High of 89 Low of 76 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 TOWARD A MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEM OF JUSTICE SPORTS | PAGE 13 RAMBLERS COMING TO CAYMAN ON A WINNING ROLL ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY, 16 MAY 2019 Regulated in the Cayman Islands as a licensed insurer by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Generali Worldwide is a trading name of Utmost Worldwide Limited. Registered Head Office address: Utmost Worldwide Limited, Utmost House, Hirzel Street, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands GY1 4PA. Regulated in Guernsey as a licensed insurer by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission under the Insurance Business (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2002 (as amended). Incorporated in Guernsey under Company Registration No. 27151. Call us to learn more about our Pop Up Markets at 747-2000. A farmer’s market in your office? www.generali-healthcare.com Cayman author’s Sara Collins working on screen adaption JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com It took a lot of work and a “little bit of madness” but Cayman Islands author Sara Collins has made her lifelong dream come true. Her debut novel ‘The Con- fessions of Frannie Langton’ has won plaudits from a host of admiring reviewers, from O, The Oprah Magazine to Margaret Atwood. Now the former lawyer and one-time chair of the Cayman Islands Human Rights Com- mission has been hired to adapt it for the screen. The gothic novel, set in the early 19th century, cen- tres on the trial of a maid accused of murder. It tells the story of the novel’s her- oine, from her life on a Ja- maican plantation to a grand house in London. The novel was released in the UK by Penguin in March, and will be released by Harper Collins in US bookstores next week. Collins said she had “holed up” in her home of- fice in Grand Cayman for al- most two years to write it, and has been overwhelmed by the critical reception that has greeted its release. “It is surreal. It is some- thing I have wanted since I was a little girl,” she told the Cayman Compass. A mother of five chil- dren and a former com- mercial lawyer for both Walkers and Conyers Dill & Pearman, Collins is believed to be the first writer from the Cayman Is- lands to land crit- ical and commer- cial success with a mainstream literary novel. DEATH OF WOMAN TRIED ON GUN CHARGE RULED SUICIDE MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com The death of a Madison, Wisconsin woman who was on trial for bringing a firearm and ammunition to Cayman, has been ruled a suicide, according to news reports in her home state. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Tuesday that Carol Ann McNeill-Skorupan, 68, was found dead 18 April from a self-in- flicted gunshot wound in a wooded area near her home the same day a second trial date was set for the weapons violation. The day before, a first trial on the charges resulted in a hung jury. McNeill Skorupan was tried in absentia for that first trial. Cayman News Service reported that prosecutors planned to extradite her for the second trial to be held in September. That report was issued 18 April, the same day she died. No announcement of extradition was made during court proceedings that same day. McNeill-Skorupan’s attorney, James Sten- ning, said he had no knowledge of plans to extradite his client before seeing it in the news report. “I did not hear anyone say anything about extraditing her on that day,” Stenning said. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran said no decision on extradition had been announced. “In light of potentially inaccurate re- ports circulating in the media,” Moran said in an email, “we can confirm that at no stage during these proceedings was the court in- formed whether a decision had been taken by the crown to seek the extradition of Cruise berthing facility recruits another benefactor SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s potential cruise berthing facility came one step closer to reality Wednesday, when Premier Alden McLaughlin announced that MSC Cruises has made a financial com- mitment to the project. Royal Caribbean, Disney and Carnival had previously signed on to help build the facility in George Town. MSC Cruises has signed a letter of intent to provide $15 million in financing on the project, bringing the total amount pledged between the four cruises lines to a total of $180 million. The total cost of the project is still unknown, and government is sorting be- tween three proposals to carry out the pro- ject. The completed bids were initially ex- pected by the end of the first quarter in 2019, but McLaughlin said Monday that the bidders have asked for a little more time to finalise their proposals. “It’s a complex arrangement,” said McLaughlin when reached by the Cayman Compass. “That’s why we’re in the sixth year of development. This project spans three administrations.” McLaughlin said that the government has spent $7 million on consultants, research and development, and environmental impact as- sessments regarding the project. McLaughlin said Wednesday that the winning bidder will be required to put in the remainder of required funding and will be rewarded with preferential dates and times to use the facility. “These agreements, coupled with the fi- nance to be provided by whichever entity is eventually selected as the preferred bidder on the project, ensure that no public funding will be required to build the cruise berths and en- hanced cargo facility,” he said in an official statement. “As well as strengthening the project’s financing structure, having cruise compa- nies financially vested in the project pro- vides assurance that the country’s finances ‘dazzling debut’ See Interview on Page 7 PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY, 16 MAY 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS BREAKTHROUGH (PG) 1:25 I 4:10 I 7:15 I 10:00 SUN: 4:10 I 7:15 I 10:00 KALANK (PG) 3:10 I 9:00 (SAT ONLY) I 9:30 (NO SAT) SUN: 3:10 I 9:20 LITTLE (PG13) 12:30 I 3:25 (SAT ONLY) I 3:50 (NO SAT) 6:50 I 9:45 SUN: 3:50 I 6:50 I 9:35 DUMBO 10:30 (SAT ONLY) I 4:35 I 7:15 (NO SAT) SUN: 4:35 I 7:15 CAPTAIN MARVEL 1:40 I 10:00 (NO SAT) SUN: 6:30 I 10:00 THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA (R) 1:10 VIP I 4:35 I 7:00 VIP I 10:15 HELLBOY (R) 12:35 (SAT ONLY) I 1:00 I 6:10 (SAT ONLY) I 6:45 SHAZAM! (PG13) 1:30 I 3:40 VIP I 7:15 I 9:30 VIP SUN: 3:40 VIP I 4:40 I 6:40 VIP 8:00 I 9:40 VIP KIDS CLUB: OVER THE HEDGE (PG) 10:00 (SAT ONLY) CULTURE AT THE CINEMA: THE TRAGEDY OF KIND RICHARD THE SECOND(R18) SAT ONLY: 8:00 • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - THURSDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) THE HUSTLE (PG13) 5:10 I 7:30 I 10:00 POKEMON DETECTIVE PIKACHU (PG) 1:30 I 4:05 3D I 6:40 I 9:15 3D THE INTRUDER (PG13) 1:45 I 7:00 STUDENT OF THE YEAR 2 (PG) 12:45 I 7:15 FAST COLOR (PG13) 2:35 I 4:20 I 10:00 AVENGERS: END GAME (PG13) 12:30 VIP I 1:10 I 4:20 VIP I 5:05 3D 8:10 VIP I 9:00 BREAKTHROUGH (PG) 3:45 I 10:05 Landmark environmental legislation under review Former minister Wayne Panton and developer Gene Thompson on panel JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A broad committee in- cluding developers, environ- ment and tourism officials, legal experts and government leaders has been assembled to review the island’s Na- tional Conservation Law. The landmark law was the first significant piece of leg- islation passed by Premier Alden McLaughlin’s Progres- sives government in 2013. It provides legal protec- tion for endangered species, allows for the creation of protected areas and ensures the environment is factored into planning decisions. But developers and gov- ernment have raised concerns since its inception about cer- tain aspects of the law and its potential impact on infra- structure and development. In a speech to the Leg- islative Assembly in 2017, McLaughlin announced plans to review the legislation. He described the Envi- ronmental Impact Assess- ment process, particularly in relation to government road development as “ridic- ulous”, and said his govern- ment would move swiftly to “remove these sort of impedi- ments to the proper develop- ment of these islands”. That process began last week with the first meeting of the NCL Review Committee. Department of Environ- ment director Gina Ebanks- Petrie, who is on the panel, said the environmental im- pact assessment element of the law – which currently al- lows the National Conserva- tion Council to compel devel- opers, including government, to fully assess the potential impact of any major pro- ject on the environment – was essential. Speaking at a separate press briefing last week, she said environmental impact assessments were used spar- ingly – in less than 1% of cases reviewed by the council. “The National Conserva- tion Law is the only mecha- nism we have in this country that allows environmental considerations to be inte- grated into decision-making,” she said. “It is critical that we don’t lose that.” The review committee in- cludes a broad swathe of the community and a healthy proportion of environmental officials or groups, including representatives of the Na- tional Conservation Council, the National Trust and the DoE, as well as former En- vironment Minister Wayne Panton, who was a champion of the original legislation. Also on the panel are rep- resentatives of the tourism and sport fishing communi- ties. Gene Thompson, the de- veloper behind Health City, and Christine Maltman, on behalf of Dart Real Estate, are also on the panel. The DoE provided a pres- entation on the law to the re- view committee last week. McLaughlin, in a press state- ment, reiterated government’s concerns about some aspects of the law and said the com- mittee would be inviting public input. The committee will meet every two weeks and must submit a report of its find- ings to Cabinet within a month of the review pro- cess ending. In response to questions from the Cayman Compass, environmental non-profit Sustainable Cayman issued a statement urging that any changes to the law should be to make it stronger. In the light of alarming new reports on climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss, the group said there was no room for complacency. “Any review of the law at this time should be aimed at enhancing the law to en- sure the best mitigating and adaptive measures are taken to protect Cayman’s future. Small low-lying islands like Cayman are most at risk from the impacts of climate change, coastal erosion, rising sea level, and im- pending species extinction.” The statement added that the review could seek to embed the United Na- tions Sustainable Develop- ment Goals and the recom- mendations of the recent reports into the legislation. “The opportunity for sus- tainable development has passed and with the global emphasis now on habitat re- covery and restoration, a na- tional priority should be to update and enact the draft Climate Change policy,” the statement added. The Compass also reached out to several de- velopers, who either de- clined to comment at this time or did not respond. James Whittaker, chairman of the Cayman Is- lands Renewable Energy As- sociation, said in an email, “There always has to be a balance between develop- ment and conserving the natural environment; en- suring Cayman has very ro- bust environmental laws is critical to that. A wise man once said that a so- ciety prospers when old men plant trees in whose shade they will never sit. My hope is that all involved under- stand that, and we find the right balance.” Five years for beach cocaine robbery Drugs were never recovered CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Marvin Gregory Grant, 36, was sentenced on Wednesday to five years imprisonment for a robbery on the beach at Morritt’s Resort in East End on Christmas Eve, 2017. The robbery was of “a quantity of packages” and the victim was a security guard keeping watch on a large quantity of cocaine that had washed up on shore. Acting Director of Public Prosecu- tions Patrick Moran esti- mated the cocaine to be 20 to 30 kilos, with a street value of $240,000 to $360,000. The cocaine was never recovered. Justice Roger Chapple said it was no accident or coincidence that Grant had gone to the beach. He knew the cocaine had washed up and he went to steal it. Grant drove to the resort, reconnoitred, armed himself with a machete, covered his face with a makeshift mask and went to the beach. There he threatened the guard with violence, grabbed the co- caine and ran off. He left a one-kilo block behind. It was tested and proved to be the illegal drug. Grant stood trial with two others on a joint charge of robbery and conspiracy. After trial in October, a jury found the other two men not guilty, but Grant guilty of the robbery. Justice Chapple said he did not think Grant was the organiser of the offence, as it was plain others were in- volved. He said it was not for him to go behind the verdicts of the jury, but there was au- thority for him to accept a version of events that was ex- plainable and justifiable re- garding the defendant he was sentencing – even though it was inconsistent with the jury verdicts in respect of other defendants. He said he could accept a version of events most fa- vourable to Grant, “unless I am sure that is wrong”. He said he was passing sen- tence on the basis that Grant went to the beach at the instigation of another or others. Grant had told a so- cial worker he went to as- sist friends who had called on him. “Had it not been for them, I accept, you would not have become involved,” the judge told him. The aggravating features included the substantial value of the drugs stolen, the use of a weapon and the fact that the crime occurred in full view of tourists. The judge commented, “The image of you at the scene, your face covered and brandishing a machete is not one I shall easily forget …. I only saw you on CCTV footage. I don’t underesti- mate how those who wit- nessed these events at close quarters must have felt.” He had been urged to con- sider the crime “a street rob- bery”, but said the value of goods and the planning in- volved elevated it from that category. He said the least sentence he could pass was five years, with credit for time spent in custody. Grant stood trial with two others on a joint charge of robbery and conspiracy. After trial in October, a jury found the other two men not guilty, but Grant guilty of the robbery. Members of the National Conservation Law Review Committee held their first meeting last week.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY, 16 MAY 2019 Horticultural and Floral Exhibition MAY 25th, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Jasmine Villa, behind Coconut Joe’s on West Bay Road Official Opening May 24th, 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm All entries must be registered and in place at Jasmine by 10 am on 24th May ~~~~~ Entries are judged for the best in each category. Lots of prizes and surprises will be received by those who submit entries! For judging criteria and other information contact: hollebon@aol.com, or 925 5531 mikejens@candw.ky All participants who place an entry in the show will be eligible to take part in a raf e drawing at the end of event. Refreshments will be served. Event sponsored by Your Home Store NCB FINANCIAL GROUP BUYS TRINIDAD FIRM Banking and wealth management firm NCB (Cayman) Limited an- nounced this week that its parent company, NCB Fi- nancial Group, has com- pleted the acquisition of the Trinidad-based finan- cial services firm Guardian Holdings Limited. “As we stated at the be- ginning of this journey, we believe this transac- tion is a game-changer in the history of the region,” said NCB Chairman Mi- chael Lee-Chin. “Amidst the context of the de- risking impacting the re- gion, we are proud and excited about the implica- tions and prospects of two leading indigenous Carib- bean institutions coming together to drive eco- nomic growth, customer and shareholder value.” Guardian Holdings Limited CEO Ravi Tewari added that the acquisition should allow his firm to better serve the region. “Since the acquisi- tion of the first block of shares in 2016, the Guardian Group began to see opportunities for a very positive impact for the shareholders, cli- ents and employees of the Guardian Group,” he said. “This further deep- ening of the relationship between two leading Car- ibbean companies augurs well for the acceleration of these positive impacts for Guardian and the region.” NCB Financial Group Limited was incorpo- rated in April 2016 to be licensed as the financial holding company for Na- tional Commercial Bank Ja- maica Limited. NCB claims to be the largest financial services group in Jamaica with roots dating back to 1837. The NCB Group includes NCBJ, NCB Capital Mar- kets Limited and subsidi- aries and affiliates in the Cayman Islands, Barbados, Bermuda, and Trinidad and Tobago. Guardian Holdings Lim- ited is the parent company for an integrated finan- cial services group known as Guardian Group, with a focus on life, health, prop- erty and casualty insur- ance, pensions and asset management. The Group serves mar- kets in 21 countries across the English and Dutch Car- ibbean, including Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Ja- maica, Curacao, Aruba, St. Maarten and Bonaire. Young, Walters next youth ambassadors to CARICOM KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Shantelle Young and Tayvis Walters have been named as Cayman’s next youth ambassadors to the Caribbean Community, with Youth Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly marking the occasion on Wednesday by pinning the two with the ceremonial CARICOM pin. Over the next two years, Young and Walters will re- ceive training, represent Cayman in CARICOM events, and collaborate with other jurisdictions about issues that affect young people in the Caribbean. Walters, a 22-year-old IT specialist with the law firm Appleby, said he wants to learn how to help promote tech education in Cayman. “Being in the technology field, I hope to reach out to the youth to provide basic computer training services,” he said. “Not all youth are able to use a computer as well as we are as profes- sionals, so providing basic coursing – typing, website design, software development – for the youth.” Young, a 23-year-old cor- porate administrative as- sistant for Dart, said she wants to promote youth empowerment and mental health awareness. Serving as youth ambas- sadors to CARICOM could be a launching pad for the two to accomplish their goals and much more, according to Youth Services acting head James Myles. “This ambassadorship is almost like another rite of passage for our young people,” he said. Myles said he and now- Financial Services Minister Tara Rivers were youth am- bassadors to the Common- wealth in 1999. They went to South Africa, where the focus was on developing national youth policies throughout the Commonwealth. A year later, the Depart- ment of Youth and Sports was formed – as called for in Cayman’s own national youth policy, according to Myles. The CARICOM youth am- bassadors programme was formed in 2002. Previous youth ambassadors include Christopher Goddard and Tricia Cacho from 2002-2004, Mason Chisholm and Nic- osia Lawson from 2005-2007, Carla Martin from 2008-2012, James Geary and Takiyah Smith from 2012-2017, and Andrel Harris and Camille Angel from 2017-2019. Harris and Angel were at the pinning ceremony on Wednesday, and both said they had tremendously posi- tive experiences during their time as youth ambassadors. Harris said Cayman is one of the region’s wealthiest ju- risdictions, and the chal- lenges it faces are different than those in other, poorer countries. But the challenges facing Cayman’s youth are the same as in any other Caribbean country – teenage pregnancy, gangs, drugs, alcohol, “the whole nine yards”, he said. Harris described his col- laboration with other youth ambassadors as like a “think tank”, where they discussed youth issues and their poten- tial solutions. Liquidators sue Platinum fund founder MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Liquidators of two feeder funds of Platinum Partners Value Arbitrage Fund are suing the group’s founder Mark Nordlicht and others in the Cayman Islands for overstating the value of the fund’s assets. Nordlicht, Platinum’s founder and former chief in- vestment officer, is facing a criminal trial in New York for allegedly defrauding inves- tors. US federal prosecutors accuse Nordlicht and others of falsifying the firm’s per- formance figures for personal gain. Nordlicht has pleaded not guilty. Platinum Partners Value Arbitrage Fund (Interna- tional) Limited and Platinum Partners Value Arbitrage In- termediate Fund Ltd., which are both in liquidation, filed a suit against Nordlicht, the Es- tate of Uri Landesman, David Levy, Platinum Management (NY) LLC and Platinum Part- ners Value Arbitrage LP at the Grand Court on 7 May. Landesman, the president and managing partner of Platinum, died in September 2018. Levy was a portfolio manager of the fund. The plaintiffs allege that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties through their “knowing or reckless over- statement” of the fund’s il- liquid and difficult to measure assets, and as a result, the net asset value of the fund. If the performance of the fund was overstated, the management and incentive fees that the de- fendants received would have been inflated. By reporting the over- stated figures to boards and investors, Nordlicht, Landesman and Levy improp- erly received fees, bonuses, compensation and other pay- ments, the writ states. Platinum’s illiquid and hard to measure assets, so- called Level 3 assets, were crucial to the management and operation of the plain- tiffs, the suit argues. “By their conduct, the Defendants acted in breach of their du- ties, made deliberate and/or negligent misstatements and/ or engaged in willful miscon- duct by failing to act in ac- cordance with their duties and by contributing directly or indirectly to the over-valu- ation of assets and provision of misleading financial infor- mation which caused loss to the Plaintiffs.” The writ was filed to preempt a possible expiry of the statute of limitations for certain claims in the case. The decision whether to pursue the claims will depend on the ongoing investigation by the joint official liquidators ap- pointed by the court, the writ filed by HSM Chambers said. The plaintiffs appeal the court to assess the damages for breach of fiduciary duty, contractual and tortious du- ties, fraudulent trading, un- just enrichment and accesso- rial liability. Alternatively, the plaintiffs seek compensation based on the wrongly cal- culated value of the invest- ment in the master fund and as a result of the delay in the winding up of Platinum. Earlier this month, Nor- dlicht spent a night be- hind bars, after he allegedly lunged at a federal prose- cutor, Assistant US Attorney Lauren Elbert, during a break in his trial. The incident was caught by courthouse cam- eras. According to court pa- pers, Nordlicht pursued the prosecutor for over 10 sec- onds, while his wife tried to restrain him. Shantelle Young and Tayvis Walters, to the right, were named the next youth ambassadors to the Caribbean Community on Wednesday. Acting head of Youth Services James Myles and Youth Minister Juliana O’Connor- Connolly, the two to the left, touted the programme’s benefits. - PHOTO: KEN SILVAThe 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” JUSTIN FOX For more than two centu- ries, thoughtful people have been worrying that rising pop- ulations would overtax the world’s resources. “The power of population is so superior to the power of the earth to produce subsistence for man, that premature death must in some shape or other visit the human race,” English cler- gyman Thomas Robert Mal- thus wrote in his ‘Essay on the Principle of Population’ in 1798. A hundred and seventy years later, Stanford University biologist Paul Ehrlich argued pretty much the same thing in ‘The Population Bomb’: “Each year food produc- tion in undeveloped countries falls a bit further behind bur- geoning population growth, and people go to bed a little bit hungrier,” Ehrlich wrote. “While there are temporary or local reversals of this trend, it now seems inevitable that it will continue to its logical con- clusion: mass starvation.” Malthus and Ehrlich were both right that popula- tion growth was accelerating. England’s population dou- bled in the half century after 1798; the world’s population doubled from 3.5 billion in 1968 to 7 billion in 2011, just six years later than Ehrlich had predicted. Mass starvation did not follow in either case, though, thanks to advances in agricul- tural productivity and world trade. This turn of events has done much to discredit the ar- guments of Malthus and Ehr- lich. So have the solutions they proposed to population growth: Malthus opposed aid to the poor, on the grounds that it would just encourage them to have more kids; Ehr- lich pushed for population- control measures ranging from luxury taxes on diapers to forced sterilisation. Lately, matters have taken an interesting turn. The popu- lation bomb is giving indica- tions of fizzling. Yet concerns that we humans are over- taxing the environment seem only to be growing. On 6 May, for example, a United Nations scientific panel issued a new report docu- menting that plant and an- imal species around the world are going extinct at an accel- erating rate. A key cause, ac- cording to the report, is that “in the past 50 years, the human population has dou- bled, the global economy has grown nearly 4-fold and global trade has grown 10-fold, to- gether driving up the demands for energy and materials”. On Monday, I also hap- pened to finish reading ‘Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline’, a book published early this year that extrapolates from current fer- tility trends to argue that the biggest challenges facing the world in the second half of the current century will have to do with falling population. The authors, pollster Darrell Bricker and journalist John Ib- bitson, are mainly interested in the impact on economic growth, politics, social rela- tions and international affairs. But when they do discuss en- vironmental matters, they are awfully sanguine about them. “It will be cleaner, safer, qui- eter,” they write of the post- peak-population earth. “The oceans will start to heal and the atmosphere cool – or at least stop heating.” So … problem solved, right? Not exactly. Bricker and Ibbitson’s fore- cast of a coming population decline is not grabbed out of thin air. In affluent coun- tries and a lot of not-so-af- fluent ones, population growth is slowing and in some cases going into reverse, thanks to fertility rates that have fallen below the 2.1 births per woman that keeps popula- tion steady over time. World- wide, the fertility rate is now an estimated 2.4 births per woman – less than half what it was when Ehrlich issued his warning in 1968 – and falling. Below-replacement fer- tility rates do not immedi- ately translate into popula- tion declines – lengthening life spans work against that, and if a country has a large enough cohort of young people, even with smaller families their kids will keep driving popu- lation higher for a while. The projections used by Bricker and Ibbitson, from Austria’s Wittgenstein Centre for De- mography and Global Human Capital, depict global popula- tion peaking in 2070 in the me- dium scenario and in 2045 in the ‘rapid development’ sce- nario, in which urbanisation and educational gains in de- veloping countries drive even quicker fertility declines. Let’s assume that their lowest population projection is correct, and global population will peak in 2045. That is still a quarter-century from now, and population would not return to current levels until the 2090s – more than enough time for us to drive hundreds of thou- sands of plant and animal species extinct and perhaps boost global average temper- atures enough to bring polar- ice-cap-melting chaos. The ‘rapid development’ scenario behind that population fore- cast also requires that poorer countries, well, develop more rapidly, which in the past has meant rising per-person envi- ronmental stress. Clearly, population is not the only important variable here. Malthus and Ehrlich fo- cussed on it to the exclusion of all else and were blindsided by technological innovation and economic progress. Now it looks as if it will take tech- nological innovation, political innovation, and maybe a dif- ferent way of thinking about economic progress to keep the human-imposed stresses on the earth’s environment from becoming unbearable. The possibility that our numbers could stop growing within a few decades admit- tedly does add a certain light- at-the-end-of-the-tunnel as- pect to the difficult project of reducing the environmental damage we cause. That light could turn out to be the on- coming train of accelerating population decline – once set in motion, downward trends in fertility rates have proved aw- fully hard to reverse. But after two-plus centuries of worrying about the opposite, can we maybe wait a few years before freaking out about that? Justin Fox is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering business. © 2019, Bloomberg Opinion THURSDAY, 16 MAY 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS When it comes to parties and banquets, it can be perfectly acceptable to arrive ‘fashionably late’. In other situations, there is no latitude for delays. This applies to spaceship launches, New Year’s countdowns – and courtroom procedures. Yet in the Cayman Islands, the administration of justice continues to be stymied by postponements and deferrals, which can be variously attributed to human behaviour, constrained resources, or rules and regula- tions themselves. Delays in the courtroom affect, and are affected by, overcrowded schedules (for judges and attorneys) and overcrowded facilities (in courts and prisons). The build-up of cases leads to a build-up of costs, ultimately borne by taxpayers. In the worst scenarios, justice that is indefinitely deferred is equivalent to justice denied. A cursory flip through the pages of the Compass from the past few weeks reveals stories threaded through with courtroom delays. For example: • A driver whose taxi struck and killed a visiting doctor outside the airport was sentenced to com- munity service – one year and eight months after the accident occurred. • A business owner was charged with unlawful gaming, stemming from alleged offences that took place more than a year ago, and with the matter first appearing in court about six months ago. • Three men pled guilty to ‘illegal landing’ and were sentenced to 76 days’ imprisonment … after they had already been in custody for 79 days. • And there is, of course, the granddaddy of all dragged-out cases, the pension-related charges against Champion House restaurant that have been before the court since 2008. The next court date has been set for 27 May. “This has to be finalised. We can’t wait forever,” Magistrate Valdis Foldats said when the Champion House matter was last in court in mid-April. Those are just the stories that appeared in the Compass. Many more delayed cases resulted in ‘non- stories’ that were never written or published, for the simple reason that, except for the delay, nothing happened for us to report. And while courtroom dramas are often character- ised by competing interests and individuals, when it comes to incessant delays, as a rule everyone is simi- larly frustrated – defendants, lawyers, police, prosecu- tors and judges … perhaps no one more so than Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, who has crusaded for years for the allocation of more resources for the justice system, and the creation of new, modern and more spacious courthouse facilities. Last September, the chief justice appeared to achieve a breakthrough, as it was confirmed that government had purchased the former Scotiabank building on Cardinall Avenue to renovate and use for additional court space. A business case on the refur- bishment project is anticipated to be released soon. Although the need for the extra room is obvious, officials have stipulated repeatedly over the years that new physical facilities are not sufficient by themselves to relieve the logjams in Cayman’s courtrooms. Toward that end, all options should be available for considera- tion, whether involving amending legislation; changing procedures; investing more resources in judges, pros- ecutors and legal aid; etc. We would not argue that ‘swiftness’ is the primary attribute of an ideal court system, but speed and effi- ciency certainly are necessary components for the effective administration of justice. Toward a more efficient system of justice Fizzling population bomb will not save planet Below-replacement fertility rates do not immediately translate into population declines – lengthening life spans work against that, and if a country has a large enough cohort of young people, even with smaller families their kids will keep driving population higher for a while.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, 16 MAY 2019 EDITION BOOKING DEADLINE Monday May 20th NO PUBLICATION Tuesday May 21st Thursday May 16th Wednesday May 22nd Thursday May 16th Thursday May 23rd Friday May 17th Friday May 24th Tuesday May 21st DISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAY Celebrate the long weekend OVER May 20th (345) 949-5111 • sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Please be advised there will be no newspaper on Monday, May 20th, Discovery Day. OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY PUBLICATION DEADLINES: Osgood Christian stands by an apartment complex which he just completed building. – PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY At 85, Osgood Christian remains a master of all trades JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Osgood Christian has proven that there is no limit to what can be done if you are self-motivated. He learned this during a time in Cayman’s history when jobs and schooling were scarce. Now, at 85, Christian is a certified mechanic, engi- neer, carpenter, electrician, merchant marine officer, seaman, building estimator, husband, father, farmer and elder of the Cayman Islands Seventh-day Ad- ventist Church. He built many houses on Cayman and at 85, he has many achievements to show for his working life. In the 1940s, Christian at 17 was like most Caymanian men – seeking work. Growing up in George Town, he said there was nothing but bush. People raised cows along Shedden Road where RBC Royal Bank is now located. At that time, the fledgeling town- ship held only the post of- fice, the library and the Town Hall, along with a few homes and churches. Far from town, East End was a hard place to make a living, with few jobs avail- able. People survived by making thatch rope, fishing or planting. He said his first job as a young man in the late 1940s was working for government, earning 4 pennies a day. “You had to do what- ever they tell you to do to get that.” He said the men were getting 2 shillings and 6 pence a day. Sugar, he said, was penny a pound. “You could buy sugar, flour, cornmeal, margarine and have a couple cents left over to put in your pocket.” But Christian was deter- mined to beat the odds. “I am not a lazy person. I went out seeking more jobs.” Christian fished with his cousin and chopped bush. “All a man got to have is some intelligence about him. If he puts his mind to it, he can do it,” Chris- tian said. “A degree is good, it’s very good, but you must have ambition to move for- ward. A degree without ambition does not mean nothing,” he said. At age 19, Christian joined the National Bulk Carriers shipping com- pany. Local shipping agent Gwen Bush asked Christian if he was planning to join the ship with his skin cov- ered with maiden plum – a highly irritating and corro- sive plant, which caused se- vere skin reactions from his time chopping bush. He re- plied, “yep”. Christian’s first ship was the Ore Chief, sailing from Montego Bay, Jamaica, to Venezuela. After spending 13 years at sea he was is- sued a Merchant Marine Officer’s Licence of Compe- tence, as third engineer on steam vessels, from