FRIDAY J ANUARY 18, 2019 • CAYMAN COMP ASS Here is ‘Something to Wine About’ Somm elier and stand up come dian Laurie Fors ter to perform at Beach Deck B2 ■MUSIC Young musicians prepare to play for the public at the ARC in Camana Bay . B7 Cayman Youth Orchestra concert CAYMAN WEEKENDER Cayman Youth Orchestra concert EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 CAYMAN PROPERTY: GOOD NEWS FROM THE ‘HOME FRONT’ High of 84 Low of 74 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY JANUARY 18, 2019 $ 3 99 M EAL D EALS MONDAY - SATURDAY 9pcs MIXED , 2 Sides & 5 BISCUITS NEW FAMILY SUNDAY BAM! Emeril cooks up a storm at Andiamo SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com World renowned chef Emeril Lagasse kicked the Cayman Cookout up a notch with a lunch event featuring his famous Cajun and Creole cuisine at An- diamo Thursday. Mr. Lagasse, the star of Food Network programs Emeril Live and Essence of Emeril, cooked a tour de force lunch menu for 75 customers. The event sold out a month in advance. Mr. Lagasse and crew served a seafood gumbo followed by a plate of shrimp remoulade and an entrée of braised veal cheeks with mushrooms and cara- melized onions. The food was paired with JUSTIN Wines from Pasa Robles, California, and monkey bread was served as the final plate. “Hold on to your hats,” said Mr. Lagasse to the audience, “Because it’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans.” ‘No place like home’: Cayman’s residential property boom MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands is a suc- cessful and well-known offshore financial center, as well as a pop- ular tourism hot spot, but eco- nomic growth in recent years has been driven by an entirely dif- ferent industry: construction. The industry expanded by 7.9 percent in 2016 and 7.2 percent in 2017 and, according to the latest available data, it grew 8.5 percent in the first quarter of 2018 – more than twice as fast as the economy as a whole. Despite occasional warnings of a slowdown, construction ac- tivity continues unabated, a trend that is not only reflected in sta- tistics but can be seen all across Grand Cayman. Even as the Esterley Tibbetts highway extension and pedes- trian overpasses at Camana Bay near completion, hotel, commer- cial and residential developments are taking shape all the way from West Bay to East End. The Cayman Compass has counted almost 40 planned or ac- tive residential property develop- ments alone. Most of the activity is concen- trated in the Seven Mile Beach and South Sound areas where the last few remaining beach- front parcels are being picked up to create new hotels and condo- minium complexes. Lack of supply Much of the boom is due to an increase in demand and a dimin- ishing stock of residential proper- ties for sale. In mid-2018, the number of properties listed on the CIREBA multiple listing system was down 7 percent. The brokerage associa- tion’s listing system used to show more than 2,500 properties for sale not so long ago. But as real estate agents Prop- erty Cayman told clients in an ad- visory in early January, currently there are only 1,077 properties available for purchase. More than 500 of these are land parcels for sale and only 290 are apartments and 238 are homes. Cayman realtors Coldwell Banker noted in their mid-year market review of 2018 strong de- mand for residential properties but a lack of supply that meant 4 per- cent fewer sales when compared to the “very strong” previous year. The combination of demand and lack of supply naturally had an effect on prices. The average property sale price in the first half of last year was US$680,000, about 4.5 percent higher than in 2017. And despite lower numbers, the value of all properties listed shot up 29 percent to US$1.85 billion. “But while prices have still been rising over the past six months, they are not rising as quickly now, and in some sectors the gross sales volume is actually down slightly,” the report based on CIREBA data said. Higher prices, in addition to low housing stock, may have been responsible for some of the slow- down in the market. Average house prices stayed flat compared to the previous year, but sales were up both in number (18 percent) and in dollar volume (19 percent). Condominiums, on the other hand, have been fetching ever higher prices, although the number of transactions is de- clining, largely due to supply con- straints in the sought-after Seven Mile Beach corridor, the Coldwell Banker report noted. Developers have jumped onto this trend by buying up the re- maining parcels in the Seven Mile corridor for new construction. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 » A change to zoning rules, allowing for more units per acre, prompted new developments in South Sound such as FIN, a luxury condominium close to George Town. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Chef Emeril Lagasse looks on as bowls of gumbo are prepared Thursday at Andiamo. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY JANUARY 18, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS FREE DELIVERY TO SMB & CAMANA BAY AREA Visiting Specialist will be available for consultation at Novo Clinic, Britcay House 236 Eastern Avenue from 21 January - 8 February, 2019 For appointments please call +1 (345) 746-6082 clinic@novocayman.com Gynecology, Urogynecology, Cosmeti c Gynecology Tel: 949-5383 sales@tomlinsonfurniture.ky www.tomlinsonfurniture.ky 9 Walkers Road | George Town At the 4-Way Stop by GT Hospital A DIVISION OF YMCA HOSTS LEADERS FOR YOUTH CONFERENCE THIS WEEKEND The YMCA’s 4th Annual Leaders for Youth Confer- ence is set to kick off on Saturday, Jan. 19 at St. Ig- natius Catholic School Hall. The official opening takes place in the school hall at 8:30 a.m. with Joel Francis of the Ministry of Youth and Sports delivering his remarks on behalf of the ministry. The theme for this year’s conference is “Special Forces,” described as “bat- tling to inspire the full po- tential within our youth.” The day will train youth workers involved with the YMCA’s programs on topics such as developing the character of teens, charting the course for high school clubs, overcoming chal- lenging behaviors, discov- ering your inner child and understanding children’s temperaments. Over 100 youth workers will be undergoing training during the two-day conference. The conference will welcome oversea pre- senters from Y’s part- ners in Petersburg and Westfield, New Jersey, in leading many of the ses- sions. In addition, several local presenters have pre- pared a variety of topics to go along with the theme “Special Forces.” DOG CHARITY SPONSORS CAR BOOT SALE One Dog At a Time is encouraging people whose homes, garages or cars are overstuffed with things they no longer need to lend a hand to the canine sup- port agency. The charity is spon- soring a car boot sale from 7-10 a.m. Saturday. The cost is $25 per car, with all proceeds going to help rescue and provide medical care for dogs and pups from the pound, as well as assisting with vet- ting and rehoming surren- dered and found dogs. The event is to be held at Kens- ington House on Dr. Roy’s Drive, downtown. Sellers are encouraged to set up in the solar panel-covered parking lot. Government responds to Cuban migrant protest KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government released a statement on Wednesday night in response to a hunger strike launched Tuesday by eight Cuban migrants at the Immi- gration Detention Centre. The Cubans began pro- testing last week over how government is handling their asylum applications. A Cuban asylum applicant on super- vised release from the facility said the protesters believe they have not had their legal rights properly explained to them, they have not received a fair asylum hearing, and they do not have access to channels of communication. Their main fear is being ex- patriated back to Cuba, one mi- grant participating in the pro- test told the Cayman Compass. The protest escalated into a hunger strike on Tuesday after detention center officers searched the detainees’ prem- ises and confiscated their cell- phones, according to the Cuban, who said the officers want to silence the detainees. Government said on Wednesday night that Acting Chief Immigration Officer Gar- field Wong met with the mi- grants last Thursday and committed to addressing their concerns. Officials also confirmed that they confiscated five mo- bile phones, which are pro- hibited for safety and security reasons, from the same group of migrants. “All occupants of the IDC are able to make 10 mins of outgoing phone calls a week on a landline, but can receive in- coming calls 24 hours a day,” government stated. Government added that as soon as the migrants re- fused food, the Prison Ser- vice implemented its protocols for such situations, including close observations and medical checks by Health Services Au- thority staff. “Mindful of the peaceful na- ture of the protest, immigration and prison officers are working closely to de-escalate matters as much as possible,” govern- ment stated. The public protest at the Immigration Detention Centre is the second one held there in the last six months. In July, nine Cubans launched a hunger strike in response to their prolonged detention at the immigration center. At the time, five men in the center had been detained for more than two years. Six others had been detained for more than one year. Later in 2018, the Cubans were released from the deten- tion center under government supervision while their asylum applications were considered. Government stated on Wednesday night that 10 of the migrants who have been here for a long period of time remain on release in the community, and are subject to electronic monitoring. The group of eight pro- testers were among 11 who ar- rived in the Cayman Islands on Sept. 28, when their boat be- came distressed in local wa- ters on the way to Central America. Two persons from the group have already been repa- triated to Cuba, according to government. Campaign groups plan town hall meeting Saturday JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Campaigners for a ref- erendum on the cruise port are hosting a community meeting, bringing together groups working on var- ious related issues including beach access and the pro- posed development of land on the Barkers peninsula. The event “Cayman 2020 – Visualizing Our Future” takes place between midday and 4 p.m. at the South Sound Community Center and will be followed by a screening of “Reberth,” a documentary on the cruise project and the conflict between development and environmental protection in the Cayman Islands. Katrina Jurn, a spokes- person for the referendum campaign and one of the or- ganizers of Saturday’s event, said it would include panel discussions on sustainable tourism and development and coastal heritage as well as question-and-answer sessions and a presentation on the Na- tional Conservation Law. The Central Caribbean Marine In- stitute will also present on coral reef research. Speakers will include so- cial worker Michael Myles, Cayman Islands Tourism As- sociation president Theresa Leacock-Broderick, members of the Save Barkers group, members of the beach access campaign group and Chris- tine Rose-Smyth, the former chair of the National Conser- vation Council. The various groups will also have infor- mation stands at the event. Ms. Jurn said the aim was to bring different community groups together to collaborate and find new ways to bring their messages and sugges- tions to government and help shape the national agenda. She said, “We are hoping it will be the start of a more participatory democracy pro- cess and that the government will embrace community groups, and include our con- cerns and ideas in their plans for the future.” She said many of those involved in the referendum campaign and other commu- nity campaigns were con- cerned about the lack of long- term strategic planning from government., She said, “Cayman 2020 we hope will be the start of a new era of greater commu- nity involvement in building a better Cayman for all citi- zens and residents.” The event is family friendly and open to all. The Immigration Detention Centre in George Town. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The theme for this year’s conference is “Special Forces,” described as “battling to inspire the full potential within our youth.” The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 18, 2019 OPEN THE DOOR TO A WORLD OF LUXURY Disclaimer : FIN Grand Cayman features and amenities are based on current development plans and concepts and are subject to change without notice. Some services and amenities are subject to service-based fees or homeowner fees. THIRDHOME has created a safe community for like-minded second home owners to exchange time at their property for world exploration in a luxurious manner. Through the club you can visit spectacular destinations around the world and never pay rent. In addition to thousands of private homes, yachts, ranches and safari camps, THIRDHOME gives its members access to hundreds of full-service destination clubs, including: The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, The Four Seasons Anguilla and Nanuku Fiji. Mantis Collection is the only hotel group with a presence on all seven continents. A family run collection of award winning, privately owned, five star properties divided into five distinct groups: Boutique Hotels, Game Reserves, Eco Lodges, Ski Lodges and Chalets and Yachts. Mantis Owners Collection is the newest addition to Mantis, joining the well-established Mantis Collection and Mantis eXtreme portfolios. All of the handpicked fully staffed properties represent the finest examples of their kind and celebrate the culture, gastronomy, architecture and nature of the locations in which they are found. Luxury Apartment on the Grand Canal, Venice, ItalyLe Chardon Mountain Lodge, Val d’Isere, France FIN owners will have complimentary memberships to the Mantis Collection, Mantis Owners Collection and THIRDHOME, all exclusive property and travel clubs providing access to luxury accommodations in spectacular destinations around the world. WHERE WILL YOUR HOME TAKE YOU? Find out more about FIN and discover why it has the last word in luxury + 1 345 326 1400 fin@fingrandcayman.com FIN.cayman fingrandcaymanThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion & Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” Today’s front-page article about Cayman’s con- struction industry is the sort of report a CEO would rush to present to his board of directors. After all, who does not like good news? The topline results are this: With three years of robust growth and dozens of projects in progress, development continues to blossom in Cayman – In recent years, the construction sector has grown more than twice as fast as the overall economy. Industry insiders predict that steady skyward tra- jectory to continue. By the Compass’s count, there are nearly 40 planned or active residential property devel- opments in the works, alone, never mind commercial buildings, hotels and other projects. The map of these developments (see the center spread on pages 12 and 13) is a auspicious picture for the contractors, real estate agents, developers, suppliers and tradespeople who earn their living in the property market; for the owners and employees of the shops, restaurants and businesses where they spend their paychecks; and for the community as a whole. Each shovelful of dirt turned over in a ground- breaking ceremony represents more than an abstract idea of “progress” – it is an informed vote of con- fidence in favor of Cayman’s future. With millions of dollars on the line and years of work required to bring a building project from planning to completion, property development is rarely an investment taken lightly or without thorough due diligence. In times that are subject to uncertainty, it is encouraging that so many people are placing such big bets on Cayman. In practical terms, the residential developments (along with hotels and commercial projects) create hundreds of jobs that in turn generate even more positive economic activity. As we have written, private sector growth is absolutely essential if Cayman is to fund government services and mounting public sector liabilities, including unfunded healthcare obligations. Unsurprisingly, many projects are concentrated along Seven Mile Beach and in South Sound – high- value areas that are close to the sea and places of employment. But it is also worth noting the diversity of projects under construction – in type, price-point and geog- raphy. From East End’s Ironwood and the Rum Point Club Residences in North Side to the Residences of Stone Island, The WaterMark and up to the Boggy Sands Club in West Bay, no region of Grand Cayman is being left out of the boom. The changing character of the island’s neighbor- hoods bring substantial challenges, such as neces- sary improvements to vital infrastructure, particu- larly in transportation. It is the remit and responsibility of government, funded through the fees generated by the increased economic activity, to help ease these growing pains through thoughtful planning and sensible, even-handed but not overly onerous regula- tion. The members of our community who take to