High of 88 Low of 78 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. LOCAL | PAGE 7 VICTIMS ‘STABLE’ AFTER BLOODY DOMESTIC DISPUTE EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 PETITION VERIFICATION MUST BE THOROUGH, SWIFT AND FAIR ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE 2019 $2.6M in unpaid PR fees owed to government JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Just over 100 people have had their permanent resi- dency status revoked for failing to pay PR fees, $2.6 million in uncollected fees still outstanding. Data from a freedom of information request shows there are more than 400 people living in the Cayman Islands who owe perma- nent residency fees to the government. Britons and Jamai- cans, the two nationali- ties that have the most PR holders, also have the highest number in arrears, accounting for more than half of the debt, according to information provided to the group Cayman Citi- zens Alliance. The amounts owed vary from a single year’s fee for some to others who have been in arrears for several years. The figures represent an improvement on data from a similar FOI request in 2016. At that time, more than $4 million in permanent res- idency fees was outstanding. Government says the new 80 athletes to represent Cayman in Island Games SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The team is assembled and ready to show Cayman’s skill to the rest of the world. The Cayman Islands Ath- letic Association has an- nounced the 80 athletes who will represent Cayman at the Island Games in Gi- braltar, which will take place from 6-12 July. Cayman finished with seven gold medals and 25 total medals at the last Is- land Games, in Gotland, Sweden, in 2017. Only eight island teams earned more gold medals than Cayman at the 2017 Island Games, and the Isle of Man led all com- petitors with 39 golds and 101 total medals. Cayman won gold in basketball at that Island Games, and many members of that team will be back in 2019. Samuel O’Garro, Shaad O’Garro, Jake Whittaker and Juawon Ebanks, among others, are set to defend their title, and they will have a talented group of new- comers along for the ride. Cayman finished fourth in women’s basketball last time around, and five members Part of harbour to lose marine park status Port Authority to take sole responsibility for anchorage zone JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Port Authority will be responsible for policing snorkelling, diving and other marine activity in George Town harbour as part of a rezone of the coastal waters off Grand Cayman’s capital. The change, which will be introduced alongside new legislation expanding and en- hancing Cayman’s system of marine parks, means part of the harbour will no longer of- ficially be designated as a marine park. Joey Woods, director of the Port Au- thority, said the zoning change was for safety reasons, and would happen regard- less of whether the cruise and cargo pier de- velopment plan went ahead. He said locals and tourists would still be able to swim, dive and snorkel from the shore and the ma- jority of coral reef in the area would remain within the marine park zone. A map of the port zone, provided by the Department of Environment, appears to show the Wreck of the Cali, a popular snor- kelling area, accessible from Rackam’s and Balboa Beach on the waterfront, falls within the restricted area. It’s not clear how that will impact water sports activity in that area. Woods said the main aim of the rezone was to ensure safety. He said there was already a significant amount of boat traffic in the anchorage area, and it was important the Port Authority had control over who was in the water. He said the same fishing restrictions would apply as in the marine park. He added, “No diving, or fishing, or in- water activity is permitted in the desig- nated Port Anchorage Area without first ob- taining the permission of the Port. This is to maintain the safety and security of the har- bour and anchorage area. Diving in an area where vessels are operating or anchoring is dangerous and we are trying to maintain a safe and secure harbour. Separating the two helps us do that, in that we know where to expect divers and where not to.” He said the anchorage area and marine park zone had previously overlapped and separating them would be a “win-win” for both the Port Authority and the Department of Environment. One advantage, according to Woods, is that it will be very clear to vis- iting vessels where the anchorage zone ends and the marine park begins. “It also means that vessels clearly know where the Marine Park Zone commences and they are not to enter it and will be PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » Part of the harbour, including the section shown in this image, will fall solely under Port Authority jurisdiction as part of the zoning change. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE 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 (PG) 10:30 (SAT ONLY) I 4:35 I 7:15 (NO SAT) SUN: 4:35 I 7:15 CAPTAIN MARVEL(PG13) 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. - WEDNESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) GODZILLA: KING OF MONSTERS (PG13) 1:15 I 9:55 ALADDIN (PG) 12:55 I 3:55 | 7:10 3D I 10:05 JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 - PARABELLUM (R) 4:25 | 10:15 SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 (PG) 12:30 | 2:50 3D | 5:10 | 7:30 3D MEN IN BLACK (PG-13) INTERNATIONAL 12:10 | 1:00 VIP I 6:55 | 7:15 | 10:00 ROCKETMAN (R) 7:25 X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX (PG-13) 1:15 | 3:45 VIP | 4:20 | 7:00 | 9:45 VIP | 9:50 Collective takes Art Nest to next level Brac students awarded bikes for academic work to give artists an opportunity to present their work. Open mic nights are being held twice a month, fea- turing music and poetry per- formances as well as the op- portunity for visual artists to bring materials and work in a collaborative setting. Pineda, who founded and ran Cafe del Sol before selling it to go to law school and then practice law for two years, says there is much more to do. “This is only about 40% of where we’re going,” she said of the current offering at Art Nest. “The idea is for it to be- come even bigger and have more impact and value on the art education in Cayman.” Art opportunities were min- imal when she was growing up in Cayman, Pineda said. Stu- dents in school got some fun- damental exposure, but