ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 2019 High of 90 Low of 78 Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 2 feet. LOCAL | PAGE 2 LIONFISH CULLER RECOVERING FROM NURSE SHARK BITE REGIONAL | PAGE 9 CAT 5 HURRICANE DORIAN HITS BAHAMAS SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY KAABOO cancelled Cayman 27 among five licences suspended by OfReg MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@compassmedia.ky Following weeks of rumour and specu- lation, officials have announced that the largest music festival in Cayman’s history is a one-off. “After careful deliberation, the partners behind KAABOO Cayman regret to announce that the event will not be returning to the Cayman Islands in 2020,” Jason Felts, chief brand and marketing officer for KAABOO, said in an email Saturday evening. Felts, the point person behind the event, said those holding passes, which were sold shortly after the end of the two-day fes- tival in February, will have their money re- funded, but did not provide a timeline for when this would happen. KAABOO, which will mount its fifth an- nual three-day festival in Del Mar, Cali- fornia, on 13-15 Sept., also produced a fes- tival in Dallas in May. The Cayman show was the first offshoot of the California fes- tival and organisers spent millions devel- oping a 37-acre plot of land north of the Kimpton Seafire resort into an outdoor con- cert venue and bringing in high-profile per- formers to the island. Dart was KAABOO’s primary backing partner for the Cayman event and initially said it was committed to supporting what was anticipated as an annual festival for its first three years. The event drew close to 10,000 revellers MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@compassmedia.ky Cayman 27, which ceased operations on Friday, is not the only licensee threatened to have their licence suspended for failing to pay outstanding fees to the regulator OfReg. As of Friday, 30 Aug., there were five licen- sees, including Hurley’s TV, the parent com- pany of Cayman 27, that remained delin- quent of their licence fees and royalties. Alee Fa’amoe, the acting CEO of OfReg, noted in an email to the Cayman Compass that all five licensees had been issued en- forcement notices on 31 July and were due to have their licenses suspended as of yesterday, Sunday, 1 Sept. He did not iden- tify the licensees. Fa’amoe added that he would not make any further public statements until after a meeting with Cabinet this week. Cabinet typically meets on Tuesdays. Randy Merren, managing director of Hurley’s TV. Ltd., cited the lack of cooperation from regulator OfReg as the main reason for the closure of Cayman’s CONTRACTORS CHOSEN FOR MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY The Cayman Islands government has spent more than $130,000 in public money in promoting the proposed cruise and cargo port project, according to a freedom of information request response. Between January 2018 and 6 July this year, the government spent a total of $130,610 on promoting the proposed port project with advertisements in newspa- pers, TV, radio, cinema screens and online. For more on this story, see page 6. GOV’T SPENDS $130,000 ON CRUISE PROJECT ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN Ministry of Health officials say contrac- tors have been picked for the delayed long- term mental health facility in East End, and construction is expected to begin in October. Plans originally called for construction of the 54-patient residential hospital to start in the summer of 2018 with comple- tion expected by the fall of 2019. A problem with the initial bidding process helped set the timeline back. The project was subse- quently broken into pieces and put out to bid a second time. Bids on those projects have now been approved, contract negotiations are under way and groundbreaking is slated to take place in October, with the doors opening in the second quarter of 2021. Ron Wilson’s Equipment, Phoenix Ltd. and AAA Construction Ltd. are the firms that will be doing the work. Principal ar- chitect, Alice Liang, is an expert in purpose- built facilities for mental health patients. Architecture consultants DDL Studio is the local firm working in conjunction with Li- ang’s firm, Montgomery Sisam. Originally estimated at $16 million to $20 million, the bids from the three con- tractors, each of whom will build a dif- ferent portion of the facility, total $15 mil- lion. Furnishing for the facility will be put out to bid early next year. The compound will consist of nine cottages and a central administration building. “Though the delays have been frustrating Past and present TV station staff gather on Friday for Cayman 27’s final broadcast. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS its behaviour, he said, that the shark had previous en- counters with divers that had fed it. That practice isn’t just illegal; it endangers an- yone who happens to be fol- lowing the law. Mark Orr, a chief conser- vation officer with the De- partment of Environment, issued a general statement on Sunday speaking to the reasons why regulations have been placed on lion- fish cullers. “Lionfish culling licence conditions require cullers to place all lionfish in con- tainers and remove them from the water once caught,” said Orr in an email to a re- quest for comment. “No feeding of marine life is al- lowed while scuba diving or snorkeling except in des- ignated wildlife interac- tion zones.” Jason Washington, presi- dent of the Cayman United Lionfish League, said that Egleston is an old friend and former employee of his at Ambassador Divers. Wash- ington was in a boat around 100 yards away from Egles- ton’s on Saturday, and he said all cullers are endangered by the practice of a few divers. “What’s happening is a few bad players are swim- ming around with spears but without their contain- ment device,” he said. “When they do come across a li- onfish, they’re able to take it. But when they do take it, they don’t have a place to put it, so they swim around and try to find something to feed it to. … The problem comes when responsible cullers like Paul are out culling and they put the fish in a bucket. The nurse shark swims up and they want the fish. You don’t have the ability to feed it the lionfish. You’re trying to do the right thing and take them to the surface responsibly.” Washington said there is an obvious danger in condi- tioning sharks to associate