order has been made. Testifying before the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Lord Tariq Ahmad, the minister respon- sible for Overseas Territo- ries, said it is the U.K. gov- ernment’s intention to work constructively with the ter- ritories and to provide tech- nical and legal support. “If by 2020 there is no public register, we will then issue an order in council which will then have a requirement for an opera- tional register by 2023,” he said on Tuesday last week. Gibraltar is currently the only overseas territory ex- pected to have a public reg- ister by 2020. The U.K. chose the year 2023 because it was the date set by a previous government under David Cameron for the worldwide sharing of benefi- cial ownership information. Lord Ahmad said the U.K. would continue to lobby other countries to make public reg- isters of beneficial owner- ship a global standard by then. But he noted, “In my personal view, seeing every territory across the world having public registers by 2023, I don’t think that will be the case.” Asked whether this might then risk a flight of assets and economic damage to the territories, the Foreign Office minister said, “There is the risk that there will be some asset flow from certain terri- tories to others which have a more liberal regime,” although he had not seen any evidence of that yet. British Overseas Territories leaders, ministers and representatives with Lord Tariq Ahmad, front row, fifth from left, at the first day of the Joint Ministerial Committee meeting earlier this month. LIFE donates books to East End students Santa made a special sur- prise visit to East End Pri- mary School this week to present each of the school’s 92 students with two books for Christmas. Santa was accompanied by his helpers from Cay- man’s charity Literacy Is For Everyone, known as LIFE, which donated the books that were given to the children. “It pleases me to see the generosity of LIFE not just during the giving season, but throughout the entire year,” said Education Min- ister Juliana O’Connor-Con- nolly in a press release about the donation. “It is through private and public collaborations such as this one that we can con- tinue to strengthen our stu- dents’ love for reading, and inspire them to be lifelong learners,” she added. Jessica Jackson, East End Primary’s deputy prin- cipal, said the donation from LIFE was just another ex- ample of the charity’s com- mitment to literacy in the school, which has benefited greatly from LIFE’s support throughout the years. She said LIFE has donated Leveled Literacy Intervention kits to assist with intensive support for students in need; sponsored Partners in Print, a parent education program; provided high-quality books to assist in building the col- lection in the school library; and contributed books to en- sure students have access to high-quality children’s liter- ature in classroom libraries. “The idea to give students books as Christmas presents is a result of both LIFE and East End Primary School’s desire for them to have great books to read at home, along with the access they already have at school. “We hope they’ll each find some quiet time this Christmas holiday to enjoy them,” Ms. Jackson said. In order to keep the gifts as a surprise for students, she said LIFE members came to East End Primary with their collection of books, and class- room teachers used their knowledge of students’ inter- ests and abilities to select two special books for each student. LIFE team members then wrapped all the books and tagged them with the stu- dents’ names. “At LIFE, our focus is on making a difference, one book, one child, one class- room at a time. Our holistic approach to literacy in our public schools focuses on im- pact and accountability and this has worked very well with [East End Primary],” said Marilyn Conolly, execu- tive director for LIFE. “We are very happy to give the gift of adventure, curiosity and knowledge through books to the chil- dren of East End Primary this Christmas. The indi- vidual, personal nature of the donation is important to us because children don’t just need books; they need books that they are inter- ested in reading,” she said. Book titles included “The Gruffalo,” “A Squash and a Squeeze,” “Mighty Trucks,” “Olivia,” “Splat the Cat,” “Dork Diaries,” “Unicorn Academy,” “Geronimo Stilton,” “Captain Underpants,” “The Apollo 11 Moon Landing,” and many more popular favorites. Santa and his LIFE helpers, from left, Marilyn Conolly, Woody Foster, Erin Galatopoulos and Andrea Bryan with East End Primary students. 