their bullhorns at the mere suggestion of develop- ment should recognize that even the “modern” Grand Cayman still has plenty of room in which to swing a hammock. In fact, increasing density in core areas satisfies demand from new residents and visitors, while preserving the very real charm and character of outlying districts. Cayman property: Good news from the ‘home front’ The high number of road accidents over the festive pe- riod strongly indicate that the standard of driving by some folks still rarely reaches the level of appalling. On my running travels I see numerous bad habits and I offer some advice as follows: Speeding. Please ob- serve the limit, and also drive according to conditions (weather, traffic etc.). Road signs. Please ob- serve. A STOP sign is not dis- cretionary. What bit of it do you not understand? Maybe a rude word above STOP will help. Imagine it is there. Lights. Use from dusk through dawn and whenever conditions reduce visibility (We need to see you too). Indicators. These are the orange flashing lights on each corner of your vehicle. They work when you move the little stick on your steering column up or down. It helps us to know if you are turning. Traffic islands. If there are two lanes on approach and you are in the nearside or left hand lane you can turn left or go straight on. If you turn right you will be T-boned. If in the offside or right hand lane you can go straight on, turn right or go back on the opposite lanes. You cannot turn left or you will be T-boned. See indicator advice above. Dual carriageways. Un- less overtaking or turning right in the near future, drive in the nearside or left hand lane. Observe the speed limit. Usually 40 mph and, believe it or not, never over 50 mph. Cyclists, runners and pe- destrians. Please give these road users plenty of room when you pass. Slow down, especially when there is on- coming traffic on narrow roads like South Sound. The brake pedal is next to the accelerator. Phones. Please do not use either to speak or text. If you do, your vehicle will behave like windscreen wipers and you will wipe someone out. I will be very cross if it is me. Derek Haines FRIDAY JANUARY 18, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS South Korea’s wrong turn When I give speeches on the importance of public policy, I frequently share data showing that pro-market na- tions are relatively prosperous when compared to countries with statist policies. One of the most dramatic examples is South Korean prosperity versus North Ko- rean deprivation. It’s not that South Korea is perfect. After all, it only ranks 35 according to Eco- nomic Freedom of the World. But that is enough eco- nomic liberty to be in the “most free” category. And this helps to explain why South Korean living standards have climbed dramatically com- pared to the economic hell- hole of North Korea (and you see something similar if you compare Venezuela and South Korea). The jury may still be out, but there is growing evi- dence that South Korea is heading in the wrong di- rection because the nation’s relatively new president is increasing the burden of government. Here are some pas- sages from a report in the Japan Times: “Moon Jae-in began his second full year as South Korea’s president with a re- minder of what did not work in the first – namely his eco- nomic policies …. The self- styled ‘jobs president’ has seen his once sky-high poll numbers tumble … Moon, a progressive, was swept into office in 2017 prom- ising a reversal from the con- glomerate-focused economic agenda of ousted President Park Geun-hye. But his plan to raise the minimum wage 11 percent disappointed … More than three-quarters of the 30 experts surveyed by Bloomberg News last month predicted that employment growth would slow this year, in part because of the wage hike ...’” The article does not even mention that South Korea faces a major demographic challenge. It has a cata- strophically low fertility rate, which means that the tax- and-transfer welfare state will become increasingly un- affordable as the ratio of workers to recipients shifts in the wrong direction. Entitlement reform is the sensible answer to this problem (see Hong Kong, for example). But that is obviously not hap- pening under President Moon. Indeed, he wants to make matters worse by ex- panding the welfare state. Even the New York Times is reporting that Moon’s statist agenda is not working. More taxes, more spending, more regulation, and more intervention. Who does Moon think he is, Barack Obama or Richard Nixon? Let’s close by looking at how South Korea’s economic freedom score has evolved. South Korea’s current score of 7.53 is not much lower than its 7.67 score in 2006. But that slight drop, along with pro-reforms steps that other nations have taken, means that South Korea is now ranked 35 instead of 20. And the current scores are based on policy in 2016, before Moon moved South Korea in the direction of more statism. This does not bode well. Daniel J. Mitchell, chairman of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, is on the Editorial Board of the Cayman Financial Review. Even the New York Times is reporting that Moon’s statist agenda is not working. DANIEL J. MITCHELL LETTER TO THE EDITOR Advice for Cayman’s driversThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 18, 2019 Let’s We are proud to celebrate our recent Career Development Program promotions and CPA exam completions! SaneataSmith has been promoted to Senior Associate in our Assurance group. She joined our CDP as an Associate in August 2016 after graduating from the University of South Florida and working with PwC Tampa. She has completed her CPA examsin December. Suzanne Scott has been promoted to Manager in our Regional Assurance Operations group. Suzanne joined our CDP as a scholarship awardee in 2011. She completed her CPA exams, graduated from Elon College and joined the firm as an Associate in our Assurance group in 2013. She was promoted to Senior Associate in 2015. Cara Leeland has been promoted to Manager in our Assurance group. She has been part of our CDP since 2014 after graduating University of Tampa. She joined the firm as an Associate andwas promoted to Senior Associate in 2017. She completed her CPA exams in January 2018. Jorge Zaldivar has been promoted to Manager in our Tax and Legal Services group. He joined the CDP in2013 after graduating from University College of the Cayman Islands. He joined the firm as an Associate and was promoted to Senior Associate in 2015. Stephanie Hunter has been promoted to Senior Associate in our Assurance group. She was awarded a CDP scholarship in 2012 and joined the firm after graduation from University of Essex in 2016. PwC’s Career Development Program is a great way to launch your career. Find out more about work experience, internship or exam support opportunities by visiting: www.pwc.com/ky/careers celebrate! ©2019PricewaterhouseCoopers, a Cayman Islands partnership. All rights reserved.6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY JANUARY 18, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS RBC has a proud history of servicing the Caribbean. From opening our first branch in 1908 to our present digital transformation journey, RBC remains committed to serving the people and communities of the Caribbean for years to come. Why switch to RBC? With RBC you can bank with confidence knowing your hard-earned money is backed by the largest bank in Canada and one of the safest and strongest financial institutions in the world. You can rest easy knowing your money is safe and working hard for you. RBC allows you to access industry-leading digital and mobile banking platforms so you can do your day-to-day banking transactions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, wherever you might be. Our RBC team draws on the talent and expertise of more than 84,000 employees operating in 36 countries and territories around the world. So you get the expert financial guidance you need to navigate those big life moments like purchasing a home, buying a car, saving for retirement or growing your business. What are you waiting for? To learn more about how RBC can support your personal and business banking needs, speak to an RBC representative or visit an RBC branch. ®/™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. Visit our website at rbc.com/caribbean Make the Switch to RBC Reimagine How You Bank Royal Bank Cayman Special Olympics star named to NBA event MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Championship swimmer Andrew Smilley is now a bas- ketball star. Mr. Smilley, 29, is well known in Cayman circles for his success in the pool, par- ticularly in Special Olympics competitions, where he has won multiple gold medals at international events. In 2015, he switched his focus to basketball. He has just been announced as a member of the Special Olym- pics team that will play with National Basketball Associ- ation athletes as part of an exhibition game connected with the NBA All Star Game. The Special Olympics event will be played at 5 p.m. Feb. 15, in Charlotte, North Caro- lina, with the NBA All Star Game scheduled for 7 p.m. on Feb. 17. Mr. Smilley, who works for Red Sail Sports, is one of only 12 athletes chosen from a worldwide submission of nominees. Six of the players are Americans. The rest are from six other countries. “It means everything to me to represent the Cayman Islands,” Mr. Smilley said. “I’m looking forward to doing my best and working with the team. I can’t wait.” Each team at the event will have six Special Olym- pics athletes and six current or former players from the NBA and WNBA. The athletes will get tickets to the week- end’s All Star game and have the chance to meet and greet NBA and WNBA players. “The only [basketballer] I know is LeBron James,” Mr. Smilley said, “but I don’t know if he’s going.” Fareed Hosein is Mr. Smil- ley’s coach. He said he be- came aware of the NBA event when it was first held four years ago. At that time, there was no Cayman Islands ath- lete that qualified to be nomi- nated. His nomination of Mr. Smilley involved detailing the athlete’s background and it incorporated a video high- lighting Mr. Smilley’s career. Mr. Hosein said he thinks Mr. Smilley’s success in the pool may have helped in the selection process. “His name is kind of known a bit to them,” he said. Mr. Smilley has taken to the court almost as well as he does to the water, Mr. Hosein said. “He’s very good,” he said. “He picked up the game pretty quickly. He’s always kind of played and hung around with us. He plays football too.” Mr. Smilley will be on the Cayman Islands Special Olympics team that travels to Abu Dhabi in March for the World Championships. Mr. Hosein said a contingent of 40 athletes, coaches and chaperones will be going. He estimated it will cost about $100,000 and the organiza- tion is working on raising the last 25 percent of that before the team leaves. He said he’s hoping the at- tention Mr. Smilley gets from the NBA event will bring more attention to the Special Olym- pics effort here in Cayman. “It shows how we’re kind of regarded on the world stage,” he said. “This pro- gram is doing a lot for a lot of athletes.” CAYMAN PREP STUDENT TOPS WORLD IN CAMBRIDGE EXAM MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com For the second time in three years, a Cayman stu- dent has topped one of Cam- bridge International’s AS Level exams. Lucas Burke, a Year 13 student at Cayman Prep, had the world’s highest score in the travel and tourism exam he took in June 2018. In 2016, Derricka Neysmith also had the world’s best score on the test. Dan Baker teaches travel and tourism and business at Cayman Prep. “We’re really pleased,” Mr. Baker said of the suc- cess of the students. “We’re quite a small department, but it shows kids can do really well. In some ways [the sub- ject] is undervalued, because it is a good qualification.” Mr. Baker’s yearlong courses are relatively popular at Cayman Prep. This year, he said he has 15 students in the class. The government schools, he said, offer “some version” of the subject, but Cayman Prep’s course is one of the few offered on the island. Students in the course have to create their own travel agency and plan an event to promote tourism. “Lucas is part of a really successful group,” Mr. Baker said. “They were acting like tour guides.” Officials at Cambridge In- ternational would not pro- vide a figure for the number of students who took the travel and tourism exam, one of many subject exams the agency offers. They did say that the tests are given in 134 countries with more than 545,000 subject entries per year. The Top in the World award is its most prestigious award, they said. Andrew Smilley, a star in the pool, is making a name for himself on the basketball court. Lucas Burke7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 18, 2019 SECURE YOUR PROPERTY WITH THE BEST DEALS IN SURVEILLANCE CAMERA SYSTEMS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ON ISLAND . The Security Centre has three exceptional CCTV deals that just can’t be matched. 3 The Gold Standard: a complete digital, four camera IP system – precision viewing at just $1799 The Security Centre guarantees that we will beat any price on a comparable system. Call the Security Centre for your demo today at 949-0004 or visit us online at security.ky 2 The Eagle Eye Special: a high-definition system perfect for the home and small businesses - $1549 All systems offer mobile device access - so you can check on your property remotely. bring an existing security camera system into high-definition – using existing cabling - at just $999 1 The Phoenix HD Upgrade: Statistics show variety of court cases CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com From almost 6,000 traffic tickets to over 300 divorce petitions, Cayman’s court system dealt with a myriad of cases in 2018. The numbers and kinds of issues heard were revealed on Wednesday when Chief Justice Anthony Smellie gave his an- nual report at the ceremonial opening of Grand Court. In addition to a table of ju- dicial and court statistics, the Chief Justice released a re- port on the Summary Courts, provided by Chief Magis- trate Nova Hall. Taken all together, and with commentary by other speakers, the data presented gives a com- prehensive picture of the work undertaken by Cayman’s judges and magistrates, along with ad- ministrative and support staff. The 316 divorce peti- tions comprised the largest number ever filed in one year, the Chief Justice said. They were heard in the Grand Court Family Division. “Allowing those cases to run the gauntlet of contested trial is seldom in the best interest of the families involved,” he noted. “Mediation is a better alterna- tive to which we are committed.” He added that several of the judges are in fact being certified as mediators to assist this pre- ferred process. Cases in the Grand Court Criminal Division are usu- ally widely publicized, given that they deal with commu- nity safety and social issues. Charges before the court last year ranged from murder and rape to burglary and alleged thefts by business owners. The 71 indictments concluded during the year was “about on par” with previous years, but 147 other indictments, the largest number ever, had to be carried over. Cases in the Grand Court Civil Division were summa- rized by Acting Attorney Gen- eral Reshma Sharma when she moved the motion for the court opening. The 262 matters in this division, including Admiralty, last year “ranged from chal- lenges to the constitutionality of various legislative provisions, discrimination under the Bill of Rights …, asylum and complex commercial matters.” Ms. Sharma and attorney Colin McKie highlighted the Chief Justice’s landmark ruling in AHAB vs. Saad, described as the longest and highest- value trial ever conducted in these islands. “This high-profile fraud matter garnered widespread in- ternational attention and rein- forced the already stellar rep- utation of the courts of these islands and their ability to deal, judicially and administra- tively, with cases of such mag- nitude and complexity,” Ms. Sharma said. There were 247 cases filed last year in the Financial Ser- vices Division of Grand Court and 189 in the Estate Matters division. In addition, Grand Court judges heard 23 appeals of criminal matters from the Summary Courts. Grand Court decisions taken to the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal included 23 crim- inal matters and 28 civil mat- ters. Final appeal is to the Privy Council in London, and four cases were filed in 2018. Chief Magistrate Hall ex- plained the variety of work un- dertaken by magistrates in the different courts. Criminal and Traffic Courts are probably the two most widely known. There were 1,243 criminal cases filed last year and 1,526 traffic cases. Police issued 5,925 traffic tickets. Persons who accepted guilt could generally pay a pre- scribed fine at the Court Trea- sury in advance of a court date; anyone contesting the alleged offense was expected to attend to have a trial date set. Magistrates also deal with civil cases (242 filed last year) and those dealing with family (58 cases) and children (67 cases). Specialized courts pre- sided over by magistrates in- clude Coroner’s Inquests, with 50 such cases filed in 