divers with food. He said that local divers do not carry a shark trauma kit because it’s “super rare” to be bitten by a nurse shark. Egleston reacted to the attack in textbook fashion, said Washington, be- cause of extensive training. “He was very composed,” said Washington. “He did a safety stop. He didn’t drop his bucket. He came up with his spear. He came up with all his stuff intact. Paul worked for me for years. He’s a dive instructor and not too many people in that situa- tion would’ve handled it as calmly as he did. That’s a great thing, because if we’re talking about a tourist, we’re talking about a whole dif- ferent ball of wax.” One of Egleston’s Aus- tralian friends texted him Sunday and joked that he might be in the Guin- ness Book of World Records for worst attack from a nurse shark. Egleston, his sense of hu- mour intact, said Sunday that he drove his own boat back to shore because he didn’t want anyone else banging the boat around and further in- juring his leg. He’s currently on a sabbatical from working as a dive instructor, and he said he’ll have no fear about getting back into the water once his leg heals. And if he could impart one message to fellow di- vers, it would be this: They shouldn’t be worried either. “People shouldn’t feel that they have to be concerned about nurse sharks. They’re not aggressive,” he said. “On a positive note, what I would say is that a lionfish is not something a nurse shark nat- urally eats. For people afraid to try lionfish, here’s a nurse shark that went to all that trouble just to eat lionfish.” 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 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. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) ONCE UPON A TIME (R) IN HOLLYWOOD 3:50 | 6:35 VIP | 9:10 THE ANGRY BIRDS (PG) MOVIE 2 1:30 | 4:00 | 6:45 47 METERS DOWN: (PG13) UNCAGED 4:15 | 7:25 | 10:15 BLINDED BY THE LIGHT (PG13) 1:05 | 4:15 | 7:20 | 10:00 ANGEL HAS FALLEN (R) 1:00 | 7:00 | 9:50 | 10:05 VIP F&F HOBBS & SHAW (PG13) 1:15 | 4:20 | 9:45 SAAHO (PG) 12:30 | 6:35 Lionfish culler healing after being bitten by nurse shark Warns of dangers of feeding lionfish to sharks SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@compassmedia.ky Diver Paul Egleston is healing and in good spirits after being bitten by a nurse shark on Saturday. Egleston, 70, had been hunting for lionfish on the north side of Grand Cayman in a culling tournament when the nurse shark bit him be- hind his left knee. The vet- eran diver made it back to the surface and is being treated at Cayman Islands Hospital. “It was actually not bad,” said Egleston of the damage to his leg. “It just tore a chunk off. It didn’t do any nerve damage or any liga- ment damage. It hurts when I move. It hurts when I get up. If you touch it, it hurts pretty good. Lying still, it’s not bad. … Right now, we’re just staying here and keeping it from getting infected for a few days. We’re going to put on a skin graft on it probably tomorrow.” Egleston, a dive instructor who teaches a lionfish hunting course, said that he had never had reason to fear an encounter with a nurse shark before. Moray eels are a known concern when culling lionfish, he said, but he has been around nurse sharks while culling before and never seen this type of behaviour. “This one started both- ering me. At first, it came up from behind and banged into me,” he said. “I thought, ‘What the hell was that?’ I thought [a fellow diver] was tapping me to tell me some- thing. It just kept harassing me and harassing me. In my mind, it’s a nurse shark so it’s not going to do any- thing. I’ll just go about my business. But then I was just swimming along and looking for fish, and it wasn’t that long later. It just [attacked] my leg. I turned around, the thing had grabbed on and was shaking my leg.” Egleston said there’s no doubt in his mind that the nurse shark that attacked him has been conditioned to eat lionfish. He could tell by Paul Egleston is all smiles despite being bitten by a nurse shark on Saturday. – PHOTO: SPENCER FORDIN Man arrested after policeman’s finger is broken A 26-year-old man from West Bay was arrested on suspicion of assault after a police officer was injured as the suspect tried to escape from police. According to police, just before 3:45am Friday, of- ficers on patrol along Har- bour Drive in George Town observed three men walking in the direction of South Church Street. After stop- ping to speak with them, the officers suspected the men were under the influence of a controlled drug. One of the men, who was found to have provided a false name to the officers, tried to flee, but was caught after being chased by the police officers. He was placed under ar- rest on suspicion of giving a false name to police and consumption of a controlled drug: crack cocaine. Police said he became “combative and aggressive” and while trying to escape, he injured one of the officers, causing a broken finger. The man was further ar- rested on suspicion of as- sault and failing to provide a specimen for drug testing. He remained in cus- tody Friday pending further investigation. The other two men made off before the arrival of other officers to assist. The matter is under police investigation. CORRECTION Two people injured in Bodden Town accident A story in the 29 Aug. edition of the Cayman Compass headlined ‘Miller calls for enacting boating regulations’, mistakenly re- ferred to a motion to enact such regulations in 2016 as ‘legislation’. The item passed by the Legislative Assembly was a motion on pleasure boating re- questing the government to consider introducing regulations. Two people were hospi- talised Sunday as a result of a single-car collision in Bodden Town. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service responded to a report of a motor vehicle col- lision that occurred in the vi- cinity of Doubloon Drive in Bodden Town. The call came in just before 1am. The driver of the car lost control and collided with the wall of a residence in the area. Both occupants of the vehicle were injured with serious injuries, and one of the occupants was in critical condition. A po- lice spokesperson confirmed Sunday that both victims were still in hospital. Both occupants of the ve- hicle were transported to the hospital by ambulance after being removed from the damaged car by officers from the Cayman Islands Fire Service. The matter is being in- vestigated by police. The roadway the accident oc- curred on was closed to fa- cilitate the investigation and was not fully re-opened until 1pm on Sunday afternoon.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 2019 BEFORE Count on Island Heritage 345 949 7280 DURING For more information visit islandheritageinsurance.com or call 345 949 7280. Have a family plan Develop an emergency plan for your home, property and pets. Prepare an emergency kit Check supplies including a battery- operated radio, flashlights, extra batteries, first aid kit and medications. Stock up on food and water Have a three-day supply of drinking water and non-perishable food. Fill bathtub and buckets with water. Charge up Make sure to charge your mobile device and save all emergency phone numbers. Protect your property Board up windows. Clear yard of loose objects. Secure your vehicle and/or boat in a safe location. Check your policies Make sure your insurance policies are up-to-date. Check everyone’s safety Ensure all family members, friends and neighbours are safe, especially senior citizens. Stay alert Continue to monitor local news for the latest updates. Keep the roads clear for emergency vehicles. Note the damages List and photograph all damages sustained. Get two written quotes for repairs. Inspect your property Secure your house and property against the possibility of further damage. If you hire anyone for repairs, keep receipts. Call Island Heritage Call 345 949 7280 for help with your claims, insurance coverage and emergency repairs. Remain indoors Stay in the structurally strongest part of your house, and away from windows and doors. Secure important documents Store valuables and personal papers (e.g. insurance, medical records, passports, etc.) in a waterproof container. Monitor the news Stay tuned to the Government Emergency Broadcast Station. Follow official instructions Do not go outside unless local authorities announce an evacuation or if it is safe to step out. AFTER Hurricane season is here again. Be prepared the Island Heritage way.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@compassmedia.ky, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. MONDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR CPR outlines key concerns on cruise berthing facility – Part 3 Proudly supporting par- ticipatory democracy in our country, the first people-ini- tiated referendum will em- power voters to have their say on the cruise berthing facility. This letter forms Part 3 of a 3-part letter which seeks to highlight some, but not all, of the numerous significant and unquanti- fied risks associated with this project. Finance model transparency What will Cayman- ians really pay for the pro- ject? Governments have a duty to deliver value- for-money projects with public finances. Capital investment will be CI$196 million for Option 2 from the preferred bidder, Verdant Isle Consortium, funded by (1) 40% from its own capital (2) 60% through a bank loan. However, re- quired feasibility studies and public infrastructure costs remain either un- assessed or publicly undis- closed including: (1) Geo- technical study of George Town Harbour (2) George Town revitalisation (3) Road upgrades (4) Increased de- mand for island resources – waste management/water/ electricity (5) Spotts Dock upgrades (6) Coral and ship- wreck relocation. What are the interest rates and payment terms to repay investors (1) Verdant Isle; and (2) on the Bank loan? Section 3.6 of the Out- line Business Case (PWC report) indicates private cost of funds could be 10- 15% per year, who will ulti- mately pay for this? Government concessions The USD$2.32 per head tax concession being given to the cruise lines, using 2018 numbers of 1.9 mil- lion passengers per year, is a direct loss to govern- ment revenue, i.e., Cayman- ians, of USD$4.4 million per year. Where is the value-for- money assessment? Project management Airport design flaws and overruns reported by the Auditor General have been significant, what will be done differently for this project? Competitive disadvantage of cruise lines unable to berth With berthing, cruise lines reported they would likely stop calling on Cayman if they were un- able to berth (PWC report, pg.19). What will happen on days with more than four ships? Will other lines be willing to pay their compet- itors, Royal Caribbean and Carnival, to use the pier? Cruise ship reputation and long-term outlook Cruise tourism is vitally important to our islands and a positive cruiser expe- rience is what we all want for Cayman. However, news and social media continue to highlight areas of con- cern over illegal activity, i.e., questionable practices by the industry such as fines and penalties for il- legal activity, e.g., dumping of blackwater and garbage, as well as sanitation and safety issues. Learning from other popular cruise destinations Why aren’t we learning from jurisdictions reacting to over-tourism problems? Venice recently banned mega-ships, and Bruges, Dublin, Dubrovnik, Am- sterdam and Santorini are introducing policies to limit or reduce cruise numbers. And cruise ships are crashing and dam- aging piers, e.g., Hon- duras, Puerto Rico, Buenos Aires, Bermuda. Uncertainty The valuation in the PwC Outline Business Case is subject to inherent limita- tions based on varying as- sumptions and unreliable/ unavailable data which have significant implica- tions for the results. These uncertainties are critical when considering whether this project will truly pro- vide long-term benefits for Caymanians. Final conclusion raises red flags The PWC conclusion reads, “The impact of the CBF [cruise berthing facility] is still driven by the number of visitors to the Cayman Islands who participate in ‘diving’ [watersports activ- ities] and their behaviour in response to any damage to the reefs in GTH [George Town Harbour]. “These questions are fundamental to the eco- nomic rationale of the CBF.” Evidence directly from the international dive community demonstrates the extreme likelihood of undervaluation: ■■ Ocean Futures Society President and Founder Jean-Michel Cousteau’s open letter to the Min- isters of Tourism and Environment. (Cayman Compass, 4 Oct. 2018) ■■ Mission Blue, founded by leading Oceanogra- pher: Sylvia Earle, des- ignated George Town Harbour as a ‘Hope Spot’. (See, https://hope- spots.mission-blue. org/info?hs_id=73) ■■ International petitions on the project shared by wide-reaching in- ternational organisa- tions such as DEMA (Divers Equipment and Marketing Asso- ciation) reaching over 30,000 signatures. Significantly, while ap- proximately 80% of our an- nual tourism headcount comes from cruise and 20% from stayover, Cayman- ians benefit more from stay- over guests whose dollar spending contributes ap- proximately 80% of an- nual tourism revenue, the ‘80/20 rule’. Government should im- mediately release undis- closed information and set a referendum date which al- lows for completion of and public consultation on re- vised (1) Environmental Im- pact Assessment; and (2) Final Business Case reports to allow our citizens to make a fully informed evidence- based decision on this matter of national importance. Linda Clark, FCCA, MSc Marine Environ- mental Management On behalf of CPR Cayman cprcayman@gmail.com CPR obtained information from publicly available reports on websites of the Department of Tourism www.supportourtourism. com and Department of Environment www.doe.ky. Tourism 80/20 Rule RevenueHeadcountvs 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% StayoverCruise % Contribution to Cayman Tourism* 80% 20% StayoverCruise 80% 20% SPENDING Prepared by: Linda Clark* Based on a rounded 3 year average Data Source: www.eso.ky HEADCOUNT PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. 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 islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 2019 LEARN MORE AT FOSTERS.KY6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Emily Naomi Ebanks 22 May 1936 - 27 August 1997 22 YEARS IN HEAVEN For you we dedicate one of your favorite hymns Walking in footsteps of gentle forbearance, Footsteps of faithfulness, mercy and love, Looking to Him for the grace freely promised, Happy, how happy, our journey above. How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior, Stepping in the light, stepping in the light, How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior, Led in paths of light. We miss you dearly, your children, grand-children and great-grandchildren Happy Birthday Leon Today Is Your Birthday In Heaven Above My Blessings I Send On The Wings Of This Dove Not Just For Today But Everyday Hereof I Think Of You Always With All Of My Love Always Loved, Forever Missed From your Loving Mom & Stepfather 2nd September, 1983 Government spends $130,000 on cruise project ad campaign Petition verification at 95.9% A freedom of informa- tion report has revealed that the Cayman Islands government has spent more than $130,000 in public money in promoting the proposed cruise and cargo port project. The government had previously revealed that it had spent $55,000 in sup- port of the project between the start of 2018 and 15 Oct. last year. The most re- cent FOI response showed that additional funding of $15,280 was spent be- tween 16 Oct. and the end of 2018 and $60,333.50 had been spent by 6 July this year. That comes to a total of $130,610. Part of that funding has been $5,000 a month to marketing company Foun- tainhead for the purpose of developing and running the ‘Support our Tourism’ cam- paign. The Compass pre- viously reported that the government had entered into a six-month agree- ment with Fountainhead worth $30,000. The pro-port cam- paign by government in- cludes running advertise- ments on radio, TV, cinema, print newspapers, online news sites and Facebook, according to the FOI re- sponse from the Ministry of District Administration, Tourism and Transport. Government stated in July that the proposed cruise port will cost just under $200 million to build. The project will be car- ried out by a consortium called the Verdant Isle Group that consists of Car- nival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean in conjunction with McAlpine and Orion Marine. It will be funded by a loan from FirstCarib- bean International Bank, as well as capital from the two cruise lines. Meanwhile, a people-in- itiated referendum into the proposed cruise port project is moving closer to fruition, with the Elections Office stating on Friday that 95.9% of signatures in a petition calling for the public vote had been verified. Now, just 218 signatures need to be verified before the required 5,292 signatures – equal to 25% of Cayman’s 21,116 reg- istered voters – trigger the referendum. According to the Elec- tions Office website, as of Friday, 30 Aug., the total number of verified signa- tures stood at 5,077. Of the total 5,795 signatures re- ceived, 120 people declined to verify their signatures. The statement also revealed that three people have since requested to have their sig- natures unverified. The construction of the cruise berthing facility has sparked a national de- bate and polarised the community. Cruise Port Referendum Cayman has championed the anti-port discussions. The group began collecting signatures a year ago, and on 12 June presented the Elections Office with a pe- tition containing 5,438 sig- natures. As of 28 Aug., a further 357 signatures had been submitted. Premier Alden McLaughlin and members of his coalition ‘Unity’ gov- ernment have expressed their desire to see the con- struction of the cruise berthing facility, as well as an upgrade to the current cargo facilities. McLaughlin has said that no contract would be signed until the process to verify a petition calling for the referendum had been completed. If the threshold is achieved, Cab- inet would be required to put forth the referendum for a vote. Cabinet would have to choose a date and decide the wording of the referendum along with its question. Government stated in July that the proposed cruise port will cost just under $200 million to build. The government is proposing building a port to cater for cruise and cargo ships, a move that prompted a petition calling for a public vote on the issue. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Foster’s supermarket rebrands Readers who have been wondering about the appear- ances of a single blank blue page in some editions of the Cayman Compass in recent weeks now have their ques- tions answered. The blue page was part of a rebranding campaign by Fos- ter’s Food Fair – IGA, which will now be know simply as Foster’s, the company revealed on Friday. According to a press re- lease, the company also has a new logo and completely new visual identity. “Although we have a new name, logo and visual iden- tity, we’re still the same com- pany built on family values, integrity, honesty and com- munity spirit that you have gotten to know over the course of the years,” Mar- keting Senior Manager Julian Foster said in a press release. He said that nearly 39 years ago, founders David and Steve Foster set out to create a supermarket with fresh, quality groceries. “They set out to create a store in which the community could interact with each other and feel a sense of warmth and welcome every time they stepped through the front door,” he said. Woody Foster, the compa- ny’s managing director, said in the release, “We’re building on our history, commitment to care, and connection with our customers, to go beyond gro- ceries and offer our customers a shopping experience that makes them smile. “Part of this involves ad- dressing those areas we’re still working on as a company, like our commitment to the environment which we’re ac- tively addressing internally.” Foster’s new strap line, Better Because We Care, is built on its 39-year-old prede- cessor, We Care. “We Care has always been at the core of our identity. Re- moving those words from our branding would be equivalent to erasing our existence. That’s why we decided to build on it instead,” Woody Foster said. “Without our customers, we don’t exist, and because we care, we continuously strive to be better at everything we do. Our strap line is a reassuring reminder to our customers that they can depend on us to deliver better value on life’s essentials, as well as on the things that make life special,” Julian Foster added. He said customers can ex- pect to find the same name brands and specialty products as before, and that prices will “definitely not change”. While IGA is no longer in their name, the brand will still be available for purchase in all their supermarket loca- tions, he said. Foster’s has begun the change to their company’s visual identity in stores, on buildings and trucks, and in- ternally, but in the meantime the community will see a mix of both their old and new branding. The company expects the majority of the rebrand will have been completed by the time its new location in Ca- mana Bay opens this autumn.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 2019 The Hurricane Season is not over yet. Stay prepared with Water Authority-Cayman. Visit our website and follow us on social media for helpful hurricane preparedness tips. www.waterauthority.ky Man convicted of indecent assault ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky A man who was caught on video exposing himself to a woman on a George Town street was found guilty of in- decent assault this week by a Grand Court jury. The victim recorded Le- andro Solomon after he began harassing her as she walked home on South Church Street around 12:30am on 15 Oct. last year. While giving evidence, during the three-day trial, the woman told jurors she was walking alone when Solomon, whom she said she had never met before, ap- proached her and asked for a cigarette. She said after she gave him the cigarette, he began walking alongside her and made several advances, which she said she declined. “He offered to pay my rent, but I told him no. I told him I have a boyfriend who was waiting at home for me, and I’m not that kind of girl,” said the woman. Fol- lowing that initial conver- sation, she said she became worried, so she began vide- oing the encounter. In the first of two clips shown to the jury, Solomon offered to expose himself. At that point, the woman repeatedly told him no and that he should get away. She could be heard on the video screaming for help. The woman said she told Solomon to keep walking and that she was going home, and he should not follow her. The court heard that when the woman turned her back and began walking away, Solomon ran up be- hind her and grabbed her on her lower back and but- tocks, which gave rise to the charge of indecent assault. In a second clip, Solomon was recorded while touching himself inappropriately. That clip was eventually uploaded to social media, where a Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service Con- stable Darado Thompson, along with hundreds of other people, viewed it. Crown counsel Kerri-Ann Gillies told the jury that PC Thompson and Solomon had been schoolmates, and that after viewing the video clips several times, he was able to make a confirm that the man in the video was Solomon. The jury also heard that through a Facebook profile, the woman was able to iden- tify her attacker as Solomon. Solomon denied the allegations. After deliberating for a few hours, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict. Following the guilty ver- dict, defence attorney Ru- pert Wheeler requested all bail conditions be lifted, to speed up the rehabilita- tion process. “My client has served a significant period of time behind bars, so much so that in my humble submis- sion he has passed the pe- riod of incarceration that would be imposed should a custodial sentence be deliv- ered,” said Wheeler. When Solomon was first arrested in October 2018, he was refused bail by the Summary Court and was held in remand for six months, before being re- leased on bail by the Grand Court. That bail included a 12-hour curfew and required Solomon to wear an ankle monitor, which Wheeler said curtailed Solomon’s liberty. Gillies objected to an un- conditional bail. Justice Che- ryll Richards, who tried the case, altered the curfew hours slightly, before issuing Sol- omon with a stern warning. “Do not take the exten- sion of bail as a signal that a non-custodial sentence will be passed,” said Jus- tice Richards. Solomon was released on bail and is due to be sen- tenced in November. Three Caymanians promoted within the Fire Service Three Caymanians have been appointed as division managers for the Cayman Is- lands Fire Service. Dwight Randy Rankin is the divisional manager for domestic, Whitman Tatum the divisional manager for avia- tion, and Witney Tatum is the division manager for aero- drome and domestic. Rankin and Whitman Tatum will be based on Grand Cayman, while Witney Tatum will be in Cayman Brac. All three men began their new roles on 15 July. “We are extremely pleased to have three experienced and highly capable Caymanians fill these important roles,” said Minister of Home Af- fairs Tara Rivers in a state- ment. “I look forward to seeing them continue to strive for excellence as we work to- wards creating a world-class Fire Service.” Rankin, who has 26 years of service in the Fire Service, will assist the deputy chief fire officer (domestic) in stra- tegic leadership, preparation and delivery of emergency fire and rescue services. Rankin earned an asso- ciate degree in Public Admin- istration from the Civil Ser- vice College and chose to further his studies at Florida State Fire College and the Fire Service College in London. Whitman Tatum, a Cayman Brac native, has 23 years of experience with the Fire Service and has worked on all three islands. He was recently based on the Brac and will assist with the management of the aviation division and provide aerodrome fire- fighting and rescue services at Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport. Witney Tatum has 32 years of experience, including time spent in the fire service in the United Kingdom. He will be responsible for de- livery of critical services in the Sister Islands. “An individual’s suita- bility for the role remains the highest priority when the Ministry selects a candi- date at the conclusion of a re- cruitment exercise,” said Dax Basdeo, chief officer for the Ministry for Home Affairs. He added, “We are pleased to see the investment we’ve made in professional develop- ment and training has helped our officers compete in re- cruitment exercises with con- fidence as promotion oppor- tunities become available. “We are striving to ensure that the most suitable indi- viduals are identified as part of fair and transparent pro- cesses across all recruitment exercises for posts in the Fire Service.” From left, Whitman Tatum, Witney Tatum and Dwight Randy Rankin are the newly appointed divisional managers for the Cayman Islands Fire Service. CAYMAN AIRWAYS RESTORES SOME TUESDAY FLIGHTS Cayman Airways is making Tuesday flights available again, the airline announced Friday. The carrier had pre- viously advised that it would need to re-schedule flights due to the closing of Owen Roberts Interna - tional Airport on Tuesdays throughout the months of September and October. The Cayman Islands Air- ports Authority announced in early August that the runway will not be closed on Tuesdays after all, as the necessarily work would be carried out during eve- nings instead. The airport had been scheduled to close on Tues- days to facilitate work on extending the runway. Cayman Airways has attempted to fully re- store its fall schedule of Tuesday flights, but the short window between the airport closure cancella- tion and the affected flights made that difficult in some cases, the airline stated. Not all flights have been able to be reconstituted, and some have had to be op- erated at different times. Cayman Airways has added Tuesday flights to Miami and Jamaica, as well as do- mestic service between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. “Coming out of the effort to change our schedule and accommodate those passen- gers who had booked travel on Tuesdays, there are now some challenges in trying to re-introduce flights with a limited booking window,” said Paul Tibbetts, Cayman Airways’ executive vice president of finance and commercial affairs. “Seats on flights are generally sold across a long span of time, generally up to a year. “With weeks instead of months to sell, we are therefore cognizant of the fact that many of the re- introduced Tuesday flights will likely go out with light loads. However, we are mindful that for the next two months, Cayman Air- ways will provide the only connection between the Cayman Islands and the rest of the world on Tues- days, once again underlying the Airline’s importance to our islands.” Passengers who wish to travel on Tuesdays during the months of September and October can visit www.caymanairways.com, call Cayman Airways Reservations at (345) 949‑2311, or contact their local travel agent.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 READY. SET. REGISTER FOR THE 7:30 a.m. on Walkers Rd opposite the former John Gray High School Divisions: M/F: U12, 12-14, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70+; Stroller & Pet. Series Dates: September 7 th , 2019 September 14 th , 2019 September 21 st , 2019 Register online: www.caymanactive.com/fidelityfunrun 2019 2019 only local TV news station, which had faced financial difficulties for almost a decade. The company owed more than $100,000 in un- paid regulatory and licence fees to OfReg for a pe- riod going back to the final quarter of 2016. Licensees are expected to pay 6% of their revenues every quarter, in addition to a regulatory fee. This year, OfReg expects to collect about $4.6 million from regulatory fees overall and $1.97 million from ICT licenses. Hurley’s TV had been at odds with the regulator over its ability to charge other cable TV operators for Cayman 27 programming. Cable TV providers are under the obligation to offer public television at no cost to subscribers 24 hours a day every day of the year and provide at least 20% local content. Merren said he had raised the financial viability of Cayman 27 with the regu- lator even before buying the TV station in 2015. But a fee or special fund paid for by each licensed subscription TV operator to carry Cayman 27 was never created by the regulator, contrary to the company’s expectations. Ultimately, Hurley’s TV said it had “no choice but to terminate the channel’s cur- rent programming, as it is unsustainable under its li- cence requirements”. TV providers have long claimed that local TV produc- tion was not profitable and the requirement of offering it free-to-air via analogue chan- nels was outdated. In 2014, Infinity Broad- band, which trades as C3, said in its submission to the regulator’s public consulta- tion on the future of local television broadcasting that it was subject to more strin- gent obligations in relation to public service television than other operators. “No other licensee is re- quired to provide 30% local content (C3 is the only li- censee obligated to provide 30% local content whilst all other licensees are only re- quired 20% or ZERO). It should also be noted that no other licensee is obligated to spend at least CI$400,000 on their studios for the pro- duction of local content pro- gramming,” Merren, who is also the managing director of C3, stated in its letter. One year later, the TV li- cence issued to Hurley’s TV stipulated at least four hours of public content a day with at least two hours of first-time content and four hours per week of free community slots. The licensee also had to operate a local studio from which to broadcast the service and produce its public content. Although the minimum expenditure of $400,000 was no longer re- quired, no other subscrip- tion TV operator had to run a local studio as part of their licence requirements. In Hurley’s TV’s case, the regulator defined public con- tent as 60% local news, 25% local arts and culture, which includes talk shows and 15% local educational pro- grammes, for example, col- lege presentations. How all of this is enforced is unclear. Premier Alden McLaughlin acknowledged in 2018 that the regulator is not enforcing that every li- censee maintains a free-to- air analogue channel, be- cause most of the population had access to cable television or streaming devices. Instead the regulator insists that they carry local content. Without Cayman 27, this will become more difficult as simply carrying government television channel CIGTV will not be sufficient, ac- cording to OfReg. Responding to ques- tions in the Legislative As- sembly, Premier McLaughlin said last year: “It is com- plex and expensive to set up and operate a TV station in a small market. With new technology, it is possible to create local content without the overheads associated with a television station, and there are several sources of video content carried on var- ious channels.” Some clarity is expected following OfReg’s public con- sultation on changes to ICT licences, which was first ex- tended from 8 July to 29 July and then again to 16 Aug. However, this will come too late for Hurley’s TV which was issued an enforcement notice before the end of the consultation period. Cayman 27 aired its final show Friday, with a blend of reporting on its closure and a nostalgic look back at its 27 years on the air. MONDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS As of Friday, 30 Aug., there were five licensees, including Hurley’s TV, the parent company of Cayman 27, that remained delinquent of their licence fees and royalties. Cayman 27 among five licences suspended by OfReg for us all, it has allowed the Ministry of Health to en- sure that we get a project of this magnitude right in the best economical way,” Health Minister Dwayne Seymour said in a state- ment. “This project is about so much more than bricks and mortar. It is our mis- sion to ensure access to quality, affordable health- care, as well as to build stronger communities and support the most vulner- able in our society.” Dr. Marc Lockhart, chairman of the Cayman Is- lands Mental Health Com- mission, said he’s pleased to see things moving forward on what he says is a badly needed addition to Cayman’s health community. “We needed this yes- terday,” Lockhart said. “We needed this 10 years ago. We have a human mental health crisis at this moment.” Currently, there are only eight in-patient beds at Cayman Islands Hospital for mental patients. Those needing sustained in-patient service are sent off island, typically to Jamaica. Lock- hart said there are 15 such patients now in Jamaica. He said he is grateful for the community and key government leaders who have helped push the mental health facility pro- ject forward. After months of frustration, he said he is feeling more positive con- struction will finally start. “I’m much more confi- dent than I was 48 hours ago,” he said on Friday. “The need is so great, it’s a moral imperative for us to get this done.” April Cummings, left, and Tammi Sulliman appear in the final Cayman 27 broadcast on Friday. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Contractors chosen for mental health facility COLOMBIA FARC NEGOTIATORS SAY THEY ARE TAKING UP ARMS AGAIN BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) – Colombian President Ivan Duque offered a nearly $1 million reward for the arrest of the top peace ne- gotiator for the Revolu- tionary Armed Forces of Colombia on Thursday after the rebel and a small cadre of hardliners vowed to resume their insurgency in a major reversal for the country’s efforts to end decades of bloody fighting. In a televised address, Duque also accused Vene- zuela’s socialist leadership of providing safe haven to the rebels – underscoring the risks to regional sta- bility from the rebels’ shock announcement they would rearm. In a video published after midnight Thursday, Luciano Marin appeared alongside some 20 heavily armed insurgents dressed in camouflaged fatigues condemning the conserva- tive Duque for standing by as hundreds of leftist activ- ists and rebels have been killed since demobilising as part of the peace deal. “When we signed the ac- cord in Havana we did so with the conviction that it was possible to change the life of the most humble and dispossessed,” said Marin, better known by his alias Iván Márquez, in the more than 30 minute video. “But the state hasn’t fulfilled its most important obligation, which is to guarantee the life of its citizens.” Marin read the lengthy prepared remarks from what looked like an estab- lished guerrilla camp in what he said was Colom- bia’s eastern jungles. Former FARC rebel Seuxis Hernandez, also known as Jesus Santrich, flashes a victory sign at journalists in June as he attends a session of the Chamber of Representatives at the Colombian congress in Bogota, Colombia. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 at its peak to hear such acts as Chainsmokers, Duran Duran, Flo Rida, Bryan Adams, Blondie and Zedd, along with comedians Wanda Sykes, Norm Macdonald and Natasha Leggero. The festival also offered presentations by top international and local chefs, as well as an art element, which included an on-site gallery and artists painting giant murals as the music played. From a crowd perspec- tive, the two days of en- tertainment were wildly successful. From the business side, it appears to have been less so, although no official reason was given for the cancellation. “The success of KAABOO Cayman in 2019 as a multi- day, premium music, art and comedy festival has estab- lished Cayman’s ability to deliver large-scale events at international standards,” Felts said his statement. “KAABOO will be returning its focus to its current and future planned US- based events.” “KAABOO Cayman would like to sincerely thank all those who at- tended, supported and participated in the 2019 event,” the statement con- tinued, “and hopes a prec- edent has been set for future festivals in the Cayman Islands.” CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 2019 “ After careful deliberation, the partners behind KAABOO Cayman regret to announce that the event will not be returning to the Cayman Islands in 2020.” JASON FELTS, chief brand and marketing officer KAABOO cancelled At its peak during the two-day festival in February, some 10,000 people were partying at the KAABOO concert site. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Disabled plane moved from Brac airport runway Charles Kirkconnell Inter- national Airport in Cayman Brac reopened Friday after its runway was closed for more than 20 hours when a private plane aborted its takeoff due to faulty landing gear. The airport, which had been closed from about 11:40am Thursday, reopened at 7am Friday, after parts for the damaged aircraft were delivered by the police helicopter. No one was injured in the incident, airport officials said, but crews were unable to move the plane from the runway immediately. The runway closure led to the cancellation of five Cayman Airways flights between Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. The air- line added an extra flight for Friday. The Cayman Islands Air- ports Authority on Thursday requested the RCIPS Air Op- erations Unit to help take equipment and aircraft en- gineers to Cayman Brac so repairs on the private plane could be carried out. “With the runway closed, the helicopter was the only option to expedite the re- moval of the plane and re- sume operations at the air- port,” the RCIPS said in a statement. The helicopter delivered two engineers and equip- ment to the airport at 5pm. Medivac While en route, the heli- copter crew received a request for an urgent medical evacu- ation from Faith Hospital, so after dropping off the engineers and equipment at the airport, the helicopter landed at the hospital’s helipad and picked up the patient and a medic. The helicopter landed on the Smith Road cricket pitch and the patient was trans- ferred by ambulance to the Cayman Islands Hospital. The private plane’s takeoff was aborted because its landing gear failed. The RCIPS police helicopter delivered engineers and equipment to help fix the disabled aircraft. - PHOTO: SISTER ISLANDS NEWS SERVICE KAABOO 2019 was a hit with attendees, but organisers say the festival will not go ahead next year. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Dorian strikes Bahamas as Category 5 storm McLEAN’S TOWN CAY, Bahamas (AP) – Hurricane Dorian struck the northern Bahamas on Sunday as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, its 185 mph winds ripping off roofs and tearing down power lines as hundreds hunkered in schools, churches and other shelters. The second-strongest Atlantic hurricane since 1950, Dorian hit land in Elbow Cay in the Abaco Islands after authorities made last-minute pleas for those in low-lying areas to evacuate. But officials recognised there were not many structures on higher ground on the largely flat ar- chipelago southeast of Florida. Millions from Florida to the Car- olinas kept a wary eye on the slow- moving Dorian amid indications it would veer sharply northeast- ward after passing the Bahamas and track up the US southeast sea- board. But authorities warned that even if its core did not make US landfall and stayed offshore, the po- tent storm would likely hammer US coastal areas with powerful winds and heavy surf. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Dorian’s maximum sustained winds at landfall were 185 mph, up from 175 mph. It is moving west at 7 mph. “Cata- strophic conditions” are occurring in the Abaco Islands and expected across Grand Bahama later in the day, the NHC said. Dorian was second only to Hurricane Allen in 1980, with its 190 mph winds. “It’s going to be really, really bad for the Bahamas,” Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach said. In the northern stretches of the Bahamas archipelago, hotels closed, residents boarded up homes and of- ficials hired boats to move people from low-lying areas to bigger is- lands as Dorian approached. Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis warned that any “who do not evacuate are placing themselves in extreme danger and can expect a catastrophic consequence”. Kwasi Thompson, minister of state for Grand Bahama island, urged residents to “please, please heed the warning. We have no more time available”. Still, dozens of people were ig- noring evacuation orders, officials said, and they were warned that they were placing their lives in danger. “The end could be fatal,” said Samuel Butler, assistant police commissioner. “We ask you, we beg you, we plead with you to get to a place of safety.” Silbert Mills, owner of the Ba- hamas Christian Network, said trees and power lines were already down in the Abaco Islands and that some roads were impassable. “The winds are howling like we’ve never, ever experienced be- fore,” said Mills, 59, who plans to ride out the hurricane with his family in the concrete home he built 41 years ago in central Abaco. Among those refusing to leave were 32 people in Sweetings Cay, and a group that sought safety in Old Bahama Bay resort, which offi- cials said was not safe. Butler said officials were closing certain roads with heavy equipment and warned that those on the other side would be stranded until after Dorian has passed. The govern- ment has opened 14 shelters across the Bahamas. “We cannot stress the amount of devastation and catastrophic im- pact that Hurricane Dorian is ex- pected to bring,” said Shavonne Moxey-Bonamy, the Bahamas chief meteorologist. The National Hurricane Center Sunday morning issued a hurricane watch for Florida’s East Coast from Deerfield Beach north to the Volusia and Brevard county line. The same area was also put under a storm surge watch. Lake Okeechobee was put under a tropical storm watch. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned residents along the state’s densely populated Atlantic coast: “We’re not out of the woods yet.” He noted some forecast models still bring Dorian close to or even onto the Florida peninsula. “That could produce life-threat- ening storm surge and hurricane force winds,” DeSantis said. “That cone of uncertainty still includes a lot of areas on the east coast of Florida and even into central and north Florida, so we are staying pre- pared and remaining vigilant.” A man stands on a roof as he prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, Sunday. Hurricane Dorian intensified into a Category 5 storm. - PHOTO: APNext >