FRID AY APRIL 5 , 2019 • C AYMAN COMPASS ■FOOD & DRINK Cocktails with Guy Harvey for conservation LUCA restaura nt is ho sting annual e vent B3 CAYMAN WEEKENDER Taste of Cayman EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 THIS WEEKEND, DIG IN TO TASTE OF CAYMAN High of 91 Low of 80 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY APRIL 5, 2019 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY ALSO AVAILABLE IN Mixed results for 2018 student test scores MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Following a Freedom of In- formation request, the Compass has obtained the scores from last spring’s GCSE exams for Year 11 and Year 12 students. The results are a bit of a mixed bag. Scores rose in most catego- ries for Year 12 students. But al- most all Year 11 scores dropped, many substantially. Statistics provided by the Department of Education show significantly more modest gains for Year 12 students and substantial declines in the scores of Year 11 students taking the GCSE. In the six categories measured, the av- erage gain for all Year 12 stu- dents was 5.3%. The greatest single in- crease was a 7.4% improve- ment in the number of stu- dents passing level 2 maths, with 56.6% of students scoring C or above. The smallest im- provement was in the 71.4% of students who passed level 2 exams in five or more subjects in 2017. That figure rose 0.4% to 71.7% in 2018. GCSE exams are UK-gen- erated tests that are used to measure competancy in mul- tiple subject areas. There are in- dividual tests for many different subjects. Cayman students have historically scored well below their UK counterparts, although LEGISLATORS CONDEMN SAME-SEX MARRIAGE JUDGMENT JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands legislators have roundly condemned the chief justice’s decision to le- galise same-sex marriage during an extensive two-day debate. Many expressed concern that the court, in directly amending the Marriage Law, had overreached and stepped into the territory of elected lawmakers. Some spoke out specifically against same- sex marriage, saying the majority in the country did not want it, while others made more general condemnations of homosexu- ality, citing passages from the Bible to bolster their arguments. Anthony Eden, the legislator for Savannah and a vocal opponent of rights for same-sex couples, said, “God is the judge, jury, and he will be the executioner because he says in this book [the Bible] that this type of lifestyle will keep you out of Heaven.” Education Minister Juliana O’Connor- Connolly described the day of Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s judgment as “black Friday” for the Cayman Islands. She encouraged Peter the iguana basks in royal limelight ALVARO SEREY AND KAYLA YOUNG aserey@pinnaclemedialtd.com, kyoung@ pinnaclemedialtd.com Peter the blue iguana may rank among the most famous reptiles in the world right now. After a highly publicised visit last week from the Prince of Wales, who greeted the rare, Caymanian reptile with a beaming smile and a ginger pat on the head, Peter is basking in his 15 minutes of fame. From The Telegraph in London to Cana- da’s Toronto Sun, Peter and the prince cap- tured headlines the world over. For the 15-year-old iguana, who calls the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park home, the March 28 royal encounter was not his first time in the spotlight. The visit did, however, bestow its own prestige upon the reptile, now known affec- tionately among Blue Iguana Recovery Pro- gramme staff as ‘Sir Peter’. Operations Manager Nick Ebanks said Peter has also been featured in National Geographic and has been filmed by camera crews from the United States and Europe. His uncharacteristically docile de- meanour has made him a favourite among tour groups since the programme took him on after finding him as a hatchling in the wild in 2003. While blue iguanas can be quite territorial, even fighting other iguanas to the death to protect their turf, Peter seems to enjoy human attention. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Peter the blue iguana is a favourite among visitors, including Prince Charles, to the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park due to his docile demeanour. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » HRC: GOVERNMENT APPEAL ‘ILL-CONSIDERED’ JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Human Rights Com- mission has spoken out against government’s decision to appeal last week’s historic ruling legalising same-sex marriage, describing it as “ill-considered” and doomed to fail. In a statement Thursday afternoon, the commission describe’s government’s case as “weak to the point of being inarguable”. It adds, “Unjustified state-sponsored dis- crimination has no place in a modern de- mocracy and it is unlawful under Cayman’s Constitution.” The commission, currently led by lawyer James Austin-Smith, said in its statement that Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s judgment had been “powerful, eloquent and comprehensive” and had “systematically debunked” every ar- gument brought by government and its law- yers at trial. “The judgment was based on settled PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL®IONAL FRIDAY APRIL 5, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS FREE DELIVERY TO SMB & CAMANA BAY AREA Cayman Orthopaedic Group Please call 945-8380 for appointments DR. OLUFEMI AYENI, F.R.C.S.