916.0923 info@feedourfuturecayman.org www.feedourfuturecayman.orgThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY DECEMBER 24, 2018 Thank you Island Heritage and Butterfield for becoming Response Partners and donating to our Shelter from the Storm building renovation campaign. TURNING COMPASSION INTO ACTION $100K_ CAREY OLSEN | RHULEN’S | LONDON & AMSTERDAM | KRyS GLOBAL | GRANT THORNTON SPECIALIST SERVICES (CAYMAN) LIMITED CARDARG LTD CA YMAN RISA Help us raise $600,000 this holiday season for our building which is in dire need of renovation. We simply can’t do it without you. Donate today. www.redcross.org.kyThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” Christmas Eve will find me Where the love light gleams I’ll be home for Christmas If only in my dreams. – “I’ll be Home for Christmas” It is finally here, after weeks – perhaps even months – of preparation. Weeks crammed with concerts, parties, shopping, wrapping and decorating. Time well spent baking traditional goodies and writing handwritten cards (no emails or WhatsApp messages, please – if only just at this one time of the year). The run-up to Christmas is characterized by its own traditions and routines that are faithfully followed, year after year. Still, there is a danger of stretching our- selves too thin as we strive to create “picture perfect” holidays – just as mom or grandma (or dad or grandpa, etc.) once did. Even if it is self-inflicted and assumed with only the best of intentions, that “pressure to perform” can drain the wonder and joy from these holiday highlights. Today, during the final few hours of that bustling pre-Christmas period, try to slow down and enjoy the moment. As mere mortals, there is only so much we can accomplish. There are worse things in this world than a “to do” list that is only half done. Please don’t let precious gatherings with family, friends and neighbors pass in a blur as we preoccupy ourselves with tasks and chores. Take the time to listen to holy songs and timeless stories about the Christmas Miracle and the lessons it teaches to all of us here on Earth. Beginning this evening, Christian congregations will converge to celebrate the birth of Jesus – symbolizing eternal hope and God’s enduring love for the world. Families, neighbors and friends will gather around their own “hearths,” in whatever form that takes – an auntie’s kitchen, a grandparent’s yard, a favorite restaurant – any place where loved ones gather becoming, immediately and incontrovertibly “home.” Smart phones and tablets will buzz with incoming messages from those who are too far away to come home for Christmas (or at homes too far away for us to travel to). We will hold in our hearts loving memories of those who are gone from this Earth but are never forgotten, not least at this important time of the year. Christmas traditions change with the years and over generations. Faces change and families grow. Friends are made and move on. But the enduring spirit of Christmas lives on. Immutable, irrepressible. We may not have snow or mistletoe, but we’ve got the reef and Christmas beef – and we would not have it any other way. But in our hearts, we all know Christmas is not about what we do (what we buy, what we bake, what we wrap) but who we are with. The head is not always so wise. Let this be your reminder: Give your presence as presents this Christmas. Look around. Breathe it in. The sights, the sounds, the smells and smiles of the season. That is where Christmas is. Merry Christmas, from us to you. Have a wonderful and joyful Cayman Christmas MONDAY DECEMBER 24, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Premier’s Christmas message As we go through the year, the days and weeks can sometimes seem to stretch on forever, but by year’s end we often reflect that though the days and weeks may seem long, the years are indeed short. We are reminded of this every year as Christmas seems to come around sooner and sooner, especially as we get older. But no matter the speed with which it arrives, to me it is still a magical time; a time to spend with friends and family; a time when ev- eryone seems happier; a time to give; and a time to cele- brate not only the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, but each other and our accom- plishments in 2018. I hope that today you take some time to reflect on your personal blessings, as well as those of the Cayman Islands, give thanks and join together in celebration. We are in- deed blessed. Christmastime gives me the chance to slow down and get out to visit more with people, both young and old, in my wanderings through our many communities and at the festivities of the season. These interactions certainly leave me feeling blessed and rejuve- nate me for the work ahead in the coming New Year. I also cherish the time I get to celebrate this glorious season with my wife and two sons, my father, sisters and the rest of my family and friends. Like you, I too cherish this time because of the opportu- nity to reflect and enjoy the company of my loved ones. I pray that the feelings we have at Christmas of good- will and charity will carry us into the New Year and con- tinue as the year progresses. I will leave you with words from our beloved National Song, Beloved Isle Cayman: Away from noise of cities. Their fret and carking care. With moonbeams’ soft caresses. Unchecked by garish glare. When sweet church bells are chiming. My fond heart yearns for thee … And when comes on the season Of peace, goodwill to man. ‘Tis then I love thee best of all. Beloved Isle Cayman. I sincerely hope that each of you has a joyous Christmas. On behalf of my Govern- ment, my family and my- self, I wish each of you a very blessed Christmas. Premier Alden McLaughlin, MBE, JP, MLA Opposition leader’s message Christmas is a wondrous time of year. For the Miller house- hold, it is one of our favorite times of year. This is because Christmas brings the oppor- tunity for my family and my Opposition colleagues and their families to celebrate the birth