there were few outlets for a devel- oping artist to tap into. To seri- ously pursue art, she said, one had to leave the island. “I wish this had been around when I was growing up,” she said of the centre. She made it clear, however, that her efforts are directed mainly at getting more people involved in making art than in developing professional art- ists. She said a class the Art Nest provides for seniors, with funding from the Department of Children and Family Ser- vices, has shown her the im- pact it can have. She’s seen people who are resistant to the idea of picking up a brush open up and enjoy the process, she said. “The results we’ve seen are amazing,” she said. “Art does change lives.” An open mic event is planned at 7pm on Saturday, 29 June. Two Brac students are the recipients of brand new bicycles, compliments of the Cayman Brac fire service. Fire officers Leroy Brown Jr. and Stanford Watson, pump engineer, presented the bikes to students Belen Scott and Jonah Tibbetts for their academic performance at West End Primary School. CORRECTION A story in Tuesday’s Cayman Compass, 18 June, with the headline ‘De- layed mental health fa- cility moving forward’, misstated the cost of the facility planned for East End. The cost of the project is expected to be between $16 million and $20 million. Surging iguana cull numbers approach 750,000 Grand Cayman’s green iguana cullers delivered 29,925 lizards to the George Town landfill last week, the largest weekly total since mid-December. In all, cullers have removed 738,639 of the invasive reptiles from Grand Cayman since the Department of Environment programme began in late October 2018. Cullers remain ahead of the pace needed to reach the target of culling 1.3 million iguanas by the end of 2019. Cullers are being paid $4.50 a head, rising to $5 if they meet monthly and an- nual targets, in an effort to wipe out the invasive species in Grand Cayman. MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Christina Pineda sees good things around the corner. “Cayman is so poised for artistic greatness,” she said. “There is definitely a resurgence happening.” Pineda is the founder and director of Art Nest, which began as a summer camp programme three years ago and has grown into a multi-faceted opera- tion with a studio and gal- lery space in the former Woods Furniture store. Beginning a year ago, other businesses began to get involved. First, Spark Music School took over studio space for music lessons. In the past few months, Saucha Conscious Living opened its Con- scious Cafe inside the Art Nest entrance and Avril Ward moved her Awardart Gallery to the site. Pineda likened the ar- rangement to a club. “It’s not the norm for so many businesses to work together,” she said. “We’re trying to be this beacon of art and community.” She sees the collec- tive as one part of an in- crease in the presence of art on the island and hopes the collective will not only generate interest from the public, but spur more art- ists to become involved. Other artists are seeing a growth in the in- dustry as well. An art party at The Space on Sat- urday, featuring five art- ists, drew a shoulder-to- shoulder crowd. Artist Marc Laurenson, who was in attendance, said he attributes part of the energised atmosphere to the influence the KA- ABOO festival had on art- ists. One element of the festival featured local art- work, as well as visiting artists doing live murals. Laurenson said he was surprised by the number of new artists that sur- faced, hoping to be part of the event. Pineda said she wants to be part of that contin- uing movement. “Our initial goal was [to be] one of [the] catalysts,” she said. “Our current role is to set the pace.” She said she wants to show Cayman what can be done to foster more art on the island. The centre offers an array of art classes from toddler art to adult painting and drawing. There is also a dance studio and a planned ceramics studio. And there are regular events designed Retail space for artists is one of the offerings at Art Nest, said founder and director Christina Pineda. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000 700,000 Week 1 (29 Oct. - 3 Nov.) Week 33 (11-15 June) Pace to reach 1.3 million Green iguana cull updateThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE 2019 Conveniently located in the East End, this loan centre is dedicated to providing financial advice and solutions to Personal, Business and Platinum Banking clients living in Bodden town, North Side and East End. There are also two 24-Hour Instant Tellers, so you can get cash any time of the day. Friendly and knowledgeable staff ready to serve you from Tuesday to Friday between 1:00pm and 6:30pm and on Saturdays from 9:30am to 1:30pm. Visit them today at Health City Medical Complex. CLICK cibcfcib.com CALL 1-866-743-2257 POST cibcfcib TWEET cibc_fcib The CIBC logo is a trademark of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, used by FirstCaribbean International Bank under license. Visit us in the Health City Medical Complex, East End. Say “Hello”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” Certainly, it is necessary, now that government is in possession of a petition seeking a referendum concerning the construction of a planned cruise and cargo port facility, that some kind of verification process take place. It must be clear, beyond reasonable doubt, that the signatures are valid and the threshold for triggering a people-led referendum has been reached. But we are considerably less certain that gov- ernment has chosen an efficient, effective and fair method for conducting this important process — effec- tively duplicating the petition drive by requiring signers to fill out new signed declarations. Referendum backers have cried ‘foul’ over the plan, which they call onerous. They make a compelling point. As campaigner Johann Moxam asked the Compass, “Why is the Elections Office taking the extraordinary step of redoing the petition? They already have the sig- natures bound and presented. Verification should be a simple yes or no question – did you sign the petition?” Government’s position is that this is uncharted ter- ritory for Cayman. Although the 2009 Constitution created this mechanism for a people-led referendum on issues of national importance, this is the first time Cayman’s voters have availed themselves of that right. Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell has stressed the importance of independently verifying every sig- nature, assuring the public his staff will be able to quickly do so. He has said he plans to recruit 100 staff members to conduct the verification process, can- vassing door-to-door, if necessary. Petition signers can take matters into their own hands and go to the Elec- tions Office to confirm their support. We do not doubt for a moment the choice of veri- fication procedures has been motivated by anything less than a deep desire to preserve the integrity of the electoral process. One potential benefit to such a thorough process is that it will leave no question as to whether the threshold has, indeed, been met. But as referendum proponents point out, there are other, less resource-intensive ways to verify that ref- erendum-seekers met their mark. In light of Premier Alden McLaughlin’s apparent dismissiveness of refer- endum-seekers’ efforts, it is not difficult to see why some are dissatisfied by, or even suspicious of govern- ment’s decision to take the harder road. Earlier this month, the premier asserted that gov- ernment need not, and will not, slow progress on the port project unless and until petitions have been verified by the Elections Office and are turned over to Cabinet. He has said he expects a final bidder for the project to be selected in the coming months. In light of developments, the premier should seri- ously consider his position: Will he call a ‘time out’ on port developments while officials verify referendum peti- tions? Will government hold off on making any binding commitments until the verification process is complete? A decision of this size, scope and historic signifi- cance should not be determined by a race to the finish line. “Trust, but verify,” as US President Ronald Reagan liked to say. In this case, it is government’s thorough, swift and fair treatment of petitioners that will build a stronger foundation of trust. Petition verification must be thorough, swift and fair WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Trump’s threat of mass arrests reflects weakness GREG SARGENT Perhaps it’s entirely a co- incidence that President Donald Trump announced that he’s unleashing his de- portation force only hours before he’s scheduled to kick off his re-election campaign with a rally in Florida. But, coincidence or not, Trump undoubtedly sees this announcement as a show of fearsome political strength. Trump plans to run in 2020 on the notion that he rep- resents law and order on the southern border, while painting Democrats as weak and in favour of open borders. What better way to dram- atise this contrast than to crank up the deportations, displaying Trump’s toughness while provoking Democrats into squealing about their squishy, pointy-headed, elitist humanitarian concerns? But this latest threat is better understood as a grand expression of weakness and failure on Trump’s part – po- litical weakness, rooted to no small degree in his abject failure on immigration, his signature issue. Trump tweeted late Monday that next week, Im- migration and Customs En- forcement will soon begin removing the “millions of il- legal aliens who have illic- itly found their way into the United States”. This is an apparent ref- erence to a plan for a blitz- krieg of arrests of thousands of parents and children that was shelved amid concerns about workability and polit- ical blowback over imagery of cruel child arrests. Trump appeared to tweet that the plan is back in motion: “They will be removed as fast as they come in.” But The Washington Post reports facts and context that raise serious doubts about the motives and timing of this ‘announcement’. ICE of- ficials were caught off guard by Trump’s declaration. What’s more, the mass ar- rests don’t appear immedi- ately imminent, though they could come soon. It’s also not clear whether ICE has the manpower to fully unleash such a strike force. And the very act of an- nouncing the action itself raises questions, because, as The Post noted, “publicizing a future law enforcement op- eration is unheard of at ICE”. It’s important to note that there’s an actual set of policy ideas embedded in this threat. The idea here is that asylum-seekers are driven by the notion that if they can enter the asylum system, they can exploit court back- logs and disappear into the interior without showing up for their hearing, and stay il- legally even after a deporta- tion order has been issued for them. Dramatically ar- resting families sends a mes- sage that this is the treat- ment waiting for them if they try this scam. But the administration’s efforts at deterring asylum families through displays of toughness and force have failed spectacularly, because they are fleeing conditions at home that are also terrible. There is a legitimate policy dispute here but one thing that is inescapable is that toughness as deterrence has been unmasked as total folly. Thus, Trump’s threat to unleash deportations – while a genuine humanitarian menace – is also a reminder that on his signature issue, Trump is caught in a feed- back loop of failure. A given threat or act of toughness fails to produce the desired effect, only to be followed by another threat or act of toughness, which Trump and his supporters then hype as forceful and effective. Thus, Trump’s threat of mass arrests is probably in- tended to no small degree as spectacle and gesture. This may be the case in a ‘cruelty is the point’ kind of way – in Trump’s mind, the imagery of mass arrests of families is a feature of this plan, one that will appeal to at least some core supporters. Is that far fetched? Trump reportedly remarked of his family separations: “My people love it.” But, given this announce- ment’s suspect timing, it’s also likely meant to project decisiveness and action, in an area where Trump knows he’s failing. It’s been repeat- edly established that Trump is extraordinarily sensitive to surges in border crossings, which he sees as a metric for judging his presidency. It’s never been clear whether Trump acknowl- edges any political downside to his immigration cruelties and all around border-re- lated impulsiveness. He ap- pears to refuse to accept that they helped Democrats win a large national majority in the 2018 House races. He ap- pears certain – outwardly, at least – that in 2020, it will energise his core supporters by enough to tip the elec- toral college, due dispropor- tionate blue collar whites in the Rust Belt. But the backdrop to all