(C) Hip, Shoulder, Knee Arthroscopy, Trauma and Sports Medicine will be at Unit #1, Smith Road Plaza Monday, 8 th April, 2019 to Friday, 19th April, 2019 New roof for museum JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Na- tional Museum is getting a new roof to protect the ar- tefacts inside the downtown building on Harbour Drive. Museums Director Peggy Leshikar-Denton told the Cayman Compass that, after an analysis of the site was carried out, it was found that the old roof had exceeded its utility. She said the museum, with the help of government, has committed a little over $100,000 for the roof, which should be completed before the end of April. Lalev Construction Ltd. is in charge of the roofing work. In the meantime, until further notice, the Goring Avenue entrance to the mu- seum is closed, but visi- tors can enter through the Shedden Road and Harbour Drive entrances. “We’re so excited. We’ve got new roofing material, new zinc … the roof will be done in the same exact style in bright red, just like be- fore, but with a stronger al- uminium material,” Leshikar- Denton said. She added that the work may take up to a month to finish but is hopeful that it could be completed sooner. She said the building is also getting a fresh coat of paint. Staff members are dedi- cated to keeping the museum open through the entire roof renovation project, however, some impacts of the pro- ject may affect visitors, ac- cording to a press release from the museum. The Old Gaol Cafe will also remain open and can be accessed from Goring Avenue. FORMER IMMIGRATION STAFFERS APPEAL SENTENCE, CONVICTION SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former immigration staffers Stephen Wayne Hurlston and Oscar Lee Watler appeared in Grand Court Thursday to appeal their 2018 sentence for pos- sessing 1.61 pounds of co- caine with intent to supply. Hurlston and Watler were convicted last May and sentenced to 12.5 years in August. Defence attorneys Norman Hill and Steve Mc- Field are appealing both the sentence and the conviction. The appeal of the sen- tence may involve a com- putational error made at some point in the process, the attorneys said. They be- lieve the defendants should have been sentenced to 11.5 years, not 12.5. Justice Mi- chael Wood said that he would hear the specifics of that appeal after he has ruled on the appeal of the conviction. Hill told Justice Wood on Thursday that he had just received paperwork on the case Wednesday afternoon and would like to confer with his clients before de- ciding how to proceed. Jus- tice Wood adjourned the case and ruled that he would hear an appeal of the conviction on April 29. Justice Wood indicated that he will consider the case on April 30 and render a judgment on May 1. At that point, the defence coun- sels could press an appeal of the sentence, if necessary. Watler and Hurlston were allegedly caught by police in October 2015 while parked in a secluded lot near Patrick’s Island. The re- sponding police officer tes- tified at trial that he found the defendants in the vi- cinity of multiple packages of cocaine along with a scale and a razor blade. Work is under way at the National Museum to install a new roof on the building. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Diseases surge in Venezuela as health system languishes Venezuela’s health system is in “utter collapse”, ac- cording to a report, including the exponential spread of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and diph- theria and “dramatic surges” in infectious diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. The report, to be released Thursday by Human Rights Watch and the Johns Hop- kins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is among the few that has sought to quan- tify Venezuela’s misery, as the country has ceased re- leasing health and nutrition data and retaliated against those who did. Based on interviews with doctors and other health per- sonnel in Venezuela, con- ducted by telephone and on- line; refugees in Colombia and Brazil, including health- care professionals; and rep- resentatives of humani- tarian and international organisations, the report con- cludes that the United Na- tions should take the lead providing aid. It calls on U.N. Secretary General António Guterres to spearhead efforts to declare a complex humanitarian emergency, an official desig- nation that would trigger a major, comprehensive effort under UN auspices and un- lock the mobilisation of inter- national resources. Humanitarian aid to Ven- ezuela has been slow, com- pared with the need, be- cause of the intransigence of President Nicolás Maduro – who has blamed depriva- tions on US sanctions and re- fused to allow anything be- yond a trickle of assistance to enter the country – and the reluctance of some do- nors to allow assistance to be distributed by the Maduro government. A U.N. declaration, the re- ports’ authors say, would put Guterres in a position to press Maduro to allow U.N. agencies to lead and imple- ment a large-scale humani- tarian response aid. Guterres has said the United Nations should not join any of the groups of na- tions promoting various po- litical solutions to the Ven- ezuelan crisis. They include the Lima Group of 14 Latin American nations, which along with the United States and some European coun- tries, has demanded that Ma- duro leave office in favour of Juan Guaidó, the head of Ven- ezuela’s Legislative Assembly, whom they recognised as the country’s interim president in January. The Trump administra- tion has imposed harsh eco- nomic and diplomatic sanc- tions against the Maduro government, even as it has stockpiled hundreds of tons of food and medical sup- plies along the Venezuelan border in neighbouring Co- lombia that Maduro has not allowed to enter. A contact group of the Eu- ropean Union and eight EU member states, along with four Latin American coun- tries – most of them among the 54 countries that have recognised Guaidó – has called for new elections. Sep- arately, Mexico and Uruguay say they have adopted a “neu- tral” stance, still recognizing Maduro and calling for a po- litical dialogue. © 2019, The Washington Post Renny Cardenas, state hospital director in San Cristobal, Venezuela, surveys the urology department last month. He said the equipment is useless with no spare parts, software or means to install it. - PHOTO: WASHINGTON POST Hurlston and Watler were convicted last May and sentenced to 12.5 years in August. The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 5, 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. This weekend, dig in to Taste of Cayman After patiently waiting, our islands’ eager epicures will finally get their Taste of Cayman on Saturday. Organisers say more than 30 restaurants, bars and vendors will participate in this year’s celebration of local food and drink. Grand Cayman’s self-proclaimed ‘largest foodie gathering’ is a perennial favourite, drawing thousands of amateur gastronomes and others simply looking for a fun evening out on the town. Longtime fans have been denied their annual helping since January, when inclement weather forced organisers to postpone the celebration. Now that the skies are clear, the table is set for another mouth-wateringly successful event. From a small, friendly chili cookoff to an island-wide community dinner, Taste of Cayman has flourished over the past three decades. Today, it is the Cayman Island Tourism Association’s largest fundraiser, incor- porating demonstrations, competitions, live music per- formances, family activities and cultural experiences into a multi-course feast for the senses. It is a celebra- tion of our islands’ history and extraordinary diversity, where one can sample traditional Caymanian cooking or dip into flavours from all over the world. Wisely, organisers are always on the lookout for ways to keep the celebration fresh and vibrant while continuing to serve up time-tested favourites. This year, they’ve added a Cayman-style Beef Competition to the popular contest for the title of best heavy cake. They’ve expanded the All Things Cayman area to make more room for traditional crafts, demonstrations, live drawings and performances by local dancers, singers and musicians. As CITA President Theresa Leacock-Broderick so aptly described the festival’s eclectic menu of offer- ings, “It has been so thrilling to be able to bring talent from across our islands together in one space to cel- ebrate this beautiful place we all get to call home.” Another important change this year is organisers’ stepped-up efforts to minimise the festival’s ‘ecological footprint’, putting measures into place to reduce the amount of waste that is produced and to inspire par- ticipants to make environmentally friendly changes on their own. Recycling bins for plastic and aluminium products will be strategically placed throughout the grounds at the Festival Green in Camana Bay. A designated ‘green team’ will help make sure waste is properly routed. Eco-friendly serving dishes will dramatically reduce the consumption of single-use plastic. Green Team leaders Steff McDermot says it is her goal to ‘work towards an entirely plastic free festival in years to come’. After weeks of waiting, our islands’ appetite is more than sufficiently whetted for this beloved event. We encourage our readers to dig in, and grab another helping of Taste of Cayman. FRIDAY APRIL 5, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Ensuring healthcare access DWAYNE SEYMOUR World Health Day is a time for decision-makers, educators, advocates, and, indeed, the whole commu- nity to consider how we can improve health outcomes around the world and in our local communities. The 2019 international focus on universal health coverage continues from last year, with particular atten- tion to ensuring access to quality primary healthcare. The World Health Organisa- tion argues that health is a human right and that eve- ryone should have access to the information and ser- vices they need to take care of their own health and the health of their families. This concept is the foun- dation for universal health coverage. It aims to ensure that individuals, their fam- ilies and the community benefit as much as possible from healthcare that facil- itates promotion and pre- vention, treatment, rehabil- itation and palliative care. Moreover, it calls for such services to be available as close as possible to where individuals live and work. The World Health Or- ganisation asserts that all people and communi- ties should have access as needed, without any kind of discrimination, to com- prehensive, appropriate and timely, quality health services, without financial difficulties. Here in the Cayman Is- lands we have worked for decades to facilitate ac- cess to the best possible primary healthcare for all persons resident in the Cayman Islands. As a small-island nation with no direct taxation, this is more challenging than it sounds. Yet I would like to assure you that Govern- ment will continue to push for still-greater strides to be made in this fundamental field of healthcare. The implementation of mandatory health insur- ance coverage more than two decades ago was an important step in this di- rection. It established a framework through which healthcare funding might be