cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 75 CENTS | Funding local journalism | Tuesday, 29 October 2019 News Governor reflects on one year in post Page 5 Living MOvember’ shines spotlight on men’s health Page 7 THE DEBATE BEGINS Latest on Referendum Bill: THE DEBATE BATE BEGINSGIN Latest on Referendum Bill: erendum Bill: See page 3• 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. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) ABOMINABLE (PG) 1.15 ADDAMS FAMILY, THE (2019) (PG) 4:15 | 7:00 BLACK & BLUE (R) 12:40 | 3:20 | 7:05 | 9:35 GEMINI MAN (PG13) 12:50 VIP | 1:40 | 3:50 VIP | 6:40 HOUSEFULL 4 (PG) 4:35 | 8:30 THE INFORMER (R) 12:50 | 9:10 JOKER (R) 12:45 | 4:00 | 9:30 | 10:00 VIP MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL (PG) 3:40 3D | 6:25 | 9:40 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA FRIDAY THE 13TH (R) 7:00 VIP 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: 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” Partly cloudy skies with a 30% chance of morning showers weather Forecast today Cayman Islands 89°F 78°F HIGH LOW WINDS East at 5 to 10 knots SEA STATE Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. REGIONAL Washington bans US flights to all Cuban cities but Havana MIAMI (AP) — The Trump administration is banning US flights to all Cuban cities except Havana in the latest move to roll back the Obama-era easing of relations, officials said Friday. Supporters of the ban said it would starve the Havana government of cash and limit its ability to repress Cubans and support Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the US wants to overthrow. Opponents said prohibiting flights would simply make it harder for Cuban-Americans to visit their families outside the capital, without making a significant impact on the Cuban government. The US State Department said JetBlue flights to Santa Clara in central Cuba and the eastern cities of Holguin and Camaguey would be banned starting in December. American Airlines flights to Camaguey, Holguin and Santa Clara, the beach resort of Varadero and the eastern city of Santiago are also being banned. Flights to Havana, which account for the great majority of US flights to Cuba, will remain legal. “This action will prevent the Castro regime from profiting from US air travel and using the revenues to repress the Cuban people,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Twitter. Raul Castro stepped down as president last year but remains head of the Communist Party. Another stated reason for the move is to prevent tourism to Cuba, which is barred by US law. “Eager to punish Cuba's unbreakable defiance, imperialism is going after regular news in brief flights to various Cuban cities. It doesn't matter that they're affecting family relations, or the modest pocketbooks of most Cubans in both countries,” Carlos F. de Cossío, head of Cuba's department of US affairs, said on Twitter. “Our response isn't changing." Charter flights to destinations outside Havana are apparently not affected by the ban. JetBlue and American Airlines said they would comply with the decision. The Trump administration has been regularly tightening the six-decade-old embargo on Cuba in recent months with the stated purpose of cutting off income to the Cuban government and forcing it to cut ties to Venezuela. Washington has barred US cruise ships visiting Cuba, sanctioned oil tankers moving petroleum from Venezuela to Cuba, and permitted lawsuits against foreign companies profiting from their use of properties confiscated from Americans or from Cubans who later obtained American citizenship. WORLD EU grants Brexit delay to 31 Jan. LONDON (AP) — The European Union agreed Monday to delay Brexit by three months until 31 Jan., making the offer to avert a chaotic UK departure just three days before Britain was due to leave the 28-nation bloc. The decision was welcomed by UK and EU politicians, but not by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who said just weeks ago that he would “rather be dead in a ditch” than postpone the leaving date past 31 Oct. The UK Parliament forced Johnson to ask for a delay in order to avoid a no-deal Brexit, which would hurt the economies of both Britain and the EU. Johnson is now pushing for an early election as a way of getting a more cooperative Parliament. Lawmakers in the House of Commons were also voting later Monday on a government motion calling for a British general election on 12 Dec. After a very short meeting Monday of diplomats in Brussels, European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted that the EU's 27 other countries would accept “the UK's request for a Brexit flextension until 31 January, 2020”. Under the offer, the UK can leave before 31 Jan. if the British and European parliaments ratify a Brexit divorce agreement — either on 1 Dec. or 1 Jan. Johnson's spokesman insisted it was Parliament's fault, not the prime minister's, that Johnson had failed to deliver his core promise of a 31 Oct. Brexit. Driver in truck container deaths appears in court LONDON (AP) — The driver of a container truck in which 39 bodies were found last week made his first appearance in court in the United Kingdom on Monday. Maurice Robinson appeared in Chelmsford Magistrates Court via video link from prison, but was not required to plead innocent or guilty. The 25-year-old from Northern Ireland will be kept in custody until he appears at the Old Bailey court on 25 Nov., where he will be expected to enter a plea. He is charged with 39 counts of manslaughter, two counts of conspiracy to facilitate human trafficking and other crimes. His lawyer did not request that Robinson be freed on bail. The identities and origins of the 39 victims are still shrouded in mystery. It appears some were from China, while others may have been from Vietnam. Pedestrians walk past flags and banners hanging outside Parliament in London on Monday. European Council president Donald Tusk says the bloc has agreed to grant Britain a new Brexit delay to 31 Jan. In this 31 Aug. 2016 file photo, airport workers receive JetBlue flight 387, the first commercial flight between the US and Cuba in more than a half century, holding a United States and a Cuban national flag, on the airport tarmac in Santa Clara, Cuba. 2Claims pier is vital for Cayman’s future JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Painting the issue as a choice between “prosperity and decline”, Premier Alden McLaughlin tabled a bill for a referendum on the cruise and cargo port project Monday. Speaking at the beginning of two days of debate on the bill, which sets the date and question for the upcoming poll, McLaughlin insisted the case for building the cruise piers was “overwhelming”. “Prosperity or decline? This government chooses prosperity for this and future generations of Caymanians,” he said. “I ask all members of this honourable house to vote ‘Aye’ to this referendum bill and to those Caymanians that go out to the polls on Referendum Day, I ask them to vote a resounding yes [to the project]”. In a two-hour speech Monday morning, McLaughlin hit back at critics of the project and of his government. He claimed some of the Cruise Port Referendum Cayman leadership had used “scare tactics and misinformation” to encourage people to sign the petition. Several CPR members were present in the public gallery Monday to hear the debate. The premier dismissed new concerns about the referendum bill, outlined in a legal opinion obtained by CPR from UK law firm Matrix Chambers, as a “smokescreen” aimed at derailing or delaying a vote they were worried about losing. CPR’s legal team questioned the phrasing of the question, the exclusion of newly registered voters from the polls, and the lack of provisions for campaign financing, among other concerns. In a letter to the premier Saturday, CPR urged government to amend the bill to avoid potential legal action. While McLaughlin said there would be some administrative amendments, he said there would be no changes to the substance of the bill, the question or the date of the referendum. He said government had followed international guidelines and taken legal advice and was satisfied with the existing procedure. “We have bent over backwards to ensure the question is as fair as can be,” he added. He said cargo upgrades were an intrinsic part of the project and were being funded by revenue from cruise passengers and, therefore, had to be included in the question. He said the case for the piers was clear and suggested Cayman would face the “gradual and inexorable” decline of cruise business without the new facilities. The premier said this would have a “serious impact” on jobs and insisted the deal struck with Verdant Isle Port Partners, the preferred bidder on the project, would ensure increased cruise arrivals and could be delivered with no cost or financial risk to government. He acknowledged government would give up some of its per- passenger-head tax to help the consortium recoup its costs but insisted this loss of revenue would be more than covered by the increase in arrivals. If Cayman does nothing, he said, cruise tourism would decline. “As cruise ships grow in size, they will increasingly pass by Cayman on their way to other destinations that have the facilities needed to cope with their passengers,” he said. “Visitors numbers will fall, Caymanians will lose their jobs, and their businesses will fail.” He acknowledged legitimate environmental concerns, but said government had done its best to minimise these impacts and Verdant Isle was investing millions in a coral-relocation plan. He also took aim at some of his critics on the opposition benches, pointing out that the “smiling faces” of several members, including Alva Suckoo, Kenneth Bryan and Anthony Eden, had appeared on the cover of the Progressives manifesto when the party first committed to the project ahead of the 2013 election. The three members have since left the PPM and now sit as independents on the opposition bench. He added that “every government elected since 2000” had promises of a cruise port in their election manifesto. “The question on the ballot paper at this referendum is about cruise berthing and enhanced cargo facilities. The question for the country is whether we still have the confidence in ourselves and our future to grasp the opportunities before us,” the premier said. See full speech at www.caymancompass.com. Premier urges Caymanians to ‘choose prosperity’ On the high threshold (more than 50% of registered voters) required to stop the project: “If government’s ability to carry on its business is subject to check by the will of the people, then we must be sure that it is truly the will of the people that is being demonstrated.” On accusations that he wants to suppress turnout: “I welcome support at the polls from people who want to come out and show their backing for this much-needed development. There will be a sizeable yes vote on 19 Dec.” On the successful petition for the referendum: “I recognise the collection of over 5,000 signatures on any petition is the product of a lot of hard work and perseverance by a great many people.” On the 200-plus new voters who registered after 1 Oct. and who won’t be able to vote: “As is always the case, if you draw a line as at a date, some people find themselves excluded by that line. That is just the way it is.” On the allowance made for bars to remain open on Referendum Day: “Do our opponents have so little confidence in their supporters that they think that, faced with a choice on the day, they will decide to sit in a bar rather than turn out and vote down a government project that we are told they passionately believe will do harm to Cayman’s long-term interests? Premier Alden McLaughlin, standing, left, delivers his speech during the port referendum debate on Monday morning. RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Opposition Leader Arden McLean has called on Deputy Governor Franz Manderson to look into government departments participating in the Verdant Isle job fair for the proposed cruise berthing and cargo project. The East End MLA highlighted concerns about the event in his contribution to the debate on the referendum bill on Monday. He pointed to the Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman department, which he said was going to be at the event. McLean said he was not aware if Manderson had objected to WORC being there and he had not heard him address it. “I am now imploring him to look into that, if there is any legitimacy to it,” McLean told legislators. The job fair and open house is planned for Tuesday at Margaritaville Beach Resort, West Bay Road. It is set to begin at 4pm. McLean questioned the legitimacy of the event, in light of the fact that no contract has been signed with the government. He also drilled down on the number of jobs being offered at the event, saying “A job fair for jobs that started at 900 and now down to 200.” The lawmaker also took issue with the government’s handling of the disclosure of information on the $200 million port project, saying it had shifted its responsibility to the project team. “They allowed some of those financiers to come into the country to do the job of explaining to the people what the project entails. A job that they [government] alone were elected to do,” he said. McLean lamented that the premier’s plan to issue a booklet on the project is too late. “If the government is so convinced that the cruise facility is that important [and] is not going to adversely impact this country environmental or otherwise, then they should have been doing this a long time ago,” he said. McLean said it is government’s responsibility to explain to the electorate how and why the project must be done. “The people are questioning the utility of participating in the democratic process, even at election,” he said. “I have become very concerned about that.” He said that, at almost every stage, the government made the process difficult for those pushing for the referendum. McLean rejected Premier Alden McLaughlin’s claim that the Cruise Port Referendum Cayman team employed tactics to get the signatures they needed to meet the threshold to trigger a people-initiated referendum. He said that “not once during that entire period” did he think there were “any tactics being used by those young people to get people to sign that petition”. He reminded legislators that inside the Legislative Assembly chamber, there were only 19 members, saying, “We do not know the underlying wishes of this country and, as such, we must be cognisant of their wishes and give them the right to exercise it.” The debate resumes Tuesday. McLean calls for review of port project job fair What the premier said on some of the key concerns cayman compass 3 N news TUESDAY, 29 OCTOBER 20191234567 8 910 111213 14 15161718 19 2021 1234567 8 910 111213 14 15161718 19 2021 ACROSS 1 Ungainly (7) 5 Wrapping material (5) 8 In a state of desperation (2,4,4,3) 9 Figure out (5) 10 Ancestry (7) 11 Unpretentious (6) 12 A succession (6) 15 Shake involuntarily (7) 17 Be of advantage (5) 19 Menacing show of power (5-8) 20 To correct (5) 21 Propriety (7) DOWN 1 Collect together (5) 2 Well-informed (13) 3 Eternal (7) 4 Move lackadaisically (6) 5 To don (3,2) 6 Evasive reply (13) 7 Reparation (7) 11 French painter, d. 1954 (7) 13 Resilient (7) 14 Recompense (6) 16 Mix (5) 18 Spindly (5) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16208 The numbers in the black cells are clues. Numbers above the slash are across clues. Number below the slash are down clues. The goal is to enter digits 1 - 9 in the white cells to add up to the number clues. You cannot enter any digit more than once when adding up to clue. YeSteRDAY'S SOLUtIONS Puzzle 16207 ACROSS: 1 Derby, 8 White-hot, 9 About, 10 Platinum, 11 Maybe, 12 Sew, 16 Course, 17 Impale, 18 Tag, 23 On ice, 24 On the way, 25 Motor, 26 Red light, 27 Broth. DOWN: 2 Emblazon, 3 Bluebird, 4 Shelve, 5 State, 6 Shine, 7 Stamp, 12 Set, 13 Wig, 14 Open door, 15 Blackout, 19 Apathy, 20 Hoard, 21 Study, 22 Merit. cartoon 8am Cayman Time - By Caymanman 1 million green iguanas culled Keep going guys!!!! Thanks – Jonathan Ebanks Reminder - please stay away from our glass balcony! – Sally Young Governor encourages large referendum turnout Again this vote is so extremely important! I am fearful that many will not vote and the government requirement that at least 50% of All Registered Voters must vote against the port makes it near impossible to stop the port. I know voters who say if they vote against, they fear it can affect them if they need any help from the government later. I pray when discussed [in Legislative Assembly this week] changes in the 50% of all registered voters will change to 50% of the vote. – Susan Schmidt New traffic measures at Grand Harbour roundabout One of my biggest concerns is that the road in front of Hurley’s is going to become very busy and dangerous for shoppers and pedes- trians. That’s definitely an accident waiting to happen, sadly. – Naomi Allnutt I understand the rationale, but there will be confusion (and delay), with eastbound people switching (from the inside to the outside) lane AFTER the roundabout, in an attempt to stop at Hurley’s on their way home... – Luana Look Loy Why? I work on South Sound and can drive straight home. I don’t want to have to drive on to the road near Kings. – Milena Coni Hurley’s parking lot is about to get a lot more dangerous with motorists (who aren’t even shop- pers, they are commuters) speed- ing through the already congested after-work parking lot just to exit back on to the roundabout that they were just forced to go around. I see the point in aiding the traffic [congestion] at this location, and I live in Grand Harbour, but ask- ing that kind of traffic to traverse through Bimini (Hurley’s!) at that hour is insane! – Nicola Holdsworth Are they trying to provoke road rage? We spend enough travel time sitting around now! Too many mistakes are made and now compounding them is only anger- ing people more! It is cruel and un- usual punishment now! Soooo, for how long? Or are the public roads shrinking? Dictatorship is real in Cayman ... and all the money wast- ing on greed for the port? – Lilly Jane The article, ‘A historic opportunity for Cayman voters’ [in the 28 Oct issue of Cayman Compass] provides the ideal opportunity for me to raise a matter that seems to me a glaring omission in your paper, namely an Editorial Opinion. Newspapers the world over are known for their editorial position. Those of us with a cosmopolitan world view base our readership on those papers which best reflect our philosophy and expectations, political, or otherwise. We are also familiar with the rivalry between Rupert Murdoch and his media empire to dominate as it were, world opinion in favour of his ideals of a conservatism which favours the rich. Thus, further reinforcing the importance of editorial slant. In reading your article referenced above, I was therefore taken aback by the admission “The Compass has not and will not take a stance on this central question.” The “central question” being (I presume), the position as to whether a new port should or should not be built as proposed. Do you not think that your failure to offer an editorial position is an abnegation of your responsibility and a move unworthy of public trust? Or, is it another agenda which is best not publicly revealed? Such behaviour on this important issue I must record, is tantalisingly reflective of the comments I made in ‘Patronage, Personalities and Parties: Caymanian Politics from 1950-2000’. In the chapter entitled ‘Media Pathology: The Politics of Journalism’, I wrote “The Caymanian Compass over the years has very much practiced a ‘politics of inconspicuousness’ craftily selecting its political issues...” You owe your readers an informed opinion and to do less is to betray their trust and expectations by sacrificing your opinion in what must appear to some as “an unholy alliance with the political directorate”. J.A. Roy Bodden Editor’s note: Following an interlude while the Cayman Compass was in transition for its recent relaunch, editorial opinion pieces will shortly be reintroduced to the newspaper. Compass needs to take a stand What they’re saying online cayman compass 4 news N news TUESDAY, 29 OCTOBER 2019JEWEL LEVY jlevy@compassmedia.ky The Cayman Islands Fire Service has new extrication equipment that can slice open a car in a matter of minutes to remove a trapped person. The Holmatro NCT (New Car Technology) cutter and power ram, known as the ‘jaws of life’ as it is shaped like a set of jaws, allows metal to be torn apart so firefighters can gain access to and remove a person trapped inside a vehicle. The equipment replaces an older model the fire department has used for the past 15 to 20 years, according to Fire Chief Paul Walker. Firefighters cut a car apart to show the new jaws of life in action in a demonstration for the media and Fire Service trainees at the George Town fire station on Monday. “This new equipment makes it seems as if it’s a hot knife cutting through butter,” said Dwight Randy Rankin, divisional manager at the Fire Service. Rankin said that the Fire Service has purchased four sets of extrication equipment, costing about US$100,000 each, one for each fire station – three on Grand Cayman and one on Cayman Brac. Each kit includes a spreader, cutters, rams, pumps, battery tools and lifting bags, among other parts. He said the jaws of life arrived two weeks ago and officers had done some training on it last week. The Fire Service is now putting the equipment on fire trucks and getting it ready for use. “The cutting and ramming forces on the new equipment are a lot better than the old tools and makes us more equipped to handle going forward in day-to-day operations in terms of vehicle extrication or any type of rescue operation where we deem it necessary to use the equipment,” Rankin said. Walker said the Fire Service will be looking at a plan to dispose of the old equipment but what is important right now is getting the new, more powerful jaws of life on trucks and to train staff on the use of the equipment. Rankin explained that every accident is different but if someone is trapped inside a vehicle, firefighters can use the equipment to pull it apart and get people out within 10 minutes. Walker said government considers the new equipment an investment, given the prevalence of road accidents on the islands. “What the cutting equipment allows us to do is create space and release casualties from scenes of road traffic collisions so they can be transported to the hospital and, hopefully, minimise the rise of them becoming fatalities or seriously injured,” he said. “Some of the old equipment was a two-line system [and] wasn’t very manageable at the scenes,” he said. “This new equipment is a better road traffic collision extrication kit. “To have the battery-powered pack is amazing because firefighters are operating often in tight spaces. Now they don’t have to have a line from a generator coming from the machine.” According to Walker, all domestic fire crews are trained to operate the rescue equipment. Firefighters test new ‘jaws of life’ equipment “This new equipment makes it seems as if it’s a hot knife cutting through butter.” Dwight Randy Rankin , divisional manager, Cayman Islands Fire Service Reflecting on his first year as the Cayman Islands governor, Martyn Roper issued a statement Monday outlining what he considered some of the highlights of the past 12 months. Those included hosting Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, at Government House during the royal couple’s trip to Cayman in March, and visiting New York in January to support the financial services industry. He also recalled visits to the Cayman Islands by Overseas Territories Minister Lord Ahmad and Minister for the Armed Forces Mark Lancaster. He said those ministerial visits had “cemented the strong and enduring links between the UK and the Cayman Islands”. Commenting on security issues, the governor said he and government ministers and the premier had seconded a UK Border Force official to Customs and Border Control, adding that they have been “actively supporting the transition of border security to an intelligence- led approach”. He said that there are also plans to bring in UK experts to advise on the use of dogs at the border and within the RCIPS. “On prisons, we worked on the establishment of the new Independent Monitoring Board for Cayman’s prison and recently funded a review of mental health services in the prison system,” he said in the statement. As for disaster management, he referred to the UK partially funding the new RCIPS helicopter, which arrived in March and was deployed to the Bahamas in September to help with hurricane relief efforts there. He added, “Together with Hazard Management Cayman Islands, we negotiated Cayman’s membership of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, introduced a new casualty management tracking system and are now looking to fund improvements to our early warning systems.” The governor highlighted his office’s efforts, with other international partners, to support plans to establish a Cayman office in Hong Kong, beginning negotiations on a law enforcement MOU with Jamaica, and discussing bilateral issues with Cuba. “Most recently, we started the process for establishing a Cayman Defence Regiment for the Cayman Islands, which has received a positive welcome and will support our disaster preparedness and security,” he said, adding that over the last year, he had also reinvigorated the monthly National Security Council “to ensure a strong focus on law and order”. He also reflected on some of the lighter moments he and his wife, Elisabeth, had spent in the past 12 months since they arrived on island on 29 Oct. 2018. “I’ve enjoyed a truly CaymanKind welcome everywhere and been fed many wonderful local dishes at regular intervals! I’ve been kidnapped as part of Pirates Week, learnt to play the steel pan, come face to face with Peter the Blue Iguana and learnt the intricacies of plaiting thatch.” The governor, who has engaged social media over the past 12 months to share his work and messages, invited the public to check out his Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts. The governor said highlights of his first year on island included hosting Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, at Government House during the royal couple’s trip to Cayman in March, and visiting New York in January to support the financial services industry . Governor reflects on first year in post Fire officers display the capabilities of the new jaws of life equipment. A firefighter uses the new jaws of life to open a car door during a demonstration of the equipment at the George Town fire station on Monday. Governor Martyn Roper 5Community Annoucement The courthouse building in downtown George Town. ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky A Crown witness who admitted to breaking into a couple’s home with three other men, was accused of lying when he appeared in court. “You are lying to save yourself,” said defence attorney Keith Myers as he cross- examined Caine Demetree Thomas on Friday. “My client, Mr. Elmer Wright, is not that man standing next to you in the CCTV.” While responding to Myers’ questions, Thomas admitted to having lied to police initially when questioned about his relationship to Wright and the other men. “At first, I told them I didn’t know who Elmer was, because I wanted to protect him, and I was doing what he asked me,” said Thomas. “But then he started to threaten me, and I decided to just tell the police what I knew.” While giving his evidence in the Grand Court, Thomas remained adamant that he was being threatened. He spoke while being flanked by armed police officers and detectives in plain clothes. Thomas claims he, along with Elmer Wright, Nikel Thomas and a fourth man, all played varying roles in the home invasion in Prospect during which a couple was bound and robbed at gunpoint. Nikel Thomas and Caine Thomas, who are brothers, previously pleaded guilty to several counts of theft, attempted burglary, aggravated burglary, possession of an imitation firearm, and damage to property. The fourth man who was named in the indictment has not been charged. By request of the court, the Cayman Compass is not naming that man. The trial was put off until a later date to allow the conclusion of another unrelated Grand Court matter. Two men are left nursing stab wounds following two separate incidents on Saturday in George Town. The first incident happened shortly before 3:30am at the Sky Lounge bar on Mary Street. Police said a man, who was involved in an altercation with other men inside the bar, had been stabbed multiple times. He was taken by private vehicle to hospital where he remained on Monday. He sustained non-life- threatening injuries. Almost an hour later, police were called to Baleadas Restaurant on Shedden Road following a report of another stabbing. In that incident, a man was also stabbed during an altercation. He too was taken to hospital by private vehicle with non-life- threatening injuries. He was subsequently discharged. Two men, both age 19, of West Bay, were arrested shortly afterwards on suspicion of affray and assault causing grievous bodily harm, in connection with the incident on Shedden Road. Police said one of the men was released with no further action, and the second has been granted bail as investigations continue. Weekend stabbings send two to hospital Crown witness accused of lying cheques, and making payments for utility bills, etc.” During the first incident, Powery was employed as an accounts manager for a local short-term rental company. Between December 2015 and November 2016, she stole more than US$350,000, the court heard. “Ms. Powery used the money to pay medical bills for her young son, as well as to pay for other personal bills,” said Salako. “However, she also used the money to purchase a car for $20,000 and the vast majority of the money was spent on lavish vacations.” The court heard that when Powery was initially caught by her employer, she admitted to the theft and promised to repay the money when she got a new job. “Ms. Powery was able to find new employment with an insurance company where she went on to steal a further CI$19,975,” said Salako. “She stole the money through false accounting, while out on bail for the first set of offences. When she was caught, her employers learned she had failed to disclose her previous case.” In offering mitigating defence for Powery, her attorney Richard Barton said, “Prior to the incident, Powery was the victim of an abusive relationship. She was a person of previous good character but now she will forever have to live with this shame and embarrassment.” Powery sat in silence in the dock while the case was argued. She was released on bail and is expected to return for sentencing in November. Mother of 5 to be sentenced for stealing $400K Shirly Ann Allen de Ramirez 23-12-62 to 29-10-18 Thank you for all the years of happiness that you gave us, and although you are no longer with us today; Your memories shall stay in our hearts and for that you will keep living on. ~ Your Husband Luis F. Ramirez Children Shirly D. Ramirez Jose R.H. Allen Johann V. Allen And Family ~ Joh 11:25 “...I am the resurrection, and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” Wosila Rochester 10 May 1945 - 29 October 2012 ~ 7 Years at Rest No farewell words were spoken, no time to say goodbye. You were gone before i knew it, and only God can tell me why. It broke my heart to lose you but you didn’t go alone, for part of me went with you, the day God called you home. ~ Forever in my Heart, Greatly Missed Your Daughter, Michele In Loving Memory of my Beloved Mother ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky A single mother who stole hundreds of thousands of dollars over a two-year period will have to wait a further three weeks to learn her fate. Nadia Powery, 35, pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft, one count of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, a single count of false accounting, and forgery. During an initial sentencing hearing in the Grand Court on Friday, Crown prosecutor Toyin Salako told Acting Justice Marlene Carter that Powery stole the money from two separate employers by using her positions of trust to gain access to company funds. “Powery was able to steal money from her employer … as she was left with signed blank cheques,” said Salako. “She stole money in a number of ways, including transferring money to family members; forging signatures on cayman compass 6 news N news TUESDAY, 29 OCTOBER 2019LAURA DURSTON ldurston@compassmedia.ky If you’ve ever yearned for a month to unapologetically work on your handlebar, chevron or Fu Manchu moustache, your time has come. November offers the chance for men island- wide to bring awareness to men’s health issues through participation in the MOvember charity event. Men commit to grow a moustache for a month to help increase understanding of - and raise money for - issues such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health. MO Bros are sponsored for their efforts. The initiative started in Cayman in 2005 when Tim Rossiter and 25 friends grew moustaches to increase the profile of men’s health issues and raise money for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. Fourteen years later, the number of MO Bros has grown, and the total raised for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society (CICS) is more than $500,000 and counting. CICS uses the money to provide free PSA blood testing for prostate cancer checks and to support men who need financial aid with their cancer treatment. “Men are traditionally ignorant of many of the health issues that affect them,” explained Dave O’Driscoll, chair of the MOvember committee. “We often put off going to the doctor for too long or until it’s too late. “MOvember tries to raise awareness about prostate cancer and testicular cancer as well as the dangers of ignoring the signs of depression and poor mental health,” he said. “We want to encourage guys to be proactive about their health. Prevention is better than cure.” “We want to encourage guys to be proactive about their health. Prevention is better than cure.” Dave O’Driscoll , MOvember committee chair ‘MOvember’ shines spotlight on men’s health How to take part To take part, pre-register on movember.ky and take your $25 registration fee to the Kings Head at Camana Bay on Friday, 1 Nov. at 5pm. You can also register on the night. The Barbershop at Studio 54 will be on hand to shave you perfectly for a donation to the MOvember cause. Participants receive a specially designed MOvember T-shirt and the opportunity to compete for the coveted prize of Man of MOvember. MO Bros spend the next month growing their best mo, in whatever style they choose, and gathering sponsorship for their efforts. The finale at the end of the month encourages fancy dress to complement the new mos, and prizes are up for grabs in different categories. Visit movember.ky for more information on the event as well as information on testicular cancer, prostate cancer and mental health. Dave O'Driscoll, chair of the MOvember committee. The MOvember finale event finishes up a month of mo growing. The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman will be hosting its inaugural wellness festival from 1-3 Nov. Cayman Rejuvenate – A Mind & Body Wellness Festival in the Caribbean, is a three- day event tailored to those interested in all aspects of physical and mental well-being. The event brings together fitness, yoga and skincare professionals for more than 12 events, including speaking panels, fitness classes, culinary events, and beauty and skincare experiences. “We are thrilled to welcome this wonderful roster of experts for a weekend of exciting events,” said Maria Pineda, marketing communications manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. “Dr. Will Cole is an expert in functional medicine, and Tanya Zuckerbrot, founder of the F-Factor Diet, shows us you can have it all when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle. “We’ll unwind with Riva G and her yoga classes and we’re ready to move with Amanda Kloots and Simone de la Rue in their body classes,” she said. “In addition, we’ll welcome our long-time partner, La Prairie Spa, for wonderful tips on skincare and beauty. It’s a lively and well-rounded event schedule with something for every guest to enjoy and apply in their lifestyle routines.” Wellness festival promises renewal Amanda Kloots Dr. Will Cole Riva G Simone de la Rue Tanya Zuckerbrot TICKET INFO Tickets to individual sessions are available on caymanrejuvenate.eventbrite.com, or attendees may purchase the Rejuvenate Pass which includes tickets to eight signature events over the three days with a special discounted rate of US$425 per person. A staycation package at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman features a special rate of US$349 per night per room with breakfast for two at Seven restaurant. A full event line-up is available on caymanrejuvenate.com. 7BY RESHMA RAGOONATH RRagoonath@compassmedia.ky Responsibility for running Cayman’s first-ever people’s- initiated referendum lies in the hands of Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell. The experienced civil servant, who temporarily relinquished his role as a chief officer to assume control of the poll, has been hard at work getting ready for the historic day. We sat down with Howell to ask some of the key questions about how the vote will work on the day. What will it take to hold a referendum? A lot of experience, individuals well trained with our established policies and practices and being able to go out and do what they need to do in order to get postal ballots issued on time. To have a trusted, transparent process and deliver mobile voting to those who cannot make it out to the polls. And then to deliver transparency again and accuracy and professional on Referendum Day, and the same in the evenings when we count the ballot papers and deliver How does it compare to an election? It is very similar; except we do not have candidates and agents. We have observers in relation to that process, but very similar in relation to how we prepare and how we execute. Why does the referendum require a 50% plus 1 majority? You would have to ask the framers of the Constitution. Referendums can be advisory or binding. The binding referendums, which the people’s- initiated referendums are, has that high bar of 50% plus one of not those that come out to vote, but those who are registered on the register of electors. What are the rules around campaigning on Referendum Day? The rules have been quite similar to a general election in relation to that, but in previous referendums there haven’t been very stringent rules around much of the campaigning. Nothing prevents canvassing. Where do people vote? Persons will vote in the polling divisions they are registered to, in the electoral district in which they are registered. So, if you are in Savannah, you would vote at, more than likely, the Savannah Primary School because that’s the location there. So that’s information we would provide ahead of time; individuals can look themselves up online and we will have lots of notices as to where those polling locations are. But each of the 19 electoral districts would have polling divisions, and persons that cannot make it out to the polls because of illness or otherwise, if they are working on Referendum Day, we can do mobile voting, which is early voting. Persons who are off-island or travelling can vote via postal ballots. How can people check to make sure they are eligible to vote? Check the voters list. It is extremely important, especially for persons who have been sentenced. If you have been sentenced to more than 12 months, we remove you [from] Q&A Interview: Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell Professionalism and integrity key goals for vote supervisor Electoral District GEORGE TOWN EAST RED BAY GEORGE TOWN SOUTH NEWLANDS WEST BAY SOUTH WEST BAY WEST PROSPECT WEST BAY CENTRAL EAST END WEST BAY NORTH SAVANNAH GEORGE TOWN NORTH BODDEN TOWN WEST GEORGE TOWN CENTRAL NORTH SIDE GEORGE TOWN WEST BODDEN TOWN EAST CAYMAN BRAC EAST CAYMAN BRAC WEST AND LITTLE CAYMAN GRAND TOTAL Campaign group Cruise Port Referendum Cayman has released a statistical breakdown showing how many voters signed the petition calling for a vote on the piers in each constituency. Though votes in the referendum will be counted in one national vote, the group said it hoped legislators would be mindful of how their constituents had voted. The numbers are CPR’s own internal data. The Elections Office verified the total number of signatures up the point where the threshold to trigger a referendum was reached but did not confirm the numbers on a district-by- district basis. The CPR data shows strong support for the referendum in Premier Alden McLaughlin’s own Red Bay district and in George Town, in particular. Support for the referendum does not necessarily indicate a position for or against the piers. McLaughlin addressed the issues of the national vote in the Legislative Assembly Monday, saying, “This is not some opinion poll being carried out for the convenience of the member form Bodden Town West or George Town Central to provide data for later use or to help them in their next election campaign. “This is a referendum on a matter of national importance and it should be treated as such.” Breakdown: Which electoral districts showed biggest support for the referendum? Caymanians will cast their ballots at polling stations in their districts in the same way as they would during a General Election. cayman compass 8 I issues TUESDAY, 29 OCTOBER 2019 BY RESHMA RAGOONATH RRagoonath@compassmedia.ky Responsibility for running Cayman’s first-ever people’s- initiated referendum lies in the hands of Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell. The t stis t how the vote will work on the day. What will it take to hold a referendum? A lot of experience, individuals well trained with our established policies and practices and being able to go out and do what they need to do in order to get postal ballots issued on time. To have a trusted, transparent process and deliver mobile voting to those who cannot make it out to the polls. And then to deliver transparency again and accuracy and professional on Referendum Day, and the same in the evenings when we count the ballot papers and deliver the result. Pr key goals for vote supervisor Campaign group Cruise Port Referendum Cayman has released a statistical breakdown showing how many voters signed the petition calling for a vote on the piers in each constituency. Though votes in the referendum will be counted in one national vote, the group said it hoped legislators would be mindful of how their constituents had voted. The numbers are CPR’s own internal data. The Elections Office verified the total number of signatures up the point where the threshold to trigger a referendum was reached but did not confirm the numbers on a district-by- district basis. Breakdown: Which electoral districts showed biggest support for the referendum?the list automatically. You do not go back on automatically, you have to re-register. Persons declared of unsound mind and persons who lost their right to vote through residency requirements, who have been away from the islands in excess of the period specified in the law, [won’t be eligible to vote]. What if they have changed residence since the last election? They really should tell us where they are. They have opportunities to fill out what we call a Form 13, that’s available on our website. Update their information and it will become effective in the next electors list. But persons would vote where they are registered to vote during the referendum. Let’s say, for example, some just moved from Savannah to Bodden Town East, they would still vote in Savannah if they have not updated their information in relation to their new address. How late will the polls be open? Polls in the past have been open from 7am to 6pm, that’s a hard stop. So, if you are within the boundary of the polling station at that time then you will be allowed to vote; if you are not you will not be able to. Will prisoners be allowed to vote? It depends. Persons on remand can vote. Persons that are sentenced to more than 12 months are not actually eligible to vote, that’s a constitutional provision. So yes, the persons on remand can vote, in the past we had mobile voting or they have been brought to the polling stations by prison officials. How are you going to vote? As of becoming Supervisor of Elections I have actually elected, even though I am a registered elector, to not vote. So I did not vote in the last election and I do not plan to vote in the upcoming ones and that for me is part of my transparency. RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Cayman is roughly one and a half months away from its first people’s- initiated referendum with staff at the Elections Office expecting to send out the first batch of postal ballots from 5-8 Nov. At last count, the Elections Office reported that some 86 registered voters had applied for postal ballots. The deadline to apply for those ballots is 7 Dec. On Monday, legislators began debate on the Referendum Bill which will establish the processes for the conduct of the 19 Dec. poll on government’s proposed $200 million cruise port and cargo project. The statutory requirement for the referendum to be successful is 50% plus one of the electorate. As it stands, 21,217 individuals, under the 1 Oct. electors list, are eligible to vote which means it would take 10, 609 ‘no’ votes to stop the project. The Elections Law outlines clear guidelines for postal ballots and mobile voting. Voters who will be on island on Referendum Day do not qualify for postal ballots. Under the law, voters who appear on the Official Register of Electors and are living off-island, such as students and persons away for medical care, can apply for ballots. Voters who are living in the Cayman Islands but will be travelling or will be off-island on Referendum Day can apply for a postal ballot as soon as they have purchased airline tickets showing that they will be away. In the case of mobile voting, qualification extends to those who are, or are likely to be, in a hospital, rest home or other similar institution on Referendum Day, as well as those who have a physical incapacity and will be unable to go in person to the polling station. People working during Referendum Day, such as polling staff, police and medical personnel, can vote early by applying for mobile voting and casting their vote at a mobile voting station. Elections Office mobile teams are set to visit nominated locations from 10-13 Dec., the week before Referendum Day, to cast their ballots. Key dates to remember Application deadline for postal ballots – 7 December First batch of postal ballots dispatch – 5-8 November Mobile voting teams roll out- 10-13 December Referendum Day process Ballots boxes dispatched to central location Count estimated to begin – 9pm Official results expected – 3am Howell m and integrity te supervisor First batch of postal ballots heads out next week Total registered voters Number who signed petition Percentage 1,27147237% 1,18943036% 1,20741234% 1,25739932% 1,32740631% 1,21435829% 1,19234129% 1,05229928% 68219328% 1,12031028% 1,33136027% 1,14930627% 1,43838227% 1,24832626% 71318025% 1,22629924% 1,50129620% 4755011% CAYMAN574448% 21,166586328% Referendum campaigners are going door- to-door across the Cayman Islands to encourage people to vote in the upcoming poll. CPR Cayman has crews of volunteers across various districts in an effort to get out the vote and explain the process of the referendum. Katrina Jurn, one of the leaders of the movement, said the aim was to explain the process to people and encourage them to participate. She said CPR was also helping to make sure people who are unwell or disabled could get access to mobile voting and would be assisting with transport on the day of the poll. “We have had a very positive response, most people are already planning to be there,” she said. Referendum campaigners go door-to-door WATCH THE VIDEO ONLINE CAYMANCOMPASS.COM At a glance: Vote fundamentals Referendum date: Thursday, 19 Dec. Polls run from 7am-6pm Referendum question: “Should the Cayman Islands continue to move forward with building the cruise berthing and enhanced cargo port facility?” Bar for project to be halted: The referendum result is binding on government if more than 50% of registered electors vote against the port. Similarly, if more than 50% vote for the port, government will be obliged to proceed. If that bar is not reached by either side, government can continue as it sees fit. Details could still change: The bill is still being debated in the Legislative Assembly and is not final until it the law is passed and signed off by the governor support for the referendum? Cruise Port Referendum Cayman campaigners go door-to-door in West Bay last week. ng stations in their districts in the same way as they would during a General Election. 9Next >