2018. The Chief Magistrate also described the work of “diver- sionary” courts – those estab- lished by law or informally to deal with root causes of il- legal behavior. The Drug Rehabilita- tion Court is perhaps the best known of these. Participants usually attend for more than a year before completing their in- dividualized program. In 2018, 13 people graduated, while 39 others applied to enroll. A Mental Health Court is held monthly. These defendants, 25 last year, are persons with mental health issues who have been accused of an offense. They are monitored by the court with assistance from mental health workers, social workers and of- ficers from the Department of Community Rehabilitation. Individuals guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol are also monitored while they complete a prescribed coun- seling course. The Summary Courts also monitor individuals who have admitted charges in- volving domestic violence and who have agreed to partici- pate in a lengthy group coun- seling program. The Chief Magistrate high- lighted the new Specialist Do- mestic Violence Court, which began late last year and cur- rently sits twice per month. Its main purpose is “to pro- vide a swift resolution of mat- ters for the victims of do- mestic violence.” She said special mention had to be made of applica- tions brought under the Pro- tection from Domestic Violence Law of 2010, which seek pro- tection from violence, abuse or harassment. Magistrates often deal with these outside normal court hours because of their ur- gent nature. “Recently the Summary Court has had to review this law as it relates to same-sex partnerships,” the Chief Mag- istrate reported. Summary Courts share the problems of the Grand Courts in terms of not enough courtrooms and not enough defense attorneys, she said. The situation is exac- erbated because, when there is a conflict, the higher court will almost always take precedence and the lower court matter will have to be adjourned. Chief Justice Anthony Smellie performs an inspection of the guard as part of the opening ceremony of the Grand Court on Wednesday. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY JANUARY 18, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS 9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 18, 2019 Churchill’s Funeral Home The family would like to announce that the funeral for Mr. William Becker will be held at Elmslie Memorial United Church on Friday, January 18, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. followed by a private interment. Flowers may be sent to Churchill’s Funeral Home 328 Eastern Avenue, George Town. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com The Late Mr. William Woods Becker We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Etheline Jane Moore, who passed away on Thursday, January 10, 2019. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at Church of God Universal, Walkers Road, George Town on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. Viewing: Closed Casket In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Hospice Care. Please wear bright colourto celebrate her life. Interment at: Prospect Cemetery Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com The family of the Late Clifford M. Quimby regrets to announce his passing on Thursday, 10 January, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A Celebration of Life will be held 3:00 p.m. Sunday, 20 January, 2019 at the Veterans’ Centre, Cayman Brac. The family of the Late Penny McDowall regrets to announce her passing on Monday, 31 December, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A celebration of Penny’s life will be held 4:30 p.m. Saturday, 26 January 2019 at Pedro St. James. In lieu of flowers Penny would ask for donations to be made to the Cayman Islands Special Olympics (SOCI) CNB Accounts #’s: CI$-01105336 US$-02209194 Attendees should wear bright island casual attire. The family of the Late Patricia E. Tibbetts regrets to announce her passing on Monday, 7 January, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A Funeral Mass will be held 3:00 p.m. Saturday, 19 January, 2019 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church. Interment will follow in Eden Cemetery, Pedro Castle Road. Attendees are encouraged to wear bright attire. In lieu of flowers please make donation to the Cayman Islands Diabetes Association or The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association Officials break ground on East End affordable homes Healthcare costs rise as ‘indigent’ population grows JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The amount government spends on funding health- care for uninsured patients will continue to increase, a senior public health official warned Thursday. Government initially bud- geted just under $11 million in spending last year to pay for tertiary level healthcare for those classified as “in- digent,” mostly unemployed people and seniors without health insurance. By the end of the year, those costs had escalated to $25 million. Jennifer Ahearn, chief officer in the Ministry of Health, said that trend was likely to continue this year because of an increasing number of people being clas- sified as indigent. She said the numbers in the program had almost doubled, from 1,000 to more than 1,700, in the last few years. Government again bud- geted $11 million for this ex- pense for 2019. Ms. Ahearn told the Public Accounts Committee Thursday that would not be enough. “We know that is not going to be sufficient,” she said, “we are expecting we will be coming for a supplementary.” She said government had sought to control costs by im- plementing a “Jamaica first” policy, meaning patients on the indigent medical care program that need overseas treatment are