of Jesus and the values he embodied. In tune with those values, let us remember during this holiday season those who need our love and support: ■■ those on socety’s margins; ■■ those who are jobless; ■■ those who are sick; ■■ those whose resources are barely able to stretch to meet needs. Remember, too, those among us who are far from home and their families. I especially ask that you remember with a grateful heart those looking after us during this season: ■■ the police, keeping us safe; ■■ the medical profes- sionals, looking after our sick and there for us in emergencies; ■■ those who are continuing the task of keeping our environment pristine; and ■■ all those who serve us year-round in large and small ways. Amidst our reaching out and our celebrations, how- ever, let us not forget that Christmas is also a time of reflection. It is timely during the hol- idays to think about what makes us most proud about the Cayman Islands. I think especially about the harmonious way in which our multicultural so- ciety comes together each and every day, making us prosperous and thriving as a people, while confidently and optimistically rising to challenges. This demonstrates yet again that in our remarkably diverse society we individu- ally have far more in common than the at-times perceived differences sometimes ampli- fied beyond the reality. Indeed, the truth is that as we each shoulder the tasks of our productive society, we do daily exhibit the values of ac- ceptance, cordiality and har- mony, the very ideals upon which the Cayman Islands has been founded. Passed down through the generations, these are the ethics that we must continue to nurture and preserve. I hope, too, that as we re- flect during this season com- memorating the birth of Jesus that we will renew and cel- ebrate the cherished Cayma- nian tradition that Christmas is essentially not about things. Rather, Christmas is about kindness, sharing and thoughtfulness, and a spirit of love and forgiveness. From my family to yours, and from all the Members of the Opposition and their fam- ilies, a merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year. Ezzard Miller, Leader of the Opposition Premier Alden McLaughlin5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY DECEMBER 24, 2018 Holiday office hours BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town.Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, Cayman BracTel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. insurance, health, pensions, life britcay Getting ready for Christmas is all about the finishing touches. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. The management and staff at BritCay extend sincere season’s best wishes to you and your family. HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS Early closing: 24th December - noon 31st December - noon 949-8699 www.britcay.ky UK will not step in on same-sex marriage Ahmad: Judicial process will determine path JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The United Kingdom has no current plans force its overseas territories to le- galize same-sex marriage through an order in council. Lord Tariq Ahmad, the minister responsible for the British Overseas Territories, said the U.K. was content, for now, to let the judicial pro- cess takes its course. Speaking before a For- eign Affairs Select Committee in Westminster, London, last week, Mr. Ahmad was asked how long he was prepared to wait for Caribbean territo- ries to grant equal marriage rights to its citizens. He said government was currently awaiting the final outcome of a legal challenge being fought by the Bermuda government over the issue and had no immediate plans to step in. “At the moment, there are no plans to intervene or interject to produce an order in council to that ef- fect,” he added. The Bermuda govern- ment has appealed to the U.K. Privy Council in a last-ditch effort to overturn decisions by its own courts that made gay marriage legal. At the Dec. 18 committee meeting, Mr. Ahmad said the U.K. was hopeful that the Bermuda decision, when it comes, will influence legal change, not just in Bermuda, but in the other territo- ries as well. “I am hoping the outcome will be the judicial process in Bermuda will uphold the decision and that will act as catalyst for the territories to look long and hard at what decisions were taken and how the law was upheld and how they should act in accor- dance with that,” he said. He said the Bermuda courts had shown that they were prepared to protect rights for all citizens and said the U.K. government felt it was right to let the judicial process reach its final con- clusion in the Privy Council. He agreed with the sug- gestion that Bermuda was expending a lot of energy to stop people of the same-sex from marrying. The Cayman Islands will get its own test case on same- sex marriage in February. Ch- antelle Day, a Caymanian lawyer, and her partner Vickie Bodden Bush have been granted leave to apply for a judicial review of the Cayman Islands government’s deci- sion to refuse their applica- tion to marry. In a writ, filed in June against the governor, the deputy registrar of the Gen- eral Registry, and the at- torney general, lawyers for the couple argue that Cay- man’s constitution protects them from discrimination. Mr. Ahmad