FRIDA Y MARCH 15, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS 100+ Women Who Care starts new year Signups encou raged to bene fit charitab le organiz ations B3 ■ EVENTS CAYMAN WEEKENDER St. Patrick’s festivites EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 THE TRUE EXPERTS IN GLOBAL FINANCE ARE HERE AT HOME 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 MARCH 15, 2019 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 $3M PUBLIC BEACH PLAN INCLUDES ‘VENDOR VILLAGE’ JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A $3 million project to enhance Seven Mile Public Beach and create a new “vendor village” for traders begins Monday, according to the Dart group. The development aims to improve the rec- reational areas at the beach and provide order and supervision to the sometimes chaotic commercial activity in the area. Improvements to the soccer and volley- ball courts, including the addition of spectator areas, and new toilet facilities with disabled access are also part of the plan. The modifications are being funded by the Dart group as part of a National Roads Au- thority agreement – the partnership between the developer and government that facilitated the construction of the Kimpton Seafire Resort next to Public Beach. The project is expected to take four months to complete. An increase in commercial ac- tivity at the beach, including deck chair and water sports rentals, has been a concern for visitors and residents for some time. The de- velopment of 16 stalls for vendors is part of a wider plan by government to move the traders off the beach itself. “Having a designated space for licensed vendors will allow the Public Lands Com- mission Inspectorate to better manage com- mercial activity on Public Beach,” said Lands Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly in a state- ment Thursday. The stalls will be designed in the “Cayman cottage style,” according to a press release from UCCI APPROVES DELAYED 5-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nearly a year after it was originally ex- pected to be complete, a five-year strategic plan for the University College of the Cayman Islands was approved by its board of gover- nors on Wednesday. “That’s the strategic plan after quite some time,” said board Chairman Anthony Ritch, after the document was approved without dis- cussion on a unanimous vote. “It’s become, for the most part, our new Bible.” Work on the document began in 2017. It was significantly modified to redefine the role of the school president, making the posi- tion more in line with what might be found at a typical college or university in the United States. It is also structured around what Presi- dent Stacy McAfee, who took over as head of the school Jan. 1, has defined as the three pil- lars needed to support UCCI’s mission: student centered education, suitable resources and pro- motion of the school as an engine for economic development, innovation and social change. In short, the plan visualizes a school that provides a well-defined individual education plan for each of its students, and one that is an integral part of Cayman society, from com- munity initiatives to business partnerships. Mr. Ritch said Ms. McAfee, most recently a vice president at the University of the Pacific in California, was hired because she has the experience to implement the new plan. Ms. McAfee said having the strategic plan “helps me immensely. I know that the align- ment I’m seeking between the faculty and the FIFA to resume funding Cayman football JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The findings of an audit into the finances of the Cayman Islands Football Association will not be made public, the association’s president Alfredo Whittaker has said. Some of the conclusions of the forensic audit, performed by Grant Thornton, were re- layed to CIFA’s members at its annual general meeting last month. The report examined the association’s transactions, including suspicious loan agree- ments from private companies that were al- leged to be bribe payments to the associa- tion’s former president Jeff Webb for his role in a wider football corruption scandal. Mr. Whittaker said the auditors had given a presentation to CIFA’s membership but had advised that their report could not be released. He said FIFA, the world game’s governing body, is satisfied with the findings of the in- vestigation and will resume funding the game in Cayman. He said the association could be eligible to receive as much as $5 million in funding this year. Government also sus- pended funding to CIFA in 2015 amid con- cerns about the running of the organiza- tion following the FIFA corruption scandal. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Sport said government had not had sight of the audit at this point. She did not respond to questions over whether government was considering resuming funding the association. Mr. Whittaker acknowledged that the audit had identified concerns around some transactions. “There were a number of things that came out in the audit, from loans to different trans- actions, the movement of money coming in and out. All of this was explained by Grant Thornton to the members at the AGM,” he said. “They could account for a lot of stuff and Coral nursery gets a scrubbing Volunteers with Cayman Eco Divers perform a weekly cleanup of a coral nursery near Divetech’s Lighthouse Point dive site in West Bay. The nursery, one of several established around the islands to propagate threatened coral species, requires regular scrubbing to clear algae that can come in conflict with the fledgling staghorn coral fragments. Diver Mary Wilson, right, said, ‘When they get big enough, we transplant them to a reef where they will attach and continue growing into the reef.’ Other divers pictured are Aaron Hunt, top, Steven Fanning, bottom, and Tayla Richmond, left. – PHOTO: ANDREA IALLORENZI/CIPHOTO PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL®IONAL FRIDAY MARCH 15, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS CARIBBEANCAFE Very profitable part time business with low operating costs and 6 to 8 months payback. Duty free diesel and no duty on all goods imported for use on the boat. No business licence or work permits required for the crew. 36’ x 13’ x 3’6” – Recently installed 135 hp Ford diesel – 480 gallons of fuel – 3000# ice boxes E xtensive list of regular fish customers and marketing website: http://sea-gems.net is also available LOCAL COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSEL Owner is retiring and selling this Cayman registered vessel in operation locally since 2014 Asking CI$49,000 FOR SALE PLEASE CALL 925-4773 CORRECTION An article titled “Cayman avoids EU blacklist,” pub- lished in the Cayman Compass on March 12, incorrectly suggested that the Economic Substance Law 2018 only ap- plies to multinational companies with a turnover of more than $850 million. The law, in fact, applies to all so-called relevant entities, which include most Cayman exempted companies and limited liability companies. It also applies to registered foreign companies unless they are tax resi- dent outside Cayman, but not to partnerships and invest- ment funds or domestic companies. Cayman Airways goes to plan B to cover Denver route New route will continue, but other flight cancellations possible JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Airways will continue to operate its new Denver route despite taking the decision to ground its long-range Boeing 737 Max 8 jets in the aftermath of the crash that killed 157 people in Ethiopia on Sunday. Airline officials said Thursday that the route would be operated by one of the airline’s older Boeing 737-300 aircraft, though it will now likely require a fuel-stop part way through the journey. One of the advantages of the new Max 8 planes is their greater fuel efficiency, which enabled Cayman Airways to make nonstop trips to the West Coast of the U.S. CAL has suspended its plans to switch all its air- craft to the new design amid safety concerns about the planes, following crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia in the last six months. The airline was among the first in the world to take the decision to ground its Max 8 planes in the wake of Sunday’s tragedy. Boeing has since been forced to ground its entire fleet of 371 Max planes following a decision by aviation regulators across the globe, including the U.S., U.K. and the European Union, to ban the planes from the skies until more information is available about the cause of the crashes. The long-term implica- tions for Cayman Airways’ fleet replacement plan are not yet clear. Norwegian Air, which has 17 Max 8 aircraft and has or- dered 100 more, was the first airline to state publicly that it would seek compensation from Boeing for any loss of revenue incurred as a result of having to park the aircraft, according to CNN. Cayman Airways officials did not respond to questions on whether they planned to follow suit. In a partial response to questions from the Cayman Compass, a company spokes- woman said, there could be some changes to the schedule in the coming weeks. “There will be a few in- stances where we will have to cancel flights and protect the affected passengers on other flights. There will also be instances where we may have to change flight times based on our aircraft avail- ability. We will communicate any changes to the affected passengers prior to their flight,” she said. The Denver route will continue, she said, using the Boeing 737-300 or other air- craft where necessary. “There may also be in- stances where we may have to contract with another carrier to provide ‘Substitute Service’ for certain flights,” she added. Concern about the Max 8 centers on the similarities be- tween the Lion Air crash in Indonesia and the Ethiopian Air crash over last weekend. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency order grounding the planes Wednesday, saying new, enhanced satellite tracking data and physical ev- idence on the ground linked the Ethiopian jet’s movements to those of the Lion Air flight that plunged into the Java Sea in October, killing 189 people. “That evidence aligns the Ethiopian flight closer to Lion Air, what we know happened to Lion Air,” said Daniel Elwell, acting FAA ad- ministrator, according to an Associated Press report. Officials at Lion Air have said sensors on their plane produced erroneous informa- tion on its last four flights, triggering an automatic nose- down command that the pi- lots were unable to over- come on its final voyage, the AP reported. Boeing said in a statement that it backed the temporary ban on the planes. “We are supporting this proactive step out of an abun- dance of caution. Safety is a core value at Boeing for as long as we have been building airplanes; and it always will be. There is no greater priority for our company and our in- dustry. We are doing every- thing we can to understand the cause of the accidents in partnership with the investi- gators, deploy safety enhance- ments and help ensure this does not happen again.” Tours, ice carving and more Adjunct culinary instructor Elardo McDonald carves an angelfish out of a block of ice as students look on. His performance was part of a day-long series of events at UCCI’s Open Campus on Thursday. The annual event featured campus tours and information booths. More than 100 UCCI students participated and more than 400 local schoolchildren, Year 5 and up, attended. – PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS A welcoming ceremony is held as Cayman Airways’ first Boeing 737 Max 8 jet lands at Owen Roberts International Airport in November last year. The airline, which now has two Max 8s, has grounded both planes. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY NICARAGUA ‘MARATHON’ PROTESTER FLEES FOR EXILE IN COSTA RICA MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) – A Nicaraguan man who be- came a prominent public face of opposition to President Daniel Ortega’s government for his defiant protest runs through the capital has left the country for exile, his son said Wednesday. Byron Vanegas, Alex Vanegas’ son, confirmed to The Associated Press that his father, who came to be known as the “marathon man,” has gone to neigh- boring Costa Rica. “He decided to leave the country because he could no longer stand the (po- lice) siege and harassment,” Byron Vanegas said. He had been briefly detained re- peatedly during the protests and in November was jailed for what turned out to be four months. In a recent interview, Alex Vanegas, 62, told the AP that police patrols were watching his home constantly after he was conditionally released to house arrest in late Feb- ruary, along with about 100 others considered po- litical prisoners, as talks re- sumed on Nicaragua’s polit- ical standoff. Those people are not sup- posed to leave their homes, much less the country, but Byron Vanegas said his fa- ther crossed into Costa Rica “somewhere along the border.” He did not give fur- ther details.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MARCH 15, 2019 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. Images for illustration purposes only. fin@fingrandcayman.com + 1 345 326 1400 FIN.cayman fingrandcayman Reserve your private tour and discover The Last Word in Luxury UNIQUE OPULENCE UNPARALLELED VIEWS The finest in finishes, design and amenities combine for an unrivalled penthouse living experience. Multi-level Penthouses priced from USD 3,199,000The 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 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 EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” Cayman’s exclusion from the latest European Union tax blacklist gives little cause for celebration, coming as it does with significant strings attached. As the Compass reported this week, the EU has once again inserted itself into Cayman’s affairs, directing our political leaders to amend newly minted economic substance legislation under “further tech- nical guidance” – or risk being blacklisted, after all. It seems they are not satisfied with the economic substance law our Legislative Assembly rushed to draft and approve late last year, again to meet EU demands. They appear particularly concerned that investment funds are exempt from economic sub- stance requirements. It bears repeating that the idea of establishing “adequate” presence for a company that conducts business digitally or internationally borders on nonsense. It is difficult to see the EU’s position as anything but an affront. We are not children, to be threatened with punish- ment for not following a benevolent parent’s orders. Nor are we the rogue actors that self-declared “fair-tax” cru- saders try to make us out to be. Cayman has endured as one of the world’s leaders in global finance precisely because of our responsiveness to global standards, our political stability, integrity and collective expertise. We fear the outcome if Cayman continues to allow our delicately balanced system to be hacked at by foreign bureaucrats who are assaulting our economy with increasing frequency and under the guise of a variety of concerns (economic substance, public ben- eficial ownership registries, and corporate tax rates, as The Netherlands has done). Just as this editorial board wrote regarding U.K. Parliament’s ongoing attempts to meddle with our financial services framework, “achieving a proper and profitable regulatory balance is our business, in every sense of the word.” Government has decided that the right course of action is to continue working to address the EU’s concerns to avoid blacklisting and potential future sanctions. We hope that Cayman’s designated rep- resentatives, led by Premier Alden McLaughlin and Financial Services Minister Tara Rivers, do not forget that the experts on these issues are not to be found in the halls of Berlaymont office building in Brussels, but back here in Cayman. Our thriving financial services sector, the lifeblood of our economy, did not come about by accident. It was not given to us but made: carefully planned and nurtured over decades by government and private industry leaders with deep subject matter expertise and significant skin in the game. For decades, the close working relationship between government and financial services experts has been instrumental to our success. It has enabled us to stay on the cutting edge of a fast-moving industry while adapting to shifting political headwinds. Its importance cannot be overstated or ignored. The true experts in global finance are here at home FRIDAY MARCH 15, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS St. Patrick’s Day and the Irishing of the world LLEWELLYN KING The Irish are an accom- modating people. Well, not in everything but in some things. They share their cul- ture with the world. Then they incorporate into Irish life modifications that other nations, especially the United States, have made. Take St. Patrick’s Day. It was traditionally a dour day of religious observance in Ireland. Then Irish-Ameri- cans turned it into the fes- tival that we celebrate here. And now St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in Ireland much the way it is here: joyously. Likewise, corned beef and cabbage. That was a cheap dish that got its Irish iden- tification among the poor immigrants in New York. It was not a tradition in Ire- land where thick bacon, lamb and salmon, served with an astonishing array of potato options, is stan- dard fare along with bat- tered cod – fish and chips to the rest of the world. But in an accommodation to visi- tors, corned beef and cab- bage can now be had in the big hotels. A word about those po- tatoes: If you can think of preparation for potatoes, you might find them offered. Never, in my experience, are less than three varieties available in a restaurant. At a banquet once, I was offered a choice of chips (French fries) duchess, sautéed, boiled, croquette, mashed and scalloped. What is not seen in Irish restaurants are baked pota- toes – although, to please vis- itors, they may be sneaking into the hotels. In my nearly four decades of an- nual travels in Ireland, I learned that baked potatoes, known as jacket potatoes, are street food – to be bought with all sorts of great fill- ings from stalls, food trucks and the like, not in restau- rants and pubs. Irish stew is also less common than you would expect. The Irish do drink, but in their own way. As Ireland has become a modern, com- petitive country, people are drinking less. But drinking is part of the fabric of daily life, just as drinking coffee, tea (hot or iced) and soft drinks might be elsewhere. You do business in Ireland over a drink, celebrate with a drink, mourn with a drink and, well, just have a drink be- cause that is what you do be- tween what you just did and what you are going to do. A breather, you might say. For 20 years I was the American organizer for an Irish summer school. Summer schools – there are more than two dozen – are more like themed think tanks that meet only in the summer, often just for a long weekend. They cover litera- ture, music, politics and are named accordingly, like the Yeats International Summer School and the Parnell Summer School. The one my wife and I were affiliated with was the Humbert International Summer School, named for the French general sent to Ireland in 1798 to help with the uprising against the British, which was put down brutally by Gen. Lord Cornwallis, fresh from his American defeat. Humbert was sent back to France – the English not having a beef with the French at that moment. He had an af- fair with Napoleon’s sister and was ordered to New Or- leans, where he passed his days drinking with Lafitte, the French pirate and pri- vateer, teaching French and living his exiled life in style. He did fight bravely in the Battle of New Orleans and helped the American forces with his military skill. He died in New Orleans and is buried there. Back to the welcoming of American embellishments to Irish traditions. These are not resented in Ireland be- cause of the great affinity of the Irish have with their 35 million or so kinsmen in the United States. The Irish enjoy the American stage and screen songs of Ireland, like “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.” The Little People of Ireland’s folklore are be- ginning to look like Disney’s Seven Dwarfs. That does not mean that the Little People are not alive and well, it’s just that their presence has been enhanced by legends that came from Hollywood as much as from the Auld Sod. A friend of mine built a wall around his moth- er’s retirement house in Cork. But her neighbors insisted that it have a gap for the Little People to go through – so it has a gap. As for the fairies, my wife and I were riding in north- west Ireland and our guide told us it was all right to ride through a copse, but we should not let the horses dis- turb the fairy circle there. He rode around the copse to be sure he did not upset the fairies. Despite the drink, the Little People and the fairies, Ireland is the computing capital of Europe and hopes to take over as a finan- cial center after England loses many banking houses due to Brexit. Sláinte! That is the equiv- alent of cheers as you raise a glass. Do that Sunday or the Little People, or the fairies, or your Irish friends may be upset. You’ve been warned. Llewellyn King is executive producer and host of “White House Chronicle” on PBS. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. It was traditionally a dour day of religious observance in Ireland. Then Irish-Americans turned it into the festival that we celebrate here. And now St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in Ireland much the way it is here: joyously.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MARCH 15, 2019 PERSONAL BANKING | BUSINESS BANKING | FIDUCIARY SERVICES | FUND SERVICES | INVESTMENT SERVICES CAYMAN ISLANDS | ISLE OF MAN | DUBAI Cayman National Corporation Ltd 200 Elgin Avenue, PO Box 1097, Grand Cayman KY11102, Cayman Islands | Tel +1 345 949 4655 caymannational.com | cncshares.ky Republic Group completes its investment in Cayman National A stronger, brighter future for Cayman National Dear Shareholders, Customers and Friends, We are pleased to announce that, having received all required government and regulatory approvals , the Partial Offer to purchase Cayman National shares by Republic Bank Trinidad & Tobago (Barbados) Limited (a subsidiary of Republic Financial Holdings Limited) (“Republic”), expired on Friday, March 8, 2019. We are delighted that Cayman National will now be part of the extended Republic family whilst still retaining our own unique identity. We will continue to provide our local touch, with the mainly Caymanian team providing high levels of services throughout all three of our Islands. As previously announced, lending decisions will continue to be made in the Cayman Islands, and the majority of the board will continue to be comprised of Caymanian directors, but we will now be backed by the resources of a global financial player. This is a major milestone in the history of Cayman National and is a very favorable step towards securing the stability of the organisation for years to come. We look forward to growing with you and the Cayman economy well into the future. Sincerely, About the Republic Group Established in the Caribbean in 1837 as the Colonial Bank and becoming Barclays Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, the Republic Group is today one of the region’s largest and most successful financial institutions. Now a global player with assets in excess of US$9.4 billion and equity of US$1.4 billion, the Republic Group has more than 117 branches and 5,574 staff across the Caribbean and Ghana. Learn more about the Republic Group at republicfinancialholdings.com Information on Payment to Tendering Shareholders Shareholders resident in the Cayman Islands and entitled to consideration under the Partial Offer may pick up their cheque from 12pm (Cayman Islands time) on 13 March 2019 at Cayman National Securities Ltd., 2nd Floor, Suite 6201, 62 Forum Lane, Camana Bay, Grand Cayman. Thereafter, cheques will be available for collection at the same address during regular business hours. Currently valid government issued photo identification will be required for collection. Shareholders not resident in the Cayman Islands will receive payment via wire transfer. Stuart J. Dack President and Chief Executive, Cayman National Corporation Ltd. Truman M. Bodden OBE, LLB (Hons), ACIB Chairman of the Board of Directors, Cayman National Corporation Ltd.6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MARCH 15, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS www.tomlinsonfurniture.ky sales@tomlinsonfurniture.ky 9 Walkers Road At the 4-Way Stop by GT Hospital Tel: 949-5383 3pc. Toddler Room in a Box $350 Kids Table Set $150 in the Welcome Baby Department! 4n1 Cribs (White, Brown or Grey) $339 ! Crib/Toddler Mattresses starting @ $50 ! See Welcome Baby Facebook for more new arrivals and specials. FREE DELIVERY AND SETUP INCLUDED. NEW ARRIVALS Cayman to be featured in long-running TV fishing show KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman will be featured on CBS Sports, the Discovery Channel, and multiple other television channels during the first week of April, when the long-running television show “Jimmy Houston Out- doors” airs footage of its trip here last year. World-renowned fish- erman Jimmy Houston and his crew were here in Feb- ruary 2018 for a four-day trip that saw them bone-fishing off the shores, searching for tarpon in the canals of Grand Cayman, and fishing for mutton snapper near the reef in the Rum Point area. When the Compass ac- companied Mr. Houston on local captain Jacob Mc- Taggart’s boat Killin’ Time, he caught two barracudas weighing around 10 pounds a piece, several mutton snap- pers and some lizard fish. At one point, a four-foot nurse shark also bit on one of the lines, though it escaped with the bait minutes later. For Mr. McTaggart, the owner of Cayman Off- shore Adventures, taking Mr. Houston out on his boat was an opportunity to rub elbows with an angler who influ- enced him as a child. “I’ve been watching Jimmy since I was a kid,” Mr. McTaggart said last Feb- ruary. “Even though we don’t have any freshwater down here to fish for bass, I was a professional bass fisherman just by watching him and learning his tricks.” Mr. Houston’s trip has been turned into two epi- sodes, the first of which will begin airing on April 1 on various networks. The first episode will feature the Ca- ribbean Club, Cayman Air- ways, and crew from Slackem Charters. The second epi- sode will feature the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, The Ritz- Carlton and captain Jacob McTaggart, according to show publicist Misty Wells. “The show will air on var- ious networks worldwide that include the Discovery Channel, NBC Sports, Pursuit Channel, Hunt Channel to over 50 million viewers,” said Ms. Wells, who said a release date for the second episode has not been determined yet. “Jimmy Houston Out- doors” runs 26 episodes per year, and has filmed in other Caribbean locations in- cluding the British Virgin Is- lands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas. Ms. Wells said she is also planning an- other trip to Cayman this year to film her own show, “Let’s Take it Outside.” “The great thing about this series is that it’s not just fishing, it is an outdoor se- ries so I will be able to cover everything that the Cayman Islands has to offer from, Fishing, Diving, Hiking, Is- land Hopping, Dining and anything else that you think I should not miss,” Ms. Wells said of her show. “I am cur- rently putting together a re- quest sheet for review.” “Let’s Take it Outside” will air on Fox Sports, Hunt Channel, Outdoor Channel, JHL TV and other stations, according to Ms. Wells. “It is exciting to be working with Fox Sports, as I will be the first female-hosted outdoor show on the network, a huge accomplishment,” she stated. “I am working on some dates and information as we speak, and will keep everyone posted on what the plan is.” World-renowned fisherman Jimmy Houston and his crew were here in February 2018 for a four-day trip that saw them bone-fishing off the shores, searching for tarpon in the canals of Grand Cayman, and fishing for mutton snapper near the reef in the Rum Point area. Around the island in 8 days Epic run raises money for education program JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Teen athlete Charles-An- toine Sokohl ran around the island in eight days to raise more than $8,000 to help fund special educa- tion support for underprivi- leged children. Mr. Sokohl, 18, covered just over 10 miles a day to complete a circuit of Grand Cayman, starting and fin- ishing at Seven Mile Shops on West Bay Road. The Cayman Interna- tional School student ad- mitted his legs were “spent” after completing the epic run on Sunday. Rising at 5 a.m. every morning and beginning his daily runs at 6 a.m., Mr. So- kohl, completed the equiv- alent of more than three full marathons. He said the last leg, from Rankin’s Jerk Centre in Bodden Town, past the air- port and back to West Bay Road, had been the toughest. “It was the longest leg and I just wanted to get it over with to be honest. I was at a mental low,” he said. “When I reached Hur- ley’s and realized I was past halfway and felt in good shape, I started to feel better. “I was just saying to my- self ‘just keep running and don’t think about it too much,’ to just get into the rhythm of running.” Mr. Sokohl’s brother Pierre-Louis ran some of the legs with him, before in- jury prevented him from taking part. He said it had been an interesting way to see the whole island, step by step, and he was proud to have completed the full circuit. “It was a good experience. It was challenging but re- warding,” he added. Mr. Sokohl raised $8,500 for charity Acts of Random Kindness’ new Mentor-Edu- cate-Reinforce academic in- tervention program. The program funds in- tensive, one-on-one tutoring throughout the school year for children who lag behind in school because of their family circumstances. “I chose them because they are one of the only ed- ucational programs for dis- enfranchised children,” said Mr. Sokohl. Tara Nielsen, director of ARK, said the Sokohl brothers were a shining example to Cayman’s youth. She said, “The funds they have raised will have a de- fining impact for the stu- dent they have funded, they can take full credit for per- sonally enabling a local child to begin to experience suc- cess at school and discover their full potential. We are immensely proud of these young men and so grateful they chose to champion ARK’s MER initiative.” Charles Sokohl ran around the island in eight days, covering a distance equivalent to three full marathons. Television host Jimmy Houston and his daughter, Sherri Houston, show off a barracuda they caught near the reef at Rum Point in February 2018. Mr. Houston was filming here for his show, ‘Jimmy Houston Outdoors,’ which will air during the first week of April. Jimmy Houston fishes for snapper near Rum Point. Cayman will be featured in Mr. Houston’s television show, ‘Jimmy Houston Outdoors,’ during the first week of April. - PHOTOS: KEN SILVAThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MARCH 15, 2019 The scholarship will be awarded for the 2019/2020 academic year, commencing this September. Applicants must: • Have proof of Caymanian Citizenship (Certificate of Acknowledgment or Caymanian Status Certificate) • Be 18 years of age or older • Be accepted into a law degree course leading to a commonwealth qualification • Provide CV and/or school transcript • Provide two character references • Provide a Police Clearance Certificate issued within the last 6 months To be considered, please complete the application form at www.conyersdill.com/pages/graduates-and-students. The recipient will be chosen following a successful interview with the Scholarship Committee. Applications should also include a formal cover letter to the attention of Keisha Syms: Keisha.Syms@conyersdill.com. Application Deadline: 31 March NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR OUR LEGAL EDUCATION AWARD The scholarship will be awarded to Caymanians interested in obtaining a Legal Support and Administration certificate. Applicants must: • Have proof of Caymanian Citizenship (Certificate of Acknowledgment or Caymanian Status Certificate) • Be 18 years of age or older and of good character • Demonstrate financial need • Be accepted at UCCI for the Fall 2019/2020 term or already enrolled as a student at UCCI • Provide CV and/or school transcript • Provide two character references •Provide a Police Clearance Certificate issued within the last 6 months To be considered, please submit a formal cover letter to the attention of Keisha Syms: Keisha.Syms@conyersdill.com. The recipient will be chosen following an interview with the Scholarship Committee. Application Deadline: 31 March APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR OUR UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS SCHOLARSHIP conyersdill.comThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY MARCH 15, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Neva RosedeanJackson, who passed away on Thursday, March 07, 2019. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at Savannah United Church, Grand Cayman on Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 1:00 –2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Hospice Care/Jasmine. Interment at: SpottsCemetery Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Cora Rhoda Dixon, who passed away on Monday, March 04, 2019. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at Church of God Universal, East End on Sunday, March 17, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. Viewing: Closed Casket Interment at: East End Cemetery Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com there was stuff they couldn’t account for.” Asked if the audit had revealed anything crim- inal, Mr. Whittaker said, “I wouldn’t say yes and I wouldn’t say no.” He said those involved in the suspicious transactions were no longer part of the as- sociation. He added that FIFA would decide if CIFA should pursue legal action on the basis of the audit findings. But he said the world gov- erning body and regional body CONCACAF were satis- fied with the current admin- istration and were prepared to fund its programs. “What one person or two persons did, that shouldn’t mean the whole football community should have to pay,” he said. CIFA’s finances came under scrutiny following the arrest of Mr. Webb, who was also vice president of FIFA. He has admitted accepting bribes worth millions of dollars in connection with the sale of marketing rights for world football events and is awaiting sentencing in the U.S. The Cayman Compass re- ported in 2015 that nearly $1 million in loans to the Cayman Islands Football As- sociation from unnamed pri- vate companies were sub- sequently reassigned as sponsorship income in the association’s accounts. The loans were purportedly de- signed to aid in the con- struction of a National Training Center in Prospect, and the 2012/13 accounts said they originated from two “strategic partners” of the association. CIFA’s pre- vious auditors, Rankin Berkower, flagged suspi- cious transactions in Sep- tember 2015. A December 2015 lawsuit filed by CONCACAF in U.S. federal court later alleged that those loans to CIFA were bribe payments from two companies – Cartan Tours and Forward Sports – to Mr. Webb. That case was settled out of court. Mr. Whittaker, who was elected president in No- vember 2017, said that chapter in CIFA’s history had been closed and the associa- tion is moving on. “It has been over for a long time. We have been moving on big time,” he said. “I am satisfied with the outcome of the audit, FIFA is very satisfied, so we should start to see a big difference in the funding from FIFA to- wards the Cayman Islands. “They are going to back- date us to catch us up, It is close to $5 million or more because we haven’t received any funding for close to four years.” He said there was grant funding available from FIFA for infrastructure, player de- velopment, coaching and ref- erees. Some of the funding would go to the Center of Excellence in Prospect for floodlights, bleachers and changing rooms, he said, while some would go to pre- paring the islands’ various national teams for compe- tition. There are strings at- tached to the funding, and FIFA is likely to keep a close eye on how it is spent. “There are a lot of forms that have to be filled out. There are a lot of regulations we have to follow to specify exactly where the money is going,” Mr. Whittaker added. the Dart group. Infrastructure Minister Joey Hew said, “These up- grades will benefit residents and visitors alike by pro- viding designated spaces for local businesses to operate, new restroom facilities to make the beach accessible for persons of all abilities, and additional landscaping to provide more public green space and shade for our community to enjoy.” The works will be under- taken by Dart. Construction will occur in three phases, the first of which will occur in the southernmost area of the beach and include the construction of the new vendor area, restroom block and walking paths. The second phase will see the ad- dition of new walking paths around the existing chil- dren’s playground and im- provements to the volleyball courts. The final construc- tion phase will focus on up- grades to the parking area. Kenneth Hydes, vice pres- ident for special projects and partnerships at Dart’s con- struction company DECCO, said the project represents a significant investment to improve one of Grand Cay- man’s key attractions. “Dart is committed to the continued sustainable eco- nomic development of the Cayman Islands and de- livering this project for the wider benefit of the local community and our country as the premier tourist des- tination in the Carib- bean,” he added. While the public will continue to have access to the beach via the existing parking lot and walking path during the first con- struction phase, private ve- hicles will no longer have ac- cess to the beach. Once the first phase of the work is complete, pri- vate vehicles will not be able to drive directly up to the beach anymore. This decision was made to en- sure the safety of all beach users going forward and prevent future instances of reckless driving near the cabanas and soccer pitch, according to a Dart press release. Access to the Mobi-mat, for wheelchair access to the beach, will be maintained throughout the project, and the public will still be able to access and book the beach cabanas, Dart said. board is there. This is the plan going forward.” Implementing the plan, she said, will require greater resources. She has submitted a business case to the Min- istry of Education that, in part, asks for additional staff and faculty. “As part of building out, we’re looking at adding a number of new positions that would do regular outreach to the business community,” Ms. McAfee said. Providing the kind of support she envisions for students will also mean more people. “We’d like to see faculty teaching fewer classes and mentoring students more,” she said. The next step in the pro- cess is to put the philosoph- ical principles laid out in the plan into concrete proposals. “Within the next few months, we’ll be developing operational plans in every de- partment,” Ms. McAfee said. In addition to laying out a course of action, those plans, she said, will include “how we measure success. How we’re getting things done.” The goal, she said, is to build UCCI into a world- class institution. Some of its students are already finding such a foothold. At the board of gover- nors meeting, Ms. McAfee re- ported on the recent success of a team of students that at- tended a Chartered Finan- cial Analyst Research Chal- lenge regional competition in Miami, Florida, where they took first place. Students Maria Pia Velazquez, Charles Lewison, Shamelia McPherson and Nina Robinson will travel to New York next month for the finals of the competition. “It’s a pretty stunning achievement for our stu- dents,” she told the board. “It just goes to show, with that kind of mentorship and sup- port, what they can do.” $3M Public Beach plan includes ‘vendor village’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 UCCI approves delayed 5-year strategic plan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 FIFA to resume funding Cayman football US-Russian crew blasts off to International Space Station BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (AP) – A Russian-American crew of three blasted off to the International Space Sta- tion early Friday, making a second attempt to reach the outpost after October’s aborted launch. A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch along with Roscosmos’ Alexei Ovchinin lifted off as planned from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12:14 a.m. Friday. The Soyuz MS-12 space- craft reached a designated orbit about nine minutes after the launch, and the crew re- ported they were feeling fine and all systems on board were operating normally. They are set to dock at the space station in about six hours. On Oct. 11, a Soyuz that Hague and Ovchinin were riding in failed two minutes into its flight, activating a rescue system that allowed their capsule to land safely. That accident was the first aborted crew launch for the Russian space program since 1983, when two Soviet cos- monauts safely jettisoned after a launch pad explosion. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine congratulated the crew on a successful launch. “So proud of Nick Hague for persevering through last Oc- tober’s launch that didn’t go as planned,” he tweeted. Speaking at a pre-launch news conference at Baikonur, the crew said they trusted the rocket and fully believed in the success of their mission. “I’m 100 percent confi- dent in the rocket and the spacecraft,” Hague said. “The events from October only helped to solidify that and boost confidence in the ve- hicle to do its job.” The trio will join NASA’s Anne McClain, Roscosmos’ Oleg Kononenko and David Saint-Jacques of the Cana- dian Space Agency who are currently on the space station. They will conduct work on hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, phys- ical science and Earth science. When one of the four strap-on boosters for their Soyuz failed to separate prop- erly two minutes after their launch in October, Hague and Ovchinin were jettisoned from the rocket. Their rescue cap- sule plunged steeply back to Earth with its lights flashing and alarms screaming, sub- jecting the crew to seven times the force of gravity. Hague emphasized Wednesday that they were well-trained for the emergency. “The nature of our profes- sion is we spend 90-95 per- cent of our time practicing what to do when things go wrong,” he said. “And so we spend all that time training, running through all those scenarios. And because we do train that way, like in October when things like that hap- pened, we were ready to do what we need to do to come out successfully.” The October failure was the first aborted launch for the Russian space program in 35 years and only the third in history. Each time, the rocket’s automatic rescue system kept the crew safe. A Russian investigation attributed October’s launch failure to a sensor that was damaged during the rock- et’s final assembly. The next crew launch to the space sta- tion in December went on without a hitch. Ovchinin recalled that they felt “more annoyed than stressed” when their rescue capsule touched down in the barren steppes of Kazakh- stan. “It was disappointing and a bit frustrating that we didn’t make it to the Interna- tional Space Station,” he said. NASA and Roscosmos praised the crew’s valor and composure in the aborted launch and promised to quickly give them a second chance into space. “We don’t accept the risk blindly, we have mitigated it as much as we can, and we always plan to be successful,” Hague said. Ovchinin stressed that the aborted launch in Oc- tober was an “interesting and very useful experience” that “proved the reliability of the emergency rescue system.” Since the 2011 retire- ment of the U.S. shuttle fleet, Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft have been the only vehicles that can ferry crews to the space station. NASA, however, is counting on SpaceX and Boeing to start launching as- tronauts this year. The Soyuz rocket is seen at dawn on launch site 1 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Thursday in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. – PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MARCH 15, 2019 TEMPORARY ROAD LAYOUT Elgin Avenue to Crewe Road Connector CREWE ROAD CREWE ROAD CREWE ROAD DORCY DRIVE SHEDDEN ROAD To ensure your safety, please follow all relevant signs and road markings New Temporary Road Layout Starts Monday, 18 th March 2019 The NRA look forward to this phase of the Elgin Avenue to Crewe Road Connector widening project being completed and thank you for your patience. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by these works. North bound traffic on Crewe road will use the temporary slip lane to enter the new roundabout. Traffic from Printers Way MUST use the new roundabout. Traffic exiting Dorcy Dr. heading to Crewe Road will use one lane on temporary surface. The National Roads Authority aims to improve lives by improving transportation. www.caymanroads.com nra@nra.ky 345.946.7780 www.facebook.com/nraroads/ ONE LANE INTO ROUNDABOUT FROM CREWE ROAD OWEN ROBERTS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MANGO TREE RESTAURANT NAPA RAB WEST EAST NORTH NEW RAB PRINTERS WAY PRINTERS WAYNext >