provided for all em- ployees by way of health insurance, with employers and employees meeting the basic insurance premium costs fifty-fifty. This was followed a few years later by the formation of a na- tional insurance company (CINICO) to provide cov- erage to civil servants, vet- erans, seamen, their fam- ilies and the indigent. CINICO also serves to pro- vide coverage for those with low income, the health impaired, and seniors who might otherwise struggle to get insurance. Health insurance cov- erage for those 65 and over, and the fiscal sus- tainability of healthcare, are areas currently under strategic review to ensure that health coverage in the Cayman Islands meets the needs of our entire popula- tion as effectively as pos- sible, whether young or old, rich or poor, Caymanian or resident. Between the Health Ser- vices Authority, the Doc- tors Hospital, and Health City Cayman Islands, I can also say that a wider range of healthcare ser- vices is available to resi- dents in these Islands than ever before. I would like to take this opportunity to applaud all the efforts of public and private primary healthcare teams across the Islands. Each day, they play a cru- cial role in teaching pa- tients how to take care of their health, advocating for their needs, coordinating their care and continuing to build trusted relationships The Ministry of Health will also do its part by maintaining a focus on leg- islation and policies that seek to improve accessi- bility to healthcare. We will also strive to gather better health data so that we can target resources and make changes where they are needed most. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with the local health sector, health- care advocates and com- munity groups, as we work together to secure the best possible healthcare out- comes for the people of the Cayman Islands. Dwayne Seymour is the Minister of Health. Dwayne Seymour Government will continue to push for still-greater strides to be made in this fundamental field of healthcare. 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 PUBLISHER KATHLEEN CAPETTA EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” LETTER Welcome CARIFTA games In a couple weeks’ time, Cayman will host this major junior athletics event for the third time and what a pros- pect is in store for everyone. Here we will witness athletic endeavour, pure and simple, with not a mention of appear- ance money, sponsorship or charities to benefit. Yet the athletes themselves will gain so much from being on the international stage, with coaching and scholar- ship opportunities and the chance to emulate the likes of Edward Manderson, Kareem Streete-Thompson and Cy- donie Mothersill. People like Truman Bodden, Tony Scott and Jerry Harper, as well as many others, were instrumental in getting this major event off the ground and they deserve all the plaudits they get. Let’s hope the demand for tickets soon exceeds the supply and a great time is had by all. Mike Spragg The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 5, 2019 CAMANA BAY WELCOMES FOREVER SUMMER Located on the Paseo Monday – Saturday | 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. foreversummer.com | +1.345.949.4142 Offering a refreshing assortment of stylish, fun and affordable fashion, Forever Summer captures the essence of an everlasting summer filled with beauty, warmth and fun. Shoppers will find stunning selections that appeal to all fashionistas - with new styles arriving weekly! Get that forever summer feeling with Forever Summer. CAMANABAY.COM6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY APRIL 5, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Tel: 949-5383 www.tomlinsonfurniture.ky sales@tomlinsonfurniture.ky 9 Walkers Road At the 4-Way Stop by GT Hospital SLEEP BETTER, FOR LESS! NOW ONLY $ 1,799 Sealy Conform Firm cooling Memory Foam Mattress (list price $2,800) TECHNOLOGY With Envy 2.0 adjustable base comes with massage and many other features! SPECIAL SPECIAL 2,000 books for EE Primary Literacy is for Everyone has donated more than 2,000 books to East End Pri- mary School. The books will go towards enhancing the library and be used through all year levels in the school, according to LIFE, a reading advocacy group. Book titles in the donation include ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’, ‘Goodnight Moon’, ‘Going to the Firehouse’, ‘The Magic School Bus’ and a wide va- riety of other books suitable for the school’s age range. In addition to fiction fa- vourites, there are also sev- eral non-fiction books on in- teresting and engaging topics, like whales, the Titanic, space and planets, wild weather, and frogs and tadpoles. Classroom libraries are one element to support in- struction in literacy and to help students become inde- pendent, life-long readers with a great love for books of all genres, according to LIFE. Executive director Mar- ilyn Conolly said LIFE is committed to supporting the students and teachers in the public school system as they all work together to give the children the gift of a lifetime – the ability to read. “Classroom libraries allow children to engage with a wide variety of interesting stories and topics to sup- port their learning. LIFE is pleased to partner with the staff of East End Primary School as we work towards ensuring that every child can read when they leave this primary school,” Conolly said. LIFE accepts donations and volunteers for their classroom library project, paired reading programme, and other literacy initiatives. Donations of children’s books can be dropped off