did not ad- dress the Cayman Islands specifically in his comments last week. He said several ter- ritories had expressed that they want to move forward on the issue “reflecting he opin- ions of their own citizens.” “We do expect progress on this issue, subject to a judi- cial process,” he added. Cayman Islands-based lawyer and equal mar- riage rights advocate Leon- ardo Raznovich also sub- mitted written evidence to the committee. He outlined how the cur- rent approach to marriage rights in the Cayman Islands and other territories deviated from standards guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights and urged the U.K. government to act. He recommended the U.K. enact legislation to rec- tify those human rights breaches for territories that failed to do so themselves within 12 months. He also suggested the For- eign and Commonwealth Of- fice instruct governors in its territories that their role in securing “good governance” includes ensuring that LGBTI people are protected from discrimination. “The inquiry provides Parliament the opportu- nity to step in and to se- cure equality and the rule of law for all British citizens in all corners of the United Kingdom,” he wrote. Lord Tariq Ahmad, the minister responsible for the British Overseas Territories, said the U.K. was content, for now, to let the judicial process takes its course. Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon REPEAT BURGLAR SENTENCED TO 5 YEARS, 4 MONTHS SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man with 37 previous convictions was sentenced to five years and four months in prison Friday for a pair of bur- glaries that occurred in Sep- tember 2017. Travis Kelvin Ebanks, 28, pleaded guilty on the day of his Grand Court trial and was sentenced by Justice Linda Dobbs on Friday. The court heard that Mr. Ebanks robbed two homes on Sept. 12 and Sept. 16 and stole goods valued at more than $7,000. He stole a Honda CR-V valued at $6,000 at one of the homes, as well as $1,900 worth of scuba diving equip- ment. Mr. Ebanks was stopped by a security guard at the Har- bour Heights condominium complex on Sept. 16. The keys for the Honda he had stolen were found at one of the crime scenes. The diver’s equipment was later identified by its owner and returned. The court heard that Mr. Ebanks has been in and out of institutions for much of his life, and Crown Counsel Ken- neth Ferguson noted he has been convicted seven previous times for burglary. “Your record is appalling and you’re still very young,” Justice Dobbs told Mr. Ebanks. “You’re 28 and you still have a lot of your life to lead.” She sentenced him to five years and four months on each of the burglary charges, to run concurrently. Mr. Ebanks was also sentenced to nine months for theft with a one-month de- duction and four months for attempted theft, also with a two-month deduction. All charges will run con- currently. Mr. Ebanks has spent 15 months on remand and Justice Dobbs said that will count toward his sentence. 40 MONTHS FOR AGGRAVATED BURGLARY Presley Charles Whittaker was sentenced to 40 months in prison Friday after pleading guilty to an aggravated bur- glary in which he entered an unoccupied home in North Side with a machete in June. The court heard that a neighbor observed his entry through a window and called the property manager, who happens to be Mr. Whittaker’s cousin. Police found Mr. Whit- taker hiding behind boxes in- side the apartment. Mr. Whit- taker was previously convicted for burglary in 2015. Justice Linda Dobbs noted that he had been on bail at the time of his offense and said he could have faced a five- year sentence without an early guilty plea. She sentenced Mr. Whit- taker to 40 months in prison and said that any time he’s spent on remand will count to- ward his sentence.6 LOCAL NEWS Check out these photos and others by visiting caymancompass.com/photogalleries or on facebook.com/caycompass (and don’t forget to tag yourself and your friends!) MONDAY DECEMBER 24, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Grand Cayman’s residents and businesses again have turned the island into a glowing Christmas spectacle, with sparkling lights, ornate Christmas trees and seasonal displays visible from North Side to West Bay. Gardens, homes, stores and hotels are be- decked with colorful bulbs, while roundabouts are filled with angels, Santas and all kinds of ornaments. This glowing Christmas tree gets its own little home at the Bodden sisters’ display. Blue Christmas lights on display at the Cayman National roundabout in George Town. The manger scene at the Crighton display. Palm trees decked out in white Christmas lights stand in contrast to the multicolored display on this property in Lower Valley. The colorful Crighton yard attracts thousands of spectators every Christmas. The full ‘cold’ moon shines over a home in Prince Charles Quay, off Peninsula Avenue in West Bay. An animatronic display at the Bodden sisters’ home on South Church Street. The Christmas display at the Butterfield roundabout highlights the bank’s charitable work. The dazzling lights of the Bodden sisters’ home on South Church Street in George Town. – PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY DECEMBER 24, 2018 Court of appeal upholds 10-year sentence for assault on police