from all of us at cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 75 CENTS | Funding local journalism | Wednesday, 18 December 2019 Cuban migrants arrive on Brac Page 2 Graves to be moved for road widening Page 7• 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. - WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY- 640-FILM (640-3456) 21 BRIDGES (R) (WED) 1:30 | 4:05 | 9:50 BLACK CHRISTMAS (PG13) (WED) 1:45 | 4:30 | 7:20 | 10:00 BOMBSHELL (R) (THU) 1:30 | 4:10 | 7:10 | 9:50 FROZEN 2 (PG) (WED-THU) 12:50 | 3:25 3D | 6:30 | 9:10 3D JAMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL PG13 (WED) 4:10 3D | 12:30 VIP | 1:15 3:30 VIP | 7:00 | 7:20 VIP 9:55 3D | 10:15 VIP (THU) 1:15 | 4:10 | 7:05 | 9:55 KNIVES OUT (PG30) (WED) 12:35 | 3:35 | 7:05 MARDAANI 2 (PG) (WED) 7:10 | 10:05 STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (PG13) (THU) 2:00 | 3:00 VIP 5:30 3D | 7:00 | 9:30 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 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 cloudy spells and a 30% chance of showers weather Forecast today Cayman Islands 86°F 74°F HIGH LOW WINDS Light and variable SEA STATE Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Thirty-one Cuban migrants landed in Cayman Brac on Friday, 13 Dec. The migrants were spotted entering Cayman Brac waters from the northern side of the island and eventually ended up at Scott’s Dock in West End. A statement from Customs and Border Control said the group, which consisted of 30 men and one woman, had been at sea for about five days. The migrants were travelling in a makeshift wooden sailboat; however, engine troubles and a lack of supplies prevented them from continuing their journey. The group remained docked in Cayman Brac over the weekend, and on Monday one group was flown to Grand Cayman. The Cubans were transported to the Customs and Border Control Detention Centre in George Town. Another group of migrants remained moored at the dock in Cayman Brac as of Tuesday. In accordance with a memorandum of understanding between the Cayman and Cuban governments, the migrants will be repatriated to Cuba. Man arrested in Bodden Town fatal collision A 68-year-old George Town man has been arrested in relation to a fatal accident that claimed the life of Henry Schucair Robinson. Robinson, 65, was killed on Anton Bodden Drive in his home district of Bodden Town last month. Police said the incident occurred shortly after 7pm on 24 Nov.. The RCIPS said no charges had been filed, and the matter is still under investigation. Robinson was the sixth person to die in a traffic accident in 2019. Anyone who witnessed the incident can call 649-6254 or 924-1071. 12 arrested for gambling Police arrested 12 people in relation to illegal gambling after executing a search warrant at a George Town bar at the weekend. Just after 10:30am on Sunday, officers searched the licensed premises off Dorcy Drive. The search warrant was issued under the Gambling Law, police said. Officers seized around $16,000 in cash, which they said was believed to be criminal property. One woman and 11 men were arrested on suspicion of unlawful gambling, possession of criminal property and other related offences. No charges were immediately laid and all 12 were subsequently released on police bail pending further investigations, police said. Brac man sentenced over ferocious dog A Cayman Brac man was ordered to pay more than $1,200 in compensation to a person who was attacked by his dog. The dog owner was charged with failing to keep his dog under proper control and suffering a ferocious dog to be at large. He pleaded guilty to both charges. According to court documents, in March, the man’s dog entered a yard in Spot Bay, attacked and killed another dog, and injured the person. On Thursday, 12 Dec., Summary Court Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn recorded no conviction on each count, and a 12-month probation order which requires the defendant to complete 120 hours of community service. She ordered him to pay $821 to the victim, and $441 dollars to the owner of the dog that was killed. The defendant’s dog was ordered to be destroyed. News in brief Dozens of Cuban migrants arrive in Cayman Brac A group of Cuban migrants arrives at Cayman Brac last week. 2ADVERTISEMENT cayman compass 3 WEDNESDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2019cartoon Plastic free - By Caymanman With the holidays around the corner and the referendum delayed, CPR Cayman wishes to take this opportunity to ensure that the public understands what has happened and encourage the public to continue to advocate for transparency and a brighter future for Cayman. The goal of CPR Cayman is and has always been to ensure that any decisions made by our government in relation to the proposed cruise berthing facility are well informed, transparent and serve the best interests of the Caymanian people. Throughout the course of 2019, CPR wrote to the premier and his Cabinet with legitimate concerns, requesting the disclosure of critical information regarding the