cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 75 CENTS | Funding local journalism | Tuesday, 5 November 2019 Diving into new careers CCMI helps students focus on future Students clean a coral tree in Little Cayman. See page 3 Photos from Sunday’s triathlon: Visit caymancompass.com Man vs. Mountain: Interview with Guy Manning Page 6 Referendums around the world Page 8• 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) BLACK & BLUE (R) 1:30 | 4:15 | 7:00 | 9:35 GEMINI MAN (PG13) 12:50 | 3:45 | 9:40 HARRIET (PG13) 12:45 | 3:45 | 6:50 | 9:50 JOKER (R) 4:00 VIP | 10:00 VIP MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL (PG) 12:55 | 3:40 | 6:25 MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN (R) 12:30 | 6:40 | 9:10 TERMINATOR: DARK FATE (R) 12:45 VIP | 3:40 | 6:45 | 9:50 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA THE BIRDS (PG13) 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” Cloudy skies with a 60% 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 2 newsnews Cayman will mark Remembrance Sunday with two ceremonies, in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, on 10 Nov. The ceremony in Grand Cayman will be held at the Cenotaph outside the Elmslie Memorial United Church in George Town at 10:45am. The Cayman Brac ceremony will run simultaneously and will take place in front of the War Memorial Cenotaph in Stake Bay. “The events, which are open to the public, serve to pay tribute to Cayman’s local veteran heroes who have sacrificed so much to preserve our way of life and to those who lost their lives at sea. The annual events always create a palpable feeling of pride amongst all who attend,” organisers said in a statement. Attendees and participants are asked to be seated by 10:30am at both events. Among the activities planned are an opening parade led by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service band followed by contingents from the RCIPS, Cayman Islands Fire Service, Her Majesty’s Cayman Islands Prison Service, Girls’ Brigade, Cayman Islands Scouts Association, Cayman Islands Cadet Corps, the Seventh day Pathfinders, the Lions Club of Grand Cayman, and the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens. The Cayman Islands Veterans Association contingent will also join the parade. Individuals or religious organisations who wish to lay wreaths at the Cenotaph or the Seaman’s Memorial should contact Chief of Protocol Meloney Syms on 244-3612 or protocol@gov.ky by Wednesday, 6 Nov. Remembering the war dead KEVIN MORALES kmorales@compassmedia.ky Food vendors looking to sell their fare at the upcoming Pirates Week festivities are required to have taken a food safety training course put on by the Department of Environmental Health. “We’re very, very proactive in the training session,” DEH acting Environmental Health Manager Gideon Simms said. Nearly 40 food vendors are expected to line the streets of George Town on 9-10 Nov. as part of the annual Pirates Week celebrations. They’re mandated by the DEH to do so only after training, which is especially important given that much of the food on sale is cooked by individuals in their respective homes rather than in a licensed restaurant. “One of the saving graces is that we cook food in Cayman to the death almost … the conch stew and all of that,” Simms said. “So unless somebody uses a dirty spoon to introduce bacteria, usually everything is cooked unless there's toxins remaining that would not have been affected.” Pirates Week organisers say food-borne illness has not been an issue. “Nothing has ever been officially reported to the festival office,” Pirate’s Week Executive Director Melanie McField told the Cayman Compass. Simms says two training sessions have already been held and another is planned. It will be difficult for vendors to try and set up shop if they haven’t taken the course, he said. “On the day of the activity, we go out, because we ask that all food operatives take their DEH-issued certificate with them, so everybody has to have their copy there,” Simms said. “And, of course, I know everybody on island by now, so there's no getting away. I know who come and who don't come.” Pirates Week food vendors required to take safety course 5 simple rules for food safety • Wash hands between steps. • Sanitise work surfaces. • Use separate cutting boards for raw and cooked foods. • Cook foods to safe temperatures • Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold Pirates who work up an appetite at the Pirates Week Festival will be getting their food from vendors who have undergone food safety courses.Ruhaines Ebanks helps clean algae from the Central Caribbean Marine Institute's coral garden in Little Cayman as part of the Young Environmentalist Leadership Course. cayman compass 3 news N news TUESDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 2019 CCMI programme inspires students MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@compassmedia.ky Ruhaines Ebanks says she’s determined to open her eco- friendly business. For Martina Burton, becoming a physician is a clearer goal. And Jelani Morrison says she’s now leaning toward a degree in marine biology. All three young women say their participation in the Young Environmentalist Leadership Course at the Central Caribbean Marine Institute in Little Cayman has not only taught them things they didn’t know about the underwater world, but it has also helped them to bring