ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY ALSO AVAILABLE IN 6-month amnesty for unlicensed cars Owners of unlicensed vehicles are getting a six-month amnesty, starting from Monday, during which their unpaid backlog of li- censing fees will be waived. The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing announced this week that, begin- ning April 29 and continuing until Nov. 1, an amnesty will be in place to ‘hit reset’ for those drivers with mounting unpaid fees. Customers will only have to pay fees to li- cense their car going forward and all back fees will be written off. Once the amnesty ends, customers will no longer be able to write off their back fees and will, again, become liable for the costs associated with their unlicensed vehicle, the DVDL stated. Vehicle licence fees for cars begin at $180 a year. Prospect MLA Austin Harris highlighted the issue of unlicensed or unregistered cars earlier this month when he told lawmakers in the Legislative Assembly that statistics show there are 37,406 unlicensed vehicles in the Cayman Islands, compared to 42,459 reg- istered, roadworthy vehicles. Next steps The DVDL said there are several op- tions available to customers under the am- nesty. It advises owners that, if their vehicle is roadworthy, they should keep the registra- tion plates. Customers who wish to re-license, sell or transfer ownership of their vehicle should come into their local DVDL office (Crewe Road, Breakers, Cayman Brac or Little Cayman) to have their vehicle inspected. They can then re-license the vehicle and avoid the fees that have accrued during the unli- censed period. “It is important that customers choosing this amnesty pathway do not place their registration plates into the amnesty drop boxes, which will be stationed at all DVDL locations,” the department stated in a press release. Owners of unroadworthy vehicles who in- Cayman’s island-hopping lizards offer evolutionary insight KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Most visitors to Cayman Brac will likely not have noticed one of the is- land’s now established transplants: the Maynard’s anole. This non-native lizard spends much of its time just out of eyesight, perched in the tree branches where its bright green colour blends with the foliage. The elusive anole, originally from Little Cayman, has captured the interest of researchers, intrigued by the insight the species can offer about evolution in island ecosystems. And the Maynard’s anole is not the only island-hopping lizard on the minds of Cayman Islands researchers these days. While far from the invasive status of the prolific green iguana, the brown anole is also creating questions about the potential impact on Grand Cayman’s native blue anole. Through separate studies – one carried out by Caymanian researcher Vaughn Bodden and another by Na- tional Geographic Society grantee Inbar Maayan – biologists are getting a better idea of how invasive species adapt and populate new territories. Maynard’s anole in Cayman Brac While the Maynard’s anoles in Cayman Brac are not far from their Volleyballers to hit the beach this weekend Workers erect bleachers and put the final touches in place Thursday as Cayman gets ready to host the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tournament this weekend on Seven Mile Public Beach. The tournament, which begins at 8 a.m. Friday and continues until Sunday afternoon, will see 36 teams from 16 countries competing with the goal of accumulating points to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Four Cayman teams competing in the event are: Richard Campbell/Nathan Dack, Casey Santamaria/Jessie Parham, Marissa Harrison/Ileann Powery, and Jessica Wolfenden/Stefania Gandolfi. For more on this story, see Cayman Weekender. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The Grand Cayman blue anole stands out for its distinctive colour, seen most prominantly in males. Excluding the tail, this blue anole measures 2.5 inches. - PHOTO: INBAR MAAYAN DEVELOPMENT BANK STILL GRAPPLING WITH LOAN DELINQUENCIES KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Development Bank continues to struggle with borrowers not paying back money loaned to them, as more than half of the institution’s loans were delin- quent at the end of 2017. Those delinquent loans contributed to- wards the Development Bank losing $717,000 during the 18-month period ending on Dec. 31, 2017, according to the bank’s most re- cent available annual report, which was ta- bled in the Legislative Assembly earlier this month. The bank warned in the report that fu- ture losses could extend into the millions un- less central government provided it with cap- ital to fund new loans. Audited figures for 2018 are not yet available. According to Development Bank CEO Tracy Ebanks, most of the delinquent loans were made years ago, and the institution is slowly digging itself out of the financial hole that cre- ated. For instance, of the roughly $1.3 million of loans made in 2017, only about 12% are de- linquent, she said. “The high level of delinquencies is mainly attributed to loans that were underwritten under outdated policies,” Ebanks said in a written statement. “The Bank has made full provision for these loans over the years and has not written off debts.” Collection efforts are also ongoing to PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11 » SWIMMERS RETURN FROM CARIFTA WITH RECORD HAUL Cayman’s CARIFTA swim team returned triumphantly this week from Barbados with a record 56 medals. The team of 25 swimmers won 18 gold medals, 21 silver and 17 bronze in the April 11-24 competition. For more on this story, see Sports, page 23. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11 »2 LOCAL®IONAL FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Casual indoor & outdoor dining with a local flair. Family friendly & affordable. 94-PASTA [ 947.2782 ] • Marquee Plaza Enjoy Dinner Tonight at Try One of Our Signature Dishes B anana W rap S napper 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 1,400 PR applications approved in one year KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com After clearing a backlog of some 1,200 permanent residency applications about a year ago, government has continued to process hundreds more. According to figures pro- vided by government, 1,823 permanent residency appli- cations were processed from February 2018 to March of this year, with immigration authorities approving 1,414 of the applications, denying 338 of them, and deferring 71. Government also received 886 applications for natu- ralisation as a British Over- seas Territories citizen last year – up from 480 in 2017 – due to an influx of ap- plications from spouses of newly made permanent resi- dents last year. Five applica- tions have been denied since January 2018, and 37 appli- cations remain outstanding since September 2018. Government stated that it typically processes ap- plications for naturalisa- tion within four months, but that some applications have exceeded that time frame in recent months because of the increased number of applications. Meanwhile, there are also 257 outstanding perma- nent residency applications, with 186 of those applica- tions submitted this year and 71 made in the fourth quarter of 2018. Government had whit- tled down the backlog of some 1,200 permanent resi- dency applications to about 80 as of last April, but has continued to receive hun- dreds of more applications since then. Up to that point, 708 people were allowed to remain in Cayman for the rest of their lives while 528 were refused. A number of those appli- cants have since appealed the denials, and some who have failed in their appeals have taken their cases to the Grand Court for judi- cial review. The Immigration Department is currently dealing with 257 outstanding permanent residency applications, with 186 of those applications submitted this year and 71 made in the fourth quarter of 2018. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Rum Point outing for North Side seniors While most people were getting back to work after the four-day weekend, North Side seniors were having their beach outing in the more tranquil, post-holiday Rum Point ambience on Tuesday. “We have a regular weekly seniors’ fellowship in North Side at the United Church,” North Side MLA Ezzard Miller said, “but we wanted to do something special for seniors for Easter without their having to compete with the holiday crowds.” Miller said in a press re- lease that the weekly meetings are about fellowship, wor- ship and socialising, and that, while the venue is normally the United Church, all the dis- trict’s churches participate in programme arrangements. These can include, Miller said, devotions, painting and craft activities, special informa- tional sessions and, quite fre- quently, a game of bingo. Organising the outing for the seniors was a commu- nity effort, Miller said. John Buckley, manager of Rum Point Club, hosted the sen- iors for lunch; Jesus Vasquez, front office supervisor, and Rupert Scotchman, manager of housekeeping, both of the Morritt’s Tortuga Club, pro- vided the beach towels for seniors who ventured into the water; and the Department of Tourism provided sunscreen and sunglasses. Miller singled out emer- gency medical technician with the Health Services Au- thority, Kendal Connor, who gave up his day off from work to be available in case of any emergencies. North Side Com- munity Development Officer Flavia Gardner also attended. “We all wanted to send the message to our seniors that they are of value to society and that we place a high pri- ority on looking after them and ensuring that they do have opportunities to get out into the community, particu- larly to enjoy some recreation,” Miller said. Seniors gather at Rum Point on Tuesday for an Easter outing. “ We wanted to do something special for seniors for Easter without their having to compete with the holiday crowds.” EZZARD MILLER CUBA CHALLENGES U.S. TO PROVE VENEZUELA CHARGES HAVANA (AP) – Cuba is challenging the Trump ad- ministration to back up its allegations that the com- munist government has em- bedded troops and intel- ligence agents throughout the administration of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said at a press conference Thursday that National Security Advisor John Bolton is a “patholog- ical liar” for saying some 20,000 Cubans sent to Ven- ezuela were providing se- curity support for Maduro. Rodriguez says they are mostly medical workers. He cited what he called a classified document circu- lated among US embassies in the region containing talking points on Cuba and Venezuela. “I invite them to provide evidence. The infamous doc- ument says tens of thou- sands of Cubans in Ven- ezuela have infiltrated the institutions and services of that country. I invite them to provide proof,” Rod- ríguez said. Government had whittled down the backlog of some 1,200 permanent residency applications to about 80 as of last April ...The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS FRIDAY APRIL 26, 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” Vaccination is the easiest way to protect against a host of dangerous communicable diseases. This weekend, the Public Health Department is making it even easier by hosting a clinic to make sure our chil- dren’s vaccinations are up to date. Parents are invited to bring children needing vac- cinations, including those with missed or outstanding doses, to the Public Health Department at the Cayman Islands Hospital from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. We urge all who are due for an ‘ounce of prevention’ to take part. The event is being organised in celebration of Vac- cination Week in the Americas – a week intended to raise awareness about life-saving vaccines. As Minister for Health Dwayne Seymour wrote in a statement hon- ouring the week, “We each have an important role to play in supporting vaccination and keeping deadly diseases at bay.” Here on Cayman, robust vaccination programs and high participation rates have vanquished smallpox, polio, neonatal tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, rubella (German measles), mumps, tuberculous meningitis and measles, according to the health minister. Similar efforts have eradicated several once- common diseases throughout the entire Caribbean – including endemic smallpox in 1971, polio in 1994, and rubella and congenital rubella syndrome in 2015, according to the Caribbean Public Health Agency. The Caribbean has not seen a case of transmitted measles since 1991, according to the agency, but the fight is far from over. It takes ongoing effort and careful vigilance to protect our islands from outbreaks of disease. Even when a disease has been ‘eradicated’ in a par- ticular area, there is a danger of the infectious agent being reintroduced from another location. Recently, the Pan American Health Organisation has asked public health departments in the Caribbean to be on the lookout for imported cases of measles and rubella, after health officials confirmed two cases of measles imported to the region from Europe, and measles out- breaks continue occurring in the United States. The Associated Press reported this week, measles cases in the US this year have climbed to their highest level in a generation, after being all but eliminated in that country at the turn of the Millennium. Experts say the resurgence of this highly contagious and potentially serious illness is due, in large part, to misinformation about the benefits and potential dangers of vaccines. Although the ‘scientific’ study which raised concerns about a possible link between the measles- mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism has been thoroughly debunked and retracted, the myth persists in some circles. To be clear: There is no established link between vaccinations and autism or autistic disor- ders. In fact, vaccines are overwhelmingly safe. As the World Health Organization advises, licensed vaccines are subjected to a rigorous series of testing in multiple phases of trials before they are approved, and regularly reassessed after they have been released to the market. Scientists the world over con- tinually monitor public health information for any indi- cation of vaccines’ adverse effects. Vaccines’ side effects are generally minor and tem- porary – far, far less severe than the symptoms of the diseases they prevent. So we encourage all our readers to take a moment this weekend to ensure they and their family members are properly vaccinated. Together, we can keep our islands free from vaccine-preventable disease. Vaccination: Our best ‘shot’ against disease FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cuba is a problem that Trump is making worse BLOOMBERG EDITORIAL BOARD US President Donald Trump and his officials have taken steps lately to make things harder for Cuba, aiming to persuade its govern- ment to stop helping Venezue- la’s embattled tyrant, Nicolas Maduro. That is a worthy goal, and Cuba’s material sup- port for Maduro is certainly objectionable, but this is the wrong way to get results. The administration just announced that US citizens will be able to sue foreigners for transactions involving property that Cuba’s govern- ment confiscated after the 1959 revolution. This legal re- course was made available by the Helms-Burton Act in 1996 – but was then frozen, for good reasons, by succes- sive administrations. Tougher restrictions on travel and re- mittances will also come into force. These new moves follow previous bans on commerce with businesses owned by the Cuban mili- tary and security services; restrictions on individual travel to Cuba; a veto of Major League Baseball’s deal with Cuban authorities to hire Cuban players without obliging them to defect; and the shrinking of the embassy in Havana to a skeleton staff. This economic and dip- lomatic assault will, as in- tended, inflict real damage on Cuba – but if history is any guide, that is unlikely to make the country’s rulers budge. Instead, opening the floodgates for litigation against Canadian and Euro- pean companies doing busi- ness in Cuba will fracture the international front against Maduro – not to mention swamping US courts with troublesome lawsuits. Since 1964, the US Foreign Claims Settlement Commission has certified nearly 6,000 claims valued (with interest) at $8 billion. The State Depart- ment apparently thinks there could be as many as 200,000 still-uncertified claims. A full resumption of normal ties between the US and Cuba should indeed re- quire the victims of expro- priation to be compensated. A process that could have yielded this result was under way thanks to the warming of relations under President Barack Obama, including the restoring of diplomatic ties in 2015. The Trump ad- ministration’s plan is much less promising. Canada and the European Union – the biggest foreign investor in Cuba – have said they are “determined to work together to protect the inter- ests of our companies” at the World Trade Organization and through counter-claims against any US lawsuits. There’s already disagreement about how much pressure to apply to Maduro, and the lit- igation initiative – more an attack on America’s friends than on Cuba or Venezuela – will widen that rift. The Trump administration came into office betting that Cuba’s government would buckle under pressure, but Havana has withstood much worse than this: the US em- bargo, for one, and the devas- tating economic contraction from 1989 to 1994 thanks to the collapse of Cuba’s So- viet patron. Aside from di- viding what could have been a US-led coalition, the new escalation will play into the hands of ageing hardliners, encourage Cuba to seek help from Russia and China, and weaken potent internal forces for change. The previous rapproche- ment between the US and Cuba was not fruitless: It en- couraged some economic re- forms and greater cooperation in counter-narcotics, environ- mental protection and other areas. Granted, it did not end the regime’s repression or its support for other tyrannies, notably North Korea and Ven- ezuela. But the Trump’s ad- ministration’s new course is unlikely to fare as well. Engagement is no pan- acea. Targeted sanctions have their place. But Cuba should be confronted with the broadest possible front of critics and opponents. The Trump administration has just made that harder. © 2019, Bloomberg Opinion People wait in line to buy chicken at a government-run grocery store in Havana, Cuba. Hours-long lines appear within minutes when trucks show up with new supplies, and shelves are empty again within hours. - PHOTO: APQUIA SIN RERUM VOLUTECTIS ACCAE VEL INUM INVENDAE PORE, COMNIMO LUPTATThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 Apply online At www.seafireresortandspa.com/hotel-scholarship-program/ Deadline: May 5, 2019 Candidates are selected through an open application process, following these basic criteria: Be Caymanian, have the ability to prove Caymanian status and have proof of having resided in the Cayman Islands for at least 4 years prior to application Be between the ages of 16 to 20 years of age Possess excellent character, work ethic, and have a genuine interest in the hospitality industry Have been accepted as a full-time student into an accredited associate or technical program in a field related to the hospitality industry, for a maximum of 2 years Each year we at Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa seek to recruit passionate Caymanians who are interested in pursuing a career in hospitality through our Seafire Scholarship. The Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa scholarship program offers an award for full-time study at an accredited associate or technical program of up to US $25,000 per year. Left: Jayda Rae Smith, 2018 Seafire Scholarship recipient, with General Manager Steven Andre and Resort Manager Eduardo Del Risco. Are you the next SeAfire ScholAr?The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS native home, Little Cayman, the lizard sheds light on how invasive species colonise new habitat. Fortunately for Cayman Brac, the Maynard’s anole does not appear to pose a threat to the native Cayman Brac anole and has not shown potential for hybridisation. “Based on similar inva- sions on other Caribbean is- lands, we expect the poten- tial for a negative impact to be low. The native anole in Cayman Brac is found low on tree trunks and on the forest floor, while the intro- duced anole is predominantly found on upper tree trunks and in the canopy so direct interaction between the two species should be limited,” said Bodden, who studied the species while completing his bachelor’s in conserva- tion biology at the University of Plymouth. He is now com- pleting his master’s in biodi- veristy and conservation at the University of Glasgow. “Any impacts on the na- tive anole are more likely to be indirect, such as a shift in habitat use to further avoid interacting with the intro- duced anole,” he added. The Maynard’s anole, first spotted in the Brac in 1987, does show signs of adap- tation, however, when com- pared to its counterpart in Little Cayman. Through fieldwork cap- turing and analysing the anoles in both Sister Islands, Bodden’s team, assisted by University of Plymouth lec- turer Robert Puschendorf, found some interesting dif- ferences in their morphology and ecology. While the team hypothesised that the intro- duced anole might have de- veloped longer hind legs – a trait that can aid dispersal and movement – their findings did not support this. In fact, they found much the opposite. The anole had instead developed longer forelimbs. “Potential explanations for the rapid divergence could be that the founding individ- uals of the introduced popu- lation had a unique pheno- type and these characteristics became exaggerated over time through the process of genetic drift, or that some habitat use characteristics that we did not measure on Cayman Brac are driving the morphological ad- aptation,” Bodden said. Another interesting dis- covery about the introduced anole population was the presence of a parasite not previously recorded in the Sister Islands. The source of this para- site remains unclear. “The ectoparasites we found infecting A. maynardi [Maynard’s anole] have not been recorded in the Sister Islands, so this study pro- vides the first evidence of its presence there. It is unclear whether the parasite species is native to both islands, in- vasive to both islands, or co-introduced from Little Cayman to Cayman Brac with its host,” Bodden said. “We found that the intro- duced population [in Cayman Brac] had a reduced ectopar- asite prevalence compared to the native population [in Little Cayman].” The further researchers ventured from long-set- tled habitats, the lower the prevalence they found of the parasite. This is something that may have benefited the in- troduced population and en- couraged colonisation. While the origin of the anole’s introduction to Cayman Brac is unclear, its presence there sends a re- minder about the importance of safeguarding borders. Due to the islands’ pre- vailing easterly trade winds, Bodden suspects the lizard had human rather than nat- ural assistance in its intro- duction, possibly as a stow- away in a flight or boat. “This is a unique situation where we have a species en- demic to one of the Cayman Islands being introduced to another one of our islands. Fortunately, this introduc- tion is not a major threat to the ecosystem in Cayman Brac, but it highlights the need for more vigilant bio- security control at our ports,” Bodden said. “Unchecked cargo trans- portation provides a route for other invasive species, such as the green iguana, to be transported into or between the three islands.” Brown anole in Grand Cayman Theories about how the brown anole, found endem- ically in Cuba and the Ba- hamas, arrived in Grand Cayman reinforce the call for careful biosecurity meas- ures at ports. While re- searchers do not know ex- actly how the anole arrived here in the 1980s, its prev- alence in the western end of Grand Cayman hints that it may have arrived through shipping. Although Maayan, cur- rently a Ph.D. candidate at Harvard University, did not find brown anoles in the numbers she had expected, she warned of compla- cency when it comes to inva- sive species. “I was expecting them to be more of a problem than I saw, but it speaks to the im- portance of monitoring intro- duced and invasive popula- tions,” she said. Maayan said the brown anole should not be consid- ered invasive in the same sense as the green iguana. But she cautioned that at a time, even the green iguana’s population num- bers were much lower than they are now. Much of the findings of her Grand Cayman research is not ready to share with the public, but she shared a few takeaways from her time on island. Maayan described Cay- man’s native blue anole as an incredibly charismatic and stunningly beautiful animal. “They are a good ambas- sador for the Cayman Is- lands,” she said. Maayan was interested in whether the presence of the brown anole had led to changes in the native anole’s habitat or physical character- istics. Physical changes in leg and head size, for example, could communicate competi- tion between the species for habitat and resources. “The reason why these [is- land] species introductions are particularly useful is they mimic what we would see in evolutionary time,” she said. “It gives a glimpse in a natural setting of when species come into contact and compete.” With the help of local re- searchers, including Vaughn Bodden, Morgan Ebanks and Jane Haakonsson, she scouted out sites where just the Grand Cayman anole lived and sites where both species lived, for comparison. Finding the brown anole was not as easy as she ex- pected, however. While the lizard is found abundantly in Belize, where it is also an in- vasive species, this was not what Maayan observed in Grand Cayman. Researchers sampled two sites heavily, taking data from more than 200 liz- ards. The team took data on habitat use of both spe- cies, and took measurements of the blue anole’s physical characteristics. Maayan’s next step will be performing DNA analysis on the lizards to determine the level of migration and morphology. Fortunately for the Grand Cayman anole, Maayan’s ini- tial findings show little im- pact on how the lizard inter- acts with its native habitat. While the brown anoles seemed to prefer perching in lower, sunnier areas, the Grand Cayman anole stuck to shadier natural areas. It would appear the liz- ards have adapted to sepa- rate habitats. The full findings of Maay- an’s research are expected to be released this summer, after the study has been re- viewed and published by the National Geographic Society. A female blue anole perches in Grand Cayman. - PHOTO: INBAR MAAYAN The Maynard’s anole is native to Little Cayman but introduced to Cayman Brac. - PHOTO: VAUGHN BODDEN Cayman’s island-hopping lizards offer evolutionary insight CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Researcher Inbar Mayaan captures lizards in Grand Cayman. - PHOTO: JANE HAKKONSSON “ Fortunately, this introduction is not a major threat to the ecosystem in Cayman Brac, but it highlights the need for more vigilant bio-security control at our ports.” RESEARCHER VAUGHN BODDEN An invasive male brown anole in Grand Cayman - PHOTO: INBAR MAAYAN7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 T. 1 (345) 945-4040 or 1 (345) 640-4040 | E. info@healthcity.ky www.healthcitycaymanislands.com YEARS CELEBRATING We’ve extended our 5th anniversary offer of a complete health check that’s easier on your pocket for an additional month. Our Executive Health Checks help identify the risk of future disease, evaluate your current state of health, and can assist you in making healthy choices in the future. Contact us today to make your appointment. As an added bonus, every patient with an appointment through May 31 st will be entered to win one of five Executive Health Check gift certificates. CELEBRATING YOUR HEALTH. TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE. CHANGING LIVES. *Some insurance policies cover wellness checks. Please enquire with your insurance provider for details of your policy. Executive Health Checks booked through May 31 st , only US$500. ary offer of sier on your p identify e your ssist you uture ppointment t with an ll be ve TIN ALTH CHANGING LIVES ooked through 500 Universal broadband absent from OfReg’s 2019 plan KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Utility Regula- tion and Competition Of- fice, known as OfReg, had big plans last year to im- prove the territory’s in- ternet services. In March 2018, Pre- mier Alden McLaughlin announced government’s intention to have OfReg build its own fibre-optic cable network in the un- derserved eastern districts, something he said was nec- essary given the telecom- munications companies’ failure to provide broad- band internet services in those areas. OfReg stated the same month that it has been for- mulating plans for imple- menting universal broad- band internet in Cayman, and that it hoped to make a determination on the issue by September 2018. However, plans for im- plementing universal broad- band are absent in OfReg’s 2019 annual plan, published earlier this month. Instead, OfReg’s plan states that the regulator is aiming to set minimum standards for broadband