ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2019 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY SANDWICHES N E W A cruise ship is seen moored off George Town on Thursday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Geotechnical study planned for cruise project JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Engineers have applied to begin drilling boreholes in the seabed in George Town har- bour for a study to help determine the sub- surface conditions in advance of the planned cruise port development. The results of the geotechnical study, which is expected to take three months, will likely influence the design of the piers. It will determine, among other things, the stability of the rock beneath the seabed. It is one of a number of studies that need to be completed before a final contract can be signed between government and the pre- ferred bidder on the project, Verdant Isle Port Partners. Any final agreement is also contingent on the result of an upcoming people-initiated referendum. In spite of the looming vote, government and its partners are proceeding with some of the advance studies as part of an ‘early works agreement’ with the preferred bidder. The borehole work is not scheduled to be un- dertaken before the referendum, a Ministry of Tourism spokesperson said in response to questions from the Cayman Compass. The geotechnical study will involve drilling 20 small boreholes to a maximum depth of 45 metres (145 feet) below the sur- face, according to a Coastal Works Applica- tion submitted by McAlpine, one of the part- ners in the Verdant Isle group, and viewed by the Cayman Compass. The boreholes correlate approximately with the planned placing of the piers, PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Cayman solar company powering Bahamas relief effort JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky A Cayman Islands renew- able energy company has been working in the Bahamas to pro- vide emergency power to field hospitals in remote areas. Staff from GreenTech Solar were in Grand Bahama last weekend installing solar panel systems with Tesla batteries to provide consistent power to clinics giving care to victims of Hurricane Dorian. In the Hawksbill region of Grand Bahama, medics were working in tough conditions. “The area was completely and utterly destroyed,” said Richard Harrison, CEO of GreenTech, who travelled to the area along with Kerby Powell and Richard Thompson, electricians with the Cayman company. “There was nothing left of the original medical clinic. It was levelled to its foundations …. We were told that 17 people had died on that street,” he said. The GreenTech crew, who led a group of local workers CAYMANIAN STUDENT FEATURED IN BRITISH TV STATION CAMPAIGN Brandon Saunders’ artwork used as ITV logo RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Artwork created by rising artist and Cay- manian student Brandon Saunders is now among idents being used by UK-based televi- sion network ITV. His design, a working electrical circuit using recycled materials forming the ITV logo, was among the winning idents selected by the TV station in its recently concluded ITV Cre- ates contest. An ident is a snippet of a TV sta- tion’s branded promotional video that plays for a few seconds before a programme starts. Saunders, 19, from Bodden Town, said he drew inspiration from growing up in the Cayman Islands and his love for science, for the winning design. “I wanted to re-interpret a circuit by stacking rocks and copper plates together and still have a lightbulb turn on, so that was kind of the concept and I really liked it,” he told the Cayman Compass. Saunders said he believed his Caymanian upbringing gave him a competitive edge over his European counterparts. “As Caymanians, we see the world dif- ferently,” he said, “and growing up on a nat- ural island is [probably] why I guess I used rocks and things I found on the beach nearby for my idea.” Saunders, a Newcastle University student, was pitted against 52 people, including 48 es- tablished artists, in the competition. He was among four students selected in the competi- tion which started last December. After his design was selected, Saunders presented it in London where it was ap- plauded. The ident was used liberally last month for a full week. “I hope that me being selected by ITV PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » GreenTech staff and volunteers erect a solar panel station in Grand Bahama. - PHOTO: RICHARD HARRISON2 PORT REFERENDUM FRIDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 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) DOWNTOWN ABBEY (PG) 1:00 VIP (SAT) | 4:15 (SAT) | 7:00 VIP (SAT) | 8:00 (FRI) | 8:00 VIP (FRI) | 9:45 (SAT) SUN: 2:20 | 5:10 | 7:00 VIP | 9:50 VIP | 10:15 HUSTLERS (R) 12:35 | 2:00 (SAT) | 3:55 (SAT) | 4:10 | 7:10 | 10:05 (SAT) IT: CHAPTER TWO (R) 12:35 (FRI ) | 1:35 | 5:00 (FRI ) | 5:15 | 9:00 | 9:30 (FRI) F&F HOBBS & SHAW (PG13) 10:45 (SAT) SUN: 3:30 CHHICHHORE (PG) 12:45 (FRI) | 3:30 (SAT) SUN: 3:00 | 8:40 KIDS CLUB (G) FINDING NEMO 10:00 (SAT) ZOYA FACTOR, THE (PG) 12:10 | 4:05 (SAT) | 4:40 | 6:45 SUN: 6:15 | 9:35 RAMBO: LAST BLOOD (R) 1:00 VIP | 1:20 (SAT) | 3:20 | 4:00 VIP | 7:00 | 7:10 (SAT) | 9:00 | 9:50 VIP | 10:15 47 METERS DOWN: (PG13) UNCAGED 11:00 (SAT) SUN: 3:20 | 4:50 | 8:00 | 9:10 ANGRY BIRDS (PG) MOVIES 12, THE 10:35 (SAT) SUN: 2:25 | 6:45 AD ASTRA (PG13) 12:30 (FRI) | 1:00 | 2:00 (FRI) | 3:15 (FRI) | 4:00 VIP | 7:00 | 7:25 (FRI) | 9:50 (FRI) | 10:00 SUN: 4:00 VIP | 5:40 | 7:10 | 10:00 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA (R18) LEHMAN TRILOGY, THE 8:00 (SAT) Enjoy a Cimboco breakfast of *Two Eggs (Done to your liking) *Your Choice of Apple Smoked or Canadian Bacon *Herb Roasted Potatoes *Honey Wheat Toast For ONLY $5.00!!! Finish it o with a cup of Java for $1.99 Start your day o right! Mon-Fri * 7:30-11:00am *Except Holidays Cayman Orthopaedic Group Please call 945-8380 for appointments DR. OLUFEMI AYENI, F.R.C.S.(C) Hip, Shoulder, Knee Arthroscopy, Trauma and Sports Medicine will be at Unit #1, Smith Road Plaza Monday, 23rd September, 2019 to Friday, 27th September, 2019 Elections Office urges voters to register RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky If the cruise port refer- endum is held this year, el- igible voters who have not already registered with the Elections Office will not be able to cast a ballot in the historic vote. However, if the refer- endum is held in the new year, voters only have until 1 Oct. to register to get their names on the electors list, ac- cording to Elections Super- visor Wesley Howell. He said those registering on or before the 1 Oct. dead- line will be included in the next voters list, which will be released on 1 Jan. As Cayman’s first people- initiated referendum on the project looms on the horizon, staff at the Elections Office are aiming to boost voter registration. Howell said his office is ramping up efforts to get el- igible electors to sign up be- fore the 1 Oct. deadline for the next official update of the voters list. Those efforts include extending opening hours at the Elections Of- fice in the Smith Road Centre on that day to facilitate last- minute registrations. “We plan to open until 9pm on 1 October,” Howell said, and he encouraged all eligible voters to register as soon as possible. A new voters list, con- taining 21,216 electors, will be released on 1 Oct, con- taining the names of voters who registered by 1 July. “We do not have online registration. However, regis- tration forms are available for download, and must be delivered to the Registering Officer or the Elections Office with the required documen- tation,” he said. On Wednesday this week, Cruise Port Referendum Cayman campaigners deliv- ered the original port pro- ject petition to Cabinet. The documents contained the 5,862 signatures gath- ered by the group. A total of 5,305 of those names have been verified by the Elec- tions Office. The Elections Office has yet to submit the official verified petition documents to Cabinet. Those docu- ments are needed to move the process forward. CPR Cayman suggested January 2020 as the ap- propriate time for the referendum. An executive with CPR Cayman, Shirley Roulstone, said getting the vote to happen is only one part of the effort. “We would like to say that even though you could not sign the petition, that you [can] come out and have a voice in the refer- endum. This is a moment in history that will be re- membered for a long, long time,” she said. Cruise campaigners want referendum next year Group renews calls for release of reports JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Campaigners are calling for the people-initiated ref- erendum on the cruise port to take place in January at the earliest. The Cruise Port Refer- endum Cayman group has also renewed calls for the release of information, in- cluding the proposed de- sign of the dock, in advance of the vote. Citing comments from Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell earlier this year that it would take around 10 weeks from the issuance of a writ of referendum to organise the poll, the group is seeking assurances from government that it will not seek to hold a poll be- fore Christmas. In a letter to Cabinet, the campaigners wrote, “Ten weeks at a minimum is nec- essary to ensure a fair and just process to ensure that all voters have time to edu- cate themselves, understand the referendum question, and ensure overseas students and voters have sufficient time to