WHAT’S HOT WEEKLY WHAT’S HOT WEEKLY Xclusive Ink High of 88 Low of 78 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. FREE INSIDE ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – FRIDAY, 9 AUGUST 2019 6pc - $2.99 9 MOZZARELLA STICKS New! Environmental study planned for port design Concerns persist despite reduction in dredging JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky The final proposed design for the new cruise port reduces the ‘dredge footprint’ of the project by around 20%, according to the Ministry of Tourism. The design, submitted by Verdant Isle Port Partners, still involves dredging some 68,000 square metres of the seabed to make way for the new berthing facility. The original design involved 97,000 square metres of dredging. There is also a slight reduction in the amount of ‘reclaimed land’ for the port. The new design shifts the angle of the piers, extending them into deeper water, to allow for less dredging. Despite those changes, environmental cam- paigners remain concerned about the impact the project will have on the harbour, which in- cludes multiple popular diving and snorkel- ling sites, including Eden Rock and Cheese- burger Reef. Linda Clark, part of the campaign for a ref- erendum on the port project, said the sedi- mentation from dredging during construction and operations would be fatal for the neigh- bouring coral reefs. She said more informa- tion was needed on the extent of the impact beyond the dredge zone itself. Eden Rock, which attracts thousands of divers annually to its network of underwater caverns and tunnels, is directly adjacent to where the new piers will be built. Clark added that any coral relocation would be largely cosmetic and would not be adequate to replace the “ancient, complex structures” that would be lost as a result of the project. The Ministry of Tourism, in a series of written responses to questions from the Cayman Compass, indicated that a $10 million Governor unconcerned over claims of ‘interference’ in port petition - See page 8 PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » CAYMAN SEEKS TO PURCHASE NEW POLICE HELICOPTER RCIPS in negotiations with bidder The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is in the process of acquiring a new helicopter to replace the one damaged at Owen Roberts International Airport in February. Cabinet ap- proved the purchase this week. The damaged helicopter, which was built in 1999, had a projected life span of about five years when it arrived in Cayman in early 2010. It had a reported technical failure shortly after takeoff in February and the tail struck the ground. Nobody was hurt in the incident. The helicopter was sent to the United States for a damage assessment in May. “The Cabinet has approved the purchase of the second helicopter, which will be replacing the one that was lost in February of this year in the accident that took place at the ORIA,” said RCIPS media officer Jodi-Ann Powery in a statement. “We are currently in negotiations with our preferred bidder and hopeful that by end of the year we will have [the] process of pur- chasing this new helicopter under way.” Cayman purchased another helicopter for a little over US$11 million earlier this year, and the UK contributed about 25% of the purchase price. That helicopter, a black Airbus H145, arrived in Cayman on 21 March. One of its first assignments was to ferry Prince Charles from Little Cayman back to Grand Cayman on 28 March. The RCIPS reported in July that the helicopter had been used for six medical evacuations in the last two weeks of June. 13 baby blue iguanas born this week A blue iguana hatchling breaks through its shell this week, one of 13 baby iguanas hatched at the Blue Iguana Recovery Program site at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Park. For more on this story, see page 6. - PHOTO: LUKE HARDING $1 million worth of ganja seized Police arrested a 32-year- old man from Cayman Brac after Joint Marine Unit officers stopped a boat containing more than 1,200 pounds of ganja, with an estimated street value of more than $1 million. According to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the Joint Marine Unit consisting of officers from the RCIPS and Customs and Border Patrol, and the Air Operations Unit were on border patrol duties when officers in the helicopter spotted the boat about 11 miles off East End. Police said the boat had one occupant on board and what PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » BACK TO SCHOOL FEATURE 1 SPECIAL FEATURE CAYMAN COMPASS • FR IDAY AUGUST 9, 2019 2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY, 9 AUGUST 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. - FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) DORA AND THE LOST (PG) CITY OF GOLD 1:05 VIP (SAT ONLY) | 4:00 | 6:45 SUN: 3:00 | 6:45 F&F HOBBS & SHAW (PG13) 1:05 3D | 4:05 | 6:45 VIP | 9:40 | 9:50 VIP SUN: 4:30 | 6:35 | 6:45 VIP | 8:00 | 9:40 | 9:50 VIP SPIDER-MAN FAR (PG13) FROM HOME 12:30 3D | 3:45 | 9:50 SUN: 3:20 | 9:50 SPIDERMAN: INTO THE (PG) SPIDERVERSE 1:00 (SAT ONLY) THE KITCHEN (R) 1:30 | 4:15 | 7:20 | 10:00 THE ART OF RACING IN (PG) THE RAIN 1:15 | 3:45 VIP | 7:15 | 9:30 SUN: 3:45 VIP | 7:15 | 9:30 BRING THE SOUL: (PG) THE MOVIE 7:00 SUN: 4:00 THE LION KING (2019) (PG) 12:45 | 3:45 3D | 6:30 | 9:15 3D SUN: 3:45 | 6:30 | 9:15 3D KIDS CLUB: ENCHANTED (G) 10:00 (SAT ONLY) 94-PASTA [947.2782] • Marquee Plaza Lunch & Dinner Local Seafood Best Breakfast Deals on Island Caribbean Flair Signal to ease Grand Harbour traffic The National Roads Au- thority is installing a new traffic signal on South Sound Road in an effort to ease traffic on Crewe Road and Linford Pierson Highway during evening rush hour. The signal is expected to begin operating on 19 Aug. In a news release, the agency said the traffic feeding into the Grand Har- bour roundabout from South Sound is partially respon- sible for the lengthy backups that occur on Crewe Road, which sometimes also stretch to most of the length of Lin- ford Pierson. “Motorists travelling east from single-lane South Sound Road onto the roundabout have priority over motor- ists using the two eastbound travel lanes on Crewe Road,” the release said. “This forces them to give way to the right, creating traffic queues ex- tending back onto Linford Pierson Highway.” The new signal will be set back from the rounda- bout. A painted stop bar on the road will indicate where cars are required to stop and wait until the red light turns amber, allowing cars to move to the current rounda- bout limit, where they will still have to yield to traffic coming from the right. The lights will cycle every 10 to 12 seconds. “The traffic meter is going to allow gaps in the east- bound evening peak traffic flow on South Sound Road, that will in turn cause east- bound traffic on the main artery to flow through Grand Harbour Rounda- bout much faster,” said NRA Acting Managing Director Ed Howard. The signal will only op- erate during peak traffic times Monday through Friday, typically between 4:30-6:30pm. A 2018 study found that an average of 4,821 cars use the rounda- bout during that time period. “The NRA notes that this is an interim solution, be- fore more detailed plans for traffic relief in this area,” the release said. The new signal pole on South Sound Road will also soon feature the installation of the first set of electronic vehicle registration detec- tion devices designed to read the new registration stickers and plates. New traffic lights are being erected at the South Sound Road entrance to the Grand Harbour roundabout to help ease congestion. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Labour office investigates Vela fall The Department of La- bour and Pensions is investi- gating an accident in which a worker fell 20 feet at a con- struction site at the Vela de- velopment on South Sound Road on Monday. The incident oc- curred around 10:30am on Monday at Phase 2 of the development. According to the Inspec- tions Unit of the Department of Labour and Pensions, the injured male employee fell from a height of about 20 feet and was reported to be conscious with a visible head wound when emer- gency services arrived on the scene. He was taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital for treatment. Interns learn about construction for summer CORRECTION Seven interns joined Arch & Godfrey for the compa- ny’s summer internship pro- gramme, including Diana Rodriquez-Riol, Samuel Reid, Brandon Williams, Zeb Yanez- Bush, Asia Bush, Jevon Bush and Matthew Hanson. Garth Arch, managing di- rector of Arch & Godfrey, said the interns were spending their summer at the company at an exciting time for the in- dustry. “Projects are much larger, more complex and challenging. We started our internship programme many years ago and, typically, we would only have one or two students who attend each year. However, this year we are pleased to say that our numbers have significantly increased. It is certainly en- couraging to see young Cay- manians with an interest in the construction industry and who are willing to put in the time and hard work necessary to be successful in this field.” According to a press re- lease, Yanez-Bush’s career goal is to become a quantity surveyor, Asia Bush is inter- ested in studying law and the other five are all budding civil engineers. Rodriquez-Riol, a Univer- sity College of the Cayman Is- lands student, said, “During my time at A&G, I have gained a great amount of experience and knowledge of what being an engineer is like in the real world. I was able to work side by side with engineers that are highly skilled in their field. My time here has also helped me to develop an appreciation for the importance of commu- nication and collaboration in the industry, especially in the construction process.” Jevon Bush, another UCCI student, has been with the Arch & Godfrey team every summer since 2015. He is pursuing an associate degree in engineering technology (civil). He said, “Everyone has tried their best to teach me as much as they can, and have always been kind to me. It is an experience where you will be exposed to every as- pect of the building process, that in turn will help with career decisions and profes- sional growth.” A story that appeared in the Cayman Compass on 20 Feb. 2018, titled ‘Pi- rates Caves area gets face- lift’, erroneously stated that a lease on the property was for 10 years. According to the lease agreement recently seen by the Compass, the lease is for five years. The article also referred to the interviewee as the manager of Pirates Caves, when it should have referred to her as the manager of the Pirates Eatery. The lease agreement also appears to indicate that the lease is for a unit within the property, rather than the entire prop- erty of Pirates Caves. The Arch & Godfrey interns with construction manager Shawn Maxwell, fourth from left, and managing director Garth Arch, second from right, at The Grove construction site. Telephone: 1-345-923-2471 Email: startsomething@bbbs.ky Courtesy of Cayman CompassThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS FRIDAY, 9 AUGUST 2019 The choice is yours. Live beachfront year round, spend your holidays here or even choose to put your residence in a short-term rental programme managed by AAA Five Diamond award-winning Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa. One- to five-bedroom residences starting from US$1.4 million. Contact the Seafire Sales Specialists for more information about owning at Seafire and the benefits of the rental programme. +1.345.640.7000 | seafireresidencescayman.com Wake up to a great investment. Your eligibility for purchase will depend upon your state of residency. This is not intended to be an offer to sell nor a solicitation of offers to buy real estate and/or securities to residents of any jurisdiction unless exemptions from registration are available in the applicable jurisdiction. FULL DESIGN SERVICES AVAILABLE FROM AWARD-WINNING INTERIOR DESIGNER MARTYN LAWRENCE BULLARDFRIDAY, 9 AUGUST 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 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: Compass Media Limited Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman, KY1-1108 Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@compassmedia.ky ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@compassmedia.ky Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHER KATHLEEN CAPETTA EDITOR CATHERINE MACGILLIVRAY A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” The inside men who Johnson may tap for a more understated BOE After more than five years of a high-profile Bank of England chief, the new gov- ernment may welcome the quieter tone of one of his ca- pable deputies. Mark Carney, due to leave the BOE in January, has drawn the ire of the Brexi- teers that form much of Boris Johnson’s administration for what they see as overly po- litical and gloomy statements on the UK’s future outside the European Union. With one of the first tasks in the new government’s in- tray being picking a new gov- ernor, one appealing option could be choosing a seasoned operator from within the in- stitution. That opens the door for all three of the deputy governors on the Mone- tary Policy Committee – Ben Broadbent, Jon Cunliffe and Dave Ramsden. Such a move could bur- nish Johnson’s economic cre- dentials by avoiding a more controversial choice and draw a contrast with Carney, who joined the BOE with a strong international reputation after leading the Bank of Canada. “They are all probably less dynamic, less outspoken than Carney,” said Samuel Tombs, an economist at Pan- theon Macroeconomics in London. “All three of them would be considered to be a safe pair of hands, and not get too much in the govern- ment’s way.” While none of the three differ wildly from the incum- bent in their views on Brexit or monetary policy, they tend to be less forthright in the expression of those opinions, and their language, particu- larly with Broadbent, tends to veer towards the more ac- ademic end of the spectrum. That puts them in the same mould as Financial Conduct Authority chief An- drew Bailey, who leads the race to replace Carney in Bloomberg’s latest poll of economists. Still, Bailey’s candidacy may be under- mined by recent criticism over his record on tackling fi- nancial misconduct. Broadbent was joint second in the latest poll, while Ramsden and Cun- liffe stood fifth and seventh. None of them have explic- itly said whether they have applied for the role. The three insiders have followed career paths, in- cluding stints at the Treasury, that are likely to make them popular with an interview panel which re- portedly prizes Whitehall experience. John Kingman, the chairman of Legal and General Plc, and Cunliffe are favoured by the Treasury, according to the Daily Mail. “Carney came from a very different background,” said Sanjay Raja, a UK econ- omist at Deutsche Bank in London, who says Bailey re- mains the frontrunner. “If you have Ramsden, Cun- liffe or Broadbent, they are understated to some extent, relative to Carney.” Still, there’s a chance their pedigree could count against them. The Treasury, as well as the BOE, has been seen as anti-Brexit by some in the new government, and the appointment of another in- sider may not be a radical enough departure. That may be particu- larly true for the 54-year-old Broadbent, whose resume – including spells at Harvard and Goldman Sachs – echoes Carney’s own career. The deputy governor for mone- tary policy, a trained pianist, also dented his reputation as a safe pair of hands last year when he caused a storm of complaints over a clumsy use of the word “menopausal” to describe the economy. Ramsden, the deputy governor for markets and banking, may also be unpop- ular with the new govern- ment thanks to his work on the Treasury’s negative anal- ysis of the impact of Brexit in 2016 – the bête noire of the anti-EU lawmakers in John- son’s cabinet. The 55-year-old spent more than two decades at the Treasury, including a long spell as the govern- ment’s observer at BOE mon- etary policy meetings. Cunliffe, meanwhile, is the eldest and most uncon- ventional central banker of the three. A graduate in Eng- lish literature from the Uni- versity of Manchester, Cun- liffe has acted as adviser to two prime ministers and also served as the UK’s per- manent representative to the EU. Now deputy gov- ernor for financial stability, he is perhaps the quietest member of the MPC. “What you get from Broad- bent, a Cunliffe or a Ramsden is continuity in policy” said Deutsche Bank’s Raja. “That’s the key thing.” © 2019, Bloomberg With one of the first tasks in the new government’s in-tray being picking a new governor, one appealing option could be choosing a seasoned operator from within the institution. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Call to retract signatures ‘disingenuous’ If proof was needed that the political directorate with its warped agenda is taking the Cayman Islands from the ‘sublime to the ridiculous’, then search no more … for, alas, the evidence is here. For according to Thurs- day’s Cayman Compass page 1 story, (‘Government claims port petitioners can “unverify” signatures’), to encourage sig- natories, who, of their free will, signed and further ver- ified their signatures, now to retract those signatures smacks of disingenuousness, duplicity and desperation. Such a suggestion disre- gards the democratic pro- cess, takes no cognisance of the individual’s right to his or her unfettered opinion and is more symptomatic of a banana republic or a one party state than it is to a vibrant and some would say thriving parliamen- tary democracy. It is clear that the stakes are too high for public opinion to be allowed to dis- rupt the agenda of the pro- posed new port develop- ment. The questions that beg answers are, whose in- terest is being served by railroading this develop- ment down the throats of Caymanians? Is this part of a larger and more sin- ister plan to turn the juris- diction into a 21st century Sodom and Gomorrah? And, as always, for whom are we developing? Has the political direc- torate stopped to consider that such behaviour creates an unwarranted precedent … one which conceivably could come back to haunt Caymanians? But even more frighteningly, what does such behaviour say about the honesty and trustwor- thiness of us as a people if, after we have given our word, we can so callously and nonchalantly retract our recorded position? The current development agenda of the Cayman Is- lands seems to be motivated more by greed than it is by any sense of what is decent, fair, sustainable and to the benefit of the majority. When officialdom behaves idioti- cally, our collective voice should be heard. But how can our voice be heard when, in its arro- gance, the political directo- rate spits in our faces and treats us with disdain and contempt. This behaviour motivated by greed is more representative of the routine than it is an aberration. There is one consolation, however, and that is that greed being one of the seven deadly sins will not go un- punished. What a pity that the innocent in this case will have to suffer with those who brought ruin to our environment and made us slaves to our debtors. J. A. Roy Bodden Such a suggestion disregards the democratic process, takes no cognisance of the individual’s right to his or her unfettered opinion. Governor of the Bank of England Mark CarneyThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY, 9 AUGUST 2019 Jobs for Caymanians Now and into the future www.SupportOurTourism.com Join the conversation Our cruise tourism industry is crucial. 3 Our cruise tourism industry supports 4,500 jobs. 3 Construction of the project will require hundreds more. 3 With an annual market worth $200m+ secured for the future, Caymanian entrepreneurs will flourish. SupPORTing our port is supPORTing jobs for Caymanians.6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY, 9 AUGUST 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS A baker’s dozen of baby blues hatch in breeding programme KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@compassmedia.ky Thirteen baby blue iguanas hatched in Grand Cayman this week, resulting from captive-breeding efforts by the National Trust for the Cayman Islands. The latest batch of hatch- lings makes 2019 one of the most successful recent breeding years for the Blue Iguana Recovery Program, explained operations man- ager Luke Harding. To date, 20 blue iguanas have hatched in captivity in Grand Cayman this year. In the early days, workers will be focussed on keeping the young reptiles warm, dry and fed. “They all seem to have hatched very well,” Harding said, adding that the seven born in June continue to eat and grow. Eleven of the hatchlings born this week resulted from just one pair of par- ents, he said. The other two came from a second pair of parents. Moving forward, breeding in such large numbers will no longer be the pro- gramme’s focus, however, Harding explained. Now that the programme has surpassed its goal of re- leasing 1,000 captive-bred iguanas to the wild, re- searchers will turn to the next phase of conserving the endangered reptile. Breeding efforts will now focus less on propagating large numbers and will seek to promote genetic diversity. “We are now looking at key genetics,” Harding said. “It’s a new era and a new challenge. There is still a huge way to go to make sure the population stays stable and the habitat is protected.” Harding said the most re- cent wild population survey earlier this year at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park pro- duced good results. The programme per- forms annual surveys that rotate between three loca- tions: the botanic park, Col- liers Wilderness Reserve and Salina Reserve. Currently, he estimates there are between 1,100 and 1,200 blue iguanas in the wild. Bacteria deaths A number of challenges face blue iguanas once they are returned to their nat- ural environment. Dogs, hab- itat loss and humans can all threaten the reptile’s survival. In recent years, the pop- ulation has also been hit by a potentially deadly bac- teria that left 17 blue iguanas sick or dead between 2015 and 2017. Harding said researchers still do not know the origin of Helicobacter bacteria but they have developed a treat- ment protocol with the help of the Department of Envi- ronment and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Harding said researchers know the bacteria did not originate in captivity, but pointing to a source in the wild at this point would be speculative. Since the bacteria was first seen in the wild, he added that it is difficult to know how many wild blue iguanas were affected. “This is likely not to be isolated just to Cayman. It could have huge impli- cations for conservation,” Harding said. While the bacteria is viewed as a major threat, it is not a constant problem and has not produced any known cases since 2017. Improving understanding of such threats will be an- other major focus of the next research phase. Five of the thirteen blue iguanas born this week are gathered for analysis. - PHOTO: LUKE HARDING Twenty blue iguanas have hatched during the 2019 breeding season. Now that the programme has surpassed its goal of releasing 1,000 captive-bred iguanas to the wild, researchers will turn to the next phase of conserving the endangered reptile. FLOW selects 3 Caymanian scholarship recipients Three Caymanian college students received a combined total of $30,000 in scholar- ship money last week from FLOW Cayman. Sariah Ford-Myles, Veko Ramgeet and Noah Schof- ield were lauded during an awards ceremony Thursday evening, 1 Aug., at George Town Yacht Club, where the FLOW Cayman Scholarships were presented. Ford-Myles is a junior at the University of Central Florida, where she studies biology as a precursor for a medical degree. She hopes to become a paedi- atric or trauma surgeon, ac- cording to a FLOW press re- lease. She is already licensed as an Emergency Medical Technician. Ramgeet will attend the New England Institute of Technology to pursue a de- gree in architectural building and engineering technology. He is a repeat award winner in the Wesleyan Christian Academy’s regional conven- tions in art, music and sports. He has also been active in the arts through the Cayman Na- tional Cultural Foundation and participated in a recy- cling and waste poster com- petition for the Department of Environmental Health. Schofield, of Cayman Brac, will attend the Univer- sity of Western Ontario to study software engineering. He skipped 8th grade and attended high school in Canada, where he achieved scholar status. Ten scholarship appli- cants were hosted by FLOW throughout the previous week. Students learned about the history of tele- communications during a presentation on 30 July. The students then joined FLOW’s senior leadership team for community service with the Blue Iguana Recovery Program. The team helped clean and paint the iguana structures. The following day, the stu- dents met with the leader- ship team again for a mix and mingle hour. During this activity, the leadership team evaluated the students to de- cide which applicants would ultimately receive the schol- arship money. “All of the students were amazing and brought some- thing different to the table,” a FLOW press release said. “The [senior leadership team] was grateful to have had the opportunity to in- teract with each of them and get to know them all. It was rewarding to see so many young Caymanians that are passionate about their own success, careers and lives.” FLOW scholarship applicants carried out volunteer work with the Blue Iguana Recovery Program.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY, 9 AUGUST 2019 Education ministry releases special needs report MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@compassmedia.ky A recently released audit of the special needs popula‑ tion in Cayman’s government schools paints a somewhat different picture than previ‑ ously released data. School survey data from previous years has shown more than 20% of students in government schools have been identified as having spe‑ cial educational needs. In its 2018 annual report, the Of‑ fice of Education Standards said, “The number of stu‑ dents on the special needs register varies from school to school but, in most cases, the percentage is high and increasing year on year. … In all cases, the percentage is, on average, higher than that found in other jurisdictions, such as the UK.” But this new release states that just 11% of stu‑ dents have been identified as having special educational needs. Officials with the Ed‑ ucation Ministry said that figure represents Phase 3 special needs students only and does not count Phases 1 and 2. Students who are Phase 3 are those that re‑ quire intervention using re‑ sources beyond the school and have an identified plan to address their issues. Those students are required to be listed on a registry main‑ tained by the Department of Education Services. The audit does not supply figures for Phases 1 and 2, which are students whose needs are being served by resources provided by the schools they attend. The Phase 3 numbers are still substantially higher than UK figures. A January 2018 report by the UK De‑ partment of Education said the percentage of all special needs students is 14.6% of the population. Those with specific intervention plans represent 2.9% of the popu‑ lation. A 2014 report by the National Center for Learning Disabilities puts the corre‑ sponding rate in the United States of those needing inter‑ vention at 5.4%. The audit release follows a Freedom of Information re‑ quest the Cayman Compass made with the Ministry of Education in June, asking for an audit report on spe‑ cial needs education that was ordered three years ago as part of the ministry’s ac‑ tion report in advance of the 2016‑2017 school year. On 1 Aug., the ministry responded with an eight‑ page document titled ‘Spe‑ cial Educational Needs Audit in the Cayman Islands: 29 July 2019’. The 2016‑2017 Plan of Action, which called for the audit, said it was needed “in order to establish what sup‑ port services are currently offered in each school”. It called for information on stu‑ dent services to be matched with the “actual provision” of those services, and for the special education needs register of each school to be reviewed. “This information will be matched to [the] needs of each school and will also be used to determine if prin‑ cipals/schools are aware/ utilising resources,” the plan said. Such an analysis would likely help in addressing one of the shortfalls mentioned in the Office of Education Standards annual report. “The level of need evi‑ dent in certain classes offers a significant challenge to staff to ensure appropriate support for all learners, in‑ cluding the most able,” the report said. But the data provided in the release does not seem to allow the kinds of assess‑ ment that would address such issues. While the release says there are 249 special ed‑ ucation needs students at the secondary level, a chart laying out the num‑ bers of students benefitting from different programmes only shows 83 receiving assistance. Ministry officials said some schools provided in‑ formation for the audit only on programmes offered for special education needs stu‑ dents, and did not include the number of students being served by each pro‑ gramme. The release does not address whether princi‑ pals and schools are aware of or utilising these available resources. Beyond that, the chart showing a breakdown of ser‑ vices for students also indi‑ cates that 24 primary and 14 secondary students re‑ ceived assistance under an English as a Second Lan‑ guage programme. In its 2018 annual re‑ port, the Office of Educa‑ tion Standards specifically states, “Students for whom English is an additional lan‑ guage or who are gifted or talented are not to be treated as having special educa‑ tional needs.” In response to a question on this, the ministry said the data “includes all the provi‑ sions that we provide. ESL is not a SEN category”. Some parents have com‑ plained their children who have special needs do not re‑ ceive the support they need from government schools, and independent inspectors have faulted some schools for that problem. Those working in special education say it is difficult to formulate effective measures to support students with learning deficits without ac‑ curate data. The Office of Educa‑ tion Standards annual re‑ port said, “Students with ad‑ ditional support needs are identified quickly by teachers, and the process for referral and communication with parents is also timely. Indi‑ vidual education plans have been developed by special ed‑ ucational needs coordinators for students requiring sup‑ port in their learning. These documents are largely sat‑ isfactory in content, range and detail, but are not al‑ ways used effectively by dif‑ ferent teachers, including specialists that work with the children.” Individual school in‑ spections have found var‑ ying degrees of competence in meeting the needs of such students. In March 2018, Red Bay School was given an overall rating of good by the OES inspectors, yet was found to have weaknesses in meeting special education needs. “In their written com‑ ments teachers expressed concern regarding the level of staffing, particularly in helping address the needs of students with special ed‑ ucational needs,” the report said. “They felt that stu‑ dents with challenging be‑ haviour required more sup‑ port than was currently in place.” John Gray High School was rated satisfactory by in‑ spectors last year, but they also said, “Progress for stu‑ dents with special educa‑ tional needs was weak in mathematics but satisfac‑ tory in English. … This was because teachers did not modify their lesson plans in order to suit the needs of these students.” A survey of staff at Pros‑ pect Elementary School in January 2018 found, “A sig‑ nificant minority of staff [38%] did not feel that the school provided good support to students with special edu‑ cational needs.” The release of the audit figures contains no analysis of the data. The release does say, “This statistical publica‑ tion does not provide data for SEN students in private schools. However, the Min‑ istry of Education is seeking to address this as a matter of urgency.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY, 9 AUGUST 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Gloria Valentine Taylor AKA “Chokie”, who passed away on Tuesday, July 30, 2019. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at Church of God Chapel, Bodden Town on Saturday, August 10, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. Viewing: Closed Casket Interment at: New Pease Bay Cemetery Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com f The Family of the Late Kelvin Powery regret to announce his passing on Sunday, 28 July 2019. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, 10 August 2019 at Wesleyan Holiness Church, West Bay. Viewing will be from 2:00 p.m. prior to the service. Interment will follow at the Boatswain Bay Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page The Family of the Late Jude Mitchell Sco� Walton deeply regret to announce his sudden passing on Wednesday, 31 July 2019. A Service to Celebrate Jude’s Life and his Homegoing will take place at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, 17 August 2019 at the Church of God (Holiness) Spot Bay, Cayman Brac. Viewing will be from 9:00 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will follow at the Spot Bay Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page The Family of the Late Eddie Ebanks regret to announce his passing on Tuesday, 30 July 2019. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, 15 August 2019 at Savannah United Church. Viewing will be from 3:00 p.m. prior to the service. A�endees are encouraged to wear bright colors, and in lieu of flowers a collec�on will be taken at the service to donate to youth and sports. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Gertrude Gooding, who passed away on Wednesday, July 31, 2019. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at Church of God Universal, Walkers Rd on Sunday, August 18, 2019 at 2:30 p.m. Viewing: 1:30 –2:15 p.m. Interment at: Prospect Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com unram f 19 appeared to be a number of packages. “This raised the suspi- cions of the officers who then informed the Marine Vessel M. Luke. MV M. Luke made their way to the loca- tion using lights and siren and the vessel attempted to evade them, but was inter- cepted with the assistance of the AOU,” the RCIPS said in a statement. A search of the vessel re- vealed more than 40 pack- ages containing what the officers believed to be ganja. The vessel and its con- tents were seized and an in- vestigation is under way. The man was charged and was expected to ap- pear in court Thursday on charges of importa- tion of ganja and posses- sion of ganja. $1 million worth of ganja seized CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Police found more than 40 packages containing ganja on board this boat. - PHOTO: RCIPS coral relocation project was part of the $196.5 mil- lion bid from Verdant Isle. Around 30% of the species within the construction zone will be relocated, the min- istry indicated. The new design will be put under the microscope in a new phase of the environ- mental impact assessment. Verdant Isle is scheduled to submit an application to the Environmental Assess- ment Board, chaired by De- partment of Environment Di- rector Gina Ebanks-Petrie, within the next few weeks, seeking approval for Baird Consulting, the authors of the original EIA, to carry out the new inquiry. A ‘scoping report’ will then be produced for the board, comparing the new design with the 2015 design and highlighting any sig- nificant changes. The board will then review the report and set the terms of refer- ence for the next phase of that study. Ebanks-Petrie said the board would get public input, including holding public meetings, before and after the next phase of the assessment. “Once we get the public feedback,” she said, “we can finalise the terms of reference for Baird. They would then do the work and produce a draft environmental statement and that would again go out for public consultation.” She said that statement, which would highlight the full environmental impacts of the project and any possible mitigation measures, will be made public and there will be another public meeting involving the consultants to discuss its findings. The environmental as- sessment is just one element of a number of preparatory studies taking place simulta- neously as government gears up to get the cruise berthing project under way. A coastal works applica- tion will be submitted later this month for a ‘geotechnical survey’ which will comprise 20 boreholes across the ma- rine works site and coral re- location site. The results of that survey will be required to finalise the detailed design of the piers and obtain geotechnical information required as part of the ‘coral relocation’ and ‘dredge management’ plan, according to the ministry’s written responses. Other early work will in- clude a ‘bathymetry’ study of the ocean floor in the harbour and detailed mapping and surveying of corals for the re- location project. “This survey information will then be used to model dredging activities, update the coral relocation plan and update the dredge manage- ment plan as part of the en- vironmental permitting pro- cess,” the ministry said in its response to the Compass. Clark, of Cruise Port Ref- erendum Cayman, said there were still multiple environ- mental concerns that have not been addressed. “Sedimentation as a result of dredging during construc- tion, as well as during op- eration, will be fatal to reefs surrounding the immediate dredged area. The public needs to have information on the design to see how exten- sive this will be,” she said. She added that any up- dated study should also con- sider the amount of jobs that would be lost in the harbour, including those in snorkel- ling, diving and submarine businesses. Governor unconcerned over claims of port petition ‘interference’ JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Governor Martyn Roper said he has “full confidence’ in the Elections Office de- spite concerns that it is al- lowing people to “unverify” their signatures for the peti- tion calling for a referendum on the port. Campaigners for a refer- endum had called on Roper to intervene following a gov- ernment social media ad- vert saying people who had changed their mind about supporting the referendum could call the Elections Of- fice and withdraw their support – even after they had filled out forms veri- fying that they had signed the petition. Johann Moxam, one of the campaigners, ques- tioned this claim and sug- gested the government was interfering in the verifi- cation process by encour- aging people to withdraw their support. He wrote to the governor asking him to step in. The Elections Office con- firmed Wednesday that it is indeed allowing people to “unverify” their signatures, though so far only two people have done so. Governor Roper issued a statement Thursday ex- pressing full support for Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell and his team, in- sisting the details of the verification process were a matter for him. He said Howell had is- sued a statement clarifying the position on withdrawing names and he supported that decision. “Wes and his team con- tinue to do a great job and are making excellent pro- gress. They continue to have my full confidence in the decisions they’re taking on the verification process,” he said. “We should allow them to complete the process. I am pleased with the effi- ciency and professionalism of the verification process up to now. I have not seen any- thing that gives rise to con- cerns about good govern- ance, fairness or political interference. It’s important that we don’t lose sight that this process is being han- dled efficiently and quickly and is testament to the strength and vibrancy of our democracy.” Just over 80% of the sig- natures had been verified at last count. In a statement Wednesday evening, Cruise Port Refer- endum Cayman said it was disappointed at the recent developments, but confident it would succeed in forcing a referendum on the issue. “Despite the changes now being introduced during the verification process, CPR re- mains undeterred in its ob- jective to exercise the dem- ocratic rights afforded to citizens under section 70 of the Constitution,” it said in a statement. “We are concerned about the process of interference in our democratic right by the acting government. How- ever, we remain confident that the Cayman people will have a fair chance to express their opinion under the con- fidentiality of the polls when this historic first time peo- ple’s initiated referendum takes place.” Environmental study planned for new port design CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY, 9 AUGUST 2019 Churchill’s Funeral Home We are pleased to provide to families who are considering cremation. In your most difficult time, we are here for you & now offering cremation at $1,999.00 , also selective urns are included. We are pleased to be the first to have in place at the Garden of Reflections Cemetery our own Columbarium Niches for your loved one. As always we are aware of the growing hardship to families and we are committed to offer our traditional funeral starting at $1,999.00 that includes the following: Embalming & dressing, casket, radio announcement, newspaper announcement, floral arrangements, programs, guest book, hearse transportation, cemetery set up, tent, chairs, umbrellas & water. We would be more than glad to book an appointment for you. Churchill’s Funeral Home serving God in all we do, as our family serves you. For more information please contact us at +1-345-943-4663 or churchills@candw.ky churchills2@candw.ky Van will help with blood drives JEWEL LEVY jlevy@compassmedia.ky The Blood Bank at Cayman Islands Hospital now has a new van to carry necessary equipment on mo- bile blood drives. “Having a vehicle that is readily available and used exclusively to facili- tate the collection of blood is a major milestone for the Blood Bank,” said Blood Bank Manager Judith Clarke in a statement issued after the van was handed over by donors in front of the Cayman Islands Hospital on Wednesday afternoon. “As requests for mobile blood drives increase, this contribution will make a sig- nificant difference in how ef- ficiently the blood drive pro- cess flows,” she added. Car City worked with Hurley’s Media and spon- sors BAF Insurance, Elite Granite and Marble, Island Heritage, Cayman First, First Caribbean Bank, Health Care Pharmacy and SALT Tech- nology Group to donate the $19,900 vehicle. “It’s not just the van we are donating here today; it’s the van, all the medical supplies and equipment,” Taylor Foster of Car City told the Compass. “It will make a big dif- ference for us now that we have our own utility unit,” Clarke said, adding that be- fore this, the Blood Bank borrowed vehicles to trans- port equipment. Each of the van’s corpo- rate sponsors will host a public blood drive over the next 12 months in hopes of increasing the current donor pool from 2.5% to 5% of the population, to meet the growing needs of Cayman. Throughout the year, Foster said, he and the other blood drive organisers, would also liaise with Peter Camp- bell, a young Caymanian director who is working on a documentary about the Blood Bank and blood donations in Cayman. After hosting a blood drive in March last year and collecting more than 58 pints of blood, Foster said, Car City and Hurley’s Media representatives met with Blood Bank staff to find out what could be done to help with blood drives. The need for transport, among other things, was suggested. “People were bringing in- struments and things in their personal cars … Blood is not just a soda can where you can throw it in the back of a car … it takes a little more finesse and care taking, so the van was very impor- tant,” he said. Delroy Jefferson, acting CEO and medical director of the Health Services Authority, said, “It means we can be more flexible. They can have some of the equipment stored within the vehicle so that they don’t have to be off- loading from time to time, and [can] reach more persons to donate that very important blood that’s needed to save a life,” he said. Susan Anderson of Elite Granite and Marble said owner Mike Laurenson was delighted to be a part of the blood incentive. “He thinks it’s a fabulous contribu- tion to the Health Services Authority to be able to go to outlying areas of the is- lands that perhaps wouldn’t be able to contribute blood,” Anderson said. Vernice West, general manager at BAF Insurance, said, “We very well realise the importance of the Blood Bank service within the com- munity and the opportunity it gives people in the outer districts to give blood … it’s a win-win situation for eve- ryone,” she said. Members of the public can track the van’s blood drive-related activities on the Blood Bank’s website, www.bloodbank.ky, which will indicate when and where the van is being used for a blood drive, so they can drop by and donate blood on the spot. “ It’s not just the van we are donating here today, it’s the van, all the medical supplies and equipment.” TAYLOR FOSTER , Car City Hospital officials, sponsors, blood bank staff and other invited guests stand in front of the utility van donated to the Blood Bank. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYNext >