CAYMAN COM PASSFRIDAY AP RIL 12, 2019 1 SPECIAL FEATURE Happy Easter EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 FINDING A CURE FOR SKYROCKETING HEALTHCARE COSTS High of 86 Low of 74 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY ALSO AVAILABLE IN Meet Cayman’s CARIFTA track and field team LEGISLATORS APPROVE $92M IN ADDITIONAL SPENDING FOR 2019 Speaker Bush renews criticism of human rights chairman Puppies bring joy to Pines residents More than 50 local young track and field athletes will represent the Cayman Islands when the territory hosts the 48th annual CARIFTA Games over the upcoming Easter weekend. The Cayman Islands Athletics Association on Wednesday announced the names of the 52 competitors, pictured above at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex, which will be the venue for the competition. For more on this story, see page 24. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government will spend roughly an additional $92 million this year after lawmakers approved a raft of extra expenditures during three days of Fi- nance Committee hearings that started Friday and wrapped up Tuesday. Finance Minister Roy McTaggart explained that the extra spending needs to be added to gov- ernment’s 2019 budget because of shifting policy priorities, changes in timelines for projects, and other factors. Despite adding some $92 million to this year’s budget, government is still on target to have a surplus of more than $60 million, according to McTaggart. The largest spending increases were $11.3 mil- lion for tertiary healthcare at overseas and local institutions; $8.8 million for equipment and infra- structure repairs for the fire and prison services; and $8.8 million to cover the cost of additional public sector health insurance premiums. An additional $7.8 million was also approved, with much of that appropriation to be used to make an offer to purchase a private building, which will serve as the new headquarters for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. McTaggart said buying a new RCIPS building will save gov- ernment money on rental costs in the long run. Most of the supplemental appropriations were approved unanimously by legislators during the three days of Finance Committee. One appropriation that was nearly voted down was an additional $1.3 million for the Utility Regulation and Competition Office. The vote was split – with seven in favour and seven against the funding – until McTaggart, who is the Finance Committee chairman, voted in favour of the JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Speaker McKeeva Bush said Thursday he had received a “faux apology” from Human Rights Commission chairman James Austin-Smith over his statement criticising government’s decision to appeal the historic court ruling that legalised same-sex mar- riage in the Cayman Islands. Bush said he could have taken a heavier hand with Austin-Smith, suggesting his comments were in contempt of the Legis- lative Assembly, and potentially rose to the level of a criminal offence that could have warranted prison or a fine. But he said the House had “more serious issues to deal with than an upstart who re- jects God Almighty”. He added that Austin-Smith, whose tenure as chairman of the commission of- ficially comes to an end in six weeks, would be gone from the role soon in any case. In its original statement, the Human Rights Commission said government’s decision to appeal Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s landmark ruling was “ill- considered” and suggested the case against same-sex marriage was “weak to the point of being inarguable”. Bush took offence to those comments and other remarks in the commission’s JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two Shih Tzu puppies, Georgie and Bella, brought a bundle of puppy love to the Pines Retirement Home on National Pet Day Thursday. The therapy animals were brought to the Pines to play and provide comfort, com- panionship and cuddles to residents. “Bella and Georgie have really changed the atmos- phere at The Pines Retire- ment Home, and they bring much happiness to the res- idents,” said Pines director Lynda Mitchell. Resident Carlene McTag- gart was excited. “I love dogs, they bring a lot of love, … having the puppies at the Pines brings so much joy … they are here to play with us and love us,” she said. Four members of the McTaggart family – Finance Minister Roy McTaggart and his three brothers William, Christopher and Arthur – donated the puppies to the Pines after Roy McTaggart was contacted by the home for donations to purchase the dogs after the Pines’s board of directors gave the go- ahead for therapy dogs to be at the home. The dogs were purchased from a local breeder for $1,000, McTaggart said. Carlene McTaggart, a resident of the Pines Retirement Home, and visiting students from George Town Primary School, meet Georgie, one of two Shih Tzu puppies donated to the Pines by the McTaggart family, as the governor’s wife, Elisabeth Roper, holds Bella. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS 945-2290 • West Shore Center, Seven Mile Beach • 10am to 10pm Eat-in!Take-Out! ON THE Wood Roasted Marinated Chicken Mac & Cheese Honey Glazed Sweet Potatoes Tarragon Carrots Caribbean Style Cornbread $ 29 .95 EASTER WEEKEND 3.2% -0.4% -7.2% -2.7% 1.2% 1.2% 1.3% 2.7% 2.8% 3.1% 3.0% 1.9% -0.1% -2.5% 2.6% 1.6% 2.2% 1.8% 2.5% 2.9% 1.6% 2.2% 20072008200920102011201220132014201520162017 Growth in Real GDP 2007 - 2017 CaymanUSA DEEP WATER REEFS MAY HELP IN CORAL SURVIVAL A deep-water coral ex- pert from Bermuda will present the next in a se- ries of lectures sponsored by the Central Carib- bean Marine Institute on Thursday, April 25, at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. Gretchen Goodbody- Gringley, from the Ber- muda Institute of Ocean Science, studies deep water reefs – beyond rec- reational diving depths – as a potential refuge for threatened corals that typically live in shal- lower waters. She will talk about threats to coral reef systems and mecha- nisms to overcome those threats through changes in reproductive patterns, altering gene expression and other mechanisms. Carrie Manfrino, pres- ident and director of CCMI, said in a statement that Goodbody-Gringley’s work “will provide clues to why some reefs and some corals are capable of survival”. CCMI and Goodbody- Gringley are looking at possible joint projects ad- dressing reef survival. The lecture, which is free to the public, begins at 5:45 p.m., and will be followed by a question- and-answer session. Register at https://donate. reefresearch.org/reefresilience. Wandering whale sharks travel 10,000 miles Cayman connection to new study JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Whale sharks are known to be nomadic ocean wan- derers. But the extent of their travels had not been re- corded until a recent study involving the Guy Harvey Re- search Institute. Two male whale sharks, named Milo and Lucho by researchers, were tagged in Mexico and tracked over eight months as they com- pleted journeys totalling more than 10,000 miles across the Atlantic before re- turning to the same spot. Whale sharks, which can live as long as 130 years and grow to more than 60 feet in length, are the largest and among the most iconic fish in the ocean. The tracking project was made possible after marine biologist Rafael de la Parra, director of Mexican research organisation Ch’ooj Ajauil AC, swam with the sharks in Isla Mujeres and personally at- tached fin-mounted satellite SPOT tags in July and Au- gust last year. Information from the tags showed both sharks making long ocean journeys before returning to Isla Mujeres, where they are still swim- ming nearly 8 months later. Milo’s journey was the longer of the two, first swim- ming east, deep into the At- lantic Ocean past Bermuda and returning near the tag- ging site in February 2019. The track shows he then took a month-long excursion into the Gulf of Mexico, before re- turning close to the tagging site once again, logging more than 7,000 miles in total. Lucho had a shorter voyage. He left Isla Mujeres in late August on a 2,713- mile swim through the wa- ters surrounding the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Is- lands before turning around and travelling to the coast of Honduras. From there, he made his way home to the tagging site by Isla Mujeres in late December. “Tagging these whale sharks on their fins with SPOT tags was a scientific coup,” said Mahmood Shivji, director of the Guy Harvey Research Institute, a collabo- ration between the Cayman- based naturalist and Flor- ida’s Nova Southeastern University. “Rafael did an incredible job getting this done. The di- rect satellite communicating technology of these SPOT tags provide much more ac- curate tracks of the shark mi- grations compared to the tra- ditionally used, data archival satellite tags, which have a lot more positional error as- sociated with them.” More than 150 sharks, in- cluding whale sharks, tigers, makos and oceanic whitetips, have been tagged by the re- search institute in the last decade in order to study their migration patterns. “Unfortunately, whale sharks are currently on the endangered species list, so revealing their migration be- haviour allows us to better understand, conserve, mon- itor and effectively manage shark populations,” said Greg Jacoski, executive director of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foun- dation, which is helping fund this research. Follow the sharks’ journeys in real- time at www.GHRItracking.org. Two whale sharks were tracked across 10,000-mile journeys in a research project involving the Guy Harvey Research Institute. - PHOTO: GEORGE SCHELLENGER Studies of deep water reefs in Bermuda may help in efforts to ensure the survival of corals.