SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY DECEMBER 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Mary Poppins is back Emily Blunt seems to suit the umbrella perfectly B2 Faces & Places Travel ■ EVENTS Happy New Year! The island prepares to ring in 2019 with parties galore. B4 New Year’s Eve Traditions From broken crockery to 12 grapes at midnight, all is revealed B3 Living on the EDGE The lowdown on Celebrity Cruises’ brand new ship B6 PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CAYMAN WEEKENDER Happy New Year! High of 86 Low of 74 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 2018: THE YEAR IN LETTERS ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY DECEMBER 28, 2018 $ 399 MEALDEALS MONDAY - SATURDAY 9pcs MIXED , 2 Sides & 5 BISCUITS NEW FAMILY SUNDAY 2018 in photos Throughout 2018, photogra- phers, reporters and readers of the Cayman Compass took thou- sands of photographs which were considered for publication in the newspaper. Some of the photos recorded major events, such as the arrival of a new governor, the landing of a new Cayman Airways jet or the an- nual marathon. Others documented quirkier events, like the deputy gov- ernor scaling a YMCA ropes course, or England football supporters en- tranced by a World Cup semifinal match at a local bar. Still others captured images of local weather at its wildest, such as a lightning bolt lighting up George Town or huge waves crashing into downtown George Town. For more of the best photos that ran in the Compass this year, turn to pages 6 and 7. Art leads the way as KAABOO site evolves MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Lauren Youngsmith had wanted to paint a lizard for some time. Inspired by Cayman, she fi- nally did it earlier this month. Ms. Youngsmith, of Los An- geles, is the paint-gun wielding muralist responsible for the tow- ering image on the KAABOO Cayman festival site off of Es- terley Tibbetts Highway, just north of the Kimpton Seafire re- sort. The painting is of a girl who sees herself reflected in a hand mirror as an other- worldly iguana. “I think I’m going to call it ‘Lizard Soul,’” said Ms. Young- smith, looking up at the five, stacked shipping containers on which she’d painted the mural. She said she was inspired by the idea of people im- bibing the souls of animals that surround them. “I think everyone should have a space lizard as a soul,” she said with a smile. The lizard mural is just one side of the stacked containers. There are several other, smaller configurations of containers nearby. All are painted. Some have swaths of marine-like colors that were painted by Aman- dalynn, the mononymous artist responsible for the KAABOO mu- rals at Camana Bay, and who is curating the murals for the fes- tival grounds. She called her Cayman-flavored decorative de- signs “Amanda’s oceanic phase.”KAABOO mural artists Elle Streetart, Lauren Youngsmith and Amandalynn at the KAABOO grounds in mid-December. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 » Deputy Governor Franz Manderson stands triumphantly on the first landing area after scaling the YMCA’s ropes course ladder in April. Martyn Roper and his wife Elisabeth step off a Cayman Airways flight from Miami in October. Later that day, Mr. Roper was sworn in as the 14th governor of the Cayman Islands. – PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY DECEMBER 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Relax under the stars with a feast for 4 from Chicken! Chicken! or an Artisan Pizza from Cimboco. Relax under the stars From All of Our Sta • 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. - FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) MARY POPPINS RETURNS (PG) 12:50 I 3:50 I 6:45 I 9:45 SUN: 3:00 I 6:45 I 9:45 AQUAMAN (PG13) 12:45 VIP I 2:05 3D I 3:45 I 6:35 VIP 8:00 I 9:40 3D SUN: 2:05 3D I 3:30 I 6:35 VIP I 8:00 9:40 3D MORTAL ENGINES (PG13) 12:40 3D I 3:40 I 6:50 SUN: 4:00 I 6:50 ELLIOT THE LITTLEST REINDEER (PG) 12:15 I 4:50 SUN: 4:50 BUMBLEBEE (PG13) 1:00 I 3:55 VIP I 7:00 3D I 9:25 I 9:50 VIP SUN: 2:45 I 7:00 3D I 9:25 I 9:50 VIP SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (PG) 5:20 I 9:50 SUN: 5:20 I 9:50 THE GRINCH (PG) 2:30 I 7:05 SUN: 2:30 I 7:05 KIDS CLUB: THE POLAR EXPRESS (G) 10:00 (SAT ONLY) caymanfirst.comcaymanfirst.comcaymanfirst.comcaymanfirst.comcaymanfirst.com WISHING YOU ALL THE JOY OF THE SEASON AND HAPPINESS THROUGHOUT 2019! ‘Christmas for Kids’ celebrated Cayman 27 and the De- partment of Children and Family Services teamed up again this month for the 24th Christmas for Kids event, bringing together more than 100 children who are within the social service program. The fun-filled day in- cluded arts and crafts, sports, food, a visit and pres- ents from Santa, and finished up with a trip to the cinema. Shawna Marshall from Hurley’s Media, which owns Cayman 27, said, “Christmas for Kids is a great occasion to give back to local children of all ages whom may not oth- erwise have an opportunity to experience these holiday festivities.” This year, Cayman 27 do- nated $9,779.28 to the de- partment. The money was used to purchase Christmas gifts for children in the com- munity, including in Cayman Brac, and for other programs throughout the year. Paulinda Mendoza Wil- liams, director of the Depart- ment of Children and Family Services, said the event is al- ways a great success with the children. OBITUARY Lifelong educator Joanna Clarke passes JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Joanna Clarke, the life- long educator who inspired the creation of the Joanna Clarke Excellence in Educa- tion Award, has died. She passed away at the Cayman Islands Hospital on Monday, Dec. 24, after a long illness. She was 85 years old. Born July 24, 1933, to John and Eva Clarke, Ms. Clarke began her teaching career at Friendship Primary School in Westmoreland, Jamaica. She traveled from Jamaica in 1964 and spent more than five decades teaching in the Cayman Islands govern- ment schools. She taught at Savannah and George Town Primary schools and then moved on to become a language arts adviser at the Department of Education. She retired from education in 1993 but con- tinued her service to the young people of these islands. “We were best friends and I can’t get over it,” said Eloise Seymour. “It breaks my heart … my son Don had built a foundation for her with the excellence award.” Another friend, Theoline Wellington, said Ms. Clarke will be greatly missed. When Ms. Clarke first came to Cayman, she stayed with Ms. Wellington at her home and they developed a bond. “She was mostly involved in the church and spent most of her time speaking at many of the church[es] on the is- land,” Ms. Wellington said. “Ms. Clarke was one of the most influential people in my life,” said DMS’s Don Seymour, a former student who knew her for more than 40 years. “I first met her in primary school in the old Savannah school house that is now a national treasure. I [had] a severe stutter and although Miss Clarke had no special- ized training in stuttering, she took the time during her lunch breaks and whenever she could to teach me how to talk. She would also get the older kids like Mark Scotland, Ol- ivaire Watler, Liz McLaughlin and others to do their part teaching me how to talk and read,” Mr. Seymour said. In 2007, Mr. Seymour es- tablished the Joanna Clarke Excellence in Education Award in his former teacher’s honor and to recognize the ef- forts of all people and organi- zations that contribute to edu- cation in the Cayman Islands. “I owe Ms. Clarke an enor- mous debt of gratitude for- ever, because without her I would have lost the opportu- nity to learn,” he said. Ms. Clarke lived an ex- traordinary life of service to her community and contrib- uted greatly to the churches in these islands. She was a committed Christian and actively involved in the works of the church. She served as Sunday school teacher and lay preacher, con- ducted Bible study classes, and assisted with bringing the message of God on “The Gospel of the Kingdom Echoes” weekly broadcast on Radio Cayman. Despite not having any children of her own, her spirit was amazingly up- lifting for children. “She beamed with pride when she talked about her former students, whether Sunday School or primary school, or Cub Scouts,” said her niece Judith Witter. The funeral service for Ms. Clarke will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Red Bay Church of God on Lord’s Way. Viewing will take place Friday, Jan. 4, at Bodden’s Funeral Home at 5-7 p.m. Interment will be at the Prospect Cemetery. Governor invites honors nominations Nominees will be recognized at Queen’s birthday celebrations Governor Martyn Roper is inviting members of the public to submit nominations for the Cayman Islands Cer- tificate and Badge of Honour. Recommendations for the Certificate and Badge of Honour are considered lo- cally and successful nom- inees normally are recog- nized at Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday celebrations. Nomi- nations must be supported by a detailed description of the nominee’s achievements. Details of how to prepare nominations can be found at www.gov.uk/honors and the nomination form is available by clicking on the icon on the right side of the front page of www.gov.ky. Once completed, the forms should be submitted to the Governor’s Office. Governor Roper will review all the nomina- tions before recommending candidates to the Royal, Cer- emonial and Honours Unit in the Foreign and Common- wealth Office in London. For more information, contact the Governor’s Office at staffoff@candw.ky. Joanna Clarke passed away at the Cayman Islands Hospital on Christmas Eve. She was 85. Members of the Hurley’s media team present a check to representatives of the Children and Family Services Department.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY DECEMBER 28, 2018 Setting a new standard for luxury residential development in the Cayman Islands. Disclaimer : FIN Grand Cayman features and amenities are based on current development plans and concepts and are subject to change without notice. Some services and amenities are subject to service-based fees or homeowner fees. fin@fingrandcayman.com + 1 345 326 1400 FIN.cayman fingrandcayman Reserve your private tour and discover the last word in luxury Two to four bedroom residences priced from USD $1.8M Private beach and salt water lagoon Owners’ lounge, wine room, and butler's kitchen Owners’ yacht and other five-star amenities Private underground parking and private residence entry Glass-bottom pool, spa and fitness centre FIN Environment Project in partnership with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation ART DECO INSPIRED OCEANFRONT RESIDENCESThe 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. FRIDAY DECEMBER 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS To support the free exchange of ideas about current is- sues of public import, the Compass publishes letters to the editor submitted by community leaders and readers with perspectives to share. Today, we repub- lish excerpts from some of the more notable letters of 2018. Spend the people’s money wisely (Jan. 8) Government must wise up and put our people first. Do you hear their cry for a better way of life? We have the money to do just that. Northward Prison cannot hold all the people that will turn to crime – people who are losing their homes, people with families to feed, people that come out of jail with nowhere to go and no job, people that come out of school without a proper education, no house, no land, no plan and no real help or direction from government, with a lot of others that are already on social services. We need to pay better attention to our people – not just our Cayma- nian people. Even people from the outside world are here with us in hard poverty. Employment, ed- ucation, upliftment, bet- terment, happiness and respect – these are some of the things affecting the Cayman people. We must demand to live better, and that we come first always on these islands. … We need to support our children more and give them better chances to have a good trade and be internationally edu- cated. Our people have worked so hard in the past to bring Cayman to where she is today. In these times of plenty, our people must live better in all ways. Emile S. Levy Items trigger fond memories of Cayman (Jan. 31) This is not the usual letter to the editor dealing with the current issues of the day in Cayman; this one comes from someone who lived in Grand Cayman for more than 25 years and still remembers the place, and many of its people, fondly. In par- ticular, I refer to a time, memory says 2003, when I was heading up Pi- rates Week where one of our projects was an an- nual Arts Competition in the schools. That year, the East End School won the competi- tion with a painting on plexiglass depicting Cay- man’s abundant marine life and wildlife, and, to my surprise, the teacher involved telephoned the Pirates Week office to say that the class had decided to give me the painting as a gift. It is a beau- tiful piece of art, indeed eye-catching, and almost every creature in Cayman is captured there in a va- riety of colors and shapes. I was delighted to have it and it hung in my house in Northward, just inside the front door, so that it often caught my eye as I entered or left, always re- minding me of that ges- ture from the children. Today it hangs on the grillwork in my home in Guyana, in a place where the daylight shines through the plexiglass, lighting up the painting, and I often end up hap- pily explaining to visi- tors the what and the why of the piece. The children who gave me their art are all grown up now, but I am writing this letter from far away to tell them how much joy their gift has given me and what wonderful memories of Cayman it still triggers in me after all these years. In Guyana, I have sev- eral things around me re- lating to Cayman – the latest being a print of a beautiful Seven Mile Beach sunset photo very kindly sent to me by the photographer David Goddard. They are constant re- minders of a time and a place where I spent the biggest part of my life, and on a day when I am caught up with other mat- ters I will notice these things and remember the Cayman that gave me so much. So this is to say thank you, East End; you remain with me. Dave Martins A marvelous start to an unforgettable day (Feb. 28) One of our greatest joys in Grand Cayman was to meet Police Con- stable Fabian O’Connor at the wharfside. Jim and I were looking puzzled when Fabian greeted us and directed us to nearby Café del Sol to enjoy coffee and the use of the free in- ternet to contact friends who were at their home awaiting our arrival. I was able to get their phone number and Fabian made the call for us. He did this all with his characteristic joy and happiness. Fabian’s “Cayman Smile” and friendliness was a marvelous start to a very happy day as our friends toured us around your beautiful island. The weather, the beaches, the history, the food and mostly the friendliness we experienced there will be one of our happiest cruise memories. Incidentally, we later met Satan at Hell. Imagine meeting St. Fabian and the devil in one very full, un- forgettable day! Margaret and Jim Steel Calgary, Alberta Proud of Cayman’s generosity (March 6) Along with many others, we spent a couple of hours on a re- cent Saturday shaking a tin to support Cayman HospiceCare. In our two-hour stint, we saw and chatted to many old friends who we had not seen for some time. What particularly impressed us, however, was the generosity of the Cayman residents. It was clear that many of the contribu- tors did not have ”a bean to rub together” but still contributed. There were others who were do- nating a second time to this very worthy cause. When there is so much bad news about, we found shaking a tin a very uplifting experi- ence. If you get an op- portunity to do it in the future, we would rec- ommend it. It will make you feel good. Peter and Janet Yates Government is right to cull Sister Islands’ feral cats (March 21) The government was right to cull feral cats in the Sister Islands in- stead of iguanas. The feral cats eat wildlife. I do not know how many times feral cats were on my property. The judge was wrong. All the feral cats I find on my prop- erty, I will give them to the government. I want birds and wildlife on my property, not cats. Gerry Quirk Disgusted by untreated medical waste (May 16) Fiercely disgusting and outrageous, the dis- posal of biohazardous medical waste at the Cayman Brac dump on South Side! The dump on the South Side at the foot of the Bluff – Queen’s Crown Land – has been a bone of contention for the past 30 years. Like the underground fires that smoulder and break out from time to time on these neglected and dangerous acres, the dumping of untreated medical waste in red plastic biohazard bags, free to any foragers – chickens, people, feral animals, birds and in- sects – is a crime being purveyed to the popula- tion of Cayman Brac. It’s well past time that the Cayman Islands Gov- ernment’s Department of Environmental Health fi- nally put paid to the long- simmering issue of the Brac’s abysmal landfill and its poisonous smoke polluting the sweet air. And past time, too, that the Cayman Compass in- vests in an office and tal- ented reporter on Cayman Brac to deal with all the economic issues that af- fect the Brac, such as the two abandoned and neglected hotels on the southwest end of the is- land. Alas, the irrespon- sibility of the Depart- ment of Environmental Health is staggering. Nan Socolow North Sound stench (July 23) On Tuesday morning at about 6 a.m., I was riding my bicycle – it’s not safe to ride any other times of the day. My little meditation and peacefulness routine is to stop by the North Sound at Britannia. I have not been there in several weeks. The stench from the dump was so dis- gusting. I had my shirt across my face since I will do all that I can to brave it out wherever I am. I could not even last 30 seconds with my face covered. The smell nearly asphyxiated me. I saw a jogger and wondered how he was able to withstand the stench. I spent several months in Africa and never en- countered anything like the effects of the dump we have here. Have we truly reached Third World? Lorrie Furniss Choudhury investigation must run its course (July 27) In response to re- cent media coverage sur- rounding the withdrawal of Governor Choudhury to London, pending the out- come of a conduct inves- tigation, we would like to provide an update. The investigation pro- cess is being carried out in accordance with es- tablished procedures in the Foreign and Common- wealth Office. The FCO has robust policies and proce- dures in place and works hard to ensure that all staff can raise complaints in the confidence that they will be taken extremely seriously and acted upon. Procedures are in place to ensure that investiga- tions into any member of staff are conducted in a manner that is fair to all. It is normal for these in- vestigations to take some time to complete to enable a full and accurate pic- ture to be acquired. It is not possible at this stage to provide a clear assess- ment of the time it will take to complete. Until a conclusion is reached, it would be in- appropriate and unfair to the staff involved, in- cluding Mr. Choudhury, for the Governor’s Office, Cayman Islands Govern- ment or the FCO to com- ment on the nature of the allegations. We are aware of the rumors circulating in the community but we will not be responding to these. While we under- stand the public interest in this issue, we must re- spect the privacy of all parties involved. … Please be assured that we will provide fur- ther updates on the situ- ation as soon as we are able to do so in a manner that upholds the fair- ness and integrity of the investigation. Franz Manderson, Acting Governor; Matthew Forbes, Head of Governor’s Office Seven Mile Beach restaurants will be missed (Aug. 9) I read with dismay about the eventual closing of Calico Jack’s, Royal Palms and Hemingways. We had heard rumors it would happen when we were on the island in June. Where will all the vis- itors to Seven Mile Beach go for food and drink? If memory serves me cor- rectly, if you take out Calico Jack’s, Royal Palms and Hemingways, and with Tiki Beach gone, there is nowhere to stop for refreshments from the Marriott to the Kimpton, except for hotels like the Westin and Ritz and any new hotels on the drawing board. Considering that the hotels have “trouble” now with beach visitors using their chairs and facilities, those facilities are going to be even more attractive because they will be the only place visitors can get a drink or food. Will those hotels welcome all the cruisers and visitors and allow them to use their beach chairs, etc., all day if food and drink is pur- chased? Will they tolerate hundreds of cruisers sit- ting on their chairs every day, using their pools and other amenities? Are their guests, who are paying premium rates, going to tolerate sharing those? … Cindy Smith West Des Moines, Iowa Reducing the high cost of living (Aug. 23) Cayman is a world leader in some instances, while an increasing number of persons each year have to go on welfare. Why is this? Cayman is one of the 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” 2018: The year in letters PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 5 »5 OPINION&LETTERS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY DECEMBER 28, 2018 leaders in offshore busi- ness – recently I read we had lost 7.8 percent of our business to outsourcing. We must address the is- sues we face now. Cayman is blessed. We still have a population of perhaps 65,000, but it must happen now, before we reach the 100,000 mark. In Singapore, one of the countries that is at- tracting our compa- nies, the cost of living is 44 percent less and the wages 20 percent less than in Cayman. This tells the story. Legislators, please help. Government pres- ently collects a stamp fee on several things (checks, policies, documents, etc.), which probably amounts to an average of 0.5 per- cent to the average con- sumer each month. If government would in- clude bank transactions – electronic transactions, drafts, wires and deposits – going with a minimum figure (for example, .00007 percent), then it could re- move duty from food, gas, diesel, propane and re- duce license fees. This would bring the high cost of living down 25-30 per- cent; all will benefit. Eletta Soto Give people a say in cruise berthing project (Aug. 28) The proposed cruise berthing project and the potential consequences have the ability to nega- tively impact the future of the Cayman Islands. It will be the largest and most expensive capital works project in Cayman’s history. As a result, the environmental, financial and socioeconomic con- cerns must be addressed as a matter of national importance. Transparency, objec- tivity and a sound local approach by our leaders, the pro-port lobbyists and the large numbers of con- cerned citizens and resi- dents is necessary in this national discussion. Ul- timately, we all want to live in a clean, safe, vi- brant and successful Cayman Islands. … The lack of relevant and substantive com- munication/consultation with the public, which is best described as a lack of transparency by CIG, re- sults in legitimate concern that the public will be left paying the final tab if the project goes ahead. … A project of this mag- nitude, which will likely be closer to CI$300-400 million in final costs, must not be driven or decided upon by pro-port lobby- ists and the politicians they control. This type of major decision requires a national referendum. I encourage the voting public and residents to stand up, speak out and continue to pub- licly ask questions and hold all MLAs account- able. Ultimately, all Cay- manians, residents and businesses, including cor- porate Cayman, must unite against these types of poor and expensive de- cisions in order to guard against potential fiscal and environmental mis- management …. Johann Moxam Cars are an eyesore (Sept. 25) Despite promises made by previous ministers re- garding the prohibition of vehicles being offered for sale along the side of our thoroughfares, the ever-growing car lot on West Bay Road, opposite Queen’s Court, is an eye- sore and certainly lowers the tone of the area. That particular stretch was subject to beauti- fication by the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman a few years back and cer- tainly not with the inten- tion of providing shade by the palm trees for the cars between which they are parked. Derek Haines Managing downtown traffic flows (Oct. 23) I congratulate Lee Maragh on his thoughtful discussion on the Hon. Osbourne Bodden’s sug- gestions for reducing con- gestion (“Seek solutions to traffic congestion,” Oct. 18). This is a debate which all Caymanians and the working population should be contributing to. In principle, I do not oppose the building of the new cruise terminal, but having worked in George Town for nearly 40 years, I can say that the influx of a large number more cruise passengers to George Town would make the problem of getting to and leaving from work there a complete nightmare. I have two suggestions, one immediate, the other more long term: The first is that no cruise ship passengers should be landed before 9 a.m. and disembarked after 4 p.m. (Cayman time unless we adopt Daylight Saving Time). To state the obvious, this will en- able people who work in George Town to get to and from work without having to negotiate around cruise passengers who think we drive on the “wrong” side of the road. The second is that we anticipate some of the in- creasing passenger re- ceipts to build multi- story car parks on roads leading off the south end of West Bay Road, the east end of Shedden Road and the west end of South Church Street or Walkers Road or wherever prop- erty is still affordable. These would be free for parking between 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., but to dis- courage use for overnight parking that would cost the same as long-term parking at the airport. There would be free buses between the parks circu- lating George Town Cen- tral from the car parks at frequent or less intervals, depending on demand. There is time to imple- ment these and the ac- ceptable suggestions of the Hon. Osbourne and Mr. Maragh and, hope- fully, many others. But if this potential problem is not addressed as a pri- ority, it could well result in more and more busi- nesses moving to Camana Bay and our historic cap- ital becoming a ghost town for anything more than restaurants, jewelry stores and T-shirt shops. In my view, that is unacceptable. Ian Boxall Legalize numbers games (Oct. 30) … I have read of the plans in the upcoming November sitting of the Legislative Assembly to increase penalties for il- legal gambling quite sig- nificantly from where the old laws have these tar- iffs currently, and this gives me great cause for concern …. For those who may not be aware, the numbers game has been entrenched in these islands for many years now (for 40-plus years, Belizean, Hon- duran and, more recently, Jamaican numbers are played), and many at the lower economic spectrum in Cayman benefit daily from their little winnings – church people play, po- lice play, courts staff play, prison officers play, and lawyers, doctors, politi- cians and civil servants play. All people play! Let’s be real and honest here. To stiffen these penal- ties now, we run the risk of criminalizing many otherwise law-abiding cit- izens in Cayman. Is this our goal? The prison is al- ready full of our people, in many cases, for trivial matters. It also will take up more police and court time away from se- rious crimes and issues in these islands that are more deserving of their attention …. Folks, maybe, just maybe, a light bulb will go off in someone’s head after reading this, and stop this waste of judi- cial and legislative effort to criminalize more of our people. All progressive countries in the world have national lotteries, or some form of chance to improve one’s lot in life through scratch cards or buying numbers. I rest my case on this for now and will sit back and wait with interest on what transpires in the upcoming sitting in No- vember. The debate on this level of hypocrisy should be quite interesting. Osbourne Bodden A tourist’s view of the great iguana cull (Nov. 5) In the last few days I’ve seen an increase of armed men on the road- side, on roundabouts, among the bushes and, in some cases, in the middle of the road, armed with an assortment of what can only be described as “iguana guns” – ranging from a 6-foot tree branch with a loop of fishing twine attached to the end to a ferocious-looking 20- foot gaff. These men, of course, are the newly li- censed iguana hunters re- cently set up by the gov- ernment to reduce the numbers of green in- vaders – yes, “aliens.” The non-native green iguana population has ex- ploded in numbers, giving the ever-opportunistic Caymanian a chance to make a small fortune! Ap- parently, a good iguana hunter can capture a hun- dred a day and, at $5 per head, it seems like a great way to make some easy money. Last week, I had the chance to join in with the capture of a few “tree chickens.” I can tell you, it’s not as easy as it looks! The iguanas are intelli- gent and learn fast. Scam- pering up the nearest tree with surprising speed, they crawl into the top- most palm fronds and seemingly disappear. If or when the hunter manages to knock one from the tree without gaffing, snaring or spearing it, then it’s a full-on sprint to catch the lightning-fast lizard be- fore it retreats once again up a tree. Long grass is an advantage to the iguana and it was quite a sight watching full-grown men run around in circles bashing at the grass with improvised iguana clubs, narrowly missing each other, shouting, cursing and blaming one another for the loss of the $5. Stopping in the road Friday morning to let a hunter wielding a 20-foot- long catch pole cross, we watched as he snared a very large iguana. A battle ensued that can only be akin to trying to land a 40-pound mahi mahi out of a tree. We cheered the hunter on and shouted encourage- ment as he wrestled with the mini-Godzilla. This time, the iguana won the battle, snapping the twine and escaping. Dejected but very happy with the job he’s doing, the hunter just laughed and moved on to the next patch of undis- turbed bush. I can see that the first couple of weeks of the iguana cull will pro- duce the most numbers but as the easy ones are picked off, the real work will begin. I just hope that hunters do not clash over prime iguana pro- ducing territory! Giuseppe Rossi Trash in Bodden Town (Nov. 15) Your Friday, Nov. 6 story of the horrible sit- uation of the garbage situation in Cuba (“Ha- vana fights trash problem ahead of 500th anni- versary”) immediately brought to mind our con- dition here in Bodden Town, which threatens to be nearly as bad as that in Cuba. One won- ders how our island, not affected by any embargo, could let our situation de- teriorate to the extent now existing. To add insult to injury, there has been no explanation for the de- lays of up to three weeks at a time, or any notifica- tion to our residents as to when the situation will be regularized. The irony is the slogan touted some time ago, “No garbage in Bodden Town.” Now, my residents, you have it. Patrick C. Broderick Sr. Well-planned development is welcome in Barkers (Nov. 26) As a family we have lived in the Barkers area (not the beach) for almost 50 years, and I have al- ways been amazed that the second best beach on Grand Cayman has gone undeveloped. Getting to Barkers beach used to be quite an excursion as it was little more than a dirt track used mostly by West Bay fishermen. It was a won- derful, peaceful area and I used to ride my horse there. I do believe, how- ever, that one horse cre- ates a lot more sand movement than 100 hu- mans. Nowadays, the main activity on the beach seems to be horse riding. Then came the period of the sand stealers who dug out huge areas of other people’s land, some- times to a depth of 10 to 12 feet. To gain access for their illegal activities, they made the track ac- cessible for their trucks and mechanical diggers. As the area become more accessible by car, the il- legal dumpers started to dump their garbage along the roadside. Then the Mosquito Re- search and Control Unit cut a series of canals throughout the area as part of the mosquito con- trol program and this was like a gift from heaven, with all of these new ca- nals just waiting to be filled with garbage. Then government started to build a new road set back from the beach, with the hope of creating some develop- ment. It is still there, going from nowhere to nowhere. The area also became a haven for illegal activity and wild dogs. At one point, the police used to lock off the area at dusk but that seems to have been stopped. Development of the area is not wrong if it is done properly. Where would Cayman be today without development? Part of Barkers beach is designated as a public park and should remain so. The beach that forms part of the park should be available for all to use without having to step around the garbage and other debris strewn around. That, of course, is where Dart’s money may be needed! The remainder of Barkers beach could be developed, which would mean utilities being ex- tended throughout. Proper lighting and bathroom fa- cilities would be a great addition to the park. Also, having people living in the area should deter some garbage dumping, as one will notice that it all oc- curs beyond Pappagallo. I would hope that the 1,000 odd petitioners in favor of leaving the Barkers area undeveloped will organize themselves into a clean-up party and go to the area once a month to remove the garbage that is regularly dumped there. Neil Cruickshank Excerpts from the year’s notable letters to the editor CONTINUED FROM PAGE 46 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY DECEMBER 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS England supporter Steve Piper and other patrons at Fidel Murphy’s bar in George Town react to the action during the England-Croatia World Cup semifinal match in July. - PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER FLETCHER Heavy equipment is loaded off RFA Mounts Bay during an emergency-response exercise on Governors Beach in June. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS Jeffrey Jackson spins the wheels of his Camaro SS prior to a ‘Drag Warz’ race at the Breakers Speedway in July. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Carnival revelers dance on the waterfront during the CayMAS parade held in May. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The Jolly Roger lies almost on its side on the hardpan in George Town harbor after running aground for the second time in October amid rough seas. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Cayman Islands Fire Service water cannons welcome Cayman Airways’ new Boeing 737 Max 8, which touched down at Owen Roberts International Airport for the first time on Nov. 30. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY 2018 in photos Photos help a newspaper tell its stories, and 2018 proved to be a year filled with many stories and many photo oppor- tunities. The year saw two new governors arrive on island, some spectacular weather, an islandwide iguana cull, colorful festivals, a new Cayman Airways jet joining the national air- line’s fleet, and rough seas that wrought havoc by grounding the pirate-themed Jolly Roger ship in October and inundating George Town with high waves and sargassum seaweed just be- fore Christmas. Here is a selection of some of the best photos the Cayman Compass ran this year. Anwar Choudhury arrives at the Owen Roberts International Airport on March 26 with his wife and daughters, beginning what would be a brief term as the Cayman Islands’ 13th governor. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY DECEMBER 28, 2018 Cailtin Tyson wears the Miss Cayman Islands Universe crown for the first time, after winning the beauty pageant in August. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Lightning streaks across the sky and appears to strike George Town during a spectacular thunderstorm in August. - PHOTO: DREW MCARTHUR Off-road bikers pull wheelies during November’s island-wide motorcycle rally supported by police. – PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER The Cayman Islands Blue Iguana Recovery Program released its 1,000th blue iguana into the wild this summer. The blue iguana in this photo, taken in June, is one of about 170 reptiles living in the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. – PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY Popular cosplay model Joanie Brosas poses as Phoenix from X-Men during the Gamers Bay 3 convention held in September at Camana Bay’s Arts and Recreation Centre. – PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY An 8-foot-tall elephant, made from plastic trash collected by artist Carlo Lee, stands in a field beside the Esterley Tibbetts Highway in July. - PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER FLETCHER Winds and waves battered beaches and businesses along Grand Cayman’s west coast the weekend before Christmas. In this photograph, high waves slam into the George Town waterfront on Dec. 22. Police shut down the waterfront road from the evening of Friday, Dec. 21 to midday on Sunday, Dec. 23. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY. Dorn Hamilton, of Wildlife Research and Control Services, snags a green iguana in November during Grand Cayman’s island-wide cull, which aims to remove 1 million of the invasive lizards from the island. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY Cayman chefs Ayanna Davis-Eden, Bradley McLaughlin, Joshua McLean and Mohyndra Brown represent the Cayman Islands at the Junior Caribbean Duelling Challenge in Barbados in August. – PHOTO: KATIE O’NEILLThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 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. FRIDAY DECEMBER 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Maisie Emalie Ebanks, who passed away on Sunday, December 16, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at Elmslie Memorial United Church, 48 Harbour Dr, George Town on Saturday, December 29, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Dixie Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com 18. 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 NATIONAL MUSEUM CLOSURE: The National Museum will be closed today to conduct its year-end inventory count. It will reopen to the public Wednesday, Jan. 2, with normal business hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 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. MONDAY, DEC. 31 FIREWORKS DISPLAYS: Camana Bay will hold its fireworks display at 8 p.m. Local hotels along Seven Mile Beach will hold their displays at midnight. 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: Many businesses and government offices are 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. WEST BAY FAMILY FUN DAY: West Bay MLA Tara Rivers hosts “Old Time New Year Family Fun Day” at the Ed Bush Field. Noon to 4 p.m. Hula hoops, horseback riding, hopscotch, three- legged races, penny throws, sack races, lime and spoon races, football, bouncy castle, fire truck demo, community demonstrations and performances. Free refreshments. 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 CLOSURE: 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. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. For more information, email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition needed. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Tuesdays, 7:15 p.m. For details, contact Vanessa Gilman at 946-2422, or visit overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor, Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., George Town. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacayman.com. GRAND CAYMAN TOASTMASTERS: Club meets each Thursday 6-7:15 p.m. on 3rd Floor, George Town Public Library. Visitors and guests welcome. Contact George R. Ebanks at 322- 9369 or Grand Cayman Toastmasters club on Facebook. Email info@ toastmastersclub2686.org. THE LIONS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets every first and third Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. Email lionsclubgcm@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Elizabethan Square (corner unit). Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. Visit www.rotarysunrise.ky or info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at The Wharf Restaurant. Projects include promoting well- being of children in the community and schools. Email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. OPTIMIST CLUB: Meets first and third Tuesdays at the Hibiscus Conference Room, Cayman Islands Hospital at 6:30 p.m. Learn more at www.optimistcayman.com. PARENT AND TODDLER PLAY GROUP: For children from 2 weeks to 4 years. Meets Mondays 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the South Sound Community Centre. Children must be accompanied by parent or helper. Toys, activities, light refreshments provided. $6 per session per family. Email sspg@foxwood.ky. HEARTS THROUGH HANDS: Meets Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to noon at The Family Life Centre, Room 10, Academy Way. Women make crafts for charity and missions. Call 946–3067 or 947–1863. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. CHURCH SERVICES SUNDAY, DEC. 30 ■■ Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, Singspiration/Watch Night, 7 p.m. MONDAY, DEC. 31 ■■ Church of God Universal, Walkers Road, Watch Night Service, 10:30 p.m. ■■ Church of God Full Gospel Hall in George Town, Savannah and West Bay, Watch Night Services, 10:30 p.m. ■■ The Church of God Universal, East End, Watch Night Service, 10 p.m. ■■ St. George’s Anglican Church, Watch Night and Feast of the Holy Name Service, 11 p.m. ■■ John Gray Memorial Church, Watch Night Service, 11 p.m. ■■ St. Ignatius Catholic Church, masses at 6 p.m. and at 11 p.m., and a Thanksgiving Eucharistic Adoration at 10 p.m. TUESDAY, JAN 1 ■■ St. Ignatius Catholic Church, mass, 8 a.m. ■■ Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church, mass, 9:45 a.m. The Cayman Islands National Museum will be closed on Saturday, Dec. 29, for its annual inventory count. It will reopen on Jan. 2.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY DECEMBER 28, 2018 Next >