Regulated in the Cayman Islands as a licensed insurer by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Generali Worldwide is a trading name of Utmost Worldwide Limited. Registered Head Office address: Utmost Worldwide Limited, Utmost House, Hirzel Street, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands GY1 4PA. Regulated in Guernsey as a licensed insurer by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission under the Insurance Business (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2002 (as amended). Incorporated in Guernsey under Company Registration No. 27151. www.generali-healthcare.com Call us to learn how we can support your health and wellness initiatives today at 747-2000. Have you heard of our New Member Benefits and Tools? www.generali-healthcare.com cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 75 CENTS | Funding local journalism | Thursday, 17 October 2019 Win keeps Nations League group title hopes alive Sport | Page 24 Scientists slowly unravel sargassum mystery Issues | Page 10 Bodden Town school renamed for teacher News | Page 7 Smoking out mosquitoes MRCU fogs areas to combat dengue-carrying insects Page 51:25 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 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! 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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: T: (345) 949-5111 E: sales@compassmedia.ky W: caymancompass.com PUBLISHER KATHLEEN CAPETTA EDITOR CATHERINE MACGILLIVRAY NEWS PRODUCER AND OPERATIONS MANAGER KEVIN MORALES A MEMBER OF THE INTER- AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” Cloudy skies with a 30% chance of showers and some thunder weather Forecast today Cayman Islands 90°F 78°F HIGH LOW WINDS Southerly at 5 to 10 knots SEA STATE Southerly at 5 to 10 knots RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky The Cayman Islands Airports Authority and IDL Projects Joint Venture have signed a $30 million contract for airfield upgrade works at the Owen Roberts International Airport. $30 million airport upgrade deal signed Airfield- upgrade project The Cayman Islands Airports Authority said the project consists of five sub-projects: - Milling and repaving of the existing runway sur- face - A runway extension - Filling of the ponds with- in the airfield perimeter - Establishing a robust airfield perimeter road - Expanding the aircraft parking ramp in an easterly direction to provide additional air- craft parking. At the contract signing for the Owen Roberts International Airport Airfield Upgrade Project were, standing, from left, Chris Lennon of DECCO; Roy Williams, senior project manager; Premier Alden McLaughlin; Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell; Chief Officer Stran Bodden; and Peter Ranger, chief project manager, and, seated, from left, Chief Airport Operations Officer Wayne DaCosta from the Cayman Islands Airports Authority and Barry Bodden, Island Paving/DECCO/IDL Projects JV Ltd. The contract signing took place this week and was publicly announced on Wednesday in a CIAA media statement. The IDL Projects Joint Venture, the CIAA said, is a three-company partnership which includes local businesses Island Paving and Dart company DECCO, and Canadian- based firm IDL Projects, which specialises in airports and infrastructure. “This newly formed partnership of the CIAA with IDL Projects Joint Venture brings focus to the continued airfield upgrades and improvement of Cayman’s beloved airport, ORIA, for the people of the Cayman Islands,” the authority said. According to the CIAA statement, the project works will commence early next month and are expected to take approximately eight months to complete. Last month, the CIAA applied for planning permission to begin its airfield upgrades. In August, the CIAA announced its planned runway work had to be rescheduled to take place outside of normal operating hours, thus negating the need to close the airport one day a week as had been originally announced. “The apron work will be the first of the five sub-projects to begin, followed by the runway rehabilitation and extension in January 2020. The works will not affect the airline schedules,” the statement said. Deputy Premier and Minister of Tourism Moses Kirkconnell, commenting on the signing of the new contract, said in the statement, “This is an extremely important next step on our master plan for the airport expansion. Our extended ramp and taxiway will make the airport more efficient and expedite departures and landings.” CIAA Chief Airport Operations Officer Wayne DaCosta welcomed movement on the project. “We are dedicated to providing our customers with professional, innovative airport services and facilities in a safe, efficient manner, and IDL Projects Joint Venture has a proven track record of delivering successful, quality development to the wider community,” he said. Island Paving Ltd. managing director Barry Bodden, representing IDL joint venture, expressed confidence in the ability of the consortium to execute the project. “We are committed to ensuring this project benefits the wider community through employment opportunities and building the local skillset for future maintenance and expansion works,” he said, “It is our intention to support local businesses, first and foremost.” 2JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Government on Wednesday released detailed plans showing the updated design of the new cruise and cargo port planned for George Town Harbour. The plans, which show a reduction in dredging compared with the original design, will be put through an updated environmental impact assessment. Government and Verdant Isle Port Partners, the consortium named as the preferred bidder on the project, said the revisions “significantly reduced” the impact of the project. Whether or not the plans go ahead is subject to the outcome of a people-initiated referendum on 19 Dec. The new plans involve a 30% reduction of “marine excavation” volume compared with the original concept, which involved the dredging of around 15 acres of coral reef, according to a joint press statement. Premier Alden McLaughlin said government and Verdant Isle were now able to make the plans public after the conclusion of detailed design discussions. “The Government has listened to the concerns of the public and have put the piers into deeper water and chosen a cargo option that also minimizes the dredging,” he said in a statement. Government listed a 5.3% increase in the total size of the facility, an 11.3% decrease in the “marine excavation footprint”, and a 27% increase in the cargo port area among other key differences to the original design which was subjected to an environmental impact assessment in 2015. The new plan also moves “marine excavation” away from Eden Rock and involves reusing excavated material for the upland land reclamation. The plan still involves significant land reclamation for shore-side facilities, although the government press release issued Wednesday did not specify how much. The original plan called for 7.7 acres of land reclamation. Verdant Isle is currently in the process of submitting a scoping update to the Environmental Assessment Board setting out the changes in the design ahead of an update to the environmental impact assessment. The terms of reference of that assessment will be determined by the board, headed by Gina Ebanks-Petrie, director of the Department of Environment, after consultation with the public. Baird & Associates, the coastal engineers who carried out the initial EIA, are undertaking the update along with their subcontractors. Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean and spokesperson for Verdant Isle, said the group had worked with government to modify the designs. “Since the announcement of Verdant Isle as preferred bidder,” he said, “we have been working with the Cayman Islands Government and, in particular, the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands, to adjust and refine our submitted plans to better fit their specific requirements. We are happy to now be in a position to release these updated plans.” The design update also adds capacity on the cargo side. Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell said in a press release, “We are confident the project will deliver long-term benefits for the country, including providing a much needed increase of about 30% in usable working area for the cargo port that will make it available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” The revised plans can be viewed at https://supportourtourism. com/medias/revised-port- plans/. Updated cruise berthing, port plans released Developers: revisions ‘significantly reduced’ impact of the project The design overlay of the proposed cruise berthing and cargo port. cayman compass 3 news N news THURSDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2019 Legend: 1. North Cruise Pier 2. South Cruise Pier 3. Tender Operations Wharf (4 positions) 4. Cargo Pier 5. Guest Arrivals, Customs and Security 6. Pedestrian Promenade and Commercial Street 7. Shore-Ex Transportation Area 8. Independent Transportation Area 9. Fort George Preservation Area 10.Cargo Storage Yard 11. Cargo Gate 12. Port AdministrationThe Cayman Compass encourages community dialogue on important public matters and is eager to receive letters to the editor that contribute positively to that discourse. Every effort is made to publish submit- ted letters in our print and online editions that meet our criteria. Readers are limited to three published letters per month. Letters are accepted at the editor’s discretion based on the following criteria: • Letters must be no longer than 350 words. • Letters must be written with sensitiv- ity to Cayman Islands’ multi-cultural society and in respectful language that avoids inciting violence or is any way derogatory towards others’ race, religion, or sexual orientation. • Letters must be based on verifiable information; the Compass reserves the right to fact-check letters. • The Compass reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and AP style. • The Compass reserves the right to cut letters to fit available space in the print edition. • Letters must include the author’s name and contain a contact tele- phone number and/or email address. • Due to time constraints, the Compass cannot notify individuals as to wheth- er submissions will be published. The views and comments expressed in letters submitted to the Cayman Compass, its website or any associated social media platforms, are those of the writer and not those of Compass Media. Letters should be emailed to editor@compassmedia.ky. LETTERS Standards and guidelines cartoon Jake Fuller - Cyber Attacks Where are the horoscopes? Perhaps it's a result of being some three weeks after the September equinox, or that it’s a full moon and mercury is in pre-retrograde, but I have an indescribable feeling that something is absent today - which after some thorough paging determined was (gasp!) the horoscope section from the Cayman Compass has been removed! Without knowing our fortunes, my colleagues and I have been left deserted like the wind through the trees, like the sands of time, the starts in the night., like a sailor without his compass... (Ah – a pun on compass!) I attempted to take action and foolishly attempted to learn of our horoscopes from the internet as a recourse, but alas - I was very quickly led down a rabbit hole of researching where sargassum seaweed comes from (still don't know), whether the UK will ever see out Brexit ("ORDER! ORDER!"), and ordering umbrellas and tennis racquets on Amazon (a victim to tailor-made ads). Needless to say, it’s been one proper riot (both Brexit and my research attempts). Having sat rocking in my chair with distress whilst knowing that in two weeks I should have a new umbrella, I have decided to write a letter (this very one) to bring to your attention this newly developed crevasse which has crept silently into the Friday edition. Let the record show, I am thoroughly enjoying the new layout of the Compass paper, but alas – please bring back the horoscope section! I simply MUST be able to learn of my horoscope whilst having my coffee at work. If daily is too much for the stars to handle (I'll admit, this may be a tall order), could this perhaps be included at least in the Friday edition, to ease the meager minds of my colleagues and myself for the encroaching weekend. PS, I'm an Aries. Serious Aries-ous (Matthew Cilliers) Letter to the editor I am disappointed by recent articles published on local social media platforms. Cayman has been my home almost my entire life, a country I believed represented the ‘Caymankind’ attitude we all so proudly publicised, but over recent years and especially in the recent weeks I have seen my fellow countrymen demonstrating the complete opposite. Malicious, hurtful and fabricated articles have caused me to question what type of society and country, I have decided to raise my child in. What kind of lessons are we teaching our children that as human beings we are no longer expected to make mistakes? As adults, what kind of message are we sending when we capture every embarrassing moment, mistake and humiliating incident only to disseminate and openly disgrace one another? We teach our kids not to intimidate, harass and bully each other but to forgive their fellow peers, all while sitting behind our computer screens, sharing fictitious and embarrassing stories whilst playing into the toxic atmosphere of cyber bullying. As adults, we laugh, ridicule and tear each other apart in order to fit into this over- critical and prejudicial society, and we believe and distribute inaccurate versions of the truth. We have become our own worst enemies and we have become each other’s. We take satisfaction and pride in destroying each other’s lives, companies, reputations, all for a single click, while teaching our children to be kinder, understanding, accepting and sympathetic. Shame on us! What would they say if they could read some of our comments? Don’t get me wrong. I have been guilty of inappropriate jokes, insensitive comments and ill-mannered behaviour (I am human after all), but I certainly do not want to be a part of an unforgiving society, exhibiting unachievable perfection. We simply need to do better, be better. We need to STOP this type of conversation and STOP focussing on one another’s failures. We have become so focussed and obsessed on scrutinising one another that we have lost our sense of compassion, forgiveness, empathy and community. We need to lift each other up! Certainly not the ‘Caymankind’ I remember. Tara Bernardo As an avid reader of the Cayman Compass, I was pleased to learn of the developments and change. The paper looks good and is an easy read. However, I am somewhat disgruntled, alongside some of my colleagues, that the paper no longer carries the horoscope or cartoons. I had not appreciated how much I had previously looked forward to reading the same until it was gone. Would it be possible to consider a return of the horoscope and cartoons (all of them), even if it is a pull-out sheet? Please accept my humbleness in this request. Yvonne D’Aguilar Cyber bullying must stop Editor’s note: The comics and horoscope will return to the Cayman Compass on Fridays as of 25 Oct. cayman compass 4 news N news THURSDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2019ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky To the untrained eye, the thick white plumes of smoke rising from some East End and Savannah communities this week could have easily been confused for fire. However, there was no fire; the smoke is one of several tools in the Mosquito Research and Control Unit’s arsenal against the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary transmitter of the dengue virus. Six confirmed cases of dengue fever, three of which were locally transmitted, have forced the MRCU to step up its spraying schedule. During the ground-level spraying, residents are advised to keep doors and windows closed to prevent chemicals from going inside. People are also advised to turn off air conditioners while spraying is taking place. “Everything is used according to the label,” said MRCU Director Jim McNelly. “Everything is registered for use by the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency); everything is done with properly calibrated equipment to minimise risk to people, non-targets and the environment.” For some residents though, seeing a wall of thick smoke advancing towards, and even engulfing, them can be quite intimidating. “I was working in the grounds when I saw the smoke,” said Lupert McDonald, who said he was in his 70s. “I thought it was a fire, so I ran to the other side of the house, but then the smoke came around there too, so I ran to the road.” Told that the smoke was a result of the MRCU spraying the area because of the recent reports of dengue, McDonald, a Jamaican farmer, told of his own encounter with the virus which he contracted more than four decades ago. He said even after all that time, the pain is still clear in his mind. “From my toes to my head, every joint hurt,” he said. “I woke up and had to change all my clothes because everything was soaking wet from the sweat.” The spraying is conducted in two parts. First the MRCU uses an insecticide. According to the MRCU’s website, a chemical classified as ‘synthetic pyrethroid’ is applied through a method called ‘ultra-low volume’, which involves spreading between ½ and 1 ounce of the chemical per acre. The chemical compound is vaporised into a thick white fog. MRCU staff in protective gear blast the fog at vegetation and bases of houses, as well as the surrounding foliage of vacant lots. This initial fogging kills adult mosquitoes in the area. The Cayman Compass attended the spraying of a few homes in Savannah on Wednesday. During that fogging, multiple adult mosquitoes could be seen flying from the fog. A few minutes after the spraying, the MRCU staffers then sprayed another chemical compound, that was diluted with fresh water. When sprayed, this second mixture produced a transparent liquid that coated the exterior walls of homes, as well as the surrounding plants. McNelly said if the MRCU is to successfully target the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, his team will need the cooperation of the public. “Our folks need access to properties to do their job, which, right now, is protection of the public’s health,” said McNelly. The MRCU targets communities where the confirmed cases of dengue have been reported. Prior to the fogging and spraying, MRCU staff go from door to door to alert people that they will be spraying around the properties. The MRCU also posts updates on its Facebook page to let residents know which neighbourhoods will be sprayed. Six confirmed cases of dengue fever, three of which were locally transmitted, have forced the MRCU to step up its spraying schedule . Lupert McDonald says he contracted dengue fever more than 40 years ago in Jamaica. MRCU fogs areas to combat dengue-carrying mosquitoes cayman compass 5 news N news THURSDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2019RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Police have received more than 1,900 domestic violence reports this year, but a new multi-agency partnership is hoping to turn those numbers around. The Alliance to End Domestic Violence, which comprises seven government and non-profit agencies, was formally launched Tuesday night during a ceremony at Government House. The partnership is under the patronage of Elisabeth Roper, wife of Governor Martyn Roper. Roper said she was pleased to be part of the effort to combat domestic violence in the Cayman Islands. “By bringing together the organisations which, one way or another, work with and help these survivors, the alliance hopes to ensure that survivors can navigate their way through the official channels more easily,” she said. The alliance will be chaired by the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre and includes the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Community Rehabilitation, the Family Resource Centre, the Gender Affairs Unit, the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. Roper said through the work of these agencies, the alliance “aims to support the survivors and to help and empower people to live their lives free of domestic violence. They also aim to educate the wider public on how domestic violence impacts the whole of society.” Mehr Lamba, outreach coordinator with the Crisis Centre, concurred. She said the alliance has been in the works for some time and held its first meeting in July. “We are here to let the public know that all of these wonderful agencies here are working together on a daily basis [and] are coming together to really start the process to end domestic violence in Cayman, and now the work will begin,” Lamba said. The alliance, according to its introductory statement, will consult and work with other community organisations as necessary, as well as directly consult with people who have experienced domestic violence. Lamba said the objective of the alliance is in its name - to end domestic violence in the Cayman Islands. “We really believe that it can be done,” Lamba said. “Cayman is a really small place and we have actually an opportunity here to make the public aware what domestic violence is, to work together with agencies to make the process for people who have experienced domestic violence simpler and really make it as easy as possible for people to live lives free of violence - that really is our goal.” Ania Milanowska, executive director of the Crisis Centre, said the launch was timely as October is domestic violence awareness month. She stressed that partnering is critical to the work of the various agencies. “We simply cannot effectively support victims of domestic violence on our own,” she said. “Together we will continue to involve service users in assessing and enhancing the quality of care and support provided and are motivated and committed to making continuous improvements to the services.” Peter Lansdown, the detective superintendent in charge of the policing arm of the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub, said the alliance is a vital partnership in the fight to stamp out domestic violence in Cayman. “All of the elements of the alliance are working together to engender trust, to get the community, the victims to recognise that the government and all of the agencies are here to help them and it is to encourage people to come forward to us,” he said. Lansdown explained that, through the alliance, police can deal with the initial response and calls for service. “Rehabilitation can deal with offenders, social services can deal with the victims, children social services can deal with the children so, as a team, we will be far more effective,” he said. In the initial stages, Lansdown said he expects there may be increased reporting of domestic violence. “But, ultimately, we should be able to reduce the incidents across the island. The aim will be to stop domestic violence in the Cayman Islands. That is a very ambitious aim; we want to reduce it as much as possible,” he said. Lansdown added he believes that by “dealing with incidents professionally, arresting perpetrators and giving advice and help to victims and families, we can stop that violence happening and stop it re-occurring in the future”. A new organisation called the Alliance to End Domestic Violence was launched Tuesday night. The organisation is under the patronage of Elisabeth Roper, Governor Roper's wife. New partnership: Alliance to End Domestic Violence launched 6 news N news Alliance to End Domestic Violence members Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, the Department of Chil- dren and Family Services, the Department of Community Rehabilitation, the Family Resource Centre, the Gender Affairs Unit, the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. Detective Superintendent Peter Lansdown “We simply cannot effectively support victims of domestic violence on our own . ” Ania Milanowska , executive director, Cayman Islands Crisis CentreBodden Town School renamed for teacher JEWEL LEVY jlevy@compassmedia.ky The Bodden Town Primary School was renamed Tuesday in honour of the late Theoline Lillis McCoy, a former school inspector and head teacher of Savannah Primary School. Education Minister Juliana O'Connor-Connolly said at the unveiling ceremony that the renaming of the Bodden Town school to the Theoline L McCoy Primary School was fitting as it commemorated the contributions of a “dedicated and gracious” educator. McCoy spent 34 years working in public education. She received her formal teacher training at Shortwood Teachers College in Jamaica from 1946 to 1949. She then returned to Cayman to become head teacher at Savannah Primary in 1950, a post she held until 1963, after which she taught English and home economics for seven years at the government’s Modern School in George Town. From 1970-1971, she briefly worked at the Cayman High School when government merged it with the Modern School, before attending school-inspector training in Wales in 1971. She was one of three school inspectors assigned to all the islands’ primary schools, including Cayman Brac, a role in which she served until her retirement in 1980. Born in 1919, McCoy passed away in 2001 at the age of 82. Granddaughter Faith Gealey said the renaming ceremony was an emotional event for her, and she highlighted her grandmother's personal sacrifices and many accomplishments in education. She commended the government for renaming the school in McCoy’s honour. “She was a teacher from the old school, pun intended,” Gealey said. “She came from a generation of Caymanians who saw the opportunity to serve our islands as almost a sacred duty, and any benefits of self-advancement were simply a by-product of that greater good.” Gealey added, “Her personal life was consumed by service to the Bodden Town community in various areas, especially connected to her church activities.” She said her grandmother served as an elder, organist, choir member and committee member among other roles in the Webster United Memorial church. She was a “well-loved and respected Bodden Towner”, Gealey said. O’Connor-Connolly said what she found amazing about McCoy was “way back in the 1940s, she left these shores to go to Jamaica to teachers college when not so many Caymanians had that opportunity”. The minister also noted that McCoy, in her first year as principal of the school, made a major difference at Savannah Primary when she played an integral role in saving it from closure by government as a result of poor academic performance prior to her arrival. Under her leadership and with the help of only one teacher's assistant, Savannah Primary eventually improved enough to achieve first place for academic performance among the islands’ primary schools. “I am glad to say that education has improved because of the foundation that was so amply laid by persons like Ms. McCoy,” O’Connor-Connolly said. Bodden Town East MLA and Minister for Health Dwayne Seymour remembered being taught discipline and order by McCoy, saying she made an impact on his life, always coaching and preparing students for what was next. “When you can put single- handedly saving a school from closure on your list of achievements, that undoubtedly makes you a hero,” Seymour said. McCoy's son Kerith said the performances of the schoolchildren at Tuesday’s ceremony would have melted her heart. Her legacy and the legacy of other teachers like her were evident in the children, he said. McCoy was married to the late Harwell ‘Harry’ McCoy, founder of the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce. The couple had three children, Kerith, Harwell and Cheryl, and six grandchildren. Premier Alden McLaughlin, left, and Kerith McCoy unveil the school's new name. cayman compass 7 news N news THURSDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2019 Bodden Town Primary School principal Kimberly Watler with Theoline McCoy's great-grandchildren Jayda and Jahniya McCoy.RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky The Cayman Islands Brewery has raised $18,000 for those affected by Hurricane Dorian last month. The brewery announced in a statement that it had raised the funds to donate to the charity World Central Kitchen. The non-profit organisation, founded by chef José Andrés and his wife, is on the ground in the Bahamas, helping those affected by the storm. Dorian, the most powerful storm on record to hit the island chain, killed at least 50 people and left thousands homeless. Andrés is a frequent visitor to the Cayman Islands, taking part in the Cayman Cookout each year. James Mansfield, commercial manager of the brewery, said of the donation, “We are totally proud of being part of this Cayman family who [is] always contributing so much to help others. Watching José and his team work so hard to help those impacted by the hurricane is amazing and we are proud to be able to support their cause.” According to the statement, since the hurricane hit, World Central Kitchen has served 1 million meals, reaching almost 250 locations across multiple hurricane-stricken islands. The brewery implemented three different ways for people in Cayman to donate to the relief efforts. “We donated a proportion of all cases purchased at the brewery, Big Daddy’s and Blackbeard’s liquors,” the statement said. “Many restaurants on island took part in our Beer & Burger for Bahamas special, with proceeds from each sale going towards the total. Finally, we had donation boxes at the brewery for people to donate as much as they wanted.” Mansfield said he was grateful for all those who took part in donating and helping raise such a large amount for those affected by the hurricane. “A huge shout-out to all the local businesses that took part in our fundraising efforts,” he added. Brewery donates $18K for Dorian relief efforts Local businesses partnered to donate $18K to hurricane relief efforts. Pictured from left are Bradley Kuttner of Cayman Islands Brewery, Douglas Cameron Jr. of The Lodge, Sabrina Theresia of Premier Tap Room, Reno Mancini of Ragazzi, Ian Taylor of Coral Beach, Ross Thielmann of Seven Mile Burger, and James Mansfield and Andreas Kettner of Cayman Islands Brewery. Chef Jose Andres distributing food at the Marsh Harbour Government Complex in Abaco, Bahamas, in September, in the wake of Hurricane Dorian. In the 16 Oct. 1969 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, an article on page 9 featured one man’s return to the islands after four decades away. It read: Capt. Alfred Errington (formerly Coe) is here on a visit to his native island which he last saw 43 years ago. Having gone to live in the United States 60 years ago, Capt. Errington had given up all hope of seeing his homeland again. Using a plane as a mode of travel for the first time, the old sea captain made the journey from Mobile, Ala. to Grand Cayman quite safely but found a “new” island to greet him. So few of the former landmarks remain that, apart from the family home, he was only able to recognise the Old Courthouse and Old House Bay, by Puritan Cleaners and he was amazed at not feeling one mosquito! In his sailing days, Capt. Errington sailed with his wife Nina (nee Eden) and two children to the UK, Europe, the Mediterranean, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico and many other countries. He has held an Unlimited Licence as Master of steam or sailing ships for 50 years and retired from the service of Watermans Steamship Corporation 14 years ago. His son and daughter are both married and he has seven grand- children and three great grand-children. Capt. Errington was particularly happy to be with his sisters Mona and Phyllis and to meet again many old friends, including Capt. Rayal Bodden. We wish Capt. Errington a safe journey home and everything good for the days to come. On page 7, a story referred to a reader’s suggestion of a car- free Cayman. It read: A subscriber has sent us a news-cutting in which a columnist tells of car-free villages in Switzerland. He observes that obviously the Swiss figure out that people are more important than automobiles and surmises that this tiny nation may be afraid of being wiped out by the ever-gnawing incursion of highways, garages and filling stations. There are 54 tourist resorts in Switzerland that are completely free of automobiles and dozens more villages and towns that forbid motor vehicles to pass through their streets but allow them to park on the outskirts. How does one reach these care-free, car-free resorts? By electric trains, lake steamers, cog railroads, cable cars, funiculars, chairlifts or on foot! Travellers are met at the station by horse-drawn carriage, dog sled or pretty Swiss miss to get him safely to his hotel or chalet. Our subscriber suggests that Grand Cayman would be a lot better off too, if it were car-free. How’d you like to be met at the airport by a horse and buggy? Or perhaps a boat from the end of the runway across to the Beach Club would be more “Caymanian style! Automobiles are a menace we all deplore, especially in the hands of some drivers, but would we really like to be car-free? 50 YEARS AGO: Home after 43 years; car-free Cayman Cullers have taken a total of 973,316 green iguanas to the George Town landfill for disposal since the cull began in October last year. According to the latest figures from the Department of Environment, hunters culled 17,509 of the animals last week – the 50th week of the ongoing initiative, which is expected to last 60 weeks. The cull was launched with an intended target of 1.3 million culled green iguanas by the end of 2019. Cullers are being paid $4.50 per iguana, with that sum rising to $5 if they meet monthly and annual targets. This photo in the 16 Oct. 1969 Caymanian Weekly shows Capt. Alfred Errington, right, with Ernest Panton during his visit to Cayman Green iguana culling figures 0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 Week 1 (Oct. 29-Nov. 3) Week 50 (7-12 October) Cumulative totalPace to reach 1.3 million cayman compass 8 news N news THURSDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2019Regional 4 Haitian migrant children placed in care Four children who were removed from a vessel transporting what is believed to be illegal migrants are now in state care, pending further investigations by local authorities, the Jamaica Gleaner reports. The Gleaner understands that the boat, which is believed to have set out from Haiti, was seized by the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard sometime yesterday morning. Rochelle Dixon, public relations and communications manager of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency, said the children were medically examined. “We got a call from local immigration that a boat was [taken in] by the JDF in the Port Royal area,” Dixon told the Gleaner. “The children were taken to the hospital for examination. They were checked, then remanded, and will remain in state care until the police complete their investigation.” Sources told the newspaper that some of the adults on the vessel appeared dehydrated. They were also taken for processing. Jamaican gov’t to review oil spill plan The Jamaican government is in the process of reviewing and updating its National Oil Spill Contingency Plan in order to ensure that the country can effectively respond to incidents, according to a report in the Jamaica Gleaner. The review is in keeping with Jamaica’s obligations under the International Maritime Organization and is being undertaken through the collaborative efforts of the Regional Action Centre/Regional Marine Pollution Emergency and Information Training Centre Caribe, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, and the Maritime Authority of Jamaica. ODPEM Director General Richard Thompson said the Internatioaznal Maritime Organization requires countries to constantly update and revise their contingency plans, noting that Jamaica last conducted a review in 2014. He said that Caribbean countries, given their geographical location, are vulnerable to oil spills, and a major incident “can literally cripple economies”. He noted the severe environmental impacts from the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 and the spill from the Exxon Valdez in Alaska in 1989. “For us, in Jamaica, given the fragility of our marine ecosystem, and the fact that we have created economies around those ecosystems, the aspect of international cruise shipping and also that we are a transhipment point for major oil rigs passing through our territorial waters, it becomes very important that we place critical emphasis on the aspect of oil spill and the kind of disaster that can result,” he said. Thousands mourn those killed in Haiti protests to oust Moïse PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Thousands of people across Haiti attended funerals on Wednesday for protesters who have died in ongoing demonstrations aimed at ousting President Jovenel Moïse. The funerals for 11 of at least 20 people killed were held in six cities, including the capital of Port-au-Prince, where sweat mingled with tears as mourners packed a church in the neighbourhood of Delmas. Some women shouted, rocked back and forth and fell to the floor as people yelled, “Down with Jovenel!” and “Jovenel has to go!” Tyres burned in the street outside the church. At a press conference on Tuesday, Moïse said it would be irresponsible for him to step down and he repeated calls for dialogue. However, opposition leaders have rejected those calls and said they will keep organising demonstrations until Moïse resigns. The protests are fuelled by anger over corruption, inflation that has reached 20% and dwindling of basic supplies, including gasoline. Sixty percent of the people in a country of nearly 11 million make less than $2 a day and 25% earn less than $1 a day. The funerals were held a day after the UN's Mission for Justice Support in Haiti ended its operations, marking the first time since 2004 that there is no peacekeeping operation in the country. WORLD Brexit talks close in on tentative deal before summit BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union and Britain inched ever closer to a tentative Brexit deal on Wednesday, with the leaders of France and Germany saying they expected a deal could be sealed at the upcoming EU summit. Positive vibes oozed from French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a joint news conference in Toulouse, France. Merkel said, “We are in the final stretch,” while Macron said, “I want to believe that a deal is being finalised and that we can approve it” on Thursday, when EU leaders are due to meet UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Brussels. Johnson, meanwhile, likened Brexit to climbing Mount Everest, saying the top was in sight, though still shrouded in cloud. With just hours to go before the EU summit, hopes were increasingly turning toward getting a broad political commitment, with the full legal details hammered out later. Wild movements in the British pound on Wednesday underscored the uncertainty over what, if anything, might be decided. Meetings between EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and key EU legislators as well as with ambassadors of the member nations were rescheduled for the evening - an indication there was still momentum in the ongoing talks among technical teams from both sides. news in brief European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, front centre right, and European Council President Donald Tusk, front centre left, pose during a group photo at a tripartite summit in Brussels, Wednesday. European Union and British negotiators have failed to get a breakthrough in the Brexit talks during a frantic all-night session and will continue seeking a compromise on the eve of Thursday's crucial EU summit. Relatives of murdered community leader Josemano 'Badou' Victorieux mourn during Victorieux's funeral in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wednesday. Family members plan to bury three of the people killed in recent violence related to protests calling for the resignation of President Jovenel Moïse. 9Next >