their plans into better focus. The seven-year-old programme is designed to expose more Caymanian students to the possibilities of a career related to the marine environment, whether that’s working in the local dive industry, becoming a research scientist or something in between. Students must apply to the programme, which is funded through Foster’s, Cayman National Bank and Go Pro Diving. Ebanks, Burton and Morrison were three of eight students who recently completed the programme after spending a week at CCMI diving, studying underwater ecology and practising job skills, such as writing a resume and giving a presentation. The week-long immersive experience followed a nearly six-month stint during which the students became certified scuba divers, working their way to the level of rescue diver. CCMI education coordinator Maisey Fuller, who oversees the programme, said this was the first year the students spent weekends doing their underwater training before coming to the institute. In the past, students came to Little Cayman for two weeks, the first of which was devoted to scuba training. Fuller pointed to the advantages of the extra training over a longer period, explaining the students are “more confident in the water and they’re a close-knit group. It does mean they can get more out of being in the water with us.” Katie Correia, who led the course for several years, said because the students have more experience underwater, CCMI personnel do not need to monitor their status as closely. ”We can focus on giving them that methodology training, coming here and learning what a coral is, what the mucus layer on a fish is. It’s giving them a great opportunity,” she said. During the week, students study and learn to identify different corals and reef fish, conduct underwater surveys, help to clean the institute’s coral nurseries and are schooled in the impact of pollution, particularly plastics, on the ocean environment. “Coral bleaching, I knew about that,” said Morrison, 16, a student at Cayman Prep and High School. “But here, you learn how it affects the real world.” Coral is a critical part of the ocean’s food chain, and when it bleaches - most commonly from an increase in ocean temperature or acidity - the fish populations it supports must try to find other sources of food and protection. On the final full day of their programme, the students were clustered in the bow of a dive boat, bouncing along the choppy waters on the west side of Little Cayman. They were headed for the institute’s coral nursery, a network of PVC-pipe frames hung with bits of staghorn coral. The nursery is susceptible to algae growth, which can be detrimental to the growing coral. Working 60 feet below the surface, the students carefully scrubbed away any algae growth, making sure not to harm the coral in the process. Eventually, the coral will be planted on the nearby reef as part of an effort to bolster their population, which has declined in recent years due, in part, to bleaching. “Coming here has made us think about stuff like that,” said Ebanks, 26, who is an aide at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School and a student at the University College of the Cayman Islands. She said she and her boyfriend, who also went through the course, plan to get involved in coral restoration efforts on Grand Cayman. Her experience has “motivated me even more” to pursue opening an eco-oriented food business tied to the tourist trade, she said. “I think we need more businesses in Cayman that are eco- friendly,” she added. Janice Contreras, 16, a student at the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre, said she thinks her interest in coral work might take her “around the world”. “I saw all the bleaching going on and I said, ‘I want to make a change,’” Contreras said. “I want to make change anywhere I can.” She said she got involved in the CCMI programme when her high school teacher recommended it to her. “My teacher at John Gray saw the potential in me to do marine science,” she said. “She noticed my grades in biology were exceptional.” Contreras said she is interested in pursuing something in the life sciences. The leadership course has only strengthened that desire. “I started diving and it was incredible,” she said. Opening up that world to Caymanian students has led to some of them venturing into associated careers. Alumni of the programme are working for several different dive companies in Cayman, as well as the Department of Environment. Some have gone on to study related subjects in university. Greg Locher has been a volunteer with the programme since its inception. An Ohio resident, he coordinates one of his three annual trips to Little Cayman to coincide with the leadership programme. He said he’s beginning to see an impact from the course. “Within the last four years, I’ve seen more Caymanians being accepted for research positions,” Locher said. “It was unheard of 10 years ago. I think CCMI is part of that process. They’re training these kids [who] are going on to college- level positions and coming back.” Top Cayman sailor Jesse Jackson liked the programme so much, he went through it twice. “I knew I wanted to do something on the ocean,” Jackson, who is studying nautical architecture in the UK, said. “I got to see what marine biology looks like. I’m still thinking of being a marine biologist.” Steff Mcdermot, 19, who went through the programme in 2017, said it changed her path in life. “I’m living proof that the YELC programme works,” Mcdermot said. “It brought me around to all things conservation. I say that YELC was the trampoline jump to this career path that I’m taking.” She said, growing up, she saw the DoE as an agency keeping her from enjoying as much conch, lobster and local fish as she wanted. “DoE were the bad guys,” Mcdermot said. Among her Caymanian family and friends, “the concept was ‘They’re taking away our stuff.’” The leadership programme, she explained, taught her about sustainable practices and limiting catches to prevent overfishing. She said after the course, she initially wanted to study marine biology. Since then, she has been involved in some activist roles and believes she can make more of an impact in the legal arena. She is in the process of finishing her associate’s degree at UCCI while also applying to law schools in the UK. Programme director Fuller said the goal is not necessarily to develop new lawyers or researchers but to educate students about the ocean environment and encourage them to be ambassadors. “Even if they go into watersports, having this experience is a huge deal,” Fuller said, because it gives them the ability to educate tourists and others they may work with about marine ecology. That’s the bottom line, said Locher, when it comes to what the programme can do to benefit Cayman’s reefs and those around the world, and thus the ocean environment. “Hopefully, these guys will get the education and appreciation and protect it,” he added. What is CCMI? The Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) maintains a growing marine research and education facility with a resident team of 12 staff based in Little Cayman. cayman compass 4 TUESDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 2019123456 78 9 10 11 1213 14 1516 17 1819 2021 123456 78 9 10 11 1213 14 1516 17 1819 2021 ACROSS 1 Bitterly sarcastic (7) 4 Court of papal see (5) 7 Out of existence (4) 8 Liable to error (8) 10 Pretend to be dead (4,6) 12 Visual perception (6) 13 Deep narrow gorge (6) 15 Explode in anger (3,3,4) 18 Designed to cure (8) 19 Innermost part (4) 20 Bare (5) 21 Shelterless (7) DOWN 1 Restrict (5) 2 By surprise (8) 3 Notably superior (6) 4 Deliberate (10) 5 A red gem (4) 6 Mean (7) 9 Receptive to new ideas (4-6) 11 Faint-hearted (8) 12 Orange-yellow (7) 14 Rake with aircraft gunfire (6) 16 Area of activity (5) 17 In a frenzy (4) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16214 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 16213 ACROSS: 1 Implausible, 9 Unarmed, 10 Alibi, 11 Fate, 12 Instruct, 14 Lament, 16 Govern, 18 Baccarat, 19 Garb, 22 Lying, 23 Travail, 24 Penetrating. DOWN: 2 Meant, 3 Limp, 4 Undone, 5 Inaction, 6 Leisure, 7 Buffalo Bill, 8 Sitting Bull, 13 Entangle, 15 Machine, 17 Master, 20 Again, 21 Pact. cayman compass 5 news N news TUESDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 2019 cartoon Jake Fuller US police rule deaths murder-suicide KAYLA YOUNG Kyoung@compassmedia.ky California investigators have determined that the July deaths of Cayman Islands residents Yvonne Blanco, 69, and husband Keith Henderman, 74, were the result of a murder-suicide orchestrated by Henderman. “The investigation concluded that Henderman killed his wife, then committed suicide,” the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office reported on Monday. “At this time, it is unknown if Blanco was involved in the planning process, but evidence indicated Henderman had pre- planned this.” The couple was found dead by investigators on 22 July in a remote area of southern California outside Charleston View, near the state line with Nevada. Their bodies were located outside of a parked Toyota RAV4 that had been rented in Las Vegas. A three-month investigation followed the discovery, requiring the collaboration of investigators in Inyo County, Orange County, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. Anyone with additional information about the deaths can contact the Inyo County Sheriff’s office at 1-760-878- 0383, extension 4. Yvonne Blanco, originally from Cuba, poses here in her Laguna del Mar home for a fitness testimonial. Blanco and husband Keith Henderman were regulars at World Gym. Man on trial for cocaine charges ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Taking the stand at Summary Court on Monday, a police officer recalled the night he says he caught a West Bay man with a bottle filled with cocaine. “I was on patrol along Shamrock Road in the Bodden Town Road vicinity,” Police Constable Rodrick Evans said. “That’s when I saw the defendant riding on a bicycle.” Defendant Lynden Dwayne Walton, 51, is on trial for possession of cocaine and intent to supply, possession of criminal property and failing to provide a specimen of urine. PC Evans said he recognised Walton and stopped him because he was wanted by police. “When I stopped him and told him he was wanted by police, I proceeded to search him,” said PC Evans. “I found a small bottle in his right-front pocket with the word ‘Crest’ on it. Inside the bottle was an off-white substance that I suspected to be cocaine. He then said to me it was for personal use, so I arrested him.” Evans said that, during the search, he also found a wallet with $1,330. When he questioned Walton about the money, the man told him he got the money from his job as an iguana culler. During cross examination, Evans told defence attorney John Furniss that he had confirmed later that Walton was employed as an iguana culler. Furniss stated that his client keeps two wallets, one for his savings and another for spending money. Evans said no such assertions were made to him and he never enquired as to whether Walton had any bank accounts in his name. During the trial, Crown prosecutor Kenneth Ferguson presented the bottle and the off-white substance, which has since been confirmed to be cocaine. Upon reviewing the cocaine, Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez realised it was in rock form, or crack cocaine, a more potent and addictive version of regular powder cocaine. Walton denies the charges and a verdict is expected in the coming weeks.LAURA DURSTON ldurston@compassmedia.ky From his office desk on an island 22 miles long and averaging 18 feet above sea level, Campbells law firm partner Guy Manning dreams up expeditions scaling the world’s highest mountains and spanning the length and breadth of countries. It seems he has done it all…but he’s not stopping yet. Living caught up with Guy to talk about his recent accomplishments and future plans. Where are you from originally? I was born in London but grew up in the north west of England, between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. Cayman has been home for 14 years. Have you always been an adventurer of sorts? When did this interest turn into serious mountaineering? I have always enjoyed travel to exotic places and sport. Mountaineering is a great combination of both those interests, but I only took it up at the age of 30, just before I moved to Cayman. You have climbed the Seven Summits, skied to the South Pole and completed Race Across the West and Race Across America. Are there any adventures we are missing? I have been on various other climbing trips to the Alps and the Andes. Last year I cycled the length of the UK, and this month I completed seven peaks around Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales in seven days. Which of your adventures have been your favourites and which have been the most challenging? Everest has been my favourite and most challenging expedition so far. I had always been fascinated by the challenge of standing on the highest point on the planet and it didn’t disappoint! Climbing above 8,000 metres is very, very hard work. Race Across America was a great team event and was very tough in terms of sleep deprivation. I averaged two hours a night while we cycled across the States in a week. How long did it take you to complete the Seven Summits? It took me 12 years from 2004 to 2016. I was lucky to climb five of the seven peaks on my first attempt. Elbrus took two expeditions because of bad weather and a sick guide on my first attempt, but most of the setbacks were on Denali. I turned back due to bad weather and/or dangerous conditions on Man vs. mountains: Climbing the Lhotse face. Lhotse is the fourth highest mountain in the world and is located in the Himalayan range. The famous Hillary Step leads the way to the Everest summit. McKinley (Denali) North America 6,194m (20,320ft) Kilimanjaro Africa 5,895m (19,340ft) Carstensz Pyramid Oceania 4,884m (16,023ft) Mt Everest Asia 8,845m (29,029ft) Elbrus Europe 5,642m (18,510ft) Aconcagua South America 6,962m (22,841ft) Mt. Vinson Antarctica 4,897m (16,067ft) Guy Manning cayman compass 6 L living TUESDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 2019Even when completing events in teams, surely there are a lot of isolated moments. How do you get through those? I usually enjoy the isolated moments. Part of the attraction of expeditions is that you do get to disconnect from the rest of the world. If it’s a physically challenging moment, I get through it by thinking about all the work I’ve put into training to get to this point, and how I’d feel if I gave up. How much money do you think you have raised for charity and which charities have benefitted? [I have raised] about US$330,000 so far across four of my challenges, all for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. What items do you never leave the house without? Nothing unusual; just my keys, wallet and phone. Favourite musical genre, song or band? I have very eclectic musical tastes. If you could invite anyone to a dinner party who would it/ they be? It’s always tricky to narrow down this invite list, but I think Sir Winston Churchill, Christopher Hitchens and Muhammad Ali would make for an interesting evening. What book or TV series are you enjoying right now? I’m currently reading ‘Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa’, Peter Godwin’s fascinating memoir of growing up in Rhodesia / Zimbabwe during the country’s transition from white rule to the Mugabe regime. What is your favourite food? If I have to pick one, I’ll go with Japanese. Quick bits Reaching the summit of Mount Everest, despite frostbitten feet. Celebrating at the South Pole. The Race Across America challenge meant an average of only two hours of sleep a night. NOTICE TO MEMBERS OF OUR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Are you a member of the CI Cancer Society? Show your support for the fight against cancer by becoming a member or renewing your membership today. Join us for the Annual General Meeting of the Members of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society (the Society) to be held at the Chamber of Commerce Office, Governor’s Square on Thursday 5 December, 2019 at 6:00pm. Agenda 1. Confirmation of quorum 2. Approval of the Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting 3. Chairman’s Report 4. Treasurer’s Report 5. Approval of Financial Statements 6. Election of Directors 7. Any other business Please RSVP to info@cics.ky or call 949 7618. my first three attempts in 2009, 2012 and 2015. I finally got to the top on my fourth attempt in 2016. Each expedition takes three weeks, so I have spent three months of my life in a tent on that mountain. You are aiming to complete the Explorers’ Grand Slam by skiing to the North Pole in April 2020. How are you preparing for this? It is still a little far out to be training specifically for the expedition, but over the next few months I’ll be steadily increasing my cardio sessions, putting in more hours on a Ski Erg machine, and focussing on the strength training necessary to be able to haul a heavy sledge over rough terrain all day for a week. I have no intention of ending up in the Arctic Ocean so I will not be working on my swimming! After you complete that what will you next set your sights on? I am not sure yet what will be next. There are several mountains in the Alps, Andes and Himalayas on my bucket list, and I’d like to take on an ocean rowing challenge at some point. How does training for mountain climbing and endurance cycling differ? Both are heavily endurance-based, but when I’m training for climbing expeditions I mix up my cardio sessions (mainly running, cycling and rowing), whereas I focus on riding for long-distance cycling challenges. Lighter is always better on the bike, so I try to get as lean as possible and cut back on the upper body work. I usually bulk up for climbing expeditions because of the need to carry heavy loads all day. A little extra body fat also helps you stay warm, although it’s obviously counter- productive to overdo it. I always lose weight on the longer climbing trips - almost 30lbs on Everest, so it’s not a long-term problem. How do you fit in training alongside your busy career and personal life? It’s just a question of being disciplined. I usually get my expedition training done very early in the morning, before the rest of the day gets in the way. I’m an early riser and I enjoy the training, so I’ve never found it to be an issue. I also think my training makes me much more productive, as it increases my energy and reduces my stress levels. Even when not in training for an event, do you train regularly? Yes, I’m probably a little obsessed. I usually train at least five times a week even when I’m not preparing for an expedition, but the duration and intensity of the sessions are lower. Have you ever suffered any injuries during training or expeditions? Not many. I’ve been quite lucky in that regard. I have had a few bouts of overtraining syndrome, and tendinitis in my knees, but they have never stopped me from completing a challenge. Frostbite on Everest has been my most serious injury, but thankfully I kept all my toes in the end. cayman compass 7 L living TUESDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 2019JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky The absence of a proper referendum law in the Cayman Islands has been flagged as a major concern by all sides on the road to the port poll. Historian Roy Bodden labelled the existing process an “adhocracy”, claiming government has made up the rules as it has gone along. The campaigners say they have been thwarted at every turn by new requirements and new obstacles. Premier Alden McLaughlin refutes that argument but maintains that government does plan to push for a more general law once this vote is dealt with. He argued that the absence of such a law has hurt government more than it has the protesters. “There needs to be more certainty about the process for government as well as for people who wish to start petitions,” he told the Cayman Compass in a recent interview. The premier also claimed the question of the port project may not have made it to the ballot box if there had been a referendum law in place. He said most laws in other jurisdictions put a limit of three to six months for petitioners to collect signatures calling for a poll. “The irony is that had we a referendum law, this particular referendum would never have happened,” he said. “They would not have been able to reach the 25% threshold in time.” Those on the other side of the argument believe that with a clearer system for collecting and verifying votes, they would have hit their target sooner. Other jurisdictions have a process for registering and verifying petition signatures on the internet, for example. “It would have been much easier if we could have had an online petition,” Katrina Jurn of CPR Cayman said. “We need a proper law” Other politicians and academics have also called for a referendum law. Bodden said the campaigners were at a disadvantage because government had been able to make up the rules in the absence of a clear law. Ezzard Miller, the veteran independent legislator, who is in the process of forming his own party on the principles of ‘participatory democracy’, said a referendum law was essential. “We need a proper law. Then we wouldn’t be in this position we are in now where we don’t know how long people have to get signatures, how they are supposed to be verified or how the question is framed,” Miller said. He acknowledged that a referendum law would likely pose a time limit for collection of signatures but suggested it should also make it easier for campaigners to carry out that process. Miller said a simple petition with signatures accompanied by voter identification numbers should be sufficient and insisted the process of verifying signatures through a personal affidavit from all the petitioners was convoluted and unnecessary. “This thing we went through here was ludicrous,” he said. Constitutional amendments mooted Miller acknowledged a referendum law would not be able to change the thresholds set in the Constitution requiring a majority of electors, rather than a simple majority of those who turn out to vote. And he believes a constitutional amendment could be necessary. He said the framers of the Constitution had deliberately set the bar high to make it difficult to overturn the policy of a sitting government. But he believes a better method would be to require Port poll highlights lack of proper referendum law With no defined process for collecting and verifying signatures, campaigners took to the streets to fill their petition books. Voters around the world are demanding a greater say in key decisions impacting their country. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10» cayman compass 8 I issues TUESDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 2019 I issuesADVENTURE AWAITS Career is an adventure. We can take you where you want to go. steppingstonesrecruitment.com Switzerland is the undisputed capital of direct democracy with the oldest and most entrenched referendum system in the world. Residents go to the polls up to four times a year to vote on numerous federal and regional proposals. The Swiss have three types of referendums. Mandatory referendums are for constitutional amendments and require a ‘double majority’, meaning they must carry the national popular vote at the polls and win favour in the majority of the cantons - the Swiss government districts. Optional referendums can be brought if citizens are able to gather 50,000 signatures within 100 days to contest a new law. The law is then passed or rejected by a simple majority of voters. Popular initiatives are perhaps the closest the Swiss have to Cayman’s people-initiated referendums. These must be launched by a group of at least seven citizens and backed by 100,000 signatures within 18 months to push it to the polls. These votes also require a double majority. Popular initiatives are often the most controversial, headline-making referendums. The Swiss banned minarets - the tall towers that feature on mosques to call the faithful to prayer - through a popular vote in 2009. A proposal to introduce a universal basic income of around $2,000 per month per person was rejected overwhelmingly at the polls in 2016. Though the Swiss have the double majority rule to raise the bar in referendums, there is no equivalent to Cayman’s requirement for a majority of registered electors (rather than a majority of those who turn out to vote). With a turnout rate of around 54% in Swiss referendums, this would be a near- impossible bar. Referendums around the world Referendums may be relatively new for the Cayman Islands, but around the world they have been used to varying degrees for some time as part of the democratic process. Here, we look at the how, why and when of referendums in other jurisdictions. Though the Brits have hosted perhaps the most controversial and consequential referendum in recent times, going to the public for a national vote of this kind is not something that happens often in the UK. The Brexit vote was one of only three referendums ever held across the whole of the UK. One of the reasons for this is the principle of parliamentary sovereignty, which is entrenched in British politics. The result of a referendum is not constitutionally binding on Parliament or the government. As seen in the Brexit vote, however, it does have a persuasive political impact. Though the UK has a law that sets out the basic details of how referendums are organised and sets campaign finance limits, each vote has to be arranged through bespoke legislation. The European Union Referendum Act 2015, which facilitated the Brexit referendum, didn’t say anything about implementing the result of the vote and there is no constitutional measure within the UK that would make it binding. In legal terms, the Brexit vote was ‘advisory’. Prime Minister David Cameron would have been free to ignore the result and keep Britain in the European Union. However, he campaigned on a promise to follow the will of the people and the Conservative-led government has stood by that promise since his resignation. Despite the turmoil that has ensued since the vote, there is a general consensus within UK politics that whoever is in government should abide by the result. Brexit was decided by a straight majority of those who turned out at the polls – 17.41 million voted to leave the EU while 16.14 million voted to stay. Just over 70% of registered voters turned out to have their say. CASE STUDY ONE Switzerland, the capital of direct democracy CASE STUDY TWO Brexit, a rare and bruising experience for UK Some voters in Britain are demanding a second referendum on Brexit. The Brexit vote in Britain was not officially binding on government. In Switzerland, referendums are frequent. cayman compass 9 I issues TUESDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 2019Next >