proposed port; however, no response was received. Once CPR submitted the requisite petition signatures, and the Elections Office completed its verification process, the premier was then forced to call a referendum, but it was clear to many that the process was unfair. Therefore, armed with the facts, an individual citizen and executive member of CPR, Shirley Roulstone, engaged legal counsel to formally ask for a review of whether the referendum was called according to standards that should be championed in a participatory democracy. Justice Owen granted that a review should be taken on the following grounds that were presented: that Cabinet had pre-determined the question and date before the referendum legislation had been passed and failed to consider important matters, including having “due regard” to protection of the environment, as required by the Constitution; the question Cabinet set was neither fair nor neutral, as required by law; and the failure to provide any campaign-finance limits frustrated the intent of the Constitution that a free and fair vote should take place. In anticipation of the new referendum date that will be called in 2020, we will continue to act as advocates for the democratic process. You can too! Please see the back page of today’s Compass for ways that you can get involved. Each voter is part of history in the making. All Caymanians are encouraged to turn out to vote in record numbers when the referendum happens. We wish you all a wonderful Christmas season and a prosperous New Year of hope and harmony. Happy Holidays! Michelle Lockwood On behalf of CPR Cayman Every voter should participate in the referendum Year in Review: Safety concerns over new jets blighted Cayman Airways I hope Boeing pays Cayman Airways every cent it lost because of the MAX. – Chris Lopez Harley-riding Santa delivers gifts Thank you Keith and Casey Keller for your generous hearts! – Leslie Martin Harper RCIPS Christmas crackdown begins Do your job professionally and we’ll appreciate the effort, but sounding like Ebenezer Scrooge isn’t. – Roger Ebanks Good luck with that – Andy Marshall Need more police presence on road ALL year. – Britta Bush So many people using the middle lane and not turning. – Marjorie Ranjeet-Bancroft Great. Sounds like more traffic – Steffen Pitta Good work RCIPS! Take the drunks off the road and keep everyone safer... – Valerie Nuyen How much tourism is too much for a small island? Cayman already has too much tourism. As a family who has visited both by cruise ship, but mostly stayed a couple of weeks each year, we have observed the degradation of coral around the island, the decrease in sea life observed while snorkelling and scuba diving, the increase in crime, traffic, trash in the water and on the beaches, and the loss of the small island culture we so loved. We miss the days of nothing but a burger shack at Rum Point, being able to walk down 7 Mile without the obstacle course of beach chairs at the larger resorts, and places to stay being “no taller than the tallest palm tree”. – Alice Hamernik McNally “The site with the most mentions of 'overcrowding' was George Town Harbour and port, where 17% of reviewers used the word. Another 13% described the area as inauthentic.” And... “Sometimes I’ve heard in the conversation that they were looking at improving the quality of the people coming. Then I’m hearing this other conversation … that they wanted to increase [numbers]. The question is, are we looking for quantity or quality?” What do they mean by “quality of people” ... rich people only? And... “In 2018, cruise tourism brought 1.9 million passengers – 80% of the islands’ total tourist arrivals for the year. Stayover guests, in contrast, accounted for more than three- quarters of visitor spending, at US$680.2 million.” 80% of the tourists are from cruise ships, but stay over customers account for over 75% of tourist spending! Personally I think Cayman is reaching the saturation point for cruise shippers. Focus should be more on the stay over customers who come to the island for its charm and beauty AND spend more money supporting the economy. – Jim Hinckley 7 cruise ships in a day is 5 too many! – Laurie Roegner Schierl Thank god they are coming rather than not coming. I call it blessings – Wilbur Robinson People already complain of overcrowding and somehow the government is pushing this project unreservedly promising they will hire people to regrow what we already have in abundance. Sheer insanity. I have no issue with futureproofing our tourism industry. But I will never vote for mass tourism nor will I vote for any party or politician who pushes for mass tourism. Mass tourism is inherently shortsighted and destructive. It really strikes me as stunning that it took us this long to stand up for our beliefs. We have no interest in people and corporations who are in essence offering to destroy the very product that brings people here because they MIGHT be able to mimic it somewhere else. There was a time when even the PPM understood that back in the early 2000s after the formation of the party they ran expressly against mass tourism, what has changed in the last few years? Your guess is as good as mine although I and most people have some theories, and it probably has something to do with who is in the change in leadership, the makeup of Cabinet along with what particular businesses donate to the PPM. From every indicator I have seen, it would appear most Caymanians are of the same mind, we are not interested in a multidecade contract with our competitors in the cruise industry, offering us nothing but congestion in return for little to nothing. I will be voting no, almost everyone I know will be voting no, regardless of the date of the vote. – Al McLaughlin This is a great article but it will fall onto deaf ears of our current seating government. These pro cruise berthing politicians need to be voted out of office in the next election. – Jay Easterbrook The are new economic approaches towards ‘sustainable prosperity’, rather than ‘perpetual growth’ Cayman may benefit from. – Paul Naish Cayman brings in over $200 million from the one day cruise pasengers. Over $600 million from the stayover people If the port is not improved the $200 million will drop because the big ships will not come. It seems to me that $200 million supports a lot of households on the island many of which are locals. How are those people going to live?? Also I have read that the cargo dock is working at 90% 24/7. If that were enlarged and improved it could be more efficient and reduce the cost of food for everyone on the island. It is not a perfect plan and there will be some destruction but it seems to be these best of both worlds. It is great to say you are going to vote against the port but what is the alternative – Bruce Leibowitz Beach-access fight heads to court It’s very frustrating when you drive for miles and there is no egress to the ocean...government needs to fix this...like now. – Nick Young Access to the beach is a right and we should not have to ‘fight’ the government to get it. – Jenny Manderson I just said this last week when the article posted about Dart building walls along the roads. This shouldn’t even be a fight. It was already determined the accesses are grandfathered in! – Cindy Parillo Rodriguez Time that access was restored to CAYMANIANS. – Gillian Rudd What they’re saying Letters to the editor cayman compass 4 N news WEDNESDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2019Feeling afraid, trapped or silenced through physical, financial or emotional abuse is control...not love. The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre offers services to help victims of domestic violence. 24 Hour Crisis Line - 943-2422 24/7 Safe Shelter - safe house for women and their children Estella's Place - walk-in centre for all victims of domestic abuse Aftercare Programme - for victims after leaving the shelter C risis CENTRE CAYMAN ISLANDS CICC.ky 949 0366 info@cicc.ky LOVE SHOULDN’T HURT If you are a victim of domestic violence, contact us now and find out how we can help. Ad sponsored by cayman compass 5 WEDNESDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2019eryhsta ANDA HpewYar FROM ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ Holiday Opening Hours: CLOSING DEC 24 AT 1PM, RE-OPENING DEC 30 AT 7:30 AM CLOSING DEC 31 AT 1PM, RE-OPENING JAN 2 AT 7:30 AM For your convenience, we’ll be open as usual on Thursday 19th December: 7.30am – 6pm www.tonystoys.net | 946-8697 | @TonysToysCayman ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ We thank you for your continued patronage in our 20th anniversary year. ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ erererereryyyhhhhststststststaaa ANDA HHpppppppew AND ew ANDA ew A ewewewewewewYYararararar FROM ‡ OORR MerryChristmas ANDA Happy NewYear FROM RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky The air around the island is thick with yuletide cheer, with Christmas now mere days away. Many not-for-profit organisations, including the Lions Club of Grand Cayman, are out and about spreading the Christmas spirit. Over the weekend, the club got into the spirit of giving as it held its annual All- Island Kids Christmas Party for those in the community who are less fortunate. Lions Club president Cordella Chollette said the party is an event that the club has been hosting for more than 30 years. About 350 children from all around the island converged at the Lions Centre on Sunday, where they were treated to food, fun and a special present from Santa Claus. This year, the event also featured the club’s mascot, Roary the lion. “Some of these kids do not get a gift at Christmas, so we like to bring a little cheer for the kids,” Chollette said. She added that the community is very involved in helping the club host the annual event by contributing toys and making donations. The event featured games like Jenga, bouncy castles and treats. including cotton candy and cakes. “We do it every year because we love bringing a smile to someone, especially at Christmastime. This is not the end of it [for us]. We still have our Christmas morning deliveries where we deliver a gift and groceries to mostly the elderly ... throughout the island,” Chollette said. Chair of the club’s Christmas committee, Heidi Anderson, agreed. “This is my favourite project because we give and bring joy to the less fortunate. Seeing the smiles of our elders on Christmas Day reminds me what this season is about – working, enjoying and serving our community unconditionally; it’s priceless,” she said. The club is in the process of packing 400 bags of groceries and wrapping 400 gifts for Christmas deliveries. Anderson said volunteers are welcomed as club members will be packing groceries and wrapping presents every evening until 24 Dec. at the Lions Centre from 5.30pm to 9pm. Lions Club spreads Christmas cheer Some 350 children from communities around Grand Cayman attended Sunday's party at the Lions Centre. Some of the Lions Club members having fun at the All-Island Kids Christmas Party. Santa and his helpers, including Lions Club of Grand Cayman mascot Roary, spread Christmas cheer. cayman compass 6 news N news WEDNESDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2019Contact Heidi Kiss, Broker P: +1.345.525.1126 | E: heidi.kiss@evrealestate.com www.caymanevrealestate.com Proud member of CIREBA Starting from CI$725,000 Public Sandy Beach access 258 yard away Large 3 bedrooms with terrace, 2100 sq ft 2 swimming pools Elevated 7 ft above sea level Gas appliances & Solar = Low CUC bills Location, Location, Location close to Walkers Road and San Sebastian Stamp Duty paid by Developer Reputable and successful Caymanian Developer MLS 410922 NOW LAUNCHING PHASE II STARTING AT CI$875K 60% SOLD CAROLINA LOPEZ clopez@compassmedia.ky The National Roads Authority is seeking approval from the Department of Environmental Health to move three graves in a private cemetery. The cemetery is located opposite Grand Harbour, near the junction with Shamrock Road and South Sound Road. The widening of Shamrock Road is under way to address traffic congestion in the area. The NRA issued a public notice advising of the intended re- interment within the cemetery. In a response to queries from the Cayman Compass, the NRA said as traffic volume builds up in the eastern districts, widening the road to three lanes will reduce travel time and increase capacity and efficiency in the area. The public notice said “all exhumed remains and funerary objects will be respectfully reburied” in consultation with known relatives at a new spot within the cemetery. The NRA said moving the graves is necessary because they fall within the proposed corridor and other alternatives were less favourable. The people in the graves were buried in the 1980s. Helena Chojnacka was born in 1897 and died in 1982; Myrtle V. Eden was born in 1901 and died in 1980; and Dollie Farrell McCoy was born in 1900 and died in 1989. Dr. Rupert Bodden, who compiled the Grand Cayman Cemeteries Index kept at the Cayman Islands National Archive, told the Compass that the three graves are included in that list. Bodden, a Caymanian who lives in Alabama, said Farrell McCoy was born a Jackson, the daughter of William Henry Jackson II, born in 1868, and Lily May Wood of Red Bay, born in 1871. Her given name was Eleanor, according to Bodden’s findings. He said the authorities may have difficulty finding her family members. She was married twice, first to Harvey Guissard Farrell, also known as James Harvey Farrell, and then to Jarrett Culmore McCoy, also known as George Colmore McCoy. Farrell McCoy's niece, Janilee Jackson Clifford, said her aunt had no children of her own, “but all of her nieces and nephews were like her kids. My father was her brother.” She said the NRA should put more effort into finding relatives of the deceased people. “No one has said anything to me,” Clifford said, adding that a friend informed her of the public notice that was published in the Compass. Bodden said Myrtle V. Eden is likely Myrtle Victoria Eden, who died in Cadillac, Michigan. She was the daughter of James Laycraft Eden and Catherine Allett Farrell of Prospect. The NRA said the relevant agencies had met to discuss the matter with the cemetery owner and will be consulting the relatives. Comments relating to the relocation of the graves should be submitted to dehcustomerservice@ gov.ky by 31 Jan. Graves to be moved to make way for road widening These three graves are close to Shamrock Road. The NRA plans to move the graves to allow for the widening of the road. cayman compass 7 news N news WEDNESDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2019YesterdaY's sOLUtIONs 1234567 8 9 10 11 1213 14 151617 1819 20 21 22 23 1234567 8 9 10 11 1213 14 151617 1819 20 21 22 23 Puzzle 16250 ACROSS: 1 Faction, 4 Coped, 7 Tang, 8 Standing, 10 Hard-boiled, 12 Sachet, 13 Assess, 15 For all that, 18 Michigan, 19 Maim, 20 Cloud, 21 Trident. DOWN: 1 Fetch, 2 Contract, 3 Nitwit, 4 Conversely, 5 Prim, 6 Digress, 9 Able-bodied, 11 Rephrase, 12 Seismic, 14 Vacant, 16 Tempt, 17 Echo. aCrOss 1 Eastern US seaport (9) 8 A synthetic fibre (5) 9 Woodwork (7) 10 Sully (6) 11 Uprising (6) 12 Besotted admirer (8) 15 Block of rented dwellings (8) 18 Alliance (6) 20 Cutting reply (6) 21 Stateliness (7) 22 Assemble (5) 23 Southeast Asian port (9) dOWN 2 Make amends (5) 3 Small-time (6) 4 Bordering the sea (8) 5 Smooth glossy paint (6) 6 Clearness (7) 7 Largest city in Alaska (9) 11 Major north European port (9) 13 Remote from the centre (8) 14 As a substitute (7) 16 Swamp (6) 17 Short light sleep (6) 19 Absolute (5) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16251 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. RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Ministry of Environment officials said conflicting schedules led to the cancellation earlier this month of the second meeting of the government-initiated single-use plastic steering committee. They insisted that they remain committed to addressing Cayman’s single- use plastics usage. Local environmental groups Plastic Free Cayman and Protect Our Future last week registered their disappointment after the cancellation of the meeting of the steering committee and the absence of a rescheduled date. The meeting had been scheduled for Wednesday, 11 Dec. The groups said that a list showed there are 29 representatives on the committee and 13 of them had committed to attend, including three volunteers from Plastic Free Cayman. However, the meeting was cancelled until further notice by a Ministry of Health representative, due to insufficient numbers to make up a quorum, according to the groups’ statement. Environment Ministry Acting Chief Officer Nellie Pouchie, in response to queries from the Cayman Compass about the cancellation, said the meeting will be rescheduled for January. “Unfortunately, the recently scheduled meetings were postponed due to conflicting schedule with the Legislative Assembly being in session (4 Dec.) and the unavailability of the majority of invited persons (11 Dec.). I can assure you however that Honourable Ministers [Dwayne] Seymour and [Joey] Hew remain passionate and committed to this important topic,” she said in her emailed response. However, the environmental groups said there is a lack of government will to take action on the issue of single-use plastics, adding that Cayman was falling behind the region. “A multitude of international organisations provide readily available online resource tools to assist policymakers. Global agencies, such as the United Nations, have made publicly available reports, recommendations, guidelines and resources to assist local governments tackle this planet-wide plastic crisis,” the group said in its statement. The groups encouraged the community to take the ‘345 Plastic Free Pledge’, which is a commitment to live a more plastic-free life. Gov't: We’re committed to plastics policy • Anguilla • Guadeloupe • Mexico • Antigua and Barbuda • Grenada • Panama • Aruba • Guatemala • Puerto Rico • Barbados • Guyana • Saint Lucia • Belize • Haiti • Colombia • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines • Jamaica • Turks and Caicos • Dominica • Honduras • US Virgin Islands pic of the day Mehr Lamba of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, third from left, receives a cheque from the interim pastor of the Safe Harbour Lutheran Church, Rev. Dr. John Fiene, left, and church members, from left, Catherine Fox, Beth McCrae and Lynette Chand. Members of the Safe Harbour Lutheran Church and the Advent Lutheran Church of Zionsville, Indiana, raised funds for the Crisis Centre and the Hurricane Dorian Bahamas Relief Fund by selling soft drinks at the Pirates Week festival. Church group donates to charities Regional countries with bans on single-use plastics Source: United Nations Caribbean Environment Programme Plastic Free Cayman clean up a beach littered with plastic debris earlier this month. news N news 824 TH MUSIC EXTRAVAGANZA SAT. NOV. 30, 2019 Music Extravaganza 2019 Grand Prize $40,000 Winner David Shibli Thank You CONGRATULATIONS AND A BIG Rotary Central Cayman Islands Not For Profit #232 In Service: Over 50 Community Projects Reaching, Touching, Positivley Affecting, Every Caymanian, Every Resident Thank You Thank You Rotary Central Music Extravaganza Performers and Entertainment Leslie Duran & Trio Caribe Sugardaddi Sea N’B Thank You Rotary Central Music Extravaganza Sellers Prize Sponsors and Partners Funky Tangs Al Thompson’s Brand Source Kirk Home Centre Atlantis Submarines Uncle Bill’s Kirk Office Equipment Bon Vivant Cayman Turtle Centre Red Sail Sports Cox Lumber Eventpro.ky Royal Palms Beach Club The Security Center Fosters Food Fair Hurleys Rubis Gas Stations Cost U Less Radio Cayman DMS Broadcasting Sound Solutions Massive Rentals Guy Harvey’s Restaurant Blue Cilantro 7 Mile Paddle Cayman Stand Up Paddle Cayman Sports Books& Books Rackhams Dart West Indies Wine Company La Visage All Rotary Ticket Sellers Thank You Rotary Central Music Extravaganza Performers and Entertainment hank You Rot cayman compass 9 WEDNESDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2019Next >