the New York commissioner of Mari- time Affairs in 1963. He also completed sev- eral correspondence courses in technical fields, in- cluding a diploma in diesel mechanics, which was awarded to him from the In- ternational Correspondence Schools of Scranton, Penn- sylvania in 1989. Seven years later, in 1996, he received a diploma in building estimation from the North American Corre- spondence Schools. “There was hardship in Cayman those days, and most young men went to sea,” he said. “Young people today say they have hard- ship. It’s because they do not try to get nothing out of life. They run up and down, smoke weed, and drink. It will destroy any human being,” Christian said. “Today young people got more opportunities, but opportunity don’t mean anything if you do not have the ability to accept opportunity.” He said opportunity only knocks once. When Christian returned home from sea, he worked on homes in Cayman Kai. “I never went to no school to learn to build. I see it and I did it,” he said. He only went to primary school. “Getting an education certainly didn’t guarantee you a job at the end of it.” As a homeowner, he car- ries out his own repairs, re- placements and home im- provements. He also takes care of painting, plumbing, carpentry and elec- trical work. Knowing what tools are necessary for specific jobs makes the work much easier. Christian has his own workshop with all the tools he needs to carry out almost any job. Bunches of plantains and bananas also hang in his workshop, from his trips to the farm. He said his life is special because he believes it is his civic duty to “do good to all men, and to live a clean and healthy life.” He said respect is lacking in this world now- adays. “If the generation coming up don’t have re- spect for government and the older people, it is fin- ished,” he said. Married for 64 years, Christian lives in East End with wife Linda, and he says he would not change her for anyone. The two are the parents of two sons, Bal- four and Valburn, and one daughter, Cherry. Osgood Christian is proud of his many achievements.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 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. THURSDAY, 16 MAY 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, 16 MAY CHILD MONTH: A Teen Panel will be held at the George Town Town Hall, 4-6pm. BRACCANAL: Cayman Brac Carnival. Through 20 May. Contact cybbraccanalcommittee@ gmail.com or visit www.braccanal.com for more information. FRIDAY, 17 MAY SPEECH DISORDERS: With speech and language disorders ranking among the most common disabilities in children, parents and caregivers are encouraged to learn the signs and seek evaluation at the Health Services Authority’s Speech Therapy Open House if they have concerns about their child’s ability to communicate. Complimentary developmental screenings for children and cognitive-linguistic screenings for adults will be provided at the free event 8:30-11:00am at the Cayman Islands Hospital’s Speech Therapy Office (behind the General Practice Building). No appointments are required. For more information call 244-2733, 244-7674 or email info@hsa.ky. CHILD MONTH: Youth Conference 2019, Margaritaville Resort, 8:30am to 2pm. FISHING TOURNAMENT: Brac Jackpot. Today through Sunday. Contact Kenny Ryan, 925-3844 BUILDING SAFETY MONTH: Information Booth, Foster’s Strand, 11am to 2pm. SATURDAY, 18 MAY INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY: The Cayman Islands National Museum is opening its new exhibit ‘Alvin McLaughlin: Steeped in Tradition’. From 10am to 2pm, enjoy old-time food, music, dance and more. CHILD MONTH: Family Fun Day, Turtle Centre, North West Point Road, West Bay, 11am to 3pm. CHILD MONTH: Talent Expo, Harquail Theatre, 6:30-8:30pm. SUNDAY, 19 MAY CHILD MONTH: Intergenerational Cook-Off, Cayman Academy, 2-5pm. TUESDAY, 21 MAY BULLYING: Presentation by the Alex Panton Foundation. 6:30-8pm, South Sound Community Centre. WEDNESDAY, 22 MAY CHILD MONTH: Talk Early Talk Often (Parent Session), Family Resource Centre, 6pm to 7:30pm. THURSDAY, MAY 23 BRAC COURT: Summary Court at the Aston Rutty Centre today and tomorrow from 10am. FRIDAY, 24 MAY BUILDING SAFETY MONTH: Information Booth, A.L. Thompson’s, today and tomorrow. CHILD MONTH: Trivia Game Night, John A. Cumber Primary School, 6-9:30pm. SATURDAY, 25 MAY CHILD MONTH: Wellness and cooking demo, Feed Our Future, Family Life Centre, 10am to 2pm; Community fun day, Neil Godfrey Park, 4-7pm; Real life superhero movie night, Camana Bay, 6-9:30pm; Teen disco, Cayman Brac Youth Centre, 6-10pm. WEDNESDAY, 29 MAY BUILDING SAFETY MONTH: Information Booth, Kirk Home Centre, 10am to 1pm. THURSDAY, JUNE 6 HIGH SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY: All former students of St. Ignatius High School are invited to our 25th anniversary social 5:30-7:00pm in Loyola Hall. Admission is free. RSVP to sicaymanalumni@gmail.com. GENERAL INTEREST PIRATES WEEK VENDORS: Food and craft vendors interested in participating in the upcoming Pirates Week Festival can reserve stalls starting Monday, 3 June. Food Festival dates are 8, 9 and 11 Nov. A valid DEH Food Handling Certificate must accompany completed application forms. All food vendors must use biodegradable containers and utensils (available from Pirates Week Festival office – limited supply). Space is limited, please register early. Download the application form at www.piratesweekfestival. com/participate. To learn more call 949-5078 or info@piratesweekfestival.com. LOCAL HARVEST MARKET: Local farmers sell their produce and farmed goods at Camana Bay on Wednesdays from 10am to 3pm in Heliconia Court (located next to Scotiabank). COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8pm, 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 7-11pm. Artists of all levels are welcome to come and enjoy painting and socialising with other artists. Includes use of easels, lights, space and a 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, 9am till noon. Thursdays Adults and Youth, 10am 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 8am to 5pm and Wednesdays 10am to 2pm. 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, 9:30am to 5:30pm 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 12:30-4pm; Tuesday-Friday, 9:30am to 4pm; Saturday 9:30am to 4:30pm. 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, 7:15pm. 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 6-7:15pm 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, 6-7:30pm. 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 7:30pm at the Lions Community Centre. Email lionsclubgcm@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30pm at Elizabethan Square (corner unit). Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7am 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, 12:30pm, 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, 6:30pm, Pedro Castle Road, Savannah. Para transporte, llamar al teléfono no. 946-2422, email: cibaptist@candw.ky. SPANISH WORSHIP SERVICE: First Baptist Church, Crewe Road, 6:30-8:30pm. Third Sunday of each month. HARBOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH: Meets for Divine Worship and Fellowship at South Sound Community Centre, South Sound, Sundays at 10am www.safeharbourlc.com. MUSLIM PRAYER: Islamic Society of the Cayman Islands advises 5 times salaat/prayer at the Masjid. Fajr at 6am. Dhuhr at 1:15pm. Asr at 5:15pm. Maghrib at 7 minutes after sunset. Isha at 8pm website www.isci.org.ky. CATHOLIC CHURCH: St. Ignatius, Walkers Road, Mass 6pm Saturday; 8am, 11:30am, 6pm, Sundays. Christ the Redeemer, West Bay, Mass 9:45am, Sunday. JOHN GRAY MEMORIAL UNITED CHURCH: Sunday worship for the family and Children’s Church, 10am. BOATSWAIN BAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: Sundays. 10am. Christian Education for all ages; 11am, Morning Worship with nursery for youngsters; 7pm, Evening Worship. Visit www.bbpca.org. SUNRISE COMMUNITY CHURCH: Harquail Theatre, 10am, contemporary worship. Nursery ministry, children’s church and the Explorers are for ages infant to 11. Community groups meet during the week for fellowship and growth. www.sunrise.ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events This Friday, complimentary developmental screenings for children and cognitive-linguistic screenings for adults will be provided for free from 8:30-11:00am at the Cayman Islands Hospital’s Speech Therapy Office.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY, 16 MAY 2019 The confessions of Sara Collins Sara Collins is well known in the Cayman Islands as a commercial lawyer, a human rights advocate and a mother to five children. Now she can add the title of acclaimed lit- erary novelist to that list. Her debut novel, ‘The Con- fessions of Frannie Langton’, has been universally praised by reviewers across the UK, and is being adapted for the screen. In between an endless se- ries of interviews and book tour events, Collins took time out to talk to the Cayman Compass about her journey to reach this point. On the critical response to the novel: It is surreal. It is a cliché, but it is a dream come true. Since I was a little girl all I wanted to do was to write a novel, even though I took a detour into a career as a lawyer. Just having the book published by Penguin and Harper Collins was more than enough. I never expected anything like the critical re- ception it has received. On her path to becoming a novelist: I worked at Walkers for many years and at Conyers Dill and Pearman. I gave up the law around ten years ago to focus on raising my family. In 2014, I did a creative writing masters and started the book in the second year of the degree. On the inspiration for the novel: I read the biography of Francis Barber, which is the story of a young Jamaican taken to London and given as a gift to Samuel Johnson. I was struck, not just by the idea of being given as a gift, but the idea of someone who had been deprived of oppor- tunity rubbing shoulders with some of the greatest minds of the age. It is not just about race but about preju- dices against women as well. On the importance of the degree program: I had vague ideas and am- bitions but the degree really encouraged me and everyone around me to take it seri- ously. The course gave me a sense of structure and disci- pline. I had to meet a deadline for my dissertation. It was not just a frolic. I got signed by an agent midway through the course [after winning the Lucy Cavendish prize for un- published authors]. On the advantages of a background in com- mercial law: It gave me some matu- rity about work. Law, es- pecially commercial litiga- tion, is very demanding. I was not any stranger to hard work, which helped a lot be- cause I had to work all day, every day to get it done. It is a historical novel and involved masses of research, and my days as a young lawyer helped with that. My office at home did look like a law firm by the end, because it was filled with colour- coded files, note- books and refer- ence material. On her pre- vious writing experience: There is not much. I never had time or the mental en- ergy, when I was a lawyer or when I had five children that were very young. In my 20s, I wrote a short story, published by Caribbean Writer. What I did, which is almost as im- portant as writing in terms of preparation, was read. I read widely and I read with a view to becoming a writer. I did it deliberately and con- sciously. It is something any aspiring writer should do, and I advise to start as early as you can. On her influences: One of the huge influ- ences on my work, apart from Toni Morrison, is Mar- garet Atwood, and she just gave my book an endorse- ment, which was just incred- ible. I also love Sarah Waters and Sarah Perry, who write those modern gothic novels. The classic gothic romances have been a big influence. There is a strong link be- tween the plot in Frannie and the plot in Jane Eyre. It is about the creation of a self, taking control over your own life. On the relevance of historical novels to the present day: I think there is no point in writing a historical novel un- less you are writing about the present too. It has to have rel- evance, not just for the writer, but for her readers too. There is a line in my novel, “A man writes to separate himself from the common history, a woman writes to try to join it.” It is about historically dis- enfranchised people taking centre stage, which I think is highly topical. On the sacrifices of writing a novel: I think there is a gen- eral lack of recognition for the fact that writing a se- rious novel is a craft that requires a lot of study and a lot of time and even a little bit of madness. It was more difficult than being a lawyer or a mother. My friends didn’t see me, my family didn’t see me. I am sure people won- dered where I was. I was really holed up in my study at home, giving up all of my free time in service of get- ting the book ready. My family had to be ne- glected and to find a way to forgive me for neglecting them. I devoted my entire energy and time and atten- tion to the book. There re- ally was nothing left over for my family and friends. On making it as a writer in her middle years: It really is the most grati- fying thing to realize that it was not too late. I turned 40 before I got serious about this. It was the passing of two dear friends that spurred me on. I still feel grief about their passing. They would have been so excited and proud about what has hap- pened as a result. They were two incred- ibly energetic and talented people. One was the dancer Susan Barnes and the other was the lawyer Melanie McLaughlin. They were both very young. Even though I understood in theory that there is no such thing as guaranteed time to do what you want to do, this was just an idea or a desire before that. The book is ded- icated to Mel and Susan, because that was the big- gest single influ- ence in deciding to take it on. I decided to just go for it, and felt I wouldn’t have any regrets about trying. What’s next for Sara Collins: The other thing that is a revelation for me is that your first job is to write the book and your second job is to pro- mote it. I am di- viding my time be- tween Cayman and the UK doing book readings, launches, writing articles and doing interviews. The book has been optioned [by Drama Republic, the pro- duction house that made ‘Doctor Foster’ and ‘Black Earth Rising’ for the BBC] and I am writing a screenplay, so I will also be back and forth for the television adap- tion. I am hoping to have a launch event for the book in Cayman soon. On charting new territory: When I decided I wanted to do it, there was not really a model to follow. As a young person growing up on a small island when you don’t see anyone else that has done it, you can easily make the mistake of thinking it can’t be done. When Marlon James [the Ja- maican author of ‘A Brief History of Seven Killings’] won the Booker Prize, as a person from Ja- maica, that was one of the moments when I felt that was a breakthrough, that people would treat this seriously. If this changes anything, I hope that there is some boy or girl in Cayman that sees me doing it and realises they can. Some people are told, ex- plicitly or otherwise, that they don’t have anything to say, or that what they have to say is not as important or as meaningful. The real shift that has happened, in literature and more broadly, that has made this possible for people like me is to re- alise you don’t have to ac- cept that message. Sara Collins ‘The Confessions of Frannie Langton’ What is it about? A servant and former slave is accused of mur- dering her employer and his wife in Sara Collins’ gothic historical novel. Set in 1826, it begins as crowds gather at the Old Bailey to watch as Frannie Langton goes on trial. She is dubbed a slave, a seductress and a whore. And while some of those accusa- tions may be true, they are not the whole truth. According to the pub- lisher, “For the first time Frannie must tell her story. It begins with a girl learning to read on a plantation in Jamaica, and it ends in a grand house in London, where a beautiful woman waits to be freed. But through her fevered confes- sions, one burning question haunts Frannie Langton: could she have murdered the only person she ever loved?” What are the critics saying? “‘The Confessions of Frannie Langton’ is a daz- zling page turner. With as much psychological savvy as righteous wrath, Sara Col- lins twists together the slave narrative, bildungsroman, love story and crime novel to make something new.” – Emma Donoghue, au- thor of ‘Room’ “A book of heart, soul and guts … beautifully written, lushly evocative, and right- eously furious. Frannie might be a 19th century character, but she is also a heroine for our times.” – Elizabeth Day, author of ‘The Party’ “Sara Collins has cre- ated a tough, fiery, vividly alive character. Beautifully written, in crisp and careful prose; but more than that, it comes across as a story that’s been waiting to be written for a very long time.” – Stef Penney, author of ‘The Ten- derness of Wolves’ To read an excerpt from the book, visit www.caymancompass.comThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY, 16 MAY 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS will not be exposed to risk and is a positive indica- tion of their commitment to our Islands for decades to come. It is a win-win sit- uation for the country, the preferred bidder and the cruise lines.” A PwC study indicated that a cruise ship berthing facility could reasonably be expected to create 500 con- struction jobs immediately. And then over the course of decades, studies show that the facility could bring $245 million in economic benefits to Cayman. McLaughlin said that he hopes to have more infor- mation about a timeline for the final bidders by the end of the month. The bottom line, he said, is that gov- ernment had to be careful to get enough funding for this project and ensure that it would not be funded by public outlay. The project is not without its detractors. The Cruise Port Refer- endum Cayman group is attempting to trigger a referendum on the issue by collecting 5,288 signa- tures to a petition. Mario Rankin, one of the group’s organisers, said that the group is 96% of the way to completing the petition. “Even if cruise ship com- panies say they can build it for free, that wouldn’t make a difference,” he said. “Whether someone is paying for it or not, that doesn’t mean that it’s good for the environment.” Rankin said that his group circulated an email to every one of Cay- man’s elected represent- atives voicing their con- cern about the project last month. None of the repre- sentatives responded to the email, said Rankin, but he did receive a response from Governor Martyn Roper ac- knowledging his missive. Earlier this month, Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell sent out an ad- visory indicating that ru- mours that the government had selected a contractor to build the facility were pre- mature and spurious. “As Minister of Tourism, with the responsibility for overseeing the development of the cruise berthing and enhanced cargo port fa- cility project, I can con- firm that neither the Major Project Office nor the Cayman Islands Govern- ment have entered into any deal with any company bid- ding to design, build, fi- nance and maintain the piers,” said Kirkconnell in a press release. On Wednesday, Kirk- connell hailed the addition of MSC Cruises to the fi- nancial commitments that have already been made and spoke in support of the project, which is now in its sixth year of development. “This agreement repre- sents the accomplishment of another key milestone in the life cycle of this pro- ject,” he said in an offi- cial statement. “MSC oper- ates more than 1,000 routes globally and is one of the fastest growing cruise companies in the world. Their commitment to the Cayman Islands will help to sustain and grow our cruise tourism industry into the future.” this defendant. According to the Journal Sentinel report, friends of McNeill-Skorupan de- scribed her as being stressed about the ongoing legal proceedings and the possibility that she might be facing a prison sentence of 10 or more years. She was arrested at Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport 3 Feb., when a .25 calibre handgun and six rounds of ammunition were found in her suitcase. She arrived in Cayman as a cruise ship passenger. But on the flight from Wis- consin to Florida, one of her bags had been mis- placed. She told authorities, after her arrest, that she had asked Delta Air Lines to send the bag to a friend’s house in Florida. Instead, it was sent to Grand Cayman, the first stop on an 11-day cruise she was on. Prosecu- tors argued she intended to receive the bag here and did not declare the firearm. Cayman’s gun laws set mandatory minimums for violations, unless the court finds exceptional circumstances. McNeill-Skorupan spent three days in jail when she was first arrested, before being released on bail. A judge later gave her permis- sion to travel. She returned home and did not come back to Cayman for the trial, forfeiting a $25,000 bond. The Journal Sentinel article described a des- perate search for McNeill- Skorupan after she left her home for a walk around 3:30pm on 18 April. When she had not returned two hours later, her husband re- portedly called police. Officers eventually used a phone app to locate Mc- Neill-Skorupan’s cellphone. She was dead when they CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Death of woman tried on gun charge ruled suicide Cruise berthing facility recruits another benefactor CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 No jail time for employee thefts Magistrate cites exceptional circumstances CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A woman who stole money from two different employers received sentences on Tuesday that included an 18-hour curfew, the wearing of an electronic monitor and a suspended term of im- prisonment, but no imme- diate custody. Isabella Renee Garcia, also known as Ruth Ann McLaughlin, was sentenced by Magistrate Valdis Foldats, who accepted defence at- torney John Furniss’s sub- missions that there were ex- ceptional circumstances in his client’s case. McLaughlin went to trial on two counts of theft from a real estate company, where she served as office man- ager between October 2010 and May 2011. The total stolen was $17,450. Some was cash, which agents gave her for de- posit in the company’s bank account but that she kept for herself; some was in the form of cheques her employer pre- signed for company expenses and which she made out to herself. Trial took place in 2016 and 2017. On the very last day, she pleaded guilty. Meanwhile, having changed her name le- gally to Isabella Garcia, she started working for the Tourism Attraction Board in January 2014. One of her duties was to collect rent from shops at Hell in West Bay. She did not deposit the money as she should have. She kept $3,450. Later in 2014, she applied for a job through a local re- cruitment agency. She sup- plied a work record stating she had been employed with a construction company from 2009–2013. She was hired on the strength of a telephone interview with someone at that company. About two months later, the victim company was made aware of her true back- ground. Garcia accepted the fraud and pleaded guilty to one count of obtaining a pe- cuniary advantage by de- ception – wages in the sum of $3,166. The magistrate listed the numerous aggravating fea- tures of the offending. As office manager, she had caused financial harm and emotional distress to her em- ployer and co-workers. Victims “are not a face- less corporation”, the magis- trate pointed out. “These are workmates or bosses that are seen on a daily basis, that sit beside you in the of- fice. Stealing from your com- pany also harms your col- leagues. I say this to give pause to anyone contem- plating theft in the workplace – look at the person beside you: that is who you would be harming as well.” He noted that McLaughlin obtained personal loans from her employer, which she did not pay back. The owner said he now had a different out- look on giving personal loans to staff who might genuinely need assistance. The magistrate noted also that at least one offence was committed while the de- fendant was on bail for an earlier offence. That was an aggravating factor. Looking at the total offences, he would have imposed a prison term of 18 months. Furniss urged the court to say that the passage of time since the first offences should allow for a non-custo- dial sentence. The magistrate said trial was to have started in December 2014, but was adjourned on numerous occa- sions due to the defendant’s purported medical issues. “There were at least 26 medical excusals noted provided by 12 different physicians,” he pointed out. “Simply voicing these num- bers raises concerns about the veracity of the defend- ant’s excuses; I remain scep- tical,” the magistrate said. “Nevertheless,” he added, “the prosecution are not in a position to gainsay the med- ical notes and I must there- fore take them at face value”. Mr. Furniss also argued that Garcia’s youngest child provided an exceptional cir- cumstance and he filed doc- umentation as to the child’s medical issues. The magis- trate said, “I accept that the child requires professional in-home nursing assistance and the defendant accompa- nies the child overseas for medical examinations.” He quoted a Court of Ap- peal ruling which said, “It has long been recognised that the plight of children, particularly very young chil- dren, and the impact on them if the person best able to care for them … is a major feature for consideration in any sen- tencing decision.” The child is an infant, the magistrate said. “Separation from the mother, if she were imprisoned, would obviously come at a critical and sensi- tive time, disrupting the ma- ternal bond …. The court’s focus is on the well-being of the child, not the defendant.” He said the sentence he imposed was only slightly less onerous than immediate imprisonment. It therefore preserved the court’s mes- sage that a stern sentence is necessary to deter em- ployee theft. For the real estate com- pany thefts, McLaughlin/ Garcia received a 13-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. For the TAB thefts, she was placed on curfew for five months with electronic monitoring. Her liberty is restricted as if she were in prison, but she will be al- lowed to find employment and attend to her child’s medical needs. The island will not be burdened with the cost of her imprisonment and she will have no free week- ends, no evening excursions, no remission. The curfew is 24 hours ex- cept for non-holiday week- days between 7am and 1pm. It is subject to medical emer- gencies and she may apply to travel with her child. She can apply for curfew variation if she gets a job. For the false work record fraud, the sentence was two months imprisonment sus- pended for two years and a community service order for 120 hours. “ Stealing from your company also harms your colleagues. I say this to give pause to anyone contemplating theft in the workplace– look at the person beside you: that is who you would be harming as well.” MAGISTRATE VALDIS FOLDATS McLaughlin said Wednesday that the winning bidder will be required to put in the remainder of required funding and will be rewarded with preferential dates and times to use the facility. A woman who stole from two employers and changed her legal name in the process faced sentencing Tuesday. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY, 16 MAY 2019 Happy 130th birthday, Eiffel Tower Paris wished the Eiffel Tower a happy birthday with an elaborate laser show retracing the monument’s 130-year history. The monument also invited 1,300 children to a giant ‘snack time’ Wednesday beneath the tower known as the Iron Lady. The Family of the Late Layton L. Ebanks regrets to announce his passing on Monday, 6 May, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 3:00 p.m. Friday, 17 May, 2019 at Church of God - Cotton Tree Bay, Cayman Brac. viewing will be from 2:30 p.m. Prior to the service Interment will follow in West End Cemetery. With love always & forever Your children, Grandchildren & g�eat Grandchildren Anne Brenda Dawson 21st Dec 1943 – 16th May 2006 Those special memories of you Will always bring a smile If only we could have you back For just a little while Then we could sit and talk again Just like we used to do You always meant so ver� much And always will do too The fact that you’re no longer here Will always cause us pain But you’re forever in our hear�s Until we meet again Alabama governor considers ban on nearly all abortions MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Ala- bama legislators have given final approval to a ban on nearly all abortions, and if the Republican governor signs the measure, the state will have the strictest abor- tion law in the country. The legislation would make performing an abortion a felony at any stage of preg- nancy with almost no excep- tions. The passage Tuesday by a wide margin in the GOP-led Senate shifts the spotlight to Gov. Kay Ivey, a fixture in Al- abama politics who’s long identified as anti-abortion. Ivey has not said whether she will sign the bill. Sponsor Rep. Terri Collins says she ex- pects the governor to support the ban. And the lopsided vote suggests a veto could be easily overcome. But an Ivey spokes- woman said before Tuesday’s vote that “the governor intends to withhold comment until she has had a chance to thor- oughly review the final version of the bill that passed”. In Alabama and other con- servative states, anti-abortion politicians and activists em- boldened by the addition of conservative justices to the US Supreme Court hope to ignite legal fights and even- tually overturn the landmark 1973 decision Roe v. Wade, putting an end to the consti- tutional right to abortion. “Roe v. Wade has ended the lives of millions of chil- dren,” Alabama Republican Sen. Clyde Chambliss said in a statement. “While we cannot undo the damage that decades of legal precedence under Roe have caused, this bill has the opportunity to save the lives of millions of unborn children.” Democrats did not shy away from blasting their GOP counterparts. “The state of Alabama ought to be ashamed of her- self. You ought to be ashamed. Go look in the mirror,” Sen. Bobby Singleton said, “Women in this state didn’t deserve this. This is all about political grandstanding.” The bill would make per- forming an abortion a felony punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison for the abor- tion provider. The only ex- ception would be when the woman’s health is at serious risk. Under the bill, women seeking or undergoing abor- tions would not be punished. Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia have ap- proved bans on abortion once a foetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur in about the sixth week of pregnancy. The Alabama bill goes further by seeking to outlaw abor- tion outright. Alabama senators rejected an attempt to add an excep- tion for rape and incest. The amendment was voted down 21-11, with four Republicans joining Democrats in seeking the amendment. Supporters had argued that exceptions would weaken their hope of creating a vehicle to challenge Roe. Collins said that the law is not meant to be a long-term measure and that lawmakers could add a rape exception if states regain con- trol of abortion access. “It’s to address the issue that Roe. v. Wade was de- cided on. Is that baby in the womb a person?” Collins said. Democrats criticised the ban as a mixture of political grandstanding, an attempt to control women and a waste of taxpayer dollars. During debate, Singleton pointed out and named rape victims watching from the Senate viewing gallery. He said that under the ban, doc- tors who perform abortions could serve more prison time than the women’s rapists. In a statement, Staci Fox of Planned Parenthood South- east said, “Today is a dark day for women in Alabama and across this country …. Alabama politicians will for- ever live in infamy for this vote and we will make sure that every woman knows who to hold accountable.” Outside the Statehouse, about 50 people rallied and chanted, “Whose choice? Our choice.” Several women dressed as characters from the ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, which depicts a dystopian fu- ture where fertile women are forced to breed. If the bill becomes law, it would take effect in six months. Critics have prom- ised a swift lawsuit. Randall Marshall, executive director of the American Civil Liber- ties Union of Alabama, said a complaint is being drafted. Margeaux Hartline, dressed as a handmaid, protests against a ban on nearly all abortions outside of the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Alabama, on Tuesday. - PHOTO: AP Alabama senators rejected an attempt to add an exception for rape and incest. The amendment was voted down 21-11, with four Republicans joining Democrats in seeking the amendment. Facebook limits livestreaming ahead of Paris summit PARIS (AP) – Facebook toughened its livestreaming policies Wednesday as it pre- pared to huddle with world leaders and other tech CEOs in Paris to find ways to keep social media from being used to spread hate, organise ex- tremist groups and broadcast terror attacks. Facebook’s move came hours before its executives would face the prime min- ister of New Zealand, where an attacker killed 51 people in March – and livestreamed parts of it on Facebook. The CEOs and world leaders will try to agree on guidelines they will call the ‘Christchurch Call’, named after the New Zealand city where the attack on a mosque took place. Facebook said it’s tight- ening the rules for its lives- treaming service with a “one strike” policy applied to a broader range of offences. Ac- tivity on the social network that violates its policies, such as sharing a terrorist group’s statement without providing context, will result in the user immediately being tem- porarily blocked. The most serious offenses will result in a permanent ban. Previously, the com- pany took down posts that breached its community standards but only blocked users after repeated offences. The tougher restric- tions will be gradually ex- tended to other areas of the platform, starting with pre- venting users from creating Facebook ads. Facebook said it’s also in- vesting $7.5 million in new research partnerships to im- prove image and video anal- ysis technology aimed at finding content manipulated through editing to avoid de- tection by its automated sys- tems – a problem the com- pany encountered following the Christchurch shooting. “Tackling these threats also requires technical in- novation to stay ahead of the type of adversarial media manipulation we saw after Christchurch,” Face- book’s vice president of in- tegrity, Guy Rosen, said in a blog post. New Zealand Prime Min- ister Jacinda Ardern wel- comed Facebook’s pledge. She said she herself inad- vertently saw the Christch- urch attacker’s video when it played automatically in her Facebook feed. “There is a lot more work to do, but I am pleased Fa- cebook has taken additional steps today … and look for- ward to a long-term collabo- ration to make social media safer,” she said in a statement. Ardern is playing a cen- tral role in the Paris meet- ings, which she called a sig- nificant “starting point” for changes in government and tech industry policy. Twitter, Google, Microsoft and several other companies are also taking part, along with the leaders of Britain, France, Canada, Ireland, Sen- egal, Indonesia, Jordan and the European Union. Former US Secretary of State John Kerry, a member of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told reporters, “I think everybody agrees that a higher level of responsibility is demanded from all of the platforms … I mean there still are videos of shootings available on the net. That’s inexcusable, simply unacceptable.” The ‘Christchurch Call’ is being discussed as over 80 CEOs and executives from technology companies gather in Paris for a ‘Tech for Good’ conference meant to address how they can use their global influence for public good – for example by promoting gender equality, diversity in hiring and greater ac- cess to technology for lower income users.Next >