ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 High of 86 Low of 73 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ENSURING A FIRM FOUNDATION FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY LOCAL | PAGE 6 SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: WHAT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE SAID ON THE ISSUE 9 BUSH CALLS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CHAIR TO BE FIRED Speaker condemns Commission’s comments on same-sex marriage case JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Speaker McKeeva Bush led calls for Human Rights Commission chair James Austin-Smith to be fired for speaking out against the gov- ernment’s decision to appeal an historic ruling legalising same-sex marriage in the Cayman Islands. Bush set his sights on lawyer Austin-Smith as the assumed author of a statement from the Human Rights Commission on Thursday which described the government’s decision to appeal as “ill-considered” and suggested the case against same-sex marriage was “weak to the point of being inarguable”. Mr. Bush said the strongly worded state- ment, which also questioned the expenditure of public funds on the case, was an insult to the Assembly and a “flagrant and wanton abuse of office” from Austin-Smith. He demanded a written apology from the commission chair and urged the governor to intervene by summarily dismissing Austin- Smith and censuring him for the statement. He went on to describe Austin-Smith as an atheist who should therefore not be chair of the Human Rights Commission. “He has declared his stand against God, he has declared his stand against the church, against our laws, and now his disgust against members here,” Mr. Bush said. “From my standpoint, a declared atheist should never be a chair of such an Prison officer connected to alleged rape still on duty KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com A prison officer who was charged in con- nection to an alleged rape is still on active duty, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said on Friday in the Legislative Assembly. Responding to questions from opposition leg- islator Alva Suckoo, Manderson said two male prison officers were charged in relation to an alleged rape. One was charged with rape, and that of- ficer has been suspended. Another officer was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and making a threat to kill in relation to the same alleged rape incident, and this officer is still on duty, said Manderson. Suckoo asked whether it is wise to have a prison officer still on duty after being charged with these offences. Manderson replied that this person is one of two prison officers certified to train others in con- trol and restraint techniques, and is vital to the operations at Northward. “The prison director, who is best placed to make that call, made a judgement call that there is no risk to the organisation,” he said. “I am not in a position to second-guess that decision.” Manderson said the on-duty prison of- ficer should have his case heard by the end of this month. “Obviously, if he’s convicted, there will be ac- tion taken,” he added. It is not clear whether the alleged rape incident occurred in the prison itself. Details on the case were not discussed in the Legislative Assembly. Police did not immediately respond to emailed questions about the matter, and Suckoo told the Compass that he does not know where the alleged incident happened. “The reason why I’m asking these ques- tions is because there are concerns, and I won’t say any more,” Suckoo said in the Legislative As- sembly on Friday. TripAdvisor names Cayman Airways best Caribbean airline Travel website TripAdvisor named Cayman Airways the best Caribbean airline in its 2019 Travellers’ Choice Awards. The national carrier was also awarded the title of top Speciality and Leisure Airline within North America. In a statement, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell congratulated the airline on its accolades, saying, “It is a tremendous honour for Cayman Airways to receive such prestigious awards, which are recog- nised globally as benchmarks of excellence. Ranking in the top spots in two categories is a true validation of our national airline’s quality and consistency. “Whilst one award recognises Cayman Airways leadership in the region, the other acknowledges its strong standing among some of the biggest airlines in the world.” The awards, issued on April 2, are based on customer satisfaction surveys and trav- eller reviews submitted between January and December 2018, and focus on out- standing service, quality and value. The surveys and reviews looked at airline ser- vices both globally and regionally. The awards recognised 58 airlines in 91 total awards. Kirkconnell said the awards “demon- strate that Cayman Airways provision of our distinctive ‘Caymankind’ customer service is resonating with travellers and Cayman Airways staff line up in front of one of the airline’s jets. The national carrier was named Best Airline in the Caribbean and Best Speciality and Leisure Airline in North America in the TripAdvisor’s 2019 Travellers’ Choice Awards last week. - PHOTO: CAYMAN AIRWAYS PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 8, 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) PET SEMATARY (R) 1:20 I 4:20 I 7:15 I 9:50 TRIPLE THREAT (R) 1:15 I 3:45 I 6:50 DUMBO (PG) 1:00 I 4:35 I 6:50 HOTEL MUMBAI (R) 1:30 I 9:30 CAPTAIN MARVEL (PG13) 3:40 VIP I 10:00 SHAZAM! (PG13) 12:30 VIP I 12:50 I 3:50 I 6:30 VIP 7:00 I 9:35 VIP I 10:00 A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL (PG13) 7:25 US (R) 4:00 I 9:50 3.2% -0.4% -7.2% -2.7% 1.2% 1.2% 1.3% 2.7% 2.8% 3.1% 3.0% 20072008200920102011201220132014201520162017 Cayman Islands: Growth in Real GDP 2007 - 2017 St. Ignatius hosts Spring Fling Staff and students at St. Ignatius Catholic School in George Town, along with many parents, got into the spirit of the season at the annual Spring Fling on Friday. There were perfor- mances by the school band and lots of activities for eve- ryone to enjoy. Instead of standing be- hind desks or at black- boards, teachers stood be- hind games and stalls as part of the fundraiser. There were plenty of bargains to be had at the White Elephant Sale stalls, the plant stall and the cake walk, and a huge array of activities and games, including face painting, a photo booth, beanbag toss, beat the goalie, guess the number of sweets, find the win- ning lollipop and more. All funds raised at Friday afternoon’s event go towards the school’s multi- purpose sports hall.Simon Donoghue leads the St. Ignatius school band, which entertained the crowd throughout the afternoon. Students peruse the wide variety of books on sale at the bargain tables. - PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 SPECIALIZED CARE WITHIN REACH. 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. Fundraiser highlights marine conservation VICKI WHEATON vwheaton@pinnaclemedialtd.com It was a colourful night of art and auctions at LUCA Restaurant on Friday, as more than 150 people gath- ered for the 4th Annual Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation Fundraising Cocktail Party. The silent auction fea- tured Guy Harvey prints, jewellery, household luxury items and an electric bicycle. The live auction included a fishing trip to Panama, a YOLO paddleboard enhanced by a Guy Harvey illustration, a Norwegian Escape cruise and an original Kent Ullberg southern stingray sculpture. Organiser Jessica Harvey expressed her delight at the popularity of the event and the enthusiasm of the bidders. “This year’s fundraiser was a huge success for the Guy Harvey Ocean Founda- tion,” she said. “The guests were dressed in hues of blue for this ocean-themed [cele- bration] to mark a successful conclusion to Ocean Conser- vation Month.” “The funds generated from our events will aid the [Foundation] to continue our mission to provide ac- cess to information about [environmental] resources through various educational initiatives and scientific re- search,” said Guy Harvey. “The most significant pro- ject is our long-term mon- itoring of the southern stingrays’ population in the North Sound, which started in 2002.” “The movement ecology studies of various species of sharks here and in the wider Caribbean are also of great importance. Ocean Conservation Month is here to stay, and we look for- ward to improving and ex- panding our efforts for years to come,” he added. Health City donates to NFL Alumni Health City Cayman Islands has donated $20,000 to ‘Caring for Kids’ programme, which is under the umbrella of the Na- tional Football League Alumni Association. Representatives of Health City presented the donation at the New Jersey headquarters of the NFL Alumni last month. “We are pleased to sup- port the NFL Alumni’s chari- table mission with this dona- tion to Caring for Kids,” said Shomari Scott, Health City’s director of business develop- ment, in a press release. “At Health City Cayman Islands, a large part of our mission is to bring healthcare to those who need it most. In our five years of operation, we have provided life-saving heart surgeries to over 300 children in need from around the world. We are happy to partner with an organization that has children’s best inter- ests at heart.” Health City, which will soon celebrate its fifth anniversary in the Cayman Islands, became a service partner of NFL Alumni last year. NFL Alumni has 35 re- gional chapters that raise funds for youth-related charities, and alumni support typically raises more than $1.5 million annually for various causes. “We thank Health City Cayman Islands for this generous donation to sup- port our mission to improve children’s lives,” said Beasley Reese, chief executive officer of NFL Alumni. “Our partner- ship with Health City is part of the NFLA’s commitment to not only help kids but also to provide affordable health and wellness-related services to benefit the quality of life of our members. By partnering with Health City Cayman Is- lands, we are able to provide our members with another ex- cellent medical resource.” Health City representatives Mary Jones and Shomari Scott, second from right, present a donation to NFL Alumni President Bart Oates, left, and NFL Alumni CEO Beasley Reece at the NFL Alumni headquarters in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, March 19. Celebrating the evening with Guy Harvey, fifth from left, were, from left, Jessica Harvey, Beth Chafin, Cassie McDowell, Katie Correia, Nancy Binz, Chris Humphries and Joanna Humphries. - PHOTO: MAGGIE JACKSONThe 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 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” The landmark legalisation of same-sex marriage in the Cayman Islands has unleashed powerful emotions. With them have surfaced all sorts of misinformation and confusion over legal rights, separation of powers and personal beliefs. Government’s decision to appeal the chief justice’s decision introduces an element of uncertainty to an already heated moment, drawing censure from the Human Rights Commission and eliciting disappoint- ment from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The governor will not involve himself in the appeal. Institutions and individuals here and abroad have been supportive – even congratulatory – of the court decision. While it has stoked controversy and debate locally over the definition of marriage, the decision has also been met with the approval (indeed, with joy and relief) of many Caymanians, regardless of sexual orientation. As this board has written, Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s decision brings Cayman’s Marriage Law into alignment with other modern societies and the civil rights set out in our own Constitution. It was a critical correction based on bedrock democratic princi- ples of equal legal protection. Even in informing the Legislative Assembly of the appeal, Premier Alden McLaughlin acknowledged that there is “no guarantee or certainty” of success. Still, he advised that Cabinet felt an appeal would clarify “important constitutional issues” – namely, whether the chief justice’s ruling was firmly grounded in his constitutional authority to amend laws that predate and contradict the Constitution. It is a question explicitly dealt with at trial and dis- cussed at length in the chief justice’s ruling; nor would we wish to see Cayman walk back marriage equality. At the same time, if the appeals process helps educate more people about legal marriage, civil rights and the Constitution, lending weight to the court’s decision, it will not have been in vain. As the premier reminded members of the Legisla- tive Assembly, “this is an issue with real people who have real lives and there are emotions and feelings involved and that this is not merely some text book case.” Therefore, we are deeply disappointed that some elected officials and public figures have chosen to indulge in incendiary and confusing rhetoric rather than calling for calm, respectful dialogue. Our elected leaders, in particular, have a duty to keep cool heads and remember their oaths to “do right to all manner of people according to the law without fear or favour, affection or ill-will”. To the contrary, several used their positions as a bully pulpit last week, stoking outrage rather than rep- resenting all constituents. House Speaker McKeeva Bush provided a par- ticularly egregious example of this troubling lack of decorum in calling for the firing of Human Rights Com- mission Chairman James Austin-Smith. The Speaker’s call for retribution for the commission’s support of the chief justice’s ruling was both intolerant and unfair. Also noteworthy was Education Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly’s suggestion that Caymanians formally object to the petitioners’ marriage – either during the seven-day waiting period or by interrupting the actual ceremony. During the Legislative Council’s discussion, no legislator stood to condemn these or other colleagues’ outrageous public statements, nor to call for more measured debate. If Cayman’s lawmakers do not like the position they’re now in, they have only themselves to blame. They have been asked for years to provide a legal framework for same-sex couples to access the rights and assume the responsibilities of legal unions. They declined. Their insistence that they are simply following the will of the people is unpersuasive. First, there are scores of Caymanians who favour marriage equality. Secondly, and much more important: Civil rights are not a popularity contest. They cannot be bestowed, or denied, by majority rule. Ensuring a firm foundation for marriage equality MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Developing the skills that tourism requires DAVID JESSOP In almost every country in the Caribbean, tourism has been transformative. As an economic driver, it has largely outpaced other sectors to the extent that in much of the region the in- dustry now generates the largest national share of GDP, delivers significant taxes and foreign exchange, and per- forms a critical social role as the largest direct and indirect private employer of labour. Despite this relative suc- cess, the industry’s fu- ture should not be taken for granted. While tourism globally is trending upward, recent re- ports suggest that this is not the likely trajectory for the Caribbean. According to the UN World Tourism Organisa- tion, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region will by 2030 be experiencing much higher growth rates than the Caribbean. This suggests that the re- gion will need constantly to update its product, reflect changing demand and trends, and deliver quality and value for money while addressing environmental, social, eco- nomic, and infrastructural challenges. Among the many related issues that the industry and governments need jointly to address are the changing de- mand for skills, the need for greater upward labour mo- bility, and finding a way to ensure that all chain ho- tels train and promote many more men and women from the region to the top jobs. These are problems that largely stem from a dated view about Caribbean tourism, now requiring inves- tors to pay much more atten- tion to creating opportunities for personal and professional development and by pro- viding role models for young people to aspire to. This is not to suggest that employment should be on anything other than merit, nor is it to argue against the presence of talented expatri- ates. Rather it is to indicate that if the Caribbean and em- ployers truly want to benefit fully from the region’s pre- mier industry it will be es- sential that they and the re- gion do much more in a well-considered way to train, encourage and promote an able, experienced Caribbean cadre of skilled staff and professionals. Frank Comito, the CEO and Director General of the Caribbean Hotels and Tourism Association (CHTA), says that while this is begin- ning to change there is much more to be done. Caribbean multinational companies like Sandals, he notes, have shown the way and women are beginning to rise through the ranks so that before long there will be many more fe- male leaders in management roles in the industry. When it comes to senior management, he believes that the issue is princi- pally with the interna- tional chains rather than small and medium sized ho- tels, the overwhelming ma- jority of which are managed, and often owned by Carib- bean nationals. In addition to Caribbean owned and managed Sandals, he cites Hilton and Marriott as having a history of making a conscious effort to hire and develop Caribbean manage- rial talent, to the extent that individuals from the region can now be found managing their hotels throughout the world. Their successful track record, he says, should give confidence to others, particu- larly the Spanish-based and increasingly China-based in- vestors, that the pool and potential pool of Caribbean managerial talent is there and that it is in their best interests to find and grow talent locally. As with so much else in the Caribbean, developing skills in tourism needs the closer engagement of edu- cational institutions at all levels, and the willingness of teachers to understand and inspire. It requires too the active involvement of the in- dustry, the support of na- tional hotel associations, and the engagement of interna- tional hotel chains in devel- oping training programmes across their global portfolio. International development agencies also should be more aware and actively engaged in funding tourism-related education and training ini- tiatives, such as for example CHTA’s Young Leaders Forum which aims to identify and develop high flyers in the in- dustry in their 30s and 40s. For these reasons, it was heartening to see the Univer- sity of the West Indies (UWI) hold a groundbreaking cer- emony for a new facility on its Western Campus in Mon- tego Bay which, the Pro Vice Chancellor and Principal of the Mona campus, Professor Dale Webber, says will offer studies in tourism within a world-class school of management. Hopefully this will mean that when it comes to tourism that the UWI will not only amalgamate all tourism studies there, but as Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, has sug- gested, give serious thought to the regional role a faculty of tourism might play in de- livering a greater number of tourism professionals able eventually to manage and provide all of the future skills CARICOM needs. What is evident in the re- gion and internationally is that a very different group of skills are now required to enable tourism to respond to changing lifestyles and con- sumer demand, not least in relation to the use of artificial intelligence in hotel manage- ment and the industry’s new- found data-driven approach to marketing. Likewise, there is a pressing need for the cre- ation of a research capacity able to analyse trends and to predict future patterns and trends in tourism as well as for wider competencies in foreign languages. Recently the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) pointed out that human capital shortages in the hospitality sector are growing globally. This sug- gests that this is just the moment when the industry, including the international hotel chains, the Caribbean’s universities and training academies, and the develop- ment agencies should be fo- cusing on partnerships that develop the future technical and managerial skills that can create the labour mo- bility the industry will need. The WTTC has also pro- jected that tourism in the Caribbean will create over 0.5m new jobs over the next ten years. Frank Comito ob- serves that this clearly indi- cates that the demand side opportunities exist, and that tourism offers one of the best opportunities for pro- fessional growth and up- ward mobility. “Over one in five jobs in our industry are supervisory and above, and require some level of post-secondary edu- cation,” he says. “It’s in indus- try’s and a country’s interest to work together to develop and elevate local talent.” David Jessop is a consultant to the Caribbean Council. © 2019, David Jessop. Comments: david. jessop@Caribbean-council.org. While tourism globally is trending upward, recent reports suggest that this is not the likely trajectory for the Caribbean. 5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 SECURE YOUR PROPERTY WITH THE BEST DEALS IN SURVEILLANCE CAMERA SYSTEMS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ON ISLAND . The Security Centre has three exceptional CCTV deals that just can’t be matched. 3 The Gold Standard: a complete digital, four camera IP system – precision viewing at just $1799 The Security Centre guarantees that we will beat any price on a comparable system. Call the Security Centre for your demo today at 949-0004 or visit us online at security.ky 2 The Eagle Eye Special: a high-definition system perfect for the home and small businesses - $1549 All systems offer mobile device access - so you can check on your property remotely. bring an existing security camera system into high-definition – using existing cabling - at just $999 1 The Phoenix HD Upgrade: Cayman Airways mulls options to address grounded 737 Max 8s KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com With there being no timeline for its grounded Boeing 737 Max 8 jets to return to the sky, Cayman Airways is looking at “all options” to make sure air- lift here remains unin- terrupted, according to Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell. Kirkconnell made that statement on the heels of Ethiopian regulators re- leasing preliminary find- ings last Thursday on what happened leading up the March 10 Ethiopian Air- lines crash that killed 157 – the second fatal Max 8 crash in about six months. Those preliminary find- ings state that the “aircraft flight-control system” con- tributed to the plane having difficulty gaining altitude shortly after take-off, and Boeing has promised a soft- ware update that will make the 737 Max 8 “among the safest airplanes ever to fly”. However, multiple legis- lators expressed scepticism Friday in the Legislative Assembly about whether Cayman Airways should maintain its two Max 8s or seek replacements. Even if the Max 8 is cleared for take-off again, Bodden Town West MLA Chris Saunders said, many in the community will not fly on those aircraft. “The reality of it is that the public confidence in the 737 Max has been lost,” said Saunders. “Even if Boeing were to come back and say something else, I’ve heard people already say they’re not flying it.” Opposition legislator Alva Suckoo asked Kirk- connell whether Cayman Airways is considering re- placing its Max 8s. The minister responded that Cayman Airways is considering “all options,” but at this point, “it would be premature to commence sourcing of alternate air- craft”, he said. Suckoo also asked about what legal remedies Cayman Airways has to recoup the revenue it has lost from the groundings. Kirkconnell replied that he is limited in what he can say due to the legal sensi- tivity of the matter, but that the Cayman Airways man- agement team has “been in dialogue” with its attorneys, the leasing company, and Boeing about receiving fi- nancial compensation. Cayman Airways signed a deal with Air Lease Corp. in 2016 to lease four Boeing 737 MAX 8s. The airline took posses- sion of the first of these air- craft in December last year and the second Max 8 ar- rived in Cayman on March 7, three days before the Ethiopian crash. The next two aircraft re- portedly had been sched- uled for delivery in Sep- tember this year and September 2020. Kirkconnell told legis- lators Friday that Cayman Airways would continue to extend its contingency plans to make sure airlift to and from Cayman remains uninterrupted. For example, the airline’s newly launched Denver route – which was originally supposed to be flown with Max 8s – will be operated by one of the airline’s older Boeing 737-300 aircraft, though it will now likely re- quire a fuel-stop part way through the journey. “The airline has extended its alternate schedule through May and is ready to extend it further if needed,” said Kirkconnell. Cayman Airways was one of the first airlines to ground its Boeing 737 Max 8 planes following last month’s crash in Ethiopia. GOVERNMENT SPENT US$50K ON KAABOO KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Department of Tourism sponsored the music festival KAABOO for US$50,000 in February, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said on Friday in Legislative Assembly. Kirkconnell was ques- tioned about the return gov- ernment received for its sponsorship. The minister said the music festival helped boost the number of visitors, generating about $50,000 in extra spending from tourists. Other benefits included the indirect economic impact, as well as the positive publicity Cayman received from KA- ABOO, he said. KAABOO was organised by the Dart Group, had about 10,000 attendees, and fea- tured musical acts such as Duran Duran, Maxi Priest, and Flo Rida. Opposition MLA Ken- neth Bryan asked how much money government typically spends on Pirate’s Week, and Kirkconnell said each dis- trict’s Pirate’s Week com- mittee receives up to $5,000 a year for the event. Opposition MLA Anthony Eden also asked the min- ister whether he was aware of reports that “KAABOO has come from satanic origin.” “No sir, I’m not aware of that,” Kirkconnell re- plied. “But thank you for the information.”6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Same-sex marriage: What your representative said on the issue Cayman Islands legis- lators unanimously backed a private members’ motion last week supporting gov- ernment to appeal the de- cision by the chief justice that legalised same-sex marriage to the “full extent of the appeals process”. The debate lasted two days, as the normal busi- ness of the Legislative As- sembly was suspended for members to discuss the issue on Wednesday and Thursday. The motion also called for the legislature to re- cord its disappointment in the chief justice’s decision and his “seeming failure to recognise the doctrine of separation of powers” and to assert the compe- tence of the Legislative As- sembly as the only insti- tution with the power to enact legislation. Here are some ed- ited extracts of what the legislators had to say on the issue. Arden McLean “ W hen we ne- gotiated the Constitution, I recall the difficulties we had with that Bill of Rights because England wanted one thing and we wanted the other. “We fought many bat- tles to ensure Christian cul- ture was represented. We prevailed and presented that to this country. In- cluded in that was the written expression that marriage was between a man and a woman. “When the chief justice takes it upon himself to change our laws it is neces- sary to challenge him. “The most recent ruling by [the] European Court on this matter says that member states should not be forced to allow same- sex marriage if they have same-sex partnerships or unions in place. Yet we make that giant leap. “[They say] the courts are duty bound to take over the responsibility the people of the country [have] given us. I submit they are wrong – the supremacy of this parliament has been diminished as a result of that ruling on Friday last.” “I have always said that wherever there is injustice – there is injustice every- where – you are going to find Arden McLean with a clenched fist.” Anthony Eden “M an’s laws cannot make moral what God has de- clared immoral. God is the judge, jury and he will be the executioner be- cause he says in this book [the Bible] that this type of lifestyle will keep you out of heaven. “Anyone who portrays this thing as something we need to be tolerating, I feel sorry for them, be- cause he himself says he will deal with them. “The Father in heaven I serve is a man of justice; he will not allow us to go down. What is the differ- ence between the Cayman Islands and Sodom and Gomorrah? “You think he’s going to make an exception? He’s not going to do it. It may not happen right now but they tell me, in Sodom and Gomorrah you can go there and find this place bare, with just ashes and stuff.” “My colleagues know about my Betsy. (Mr. Eden has previously referred to his shotgun with the pet name Betsy.) Don’t come around my family with this nonsense.” Ezzard Miller “T he government needs to begin to consider what we are going to do in case the ap- pellate courts all the way up to the Privy Council uphold the ruling of the chief justice. My fear is that, given the current environment and polit- ical climate, that is a very likely possibility. “I would propose that we take a long look at Sec- tion 5 of the Constitution since it has been given an extraordinary interpreta- tion and appears to be the section of the Constitution that the chief justice, and therefore the courts, have used to bring unto them- selves the powers that the Constitution intends should remain in these hallowed halls. “If we do not find a way to correct and change our Constitution to pre- vent this ever happening in the future, it is the greatest danger to our de- mocracy that has come in a long time.” Dwayne Seymour “T his is not about, for me, who is gay and who is not. It is not. People will do what- ever they want in their own bedrooms. “Let our children grow in our schools free from being forced to read text- books about Fred and Ned and Ann and Fran …. We should continue to let them know about Jack and Jill. “These are all Cayman- ians [the gay community] and we don’t want hate – I never heard of any hate crimes against gays or otherwise before this ruling came about. “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 Gomorrah? Not our Cayman Islands. “This lacks the man- date of our people. We had a choice to do this in Cabinet and we refused to do so; so it went to the court. I represent the common man and woman and we must protect them from this bullying of im- ported views.” Alva Suckoo “W e are not here to destroy an- yone or stop them loving who they want to love. “We have to protect our Constitution, our country, our democracy. What I see has been done here is to- tally undemocratic. “When I see a judgment that cuts through the power of this Legislative Assembly and one man [the chief justice] gives himself the authority to make a major change, that really concerns me be- cause we could draw par- allels to a dictatorship and that is what we have to be careful of. “This is no longer a gay marriage issue, it is a con- stitutional issue, and if we do not stand firm, we are going to pay a heavy price down the road. We might as well shut down this parliament and go home.” Moses Kirkconnell “E ach one of us has an obli- gation to bring our con- stituents‘ feelings to the forefront. The feeling in the Sister Islands is of major concern. “The way forward has been brought by the pre- mier and supported by a private members’ motion. “I don’t think there could be a clearer display of unity from the mem- bers of this House today. “Where we are today, we shouldn’t be here. We are doing everything we can as each government member and as leaders to deal with the problem.” Bernie Bush “T he Constitu- tion was voted on by the people and the people won. “I have had a lot of phone calls and only one has said that you all will be on the wrong side of history and I said to them, ‘If that is the case, I have no problem with that.’ “A lot of people feel, because of how the chief justice said it, that this is set in stone. I’m so happy they instructed the [at- torney general] to ap- peal. Hats must be taken off to the government for this issue. “He [the chief jus- tice] is human, he can be wrong and he is wrong on this one.” Juliana O’Connor-Connolly “T here is still an opening, still an opportunity for the people of the Cayman Is- lands to object to this marriage, seven days from the 2nd [of April, the date Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden Bush’s public no- tice of marriage was is- sued]. If you miss the seven-day window, please attend the marriage, be- cause it’s been a very public display and you have an opportunity to ob- ject. Make sure you object. “You have an opportu- nity to object (referring to a standard part of most ceremonies). Make sure your objection is reason- able. Certainly, if it doesn’t do anything more, it will give the Attorney Gener- al’s Chamber some more time to file that stay of ex- ecution request before our Grand Court.” “Last Friday, the 29th day of March, will be a Black Friday that will long be remem- bered in this jurisdiction.” She said of Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, “He does not have legislative power nor the right to draft laws.” “Democracy, I beg to submit, not only was on trial, is on trial, but was hung on Black Friday. It is up to us … to resuscitate democracy in this country.” Chris Saunders “T his is a demo- cratic country, simple as that. Majority rules and if you don’t like it, there are other places you can go. This is what de- mocracy is about. It’s not about the minority having their way. It is about what the majority in a country wants. “Once we open these doors, where does it stop? Right now, there is a movement in the US to claim that paedophilia is a kind of mental sick- ness, it is a disease. Then you have the polygamist, then the transgender who is going to want to use the same bathroom that little kids are going into, then there’s abortion.” “I really couldn’t care less what people do in the privacy of their own homes. I am not a paragon of virtue and we are not running a theocracy but this is a democracy and majority rules. This goes against peace and tranquil- lity. When you try and take a minority position and shove it on the majority, this is what it causes.” Kenneth Bryan “I ’m going to [ask the LGBT commu- nity] to please not accept the chief justice’s ruling, not accept the definition of marriage to be one between persons of the same sex or between two persons. ... I believe their intention is not to try to undermine our social fabric ... I be- lieve their intention is one of ‘I want the rights that allow me to have life and family’ and there is a way to get that done without accepting the chief jus- tice’s ruling.” “[If the] LGBT commu- nity is willing to accept another structure of leg- islation that would allow them the other rights that were highlighted in the Bill of Rights without it being considered marriage, it is something that we as a society have to start thinking about.” “We have to rectify the violations of these rights. We either accept same-sex marriages, and I don’t think anyone in this house agrees to that because of our Christian heritage and our cultural norms, or we have some sort of union that al- lows them to have those rights, because, otherwise, we could be sued every day. That’s the reality.” “I just want to be real. There are three options; same-sex marriage, unions or independence. That’s the only way you can get out of it.” Arden McLeanAnthony EdenEzzard MillerAlva SuckooMoses KirkconnellBernie Bush Juliana O’Connor- ConnollyChris SaundersKenneth BryanDavid WightAustin Harris PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Eugene Ebanks Dwayne Seymour Barbara Conolly7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 Save Barkers Beach demonstrators gather Some 20 protestors hold up signs calling for government to ‘Save Barkers Beach’ on the roadside by the Government Administration Building in George Town during Friday’s rush hour. The group is urging government officials to refuse a coastal works licence application requesting removal of 180,000 square feet of seagrass from the site, as part of a plan to relocate Calico Jack’s bar to West Bay. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Court reduces dangerous driving term CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal reduced a prison sentence of 18 months to 12 months after hearing argu- ments last week in the case of Colburn Murray Martin, a Cayman Brac fire officer who had pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving. Martin was sentenced in the Grand Court on April 30, 2018, by Grand Court Justice Michael Wood, who granted bail pending the outcome of the appeal. The defendant had crashed into another car while speeding and after drinking several beers on the night of July 2, 2016. The female driver of the other car suffered ex- tensive injuries in the crash. Cases of dangerous driving are typically dealt with by a magistrate in a Traffic (Summary) Court, but this case was so serious that the Crown elected to bring it up to the Grand Court, Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson noted at the time. He explained that, in the lower court, the maximum sentence is a prison term of not more than one year, a fine of $1000 or both. In the higher court, the maximum is two years or a fine of $3,000 or both. The court had heard that prior to the collision on July 2, 2016, Martin had con- sumed several cans of beer. He was driving in a 40-mph zone when he drifted into oncoming traffic. An acci- dent reconstruction showed that he had slowed down from 74 to 58 mph when his vehicle collided with the other vehicle. Martin refused to take a roadside breath test and re- fused to provide a specimen for testing at the hospital. There were beer containers in his vehicle and he was on bail for driving under the in- fluence of alcohol. The woman was trapped by the steering wheel in her car for an hour before the Fire Department team could free her. She had emergency sur- gery that lasted nine hours. She underwent two more major surgeries and was bed- ridden for three months, Fer- guson summarized. Her ve- hicle was a wreck. Martin pleaded guilty to careless driving, but the Crown did not accept that plea. When he then appeared in court for dangerous driving, the judge said the case came very close to being one of the worst possible to imagine. He listed all the aggravating fea- tures — speed, alcohol, being on bail for DUI, the cata- strophic injuries caused to the driver of the other vehicle. Those injuries included frac- tures to both legs, fractured pelvis and ribs, a punctured lung and fractured hand. At the time of sentencing, Justice Wood indicated he found it unsurprising that the Crown had not accepted a plea to the lesser charge of careless driving. Both sides accepted that Martin had a long-standing drinking problem that amounted to alcoholism. In arguing the appeal, Furniss said the starting point Justice Wood had used in passing sentence was too high. He said the maximum sentence should be imposed only for the worst cases and Martin’s case was not to be characterized as the worst. Furniss also argued that the sentencing judge had not taken Martin’s good char- acter into account. He was 26 at the time of the offence, and employed by the Cayman Brac Fire Service, where he was highly regarded. A third ground of ap- peal was based on a number of “severe conditions” im- posed when Martin was granted bail. He had to re- port to the Cayman Brac po- lice station three times per week, he could not attend any liquor-licensed premises, he could not leave Cayman Brac, he was required to at- tend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and be subject to random testing. By imposing a sentence of 18 months, Justice Wood had given a 25 per cent discount for the guilty plea, which meant that the “starting point” had been 24 months. Furniss suggested this was wrong because, even though the offence was serious, it was not the worst of its kind. The appeal was heard by court president Sir John Golding, Sir Richard Field and Justice Dennis Morrison. In their decision, Justice Wood told the defendant he would have been given the maximum sentence if this case had gone to trial. With discount for plea, the term of immediate imprisonment was 18 months. There is to be a two-year period of super- vision afterward and Martin will be assessed. He will be prohibited from liquor-li- censed premises. His disqualification from driving, which began in May 2017, is for three years.8 LOCAL NEWS Check out these photos and others by visiting caymancompass.com/photogalleries or on facebook.com/caycompass (and don’t forget to tag yourself and your friends!) T housands turned out for the annual Taste of Cayman Food and Drink Festival Saturday night at Camana Bay’s Festival Green, where a night of sam- pling dishes from more than 30 of Cayman’s restaurants was washed down with a musical shot in the arm by Cana- dian tribute band Simply Queen. MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Fireworks light up the night. Simply Queen lead singer Rick Rock channels Freddie Mercury on stage Saturday night.Chefs at the Andiamo stall in the VIP area were kept hard at work all night. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, left, Governor Martyn Roper, centre, and Ritz-Carlton general manager Marc Langevin sampled some of Taste of Cayman’s offerings. Wok-N-Roll’s Sante Lim and Rowena Arollado show what’s on offer. Bartender Simon Crompton shows off his skills. Sherice Fisher and Adriana Thomas cook up a storm at the Tillie’s stall. Brasserie staffers Shawn Rodrigues, Luisa Sinitza and Tyler Blanc prepare some cocktails. Tortuga’s Kerryann Levy and Karla Reyna display some treats. Island Naturals staff Kim Woomer, Lindsay Allen and Tereza Kohoutova serve up some treats.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 exceeding their expectations”. Cayman Airways, founded in 1968, is currently the subject of a 50th anniver- sary exhibition at the Na- tional Museum. The airline’s president and CEO, Fabian Whorms, said in a press release, “For over five decades, Cayman Airways been focused on ensuring that our promise of those ‘those who fly us, love us’ rings true. In delivering on that promise, the Cayman Airways family goes to great lengths to pro- vide a pleasant and safe travel experience, filled with the best of our warm Cayma- nian hospitality. “The board of directors, management and staff of Cayman Airways are there- fore very proud and appre- ciative of these TripAdvisor awards, which recognises our efforts to deliver an unparal- leled level of service and Cay- manian hospitality, making us unique amongst all airlines.” Singapore Airlines was named the Best Airline in the world in the Travellers’ Choice Awards, and Southwest Air- lines was given the Top Air- line and best Low Cost Airline award for North America. important body,” he added, suggesting the role should in- stead go to a young lawyer or church minister. Bush suggested the Human Rights Commission statement, which endorsed and welcomed Chief Justice Anthony Smel- lie’s April 5 ruling, had risked prejudicing the outcome of the appeal. “It is my opinion that the statement intended to in- fluence against the govern- ment’s appeal. The chair of the Human Rights Commis- sion is in contempt of the law and he ought to render an un- conditional apology to this as- sembly,” Bush said. “Would to God though, that the governor would im- mediately remove him. It is one of the greatest conflicts in him being there. There are many young lawyers, capable ministers. Consider some of these people.” Bush read out some of the functions of the Human Rights Constitution defined in the Cayman Islands Constitution, including its remit to promote the understanding of human rights in the Cayman Islands, and said he could not see how the commission’s statement fell within that brief. In a statement Thursday af- ternoon, the commission ex- pressed disappointment at the government’s announcement that it would appeal the court’s decision. It said the appeal would waste valuable public funds in an effort to maintain proven discrimination against same sex couples. The statement added, “Un- justified state-sponsored dis- crimination has no place in a modern democracy and it is unlawful under Cayman’s Constitution.” On Thursday night, the Leg- islative Assembly unanimously approved a private members’ motion from East End MLA Arden McLean that expressed disappointment with the chief justice’s decision, backed the government’s appeal and as- serted the competence of the local parliament as the only law-making body in the Cayman Islands. McLean suggested Austin- Smith should be fired and de- ported. He claimed authori- ties in the Cayman Islands had deported people in the past for speaking out against the country. “I don’t know why we are so weak now,” he said. “You know how many people were picked up in this country and de- ported at midnight and not re- turned since? “That’s what we have got to do with people like James Austin-Smith and this guy ‘Ra- kovic’ or whatever his name is.” McLean is understood to have been referring to Leonardo Raznovich, a former law pro- fessor at the Truman Bodden Law School who has been an advocate for marriage rights for same-sex couples in Cayman and assisted the legal team that brought the recent successful constitutional challenge. On Friday, Education Min- ister Juliana O’Connor-Con- nolly used the morning prayer to speak out against cruise passengers with alternative lifestyles. “I went there for myself. I walked the streets of George Town and witnessed what was almost like a Sodom and Go- morrah,” she said. Savannah MLA Anthony Eden responded by asking Deputy Governor Franz Man- derson to ensure the police looked into O’Connor-Connol- ly’s concerns. He said, “In light of the dis- turbing knowledge shared by the minister of education, I am asking that it is ensured that public decency and decorum is maintained on our streets here in Cayman by the police.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Bush calls for human rights chair to be fired TripAdvisor names Cayman Airways best Caribbean airline BRAC MAN ARRESTED IN SUSPECTED HIT-AND-RUN CASE Police arrested a Cayman Brac man Thursday on sus- picion of causing the death of Mitchell Marvin Ryan, 55, by careless driving on March 22. The fatal incident oc- curred on March 22 on Watering Place Road on Cayman Brac. Police said they arrested the 33-year-old man, of Ivory Lane, but did not re- lease his name. JURY NOTICE Jurors for the April-July session of Grand Court are advised that they need not report on Monday, April 8. Instead, they are to re- port on Monday, April 15, at 9:45 a.m. Jurors are reminded that they can call for the latest information at 244-3899 or email jury@ judicial.ky. Barbara Conolly “I stand by the moral values that my parents in- stilled in me and that I have passed on to my children and grand- children, that mar- riage is between a man and a woman. “God’s design is that children grow up in a stable environment pro- vided by a man and a woman in a committed lifelong relationship. This design is clearly seen in God’s crea- tion of Adam and Eve and God’s command for them to have children. “Democracy is impor- tant to all of us and it is wonderful that we all stand strong together to defend and support it. “We are working hard to protect your interest and concerns – we have taken note of how troubled the country is and ask for your continued prayers and support as we try to come to a posi- tive solution.” David Wight “S ame-sex rela- tionships are in- creasingly a reality of our society and we must re- spect the rights of those involved in these relation- ships. However, I believe it is wrong to change our Constitution and laws to change our long held understanding of what marriage is especially if this change is attempted through the court system rather than through the Legislative Assembly in a democratic manner. “We must ensure all members of our com- munity are treated fairly and with respect, but we must also remember this goes both ways. I have no doubt that the feelings of the majority of Cayma- nians are that marriage should retain its tradi- tional meaning.” Eugene Ebanks “A n amendment of this magnitude to the definition of mar- riage would impact ex- isting laws around prop- erty, child protection, employee benefits, immi- gration and many more. Such an extensive change would clearly be more suited to proper parlia- mentary consideration and debate. “Those who stand on Biblical authority in this matter are often accused of intolerance a lack of love or homophobia. “However, we are elected to represent all people, including persons with diverse sexual pref- erences or lifestyles. There are other options to en- sure we are not falling foul of any human rights infraction. There are other ways to recognise same- sex relationships – civil unions get the same thing, the same rights. “While the UK sees the chief justice’s ruling as progressive, we as law- makers staunchly disa- gree. England has had a long and difficult road to accepting such changes in their society and yet they want to rush us into an era that we are not ready for.” Austin Harris “I fundamentally agree that dis- crimination in any form is wrong and should be abol- ished. However, as a Chris- tian believer, I also accept that same-sex marriages run contrary to the living word of God and therefore it too is wrong. “It is those traditions based on the Christian be- lief that sits at the foun- dation if not the bedrock of Caymanian culture and our national identity. “None of us campaigned on the LGBT platform be- cause not a single soul in our respective constituen- cies raised it as an issue near and dear to their hearts. They had other pressing priorities. “Until the majority of the populous changes its point of view, we as servants of the people must defend the wishes of the people. We do not accept the ruling.” Joey Hew, Roy McTaggart and Tara Rivers did not contribute to the debate. Premier Alden McLaughlin’s comments on the issue were covered last week. Same sex marriage: What your representative said on the issue CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 “ Whilst one award recognizes Cayman Airways leadership in the region, the other acknowledges its strong standing among some of the biggest airlines in the world.” MOSES KIRKCONNELL, tourism minister CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 JAGGER DOING WELL AFTER MEDICAL TREATMENT NEW YORK (AP) – A rep- resentative for Mick Jagger says he has suc- cessfully undergone treat- ment, though no details were provided. In a statement re- leased Friday, Jagger’s rep says he “is doing very well and is expected to make a full recovery”. Jagger thanked his supporters and the hos- pital that treated him in a tweet Friday. “Thank you everyone for all your messages of support, I’m feeling much better now and on the mend – and also a huge thank you to all the hos- pital staff for doing a su- perb job,” he wrote. Last week the Rolling Stones announced they were postponing their latest tour so Jagger can receive medical treatment. Jagger was told by doctors “he cannot go on tour at this time” and the 75-year-old Jagger tweeted, “I’m devastated for having to postpone the tour but I will be working very hard to be back on stage as soon as I can.” The Stones’ No Filter Tour was expected to start April 20 in Miami. Mick Jagger has successfully undergone treatment and his rep says Jagger ‘is doing very well’. - PHOTO: INVISION/AP Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush demanded a written apology from the commission chair and urged the governor to intervene by summarily dismissing Austin- Smith and censuring him for the statement.Next >