organise their voting ballot.” In an interview with the Cayman Compass this week, Howell indicated that only six weeks would be required from the passage of the cruise berthing referendum law in parliament for his of- fice to effectively organise and hold the referendum. He said this was the same timeline as the last two ref- erendums held in Cayman. Before the law can be passed, government must first publish the bill, which would set the question and date among other details, and allow for a 21-day no- tice period. It will then have to be debated and passed in the Legislative As- sembly. That leaves a narrow window of opportunity for a referendum to take place this year, based on Howell’s six-week estimate for prepa- ration time. CPR Cayman is advo- cating for a longer prepara- tion period and also wants the release of reports and information, including the new design, updated busi- ness case, full details of the financing arrange- ments, the updated environ- mental impact assessment and geotechnical studies be- fore the vote. “In the interest of good governance in our first people-initiated referendum, it is imperative that the Cay- manian people have the op- portunity to make a fully in- formed decision at the polls on the Government’s pro- posed cruise berthing fa- cility, and we request your assurances that the fol- lowing information and re- ports, will be made public, sufficiently in advance of the referendum on this matter of significant national importance.” On Wednesday this week, Cruise Port Referendum Cayman campaigners delivered the original port project petition to Cabinet. Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell and Elections Office manager Gina Whittaker carry out data entry work at the office on Wednesday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2019 ART DECO INSPIRED OCEANFRONT RESIDENCES Choose from one of the two, three, or four bedroom residences or a multi-level penthouse complete with private rooftop garden and infinity plunge pool. The finest in location, design and services combine for an unrivaled residential ownership experience. Disclaimer : FIN Grand Cayman features and amenities are based on current development plans and concepts and are subject to change without notice. Some services and amenities are subject to service-based fees or homeowner fees. Reserve your private tour and discover the last word in luxury + 1 345 326 1400 fin@fingrandcayman.com From USD $1.9M - $5Mthis magnitude. The project will definitely take years to build so their families will have to come and they will most likely have children being born here. Cayman, in my opinion, cannot cope with this type of activity. We do not have the housing to accommodate these people, we do not have the schools, our roads are al- ready crowded. This idea about a dock needs to go. We can continue like we have been doing all these years. What I suggest is a better arrangement be made at the South and North Terminals so we do not have our people standing around with posters (can we have booths?) like they are competing for their share of the pie. By the way, how often is the South Terminal used? Another suggestion that I made from years ago is that government upgrade the facil- ities at the Spotts Dock. When the weather is rough in George Town and the cruise ships can take their passengers to that side of the island, (last I saw it) it needed more restrooms, it needed shelter from the rain, it needed seating space and how about maybe some food and souvenir outlets that Cay- manians can work in. I defi- nitely think that the Spotts Dock needs upgrading and has needed this for a very long time. Why do not we do some- thing like that and employ Caymanian men and women to do the job. Perhaps some of our teenage youths can find work in their spare time and holidays too. Dora A.E. Ebanks 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. FRIDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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” Reader has concerns over cruise dock We do not need a dock! It will destroy our ocean floor and, I be- lieve, will cause diverse effects. Some time ago, I read about what it would do to our beautiful Seven Mile Beach. It, if I re- member correctly, was written by an elderly Caymanian seaman. From the time our people had to do a pe- tition, the government should know that the idea should be squashed. Caymanians should never have to petition about anything. Our govern- ment is supposed to re- spect the wishes of our people. If you see a pe- tition going around for signatures, something is wrong. These people voted for the MLAs that are in office and they are supposed to be working for us, not against us. Not only will Cay- manians become unem- ployed, the tenders will not be needed any longer and the tender com- pany has been providing this service for all these years. More foreigners, and I am not prejudiced, will need to be brought here to build a dock of Impressed by governor’s steel pan playing Mega-ships are not in national interest? In a recent homily at my local church, I could have sworn that the cele- brant said something along the lines of “dangers lurked in the form of the Phari- sees, the scribes and the ex- pats”. I may well have mis- heard but found it amusing nonetheless. It also gave me an op- portunity to write and say how thrilled I was to read recently of Governor Martyn Roper’s incursions into the world of steel pan drumming, in this case at the Sunrise Adult Training Centre. What a wonder- fully positive and uplifting story of the kind which could perhaps only happen somewhere like Cayman, as everybody pulls to- gether for the good of the whole society. Let’s have more stories like this. Mike Spragg If the Port Referendum Bill is speedily drafted by Cabinet, perhaps the pro- posed huge mega-cruise ship dock and cargo facili- ties in Hog Sty Bay will be brought to a vote soon. Is such expensive berthing for mega-cruise ships in the heart of George Town in the national interest of the Cayman Islands? Scientists aware of our Caribbean environment during this time of climate- warming have posited that even the sands of Seven Mile Beach (and beaches all around Grand Cayman) will be adversely affected by the dredging up of sand and coral in the Bay. An expen- sive attempt to move and re- store the precious sand and coral in some other area will not succeed, no matter what the government minis- ters promise. In their haste to push through their initiative and build the enormous concrete dock, is government aware that cruise ship passengers will not bring significant treasure to Cayman? The dream of many more thou- sands of tourists rampaging through narrow traffic- ridden streets of George Town daily may well be a nightmare. Will Caymanians vote for pie-in-the-sky progress over the Caymankind way of life that their forebears cher- ished? Answered prayers, such as proposed expensive improvements to tourism in all the islands – like the ferris wheel and the iconic tower in Camana Bay – do not bring happy outcomes. Immense mega-cruise ships have put in to many ports of call around the world. They are not geese that lay golden eggs. Nan Socolow Our government is supposed to respect the wishes of our people. If you see a petition going around for signatures, something is wrong. In their haste to push through their initiative and build the enormous concrete dock, is government aware that cruise ship passengers will not bring significant treasure to Cayman? Governor Marytn Roper, joined by Earl La Pierre, plays steel pan at the Sunrise Adult Learning Centre on 12 Sept. - PHOTO: KAYLA YOUNG LETTERS TO THE EDITORThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2019 6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman catboats a link to the islands’ past JEWEL LEVY jlevy@compassmedia.ky People watching the water on a bright sunny day late last month would have seen a sight that hearkened back to Cayman’s olden times – a quartet of the islands’ iconic blue and white catboats cut- ting through the waves as they sailed from West Bay to North Side in an annual race. The event, the David Foster Memorial Catboat Race, is the longest running one organised by the Cayman Islands Catboat Club. Foster, who passed away in 2005, was a long-time club member and an avid supporter of pre- serving catboat heritage in the Cayman Islands. The catboat is a colourful reminder of Cayman’s sea- faring past. For generations, the indigenous people of these islands relied on the vessels for their survival. Cayman turtle rangers pursued loggerheads, hawks- bill and green sea turtles, and fished, and the boats were also used to transport people and goods around the island. Brac roots Boatbuilder Captain Daniel Jervis, who was born in 1862 and died, age 77, in 1939, was the first person known to have made a cat- boat in the Cayman Islands, in Cayman Brac in 1904. He lived in Spot Bay in a house below the bluff with his wife, Georgeanna, whom he married in 1896. Together they had eight children. The house, which was built in 1875, still stands to this day, according to Spot Bay resi- dent Hendinburgh Dixon, 89. Dixon remembers Captain Jervis as a very good car- penter, pastor and farmer in the community, who worked all his life building catboats and farming. “He built the catboats alongside his house under a big fig tree on the north side of his house,” Dixon said. His father and a lot of the men in the community would watch Jervis build the boats, as they talked about their days at