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion & Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited 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” Should the Cayman Islands expand government health insurance to everyone, as Premier Alden McLaughlin told lawmakers last week? Of that, we are not sure. But there is no question that something must be done to stop the out-of-control growth in gov- ernment’s healthcare obligations and expenditures. Our current path is simply not sustainable. We urge Cayman’s leaders to think creatively and enlist the help of from experts to find a solution before it is too late. Already this year, government has blown through the $10 million earmarked for emergency health- care expenses at tertiary institutions for people who cannot otherwise afford it. This week, lawmakers approved another $11.3 million to cover such medical expenses for this group, which includes the elderly and other medically indigent people who are unin- sured or underinsured. We would not be surprised if government was asked to make another significant cash infusion to this pool before the year is over. Last year, government spent more than $30 million on this purpose — three times what they had initially budgeted. So far, this year’s spending seems to be running apace. Officials say that a growing number of people have been relying on this pool of money, including many older residents who cannot afford private insur- ance premiums on modest pensions. Health Minister Dwayne Seymour and chief officer Jennifer Ahearn advised that the ministry has been working on a solution – perhaps in the form of a targeted and subsi- dised insurance program for Cayman’s senior citizens – but have thus far been unable to devise a program that would be suitably priced. Even if they were to reach a ‘magic number’ that would make comprehensive coverage affordable, it would address only one aspect of an increasingly troubling picture. At every turn, Cayman’s healthcare expenditures are running amok. Take, for example, government’s ballooning unfunded healthcare liabilities for current and retired civil servants – estimated at $1.7 billion over 20 years (in current dollars) in 2017. Last spring, Financial Secretary Ken Jefferson told the Public Accounts Committee that, left unchecked, he envisions these obligations reaching “hundreds of millions of dollars” per year in the not so distant future — “overwhelming the government’s budget”. Still, our leaders have been unable to make even the most modest changes to rein in this runaway train. Then there are the unpaid bills owed to the Health Services Authority, most residents’ primary healthcare provider, which at one point exceeded $100 million. That’s not to mention the ever-escalating costs of private insurance and the public health system’s unhealthy dependence on charity to provide essential technology and equipment. Just by examining these few ‘symptoms’, it is clear our health system is critically ill. Finding a cure for skyrocketing healthcare costs FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Don’t let rising seas drown the Marshall Islands HILDA HEINE, PATRICK VERKOOIJEN The Marshall Islands and other atoll countries in the Pacific will be the first nations to face extinc- tion as a result of global warming. Rising sea levels could wipe them off the map in a matter of dec- ades. Endless floods will make them uninhabitable even sooner. But, for purely selfish reasons, the world should not let them drown; the Marshall Islands have much to teach us about adapting to climate change. This is not just a crisis affecting a few far-flung coral atolls and reefs. We should care about what happens to the nearly 55,000 Marshallese be- cause a further 800 mil- lion people in hundreds of low-lying coastal cities throughout the world are in imminent danger of a similar fate. If the Marshall Islands cannot be saved, how will others manage? By the year 2050, up to 1 billion people – about 10 percent of the world’s projected popula- tion – could become cli- mate-change refugees be- cause of rising ocean levels, according to the United Nations. If only for this reason, the world should not let the Marshall Is- lands drown. Just as the Marshall Plan after World War II helped war-ravaged na- tions rebuild themselves, we need a new Marshall Plan to deliver measures that ensure communities at ground-zero of the global climate crisis can adapt and persevere. With sea level rise projected to ac- celerate, and with a high likelihood of rising by more than one foot by 2050, if we do not live in coastal com- munities, we will likely be welcoming migrants from them. We are all Mar- shallese now. There is little time to lose. Already, radioactive chemicals such as pluto- nium are threatening to leak into one of the Mar- shall Islands’ atolls be- cause rising seawater has penetrated a nuclear-waste cemetery. Water laps the front step of many Mar- shallese homes. More fre- quent inundation and flooding events are already occurring. The situation is extraordinarily fragile. Determined to act before it’s too late, the Marshall Islands are transforming themselves into a real-life laboratory for preparing for the effects of climate change. They are building sea walls, designing large coastal protection systems, integrating adaptation and resilience into national plans, and expanding ca- pacity to store rainwater in both urban and rural com- munities. Planners are also exploring the possibility of raising new islands to physically increase the landmass above water. The Marshall Islands and the Netherlands are far apart, but they are both low-lying territo- ries that have learned to live with water. The Dutch have mastered land recla- mation over centuries. But a sustainable plan of flood-risk protection and fresh water supply takes commitment and substan- tial financial resources that go far beyond what is pos- sible for a country ranked as one of the smallest econ- omies in the world by the International Monetary Fund. The Netherlands, which saw 250,000 people evacuated in the 1990s because of flooding, is spending around 17 billion euros (US$19.2 billion) by 2031 to make the country safe for generations to come. Measures include the construction of dikes, per- manent sand dunes, water- resistant buildings on stilts and floating structures that rise with water levels. The rest of the world can also help by accelerating adaptation strategies. Glob- ally, each and every invest- ment must be screened for its climate impact. New in- frastructure that is not cli- mate-proofed in its design is a liability. Existing tech- nologies, such as climate- proofing buildings, safe- guarding drinkable water through conservation, re- cycling and building new reservoirs should be scaled up. We must move rapidly to make use of innovations such as new saline-tol- erant crop plants and sat- ellites that can spot planet- warming methane leaks. Once again, the coun- tries that did the least to cause climate change are suffering the most. Even so, and without the resources of the richer world, the Marshall Islands is taking the lead on global adapta- tion efforts against rising sea levels. In recogni- tion of its endeavours, the small island nation chairs the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a group of 48 coun- tries on the front line of cli- mate change. The Marshall Islands offer a warning of things to come, but also a beacon of hope for coastal communi- ties all over the world. The actions we take now will determine which of those futures awaits us. Hilda Heine is president of the Marshall Islands and chairs the Climate Vulnerable Forum. Patrick Verkooijen is chief executive of the Global Center on Adaptation and Managing Partner of the Climate Vulnerable Forum. © 2019, The Washington Post Writers Group. Determined to act before it’s too late, the Marshall Islands are transforming themselves into a real-life laboratory for preparing for the effects of climate change.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019 Cricket Square, Cayman’s leading business address, is delighted to welcome long-term tenants KPMG and Conyers Dill & Pearman to their brand new home - the new landmark building, SIX. SIX boasts Gold LEED Certification, hurricane resistant construction and stylish architecture complemented by verdant landscaping and ample covered parking. And now, all Cricket Square tenants can enjoy more first class amenities such as The Club, an exclusive corporate fitness and wellness centre, along with outstanding dining at The Brasserie, Brasserie Market and the brand-new Caboose, a gourmet outdoor smokehouse. CRICKETSQUARE.COM KPMG and Conyers Dill & Pearman, welcome to your new home.6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS 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. Large blue iguana nest brings promise of healthy hatchlings Police seek owners of recovered stolen items ALVARO SEREY AND KAYLA YOUNG aserey@pinnaclemedialtd.com, kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Grand Cayman has its first captive-bred, blue iguana nest of the year, and researchers are hopeful that the sheer number of eggs will mean a healthy batch of hatchlings this summer. Breeding between female iguana Lady Pop and a male partner, HaGl, resulted in a clutch of 18 seemingly fertile eggs, discovered Wednesday. A 19th egg was found dam- aged and, therefore, deemed non-viable. Researchers with the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme have since transported the eggs to an incubator where they will have a greater chance of survival. “We paired the ani- mals pretty early this year, around January, so the last four months they’ve been breeding and she’s been pro- ducing eggs and she finally laid them,” said operations manager Nick Ebanks. If any of the hatchlings survive, they will mark the first successful breeding since 2015, Ebanks said. “We did have some eggs last year, but as it was re- ported, the entire clutch failed. Last year was seven eggs,” he said. “This year is 18 eggs from only one pair out of the six that we had paired. So I think we have a very good chance of having some sur- vivors this year.” While Lady Pop con- tinues to protect her nesting ground out of territorial in- stinct, Ebanks said her eggs are actually safer inside the incubator. “They have very little ma- ternal instincts,” he said. “The most she wants to do is guard her nesting mounds to make sure no other females use it. But she doesn’t know whether the eggs are there or not. Then, after a week or two, she leaves the nesting mound alone and she pretty much abandons her eggs. “If we leave the eggs inside the pen, she could also kill them as soon as they come out because of how territorial [iguanas] are. So the motherly instinct dies very quickly.” The eggs are being stored in the incubator at 32 de- grees centigrade in a ver- miculite and water mixture meant to mimic soil condi- tions. The eggs should hatch in about 70 days. Police have released images of recovered stolen property, including jew- ellery, watches and elec- tronics, in a bid to track down the owners. According to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the items were recovered in a search. Police issued some pointers on how the rightful owners can prove the items belong to them. They can provide pictures of the item when it was first purchased or being worn by the owner; present receipts of purchase; provide serial numbers; or provide descriptions of unique markings on an item. The RCIPS said in a statement, “The police would like to remind the public to discreetly mark their items with unique markings or write down the make, model, serial numbers and take photos of all valuable items in the event that any of these items are stolen. This pro- cess will greatly assist the police in an investigation.” To see more of the items, visit www.rcips.ky/possible-stolen- property-for-public-view. To view the items in person, contact DC 344 Gomes at 926-2965 or DC 198 Mendez at 916-1621. Blue iguana eggs are ready for the incubator. - PHOTOS: BLUE IGUANA RECOVERY PROGRAMME Handler Alberto Estevanovich displays the eggs collected from Lady Pop’s nesting site. These pieces of jewellery are among several stolen items recovered by the RCIPS.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019 O F F I C I A L S IZ E & W EIG HT 80 Games! 35 Teams! 15 Countries! 3 Days! Loads of Action! April 26 – 28, 2019 7-Mile Public Beach, adjacent to Calico Jacks Action takes place 9am – 5pm each day Covered Seating: $10 per day and $25 for 3 days VIP Area $100 per day or $250 for all 3 days Kids 12 & Under FREE! Free uncovered viewing areas available. Tickets on sale on EventPro.ky ®The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Knowing that his mother loves dogs, Arthur McTaggart said they wel- comed the opportunity to sponsor the dogs. “Animals can be so calming and comforting that it really enhances the lives of residents,” he said, adding that from the time he was a little boy, the family always had animals around. He said having pets help people learn compas- sion and unconditional love and this was what the pups are going to offer residents at the home. “My family are all animal lovers ... from my youngest days we always had dogs, cats, fish, rabbits. Most of the animals that were do- mesticated we had in our home at one point or the other,” he said. The names for the pup- pies were selected by teachers and Year 2 students of George Town Primary School, who were just as ex- cited as the seniors to meet the puppies for the first time at the puppy handover pres- entation, which was also at- tended by Elisabeth Roper, the governor’s wife. Students gathered round petting the puppies and chatting with seniors. “It shouldn’t come as a surprise that dogs offer humans emotional solace. They’ve been living with humans for centuries and they’ve developed a deep sense of understanding of human forms of communi- cation,” said Mitchell. Mitchell said approxi- mately five years ago, she and Carol Hay thought about introducing an emo- tional support dogs pro- gramme for the residents. Emotional support ani- mals provide therapeutic benefits to owners through affection and compan- ionship. Research shows that such animals have much to offer to humans’ mental and emotional well- being, she said In early December 2018, one of the resident’s family members gave them the name of a dog pro- vider whom she said they contacted to get the two Shih Tzu pups. Must Love Dogs, a pro- fessional dog training com- pany, will provide training and look after the dogs. Mitchell said the Pines management and staff were grateful to the McTaggart family for donating the pup- pies, as well as to Brenda Bush of Island Veterinary Services, Aimee McKie and Heidi Suarez of Must Love Dogs, and Barry Bodden of Animal House, all of whom will provide goods and services to Georgie and Bella for life. FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Andrew Jefferson, who passed away on Sunday, April 07, 2019. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at The Church of God at West Bay, 108 Captain Reginald Parsons Drive, on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. Interment at: Boatswain Bay Cemetery Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Jacqueline Aloma Dunkley nee Ebanks, who passed away on Friday, April 05, 2019. A Thanksgiving Service will be heldat Crossroads United Baptist Church, West End, Cayman Bracon Sunday, April 14, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Viewing: 1:30 –2:00 p.m. Interment at: West End Cemetery Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Joseph Tennyson McFarlane who passed away on April, 03, 2019 AThanksgiving Service will be held at East End Seventh Day Adventist Church, 2638 Seaview Road East End, Grand Cayman on Sunday April 14, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Viewing Will be from 1:00 –2:00 p.m. Interment Follows at East End Cemetery Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com press release and suggested Austin-Smith should be dismissed from the role. In a letter to Austin-Smith, published on the Human Rights Commission’s web- site, he wrote that the com- mission’s statement was a “direct insult” to the legisla- tors and brought the Legis- lative Assembly into “odium, contempt, [and] ridicule” and was an “attempt to lower its authority”. Bush added in the letter, “Your statement coming from such an important constitu- tional body cannot be toler- ated. The House could have employed a more drastic legal process. Instead it re- solved to temper the desire of some members and in- stead demanded an uncondi- tional apology.” The response from Austin- Smith, also posted on the website, simply states that the press release was issued in accordance with the com- mission’s mandate. It adds, “I do not agree that there is anything within the press release which could have been construed as an insult or resulted in ‘odium, contempt, [or] ridicule’ being brought upon the House, and, certainly, I can assure you that that was not its intent.” Austin-Smith was ap- pointed to the Human Rights Commission in April 2014, becoming chairman in Jan- uary 2015 for a three-year term. Since January 2018, he has been operating in the role under temporary exten- sions to the appointment, the latest of which runs out at the end of May. The Constitu- tion requires the commission to have at least “two experi- enced lawyers” as members and Austin-Smith, a senior associate at Campbells, has filled one of those positions during his tenure. The Speaker, in his state- ment to the House on Thursday, also took issue with a Cayman Compass editorial this week that described his earlier comments calling for Austin-Smith’s dismissal as “intolerant and unfair”. He said, “In case the Com- pass doesn’t know, if I were being heavy-handed or un- reasonable, I would have went to a heavier recourse to a fine and six months’ imprisonment.” He added that he could not support same-sex mar- riage and argued that govern- ment had every right to ap- peal a court decision that it did not agree with. He said the issue was about more than same-sex marriage and highlighted more gen- eral concerns about the court using its powers to amend legislation that did not ac- cord with the Bill of Rights, suggesting this could lead to people from overseas eventu- ally winning the right to vote or stand for office. “If any judge has the power to amend the law in this manner, do they not re- alise that pure war would envelop our islands? They better check the feelings of the people. Is this what the Compass wants?” Bush asked. He said anyone who wanted to change the laws of the Cayman Islands should put up $1,000 and run for elected office. Despite the fact that the fight to legalise same-sex mar- riage is being led by a Cayma- nian woman, Chantelle Day, and her partner Vickie Bodden Bush, a British-Honduran na- tional with Caymanian roots, Bush suggested the pressure for change was coming from outside influences. He said there was nothing wrong with dredging sea- grass or building skyscrapers – a reference to two pro- jects being advanced by the Dart organisation that have drawn opposition within the community. Repeating his fears that similar court powers could be used to change the Elec- tions Law, he added, “Tearing up some seagrass, or going 50 storeys high, will not hurt one soul in Cayman; but changing our laws for some outsider to ‘vote and run’ will be a whole different matter. As far as I am concerned, this is an attack on our way of life, that we cannot and must not, adhere to.” Again referencing the claim that Austin-Smith is an atheist, he said God would deal with him. “Atheism is not our way of life, it is not something we know about,” he said. “That is his business. “I do believe in a supreme being; what do you believe in as an atheist? I know that atheists say that they don’t believe in God, but does God believe in atheists?” spending to break the tie. Another spending package that received ‘no’ votes was an allocation of $298,000 for additional staff for the Governor’s Office. It was revealed during the debate on this spending that some of the funds would also go to- wards paying for plans made by former Governor Anwar Choudhury to hold more public events at Gov- ernment House. Bernie Bush, Arden McLean, Chris Saunders and An- thony Eden voted against this spending. Puppies bring joy to Pines residents Speaker Bush renews criticism of human rights chairman Gov’t approves $92M in extra spending for 2019 Back row, from left, Pines director Lynda Mitchell and the governor’s wife Elisabeth Roper, McTaggart brothers Authur, Christopher, Roy and William, with Pines residents Carlene McTaggart and George Bothwell, both seated, and Heidi Suarez of Must Love Dogs, front left, and students from the George Town Primary School. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Judge threatens to block Carnival cruise ships from docking at US ports MIAMI (AP) — A federal judge has threatened to temporarily block Carnival Corp. from docking cruise ships at ports in the United States as punishment for a possible probation violation. The Miami Herald re- ports U.S. District Judge Pa- tricia Seitz said Wednesday that she’ll make a decision in June, and she wants com- pany chairman Micky Arison and president Donald Ar- nold in her courtroom for the hearing. “The people at the top are treating this as a gnat,” Seitz said. “If I could, I would give all the members of the ex- ecutive committee a visit to the detention centre for a couple of days. It’s amazing how that helps people come to focus on reality.” Miami-based Carnival has been on probation for two years as part of a $40 million settlement for il- legally dumping oil into the ocean from its Prin- cess Cruises ships and lying about the scheme, according to court filings. Despite this, prosecutors say ships have dumped grey water into Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park, prepared ships in advance of court- ordered audits to avoid un- favourable findings, falsi- fied records and dumped plastic garbage into the ocean. The company has ac- knowledged these incidents in court filings. In a statement after the hearing, Carnival said “It ap- pears there were some mis- characterisations made by others to the court. We in- tend to fully address the is- sues raised at today’s court conference.” The five-year probation began in April 2017 and re- quires a third-party au- ditor to inspect ships be- longing to Carnival and its subsidiaries. Carnival owns nine cruise brands and has 102 ships. The court filings say that during 2017 Carnival had a program in place to prepare ships in advance of the au- dits to avoid negative find- ings. Seitz ordered the com- pany to stop in December 2017, and it stopped. But federal prosecutors said the practice continued in 2018.9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019 One Honeywell Lynx touch wireless residential/ commercial security alarm panel with 4.3” full colour touchscreen display Three wireless door/window contacts (white) One Honeywell pet immune motion sensor (up to 40Lbs.) One 4 button remote keychain Full installation and demonstration 12 months parts warranty WIFI module for the mobile Apps. Honeywell Lynx Intruder Alarm Package Includes: The Honeywell intruder system is linked to our 24/7 monitoring centre to keep your family and your property safe. Upon system activation our experienced monitoring station staff will handle the situation. The Total Connect app allows you complete control of your security system from your mobile device. 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Seward faced 18 counts of theft, uttering forged doc- uments, converting crim- inal property, and concealing criminal property. He was in- itially accused of 72 counts of forgery, theft and ob- taining property by decep- tion, but an amended indict- ment was presented to the court on Thursday. He pleaded guilty to some of the charges, including that he stole $116,398 from the Tennis Club between March 2017 and January 2018. He also pleaded guilty to forging cheques, withdrawal slips and other documents that he used to steal from the Tennis Club. The defendant pleaded guilty to other charges, in- cluding one that he stole US$8,856 from the Tennis Club by writing cheques in the club’s name pay- able to him. Seward is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24 at 2 p.m. A trial for his not-guilty pleas was not scheduled. SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three men charged with the importation of more than 800 pounds of ganja ap- peared in Summary Court on Thursday in preparation for a case management hearing. Dalton Alphonso Wright, Xavier Shane Watson and Malson Campbell, all Ja- maican nationals, were ar- rested on March 18 following an encounter with po- lice approximately 11 miles off East End. Crown counsel Darlene Oko told the court Thursday that the Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service has com- pleted the drug certificates associated with the arrest. Oko said that she believed the certificates could be con- veyed to the defence counsels by the end of the business day on Thursday. Oko also told Magis- trate Grace Donalds that the Crown will be amending the charge to reflect the weight of drugs. The packages of ganja seized by the police were first weighed at 900 pounds, but Oko said that should be amended to 810 pounds in light of the completed drug certificates. Oko also explained to the court that many of the pack- ages had been thrown in the sea and fished out by the po- lice. She asked the court for a motion to destroy the evi- dence prior to trial. The court will hear argu- ments from the Crown and defence counsels on the for- feiture application on April 18. Magistrate Donalds also set a case manage- ment hearing for the case on April 25. The three men remain re- manded in custody. Wright is represented by Dennis Brady, and Watson is being defended by Prathna Bodden. The third defendant, Campbell, is being repre- sented by Oliver Grimwood. Watson is also charged with reckless and negligent acts and possession of an imita- tion firearm with intent to commit an offence. A police press release re- garding the incident indi- cated that officers of the Joint Marine Unit spotted a suspicious vessel around 6:30 a.m. on March 18 and engaged in a pursuit when it would not stop. Police said the suspects were allegedly seen throwing packages overboard that were later recovered, and of- ficers discharged a service weapon after one of the sus- pects allegedly threatened them with a firearm. Robert Seward The suspects were allegedly seen throwing packages overboard that were later recovered, and officers discharged a service weapon after one of the suspects threatened them with a firearm. Hundreds of pounds of ganja were seized at sea in the March 18 operation. - PHOTO: RCIPSNext >