Police officer suffered detached retina in attack KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Justice Charles Quin was perfectly justified in sen- tencing Garfield Silburn Jr. to 10 years imprisonment in September 2017 for as- saulting a police officer, the Court of Appeal determined in a judgment released earlier this month. The appeal stemmed from an incident in May 2017 in Prospect, where of- ficers responded to a re- port of a possible burglary. They located a car that had been described in connec- tion with the incident and Mr. Silburn was nearby, washing himself with a garden hose. Told he was under ar- rest, Mr. Silburn punched a male officer in the face sev- eral times. When the female officer present attempted to intervene, he kicked her in the stomach. Mr. Silburn then stomped on the male officer’s chest and began kicking him in the head. The officer on the ground caught hold of Mr. Silburn’s foot and the defendant also fell. Instead of stopping, Mr. Silburn began to choke the male officer until he started to lose consciousness. The fe- male officer hit the defendant with her handheld radio. When help arrived, the of- ficers were taken to hospital. The woman officer suffered pain in her stomach and left hand, which was swollen. The male officer com- plained of blurred vision. Having been treated previ- ously for a detached retina, he was sent overseas and underwent two operations. The appeals court judgment noted that the two opera- tions had failed to reattach the retina. “At the time of sentencing, a third was contemplated,” the appeals court stated. “There is no further up-to- date evidence.” During the sentencing in September, Justice Quin said Mr. Silburn’s offenses war- ranted a 12-year starting point for the assault on the male officer. Mr. Silburn also received a two-year sentence for assaulting the female of- ficer, with that punishment to run concurrently. Justice Quin said the starting point warranted an upward adjustment be- cause it was an assault on an officer who was only car- rying out his duty. The inci- dent may have started out as an attempt to resist arrest but Mr. Silburn ended up al- most killing the officer, the judge indicated. The defendant had several previous convictions for vio- lence, including robbery. The judge found that the appro- priate sentence for a violent assault on a police officer in the execution of his duty was 15 years. With one-third off for the guilty plea, the sentence was 10 years. At the October ap- peal hearing, Mr. Silburn’s attorney, John Furniss, was “critical of the observations regarding the possibility of the officer being killed,” the Court of Appeal judg- ment stated. “While not seeking to min- imize the seriousness of what happened, Mr. Furniss sub- mits the judge was wrong to place the offending within category 1, although he did accept in the course of argu- ment that it was open to him to do so,” the judgment states. The appeals court did not agree with Mr. Furniss, saying that the 10-year sen- tence was appropriate given the aggravating factors of the offense. “Had the other officer not intervened, one dreads to think what the consequences might have been,” the appeals judgment states. The male officer complained of blurred vision. Having been treated previously for a detached retina, he was sent overseas and underwent two operations. The appeals court judgment noted that the two operations had failed to reattach the retina. Immigration legislation delayed Government stated on Friday that legisla- tive changes to facilitate the transition of immigra- tion-related powers to the Workforce Opportunities Residency Cayman, known as WORC, and Customs and Border Control, will not take effect on Jan. 1 as previously announced. Instead, “early 2019” will be the commence- ment date for the Immi- gration (Transition) Law, 2018 and Customs and Border Control Law, 2018, according to a government press release. Officials said the “short extension” had been im- plement to “facilitate ex- tended public information and education for stake- holders impacted by the changes.” In the interim, the ex- isting Customs and Im- migration Laws will remain in force. The statement advised people applying for Tem- porary Work Permits, Busi- ness Visitors’ Permits and Visitors’ Work Visas to con- tinue to follow the existing processes detailed on the Immigration Department website immigration.gov. ky, until further notice. “Government will con- tinue to keep its stake- holders up to date as it moves forward with the establishment of the two new agencies,” the statement noted. “The Ministry of Human Resources and Immigra- tion is working to ensure that WORC and CBC are structured and equipped to increase Caymanian em- ployment, streamline cur- rent processes and provide intelligence-driven border control services,” ac- cording to the statement.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY DECEMBER 24, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS the next couple of days, but she said she expects it to be open again on Wednesday. “We are feeling positive,” she said. “All the staff is on board to get it all cleaned up.” Ms. Allan said she had watched the huge waves roll in, ripping the cover- ings off tents at the back of the bar, uprooting bolted down cement pillars, tearing away decking and rail- ings, and washing through the bar, clearing everything in its path. “The waves were hit- ting the restaurant with 20 feet waves …,” she said. “The parking lot and road had up to three feet of water rushing through it, unbelievable.” “We lost the restaurant lad- ders that went down to the sea. We’re waiting for it to be fixed,” she added. Assessing the damage, Ms. Allan also said railings, a gate and ladders for Nautilus, the semi-submarine, were gone. “I have been here eight years,” she said, “and I’ve never seen cement pillars be moved by the water. Usually by the time [the waves] hit the deck, they just flow through.” A boat tender ramp next door to Rackam’s was scattered with debris on Sunday. Paradise Restaurant super- visor Sam Pillai said he hoped the restaurant may be able to reopen Monday. He said a Christmas party on Saturday had been canceled because the restaurant was flooded with seawater. Assisting with the cleanup Sunday, he said the restaurant’s outdoor patio was smashed, ta- bles and chairs were damaged and railings were torn down. “It was terrible, we were dam- aged badly. We had to close for two days, Friday and Sat- urday,” he said. Sunset House and Sunset Divers on South Church Street were open for business Sunday morning after being lashed by high waves on Friday and Saturday. Sunset Divers general man- ager Mike Pennington said they were one of the lucky ones. “We had huge waves washing up to the dive shop,” he said. “Only a section of railing over the swim- ming pool was destroyed and we are having that replaced.” Further along the street, Grand Old House restaurant’s indoor dining area was open Sunday, while workers outside replaced railings and decking and fixed electrical outlets. Some railings had been removed in anticipa- tion of the storm, before the waves came crashing through, but those that were left were severely damaged. Grand Old House Gen- eral Manager Luciano De Riso said all repairs would be done by the end of Sunday. The res- taurant should be fully func- tional by Monday and all Christmas Day events would go ahead as planned, he said. The fish market and the ad- jacent parking area at the downtown waterfront also sustained damage. The fish ven- dors were working with neigh- boring Cayman Cabana staff to clean up the restaurant and car park area. Fisherman Robert Pren- dergast said, “We had three tents on the seafront and all were destroyed.” One lone bag of lobster for sale could be seen on the fishermen’s tables, which were moved into the Cayman Cabana parking lot as fishermen worked to clear the debris from the area. “It has kind of really slowed down our operation with the fish, but we will rebound and come back again …. It was a natural thing and we can’t do anything about it. We just have to enjoy the bad and the good times,” Mr. Prendergast said. He said he expected the fish market to be back in opera- tion by Monday. “The parking lot is for Mr. [Luigi] Moxam [of Cayman Ca- bana next door], but we use it as fishermen, so we are just vol- unteering our service to get it cleaned up … there’s nothing wrong in returning the favor in getting the place back to- gether,” he added. Although its back deck area was damaged, Cayman Cabana was open on Sunday. The es- tablishment was forced to close their doors on Saturday because of the weather conditions. “We had water washing up into to the bar … the dock is ruined, all the fencing and railing is practically gone; we lost two staircases on the upper and lower deck, and we also lost the handicap ramp to the huge waves that came crashing through,” bartender Daniella Jervis said. Meanwhile, government workers were on Harbour Drive with big machinery, cleaning up debris along the street where high waves had spilled over the wall, bringing swathes of brown sargassum seaweed with them. Police shut down the wa- terfront road on Friday night. A section of North Church Street, all of Harbour Drive and part of South Church Street was closed throughout Saturday. By Sunday morning, as the high waves and surge receded, a shorter section of road was closed. By lunchtime, the area had reopened fully to traffic. Along Seven Mile Beach on Saturday, Christmas vaca- tioners were hard pressed to find somewhere to lay their towels or beach chairs, as the waves covered the width of the beach. At Royal Palms on Seven Mile Beach, sea water and sargassum spilled into the bar’s large parking lot. Staff shored up the beach en- trance to the bar with sand- bags and wooden barriers to try to keep the tiled bar and restaurant area clear of water and seaweed. At George Town Port, harbor patrol officer Clinton Jackson said staff were busy cleaning up and working to have the port fully operational for cruise ships on Monday. In West Bay, Macabuca bar and restaurant also sus- tained damage as huge waves smashed into the tiki bar, which remained closed on Sunday as staff carried out repair work. In the meanwhile, con- tainer ships and other boats were on standby on the ho- rizon, waiting for the seas to calm down enough to allow them to come to shore. According to the official forecast from the Cayman Is- lands National Weather Ser- vice late Sunday, rough seas are expected to continue for at least the next five days. Seas are expected to be 5 to 7 feet into Monday. A small craft warning was in effect Sunday and was expected to continue on Monday. “We are expecting to dis- continue the small craft warning but maintain a small craft advisory for Tuesday and basically increasing it back to a small craft warning by Wednesday,” meteorologist Shamal Clarke said. The northeasterly winds and rough seas that have been affecting Cayman are the result of a high pressure system over the southeastern United States. High waves slam into the George Town waterfront on Saturday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Waves surge through Macabuca bar in West Bay on Saturday. - PHOTO: HAMISH HAMILTON High seas battered the George Town waterfront on Friday night and throughout Saturday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Cars at the dock were damaged by the onslaught of high waves overnight. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Paradise Restaurant was badly damaged in the storm. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY High seas batter Grand Cayman’s west coast CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY DECEMBER 24, 2018 To Our Precious Angel Shenni DaCosta February 27, 1978 – November 19, 2014 Four Sad Years Ago. Your broken-hearted parents Ashton & Marlene Bodden And all your family Remembering our Angel in Heaven at Christmas Time. The sadness never goes away The silent tears still fl ow, you’re thought of and so sadly missed More than you’ll ever know. But now you’re with the Angels safe and sound in Heaven above, We hold on to the memories and treasure them with love. Yet special times like Christmas often make us wonder why, God took you from this world it was too soon to say goodbye. But memories are precious they will last a lifetime through, We know that God has chosen you To be his angel too. MONDAY, DEC. 24 SPOT BAY CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING: The Spot Bay Committee on Cayman Brac presents Christmas caroling on foot and door-to-door gift distribution to seniors starting at 7 p.m. IMMIGRATION HOLIDAY CLOSURE: The Immigration headquarters, including public counters and the passport and visa offices will close to the public at 11:30 a.m. NAU HOLIDAY CLOSURE: The Needs Assessment Unit offices on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac will be closed from noon today. NWDA HOLIDAY CLOSURE: The National Workforce Development Agency office will close to the public at noon today. DVDL OFFICE CLOSURE: DVDL Crewe Road Office open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Breakers and West Bay office closed. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE: Department of Agriculture’s sales section will be open today from 8 a.m. to noon. It will reopen on Saturday, Dec. 29, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The plant nursery is closed today and will reopen for business as usual on Thursday, Dec. 27 at 8 a.m. TUESDAY, DEC. 25 PUBLIC HOLIDAY: Most businesses and government offices are closed today. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26 DASHING THRU THE SAND: The annual Dashing Thru the Sand run will be held this morning at 7:30 a.m. at Seven Mile Public Beach. SERVICES HELD: St. George’s Anglican Church hosts services for St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr at 8 a.m. NORTH SIDE GARDEN PARTY: All are invited to North Side on Boxing Day for food, fun and fellowship at the annual Garden Party at William Pouchie Memorial United Church, 815 North Side Road, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Enjoy live music, fun, fellowship, children’s games. To help raise funds, the church will offer for sale seafood, barbecue chicken, sides, desserts and much more. THURSDAY, DEC. 27 SERVICES HELD: St. George’s Anglican Church hosts services for St. John Apostle and Evangelist 8 a.m. DVDL OFFICE CLOSURE: Breakers and West Bay DVDL offices closed to the public. ST. IGNATIUS ALUMNI SOCIAL: All St. Ignatius graduates and former students are invited to attend the schools’ annual Christmas Social today at 7 p.m. at Sunset House on South Church Street. Anyone who ever attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help or St. Ignatius School is welcome. Catch up with friends, swap stories, and enjoy the sea breeze! FRIDAY, DEC. 28 SERVICES HELD: St. George’s Anglican Church hosts Holy Innocents Mass and Children’s Fun Day at 10 a.m. SATURDAY, DEC. 29 CUSTOMS COLLECTION OFFICE CLOSURE: Customs’ collection office will be closed today. SUNDAY, DEC. 30 SERVICES HELD: St. George’s Anglican Church hosts The First Sunday after Christmas services at 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. SINGSPIRATION/ WATCHNIGHT: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, 7 p.m. MONDAY, DEC. 31 IMMIGRATION HOLIDAY CLOSURE: The Immigration Department headquarters, including public counters and the passport and visa offices, will close to the public at 11:30 a.m. NAU HOLIDAY CLOSURE: The Needs Assessment Unit offices on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac will be closed from noon today. Both offices will be closed tomorrow, Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day and resume normal hours from Wednesday, Jan. 2. AGRICULTURE OFFICE CLOSURE: The Department of Agriculture sales section will be open from 8 a.m. until noon. NWDA HOLIDAY CLOSURE: The National Workforce Development Agency office will close to the public today from noon. DVDL OFFICE CLOSURE: DVDL Crewe Road Office open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Breakers and West Bay office closed. HEALTH CENTRE HOLIDAY HOURS: Health Services Authority George Town General Practice Clinic will be open. Acute care clinic open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. West Bay Health Centre closes at 2 p.m.; Bodden Town Health Centre closes at 4 p.m. (Doctors Clinic open 1-4 p.m.); North Side Health Centre closes at 2 p.m.; East End Health Centre Doctors Clinic will be 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. George Town Dental Clinic closed. TUESDAY, JAN. 1 PUBLIC HOLIDAY: Most businesses and government offices closed today. HEALTH CENTRE CLOSURE: All Health Services Authority District Heath Centres, the George Town General Practice Clinic, the Specialist Clinic and other outpatient services including the Eye Clinic, Phlebotomy Lab, Physiotherapy and Radiology services will be closed. The pharmacy will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The 24-hour Accident & Emergency Unit at the Cayman Islands Hospital will remain open. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 2 DVDL OFFICE CLOSURE: All locations closed for staff training. AGRICULTURE OFFICE CLOSURE: The Department of Agriculture sales section closed for inventory. THURSDAY, JAN. 3 AGRICULTURE OFFICE CLOURE: The Department of Agriculture sales section closed for inventory. GENERAL INTEREST SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Be a volunteer for athlete training at Truman Bodden Sports Complex. Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. for track, bocce and football, and Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. for basketball. Swimming on Wednesdays at the Lions Pool 10-11 a.m. or on Saturdays at the Cayman International School pool, 9:30 a.m. Email soci@ candw.ky or call 916-2600. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. ART OPEN CANVAS: At KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay, Wednesdays 7-11 p.m. Artists of all levels are welcome to come and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Includes use of easels, lights, space, beverage ticket. No fee. For more information, contact info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Adult Open Studio available to those who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere. Wednesdays for adults, 9 a.m. till noon. Thursdays Adults and Youth, 10 a.m. till noon. Watler House Art Studio, Pedro St. James. Fee is $5/$15 or Ceramics. $15 pp/$25 pp non-members. Includes use of studio, glazes and ceramic tools. Clay available $30 per bag/fee for kiln usage. To register, call 546-9422 or email info@visualartcayman.com. SEAFARERS HALL: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association wishes to inform the community that the hall is now available for rent every day of the week, including Saturdays, as the church is no longer contracted with the association at 11 Victory Avenue, Prospect. THRIFT SHOP: One Dog At A Time’s “New To You” Thrift Shop is open Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shop is at Unit 26 at the warehouses on Bodden Road, which runs down the side of Kirk Home Store to the old screen print place. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary Street. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. CHRISTMAS CHURCH SERVICES CHRISTMAS EVE, MONDAY, DEC. 24: ■■ Stella Maris Catholic Church (Cayman Brac): Mass, 4 p.m. ■■ St. Ignatius Catholic Church: Children’s Christmas Play, 5:15 p.m. ■■ St. Ignatius: Children’s Mass, 6 p.m. ■■ Elmslie Memorial United Church: Joint Charge Candlelight Service, 6:30 p.m. ■■ Safe Harbour Lutheran Church: Lessons and carol service on the beach at Sunset Cove (behind the Margarita- ville Resort, off West Bay Road), 6.30 p.m. ■■ St. Alban’s Church of England, Shedden Road: Christmas Eve Fes- tival of Lessons and Carols, 7 p.m. ■■ John Gray Memorial Church, West Bay: Service at 7 p.m., caroling at 8:15 p.m. ■■ Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church, West Bay: Carol service, 7:30 p.m. ■■ Christ the Redeemer: Mass, 8 p.m. ■■ St. George’s Anglican Church: Christmas Eve Carols and Mass, 10:45 p.m. ■■ St. Ignatius: Carol service, 11 p.m. ■■ St. Ignatius: Midnight Mass CHRISTMAS DAY, TUESDAY, DEC. 25 ■■ St. Ignatius Catholic Church: Mass, 8 a.m. ■■ St. George’s Anglican Church: Mass, 8 a.m. ■■ Savannah United Church, Bodden Town: Service, 8 a.m. ■■ Elmslie Memorial United Church: Service, 9 a.m. ■■ William Pouchie Memorial Church, North Side: Service, 9 a.m. ■■ Gun Bay United Church, East End: Service, 9:30 a.m. ■■ Christ the Redeemer: Mass, 9:45 a.m. ■■ St. Ignatius: Mass, 10 a.m. ■■ Safe Harbour Lutheran Church: Service at the South Sound Community Centre, 10 a.m. ■■ John Gray Memorial Church, West Bay: Service, 10 a.m. ■■ Webster Memorial Church, Bodden Town: Service, 11 a.m. ■■ East End United Church: Service, 11 a.m. ■■ Church of God Universal: Service, 11 a.m. ■■ Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, West Bay: Service, 11 a.m. ■■ St. Ignatius: Mass, 11:30 a.m.Next >