sea, how they caught the turtles and what was happening in the community. Dixon said his father, Blake, bought a six-pas- senger catboat from Captain Jervis for 7 pounds. The story recounted in Cayman history books is that one day Captain Jervis, who was shelling beans with his wife, was inspired by the shape of the shell to say he could build a better boat than the one being used for turtling. Kem Jackson, an expert on Cayman catboats, said he was told Captain Jervis started building the boat in his backyard and kept it cov- ered from prying eyes with coconut leaves. One evening, he got together with friends to reveal the boat, but when he lifted back the covers, he discovered a cat had had a litter of kittens in the bottom, and thus the name ‘cat- boat’ was born. Fishermen declared the boat the ultimate vessel to pursue turtles. Captain Jervis’s first cat- boat, called ‘The Terror’ and which was 3 feet, 8 inches wide and 14 feet long, was such an obvious improvement over the dugout canoe, it was copied by boat-builders from all three Cayman Islands and beyond. ‘The Terror’ continued in service until it was lost at sea in the 1932 storm. Boat design The catboat was a double-ended, shallow-draft sailboat with a forward- mounted mast, pushed by oars and paddles. It was constructed with timber from the plopnut tree for its natural curves. Mahogany, fiddlewood and pomperra were used for the ribs, and mahogany for the planking. Crocus was stuffed into the timber seams with a chisel and hammer. Builders worked with var- ious handmade tools – adzes, planes, handsaws, chisels and spokeshaves. The women stitched the sail, using a hand- held machine. According to the Na- tional Trust for the Cayman Islands website, it became the custom to paint the cat- boats blue, to minimise the glare of the sun on the sea being reflected into the fish- ermen’s eyes. As time went by, the de- mand for catboats grew, and other Caymanian boat- builders took up the trade. The first people Captain Jervis showed how to make the catboat were Captain Edwin Walton from Spot Bay, Arthur Dilbert from Watering Place, Arthur Ryan from Stake Bay, and Ulin Bodden from West End. Soon after- wards, the skill spread to Grand Cayman. Captain Jervis’s son Lee took over the catboat trade after his father passed away. He describes the boat as taking on little water due to being a shallow boat in the book ‘Hearts and Sails, the Cayman Catboat’ published by the Ministry of Education for Heroes Day 2008. In 1935, during Commis- sioner Allan Cardinall’s time, the first catboat sailing re- gatta took place, and races around the islands were held for many years afterwards. As more roads were built on the islands, and the tur- tling industry came to an end, catboats were used less often, eventually becoming somewhat of a footnote in Cayman’s maritime history. Today, the Cayman cat- boat is once again being rec- ognised, due to the efforts of the Maritime Heritage Foun- dation and Cayman Islands Catboat Club, which was formed in 1998 to help pre- serve the legacy of the boat. Club founders Jackson and Jerris Miller continue to pass on their extensive cat- boat knowledge. Jackson has a fully functioning work- shop where old catboats are being restored and new ones are built. Groups of schoolchildren, as well as tourists, visit and then help spread information about the history and cul- ture of the catboat. Among the club’s activities, it pro- vides people with the oppor- tunity to ride in a genuine Cayman catboat. The monument, Dreams from the Sea, in Heroes Square in front of the court- house in downtown George Town, stands as com- memoration of Cayman’s iconic catboat. Catboat race The Catboat Club each year hosts the David Foster Memorial Race, enabling some of Cayman’s remaining catboat captains to pit their skills against one another. In the most recent race, held 24 Aug., Jackson, Miller and other catboat aficionados showed what their boats could do when they battled each other and the elements to sail between Garvin Park in West Bay and Rum Point in North Side. Jackson, skippering the Captain D with Joey Jackson, finished first in 2 hours, 30 minutes. David Foster’s Brac Cat, crewed by Rommell Ebanks, Rommell Ebanks Jr. and Andrea Martinez, com- pleted the course in 3 hours, 14 minutes. In third place was the Whittaker Cat crew, con- sisting of Jerris Miller, NJ Miller and Orneil Galbraith, in a time of 3 hours, 44 min- utes, followed by The Trav- eller, skippered by Bobby Ebanks, which finished in 4 hours and 20 minutes. Kem Jackson and Joey Jackson on board the Captain D at this year’s David Foster Memorial Race.Members of the Foster family with Cayman Catboat members at the annual David Foster Memorial Catboat Race earlier this month.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2019 The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS A Celebration of life First Year Anniversary September 26, 1951 September 18, 2018 Vincent Thomas Parsons There is a bridge of memory, from earth to heaven above. It keeps you always near us, it’s called the bridge of love. May you always walk in sunshine and God’s love around you flow, for happiness you gave us, no one will ever know. We love and miss you dearly! Your loving wife, children and grandchildren Happy 90th Birthday Ms. Leah (Rina) Jennings in Heaven Sent in by your loving Jennings Family Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Linda R. Barlow, who died peacefully in her sleep at home on Thursday, August 29, 2019. A Memorial Service will be held at Elmslie Memorial United Church, on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. We invite Linda’s friends and admirers to make a donation to Hospice instead of bringing flowers to the service. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com In Memory Of Carson Haley Bush Its been 2 sad years since you left us. Missing You. From your Loving Mom Sherlene and rest of family. August 30, 1979 – September 20, 2017 Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs.SharleneMinzett-Anderson, who passed away on Monday, September 16, 2019. Details of a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com Churchill’s Funeral Home We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. ChalisaChambers, who passed away on Friday, September 06, 2019. Ms. Chambers will be repatriated to Jamaica. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com is encouraging to young people,” he said. Saunders added it was a proud achievement from him, not just as young artist, but as a young Caymanian. “I think the big take- away [from this] is, don’t lose your individuality. Re- member what made you special or how Cayman has influenced you because the way you have grown up. That cannot be repli- cated; that is something that will inspire new ideas … that no one has seen be- fore,” he said. Saunders is the eldest son of Bodden Town West MLA Chris Saun- ders. He credits his par- ents for instilling in him values of Caymanian pride and the passion to pursue his dreams. The second-year univer- sity student recalled his fa- ther’s exclamations that, from the womb, he was an artist because during pregnancy, his mother Shawnette would always be busy with arts and crafts. Saunders said now he is dabbling in using arti- ficial intelligence to create art, as well as self-tutoring himself on visual effects to hone his artistic skills. “Next year, I am plan- ning to do a whole pro- ject based around it. I re- ally just sit down and teach myself a lot of these things and I have created a few things, but I am still thinking about what to do with it and how to use it ef- fectively,” he said. For his next project, Saunders said, he will be heading to Italy to check out a train station for a competition in which he and others will conceptu- alise a piece that may be chosen to be permanently displayed there. in the project, installed an array of 30 solar panels and two power walls donated by Tesla at the clinic in Hawks- bill, and at two other lo- cations, in High Rock and Mclean’s Town. The systems are pro- viding power to put the lights on and provide air condi- tioning, as well as basic medical equipment in the field hospitals. Harrison said the solar and battery power systems are ideal for emergency sit- uations, because they can be installed quickly and can supply electricity in remote areas where the power grid is unlikely to come back online for some time. In Mclean’s Town, a small community on the far eastern point of Grand Bahama, the search was continuing for 10 people missing since the storm hit. “It was really ravaged by the hurricane and they needed to put a clinic up there,” Harrison said. The crew have been working with the Inter- national Medical Corps, a charity which brings volun- teer health workers to dis- aster-hit areas. The clinics are there to tend to those injured in the storm, and also to prevent spread of communicable dis- eases in the aftermath and to ensure people with chronic conditions have access to medication. Doctors are also on hand to help with mental health emergencies. Harrison said Tesla, the US renewable energy com- pany that makes the Pow- erwall batteries, had sup- plied the power systems and had reached out to GreenTech to be involved in the project. James Whittaker, founder of the GreenTech Group, said the company had been happy to help. “It’s important for those of us in positions to as- sist when natural disasters strike, to do so,” he said. “In particular, we in the Carib- bean solar industry can play a central role to ensure crit- ical infrastructure is resilient and … operating, in order to save lives in the direct after- math of storms.” James Whittaker, founder of the GreenTech Group, has no relation to James Whittaker, the writer of this story. Cayman solar company powering Bahamas relief effort The GreenTech crew, who led a group of local workers in the project, installed an array of 30 solar panels and two power walls donated by Tesla at the clinic in Hawksbill, and at two other locations, in High Rock and Mclean’s Town. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The batteries and solar panels are providing power for field hospitals, like this one in High Rock, Grand Bahama. - PHOTO: RICHARD HARRISON Caymanian student featured in British TV station campaign CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Brandon SaundersThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2019 - Provide fast & efficient service wherever you are on the island. - We pick up vehicles & get them licensed and inspected at an affordable price. This service I brought to you gives less hassle of waiting in long lines for hours. Let us take care of that for you. Monday – Saturday 8am – 6pm Get your vehicle licensed and inspected with just one phone call. Contact us Today: Tel: (345) 329-2554 Email: laceyjones817@gmail.com The Family of the Late Austin A. Scott Jr regret to announce his passing on Sunday, 1 September, 2019. A funeral service will be held 4:00 p.m. Thursday, 26 September, 2019 at Bodden Funeral Service, 117 Walkers Rd. George Town. Interment will follow privately. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page according to a map sub‑ mitted with the application. The work will be per‑ formed from a 400‑foot drilling platform supported by a ‘jack‑up barge’ and is likely to have some impact on boat traffic in the har‑ bour. Much of the work is expected to take place at weekends and outside peak hours for commercial boat traffic, the application notes. It states, “The applica‑ tion is to carry out necessary testing to obtain data to in‑ form engineering methods in the construction of the Cruise Berthing Facility. “The data collected from this work will serve to re‑ fine the facility design as well as to help guide the de‑ velopment and implementa‑ tion of environmental pro‑ tection programs that best fit the local conditions, and to assist in the decision of constructing the cruise dock application.” The application notes that there should be no “tur‑ bidity concerns” and in‑ dicates that work will be stopped if turbidity plumes are detected. The geotechnical study is one of a number of studies, also including a completed environmental impact as‑ sessment and dive sur‑ veys of the harbour, that fall under the ‘early works agreement’ – a schedule of work required to be com‑ pleted by the bidder, Ver‑ dant Isle, in advance of fi‑ nalising a contract. The results of those studies are expected to im‑ pact the design considera‑ tions and will be factored into negotiations over a final contract, if the pro‑ ject gets the go ahead from the public when a refer‑ endum is held. Some of those studies are expected to begin ahead of the vote. “The proposed studies to be undertaken prior to the referendum are dive surveys to map and grid the existing corals and coral relocation sites, as well as bathymetric and hydrographic surveys of the seabed,” the ministry spokesperson said. Bathymetric and hydro‑ graphic surveys typically involve measurement of the depth of water, as well as mapping of the under‑ water features. “This work is necessary to provide information that is relevant to the environ‑ mental process, as well as to the public,” the spokes‑ person said. She said the environ‑ mental consultant being proposed by Verdant Isle is being submitted to the Environmental Assess‑ ment Board for approval. The environmental process, an update of the environ‑ mental impact assessment carried out in 2015, will then commence. The spokesperson said Verdant Isle is respon‑ sible for the studies, along with their consortium part‑ ners, Baird – the environ‑ mental consultant who undertook the 2015 EIA – coral relocation firm Po‑ laris and dredging con‑ tractor Van Oord. She said the rationale for continuing with the en‑ vironmental works ahead of the vote was “to provide further reassurance to the public regarding the in‑ tended stewardship and care of our environment” and to continue with de‑ tailed work stages needed to inform the final agreement. Linda Clark, a represent‑ ative of the Cruise Port Ref‑ erendum Cayman group, who viewed the coastal works application this week, said it was unclear from the document what the terms of reference were for the study. She ques‑ tioned if seismic studies and sediment impact would be part of the work. She added, “Who will own the data obtained once the research has been con‑ ducted? As well as to un‑ derstand the specific risks of the Cruise Berthing Fa‑ cility construction, any sampling of the bedrock is in the public interests to better understand the ge‑ ological history of Grand Cayman, and to minimise duplication of similar sam‑ pling which would further impact our fragile coral reef ecosystems, as well as incurring additional costs. The results of the survey must be a matter of public record and not owned by McAlpine or any other pri‑ vate party.” The original environ‑ mental impact assessment indicated more detailed sub‑surface information was needed both to deter‑ mine the extent of envi‑ ronmental impacts from dredging and to support de‑ tailed design. Customs seize vaping products in Doctors Express search No arrests made after CBC executes search warrant KEVIN MORALES kmorales@compassmedia.ky Customs and Border Con‑ trol officers searched Doc‑ tors Express Tuesday, days after the medical facility was forced to pull cannabis vaping products from its shelves, according to a gov‑ ernment spokesperson. “A large quantity of CBD oils/vapes were seized,” the spokesperson wrote in a statement sent to the Cayman Compass, adding that no arrests have been made. “This is an active investi‑ gation,” Customs and Border Control Director Charles Clifford said. “No further comment will be made at this stage.” The search warrant was executed as part of a joint operation between the CBC and police, a government press release confirmed. Doctors Express Director Sam Banks declined com‑ ment on the matter, citing the open investigation. He previ‑ ously said Doctors Express is fully cooperating with the investigation. Chief Medical Officer John Lee last week issued an order requesting all health‑ care practitioners “cease and desist from the issuance, pro‑ cessing, dispensing or selling of any cannabinoid which will be used by vaporization until further notice”. Cannabis extracts and tinctures of cannabis are lawful in the Cayman Is‑ lands where prescribed by a medical doctor, according to the Misuse of Drugs Law (2017 Revision). The US‑based Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration are investigating a spate of deaths and illnesses believed to be associated with the use of e‑cigarette and vaping products in that country. There have been 530 cases of lung injury and seven deaths reported from 38 states and one territory as of Tuesday, according to the CDC. The Health Ministry in the Cayman Islands announced in a statement on Wednesday that it is reviewing local leg‑ islation “to protect members of the public from the po‑ tential fatal effects that have been seen in other jurisdic‑ tions, and to implement in‑ tervention measures into the use of e‑cigarettes by chil‑ dren, including adolescents”. Cayman’s National Drug Council on Wednesday issued a statement reminding resi‑ dents and visitors of the legal restrictions surrounding the use of medical cannabis. “While cannabis is avail‑ able for medical use, the recreational use remains il‑ legal and cannabis is clas‑ sified as a Schedule I drug,” the NDC statement reads. “There are serious reper‑ cussions, including penal‑ ties, imprisonment or both for possession, importation, manufacture, sale or distri‑ bution of cannabis.” Cayman’s laws do not allow for the importation of cannabis purchased outside the Cayman Islands without the relevant permits and li‑ cences. The NDC did not spe‑ cifically refer to the investi‑ gation concerning Doctors Express, nor the chief med‑ ical officer’s cease order. “It is illegal to travel in and out of the Cayman Is‑ lands with all forms of can‑ nabis which includes those products used for medicinal purposes,” CBC Deputy Di‑ rector Jeff Jackson is quoted as saying in the statement. “These laws and regulations are enforced to all countries and its borders, whether can‑ nabis is legal or not.” The NDC also encouraged residents to make informed decisions when it comes to substance use of any kind. “While we acknowledge there are positive impacts of the CBD component found in cannabis for medicinal pur‑ poses, we urge the public to be informed,” NDC Director Joan West‑Dacres said in the statement. “It is well known that components of can‑ nabis are addictive, affect the brain and; has been linked to increased risk of mental health problems.” The search warrant was executed as part of a joint operation between the Customs and Border Control and police. Customs and Border Control officers Tuesday searched the George Town office of Doctors Express Urgent Care and seized CBD oils and vaporisers. - PHOTO: KEVIN MORALES Geotechnical study planned for cruise project CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >