ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY MARCH 4, 2019 High of 88 Low of 75 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 SKYSCRAPERS ON SEVEN MILE BEACH? IT’S WORTH A LOOK. LOCAL | PAGE 5 DEAD SHARK FOUND IN ‘GHOST NET’ SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY T E N D E R J U I CY C R I S P Y M A D E W I T H W H IT E M E A T C H I C K E N Cruise arrivals surge to new record levels JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands’ cruise industry just ex- perienced its busiest month in recorded history. A total of 271,111 cruise visitors arrived in Grand Cayman in January, according to new figures from the Department of Tourism. That represents a 24 percent increase on the same period last year, and the strongest month for cruise arrivals ever recorded in Cayman. Opponents of plans for a cruise berthing facility have highlighted growing cruise num- bers as evidence that the multi-million dollar project is not necessary. But government and the cruise lines, who are backing the project, have said that Cayman is currently experi- encing a boost in arrivals because of hurri- cane damage to islands in the eastern Carib- bean and that the long-term trend will be for numbers to dwindle unless piers are built to accommodate larger ships. A spokesperson for the Cruise Port Refer- endum Campaign said the results achieved with tendering suggested the business case for a cruise pier – which predicted year-on- year decline for the industry unless a cruise pier is built – needed to be reconsidered. Air arrivals were also up significantly in January, with more than 40,000 visitors touching down at Owen Roberts International Airport, an increase of more than 5 percent on last year and another record for the island. In a press statement accompanying the statistics, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell focused on the air arrival figures and said the strong performance was affirmation of gov- ernment’s commitment to increase airlift to the destination. CAYMAN AIRWAYS MAKES FIRST FLIGHT TO DENVER Cayman Airways made its inaugural direct flight to Denver on Saturday, launching a ser- vice that will continue through mid-August. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held around 7 a.m. on the day of the launch, and water cannons were fired over the airline’s new Boeing 737 Max 8 jet as it prepared to leave for its roughly 4.5-hour journey to Denver. The new route will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays through mid-August, and will return in December. The route is the longest commercial flight ever for Cayman Airways. “This new Denver nonstop service will re- duce the travel time to Grand Cayman from typically between nine and eleven hours using multiple flights, to less than five hours aboard a direct flight on our brand-new state-of-the- art Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft,” said Cayman Airways CEO Fabian Whorms. A press release from the Denver Inter- national Airport touted how Cayman and Surgeons save man impaled in car crash SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Somewhere between Bodden Town and East End, a driver had the darkest chapter of his life. Nicholas Connor, 30, had driven off the road shortly after midnight on Jan. 25 and collided with a chain-link fence, and an iron support rod had pierced his windshield and abdomen, pin- ning him to his car seat. Now, miles away from either of the local hospitals, the clock began to tick on the rest of his life. Every moment was vital, and the longer he remained un- treated, the harder it would be to save him. The first steps were taken by the first responders, who ar- rived shortly after the accident after a passerby called 911. But they were limited in what they could do. Mr. Connor could not be re- moved from the vehicle, and the Fire Service had to be called by Seven Mile Beach in the pink for cancer awareness Governor Martyn Roper and his wife Elisabeth, right, join the Breast Cancer Foundation’s Janette Fitzgerald at the start of Saturday night’s ‘Light Up The Night’ beach walk. Hundreds of supporters donned bright pink T-shirts and waved pink balloons as they walked from Royal Palms to The Ritz-Carlton and back for the annual event, which raises thousands each year for the foundation. For more on this story, see page 6. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Dr. Dhruva Kumar Krishnan, left, and Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil spoke on behalf of the surgical team that helped save Nicholas Connor’s life. – PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY MARCH 4, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL (PG13) 12:40 VIP I 1:10 I 3:45 I 6:30 7:00 VIP I 9:20 HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD (PG) 1:30 I 4:05 3D I 6:40 I 9:15 3D FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY (PG13) 1:20 I 7:20 I 9:55 ALITA BATTLE ANGEL (PG13) 12:50 I 3:35 VIP I 4:10 I 7:00 I 9:40 VIP 10:00 THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (PG) 1:10 I 4:00 I 7:10 WHAT MEN WANT (R) 4:25 I 9:45 ICCI celebrates Class of 2018 The International College of the Cayman Islands held its 46th commencement cer- emony late last month, to cel- ebrate the Class of 2018. At the Feb. 21 ceremony, held at the Kimpton Seafire resort, the college honored its 17 Master’s, Bachelor’s and Associate Degree candidates. President and CEO of Caribbean Utilities Com- pany, Richard Hew, shared his own personal journey to success; one that was built on obtaining a solid educa- tion, working hard, and living within one’s means, in his keynote address. Presiding over his second graduation ceremony at ICCI, President Byron Coon was joined on the platform by President Emerita Dr. Elsa Cummings; chairman of the ICCI board of trustees, Wayne McManus; Deputy Governor and Head of the Cayman Islands Civil Service, Franz Manderson; Leader of the Opposition Ezzard Miller; Deputy Leader of the Opposi- tion and Newlands MLA Alva Suckoo, and Deirdre Carmola, who brought congratulatory remarks on behalf of the Ed- ucation Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly. The student speaker for the Class of 2018 was Shar- mori Richardson, past Stu- dent Council president, Sigma Beta Delta Honor So- ciety Member and Cum Laude Academic Honoree. Mr. Richardson, who also won the James Manoah Bodden Memorial Award for Volun- teerism, shared highlights of his tenure at the college, and how ICCI had honed his skills as a professional and advocate for his fellow colleagues. Jeoffery Walton, Class of 2018, Sigma Beta Delta and Cum Laude Academic Hon- oree, introduced Mr. Hew. Class of 2018 The ICCI degree candi- dates of the International College of the Cayman Is- lands Class of 2018 are: ■■ Master of Science in Man- agement, Human Re- source Concentration: Dena Loretta Ebanks- Iqbal (Sigma Beta Delta Honoree) and Julio Cesar Ramos-Zelaya (Sigma Beta Delta Honoree); ■■ Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Madelyn Michell Ortiz Ochoa and Jeoffery Kevin Walton (Sigma Beta Delta Honoree, Cum Laude); ■■ Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Accounting Concentration: Sharmori Selvin Rich- ardson (Sigma Beta Delta Honoree, Cum Laude); ■■ Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Finance Concentration: Desiree Patricia Lawson; ■■ Associate of Science in Business: Lisbeth Gratereaux-Alvarez, Kady Marisa Hydes, Nadia Van- essa Martinez-Ebanks, Chelsea Rankin, and Shanice Ashlee Walton; ■■ Associate of Science in Business, Accounting Concentration: Nacelia Anthonette Hull, Steph- anie McLaughlin, Lisa Annmarie Royal, and Mariah Webb; ■■ Associate of Science in General Studies: Dominic Adan de Mercado and Kimberley Brianne Wood. According to the college, 11 of the 17 members of the Class of 2018 are employed as of today, and five out of the six remaining students are returning to ICCI to con- tinue with a higher degree. President Coon closed the commencement ceremony with praise for the 2018 graduating class, saying, “You’re our shining hope and inspiring reality that will take the Cayman Islands into the future. You came to ICCI with dreams about your fu- ture and you began to realize your highest and most noble aspirations. You came to ICCI determined to excel academi- cally, to grow personally, and hone your social skills. You did not disappoint.” Judge hears murder sentence submissions William Ian Rivers fatally shot Mark ‘Hubba’ Seymour in January 2017 CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Justice Frank Williams heard submissions on Friday to help him decide on the sen- tence to be passed on William Ian Rivers, who was convicted by a Grand Court jury of mur- dering Mark “Hubba” Seymour in West Bay on Jan. 28, 2017. Mr. Rivers never denied that he killed Mr. Seymour by shooting him outside Super C Restaurant on Watercourse Road. But his legal team had sought to prove that he was suffering from “dimin- ished responsibility” because of mental illness at the time of the killing, and was there- fore guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter. A six-man, six-woman jury rejected that claim after trial in September 2018, returning a verdict of guilty on the charge of murder. After Justice Williams heard from senior Crown counsel Candia Williams and defense attorney Crister Brady, he adjourned the matter, with Friday, March 29, set tenta- tively for his decision. In addition to the con- victed man’s state of mind at the time of the shooting, Mr. Brady also raised the question of his age – 38. The penalty for murder in Cayman is life im- prisonment. The Conditional Release Law of 2014, how- ever, sets 30 years as the min- imum time a convicted person would have to serve before he or she could apply for release. The sentencing court could go above or below 30 years if there were aggravating or ex- tenuating circumstances that were considered exceptional. Ms. James identified two factors in Mr. Rivers’s case that she considered excep- tional. First was his 2008 con- viction for inflicting grievous bodily harm, for which he re- ceived a suspended sentence. The second aggravating factor was his behavior toward by- standers when he shot Mr. Seymour – firing shots in the direction of two witnesses and pointing the gun in the face of another woman, which she understood as a threat if she said anything. Ms. James said the Crown’s position was that there were no extenuating circumstances of an excep- tional nature. Mr. Brady pointed out that his client’s grievous bodily harm offense had occurred some 10 years before the shooting and that conviction might be considered spent. He argued that if there were threats against bystanders, they would have occurred after the shooting of Mr. Sey- mour and so did not impact the act of killing. He pointed to the mental and emotional stress Mr. Rivers was under at the time of the shooting: his loss of employment, lack of a stable home life, feelings of jealousy because of a perception that his wife was involved in an af- fair with Mr. Seymour. Ms. James submitted that the jury verdict was a rejection of the claim of any mental ill- ness. There was evidence that Mr. Rivers suffered only from an antisocial personality dis- order, which was common among violent offenders and could not be considered ex- ceptional, she said. ICCI President Byron Coon, left, with CUC President and CEO Richard Hew, who delivered the keynote speech at the Class of 2018 commencement ceremony. Deputy Governor Franz Manderson presents an award to Jeoffery Walton.The faculty of the International College of the Cayman Islands with the graduating class of 2018 at last month’s commencement ceremony. The sentencing court could go above or below 30 years if there were aggravating or extenuating circumstances that were considered exceptional.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MARCH 4, 2019 Now you can have a fully installed GPS satellite tracking device in your car, shipping container, truck, boat – or even complete vehicle fleet for less than $35 per month with no upfront cost. If your possessions ever get stolen, you can log in through your mobile device to locate it immediately. It can even be given to a family member to ensure you’re aware of their location. To find out more about this special offer contact the Security Centre on 949-0004 or email info @ security.ky Just mention “Sat Trak” to get more information about this great deal. FULLY-FITTED GPS TRACKING UNITS FOR LESS THAN $35 . Customs and Border Control made 11 arrests in first month The Customs and Border Control arrested 11 people for contraband, issued 12 fines for declaration violations, and refused entry to nine people for various offenses during the first month of operations after being merged from the Immigration and Customs De- partments this year, according to the organization. The series of law en- forcement actions began Feb. 2, when Customs officers found a loaded firearm while X-raying lost baggage at Owen Roberts International Airport. “The baggage containing the firearm had arrived on a Delta Air Lines flight from At- lanta, Georgia, and was des- tined for a passenger that was on a cruise ship, which was en route to the George Town harbor,” Customs and Border Control stated. “The firearm was subsequently cleared and made safe by CBC officers.” On Feb. 3, officers arrested the cruise ship passenger the gun was addressed to, and transported the 67-year old female to the Prison Deten- tion Centre. That case is on- going in court. Two days later, Cus- toms officers stopped a man leaving the territory at the air- port for a mandatory baggage inspection, and arrested him after they found ammunition. On Feb. 10, Customs of- ficers arrested another man departing Cayman from the airport, also for ammunition. That same day, officers also arrested a man arriving from Florida after they detected a rubber capsule containing a dark oil-like substance, which later tested positive for ganja, according to the Customs and Border Control. On Feb. 17, 18 and 20, of- ficers arrested three men in separate incidents, all who were departing the territory from the airport with ammu- nition on them. Throughout last month, Customs and Border Control officers also refused entry to nine people for offenses such as making a false statement upon arrival, failing to have proper travel documents, or being a prohibited immigrant. Additionally, the Customs and Border Control issued 12 fines for making a false declaration of goods. “The seizure of this type of contraband, detection of immi- gration offences and breaches of the law are excellent exam- ples of outstanding work by our CBC officers. As we pursue those involved in border con- trol crimes through targeted enforcement and investigative action, we will continue to in- crease our capabilities through enhanced training and appro- priate equipment,” Customs and Border Control Director Charles Clifford said of his or- ganization’s early performance. “Our focus is on inter- cepting those passengers and importers with criminal in- tent, or who are in breach of our laws, and we are simul- taneously facilitating legiti- mate passengers, baggage and cargo,” he added. This year’s law enforce- ment actions come on the heels of what Mr. Clifford painted as the “most suc- cessful year of enforce- ment and border control in 2018.” According to Customs, the department brought in $3,151,738 last year, the most revenue ever collected at Owen Roberts International Airport. Last year, officers arrested 63 people for various drug and weapon offenses. They also re- fused entry to 126 people, the most since 2005 and almost double the 68 people who were refused entry in 2017. “Due to greater reliance on intelligence-led approaches, such as trend analysis and information exchange with our security and law enforce- ment partners, officers on the frontline refused entry to the largest number of persons since 2005,” Mr. Clifford stated. “We have to be ever vigilant, paying attention to more than just the obvious to ensure we tackle illegal immigration and activities, enforce trade com- pliance and enhance public safety and border security.” The officers also con- ducted a total of 46 joint op- erations with the Department of Immigration and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice. According to Customs and Border Control, this re- sulted in several hundred pounds of drugs and multiple firearms seized by officers, as well as more than $250,000 in cash suspected to be used in illegal activities. According to Customs, the department brought in $3,151,738 last year, the most revenue ever collected at Owen Roberts International Airport. DEPUTY GOVERNOR’S 5K RESCHEDULED The Deputy Governor’s 5K 2019 Challenge has been rescheduled from April until September. “We’ve decided to host the DG’s 5K Challenge in September to avoid any of our walk/runs clashing with Cayman CARIFTA 2019,” Deputy Governor Franz Man- derson said in a statement, noting that the exact dates will be announced shortly. The CARIFTA Games will be held in Cayman on April 20-22. “It’s only the third time that the Cayman Islands have been chosen to host the region’s largest track and field champi- onships. It’s an honour to have been selected and we wanted nothing to detract from that,” Mr. Manderson said. Planning Committee Chairperson Jennifer Ahearn said, “Even though everyone is used to us holding our 5K in April, there were serious concerns that so many large- scale events might have di- vided attendance and that the attendant traffic on road might have inconvenienced too many people.” September has been chosen as no other large- scale events are scheduled in that month, organizers said. To date, the DG’s 5K Run/ Walk Challenge has raised $284,000 for local projects.The 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” It is easy to get carried away by the idea: That Dart Enterprises will propose constructing a tower that would far and away be the tallest structure on Grand Cayman. But the operative word in Premier Alden McLaugh- lin’s announcement of the $1.5 billion proposal was not “tower.” It was “question.” As the premier said, “I pose this as a series of questions the nation should consider: Do we want to continue with the approach of incremental change, or is now the time for us to think bigger and act more boldly when it comes to our land use and building heights?” When given the option to think bigger and act more boldly, our instinct should always be yes. In fact, this is the ideal time to discuss Cayman’s changing skyline – long before another golden shovel pierces the ground of another project, and before the cement sets on a new development plan (which, regrettably, has not been updated since 1997). Our island is growing too fast for our traditional laissez faire approach, which has left us with inconsistent density and usage, poor aesthetics and a transporta- tion system groaning under the weight of traffic flows. According to the government’s draft National Planning framework, Cayman’s population grew by 8,000 in just the last five years. Projects are con- tinually being conceived and developed to accommo- date new residents and the record-breaking throngs of tourists visiting our shores. Once unthinkable, 10-story buildings are now primary components of future devel- opment plans. Cayman should give serious consid- eration to adjusting height restrictions rather than rejecting Dart’s proposal out of hand simply because it is new. There could be real benefits to allowing larger, taller developments along the already-developed and highly desirable Seven Mile Beach corridor. Greater density could alleviate pressure on our already over - burdened roadways. It can be a more desirable alter- native to continued suburban sprawl. And it cannot be denied that large development projects can yield large economic rewards. Last year, The Ritz-Carlton and Kimpton Seafire contributed more than $14 million in direct government revenues, as Dart Enterprises CEO Mark VanDevelde pointed out in a news release. Add to that the spending on payroll and services and sec- ondary spending of the properties’ discerning visitors, and the benefits are easy to see. In our view, the exact height of Grand Cayman’s densest development is less important than that it be worked into a larger, long-range comprehensive plan. At the same time, government should prioritize streamlining and standardizing the approval process to pave the way for new developments Without more details (the number of stories, location and design, for starters), the Compass Edi- torial Board can take no specific position regarding Dart’s proposed mixed-use tower or the potential terms of the agreement. But as we have repeatedly written, if Cayman hopes to continue funding our civil service obligations and sprawling public sector bureaucracy, our popula- tion and revenue sources must continue to grow. It is no accident that with demand increasing and with land in such short supply here, developers increasingly are looking up. Skyscrapers on Seven Mile Beach? It’s worth a look. MONDAY MARCH 4, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS What will Canada learn from Lavscam testimony? J.J. MCCULLOUGH Political scandals often victimize the public twice – first from the scandal itself, second from the flurry of bad policy offered as the cure. Canadian journalists en- joyed being scandalized on Wednesday by the testimony of former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould before the justice committee of the House of Commons. Over the course of nearly four hours, the former cabinet minister publicly confirmed for the first time that she had in- deed been subjected to a “barrage” of political pres- sure from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to spare the powerful Quebec engineering firm SNC-Lavalin from fraud and bribery prosecution. She claimed her subsequent firing when she wouldn’t comply triggered thoughts of Presi- dent Richard Nixon’s “Sat- urday Night Massacre.” Other similarly vivid snippets of testimony will doubtless loom large in the Canadian media for weeks to come. Yet if this scandal is des- tined to end – as scandals often do – with showy “re- forms” intended to assure the public that such things will never happen again, it’s im- portant that we be clear about what, specifically, the public is supposed to be angry about. One narrative would posit that the “Lavscam” ep- isode highlights the degree Canadian prime ministers will move heaven and earth to appease Quebec corpo- rate interests – and Quebec more broadly – even at the cost of severe political risk. Wilson-Raybould noted that Trudeau’s people repeatedly tried to guilt her over all the jobs that could be lost if La- valin was found guilty. Here one might note that his gov- ernment has not mustered similar empathy for the wors- ening state of the Albertan oil industry – which employs far more Canadians than La- valin’s 8,800 – but Quebec’s unique hold on Ottawa’s imagination is nothing new. There’s no obvious policy solution to this interpretation of Lavscam. Wilson-Raybould repeatedly said she believed Trudeau broke no law. If the prime minister is a deeply unethical man whose priority is defending crooked corpora- tions from the consequences of their crimes, then the best correction is to simply elect a government with different priorities. The notion that Lavscam is a case study in Quebec cor- porate power has not been the media’s or politicians’ preferred frame for analyzing the scandal, however. It cer- tainly did not shape Wilson- Raybould’s testimony. Ques- tioned as to why she believed SNC-Lavalin did not deserve a mediated settlement – what Trudeau’s people wanted – she simply deferred that the specifics of their case was “before the courts.” Instead, the frame favored by Wilson-Raybould, her credulous audience of par- liamentarians and the Cana- dian media has been the sup- posedly “very inappropriate” spectacle of Canada’s elected leader refusing to trust the judgment of the person he picked to be the country’s top lawyer. The attorney general of Canada also holds the port- folio of “minister of justice,” and Canadians have been subjected to much lecturing in recent weeks that these jobs must be understood as completely separate. The justice minister helps draft laws in sync with her gov- ernment’s partisan agenda, but when acting as attorney general, she must ensure that laws already passed are enforced without political consideration. What constitutes a “po- litical” consideration can be quite subjective, however. The conclusion one is ex- pected to draw from this framing of the scandal is that attorneys general should be afforded enormous deference to make prosecutorial deci- sions with as little oversight by the elected head of gov- ernment as possible. Such logic receives warm reception within the faction of the Ca- nadian elite inclined to be- lieve that governments work best when maximum deci- sion-making power is held by a well-credentialed caste of “nonpartisan” technocrats. At several points, Wilson- Raybould suggested future attorneys general might ben- efit from not being a member of the prime minister’s cab- inet at all. Should her advice be heeded, one can imagine a future in which the head of the justice department is in- stalled through the same sort of opaque and unaccount- able bureaucratic process that now selects most Cana- dian judges, public prosecu- tors and civil servants. A system of government built on ample deference to unelected, “apolitical” manda- rins is hardly one free of bias and ideology. In a democratic system, elected politicians such as Trudeau enjoy a man- date to direct the govern- ment. That they often use this power poorly, or even to- ward crooked ends, makes the case for electing better people. There is danger that the shocking magnitude of Trudeau’s misrule, however, will be cited as justification to further erode Canadians’ control over the government actors whose decisions most impact their lives. J.J. McCullough is a political commentator and cartoonist from Vancouver. © 2019, The Washington Post Writers Group. The conclusion one is expected to draw from this framing of the scandal is that attorneys general should be afforded enormous deference to make prosecutorial decisions with as little oversight by the elected head of government as possible.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MARCH 4, 2019 SPECIALIZED CARE WITHIN REACH. Connect with a local representative at +1.242.557.3915 floridaGPS@ccf.org clevelandclinic.org/caribbean WITH CLEVELAND CLINIC JUST A SHORT FLIGHT AWAY, YOU’RE CLOSE TO WHAT’S BEST FOR YOUR HEALTH. Why? Because you’re close to the best healthcare providers and state-of-the-art medical technology. You’re close to the best facilities and quality of services. And you’re close to the healthcare you deserve. After all, what’s more important than your health? Every life deserves world-class care. Dead shark found in ‘ghost net’ JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A scuba operator made the grim dis- covery of a juvenile silky shark inside a “floating ghost net” in the channel close to Stingray Sandbar last week. The shark had become entangled in the large green polypropylene net and drowned. George Evans, of Silver Thatch Wa- tersports, was returning from a dive trip with a boat full of tourists when he dis- covered the net floating in the channel. He and his staff hauled the net on board and took the dead shark back to the dock at Kaibo where they were met by Department of Environment staff. “It was upsetting for the guests to see something like that,” said Mr. Evans. “If it had ended up on the Sandbar, it would have been even worse.” The net appeared to have floated in from the open ocean where it had been discarded by fishermen. Its origin or how long it had been floating in the ocean remain unknown. Mr. Evans said there were bits of ocean debris entangled in the net but no other marine life. Alan Mackay, the DoE conserva- tion officer who was on the scene at Kaibo, said the shark was around four feet in length and appeared to have died recently. He said he was thankful that the net had been removed from the ocean and could do no more damage. “If it had ended up on the Sandbar, that could have been incredibly dan- gerous, if a swimmer got entan- gled in it, or it got wrapped around a boat propeller.” The find follows an incident last year where a larger ghost net was discovered by fishermen several miles off Grand Cayman. The net appeared to be filled with dead animals, including sharks and other marine life. At the time, experts, including Cayman-based conservationist Guy Harvey, said ghost nets were a huge in- ternational problem. He said nets, often cut loose by rogue fishermen on the run from authorities, could roam the oceans for years, entan- gling marine life. Miller to attend public accounts forum Seminars help bring improvements to Public Accounts Committees Public Accounts Com- mittee Chairman Ezzard Miller is this week at- tending the Oversight of Public Finances Forum, a gathering of accounts com- mittee officials from the United Kingdom and its various overseas territories and Crown dependencies. The forum is sched- uled to run from Tuesday to Thursday, and will focus on common challenges facing public accounts commit- tees in the British terri- tories. The forum is an initiative of the Common- wealth Parliamentary As- sociation U.K., the U.K. Na- tional Audit Office and the Government Internal Audit Agency, along with partici- pating overseas territories. “The UKOTP Over- sight of Public Finance Forum is a great initiative – thought provoking, in- sightful and stimulating. Previous UKOTP confer- ences have all been excel- lently curated, the work- shops instructive and the speakers illuminating,” Mr. Miller said of his trip to Miami. “These seminars have helped me to make improvements in how the Cayman Islands Public Accounts Committee function[s] and report to the Cayman Islands Legis- lative Assembly.” Attendees of the forum will include public ac- counts committee chairs, parliamentary clerks and audit officials from An- guilla, Bermuda, Cayman, the Falkland Islands, Gi- braltar, Montserrat, the Pit- cairn Islands, St. Helena, the Turks and Caicos Is- lands, the U.K., and the British Virgin Islands. “Providing oversight and scrutiny of public finances is a crucial function of leg- islatures, and I look for- ward to the opportunity to share experiences and learning with colleagues from across the U.K. and Overseas Territories,” said Jackie Baillie, a member of the Scottish parliament. “This Forum is also unique in that it brings together parliamentarians, internal and external auditors. This will further enhance our capacity and build a bigger picture of oversight of public finances.” The shark had become entangled in the large green polypropylene net and drowned. In this screengrab from video, the silky shark is seen trapped inside the ‘ghost net.’The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 MONDAY MARCH 4, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Walkers ‘light up the night’ for breast cancer awareness Hundreds of people walked for breast-cancer awareness Saturday night at the Cayman Islands Breast Cancer Foundation’s ninth Light Up the Night event. Participants walked about a kilometer, from Royal Palms to The Ritz-Carlton and back, to support or remember a loved one’s battle with the disease or just contribute to the sense of camaraderie. Proceeds from the walk go to the Breast Cancer Foun- dation’s wellness program, which is designed to help support those diagnosed with breast cancer. “People, when they’re di- agnosed usually come to us, and we do whatever is needed to help them get through their chemotherapy treatments, radiation and beyond,” said Breast Cancer Foundation Director Janette Fitzgerald. “Because our aim is to get them through the treatment and stay healthy and fit afterward.” There are many chari- table walks and runs in Cayman, but Ms. Fitzgerald said she thinks the Light Up the Night is one of the most popular because of its vi- sual aspects. The hundreds of pink shirts, balloons and lights traveling up and down Seven Mile Beach during the walk makes for a “brilliant sight,” she said. Along with raising funds, the purpose of the walk is to raise awareness that breast cancer can happen to anyone, but that it’s something that can be overcome, said Ms. Fitzgerald. “Our youngest lady is 20. Our oldest lady is in her 70s,” she said. “It’s not a death sen- tence; detection is the key.” Cayman Airways makes first flight to Denver Denver are a perfect match for each other. According to the press release, Colorado has the sixth-largest popu- lation of scuba divers in the U.S., and ranks as the fastest- growing state for that ac- tivity since 2010. Denver was also Cay- man’s largest U.S. market without nonstop service, with more than 250 pas- sengers a week traveling to Cayman from there, ac- cording to the Denver Inter- national Airport. Travel demand between Denver and Grand Cayman is very strong, recording nearly 20 percent growth over the past year, the airport stated. “Denver’s global reach continues to expand, and we are very excited to wel- come Cayman Airways as the first Caribbean-based airline to serve the Mile High City,” Denver Mayor Michael Han- cock said. “Each new airline or nonstop destination is a new opportunity for our resi- dents and visitors to explore the world.”Tourism Councillor David Wight and Cayman Airways officials cut the ribbon for the airline’s first direct flight to Denver. - PHOTO: CAYMAN AIRWAYS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The roughly one-kilometer event had participants stroll from Royal Palms to The Ritz-Carlton and back. - PHOTOS: ALVARO SEREY Organizers register people to ‘light up the night’ for breast cancer awareness. The Breast Cancer Foundation’s Janette Fitzgerald hands out balloons. Light Up the Night participants enjoy themselves at Royal Palms. Danielle Fitzgerald, left, and Sarah Mayes share a handful of pink balloons.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MARCH 4, 2019 Inauguration Ceremony Theme: The Board of Governors, Faculty and Staff of the Open Campus Features: • • • • • • • The Board of Governors, Faculty and Staff of the invite members of the community to celebrate Debate team argues for repeat victory MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Sadie Finch and Marin Hughes of Cayman Inter- national School defended their title Thursday night at the eighth Conyers Dill & Pearman Interschool Debate at St. Ignatius Catholic School. Ms. Finch, 16, and Mr. Hughes, 15, successfully ar- gued that the Me Too Move- ment has not gone too far. The team listened as Nazia Jacques and Kiron Dunn, both 16-year-old St. Igna- tius students, argued that the movement has created an overly paranoid atmosphere between the sexes, where the slightest comment might elicit a negative response. “They’re calling out all these extreme cases,” Ms. Finch countered, while ar- guing that the movement had been beneficial in most re- spects. “You can’t justify the majority by using the minority. The Me Too movement is not about these extreme cases.” Instead, she said, “It is about getting the truth out there.” That and Mr. Hughes’s ar- gument that just because the heightened scrutiny made men uncomfortable did not delegitimize the movement were key factors in Grand Court Justice Marlene Cart- er’s decision to award the team the first-place trophy. It was the team’s second win in as many debates. Ms. Finch said she be- lieves what makes her and Mr. Hughes a successful combina- tion is that their personal opin- ions are frequently in opposi- tion to one another. Because they are often at odds, she said, “We know how to get into the mindset of the other person.” Ian C. Whan Tong, who cofounded the competition four years ago with fellow at- torney Fraser Hughes, said learning how to think like the other side is critical in being an effective debater. “Debating is important,” Mr. Tong said. “More than any other subject, it promotes critical thought. You have to listen to what your opponent is saying. You have to analyze it and respond.” Justice Carter said the experience students get in facing off and arguing in a controlled forum is beneficial in many ways. “I’m hoping they realize these skills are really life skills that they will use,” she said. For instance, she added with a laugh, “Try to per- suade your husband that you need those new shoes.” Having a solid argument is only part of the picture in a successful debate, she said. “I always have to keep in mind the timing,” she said, referring to the set amount of minutes students have to make their cases. In addition to staying on topic, she said, students have to back up their points with evidence. They are also judged on poise, confidence, persuasiveness and how well they work as a team. The evening’s top indi- vidual debater was Harriet Green of Cayman Prep. Ms. Jacques said she and Mr. Dunn had made it a goal to finish in the top three. She said she was pleased with their second place trophy. “This is a great achieve- ment,” she said. “We’re happy.” Debating, she said, comes naturally for her. “I love arguing with people,” she said. “I love when they come at me with a re- buttal and I can kind of put them in their place.” Mr. Dunn said debating has taught him a lot, but there are limits. “You can’t argue with Mom,” he said. “Mom’s al- ways right.” From left, second place winners Nazia Jacques and Kiron Dunn, and first place winners Marin Hughes and Sadie Finch show off their awards. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS RED SKY AT NIGHT POSTPONED TO MARCH 23 The Cayman National Cul- tural Foundation resched- uled its Red Sky at Night for March 23 due to poor weather on Saturday. The Compass received the announcement that Red Sky at Night would be postponed at 4:10 p.m. on Saturday, about 10 minutes after the event was scheduled to begin. Tthe rain had already largely died down by then, but the grounds of the F.J. Harquail Cultural Centre were soaked with ankle-deep water at many areas, according to an attendee. “With over 100 artists and artisans, delicious food ven- dors and a fantastic line-up of live entertainment, we look forward to putting on a great event for everyone to enjoy in 3 weeks time,” organizers said in a statement. The event will feature five distinct sound stages – lo- cated both indoors and out – with dance, music, theater, poetry, panel discussions and more, all taking place simultaneously. New to the fair this year is the Caymanian Village, where artists, crafters, sto- rytellers and performers will recreate Cayman’s rich cul- tural traditions with live demonstrations of them doing “old-time tings” such as household chores, playing outdoor games, cooking on a caboose, coconut grating, needlework, thatch plaiting, playing music, dancing, farming, boat building, net- making and woodworking. Visitors to this area will also be able to play tradi- tional games like dominoes or warri, enjoy quadrille and maypole dancing and hear the folk singers perform. All tickets will be valid for the new date. If any members of the public are unable to attend on March 23 and would like a refund, they are asked to contact cncf@artscayman.org.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY MARCH 4, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS the ambulance to literally cut him and the pipe that im- paled him out of the car. Once that vital work was done, Mr. Connor was freed from his vehicle, but he still had a metal pipe entering his chest and protruding through his back. The ambulance raced him to Cayman Islands Hospital, where staff went about the work of stabilizing the pa- tient. There was no cardiac or thoracic surgeon imme- diately available, so the hos- pital made a call to Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil, the clin- ical director and chief car- diac surgeon at Health City Cayman Islands. “At this point, it’s about 3 o’clock or 2:30,” said Dr. Chat- tuparambil, remembering the incident. “They described the situa- tion. ‘A pipe is going through the chest. The patient is re- ally scary-looking and some- thing could happen immedi- ately. Can you handle it?’ “I told them, ‘Immediately, send him to us.’” Getting prepped While the ambulance was racing the 18 miles be- tween hospitals, the Health City trauma team was busy assembling. The hospital’s new intensive care facility had just been opened in De- cember, and many of the staff had worked together in India before relocating across the world to Cayman. Their familiarity with each other and their roles was one of the factors that makes urgent care work. It is not enough to have a brand-new facility with the most advanced technology, said Dr. Chattuparambil, es- pecially if you do not have the necessary staff prepared for any potential contingency. “What makes it different for the public is the avail- ability of all the special- ists, not only doctors but the whole team,” he said. “When this kind of trauma happens, it is not only one region like bones or the liver or the ab- domen. If an accident hap- pens, it can happen to any part of your body. What makes urgent care centers stand out is not the building, it’s the people that can handle the entire situation.” Arrival at hospital When he arrived at Health City, the stricken patient was lying on his side in the am- bulance, sedated but awake. The medical professionals brought him into the emer- gency suite and wanted to do a CT scan so they could as- certain what was wrong with him before they brought him into the operating room. But here, again, they ran into a problem of simple physics. Mr. Connor could not fit into the CT scanner because of the way the pipe was sit- uated, so the hospital had to call the fire team back. They wheeled Mr. Connor outside to the driveway for the ambu- lance, and the fire truck used a cutting tool to sever parts of the pipe both in front of and behind his torso. Now, Mr. Connor could finally be diagnosed, and the CT scan found that the metal pole was going directly through his lung. Six ribs were broken in the front and shattered in the back. “Immediately I talked to his brother and his parents,” said Dr. Chattuparambil. “I said, ‘We don’t know how it’s going to come out. The lung is totally shattered. The ribs on both sides. We had to go in and see how it was; we couldn’t make a plan. We took him to the operating room immediately.” Dr. Dhruva Krishnan, Health City’s medical director and head of anesthesiology, ran into his own problems when prepping Mr. Connor for surgery. “Normally when we start and do anesthesia, we have the patient sleeping on their back,” he said. “It’s easy for us to control when we put the tube into the throat. Here in this case, he couldn’t lie flat for obvious reasons. The pipe was going through and through, and he also had a significant lung injury. Prob- ably bleeding also. So we had to do everything with him lying on his left side.” Surgery begins Once the patient was prepped for surgery, the op- eration could begin. The team had to open Mr. Con- nor’s chest, and once inside, they could see the full ex- tent of the damage. The pipe had torn the right lung from one side to the other, and the ribs were shattered into mul- tiple pieces. Dr. Chattuparambil had to remove mud and hair and blood from the wound, and he began repairing the lung bit by bit. After two hours of surgery, the doctors had done enough work to remove the pipe, and Dr. Chattu- parambil began repairing the patient’s shattered ribs with a steel wire. “Usually it would heal by itself,” he said. “But in his case, because it was multiple ribs shattered from the front as well as from the back, if we didn’t repair it, once we were done with the surgery and once we took him off the breathing machine, he’d not be able to breathe well. He’d be on ventilation for weeks. So even though it was taking more time and effort, we repaired all the ribs both front and back.” The surgery took five or six hours. Mr. Connor was also diagnosed with a shat- tered elbow. The orthopedic surgeons could not repair it immediately, but they cleaned and stabilized the wound. Mr. Connor was dis- charged from the hospital within a week, and Dr. Chat- tuparambil has recently seen him and marveled at his re- covery. The patient has had no deficits, said the doctor, and he can thank the first responders, the staff at Cayman Islands Hospital and the trauma unit at Health City for that. “There were maybe 20-30 people who helped him go home,” he said. “The nurses were there 24 hours with him, and the physiother- apists to help him do the therapy. Their work usually goes unnoticed, but they’re the people that usually make the big difference. If we’re to send him home on the sixth day, it’s not the doctors alone at all. Whatever success we have to tell today, a big credit goes to the nurses.” The whole episode – from accident to both hospitals and the operating table – took about four hours. A decade ago, said Dr. Chattuparambil, there may have been a very different re- sult for Mr. Connor. “This is the advantage of having a state-of-the-art Level 3 Trauma Care Unit. It saves lives,” he said. “Imagine if the treatment that we gave to him was not available on the island? What is the next thing? Going abroad. Imagine the time delay that’s going to take. At 2 o’clock in the morning, to get an air ambu- lance would take at least 8 to 10 hours. That’s our experi- ence that we’ve seen. “With this rod poking through the chest and waiting for an air ambulance, by that time, the air is filling inside. … It may not happen that he would reach another hospital in the United States.” Road to recovery A week after the surgery, Mr. Connor began to take stock of his situation. His lungs were fine, and his chest was healing. He was still waiting for the final orthopedic surgery, but he felt healthy and thankful for all the work that went into keeping him alive. “They told me I’m a lucky man. I give thanks to God too. It could’ve been worse,” he said in a video provided to the Cayman Compass by Health City. “The part I re- member, after being told by the ambulance drivers the next day after the sur- gery was finished, that I was screaming, ‘I’m going to die.’ I remembered that part after they refreshed my memory, but otherwise I don’t re- member anything else.” Mr. Connor said he was thankful for everyone, from the eyewitness who called 911 to the paramedics and firemen and the staff at both the Cayman Islands Hospital and Health City. He seemed acutely aware of how thin the margin between full re- covery and catastrophic in- jury may have been. “I feel thankful because if I had to be flown out by air ambulance, maybe it wouldn’t save my lung,” said Mr. Connor after assessing his treatment. “Maybe it might save my life but I’d be in more critical condition. The faster you can be worked on or attended to, you should get a better outcome.” He had never been in an accident before that necessi- tated surgery, said Mr. Connor, and he said that he could not imagine better treatment than he had received from Dr. Chattuparambil and the Health City staff. Now, with the rest of his life in front of him, he’s filled with warmth and gratitude. “I feel good within my body and I’m healing fast,” said Mr. Connor. “I told [Dr. Chattuparambil] that I don’t know how I can thank him or pay him back. “And he said to me this: ‘Just be good. Don’t get yourself in trouble and be careful driving.’ He talked to me and said that was all I had to do to pay him back. Drive safe and keep safe.” Surgeons save man impaled in car crash CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Nicholas Connor is thankful for the first responders, fire crew and medical teams at the Cayman Islands Hospital and Health City for saving his life. - PHOTO: COURTESY OF HEALTH CITY CAYMAN ISLANDS US hits Venezuela officials with sanctions for blocking aid WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration im- posed sanctions Friday on six high-ranking members of the Venezuelan security forces and revoked the visas of other officials and their relatives in the latest effort to pressure President Nicolas Maduro into leaving office. The sanctions are in re- sponse to the blocking of humanitarian aid convoys last week while the visa re- vocations on dozens of in- dividuals are intended to punish people who have flourished amid the South American country’s dire eco- nomic crisis, Elliott Abrams, the special representative for Venezuela, told reporters. “Maduro supporters that abuse or violate human rights, steal from the Vene- zuelan people or undermine Venezuela’s democracy are not welcome in the United States,” Abrams said. “Nei- ther are their family mem- bers who enjoy a privileged lifestyle at the expense of the liberty and prosperity of mil- lions of Venezuelans.” The measures were the latest by the Trump adminis- tration to increase the inter- national pressure on Maduro, whose re-election last year is seen as illegitimate, to re- sign and turn power over to the opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been rec- ognized by the U.S. and 50 other government as in- terim president. The State Department later said that the U.S. had re- voked the visas of 49 people, making them subject to de- portation if they are in the country. It placed an unspec- ified number of others on a visa restriction list. The U.S. already has travel bans on other high- ranking Venezuelan offi- cials connected to Maduro who are accused of commit- ting human rights abuses or corruption. Separately, the Treasury Department imposed finan- cial sanctions on six officials from the National Guard and police who are allied with Maduro. These officials played a role in closing Ven- ezuela’s borders with Brazil and Colombia to prevent the entry of assistance from countries opposed to Madu- ro’s continued rule. Maduro’s forces fired tear gas and buckshot at activ- ists trying to deliver human- itarian aid in violent clashes on Feb. 23, leaving two people dead and about 300 injured. Friday’s action targets six security officials “who con- trol many of the groups that prevented humanitarian aid from entering Venezuela, thereby exacerbating the hu- manitarian crisis that has left millions of Venezuelans starving and without access to medical care under the Maduro regime,” Treasury said in a statement. The sanctions block any assets they have in U.S. juris- dictions and bar Americans from conducting financial transactions with them. Those targeted are Richard Jesus Lopez, the commander of Venezuela’s National Guard; Jesus Maria Mantilla, the commander of Venezuela’s Strategic In- tegral Defense Region Guayana; Alberto Mirtiliano Bermudez, the general in charge of Venezuela’s Inte- gral Defense Zone in Bolivar State, which borders Brazil; Jose Leonardo Noronom, the general in charge of Venezu- ela’s Integral Defense Zone in Tachira State, which bor- ders Colombia; Jose Miguel Dominguez, a national po- lice commander in Tachira; and Cristhiam Abelardo Mo- rales, another commander in Tachira. Venezuela’s self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido talks during a joint press conference with his Paraguayan counterpart during an official visit Friday in Asuncion, Paraguay. – PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MARCH 4, 2019 CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Investment & Commerce The 2019 Cayman Sword sh Challenge is two days of shing, Friday 15 & Saturday 16 March. This is a team event with a captain and at least one angler. Entry fee is CI$500 per team of four including the team captain + CI$100 each for any additional anglers. CI$20,000 in cash prizes! $5000 Heaviest Total Weight (1 or 2 sh combined) $3000 2nd Heaviest Total Weight (1 or 2 sh combined) $2000 3rd Heaviest Total Weight (1 or 2 sh combined) $2000 Most Releases rst day $2000 Most Releases second day $2000 Heaviest Total Weight rst day (1 or 2 sh combined) $2000 Heaviest Total Weight second day (1 or 2 sh combined) $1000 Single Heaviest Sword sh caught in Cayman Brac $1000 Single Heaviest Sword sh caught in Grand Cayman Registration and Captain’s meeting is at 6:30pm on Thursday 14 March at The Barcadere (Dock/Weigh Station). For more information on how to enter go to Cayman Sword sh Challenge Facebook page, email info@caymansword sh.ky, or call King on 345.916.2177. Welcome to Cayman’s 13th Annual Sword sh Tournament Cocaine sentence reduced from 15 years CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A prison term of 15 years for possession of cocaine with intent to supply was re- duced to 10 years and two months after defense at- torney Gregory Burke suc- cessfully appealed the Sum- mary Court sentencing of Jolyon Arick Frederick, who had pleaded guilty to the charge. Mr. Frederick, 31, had ad- mitted carrying 1.8 pounds of cocaine from Cayman Brac to Owen Roberts In- ternational Airport in Grand Cayman on Dec. 5, 2017. Pas- sengers from Cayman Brac or Little Cayman are not normally checked by cus- toms officers and there is no immigration process, so their arrival is basically a “walk-through.” On this date, however, customs officers were in the airport arrival section and they requested a search of Mr. Frederick’s backpack. Nine packages of the white powder were found wrapped in his clothing. When ar- rested, he said someone had threatened him “to take them across.” He said he did not know the man, but feared for his safety and that of his family. Mr. Burke argued that the defendant was a courier mo- tivated by his cocaine debt. Magistrate Angelyn Her- nandez disagreed. She ac- cepted that Mr. Frederick was not the only person in- volved, but said his role in the operation was major. She pointed out that when he committed this offense, he was on bail for a charge of possessing cocaine with in- tent to supply in 2014. That trial had already started, but when Mr. Frederick pleaded guilty to the 2017 offense, he also pleaded guilty to simple possession in the 2014 case. The Crown ac- cepted that plea, which re- lated to 16 grams. The magistrate passed sentence in May 2018. Mr. Burke argued the appeal in January and Justice Philip St. John-Stevens delivered his decision last Thursday. In his appeal, Mr. Burke cited several cases involving similar or larger amounts of cocaine. He quoted the Alter- native Sentencing Law which states that a sentence should be similar or proportionate to sentences imposed on sim- ilar convicted individuals for similar offenses committed in similar circumstances. Mr. Burke also submitted that the magistrate erred in using the maximum sentence of 20 years as her starting point before giving credit for Mr. Frederick’s guilty pleas. He said this was “double counting” because she had done so on the basis that the 2017 offense was not his first, but then after giving a one-third discount that took the sentence to 13 and a half years, she increased it to 15 years because of the quantity and his previous of- fense. Justice St. John-Ste- vens agreed that the sentence was manifestly excessive and wrong in principle. He agreed the magistrate had erred in using 20 years as her starting point. He also pointed out that, although Mr. Frederick had not assisted authori- ties in their investigation of the matter, lack of assis- tance was not an aggravating factor in considering sen- tence. Providing assistance is a powerful mitigating factor, he agreed. The magistrate had found that there were no mitigating factors in Mr. Frederick’s case. The judge disagreed. He said it was important to consider that the defendant had brought the drugs to Grand Cayman to assuage a drug debt. This placed him in a lesser role. The organizers make the most profit, Justice St. John- Stevens commented. He pointed out that judges and magistrates had met to consider sentencing guide- lines and had considered 15 years to be the starting point for “substantial amounts” of cocaine. Mr. Frederick’s of- fense involved just under one kilogram. The judge also noted that the Crown did not contest the basis of appeal. With a new starting point of 15 years, the judge bal- anced the aggravating factor of being on bail for the simple possession of cocaine and Mr. Frederick’s previous record, including the fact that he had never been in custody before. With one-third dis- count for the guilty plea, he arrived at a total of 10 years, two months. Justice St. John-Stevens agreed that the sentence was manifestly excessive and wrong in principle. He agreed the magistrate had erred in using 20 years as her starting point. THREE SENTENCED FOR SOUTH SOUND GANJA Crown offers no evidence on firearms charge CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three men found in a Jamaican canoe with ganja last year were sentenced on Thursday to 32 months’ imprisonment. Andrew Folkes, 45; Charles Rose, 40; and Marvin Brown, 34; pleaded guilty to being concerned with the importation of 424.01 pounds of ganja. All three were from the West- moreland area of Jamaica. A revolver and five rounds of ammunition were found aboard their Ja- maican canoe, but all three men denied knowledge or possession. Firearms charges were sent to Grand Court for trial. After forensic examination did not dis- close fingerprints or DNA, the Crown offered no evi- dence and the drug charge was returned to Summary Court for sentencing. Magistrate Philippa Mc- Farlane heard that Cay- man’s air operation unit was conducting a border patrol on Grand Cayman’s south coast around 10 p.m. on March 14, 2018. In the area of Bel Air Drive, officers observed a red and blue Ja- maican canoe with three men on board. On seeing the helicopter, the men sped off through the channel while the helicopter team con- tacted the joint marine unit. The canoe came into con- tact with the police vessel, causing the three men to be thrown into the water. They were rescued and detained. At the sentencing hearing, attorneys Prathna Bodden, Jonathon Hughes and Crister Brady spoke of the defendants’ financial hardships in Jamaica, their previous good character and their early acceptance of guilt for the ganja. The maximum sentence for a first offense involving the soft drug is seven years. Given the quantity of drugs, the magistrate set her starting point at 48 months or four years. She did not find any significant difference in the men’s roles and so treated them all as crewmen. Giving a full one- third discount for their guilty pleas, she arrived at the sentence of 32 months. Time in custody will count. The magistrate also ordered the boat to be forfeited and the ganja destroyed. He said new flights, in- cluding the launch of a Cayman Airways route to Denver this weekend, would help that trend continue throughout the year. He added that the fact that the renovated airport was substantively complete was a major bonus amid re- cord arrivals. “With a facility triple the size of the old building, trav- ellers through Owen Rob- erts International Airport can look forward to a smoother, more streamlined experi- ence. We are committed to ensuring this experience is standard for both our air and cruise passengers.” Arrivals from Canada were up 5 percent, while visitation from the U.S. in- creased by nearly 8 per- cent, bolstered by an in- crease in flights out of New York and Fort Lauderdale. Arrivals from the west coast were down in January, but that is expected to change with the opening of the new Denver route. Director of Tourism Rosa Harris said, “With increased flight capacity just in time for the spring and summer travel season, we expect vis- itation from the West Coast to increase, complementing the steady progress of all our core source markets in January.” The Cruise Port Refer- endum Campaign said in a statement that government should reconsider its busi- ness case to account for the growth in the industry, even with tendering, over the past few years and to analyze other options which have be- come more viable, such as the retractable floating Sea- Walk cruise pier. The campaign group said continually increasing cruise tourism numbers risked impacting quality of life for residents and stay- over visitors. “Our government must improve our basic infrastruc- ture, in particular, waste management and public transport, in addition to strategies to manage over- crowding at our over-ca- pacity famous tourist attrac- tions,” the group said. “We must continue to upgrade and enhance cruise tourism facilities, and consider how new technologies can be im- plemented to improve pas- senger experience and main- tain our competitive position without negatively affecting the lives of Caymanians and residents, or the quality expe- rience of our stayover guests, who contribute 80 percent of tourism revenue into the Cayman economy.” Cruise arrivals surge to new record levels Air arrivals were also up significantly in January, with more than 40,000 visitors touching down at Owen Roberts International Airport, an increase of more than 5 percent on last year and another record for the island. 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