this is that the Trump cam- paign is firing several poll- sters, because internal data leaked revealing Trump as deeply vulnerable to losing reelection – including trailing in Rust Belt states. Trump still enjoys the ad- vantages of incumbency and the good economy. But if his immigration agenda in par- ticular is helping boost his reelection chances in those places, there’s no sign of it yet. Until that changes, this threat of mass arrests looks more than anything else like doubling down on a failing strategy – both substantively and politically. Greg Sargent writes The Plum Line blog. He joined The Post in 2010, after stints at Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine and the New York Observer. © 2019, The Washington Post. Trump’s threat of mass arrests is probably intended to no small degree as spectacle and gesture. The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE 2019 L M onica and the M agic S wing . On location with Monica Walton enjoying a morning swing ocal TV host, videographer, and entrepreneur Monica Walton was pictured getting the ride of her life via Cayman parrots in a new ad for the “Dream in Cayman” campaign. In the image, the colourful parrots are carrying Monica across the clear Cayman water to a secluded beach on the shores of Little Cayman. To create the dreamlike image, a rig was constructed by local production company INTEC to support a large, driftwood swing. Badir Awe from Awesome Productions was also on hand to help orchestrate the production. The photo of Monica and the swing was then composited onto a picturesque scene of the Little Cayman shoreline, later adding a well-trained flock of Cayman parrots. Apparently, building a dream is no small feat. The final image: Parrots carry Monica over the clear, Little Cayman waterThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS ATHLETICS Danielle Bailey Kashief Dawkins Brandon Williams Jeavhon Jackson Victor Magalhaes Karim Murray Michael Smikle Louis Gordon Carl Morgan Derek Larner (athlete/coach) Patrick Harfield BEACH VOLLEYBALL Marissa Harrison Ileann Powery Jessica Wolfenden Stefania Gandolfi Richard Campbell Nathan Dack TABLE TENNIS Donovan Nelson Leigh Hipkins Wayne Alexander Wayne Haye Mary Jane Visto Christine Isaacs CYCLING Michael Testori TENNIS Callum Theaker Daniel Reid Berno de Villiers Jake Booker Oskar Bjuroe Willow Wilkinson Lauren Fullerton Jade Wilkinson Ilona Groark SWIMMING Elana Sinclair Samantha Bailey Alison Jackson Avery Lambert Jillian Crooks Raya Embury-Brown Kyra Rabess Cole Morgan The new port anchorage zone is outlined in blue stripes on the map, which also indicates where Cayman’s marine park zones will be once the legislation is passed. responsible for any damage they cause to it should they do so.” John Bothwell, manager of the Legislation Imple- mentation and Coordina- tion Unit of the Department of Environment, said the zoning change was part of the enhanced marine parks legislation approved by Cab- inet. The overall effect will be to increase no-fishing zones around all three is- lands, protecting some 44% of the island’s territorial wa- ters, but it will also mean part of the harbour moves out of the direct control of the Department of Envi- ronment and ceases to be a marine park. He said there would still be no fishing allowed in the port anchorage area, but it would be the responsibility of the Port Authority to police this, along with snorkelling and diving in the area. “From a conservation management perspective, there should be no impact from the change of zone. However, policing of the Port Anchorage Area, including the no fishing rules, will be the responsibility of the port authority or police,” he said. New marine parks leg- islation is currently going through the legal drafting process. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Part of harbour to lose marine park status of that team – Scimone Chin, Hannah Parchment, Alicia Turner and Khailan O’Connor – are back in 2019. The most successful dele- gation for Cayman at the Got- land games was the athletics team, which brought back six gold and 12 total medals. Carl Morgan, who won gold in the triple jump and silver in the long jump, will be back, and so will Jeavhon Jackson, who took home a bronze in the 400- metre hurdles. Jackson and Morgan were also part of Cayman’s gold medal team in the 4x100 me- tres relay. Cayman won six swimming medals in 2017, but none of the medal-winners are returning. Alison Jackson, Avery Lambert and Jillian Crooks will be among the Cayman competitors vying for gold in Gibraltar. Marissa Harrison, Ste- fania Gandolfiand Jessica Wolfenden will lead Cayman’s team in beach volleyball. Cayman won six shooting medals in 2017, and Ales Ce- vela will represent the team this time around. Cameron Stafford, Julian Jervis, Jake Kelly, Marlene West, Eilidh Bridgeman, Jade Pitcairn and Lara Conolly will represent Cayman in squash, and Donovan Nelson, Leigh Hipkins and Wayne Alexander will be among the six players chosen to represent Cayman at table tennis. Four triathletes – Alyssa Dodson, Laura Hicks, Gabe Rabess and Patrick Har- field – will hit the beach, the bike and ocean for Cayman, and Rob Jackson and Will Jackson will comprise Cay- man’s sailing team. John Bodden Jordan Crooks SAILING Rob Jackson Will Jackson SHOOTING Ales Cevela MEN’S BASKETBALL Samuel O’Garro Shaad O’Garro Davion Cotterell Jake Whittaker NiiAkwei General Philip Webb Joshua O’Garro Tikko Moore Juawon Ebanks Arin Taylor Kai Robinson Joshua Dikau WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Courtisha Ebanks Hannah Parchment Khailan O’Connor Dionne Anglin Yolanni Manzanares Michal Segal Neandra Forbes-Morgan Stacey-Ann Kelly Alicia Turner Melissa Bridgemohan Scimone Chin TRIATHLON Alyssa Dodson Laura Hicks Gabe Rabess Patrick Harfield SQUASH Cameron Stafford Julian Jervis Jake Kelly Marlene West Eilidh Bridgeman Jade Pitcairn Lara Conolly 80 athletes to represent Cayman in Island Games Cayman’s basketball team and supporters celebrate the team’s gold medal win after they flew back to Cayman from the 2017 Island Games in Sweden. Many of the same members will be playing in this year’s Games in Gibraltar next month. The change, which will be introduced alongside new legislation expanding and enhancing Cayman’s system of marine parks, means part of the harbour will no longer officially be designated as a marine park. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE 2019 STELLA MARIS Junior Dancers SPECIAL APPEARANCES BY AWARD WINNING GOLD MEDALIST STELLA MARIS JUNIOR DANCERS JAMAICA Miss Cayman Islands Universe, Actress, Model: Caitlin Tyson Miss World Cayman: Kelsie Woodman-Bodden Miss Teen Cayman Islands: Latecia Bush Emcees: Andrel Harris and Anika Conolly PERFORMANCES: Caitlyn Tyson, Althea Miller, Centre Pointe Dance Studio, Tiffany Conolly, Rita Estevanovich, UCCI Performing Arts, Trifina, Denys Carbo, Ericka Rockett McBean, Dream Chasers Cayman, Dance Unlimited, John Gray High School Performing Arts, Liana DaCosta, Zariah Anglin and Tatyana RISING STARS: Rising Star Dancers, Cayman Music School, Reyah Stewart, Amber McLaughlin, George Town Primary School Performing Arts, Daniella Shibli, Vitoria Buttrum, Cayman Academy Performing Arts, Edna M. Moyle Primary School Quadrille Dancers, Poetry Slam Finalist Shante Ramoon SPONSORS: PART PROCEEDS FROM THIS EVENT TO BENEFIT THE FRANCES BODDEN CHILDREN’S HOME. THE NEW SELF–HELP COMMUNITY FOUNDATION PRESENTS TICKETS • FUNKY TANGS • WINNERS CIRCLE SPORTS POETRY, DANCE, EXHIBITION, CREATIVE TEACHINGS WHEN: 2019 WHERE: HARQUAIL THEATRE GATES OPEN 5:30 PM SHOW STARTS 6:30PM PREPAID $10 GATE $15 CORPORATE SERVICES LTD RUBIS SAVANNAH RUBIS EASTERN AVENUE RUBIS JOSE’S RUBIS RED BAY MINISTRY OF EDUCATION YOUTH, SPORTS, AGRICULTURE & LANDS MINISTRY OF HEALTH & CULTURE Victims ‘stable’ after bloody domestic dispute Police investigating claims man knifed family and killed himself JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A woman and her two children were in stable con- dition in hospital Tuesday, recovering from serious stab wounds after a bloody do- mestic dispute in West Bay that left one man dead. No arrests have been made following the incident on Father’s Day, and police are investigating claims that the dead man’s stab wounds were self-inflicted. Neighbours told the Cayman Compass that they had come to the aid of the bleeding woman and her two children, aged around 9 and 13, in the aftermath of the stabbings Sunday evening. Osires Watler, who was visiting family in a neighbouring home, said the woman, who had a knife wound to her neck, had claimed her boyfriend had stabbed her and her children and then turned the weapon on himself. Police have confirmed they are not looking for an- yone else outside of the four people involved in Sunday night’s incident. Though the dead man, a 42-year-old from Jamaica, is well known lo- cally and has been named on social media, officers have re- quested his name not be pub- lished until his family in Ja- maica have been informed. That process was still taking place at press time Tuesday. Detective Superintendent Pete Lansdown said detec- tives were looking at the pos- sibility that the man had killed himself, among other lines of inquiry “We have got an open mind, we are investigating all possibilities, but it is pos- sible that he inflicted the wound on himself,” he said in a television interview. He said all four of the people involved had suffered “horrible knife injuries” and praised the neighbours who had come to their aid. “They rendered some first aid to the young children that were injured before the police arrived, so yes, I will praise them,” Lansdown told Cayman 27. “I will stress that we are not looking outside this very small area of West Bay for any other parties at this moment.” Police sealed off the home in West Bay Monday following Sunday night’s fatal stabbing incident in which one man died and a woman and her two children were injured. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman unit is working to clear the backlog, but has some challenges in cases where people are no longer living in Cayman. “A large percentage of the outstanding PR fees are from persons who have left the ju- risdiction, making it diffi- cult for Government to collect such payments,” according to a statement in response to ques- tions from the Compass. Though the FOI asked for data in reference to permanent residency holders still living on island, the response provided was based on all PR holders, with the immigration depart- ment indicating it was unable to confirm who had left the is- land permanently. Permanent residency fees vary according to profession. PR holders are required to pay annual fees on a schedule that parallels the work permit fee schedule. Accountants, for example, would be required to pay between $10,400 and $13,650 each year, depending on the sector they work in. A stenographer would pay $2,100. Nick Joseph, a lawyer with HSM, said there were many “in- nocent reasons” for late or non- payment, including confusion over when the fees were due and, in some cases, whether the PR holder or their employer was responsible for the fee. Changes to the law were in- troduced in 2013 allowing for PR status to be revoked after 90 days of non-payment. Immigra- tion authorities have taken that step on 107 occasions since then, government indicated. Joseph, who specialises in immigration and analysed the data for the Compass, said the figures actually rep- resent an improvement, com- pared to previous years, when the outstanding fees were much higher. Since then, there has also been an increase in the number of PR status holders, he added. “More people owe less money, is the conclusion I reach, and that must be posi- tive,” he said. “The numbers appear to be reflective of numerous steps in the right direction, and is in- dicative of improving enforce- ment,” he added. He said the data may also include a significant number of people who were simply late with their payments, rather than attempting to dodge the fee altogether. He said there was often confusion or dispute over whether the PR holder or the employer had agreed to pay, and the precise date that the fee was due. Some PR holders may not realise they are required to continue paying if they leave the island and want to main- tain their status, or if they are granted British Overseas Terri- tories Citizenship, he added. “A tightening of the legisla- tion can address much of the scope for misunderstanding as to what fees are due and when, and we would recommend the government to take such steps. It would certainly help reduce the numbers even fur- ther,” he said. Joseph said government had the power to remove PR status for continued non-pay- ment but suggested this may not be appropriate in all cases, particularly those involving parents of Caymanian children. According to government’s statement, WORC is looking at the issue as part of the broader reform of immigration and workforce management. “Since the establishment of WORC, department leaders have reviewed all current im- migration processes, identi- fied the key issues and are working to put in place meas- ures to address the ineffi- ciencies and streamline all business processes,” the state- ment indicated. No arrests have been made following the incident on Father’s Day, and police are investigating claims that the dead man’s stab wounds were self-inflicted. $2.6M in unpaid PR fees owed to government CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman loses community advocate Bev Banks Events company donates to 2 charities KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com The story of Beverly Adma Banks’s life was one of love – love for her community and her fellow man. An advocate for women, the disadvantaged and the sick, Banks touched and changed many lives in Cayman and across the Caribbean. Born 10 Feb. 1940 in Ja- maica to Caymanian and Jamaican parents, Banks passed away on 1 June at her West Bay home following a battle with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Even through her illness, Banks continued to advocate for others, and was instru- mental in establishing Cay- man’s ALS Foundation. “There are few people in our lives who will intrinsi- cally weave their lives into yours on various stages and levels as Mrs. Bev has done for so many people she has touched. As a visionary, com- passionate and influential leader in our community, she had a vision to start a foun- dation to help persons living with ALS in our beautiful is- lands,” said foundation di- rector Adonza Harrison. “She spent hours with us even though she’d get tired, sharing pertinent info and prayed we would find the right persons and support for this daunting challenge. With the greatest inspira- tion, ALS Cayman is com- mitted to honouring her vision, by increasing aware- ness of ALS in the Cayman Islands, and by providing support for those affected by this life-changing condition.” The ALS Foundation is just one piece of Banks’s legacy. Sister Debbie McTag- gart said Banks inspired many to continue fighting for a better society and to carry on the work that she began. Banks was also a cham- pion for women and sup- porter of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, a provider of services and shelter to vic- tims of domestic violence. “The fight against do- mestic violence was a cause which Ms. Bev was involved with for a number of years. She was an integral part of the National Steering Com- mittee between 2000 and 2003 that was instrumental in creating the Cayman Is- lands Crisis Centre,” ac- cording to a statement from the organisation. “She was a hard-working and very vocal member of the board and was always emphatic that there needed to be a similar shelter for men. Her passion for helping people was evident in all that she was as a person. Ms. Bev served on the board until May 2009. Her spirit of vol- unteerism didn’t end with the Crisis Centre but pro- pelled her to give of her time and effort to other equally worthy causes.” As a member of the Busi- ness and Professional Wom- en’s Club, her outspoken na- ture made her an important source of guidance, said friend Annie Multon. Through the organisation, she helped bring the Silent Witness March to Cayman and ad- vocate for survivors of do- mestic violence. “Bev was a calm, serene and gentle person who put into action her better im- pulses, straightforward and unafraid. She did it like she thought it had to be done; no second guessing with Bev. That was the Bev I knew and appreciated. You knew where you stood with her,” Multon said. At Cayman Islands Hos- pital, she advocated for both patients and staff. A Health Services Authority tribute to her said she developed the hospital’s first customer ser- vice training programme, and continued the initiative on a voluntary basis. She also pushed for the creation of quiet rooms at the hospital, ensuring patients and fam- ilies would have a private space for consultations. “The HSA has lost a true champion, a visionary and a friend. Her legacy will al- ways live on and she will never be forgotten,” an HSA statement reads. Throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, Banks lived outside of Cayman. In Jamaica, she owned and operated a photo studio, record shop and res- taurant, among other ven- tures. Later, she would move to the Dominican Republic where she took up a teaching post at the Instituto Cultural Dominico Americano. In her time there, she helped double the size of the institute’s teaching staff. Her return to Cayman in 1980 would put her on the path to reunite with the love of her life, Dale Banks. He recalled first meeting Beverly in 1954, when she was playing with a group of other young people. She stood out from the crowd. The two would continue run into each other on other occasions over the years. “The next time I saw her, her mother introduced me to her. Her mother worked in an ice-cream parlour in George Town and I went to get some ice cream and Bev was in there. So her mother introduced me. That night, a group of us fellas were having a dance in West Bay,” Dale Banks said. “I invited Ms. Florence – that was Bev’s mother – and Bev to come to the dance. I asked her to dance.” It would not be until 1984, however, that the two would realise their great love story. At that time, Dale Banks had retired from the Air Force and returned to Cayman. Beverly was working at Motor and General as an underwriter. “Her mother brought us together the first time. My mother brought us back to- gether,” Dale Banks said. “I don’t think we even needed to talk about ‘Are we going to get married?’ because that was taken for granted. I was divorced, and she was divorced, and everything just fell into place. Then, the next year, we were married.” He recalled her passion setting up Cayman Against Substance Abuse after a friend lost her son in a drunk driving accident. When Banks saw something that was not right, she tackled it. And she did not hesitate in sharing her insight with others. “I used to tell her, there’s an old saying about tact. Di- plomacy is the ability to call a man an SOB and have him thank you for it. That was Bev. She could chew me out better than any first ser- geant I ever worked for in the Air Force without hurting me. She just had a way of reasoning things out,” Dale Banks said, adding that there will never be another woman like his wife of 34 years. “I don’t think anybody knew Bev that didn’t like her or love her. She made friends everywhere.” A member of the Baha’i faith, she embraced the be- lief that service to humanity is service to God. A statement from the Na- tional Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Jamaica read, “We saw this in her passion for her beloved Cayman Is- lands and her desire to con- tribute to its progress and the welfare of its citizens. We saw it in her work to fight domestic abuse and sub- stance abuse, her concern about the delivery of efficient and caring health services, her commitment to the em- powerment of women, and lastly in her generosity and everyday acts of kindness, random and otherwise.” Banks is survived by sons Derek, Juan, Roberto and Fe- lipe, and daughters Maria and Deanna, and an extensive extended family. A local entertain- ment company is using its events to support good causes in Cayman. Maven Entertainment do- nated proceeds from two of its recent FLAGS events to support the Cayman Islands Cancer Society and Meals on Wheels. FLAGS is a twice yearly music event put on by Maven Entertainment that cele- brates different countries and cultures. Horatio Hyman of Maven Entertainment said the con- tribution to the Cancer So- ciety had a personal element for him. “It has always been a charity I wanted to work alongside as my oldest daughter’s mom has been battling the disease for the past 10 years and she’s a cancer survivor. I also lost my grandma to the disease as she wasn’t so fortunate,” he said. “I have seen people lose loved ones from it as well, and just wanted to give back to someone who is fighting/ battling with the disease, and the best way to do that was through the Cayman Islands Cancer Society.” Catherine Ebanks of the Cancer Society said dona- tions like this one allow the organisation to continue its support for those in need. For the donation to Meals on Wheels, Hyman said he had worked with the group previously through Rotaract Blue and wanted to continue supporting their mission to deliver hot, nutritious meals to senior citizens. Erin Bodden of Meals on Wheels said, “Every bit helps towards feeding our seniors in need and disabled individ- uals within the community. It only costs $5 per day to pro- vide a hot meal and a soup through our programme, so their donation has gone on to provide 30 meals and some additional treats with their in-kind donation.” FLAGS is a twice yearly music event put on by Maven Entertainment that celebrates different countries and cultures. Beverly Banks Beverly and Dale Banks on their wedding day Horatio Hyman, left, and Michella Powell, right, hand over a donation to Erin Bodden of Meals on Wheels. - PHOTOS: SUBMITTED Catherine Ebanks of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society receives a donation from Horatio Hyman of Maven Entertainment.9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE 2019 Trump threatens to deport millions beginning next week Egypt’s ousted president Morsi dies in court during trial WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump is threat- ening to remove millions of people living in the United States illegally on the eve of formally announcing his re- election bid. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement next week will “begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have il- licitly found their way into the United States”, Trump said in a pair of tweets Monday night. “They will be removed as fast as they come in,” he wrote. An administration official said the effort would focus on the more than 1 million people who have been issued final deportation orders by federal judges but remain at large in the US. The official spoke on condition of ano- nymity to explain the presi- dent’s tweets. Other US officials with knowledge of the prepara- tions have said the opera- tion was not imminent, and that ICE officials were not aware the president would make public sensitive law en- forcement plans on Twitter. The officials spoke on con- dition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly. It is unusual for law en- forcement agencies to an- nounce raids before they take place. Some in Trump’s administration believe that decisive shows of force – like mass arrests – can serve as effective deterrents, sending a message to those consid- ering making the journey to the US that it’s not worth coming. Trump has threatened a series of increasingly drastic actions as he has tried to stem the flow of Central American migrants crossing the southern border, which has risen dramatically on his watch. He recently dropped a threat to slap tariffs on Mexico after the country agreed to dispatch its na- tional guard and step-up coordination and enforce- ment efforts. A senior Mexican offi- cial said Monday that, three weeks ago, about 4,200 mi- grants were arriving at the US border daily. Now that number has dropped to about 2,600. Immigration was a cen- tral theme of Trump’s 2016 campaign and he is ex- pected to hammer it as he tries to fire up his base heading into the 2020 campaign. Trump will formally launch his re-election bid Tuesday night at a rally in Orlando, Florida – a state that is crucial to his path back to the White House. CAIRO (AP) – Egypt’s first democratically elected pres- ident, Islamist leader Mo- hammed Morsi who was ousted by the military in 2013 after a year in office, collapsed in court while on trial Monday and died, state TV and his family said. The 67-year-old Morsi had just addressed the court, speaking from the glass cage he is kept in during sessions and warning that he had “many secrets” he could re- veal, a judicial official said. A few minutes afterward, he col- lapsed in the cage, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press. In his final comments, he continued to insist he was Egypt’s legitimate president, demanding a special tribunal, one of his defence lawyers, Kamel Madour told the As- sociated Press. State TV said Morsi died before he could be taken to the hospital. Morsi’s Muslim Broth- erhood accused the gov- ernment of “assassinating” him through years of poor prison conditions. In a state- ment, the group demanded an international investiga- tion into Morsi’s death and called on Egyptians to pro- test outside Egypt’s embassy across the world. Morsi, who was known to have diabetes, had been imprisoned since his 2013 ouster, often in solitary con- finement and barred from visitors – his family was al- lowed to visit only three times during that time. Egypt’s chief prosecutor said Morsi’s body would be examined to determine the cause of his death. State TV, citing an unnamed medical source, said he died after suf- fering a heart attack. It was a dramatic end for a figure who was central in the twists and turns taken by Egypt since its “revolution” – from the pro-democracy up- rising that in 2011 ousted the country’s longtime authori- tarian leader, Hosni Mubarak, through controversial Is- lamist rule and now back to a tight grip under the domi- nation of military men. The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s most powerful Is- lamist group, won the elec- tions held after Mubarak’s fall, considered the first free votes the country had seen. First, they gained a majority in parliament, then Morsi squeaked to victory in presi- dential elections held in 2012, becoming the first civilian to hold the office. Critics accused the Brotherhood of using vio- lence against opponents and seeking to monopolise power and Islamize the state. Mas- sive protests grew against their rule, until the military – led by then-Defense Minister, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi – ousted Morsi in July 2013, dissolved parliament and eventually banned the Brotherhood as a “terrorist group”. El-Sissi was elected pres- ident and re-elected in 2018 in votes human rights groups sharply criticised as un- democratic. He has waged a ferocious crackdown that crushed the Brotherhood but also almost all other dis- sent, arresting tens of thou- sands, banning protests and silencing most criticism in the media. Since his ouster, Morsi and other Brotherhood leaders have been put on mul- tiple and lengthy trials. Morsi was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of or- dering Brotherhood members to break up a protest against him, resulting in deaths. Mul- tiple cases are still pending. Monday’s session was part of a retrial, held next to Cairo’s Tora Prison, on charges of es- pionage with the Palestinian Hamas militant group. Morsi was held in a spe- cial wing in Tora nicknamed Scorpion Prison. Rights groups say its conditions fall far below Egyptian and inter- national standards. In contrast, Mubarak was allowed to stay in a mili- tary hospital during trials on various charges related to killing the protesters in 2011 uprising – of which he was eventually cleared. Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director with the Human Rights Watch, said in a tweet that Morsi’s death was “terrible but entirely pre- dictable” given the govern- ment “failure to allow him adequate medical care, much less family visits”. Mohammed Sudan, leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood in London, said Morsi was banned from receiving med- icine or visits and there was little information about his health condition. “This is premeditated murder. This is slow death,” he said. Freedom and Justice, the Brotherhood’s political arm, said in a statement on its Facebook page that prison conditions led to Morsi’s death in what amounted to “assassination”. The judicial official said Morsi had asked to speak to the court during Mon- day’s session. The judge per- mitted it, and Morsi gave a speech saying he had “many secrets” that, if he told them, he would be released, but he added that he wasn’t telling them because it would harm Egypt’s national security. Madour, the defence lawyer, said Morsi spoke for around five minutes, “very calm and organized”, before collapsing inside the cage. A spokesman for the Inte- rior Ministry did not answer calls seeking comment. Morsi, an engineer who studied at the University of Southern California, was an unlikely figure to be thrust into Egypt’s central stage. He was never considered a major thinker in the Broth- erhood and instead rose through its ranks as an ef- ficient, if lackluster, loyalist. The group only put him for- ward as its presidential candidate in 2012 after a more prominent and pow- erful figure, Khairat al-Sh- ater, was declared ineligible to run. The election victories were the crowning point for the Brotherhood, which had been banned under Mubarak but even underground had been the most organised op- position force. Initially, Morsi made gestures towards the secular pro-democracy activ- ists who led the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. But over the course of the year, oppo- nents accused his Brother- hood of hijacking the revolu- tion and trying to entrench Islamist rule. Major protests erupted, particularly over the process of writing a new constitu- tion in which critics said the Brotherhood was allowing Islamists to write a charter largely on their terms. Brotherhood supporters cracked down violently on some protests. As protests grew, the mili- tary stepped in. Critics called the move a coup, but el-Sissi’s supporters call it a popularly backed move. The subsequent crack- down has all but completely dismantled the Brotherhood, with hundreds killed and thousands imprisoned, with most other active figures fleeing abroad. At the same time, secular pro-democracy activists were also crushed. Throughout his trials, Morsi insisted he remained Egypt’s legitimate presi- dent. In early court sessions he gave angry speeches until judges ordered him kept in a glass cage during sessions where they could turn off his audio. In audio leaked from a 2017 session of one of his trials, Morsi complained that he was “completely isolated” from the court, unable to see or hear his defense team, his eyes pained by lighting inside the cage. “I don’t know where I am,” he is heard saying in the audio. “It’s steel behind steel and glass behind glass. The reflection of my image makes me dizzy.” Trump has threatened a series of increasingly drastic actions as he has tried to stem the flow of Central American migrants crossing the southern border, which has risen dramatically on his watch. In his final comments, he continued to insist he was Egypt’s legitimate president, demanding a special tribunal. President Donald Trump said Monday that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement will begin removing millions of people who are in the US illegally. – PHOTO: AP Egypt’s ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, seen here sitting in a defendant cage in 2014, collapsed during a court session Monday and died. – PHOTO: APNext >