service – what mandatory internet speeds should be offered by telecommuni- cations companies, and by when those speeds should be available. OfReg has budgeted $342,295 to help fund this exercise. When McLaughlin ini- tially announced the plans for OfReg to build its own fibre-optic cable network more than a year ago, OfReg launched a consultation with the telecommunica- tions industry – a legal re- quirement for the regulator to undertake before it makes any determination on what actions it will take. During the consulta- tion, OfReg proposed to force all telecoms compa- nies to offer broadband in- ternet access services to all residents of the Cayman Is- lands, with at least one of their broadband service plans offering an unlimited data allowance. The regulator’s proposed definition for ‘broadband’ is download speeds of 100 mil- lion bits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 50 Mbps or higher. But the responses from the telecoms companies to the regulator’s proposals were highly critical – for in- stance, the companies stated that the speeds OfReg wants to mandate are much faster than those mandated in other developed countries – and OfReg has yet to issue any determinations. Last November, legisla- tors asked OfReg officials why they are not forcing tel- ecommunications compa- nies to provide broadband to the territory’s underserved areas, given that the compa- nies have committed to pro- viding such services in their licensing agreements. Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller asked whether the tel- ecommunications compa- nies are breaching their li- censes by not building out to the entire island, and if so, whether OfReg will penalise them for that. Gregg Anderson, who was OfReg’s acting CEO at the time, responded that it is a licensing requirement for the companies to build fibre networks to the entire island – all the companies besides Flow have that requirement – but that OfReg is looking to explore more productive alternatives. “What we’re focusing on is how to remedy those breaches in light of what we want to accomplish,” he said at the time. “We can impose sanc- tions and fines, or we can take into account these breaches and leverage that to [chart] a path forward.” OfReg told the Compass last November that they are discussing the issue and will make a statement once details are finalised, but acting CEO Alee Fa’amoe did not respond to inquiries this week about the cur- rent status of the consulta- tion process. Man injured in single-car collision A driver suffered se- rious injuries when the car he was driving hit a tree on South Church Street late Wednesday night. Police said smoke was seen coming from the ve- hicle and the Fire Service was called. The 911 Communica- tions Centre dispatched emergency services just after 11:50 p.m. “It was discovered that the vehicle was occupied by a male driver only and he appeared to be trapped in the vehicle with injuries. “Both the Cayman Is- lands Fire Service and the Emergency Medical Services attended the location along with officers of the RCIPS,” police said in a statement. Fire officers extricated the man from the vehicle and he was given first aid treatment and transported to the Cayman Islands Hos- pital by Emergency Medical Services officers. The driver of the ve- hicle was treated for se- rious injuries. He is believed to be “in serious but stable condition”, police said. The matter is under in- vestigation by the Traffic and Road Policing Unit. Plans for implementing universal broadband are absent in OfReg’s 2019 annual plan, published earlier this month.8 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS The Family of the Late Morgan Lee Callan regrets to announce his passing on Friday, 19 April, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 3:00 p.m. Sunday, 5 May, 2019 at George Town Seventh Day Adventist Church, viewing will be from 2:00 p.m. prior to the service. In Lieu of flowers donations may be made to Team Morgan-racing wheelchairs, at the service. The Family of the Late Olcie Marie Ebanks regrets to announce her passing on Friday, 19 April, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 3:00 p.m. Sunday, 5 May, 2019 at Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, viewing will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Saturday, 4 May, 2019 at Bodden Funeral Service. Interment will follow in Boatswain Bay Cemetery. The Family of the Late Selma Vashti Eden regrets to announce her passing on 15 April, 2019 Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page Funeral services will be held 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Elmslie Memorial United Church, viewing will take place from 2:00 p.m. prior to the service, and from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Friday 26 April, 2019 at Bodden Funeral Service. Interment will follow in Eden Cemetery at Pedro Castle. In Loving Memory of Elsie Venida Ebanks 28 April 1992 Memories we cherish Happy and sad ones. How they linger with us, Memories make us feel like you are still here! Love Always Mom & Grandma Connie & James Whittaker A Elsie 28 April 1992 Memories we cherish Connie & Jaes hittakerker ank eli The Family of the Late Patricia Mary Tibbetts regrets to announce her passing on Sunday, 21 April, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A Funeral Mass will be held 3:00 p.m. Saturday, 4 May, 2019 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church . Interment will follow in Prospect Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the CI Breast CancerFoundation. Funeral attendees are asked to wear colours of the sea. The Family of the Late Helen Rivers regrets to announce her passing on Thursday, 11 April, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 3:00 p.m. Sunday, 28 April, 2019 at West Bay Seventh Day Adventist Church, viewing will be from 2:00 p.m. prior to the service. Interment will follow in West Bay Cemetery. The family of the late Donna Cecile Smith/Welcome regret to announce her passing on Wednesday, 20 March, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservice.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A graveside service will be held on Saturday, 27 April 2019 at 4:30pm at Boatswain Bay Cemetery. Guests are requested to wear something red. Meet at Wesleyan Holiness Church, West Bay at 4pm for transportation to the Cemetery. NB: There is limited/no parking available at the Cemetery. Donations may be made to Bank of Butterfield account #1361351830020, Account name: Donna Welcome, or online at https://fundly.com/in-loving- memory-of-donna-smith The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Ignacio Kirzner regret to announce his passing on Monday, 15 April, 2019. Mr. Kirzner will be repatriated to Argentina The Johnson family are saddened to announce the death of PATRICK JOHNSON , on April 12th, 2019 in England. A memorial service will be held at Elmslie Memorial Church on Saturday May 4th, 2019 at 10am. Death Announcement Vaccination clinic at hospital this weekend Cayman marks Vaccination Week The Public Health De- partment will host a vacci- nation clinic for children at the Cayman Islands Hospital on Saturday. The clinic is being held to mark Vaccination Week in the Americas. The department is in- viting parents to bring any child in need of vaccinations, including those with missed or outstanding doses, to the clinic between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday. According to Caribbean Public Health Agency, known as CARPHA, the Caribbean region has vaccination cover of 95% or more. “Vaccines protect not only individuals but entire com- munities. If you are vacci- nated, you are less likely to become infected or infect others and your loved ones. That is why it is important that our region maintains its vaccination coverage of 95% or more, to ensure that chil- dren and other at-risk per- sons remain healthy,” said Dr. Virginia Asin-Oostburg, di- rector of surveillance, disease prevention and control at CARPHA, in a press release. CARPHA points out that immunisation is one of the most successful and cost-ef- fective public health inter- ventions, and can prevent deaths from diphtheria, tet- anus, pertussis (whooping cough) and measles. “The most effective way to prevent these life-threatening diseases or severe outcomes from the illnesses is through vaccination,” the organisa- tion stated. While the United States is currently dealing with its largest measles outbreak since the disease was de- clared eliminated there in 2000, Cayman and the Carib- bean have remained measles- free since 1991. The US Centers for Dis- ease Control and Preven- tion stated on Wednesday that 695 cases of measles had been reported since Jan. 1 across 22 states. The high number of cases is pri- marily the result of a few large outbreaks – one in Washington state and two in New York that started in late 2018. The outbreaks in New York City and New York State are among the largest and longest-lasting since 2000, according to the CDC, which urged parents to get their children vaccinated. In light of the measles breakout in the US, earlier this month Cayman’s Public Health Department issued an alert, advising the local com- munity to be on the lookout for symptoms of the disease. HSA’s Acting Medical Of- ficer of Health Dr. Samuel Williams-Rodriguez said in an April 12 statement that Cayman’s Public Health De- partment has acted quickly to strengthen its monitoring for potential cases of measles and rubella. “This is critical,” Williams- Rodriguez said, “as while we are almost at the end of the winter tourist season, trav- ellers from many different countries are consistently passing through the coun- try’s borders.” In addition to currently being measles-free, the Car- ibbean saw the eradication of endemic smallpox in 1971, polio in 1994, and rubella and congenital rubella syndrome in 2015, CARPHA noted. “The health of the gen- eral public improved drasti- cally with the vaccinations that allowed children to sur- vive because they no longer developed severe measles in- fections,” the health agency pointed out. Asin-Oostburg said, “Im- munisation protects fu- ture generations and saves your family time and money. Diseases that used to be common in the region can be prevented through rou- tine childhood vaccines. We urge persons who have not immunised their children against vaccine-preventable diseases for their age [to] do so immediately, or they will be at risk of contracting these diseases.” This year, Vaccination Week in the Americas is ob- served from April 20-27, with the slogan ‘Protect your com- munity. Do your part.’ For more information on vaccinations at the Cayman Islands Hospital, contact 244-2648. Immunisations are a critical tool in protecting individuals and the community against disease. The department is inviting parents to bring any child in need of vaccinations, including those with missed or outstanding doses, to the clinic between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday.9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 IMAC SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS Million raised $4 48 Students Assisted Formed in 1994 For more information and to download the application form visit the IMAC Scholarship website: www.caymanintinsurance.ky For 25 years, the Insurance Managers Association of Cayman has been supporting the educational development of young Caymanians through its annual Scholarship programme. To date we have raised $4 million , enabling 48 students to pursue their studies across the globe in subjects as diverse as Business, Arts and Medicine. We are delighted to once again invite applications from students who intend to commence their studies. Applicants are free to study any course at an approved