typically sent to Jamaica, where healthcare is significantly cheaper than in the U.S. Citing one cardiac case, she said officials were quoted a price of $250,000 from a South Florida hospital compared with $17,000 for the same procedure in Jamaica. Asked if Cuba was also considered a viable option for patients who needed over- seas treatment, Ms. Ahearn said it was down to CINICO, as the national insurance company, to build those kind of relationships. She said she was not aware of any current plans to partner with Cuban medical institutions. Ms. Ahearn added that health officials sought to en- sure that indigent patients still got quality medical care, despite cost considerations. She said the real factor driving up costs was an in- creasing number of elderly people classified as indigent. “One of the things we have to bear in mind is that the number of people in that group is continuing to in- crease. The vast majority are seniors.” She said her ministry would look to collaborate with the Ministry of Commu- nity Affairs, which has also highlighted elderly people living in poverty as a key concern, on programs specif- ically tailored to this demo- graphic. A report on a new standard health insurance contract for people over age 65 has been produced and will go to Cabinet in the next few weeks, she said. She ac- knowledged the expense of funding care for the elderly and unemployed would only increase without interven- tion. “It is certainly not going to decrease, unless there are some policy changes around who is accessing, what they are accessing and where they are accessing,” she added. Ms. Ahearn’s appearance before the PAC Thursday morning followed on from an auditor general’s report highlighting healthcare is- sues in Cayman. PAC is reviewing a report compiled by the office of the auditor general, examining government’s progress on its various recommendations. On Wednesday afternoon, Chief Officer in the Ministry of Community Affairs Teresa Echenique, and Deputy Chief Officer Andre Ebanks were questioned over progress on reform of the welfare system. Mr. Ebanks said legisla- tion had been drafted to re- place the “dreadfully out- dated” Poor Relief Law with modern financial assistance legislation. He said the new law and a new strategic plan for so- cial assistance would signal a “sea change in how we ap- proach this topic.” Rather than simply ad- ministering payments, he said the policy would look at how to help people be- come less reliant on assis- tance. “We need to look at our people from a transformative standpoint to get them back on their feet.” Consultation is taking place to craft the strategy right now and a draft version of the law is being circulated with a view to bringing legis- lation to the house late 2019, Mr. Ebanks said. KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The National Housing Development Trust held a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday for the construc- tion of six new affordable homes in East End. The homes will be built on a seven-acre plot of land behind East End Primary School, adjacent to 12 other affordable homes that were built some nine years ago, ac- cording to Housing Minister Dwayne Seymour. The new homes will be similar in design but with more accommodating living space that will allow people to situate their living rooms and dining rooms as they please, said National Housing Development Trust General Manager Julio Ramos. The three-bedroom homes will cost $125,000 each, and the two-bedroom homes will be priced at $110,000 each. There are six contrac- tors for the six homes: R&S Construction, House Doctor Construction, Allen’s Con- struction, Top Notch Con- struction, Roy Campbell & Sons, and Cayman Global Construction Ltd. Along with the homes, a recreational park will be built on the plot for the en- tire neighborhood, Mr. Ramos said. This portion of govern- ment’s affordable housing initiative will cost about $600,000, Mr. Ramos said. The East End development follows 16 new homes that were fin- ished in Bodden Town last month for about $2.5 million. The East End homes should be finished in about three months, around the time when work will begin on eight more homes in West Bay at a cost of about $850,000, said National Housing Development Trust Chairman George Powell. In addition, the trust is planning on buying land in North Side within the next month for about $350,000, and recently placed a deposit on a 24-acre, $2.8-million plot of land in George Town. All told, the total invest- ment for this phase of the Af- fordable Housing Initiative is $7.6 million, Mr. Powell said. The developments are funded from revenue from previous affordable home sales, Min- ister Seymour said. Prospective buyers for the new homes must be Cayma- nian and first-time home- owners, and they cannot earn more than $36,000 per year for a single occupant and $50,400 for joint applicants. Buyers who meet those criteria will be financially assessed by the National Housing Development Trust and referred to local banks for financing. Minister Seymour said he was happy to be part of an initiative that helps Cayma- nians achieve the dream of home ownership. As someone who was formerly financially strained, he said this ini- tiative is extremely impor- tant to him. “About 20 years ago, I at- tempted to get one of these homes. Even with me and my wife at the time, we fell short $8,000 in us being able to qualify for one of these affordable homes,” he said. “Now I’m building them.” Commerce Minister Joey Hew, National Housing Development Trust Chairman George Powell, ministers Roy McTaggart, Moses Kirkconnell, Dwayne Seymour, and Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, and East End MLA Arden McLean break ground on six new affordable houses in East End.Next >