ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2019 Carnival atmosphere for CARIFTA Cayman snags javelin bronze as Jamaica dominates JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The stands of Cayman’s national stadium were shaking this weekend as thousands of track fans gathered to watch the next gener- ation of Caribbean superstars. A carnival atmosphere pervaded the Truman Bodden Sports Complex, with the flags of almost every Caribbean country waving in unison for CARIFTA 2019. A cacophony of thumping drums, blaring trumpets and screaming fans provided the soundtrack to the annual track and field festival. It was the green, black and yellow of Ja- maica that dominated in the stands and on the track, with the perennial sprint kings leading the way. Seventeen-year-old Brianna Williams took back-to-back gold medals in the wom- en’s U-20 100m and 200m, leaving many in- side the stadium wondering if they had just witnessed the arrival of Jamaica’s next great Olympic champion. Williams said it was great to be a CAR- IFTA champion again. After her 200m win, she ran another half-lap of the track to cel- ebrate with the large Jamaican contingent packed in to the Mackie Seymour Stand. “I am very proud of what I did today. I love coming back to CARIFTA. I remember my first time. I was like a nobody and now … I just love this,” she said. Another name to watch will be Oblique Seville who took the men’s U-20 100m title in 10.24 seconds. Amid such intense competition, Cayman’s 52-strong team found the going tough and by Sunday night had just one medal in the offi- cial tally to show for their efforts. Competi- tion was ongoing at press time on Monday. Rachell Pascal, 14, picked up a bronze in the javelin. High jumper Louis Gordon, 18, Euthanasia of dogs and cats drops significantly SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Euthanasia of dogs and cats in Grand Cayman has been reduced by 75% over the last four years ac- cording to figures analysed by the Cayman Compass as part of an open records request. The Department of Agriculture euthanised 544 dogs and 75 cats between the years of 2015 and 2018. That total (619) is fewer than the number of animals euthanised in 2012 alone (634). A 2014 open records request by the Cayman Compass indicated that the DoA was euthanising around 600 cats and dogs per year. That study accounted for the years 2010 through 2013. Dogs are still being impounded at high rates in Cayman. The DoA impounded 331 dogs in 2015, 249 in 2016, 304 in 2017 and 388 last year. But they are being euthanised at a far lower rate. The data indicates that the DoA euthanised 175 dogs in 2015, 96 in 2016, 108 in 2017 and 165 last year. Over that span, about 43 per- cent of dogs impounded have been euthanised. In 2013, by con- trast, 594 animals were impounded by the DoA, and only 111 of them were reclaimed or rehomed. Part of the disparity is due to revised policing priorities adopted by the DoA. Before 2014, stray and feral cats represented close to half of the total number of animals euthanised. The DoA stopped trapping stray cats a few years ago, though, and has euthanised PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » Rachell Pascal claimed bronze for Cayman in the women’s U-17 javelin. – PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER Jamaican sprint sensation Brianna Williams claimed gold in the women’s U-20 100m and 200m finals. Williams is being hyped as a future Olympic star. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL®IONAL JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Four Israeli army friends living out a childhood dream of travelling Christopher Co- lumbus’s passage through the Caribbean ended up in Cayman Brac on Friday. “It was amazing to do the Shabbat night there at the Temple Beth Shalom be- hind the Mango Manor Inn. The people are super kind,” said Ofer Rozenblat, speaking to the Cayman Compass by phone from the Brac. Rozenblat, who was sailing with friends Liron Lavi, Itay Ildis and Matan Dahan, all in their 20s, said the group had no sailing experience other than what they had picked up after purchasing a boat in Guatemala. When they hap- pened on Cayman Brac by ac- cident, they realised it was Shabbat, Judaism’s day of rest. And that is just what the team did, rest and relax on the Brac, at the home of pho- tographer Ward Scott. Rozenblat said the group’s journey began in Tel Aviv. They flew by plane to Cal- ifornia in December 2018, where they bought a van and turned it into a camper in which they drove around Central America before ending up in Guatemala. In Guatemala, they de- cided to purchase a boat and sail the Caribbean. They soon found a 40-foot, double-mast French Amel boat, which they named ‘Marlene’, a love ballad inspired by a war- time romance that Rozenbalt said his mother used to sing. Rozenblat said the friends spent the next two months car- rying out repairs. When repairs were completed, the team spent the next two weeks on a lake learning to operate the boat. He said they figured that since they had been in the army, they could accomplish anything, and taking on this big trip was just another ad- venture for them. The group travelled from Guatemala to Belize to Mexico, before ending up in a marina in Cuba. They left the marina to go fishing, but about 40 miles out to sea, they realised that all of their fishing gear, snor- kelling and scuba equipment had been stolen. They said they “acciden- tally” ended up in Cayman Brac, where Rozenblat said people welcomed them with open arms and helped them out. The group are due to set sail for Jamaica on Tuesday afternoon. 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(PG13) 1:30 I 3:40 VIP I 7:15 I 10:00 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: GHOST (PG13) 7:00 VIP New date set for firearms trial NEW HOUSING PROJECT APPROVED IN GEORGE TOWN Jury discharged in case of female passenger on cruise ship CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Monday, Sept. 23, has been set as the start of a new trial for a woman who pleaded not guilty to possession of an unli- censed handgun and six rounds of ammunition ear- lier this year. Carol Ann McNeill- Skorupan, 67, had come to Cayman as a passenger aboard a cruise ship when she was arrested on Feb. 3. The defendant was the holder of a firearm licence in Wisconsin, USA, but did not have a licence in Cayman. A piece of her luggage with the firearm and ammunition in it did not arrive with her other luggage when she flew to Florida to board her ship. The luggage was forwarded to Cayman, the first port on the ship’s itinerary. Trial began on Monday, April 15, with Crown coun- sels Greg Walcolm and Aal- iyah McCarthy conducting the case for the prosecution. The defendant, who was not present, was repre- sented by attorneys Keith Myers and James Stenning. On Wednesday, April 17, the jury foreman advised Justice Michael Wood that the jury would not be able to return a unanimous ver- dict or a majority verdict – one on which at least five would have agreed. Justice Wood discharged the jury and when Grand Court sat again on Thursday, April 18, the September date was agreed upon. JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new housing develop- ment on the edge of George Town has been given the green light by the Central Planning Authority. Pro Plus Construction was granted permission for a development involving 32 new town houses, a covered parking area and swim- ming pool on Old Crewe Road. The planned develop- ment also includes 33 raw land strata lots. An existing apart- ment building will be de- molished to make way for the new homes, according to papers submitted to the CPA. The developer was granted a variance to normal planning regu- lations to increase the number of bedrooms al- lowed on a site of that size. In its application to the CPA, the developer ar- gued that there were mul- tiple examples of other de- velopments in the same neighbourhood that also exceeded the maximum bedroom density. They argued that the unusual terrain of the site limited its develop- ment potential. “A large portion of the property is covered by an existing lake, and majority of the site is already al- lotted for the townhomes and parking requirement of the development.” There were letters of objection from two neigh- bouring landowners who claimed the high density of the development would im- pact their property values. “This increase [in den- sity] could make the neigh- borhood less desirable, therefore leading to lower rents and home prices,” one objector wrote. The CPA considered ar- guments from both sides at its meeting last week and approved the development. Jewish sailors arrive in Brac for Shabbat Premier travels to UK and Europe Premier Alden McLaughlin is visiting London this week with Roy Tatum, head of the Premier’s Office, to continue talks with the United Kingdom government on issues af- fecting the Cayman Islands. He will meet with Ben Wallace, minister of state from the Home Office, and Ben Merrick, director of the Overseas Territories Depart- ment of the FCO, about the ongoing constitutional re- form discussions started last year, the UK government’s re- sponse to the recent Foreign Affairs Committee report on the Overseas Territories as well as public registers of beneficial ownership. The UK parliament passed a section in the UK Anti- Money Laundering and Sanc- tions Act last year that in- structed the Foreign Office to issue an order in council to directly implement a public beneficial ownership reg- ister in Cayman, if is not in place by 2021. This date was later pushed back by the For- eign and Commonwealth Of- fice to 2023. The Cayman Islands gov- ernment argues that the is- lands have always com- plied with global standards of financial regulation and should public registers be- come a global standard, then the Cayman Islands will in- troduce such a register. In the interim, the current system for handling benefi- cial ownership, which is not public, allows timely and ready access to UK and in- ternational law enforcement and tax agencies. In London, the premier will also host a dinner with cross-party parliamentar- ians as part of the govern- ment’s ongoing political en- gagement programme for the Cayman Islands. “Continued engagement with MPs and Peers is es- sential for the Cayman Is- lands to build and main- tain relationships and for them to hear directly what’s happening in our islands,” McLaughlin said. The premier will then travel to Monaco with Eric Bush, chief officer of the new Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs, and Joel Walton, CEO of the Mari- time Authority of the Cayman Islands for a series of meet- ings with stakeholders in the maritime and supery- acht sector. This is part of Cayman’s ongoing efforts to maintain the significant market share held by the islands’ ship- ping registry. McLaughlin said the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry is known globally as a premium maritime flag state and is home to most of the biggest yachts in the world. “Indeed, the Registry has been rated as one of the best in the world in the Inter- national Chamber of Ship- ping (ICS) Flag State Per- formance Table for 2018/19 for the 8th year running,” he said. “The meetings in Mo- naco are a continuation of ef- forts started by me last year and as part of our new focus on not only maintaining but growing the Cayman Islands Shipping Register under the newly created Ministry of International Trade, Invest- ment, Aviation and Mari- time Affairs.” For over two decades, Cayman’s Maritime Authority has had a presence in Mo- naco, where the majority of superyachts docked in the harbour are flying the red en- sign of the Cayman Islands. “Monaco, with its wealth of financial services and inter- national high net worth in- dividuals, is a natural fit for the Cayman Islands and its shipping Registry,” Walton said. “It’s an extremely im- portant market for us.” While in Monaco, the pre- mier is expected to meet with the first minister and will also participate in the 8th annual St. Tropez to Monaco charity bike ride. This will be an opportu- nity to continue promoting the Cayman Islands as McLaughlin will be riding with Prince Albert of Monaco as well as other high-pro- file riders. Bush said meetings and participation in events like the yacht show and the charity ride help build a part- nership between the Cayman Islands and Monaco. “They also provide an op- portunity for us not only to support causes with a syn- ergy to the Cayman Islands, but explore opportunities for further cooperation and col- laboration,” Bush said. From left, Liron Lavi, Itay Ildis, Ofer Rozenblat and Matan Dahan, with their boat in the background, on Cayman Brac. - PHOTO: SISTER ISLANDS NEWS AGENCY COLOMBIA LANDSLIDE KILLS 17 CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Heavy rains unleashed a landslide in a remote moun- tain town in southwestern Colombia on Sunday, killing at least 17 people and in- juring five more. The National Disaster Risk Management agency said the early morning landslide hit at least eight homes and blocked a stretch of the Pan-American Highway in the community of Rosas, roughly 400 miles southwest of Bogota. Officials said rescue workers were continuing their search for victims, re- moving earth and debris with heavy machinery. President Iván Duque sent a tweet expressing “solidarity with families of victims”. He went to the area late Sunday to check on operations. Officials said five people were taken to local hospi- tals for treatment.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 23, 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” The Caribbean’s best young athletes brought their ‘A’ games this past weekend, showcasing their skills and bringing their competitive spirits to the delight of thousands of fans. A bit of rain was no match for these exemplars of excellence, nor could it dampen the experience of the 48th annual CARIFTA Games. This was our islands’ third experience hosting the premier youth track and field event, and with it, many of our region’s strongest competitors. Congratulations to Cayman’s medal winners, and well done to all. To a person, our national team fought hard and showed great sportsmanship. They were exceptional represent - atives of our island home. It was inspiring to witness the precision, dex- terity, speed and talent on display at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex during the weekend’s events – the culmination of countless hours of practice, an endless striving to realise the human body and mind’s untapped potential, the dedication and courage it takes to persevere through setback and loss. CARIFTA, like all great international sporting com- petitions, is much more than a series of games. It also serves as a forum for peaceful diplomacy, encouraging healthy competition and mutual respect throughout our region. It provides an opportunity for each nation’s finest athletes to meet face-to-face with peers on a level playing field and to astonish an international audience with their skill and accomplishments. Hosting an event like the CARIFTA Games takes an incredible amount of behind-the-scenes coordination. The Cayman Islands Athletic Association, coaches, community partners, sponsors, volunteers and spec- tators who came together to make this weekend possible deserve effusive thanks. We would not be the first to observe that sport is so popular, in part, because it is such a perfect metaphor for life at its best – with blessedly clearer rules and expectations. It teaches invaluable lessons to our young people (and serves as a welcome reminder to those of us who are no longer quite so young) about the importance of healthy lifestyles, resilience, teamwork and integrity. In athletics, success is not guaranteed, but hard- earned. One’s record and reputation is built not on superficial considerations, but on talent, temperament and tenacity. The path to victory is paved deliberately, inch by inch, by showing up, day after day, heat after heat, and pushing past every setback and disappoint- ment. Grace is equally important, and expected in victory and defeat. The Olympic creed captures the essence in this way: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most impor- tant thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” The pursuit of excellence on, and off, the field TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Persecuted, then forbidden from talking about it RADLEY BALKO Imagine you were pursued for months by the govern- ment for crimes you did not commit – or for actions that, at worst, most people would not know were criminal. Now imagine that government of- ficials overcharged you, so that in the face of hundreds of years in prison, the op- tion of pleading guilty to the lesser crimes and a compar- atively light sentence was an offer no reasonable person could resist. But now imagine one more twist: In exchange for allowing you to plead to the lesser crimes that bring the lighter sentence, the govern- ment also swears you to se- crecy. You can never claim that you were actually inno- cent. You can never discuss the overcharging, the am- biguousness of the laws, or the tactics that were used to bully you into admitting guilt. Now imagine that the agency that did this to you does something similar in nearly every case resulting in a plea. It would be a good way to guarantee a boast-worthy track record. And it would be an easy way to cover up mis- conduct, wouldn’t it? This is the pattern that two libertarian organisations – the Cato Institute and the Institute for Justice – allege is happening at the Securi- ties and Exchange Commis- sion. In January, they filed a lawsuit on behalf of an anon- ymous client who was inves- tigated both criminally and civilly by the agency. The client settled the civil case and was led to believe that doing so would also make the criminal case go away. As part of the civil settle- ment, he also agreed to a gag order about his case. To his surprise, the Justice Depart- ment then indicted him an- yway, on charges that could have brought several hun- dred years in prison. He took a plea bargain on charges that resulted in less than two years in a minimum-se- curity prison. Now the client has written a book about his experience and about how unfairly he believes he was treated. The Cato Institute wants to publish that book. But the gag order prevents it from doing so. That is why Cato and the Institute for Justice filed their lawsuit. The gag order was part of the man’s civil settlement with the SEC, not the plea bargain in his criminal case. Clark Neily, Cato’s vice president for constitutional studies, says that not only have gag orders become standard practice at the SEC, but also he’s seeing similar practices from more conventional law enforce- ment agencies. “I doubt you’ll see anything quite as blatant as a gag order policy from DOJ, because they know that in a criminal case, the courts would shoot it down in a heartbeat,” he says. “But there are other ways that we’re seeing federal prosecutors use plea bargains to cover up misconduct.” Neily points to a Justice Department practice of of- fering plea bargains that prohibit suspects from ever filling an open-records re- quest to obtain the prosecu- tor’s case file. “They claim that when they negotiate plea bargains, the suspect has all the information prosecutors have, including any poten- tially exculpatory evidence,” he says. “If that’s true, what’s the point of barring someone from later using open records laws to obtain the prosecu- tor’s file?” It’s worth noting here that there’s one other way that the Justice Department hides misconduct and puts sus- pects at an informational dis- advantage when discussing plea bargains: internal dis- cipline. The Justice Depart- ment investigates all prose- cutor misconduct complaints internally, referring them to the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Even when OPR finds misconduct, it refuses to make the mis- conduct public. Even the Jus- tice Department’s Inspector General is not privy to OPR investigations. If you were a suspect, would not it have been ben- eficial to know before you ac- cepted a plea bargain that your prosecutor had a his- tory of, say, withholding ex- culpatory evidence? (Or, per- haps more accurately, a history of accusations of withholding exculpatory ev- idence. According to what little information it has re- leased, the Justice Depart- ment seldom disciplines fed- eral prosecutors.) The whole imbroglio brings to mind the case of Siobhan Reynolds, an advo- cate for chronic-pain patients who tragically died a few years ago in a plane crash. Reynolds had been advo- cating for a doctor in Kansas whom the government was pursuing for allegedly over- prescribing opioids. Reyn- olds lined up a slew of pain patients who attested that, contrary to the government’s portrayal of him, the doctor had dramatically improved their lives. In response, an as- sistant U.S. attorney opened a grand jury investigation into Reynolds’s shoestring opera- tion. That person issued an incredibly broad subpoena demanding a massive cache of emails, phone calls and other documents. Merely complying with the demand would have bankrupted Reynolds’ organisation. She sued, but the Justice Depart- ment succeeded in imposing a gag order. Reynolds took her case all the way to the Supreme Court, where she lost on both the subpoena and the gag order. Reynolds was never ac- cused of any criminal wrong- doing, but the legal fight all but crushed her organisa- tion’s ability to advocate for pain patients. And she was barred from talking about any of it. Perhaps the most troubling part of the case is that in requesting the gag order, the Justice Department cited the secrecy of grand jury proceedings. But grand jury secrecy is supposed to protect those who are being investigated. The Justice De- partment turned all of that upside down. In theory, the SEC could now reneg on its agreement with the man at the centre of the Cato/Institute for Jus- tice case, because by seeking legal help and filing a lawsuit to overturn the gag order, he likely violated it. So far, that has not happened. But Neily says there’s probably a good reason for that. “For now, they still don’t know who he is.” Radley Balko blogs and reports on criminal justice, the drug war and civil liberties for The Washington Post. Previously, he was an investigative reporter for the Huffington Post and a writer and editor for Reason magazine. © 2019, The Washington Post. If you were a suspect, would not it have been beneficial to know before you accepted a plea bargain that your prosecutor had a history of, say, withholding exculpatory evidence?5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2019 JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A poorly judged Facebook comment landed a woman in court Thursday. Diane Gagne, whose dogs were impounded and eu- thanised by the Department of Agriculture, faced charges over threatening remarks she made on social media about the animal welfare officer in- volved in the case. Gagne made “inflamma- tory and scandalous” com- ments on a Facebook thread, her lawyer Richard Barton acknowledged at a Summary Court hearing. He said she had reacted emotionally after finding out her dogs had been put down by the DoA and disposed of at the landfill site. In a discussion thread about the incident, refer- encing DoA welfare officer Erik Bodden, she wrote, “I want to take him to the dump and not tell anyone he died, like he did to them.” Bodden made a complaint about the remark and Gagne was charged with using an Information Communica- tions Technology network to cause harassment, alarm or distress. The 25-year-old Canadian national appeared in court Thursday and a letter of apology was read on her be- half. Magistrate Grace Don- alds ordered a conditional discharge and no conviction was recorded. Outlining the context to the case, Barton said his client had been off island in Canada when the dogs, which were being looked after by her partner, were im- pounded and eventually eu- thanised by the DoA. “That is a lot to stomach when you consider that she is the owner of these ani- mals,” Barton said. “You can only imagine the shock and grief with which she responded.” Barton said she had been returning to Cayman to col- lect her dogs’ ashes, when she discovered that they had already been disposed of at the dump. In a letter of apology, Gagne wrote that she had never intended to harm Bodden. “I was under tremendous stress. I wanted to have them cremated and have a piece of them forever. After hearing that they had been dumped and incinerated … I acted in- appropriately …. “Nothing I can do can bring my dogs back. I was grieving. I mean no harm to anybody.” The details of how and why the dogs were im- pounded were not aired in court. Barton accepted that there was no evidence that Bodden or the DoA had acted inappropriately. SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new study led by Cay- manian veterinarian Dr. Brandy Darby indicates that heartworm disease is very common and a legitimate threat to cats living in the Cayman Islands. The study, which was published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Sur- gery Open Reports in March, showed that 11% of the sample group of feral cats had adult heartworms. Another 27% of the cats showed evidence of exposure to immature forms of the par- asite. The study also found that indoor cats are at risk due to bites from mosquitoes that can enter the home. Darby, when contacted on Monday, said that the sample group of 36 feral cats was collected between 2013 and 2014. The animals tested were feral cats trapped and euthanised by the Depart- ment of Agriculture as part of a population control pro- gramme that had been on- going at the time. Heartworm disease has been a common clinical di- agnosis in dogs in the Cayman Islands, and cats were studied because pet owners may not have been aware that their cats are at risk too. Animals are infected with heartworm disease when larval forms of the parasite are transferred from a mos- quito, but the larval stage does not progress to ma- ture form in cats as often as it does in dogs. Despite that finding, the immature forms of heartworm can still cause serious disease in cats. Symptoms of infection in- clude coughing, intermittent vomiting and sudden death. The findings of the study note that heartworm infec- tion is completely prevent- able through medications that cat owners can obtain from their veterinarian. Darby’s study was con- ducted with support from the Department of Agricul- ture. Dr. Charles Dickinson, Dr. Lori Gaskins and Dr. Paul Hanna, faculty members as- sociated with St. Matthew’s University School of Veteri- nary Medicine, made signifi- cant contributions. 5% low mortgage rate* Get pre-qualified on the spot. Valid photo ID † All you need is a Come in and chat with us or learn more on scotiabank.com ® I put Scotiabank to work and got † Conditions Apply. Acceptable forms of ID include driver’s permit, national ID or passport. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under license. OR up to US$5,000 Money Back What does this mean for you? Mortgage Amount ($) KY$300,000 Money Back (%) 3% Money Back ($) KY$$9,000 Facebook threat lands dog owner in court Study finds heartworm disease common in Cayman cats A woman whose dogs were euthanised by the Department of Agriculture found herself in court over comments made on social media. Research shows that heartworm infection is common among cats in Cayman.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 just missed out on a podium spot with a valiant performance to finish fourth in his class. Aijah Lewis also took an unofficial bronze in the girls’ high jump, though there were not enough competitors for that success to count towards the overall medal table. Pascal, who threw a personal best 35.5 metres to take bronze on Sunday, said it had been a great feeling to perform so well in front of such a passionate home crowd. “Cayman is like a big family to me,” she said. “Everyone up there was helping me and cheering me on.” Lewis, who jumped 1.6 metres to finish third of three competi- tors in the high jump Saturday, said she was disappointed not to have had the chance to test her- self against a larger field, but was happy to get her moment on the podium. She said it was exhilarating to experience such a large home crowd cheering her on. “Every time I look back at a CARIFTA games, I will always re- member medalling in Cayman,” she said. Gordon was left disappointed after falling two centimetres short of a top three finish in the men’s U-20 high jump. “I am disappointed in my final jump, but to be able to perform in front of my home crowd is a good feeling,” he said afterwards. Levi Superville in the U-17 1500m, Michael Smikle in the U-20 800m and Jaden Francis, a finalist in the women’s U-20 200m, pro- vided some of the other highlights for Cayman. For others, the games provided a valuable, sometimes chastening look at the level of competition around the Caribbean. Nahomy Bonilla, 16, only started training in the hurdles four months ago, practicing six days a week for hours at a time to prepare for the competition. She found herself thrown into the li- on’s den against some of the best in the world in the 4 x 400m event, finishing seventh overall. “It was very intimidating,” she admitted after seeing the calibre of the competition. But she said she had enjoyed competing for Cayman, despite ex- periencing some nerves in front of such a large crowd. “It felt quite amazing,” she added. “I will be back next year and will try to do way better.” Tahan Rice, 17, had a similar feeling after failing to make it through the 400m heats. “The competition is fierce. There is no one out there taking it easy,” he said. TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Carnival atmosphere for CARIFTA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Guyana’s Matthew Gordon leads the boy’s U-17 1500m. Cayman’s Levi Superville, towards the back in this photo, stormed through the pack to put himself in contention before fading to finish sixth. – PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Cayman’s young performers put on a cultural display for the opening ceremony. Aijah Lewis picked up a medal in the high jump for Cayman, and also competed in long jump. Stars of the future: Oblique Seville and Brianna Williams celebrate a gold medal double for Jamaica in the U-20 100m sprints. Cayman’s Louis Gordon finished fourth in the high jump, and also competed in the long jump. Monifah Djoe competes for Suriname in the triple jump.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2019 Professional Certificate in Human Resource Practice (CHRP) commencing 28 May 2019 on-island The University of Portsmouth is once again bringing this highly successful HR programme of workshops to the Cayman Islands The Professional Certificate in HR Practice will develop your HR knowledge and skills if: You are working in HR or personnel administration, or You want to work in HR, or You are an administrator, a team leader, a supervisor or a manager looking to develop your HR management skills HR classes are delivered on-island in 6 daytime workshops – 20 days of teaching: 1. 28-31 May: The role of HR and the strategic business context: 4 days Tuesday-Friday 2. 25-28 June: Managing performance and rewarding employees: 4 days Tuesday-Friday 3. 23 & 24 July: Managing HR information: 2 days Tuesday & Wednesday 4. 3 & 4 September: Professional Development in HR skills: 2 days Tuesday & Wednesday 5. 8-11 October: Labour law, discipline, dismissal, gender equality: 4 days Tuesday-Friday 6. 12-15 November: Talent planning, recruitment, selection interviewing: 4 days Tuesday-Friday What our students say: “Enrolling on this CHRP programme was the one of the best decisions I have made in my career and I am now in an HR Manager’s position.” “Thank you so much Miss Marjorie and Mr Stephen for investing your time and knowledge, your style of teaching makes learning unforgettable.” “This HR course has been a totally engaging experience and it has exposed me to real HR experiences – the classroom experience was phenomenal!” Develop HR skills, become CIPD qualified and boost your career - too good an opportunity to miss! Contact Miss Marjorie, University of Portsmouth, to reserve your place: marjorie.corbridge@port.ac.uk Check out the website: www.port.ac.uk/caymanchrp University Faculty with extensive international HR experienceinclude: Marjorie Corbridge, Gary Rees and Stephen Pilbeam Levi Superville, right, ran a great race in the U-17 1500m event. He was in medal contention on the final lap but faded to finish sixth. Cayman’s fans mingled with the Bahamians and Jamaicans to create a carnival atmosphere in the stands.Jacob Kelly competed in the javelin for Cayman. Nirobi Smith-Mills, right, won gold in the boys’ U-17 800m race for Bermuda. The Caribbean powerhouses of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas and Barbados brought their ‘A’ games to Cayman. – PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY There were competitive races in almost every event over all three days.TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or non-profit organisations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Road or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. TUESDAY, APRIL 23 SENIOR ACTIVITIES: Bingo at United Church Hall, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact Flavia Gardner at 926-0490. CRUISE PORT PETITION SIGNING: The petition for a people initiated referendum on the Cruise Port will be available for signing at Paperman’s Midtown from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Registered voters may sign. Email CPRCayman@gmail.com for more details or visit the Facebook page @CPRCayman. THURSDAY, APRIL 25 BRAC COURT: Today and tomorrow from 10 a.m., Aston Rutty Centre. STREET MEETING: All Nations United Pentecostal Church presents Street Meeting in the Park, Windsor Park, 7-9:30 p.m. All are invited. Contact Robert Johnson at 924-1429 or Allison McDonald at 322-5499 CLASSICAL MUSIC: George Town Public Library. 6-7 p.m. Cayman Arts Festival and the Cayman Islands Public Library Service present monthly one-hour concerts at the historical library building, which includes classical music, in addition to poetry and readings from local poets and writers. Tickets available at the door. $20 for adults, $5 for children. Only 75 tickets per event. FRIDAY, APRIL 26 WOMEN’S ANNUAL RETREAT: The Women’s Ministry of Church of God Chapel in George Town invites all women to the annual retreat today at 7-9 p.m., and tomorrow, Saturday, April 27, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Family Life Centre. Guest speaker is Militza Matute. Cost is $25 and includes light breakfast and lunch. Register at 949-9393, cogcgt@candw.ky or flcoff@candw.ky. SATURDAY, APRIL 27 PORT PETITION: The petition for a people initiated referendum on the Cruise Port will be available for signing at Hurley’s Marketplace from 10 a.m. to noon. To have the petition brought to you at home or at work, please call 327-5411. Registered Voters are encouraged to sign the petition. Email CPRCayman@gmail.com for more details or visit the Facebook page @CPRCayman. BARGAIN STORE: St. George’s Anglican Church will hold its monthly Bargain Store Sale 7-11 a.m. Located at 64 Courts Road (off Eastern Avenue, opposite Kirk Market), George Town. All are welcome. GARAGE SALE AND CAR BOOT SALE: St. Ignatius Loyola Hall and School Car Park, Walkers Road, 6-11 a.m. No ‘early birds’ please. Clothes, toys, books, household items, art and much more. TUESDAY, APRIL 30 SENIOR ACTIVITIES: The Benefit of Natural Remedies. Webster United Church Hall, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact Flavia Gardner at 926-0490. SENIOR ACTIVITIES: Craft session at East End Civic Centre, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact Delmira Bodden at 925-5543. BULLYING: Presentation by the Alex Panton Foundation. 6:30-8 p.m., East End Civic Centre. WEDNESDAY, MAY 8 BULLYING: Presentation by the Alex Panton Foundation. 6:30-8 p.m., North Side Civic Centre. GENERAL INTEREST COMMENTS DEADLINE FOR MORTGAGE REFORM: The Law Reform Commission advises that the deadline for public comments on the discussion paper, ‘The Enforcement of Mortgage- type Security Over Real Estate: Is Reform of The Law Necessary?’ is Sunday, April 30. The paper was prepared to consider whether it is necessary to reform the law relating to the enforcement of mortgage-type securities over land and, in particular, over residential properties. This request follows concern about the recent number of such procedures, known as foreclosures. View the paper at www.lrc.gov.ky or www.gov.ky or collect a copy from the Offices of the Commission. Submissions should be forwarded to the Director of the Law Reform Commission either electronically to jose.griffith@gov.ky or in writing, by post or hand delivered to the LRC office at 4th Floor, Government Administration Building, Portfolio of Legal Affairs, 133 Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman, P.O. Box 136, Grand Cayman KY1-9000. LOCAL HARVEST MARKET: Local farmers sell their produce and farmed goods at Camana Bay on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Heliconia Court (located next to Scotiabank). COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. ART OPEN CANVAS: At KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay, Wednesdays 7-11 p.m. Artists of all levels are welcome to come and enjoy painting and socialising with other artists. Includes use of easels, lights, space, beverage ticket. No fee. For more information, contact info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Adult Open Studio available to those who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere. Wednesdays for adults, 9 a.m. till noon. Thursdays Adults and Youth, 10 a.m. till noon. Watler House Art Studio, Pedro St. James. Fee is $5/$15 pp for ceramics. $15/$25 pp non- members. Includes use of studio, glazes and ceramic tools. Clay available $30 per bag/fee for kiln usage. To register, call 546-9422 or email info@visualartcayman.com. SEAFARERS HALL: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association wishes to inform the community that the hall is now available for rent every day of the week, including Saturdays. THRIFT SHOP: One Dog at a Time’s New To U shop is now located at JJT Warehouses, Row 2, Unit 2 on Industrial Way. Open Saturdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Variety of items available, including men’s, women’s, children’s and baby clothes, shoes, household, electrical items, CDs, DVDs, books, home furnishings, toys, baby cribs, car seats, dog beds and more. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary Street. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. For more information, email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards, etc., in good condition needed. CLUBS, ORGANISATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centred 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Tuesdays, 7:15 p.m. For details, contact Vanessa Gilman at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor, Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., George Town. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacayman.com. GRAND CAYMAN TOASTMASTERS: Club meets each Thursday 6-7:15 p.m. on 3rd Floor, George Town Public Library. Visitors and guests welcome. Contact George R. Ebanks at 322-9369 or Grand Cayman Toastmasters club on Facebook. Email info@ toastmastersclub2686.org. EMINENT ORATORS TOASTMASTERS: Want to be a better speaker or leader? Join a Toastmasters Club. The Eminent Orators Toastmasters Club meets every second and fourth Monday at Cayman Academy Canteen, Walkers Road, 6-7:30 p.m. Contact Sashoy Duncan at 939-8847 or email eminentorator stoastmasters@gmail.com. Visitors and guests welcome. THE LIONS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets every first and third Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. Email lionsclubgcm@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Elizabethan Square (corner unit). Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. Visit www.rotarysunrise.ky or info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at The Wharf Restaurant. Projects include promoting well- being of children in the community and schools. Email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. RELIGIOUS SERVICES EL MINISTERIO HISPANO: de la Iglesia Bautista Cayman Islands te hace una cordial invitación a nuestro culto en español cada Domingo, 6:30 p.m., Pedro Castle Road, Savannah. Para transporte, llamar al teléfono no. 946-2422, email: cibaptist@candw.ky. SPANISH WORSHIP SERVICE: First Baptist Church, Crewe Road, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Third Sunday of each month. HARBOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH: Meets for Divine Worship and Fellowship at South Sound Community Centre, South Sound, Sundays at 10 a.m. www. safeharbourlc.com. MUSLIM PRAYER: Islamic Society of the Cayman Islands advises 5 times salaat/prayer at the Masjid. Fajr at 6 a.m. Dhuhr at 1:15 p.m. Asr at 5:15 p.m. Maghrib at 7 minutes after sunset. Isha at 8 p.m. website isci.org.ky. CATHOLIC CHURCH: St. Ignatius, Walkers Road, Mass 6 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 6 p.m. Sundays. Christ the Redeemer, West Bay, Mass 9:45 a.m. Sunday. JOHN GRAY MEMORIAL UNITED CHURCH: Sunday worship for the family and Children’s Church, 10 a.m. BOATSWAIN BAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: Sundays. 10 a.m. Christian Education for all ages; 11 a.m., Morning Worship with nursery for youngsters; 7 p.m. Evening Worship. Visit www.bbpca.org. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Cayman Arts Festival and the Cayman Islands Public Library Service will present their monthly, one-hour concert Thursday from 6-7 p.m.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2019 Sadly missed along life’s way, quietly remembered every day... No Ionger in our life to share, But in our hearts, you’re always there. With love and deep appreciation always, Cheryl, Harwell, Kerith, and grand children In Loving Memory Loving Parents, Grandparents, Community Icons Harry M. McCoy Theoline L. McCoy Feb 23,1919-Jan 19, 2008 Apr 23,1919-Feb 18, 2001 In Loving MemoryIn Loving Memory Sadly missed along life’s way,Sadly missed along life’s way, quietly remembered every day...quietly remembered every day...quietly remembered every day... No Ionger in our life to share,No Ionger in our life to share, But in our hearts, you’re always there.But in our hearts, you’re always there. With love and deep appreciation always, Cheryl, Harwell, Kerith, and grand children In Memory of David L. Parchment 3rd Jan 1948 - 22nd Apr 2013 Beloved husband, father and grandfather 6th Anniversary in Heaven Anniversary in Heaven Anniversary in Heaven We cannot bring the old days back, when we were all together. But memories keep him close to us, and memories last forever. Missed with love by wife: Cherry; sons: Dwayne, Ernest, Nigel, Sean, Roderick and Ian; daughters-in-law, grandchildren. just 75 cats since 2015. In fact, the DoA euthan- ised no cats in 2018 and just 12 since the begin- ning of 2017. Another factor is the pres- ence of charities like One Dog At A Time, which have worked with the DoA to rescue unwanted animals over the last few years. One Dog At A Time saved 130 dogs from impounding over the last three years and sent them to new homes in the United States and Canada. “We work really well with them,” said Caroline John- ston, the vice president of One Dog At A Time. “[Animal welfare officer] Erik Bodden will call us up if there are dogs that he needs removed. If there are puppies that have been surrendered, he’ll give us a call. We go down there probably three or four times a week and we put our names down on any dogs we want. And he’ll keep them for us. Some of them, we’ve put our names down and can’t find a foster home and they’ll keep them for us for weeks.” One Dog At a Time shipped 130 dogs to New York in 2018 and 118 in 2017, but a changed policy in New York law could en- danger that trend in the fu- ture. Johnston said that dogs cannot be sent to New York if they are younger than six months and they cannot be sent if they have heartworm or other maladies. All dogs rehomed by One Dog At A Time are fully vacci- nated and neutered. Johnston said the charity spent about $40,000 in veterinarian costs and in transportation for dogs to new homes in 2018. That does not include food or equipment, much of which is donated. “It’s an expensive busi- ness but it’s so worthwhile,” Johnston said. “Most of the dogs at the DoA are abso- lutely fantastic. There are some that cannot be re- homed because they’re re- ally, really aggressive. But there’s a mom and four pups down there at the mo- ment, and I said to Erik, ‘Let me know. If they’re not claimed or the owners don’t come back for them, we will take them.’ “It’s heartbreaking to see the amazing dogs we rescue from the pound. We know they’re fantastic dogs and they’re so grateful for being rescued. They’re so loving.” Euthanasia of dogs and cats drops significantly CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Sky’s the limit for Cayman medallist Rachell Pascal follows in brother’s footsteps JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Draped in the Caymanian flag, with a bronze medal hanging around her neck, Rachell Pascal reflected on a proud moment in her bur- geoning athletic career. “It feels great,” said the 14-year-old after re- ceiving her medal Sunday night following a third place finish in the javelin earlier the same day. Pascal follows in the foot- steps of her older brother Alex Pascal, who won gold at CARIFTA in the same event in 2013 and is now one of Cayman’s top senior athletes. She said her brother had been an inspiration to her. He was in the crowd Sunday along with her parents as she threw 35.5 metres to take Cayman’s first official medal of the games. Pascal said the passionate home support had given her an extra edge. “Cayman is like a big family to me. Everyone up there was helping me and cheering me on and I really appreciate it.” She said her family was her biggest support. “My brother said if I get a medal in CARIFTA, him and my mother and father would give me $300, but my dad said if I don’t get a medal, I won’t be able to come home,” she joked. “They were very sup- portive. My dad also helped me in the gym and throughout my training. My brother is always out there helping me, and my mother has a shirt that says ‘go Ra- chell and go mama’. I love my parents and my brother for being so supportive.” She said she wanted to follow her brother’s path and compete overseas on a col- lege scholarship. “I learned all the skills from my brother. If I am training and not doing the right technique, he will come and say ‘Rachell come do this, come do that’. I watch his videos when he com- petes and sometimes I am there when he is competing, so that’s how I learned to do javelin,” she said. At 14, she still has sev- eral years left in the under-17 age group. “Hopefully I can get my technique better, train hard and be more aggressive and get gold next time,” she said. In the long term, she has even bigger ambitions. “In the future I want to try to make it to the Olym- pics,” she added. Gold rush in Barbados for Cayman swimmers Away from the main CARIFTA spotlight Cay- man’s swimmers are qui- etly accumulating medals. While all eyes have been on the track and field meet in Cayman, the swim sec- tion of the games has been taking place in Barbados. At the halfway stage Sunday, Cayman had al- ready accumulated an im- pressive medal haul. “The Cayman National Swimming Team is doing the country proud,” said Steve Broadbelt of the Cayman Islands Amateur Swimming Association. “The team is focused on swimming fast and com- peting hard.” Raya Embury-Brown and Avery Lambert got Cayman off to a flying start on day one of the event, taking gold and silver re- spectively in the under-14 800m freestyle. There was also gold for Sabine Ellison in the under-17 200m breaststroke and the girls’ under-14 team of Lambert, Embury- Brown, Kyra Rabess and Sophie Ackerley took gold in 4x100m relay. Lambert took another gold in the under-14 indi- vidual medley on Sunday. Harper Barrowman, in the under-12 200m free- style, and Jordan Crooks, in the under-17 200m free- style, also picked up golds. By the end of day Sunday, the Cayman team, which also picked up medals in the synchronised swimming competition earlier in the week, had 10 gold medals, nine silver and 10 bronze. Rachell Pascal with her bronze medal - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER Avery Lambert, Kyra Rabess, Sophie Ackerley and Raya Embury- Brown took gold in the 4x100m relay. “ The Cayman National Swimming Team is doing the country proud.” STEVE BROADBELT, Cayman Islands Amateur Swimming Association “ Cayman is like a big family to me. Everyone up there was helping me and cheering me on and I really appreciate it.” RACHELL PASCALNext >