University, although preference will be given to those applying for business - related courses. IMAC is committed to awarding scholarships where they can provide the most benefit. As such, preference will be given to those without the financial means to pursue their studies. The Insurance Managers Association of Cayman would like to thank its members and partners for their generous donations. If you share our commitment to supporting the next generation through investment in education and would like to donate to the fund, please visit our website for more details. Deadline for Applications : May 17th 2019 Man with knife charged for cruelty to child Defendant remanded in custody until Monday CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Joel Ernest Bodden, 39, appeared in Summary Court on Thursday charged with cruelty to a child and threat- ening to cause serious harm to the child after an incident involving a knife at his home in George Town on Monday evening, April 22. Defence attorney John Furniss did not apply for bail because such an applica- tion in the circumstances of the case would require pro- viding an alternative address for Bodden for the court to consider. Magistrate Grace Donalds remanded the defendant in custody until Monday, April 29. Bodden was charged with cruelty to the child. Details are that, “being a person who had attained the age of 16 and having responsibility for a named child under that age, caused or procured her to be ill-treated in a manner likely to cause her suffering or in- jury to her health”. He was also charged with threatening to cause serious harm, in relation to making a threat to a police officer to cause serious harm to the child, intending that the of- ficer would fear that the threat would be carried out. The child’s age was not specified in either charge. Nei- ther the defence attorney nor Crown counsel Kenneth Fer- guson made any reference to it. Police press releases about the incident said officers were dispatched to a Rock Hole premises following reports of a dispute in progress in- volving a knife. Bodden was seen holding the baby in one hand and a knife in the other. He reportedly had cut two adult females at the scene. A police negotiator tried to persuade him to give up the baby, but officers were eventually forced to use a taser to subdue him. MAN ARRESTED FOR BRIBING PUBLIC OFFICER Anti-Corruption Commis- sion investigators and police arrested a 55-year-man from Newlands on Wednesday in an ongoing fraud and bribery investigation. The suspect is the fourth person to be arrested in re- lation to the case. He has been arrested on suspicion of bribery of a public officer, fraud on the government, and breach of trust. The ACC has declined to provide details on what the arrests pertain to. During this investigation, the commission, with assis- tance from police, also ar- rested a 35-year-old George Town man on June 25 last year, a 22-year-old man on May 9 last year, and a 31-year-old female public of- ficer on Oct. 12, 2017. A statement from the ACC noted that the man ar- rested on Wednesday is not a public officer, and was re- leased on bail pending fur- ther enquiries. None of the four had been charged as of press time. STUDENT-BUILT ROBOTS TO RAISE A ‘RUCKUS’ What normally might be a quiet school-based event is being turned into public entertainment that will pit student-built robots against one another. Nine teams from high schools across Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac will com- pete in the first Minds Inspired MI robotics’ FIRST Technical Challenge. The competition is a pre-qualifier that will deter- mine which team of students will represent Cayman at the FIRST Global Challenge in Dubai later this year. This year’s competition is called ‘Rover Ruckus’. In it, the robots students build must navigate a simulated moon surface, first deploying from a lander, picking up and delivering samples from the surface, and finally parking in a designated crater. In a press release, Dart Ed- ucation Programmes Senior Manager Glenda McTaggart said the event is meant to ap- peal to spectators. “We are going to dramati- cally ‘up’ the level of energy, excitement and spectacle to create a competition unlike anything our community has seen in terms of educational events,” she said. The event will feature a DJ, food for purchase, and ca- reer booths hosted by each of the major sponsors: Aureum Re, Caribbean Utilities Co., Dart, Digicel and Health City Cayman Islands. The competition takes place from 4-8 p.m. on Sat- urday, May 11, at the Ca- mana Bay Arts and Recrea- tion Centre. TEA PARTY FOR CRISIS CENTRE The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre is joining forces with the Mothers’ Union to help raise funds for the centre’s domestic violence shelter. The Mothers’ Union of St. George’s Anglican Church will partner with the Crisis Centre in a ‘Raise Your Cup’ tea party next month to support the shelter’s ‘Raise the Roof’ project. The project involves building a new shelter for vic- tims of domestic violence. “The Mothers’ Union ministry fully supports the incredible work that the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre does, which is very much aligned with our own objectives to support and nurture the community,” said Karen Williams of the Mothers’ Union. The tea party on Saturday, May 11, at The Westin, will include an afternoon of high tea, fashion show and live and silent auctions. The governor’s wife, Elisabeth Roper, will at- tend as a special guest. “The ‘Raise Your Teacup’ event will significantly help us reach our goal to build a new shelter for the number of do- mestic violence victims that rely on us for care and sup- port,” said Michelle Lockwood, Crisis Centre board member. Tickets for the event are $50 per person, or $500 for a table of 10, and can be purchased at cicc.ky/ events and through eventpro.ky.Next >