at Mailboxes Etc. in Camana Bay. For more information, email volunteer@life.org.ky or call 938-6300. East End Primary School staff with Year 1 students and LIFE’s Erin Galatopoulos, back row, blue shirt, in the classroom library. Cayman boxer Barnes set to compete in Nicaragua KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com After winning a gold medal in Copenhagen last month, boxer Brandy ‘Bee’ Barnes is in Nicaragua to compete in a Pan American Games qualifying event. Barnes, 22, will need to finish in the top seven fighters in her weight class – 51 kilograms – in order to advance to the 2019 Pan Am Games, according to Cayman Islands Boxing Association President Leyla Jackson. Barnes’s first fight is scheduled for Thursday night against the Domin- ican Republic’s Miguelina Hernandez. If she wins, Barnes will go on to face the winner between Colombia’s Ingrit Valencia and Canada’s Sara Hagnighat. Jackson said Barnes will be tested against boxers who have far more experi- ence than her. “Some fighters at these events have hundreds of fights and Brandy has about 10,” she said. Nevertheless, Barnes will be prepared to face all comers, Jackson said. Barnes is coming off a nine- week training camp in Eng- land, where she sparred with some of the country’s top fe- male boxers. In addition, she won her first fight of the year by unanimous decision at the Hvidovre Box Cup in Copen- hagen on March 24. She ad- vanced to the finals of that tournament, and won the gold medal after her oppo- nent failed to make weight. “She’s shown a lot of progress,” Jackson said of Barnes. “So we’re hopeful.” The qualifying compe- tition in Nicaragua runs through April 11. Boxer Brandy Barnes is in Nicaragua to compete for a chance to go to the 2019 Pan American Games. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The books will go towards enhancing the library and be used throughout all year levels in the school, according to LIFE, a reading advocacy group.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 5, 2019 Located on Market Street Monday, Wednesdays & Fridays 12-5 p.m. or by appointment +1 345 640 OLEA | olea@camanabay.com camanabay.com Developed by Learn about the 124 condos, townhomes and duplexes that make up Camana Bay’s first for-sale residential development and waterfront community. Coming soon will be a showcase of finishes and fixtures to customise your new home. Open House this Saturday April 6, 12-4 p.m. Enjoy refreshments and the chance to win a $250 Camana Bay Gift Card. OLEA Sales & Presentation Centre now openThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY APRIL 5, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS the gap has narrowed in recent years. For Year 11 students, benchmark scores were down in nearly all catego- ries compared to the pre- vious year. The only rise was in those passing seven or more level 2 exams. That figure went from 33% in 2017 to 33.2% in 2018. The biggest drop came in level 2 maths, where the pass rate dropped from 45.8% to 39.6%, a 13.5% decline. Female students had the biggest impact on the overall rate. While females have con- sistently scored higher than their male counterparts over the years, their 2018 scores dropped an average of 10% in 2018. The biggest drop came in the benchmark measure of five or more level 2 subjects, including maths and Eng- lish. This has long been the international standard for measuring student achieve- ment on the GCSE. The Year 12 score that is considered the minimum for success is 75%. Year 11 scores are typi- cally lower. In 2017, female Year 11 students scored an average of 52.1% on the benchmark exam. That score dropped 15% in 2018 to 44.3%. John Gray High School Principal Jon Clark said Cayman schools continue to struggle to bring students up to international stand- ards. The biggest problem, he said, is chronic under-per- formance of Year 6 students. The high schools, he said, have a lot of ground to make up when those children ar- rive as new Year 7 students. “They come in very low,” Clark said. The biggest gap between expected and actual per- formance is in maths, he said. He thinks a big part of the problem is that pri- mary teachers are generally stronger in their knowledge of English than mathematics, something that may not be unique to Cayman. John Gray added an ad- ditional period of maths this year for all students in an ef- fort to address the weakness in the GCSE scores, he said. “We must be above 50% and we’re still working on that,” Clark said. The school hit just 36% in maths in 2018. John Gray’s scores were significantly lower than ei- ther Clifton Hunter or Layman Scott high schools, but the declines in year-to- year scores were greater at the other schools. At Layman E. Scott High School, the average decline over all six measures was 36.2%. However, the Cayman Brac school’s population is small – just 21 students in 2018 – so its numbers are susceptible to greater swings. It has consistently outperformed the other two high schools in its test scores and did so again in 2018. Scores at Clifton Hunter dropped an average of 8.1%, while John Gray was down just a single per- centage point. Clark said he is encour- aged by the progress he’s seeing in John Gray student performance this year. The school already has 40 students who passed their level 2 maths exam at the end of Year 10, so he’s ex- pecting to see the overall score increase in 2019. But he knows it will not be enough. “We’ve got a long way to go,” he said. Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Kirby McConnell Miller, who passed away on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 A Thanksgiving Service will be heldat William Pouchie Memorial United Church, 815 North side Rd, Grand Cayman on Saturday April 06, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. Viewing: Closed Casket Interment at: Miller Cemetery Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com 1 fufufnrahmm The family of the late Donna Welcome regret to announce her passing on Wednesday, 20 March, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservice.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page Funeral services will be announced at a later date. 2016-2018 GCSE RESULTS FOR YEAR 11 YearSchoolCohort Size Average no. of entries/ student 7+ Level 2 Subjects (incl. Eng and Maths) 7+ Level 2 Subjects 5+ Level 2 Subjects (incl. Eng and Maths) 5+ Level 2 Subjects L2 EnglishL2 Maths 2018JGHS2037.530.535.533.549.863.536.0 2017JGHS2307.828.730.438.352.664.340.0 2016JGHS2028.529.236.631.758.462.934.7 2018CHHS1677.629.330.540.146.165.341.9 2017CHHS1587.830.431.043.751.970.950.0 2016CHHS1867.724.224.738.745.260.844.1 2018LSHS218.733.333.347.671.476.257.1 2017LSHS189.583.383.383.383.383.383.3 2016LSHS228.940.940.959.177.377.359.1 Mixed results for 2018 student test scores “We noticed he was pretty easy to handle. He was docile. He actually liked being handled for some reason. So we kept him around,” Ebanks said. “We put him inside in one of the pens and when we’d take the tours around, he’d always be there.” While painting and pre- paring the botanic park grounds for the royal visit, Ebanks said Peter acted much in the way one would expect from a family dog – insisting on being petted and returning for more. “Even working, painting for the royal visit, he was jumping up my leg, trying to climb up me and get pets. As soon as you pet him, he leaves you alone for five minutes. Then he comes back and he wants more,” Ebanks said. One of Peter’s handlers, Alberto Estevanovich, has described the animal as the park’s “rock star”. During the royal visit, Es- tevanovich was able to teach Prince Charles about the re- vival of the species in Grand Cayman, the only place in the world where the species lives and where an estimated 900 to 1,100 now survive. Bringing the endangered species back from near ex- tinction has been a major focus of the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme’s breeding efforts. Over the past year, Ebanks said the programme has re- leased a record number of the iguanas to the wild. He estimated more than 100 of the animals were released over the last year to year and a half. In July, the National Trust for the Cayman Islands an- nounced the milestone re- lease of its 1,000th blue iguana, named Renegade, to the wild. The blue iguana was con- sidered functionally extinct in the wild as recently as 2005 but dedicated breeding efforts seem to have turned the tide for the endemic spe- cies, threatened by urban de- velopment and the introduc- tion of predators such as dogs and cats. With the planned release of 10 more blue iguanas to Colliers Wilderness Reserve this month, the programme will wind down its release efforts for a time. After the release of the final group, there will be no iguanas left in the programme that have reached the appropriate age for release. Ebanks said that will mean researchers can focus their efforts on analysing their captive animals and monitoring the wild popula- tion, which only lives in lim- ited areas that include Col- liers and Salinas Reserve in East End. As for the blue colour that so interested the Prince of Wales, Ebanks said that is for show. When working to attract a mate, the blue colour can indicate aptness for breeding and good health. Males tend to have more extensive blue colouring than females. The blue colour also helps the iguanas with heat regula- tion. Ebanks explained that the colour fluctuates during the day, with the blue colour being strongest around midday and returning to a dark colour in the evening and mornings for heat regulation. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Peter the iguana basks in royal limelight CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Prince Charles laughs as he meet Peter at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park on March 28. To his left is handler Alberto Estevanovich and to the right stand Governor Martyn Roper and Premier Alden McLaughlin. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 5, 2019 UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP Citco, located in the Cayman Islands, is inviting applications from suitably qualified Caymanians for a four-year scholarship. The scholarship will be an award of up to US$25,000 per year for a maximum of four years, commencing September 2019 The Successful Recipient will: • Be accepted as a full time student into an accredited university program in Accounting, Legal, Finance, Business or a related field • Be Caymanian between the ages of 17 and 24 • Have a minimum B average or GPA 3.50 • Able and willing to work with Citco during school breaks • Possess excellent character, work ethic and have a genuine interest in the Financial Services Industry • Willing to work post graduation for a minimum 2 years The Citco Group of Companies is a worldwide group of independent financial service providers serving the world’s elite hedge funds, private equity and real estate firms, institutional banks, Global 1000 companies and high net worth individuals. Citco companies service these sectors around the world by offering hedge fund administration, custody and fund trading, financial products and corporate and trust planning solutions. Citco has focused on these specialized niche services for over 75 years. It is this focus that has helped us reach the position as global industry leader in our markets. With more than 7,000 staff in over 40 countries, and with our clients as partners, we demonstrate the dynamic focus which has allowed us to excel in what we do best. Application forms can be requested from citcoscholarship@citco.com and returned via email or dropped at our office at 89 Nexus Way, Camana Bay addressed to: Citco Attn: Human Resource Business Partner Scholarship 2019 DEADLINE IS April 26 th , 2019 (Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted) Caymanians to do what they could to object to the planned wedding between Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden Bush, even to the point of inter- rupting the wedding itself. Day and Bodden Bush won a constitutional challenge to change Cayman’s Marriage Law to allow same-sex cou- ples to marry. O’Connor-Connolly backed government’s decision to ap- peal the judgment and to ask for a stay of implementation of same-sex marriage from the courts, saying that decision was an example of God answering people’s prayers. Environment Minister Dwayne Seymour said govern- ment’s stance against same- sex marriage was not about hate and people could do whatever they wished in their own bedrooms. With respect to marriage, he added, “What is the rush? Why can’t people respect our views and our culture? Is the mandate to change the whole world into Sodom and Gommarah? Not our Cayman Islands.” He went on to suggest the decision could lead to chil- dren being forced to “read text- books about Fred and Ned and Ann and Fran”. Newlands legislator Alva Suckoo said the chief justice’s decision was a threat to democ- racy and had prompted a con- stitutional crisis. He added that he was concerned that some of the legislators were being victimised for their views on same-sex marriage. “I have witnessed and heard some really horrible things,” he said. “I am get- ting really concerned because I am seeing attacks on mem- bers of this legislature. I can’t condone that. They are engi- neered and designed to scare us into not doing what we de- clare is right.” Suckoo was one of a number of legislators to sug- gest the push for same-sex marriage was being brought by outside influences. Though the lawsuit was brought by a Caymanian and her partner, multiple repre- sentatives suggested the deci- sion was designed to advance a UK agenda. Chris Saunders, MLA for Bodden Town West, said the issue was primarily about the will of the people. “This is a democratic country, simple as that,” he said. “Majority rules and if you don’t like it, there are other places you can go. This is what democracy is about. It is not about the minority having their way. It is about what the majority in a country wants.” He said he meant no harm to the “brave” couple that had brought the court challenge and was not trying to legislate morality, but insisted “majority rules”. He went on to ques- tion what would come next if same-sex marriage were le- galised, citing paedophilia, po- lygamy and transgender bath- rooms among his concerns. The constitutional argument The legislators were speaking as House busi- ness was suspended during Wednesday and Thursday to debate same-sex marriage. The debate was continuing Thursday afternoon. East End legislator Arden McLean brought a pri- vate members’ motion con- demning the chief justice’s decision, backing the govern- ment in its appeal and urging Parliament to reaffirm its su- premacy as the only body that can make laws. McLean kept his argument focussed primarily on consti- tutional questions, saying the issue went way beyond same- sex marriage. He said he believed the chief justice had misinter- preted his powers to modify legislation that does not ac- cord with the Bill of Rights and should instead have re- ferred the matter back to the elected politicians. “The chief justice has no place to make law – he or no one else – he’s taken that right from the people who sent us here to do that,” he said. “He has no authority to do it. This is our House, this is the peo- ple’s House, this is their real estate. We enact what they tell us what to enact, and if we are wrong, bring it back to us.” Both he and North Side legislator Ezzard Miller raised concerns that the courts could, in the future, use the same powers to amend the Elec- tions Law, for example, to allow people from overseas to run for office. Miller has recently ex- pressed support for civil un- ions for same-sex couples. Though he did not make any reference to this in his debate on Wednesday, he said govern- ment needed to consider what it was going to do if all ap- peals against the ruling failed. He said he was extremely concerned about the notion that the courts could use Sec- tion 5 of the Constitution to amend existing laws and sug- gested this provision should be reviewed. “If we do not find a way to correct and change our Con- stitution to prevent this ever happening in the future, it is the greatest danger to our de- mocracy that has come in a long time,” he said. The power to modify Government’s lawyers ap- peared to accept, during the trial held in February, that the chief justice did have the power to amend laws under Section 5 of the Constitution, though they contended that this was a “nuclear option”. Sir Jeffrey Jowell, repre- senting the government at trial, said to do so in this in- stance would be “judicial legislation of an unaccep- table kind”. Chief Justice Smellie in his ruling indicated that both parties had accepted that the Marriage Law pre-ex- isted the Constitution and said he was compelled, there- fore, to refer to Section 5 of that document, which deals with ‘existing laws’. He said that section gives the courts power to amend legislation that was “repugnant” to the Bill of Rights. He said similar clauses were included in the constitu- tions of many British Overseas Territories adding, “It is now settled case law which con- firms that in cases of repug- nancy, the courts may, indeed must, apply section 5 to make such modifications, adaptions, qualifications and exceptions as may be necessary to bring the law into conformity with the constitution.” He said this power was extensive and included the ability to delete and re- place sections. Through his decision, he removed a provision in that Marriage Law specifying that marriage is defined as be- tween a man and a woman, replacing it with a new defini- tion of marriage as being be- tween two people as one an- other’s spouse. legal principles estab- lished at the highest level, in the Privy Council and throughout the common law world,” it stated. The commission also commented on the Legisla- tive Assembly debate and the expressed view of mul- tiple politicians that majority opinion should prevail on the issue of same-sex marriage. “Such an approach fails to take into account the fun- damental principle – that the Constitution will respect, and will protect, the rights of the minority even if the ma- jority will not,” the commis- sion notes in its statement. “Last week the Chief Jus- tice was utterly clear: ‘The views of a majority cannot be an objective basis for denying the rights of a minority.’” The statement goes on to question the use of public funds on an appeals process. “The first trial has cost the public hundreds of thousands of dollars. This ill-considered appeal will waste many hundreds of thousands of dollars more,” it stated. Referencing regular com- plaints to the commission from those who cannot af- ford basic shelter, food, medical care or clothing, it suggested these funds could be put to better use. The commission’s state- ment describes government’s acknowledgment that it was proceeding with the appeal based on an executive sum- mary of the judgment, as “extraordinary”. “The importance of reading a full judgment be- fore committing hundreds of thousands of dollars of public money to appellate lit- igation is particularly signifi- cant,” it added. Appeal stands little chance The commission’s re- lease indicates that, having read the full judgment, its members believe any appeal would be doomed to fail. “This is not just be- cause the Chief Justice ruled against the Govern- ment on every single point, but also because the Gov- ernment itself either failed to provide a response to so many points made by the Petitioners, or simply con- ceded them as indefen- sible,” it stated. “The Government con- ceded during the litiga- tion that the legal position in the Cayman Islands was discriminatory. The Chief Justice found that the Gov- ernment’s attempted justifi- cation for that discrimina- tion ‘collapses and fails at the first hurdle’ as clearly not being within the law. “It is a cause for regret that a decision has now been made to seek to reliti- gate this case in an attempt to maintain that discrimi- nation,” it added. The commission drew comparisons with racial dis- crimination, citing the chief justice’s words that, “The re- spondents (Government) can no more justify exclusion from the institution of mar- riage on the ground that a couple are of the same-sex, than exclusion could be jus- tified on the ground that a couple are of different races.” Commenting on the Leg- islative Assembly debate, the commission said it was clear that many of the speakers had not read the full judg- ment or even properly ana- lysed the summary. “Many of the speakers appeared to believe that an appeal was necessary to protect the concept of the separation of powers in the islands,” the commis- sion stated. “The Chief Justice’s re- liance on section 5 of the Constitution was criticised for overriding the will of the Legislative Assembly. “It is perhaps unfor- tunate that, aside from not reading the judgment, those speaking were ap- parently unaware of the case law from the Privy Council dealing with this exact point; this settled law is set out clearly in the judgment. Stated briefly, in circumstances where the Legislative Assembly has previously passed a law that is contrary to the Constitution, the Consti- tution itself requires the Court to modify that law to make sure that its pro- visions are not breached. This is not an area for judi- cial discretion – the Court has no choice.” The statement also ad- dressed arguments ad- vanced by some in the Leg- islative Assembly that the court should have used Sec- tion 23 of the Constitution, which allows it to make “declarations of incompat- ibility” but leaves it to the legislature to change laws that don’t measure up to the Bill of Rights. According to the commission, this pro- vision applies only to laws passed after the Constitu- tion and Bill of Rights came into force. “The Government con- ceded at trial that the Mar- riage Law was an existing law and therefore fell to be dealt with by the Court (not the Legislature) under sec- tion 5 of the Constitution.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Legislators condemn same-sex marriage judgement HRC: Government appeal ‘ill-considered’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >