cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 75 CENTS | Funding local journalism | Tuesday, 28 January 2020 NEWS Air-arrival figures top half a million Page 10 SPORT Ref assaulted, Bodden Town football team suspended Page 24 Cayman celebrates National Heroes Day Page 5 Trio to face trial in football fraud case Page 9 Cayman catboats: ‘No two were exactly alike’ Page 12 Landfill fire contained Photo: Taneos Ramsay Page 3Matinees (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00 (Mon-Fri before 6pm) Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets 640-FILM (640-3456) 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. 1917 (R) 1:00 VIP | 3:50 | 7:05 | 10:00 BAD BOYS FOR LIFE (R) 12:40 | 3:55 VIP | 7:05 | 9:55 VIP DOLITTLE (PG) 1:15 | 4:00 | 6:35 | 9:10 JO JO RABBIT (PG13) 1:30 | 4:15 | 6:55 | 10:00 PANGA (PG) 3:50 | 9:40 JUST MERCY (PG13) 12:45 THE TURNING (PG13) 12:30 | 2:55 | 5:15 | 7:35 | 10:05 WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK TUESDAY, JANUARY 28 CLASSICS @ CINEMA GONE WITH THE WIND (PG) 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-IN-CHIEF KEVIN MORALES Fair skies with a less than 20% chance of showers. weather Forecast today Cayman Islands 83°F 70°F HIGH LOW WINDS South to southwest 5 knots or less. SEA STATE Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 2 feet. FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass Jamaica cruise arrivals plummet despite mega-ship pier KAYLA YOUNG, JAMES WHITTAKER kyoung@compassmedia.ky, jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Jamaica’s tourism officials are looking to a ‘plan B’ to revive cruise tourism amid uncertainty over the port project in Grand Cayman. Cayman’s Caribbean neighbour has seen cruise tourism arrivals drop significantly, despite building a pier in Falmouth in 2011 in partnership with Royal Caribbean to accommodate mega cruise ships. Jamaica’s tourism minister Edmund Bartlett has highlighted the lack of a port in Cayman as one reason behind the decline. He suggested that Royal Caribbean would not put its larger ships on the western route unless and until Cayman built a port. “I have been having very extensive discussions with Royal Caribbean Lines about getting Falmouth back on track, and re-establishing the western Caribbean itinerary that would include Labadee in Haiti and Cayman, on the presumption that Cayman would build a port large enough to accommodate these mega vessels,” he said, in response to questions from the Jamaican media about a 25% annual decline in cruise arrivals. “The itinerary of Falmouth, Labadee and Cayman would become, arguably, the most lucrative itinerary in the world, and the projections are that more than 2 million visitors would then come to Falmouth on an annual basis,” he said. Bartlett also revealed that Royal Caribbean was continuing to pay head taxes to the Port Authority based on higher passenger numbers as part of an agreement with the Jamaican government. Representatives of Verdant Isle Port Partners, the consortium including Royal Caribbean which is bidding to build the cruise berthing facility in Cayman, declined to answer questions on that deal. A spokesperson said the Cayman pier project is “vitally important” to Royal Caribbean and all major cruise brands because the “strategic location” of Cayman means it is essentially the missing link in a number of possible itineraries. “Cayman will provide an iconic port for Western Caribbean Oasis itineraries out of Galveston,” said an emailed statement in response to questions from the Cayman Compass. “The addition of Cayman will increase the number of itineraries which deploy to Western Caribbean, and therefore Falmouth will benefit.” The Ministry of Tourism in Cayman declined to respond to questions about the Jamaica port project and arrival figures in that country. Jamaican Director of Tourism Donovan White told the Compass that the drop in arrivals in his country was caused by Royal Caribbean moving its Oasis-class ships to other routes. “They made changes because they opened new ports in places that were off that schedule [the western route], so they moved some of their larger vessels to those schedules,” he said. Speaking during the Caribbean Travel Marketplace conference in the Bahamas, he said he believed new berthing facilities in Cayman would enable the mega-ships to come back to the western route. He acknowledged that public opposition to the port in Cayman, with a referendum in the offing, could mean Jamaica has to find a new strategy to bring back cruise tourists. “We are in constant dialogue with the cruise lines. Plan A included the Cayman port, but we are down the road looking at plan B and C, as well. We continue to have strategic discussions with the cruise lines,” White said. Mario Rankin, a member of the Cruise Port Referendum Cayman campaign group, said the impasse showed the importance of Cayman to the cruise companies. He believes if Cayman rejects the port project, the cruise lines will have to come back to the table to discuss tendering the mega-ships, an idea that was proposed in 2011 but discarded. “They need Cayman to sell those cruises,” he added. CPR’s Johann Moxam said the comments from Jamaica’s minister of tourism raised questions about what promises had been made to Jamaican officials about the port development in Cayman. He also questioned why Royal Caribbean was paying taxes to Jamaica for ships that were not arriving in the country. Describing the scheme as “ghost ships”, he questioned whether arrival statistics were being deliberately manipulated to make the case that new facilities were needed in Cayman. “It feels like the Cayman government is taking instructions from a neighbouring government and Royal Caribbean as to what should be our national priorities because that country needs Cayman to move forward with the proposed CBF [cruise berthing facility] project which will help benefit Jamaica’s interests.” Neither Royal Caribbean nor government responded to Moxam’s comments or more general questions from the Compass. Jamaica looks to ‘plan B’ amid doubts over Cayman port Jamaica's Falmouth cruise dock has been seeing declining arrival numbers. cayman compass 2 news N news TUESDAY, 28 JANUARY 2020ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Officials on Monday continued to monitor the vehicle-recycling plant at the George Town Landfill for any signs of a re-ignition of Friday’s fire. The Cayman Islands Fire Service stated that the fire was first reported shortly after 8:30am on Friday. What was initially thought to have been a “small fire” soon raged out of control, belching thick plumes of black smoke into the sky throughout the day and into the night. The fire erupted in a section where vehicles are crushed and compacted. At no point was the solid waste mound on fire, according to the Department of Environmental Health, which manages the landfill. On Saturday morning, a Government Information Service spokesperson said an emergency response team had worked throughout the night to bring the blaze under control. The team, which consisted of Fire Service officers and workers from the DEH and the National Roads Authority, managed to contain the blaze over the course of the weekend. On Monday, the smoke plumes had disappeared and the site was being monitored. A GIS statement on Monday said, “A small crew from CIFS along with the Department of Environmental Health and Island Recycling [which operates the vehicle-recycling plant] are on scene to extinguish any last remaining deep-seated pocket fires.” The cause of the blaze was still unclear on Monday, and official investigations into the fire are expected to begin later this week. The fire’s smoke column spread across a substantial portion of George Town on Friday, with safety concerns leading to Cayman International School closing early and George Town Primary School calling off its sports day and sending students home. Police shut down parts of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway on Friday as the smoke wafted across the road, and government issued a notice to all businesses and residents in the area to keep their windows and doors closed. The smell of the fire was apparent throughout George Town during the day. Students from environmental group Protect Our Future questioned what is to be done with the landfill. “What angers us the most, is that we have brought up this issue for a while, through awareness campaigns, yet it takes a fire like this to bring it back into the spotlight,” said CIS student Daniela Suarez, 17, who is a member of Protect Our Future. “Why does tragedy have to happen for people to notice the youth’s concerns?” Another member of the group, Mike Odagiri, 14, said, “Not only does this affect the environment, but it also affects our health, traffic, education, and the image of Cayman negatively. Spreading awareness is important, but taking action to fix the problem is truly what we need.” In the latter part of 2019, there were several small fires at the landfill. Those fires were thought to have occurred due to a lack of proper compaction across the solid waste mound. Friday’s fire is the first blaze reported in 2020, with the resulting plumes of black smoke reminiscent of a previous fire involving a large pile of tyres at the landfill that raged for several days in December 2013. As of press time Monday, fire officers remained at the vehicle- recycling plant. Car-recycling plant fire contained CAROLINA LOPEZ clopez@compassmedia.ky Controversy has erupted over the leadership of the Cayman Music and Entertainment Association following an annual general meeting earlier this month. Members who attended the meeting voted to replace Jean- Eric Smith as president with Michael Wilks. The newly elected board was announced in a press release last week. However, Smith is challenging the validity of the election and the AGM. In his own press release, Smith said the meeting on 12 Jan. was invalid as it was held before the scheduled annual meeting on 1 March. “It is therefore with great regret that, as the legal President of the Association, I must notify all members of the Association, and the Cayman public, that the purported AGM ... held on the 12th of January 2020, is null and void,” Smith said. He said a “proper constituted” AGM would go ahead on 1 March at Constitution Hall in George Town, adding, “Accordingly, any interaction with the person(s) who claimed to be elected as Executive pursuant to the meeting held on January 12th, 2020 will be at the sole risk of those persons so doing.” Eden Hurlston, who was appointed a director of CMEA at the meeting, told the Cayman Compass that the 12 Jan. meeting was held in accordance with CMEA’s constitution. “The previous AGM was held on 4 Nov. 2018, more than a year ago. As the constitution dictates that these meetings should be called within a year of each other, the members, including founding and distinguished members and former executive officers, were within their rights to call the meeting,” Hurlston said. He said a majority executive committee decision was made on 13 Dec. 2019 to hold the AGM on 12 Jan. “As far as the members of this democratic organisation are concerned, following the rules of the constitution, it was a proper and official meeting. We therefore cannot speak to [Smith’s] opinion on the matter,” Hurlston said. Musicians association meeting hits sour note The CMEA executive committee elected at the 12 Jan. meeting were, from left, Cashas 'Super C' Stewart (director), Isadora Ferrao (assistant secretary), James Geary (vice president), Michael Wilks (president), Vashti Bodden (secretary), Clive Scotland (treasurer), and Eden Hurlston (director). Fire trucks tackle the deep-seated fires at the vehicle-recycling plant at the George Town Landfill late on Friday afternoon. cayman compass 3 news N news TUESDAY, 28 JANUARY 2020123456 78 9 10 11 1213 14 1516 17 1819 2021 123456 78 9 10 11 1213 14 1516 17 1819 2021 ACROSS 1 To yield (7) 4 Outmoded (5) 7 Object of ridicule (4) 8 Southern US state (8) 10 Precedence on the road (5,2,3) 12 Cherry red (6) 13 Disreputable (6) 15 Huge (10) 18 Transitory (8) 19 A visit (4) 20 V-shaped indentation (5) 21 Witchcraft (7) DOWN 1 Quiet and inconspicuous (5) 2 Class (8) 3 Deprived (6) 4 Elicit no response (4,1,5) 5 Critical evaluation (4) 6 Fate (7) 9 Continuously (2,1,7) 11 Deliberate subversion (8) 12 Light diaphanous fabric (7) 14 Recompense (6) 16 Foolish (5) 17 Dexterous (4) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16286 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. FridAY'S SOLUTiONS 123456 78 910 1112 13 141516 17 181920 21 2223 24 123456 78 910 1112 13 141516 17 181920 21 2223 24 Puzzle 16283 ACROSS: 1 Covet, 4 Reflect, 8 Nil, 9 Amsterdam, 10 Flouted, 11 Dingy, 13 Rarity, 15 Impact, 18 Order, 19 Blatant, 21 Ho Chi Minh, 23 Ail, 24 Replete, 25 Ruddy. DOWN: 1 Conifer, 2 Volgograd, 3 Trait, 4 Reside, 5 Freedom, 6 End, 7 Tommy, 12 Nyasaland, 14 Termite, 16 Totally, 17 Oblige, 18 Other, 20 Abhor, 22 Cap. At the opening of the Grand Court on Wednesday, 15 Jan. 2020, both Chief Justice Anthony Smellie and Attorney General Sam Bulgin made reference to persons who are not lawyers giving legal advice and drafting legal documents. Significantly, Mr. Smellie is reported to have asked Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran, who was present, to take action. But the real issue is what has contributed to this trend. It is in large measure due to the fact that most people cannot afford lawyers’ fees. In particular, since legal aid is not available for divorce cases, many people have resorted to using either current or former serving officers in the judiciary to help them during their challenging times. The Canadian province of Ontario faced somewhat similar problems. Thus, about 10 years ago, the response of the provincial government was to recognise the desperation of people and to allow paralegals, who charge much less than lawyers, to practise on their own in limited areas. This alleviated some of the problems. However, divorce cases have posed a new challenge. It was reported on www.lawtimesnews.com on 18 March 2019 that more than 57% of Ontarians did not have legal representation in family court in the period from 2014 to 2015. This led to a recommendation, still under consideration when I last checked, that paralegals be allowed to handle simple divorces. Other developed commonwealth countries have also implemented systems where persons who are not lawyers can undertake conveyancing and probate matters without the supervision of lawyers. Naturally, some lawyers will not welcome this. The same is taking place in Ontario. The way I see it, the overwhelming number of people who resort to using non-lawyers on the sly, or who would use paralegals, cannot afford lawyers anyway. So any loss of business by lawyers would be negligible. Accordingly, I urge the government not to compound the problem but to recognise the problems of legal representation in the Cayman Islands and solve the problem for the benefit of the whole society. Bilika H. Simamba Attorney at Law Gov’t should allow paralegals to handle certain cases Letters to the editor cartoon The Eruption - By Caymanman I work as a tradesman in construction here, in this beautiful country, and I must say there is no reason almost every tradesman in my company should be on a work permit; maybe a couple, maybe, but not the majority in this day and age. I am watching the news about the ‘biggest stories of 2019’ and one of the stories is, of course, the port, the father of the red herrings your government wants you to focus on. If a port is in place how many jobs will it create? Hundreds possibly? And what is the purpose of people coming to the island? To spend money? To invest back into an economy to grow. Who will build the houses for this growing economy that this port has funded? Who will build this port? Who will build the roads and its related infrastructure? Who will literally build the rest of the island? Not the Caymanians, because their government has intentionally ignored this aging issue of the dumpster fire that is this island’s education system and it is appalling. Think about this fact for one minute: there is proof of established trade/artisan schools in the world since before Christ’s birth! We are in 2020 and there is not an established trade school in this country! The wealthiest country in the Caribbean! Why? It’s not the money. You could easily have a for- profit school system here just like they have all over the world and they are very successful ... so why hasn’t it happened? Absolutely no good reason except that your government is not doing their job. Building a port, gay marriage or whatever the government has got you intentionally concerned about this month is not even on a comparable scale to not having a basic education in a country as well off as this one. You should have my job! I’m with you! Chris Pine Cayman needs Caymanian tradespeople I read with interest that the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort has applied for a coastal works license to re-establish the eroded beach in front of their property [Cayman Compass, 24 Jan.]. While I applaud the placement of wave droids to study the situation over an 18-month period, I have reservations about them placing a 20-foot-wide sandbag along the shore as a long-term solution to erosion. The material will deteriorate over time, especially with the coral and wave action. While I agree that many properties have been built too close to the water’s edge, this was not always the case, as previously there was often a good buffer of beach sand. Certainly, there is no shortage of sand in Cayman but the uneven distribution is becoming a problem, particularly as one moves along Seven Mile Beach towards George Town. Several tons of sand are lost daily as it trickles over the wall into the abyss, never to be seen again. Surely, this could be used to help replenish the beach. I do not have the answer to overcome the beach erosion. Possibly, we are experiencing fewer nor’westers, which tend to cause replenishment. I am, however, impressed with the artificial lagoon on the oceanside of Margaritaville, which seems to solve a lot of the problems and will endure for years to come. Maybe it is a step in the right direction? I think it is time the Cayman Islands government and the Department of Environment woke up to realise that climate change, rising seas and beach erosion may well be a permanent situation. Seven Mile Beach is a major tourist attraction and already the Marriott claims to have lost $4 million in tourist dollars related to beach erosion. Eventually, this will affect property values. Time has come for the Cayman Islands government and the DoE to come up with some positive solutions and recognise that the situation is only going to get worse. Ignoring the situation will cost everyone in the long run. Greg Richmond-Peck Need long-term solution to beach erosion cayman compass 4 news N news TUESDAY, 28 JANUARY 2020 International Data Privacy Day 2020 On January 28 th the Cayman Islands joins the rest of the world in marking International Data Privacy Day. This is the first time this special day is celebrated in Cayman, after the commencement of the Data Protection Law (DPL) in September 2019. The DPL introduced important rights for individuals, including the right to be informed about how your personal data is being used, to have your data corrected, to object to direct marketing, and to access your own personal data. The DPL also created a set of rules on the use of personal data by businesses and organizations across the public and private sectors, based on eight core principles dealing with fairness, adequacy, retention and security of personal data processing, amongst other things. Please visit our website for more information including FAQs, guidance and other resources to help you understand your data protection rights and obligations: www.ombudsman.ky/data-protection or send your questions to: info@ombudsman.ky ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky In this year’s National Heroes Day celebrations, the focus was split between Cayman’s constitutional progress and the contribution women have made, and continue to make, in local politics. With its usual pomp and ceremony that saw Union flags strung side by side with Cayman flags on the streets and various uniformed groups parade to and fro with music provided by the police band, the annual event brought out hundreds of spectators. Constitutional progress “The 1950s and early 1960s were a time of great change for the Cayman Islands, as well as for the other British Caribbean colonies,” said Premier Alden McLaughlin as he delivered the keynote address to onlookers who attended in their Sunday best. McLaughlin reflected on the struggles of Cayman, and how, through an initial 1959 order in council, Cayman took its “first steps towards political advancement”. He also spoke of recent constitutional amendments that now prevent the UK from legislating for Cayman without, at minimum, consulting with Cayman first. This year, more than 50 vestrymen and justices of the peace were recognised for their efforts in leading Cayman over the last several decades. The only surviving 1959 vestryman, Arley James ‘A.J.’ Miller of Bodden Town, was wheeled onto the stage where all in attendance gave him a standing ovation. Miller was presented with a framed copy of his biography, a commemorative banknote and certificate of recognition. Cayman has nine national heroes. In late 2019, Heroes Square was transformed, with flora that once complemented the statues being replaced with marble slabs that now serve as the housing of busts of five of the national heroes. The sounds of trumpets could be heard ringing out as the premier helped unveil the busts of Sybil Ione McLaughlin, Desmond Vere Watler, Sybil Joyce Hylton, Dr. Roy Edison McTaggart and Thomas William Farrington. The additional four busts will not be revealed until next year’s Heroes Day celebrations. The ‘Phenomenal Four’ who paved the way In 1958, the passing of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Bill granted women in Cayman a most basic of human rights – the right to vote. The landmark legislation gave women a voice and in the 1959 general elections not only did women vote, they stood as candidates. The first four women to run for office were Burdell Jackson of West Bay, Ethel Cook-Bodden of George Town, Francine Jackson of Bodden Town, and Laurel Watler of Bodden Town. Together, they have been dubbed the ‘Phenomenal Four’. Although none of the women was elected in that initial poll, they are credited with blazing the trail for national hero Mary Evelyn Wood to become the first woman to be elected to office during the following general election. Six decades after receiving the right to suffrage, women continue to play an integral role in Cayman’s politics. Currently, there are three women serving as elected officials – Minster Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Minister Tara Rivers and Councillor Barbara Conolly. During the ceremony, a new $1 note was given to audience members. On each note, the words ‘Celebrate Cayman, 60 Years, Our First Constitution’ is written. The notes are expected to go into circulation in the coming days. Cayman celebrates National Heroes Day Cayman’s National Heroes Dr. Roy Edison McTaggart Sybil Joyce Hylton William Warren Conolly Ormond L. Panton Sybil Ione McLaughlin Desmond Vere Watler James (Jim) Manoah Bodden Mary Evelyn Wood Thomas William Farrington Representatives of the first four women who stood in the 1959 general election are joined on stage by Councillor Barbara Conolly, far left, and Minister Tara Rivers, far right. Arley James 'A.J.' Miller, the last living 1959 vestryman, receives his award. 5ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky The prosecution continued its case last week against two youth workers, who are on trial for manslaughter in relation to the drowning of 14-year-old Risco Batten. Department of Environment officer Bradley Johnson, who took the witness stand Wednesday, 22 Jan., told the jury that an area of South Sound commonly called ‘Pull and Be Dammed Point’, was a dangerous area for swimmers. “I grew up just north, not too far, from there and knew as a child that the currents were very strong,” said Johnson, while being questioned by prosecutor Richard Matthews, QC. Matthews asked Johnson to describe the general conditions in the area that made for dangerous swimming. “If you look at the general shape of South Sound, water flows in and around the sound,” said Johnson. “Then, it must exit through one of two areas within the channel or the main open exit.” Batten drowned on 29 Dec. 2015 while swimming off the South Sound beach during an outing with fellow inhabitants of the Bonaventure Boys Home. He had entered the home nine days prior to his death. Defendants Michael Anthony Stewart and Larry Levers, who were employed as senior youth supervisors and youth workers at the Bonaventure Boys Home, had been tasked with supervising Batten and the other boys on a fishing trip along the ironshore near the Cayman Turtle Centre. However, bad weather led the men to relocate the trip to South Sound, where Batten drowned. A jury of four men and three women has been told that during the incident, both men watched from shore. Levers called the police, while Stewart went to meet officers at the roadside. On Thursday, Johnson told the jury he had been asked to identify a day when conditions matched the weather when Batten drowned and to conduct various tests. Johnson said after much discussion with the National Weather Service, they identified 3 Feb. 2017 as the day with the closest conditions. On that day, Johnson recorded the wind speeds and directions, as well as the speed of underwater currents, at four different sites in the general location where Batten died. He found that the strength of the current increased by as much as sevenfold the further he travelled from the shore. At the location where Batten’s body is thought to have been recovered, Johnson recorded wind speeds of 12 miles per hour, and currents at 11.3 feet deep were travelling at 0.71 centimetres (0.27 inches) per second. “You couldn’t tell where an object would be, because the current direction varies slightly,” said Johnson. “However, the general direction is from east to west.” The prosecution’s case against Levers and Stewart is that both men had a duty of care to each of the children. Matthews said both men failed to properly execute that duty and claimed that their failure resulted in criminal culpability. Both men have denied the charges and the trial continues. Witness confirms strong currents where teen drowned Risco Batten MLA urges community support to guide Cayman’s kids RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Education councillor Barbara Conolly has urged a more concerted effort to help guide Cayman’s students on the path to making positive contributions to society. Conolly made the call as she addressed the opening of the YMCA’s 5th Annual Leaders for Youth Conference at St. Ignatius Loyola Hall on 18 Jan. “We recognise that if our children are to make a positive contribution to our society, they will need to be well-rounded individuals who are capable of creative and critical thought,” she said. “To achieve this, we will need teachers, parents and other members of the wider community to pull together to support our children’s development and guide them into becoming productive citizens.” Conolly said the YMCA-operated extended after-school programme has been an “excellent example of how the convergence of public and private entities can make a meaningful impact on society”. She said the programme, which was contracted to YMCA in 2015, has made an impact on students and now serves 15 schools, and offers 30 activities at nine sites. Conolly urged all students to grasp the opportunities offered under the programme. “I want to encourage more of our students to be a part of this programme because this teaches so much in terms of their organisational skills. Some of our students have special needs, and [the programme focusses] on that as well. It teaches our students that they have to be more disciplined in terms of their behaviour – that is another value of this programme,” she said. YMCA CEO Gregory Smith welcomed Conolly’s comments. He said a lot of effort goes into the programmes, especially training volunteers. Smith added the leadership conference focusses on that training. “This is our opportunity to bring all of our staff and volunteers from throughout the island, and also throughout the region, to learn, to fellowship, to get inspired about the work that we do with our youth in the community,” he said. The theme of the conference was ‘All aboard’ and Smith said the ship theme was connected to the idea of navigating the call of leadership. “As we look around and we see there are many challenges throughout our community and throughout the world. And so, the theme is just a reminder that sometimes the seas can be rough, but we have to be well trained and well prepared to do the work that we’re called to do with our youth and in the most challenging of seas,” Smith added. For volunteer-in-training Andon Hislop, being involved in the programme has made a difference. “Before, I used to always be shy ... and I would never go out of my comfort zone to do things. But now, after being with the Y for about two years, I could get out of my comfort zone and do things I normally wouldn’t do, like, I would go and meet new people and make new friends,” Hislop said. Tony Williams, YMCA board member, said the leadership conference was important to the Y’s mission and he hoped participants took away a message of hope and the guidance necessary to navigate the seas of life. Extended after-school programme lauded Extended After-School Programme statistics - 1,300 students participate annually - 15 schools - 30 activities at nine sites YMCA volunteers take part in team-building exercises at YMCA’s 5th Annual Leaders for Youth Conference at St. Ignatius Loyola Hall on 18 Jan. YMCA CEO Gregory Smith 6cayman compass 7 TUESDAY, 28 JANUARY 2020Working together to better our communities. What could a Dart Grant do for your organisation? We invite registered not-for-profits, based and operating in the Cayman Islands, to apply for one of nine Dart Grants. Awards of financial support in 2020 will be made for community development projects or programmes in the areas of Education, Youth Development and the Environment. Eligible organisations can apply for one of eight grants valued at up to CI$25,000 and one grant of up to CI$50,000. For more information on this programme, the selected areas and application process, visit dart.ky/about-us/community or email grants@darts.ky dart.ky/about-us/community 8The Family of The late Woodrow P. Whittaker regret to announce his passing on Thursday, January 16, 2020. A graveside service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, February 2, 2020 at Prospect Cemetery. Condolences may be registered at boddenfunerlservice.com & Bodden Funeral Service Face Book page. ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Charmaine Moss and Canover Watson returned to Grand Court on Friday to face charges of fraud and corruption relating to the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF). Moss and Watson have been jointly charged with former CONCACAF president Jeffery Webb, with one count of conspiracy to defraud the confederation. During the mention hearing, which lasted 10 minutes, prosecutor Darlene Oko told Acting Justice Marlene Carter that the Crown was seeking an adjournment. “The material the Crown seeks to rely on is substantial, and the Crown needs time to prepare a trial bundle,” said Oko. The court heard that Watson also has other charges of a similar nature before the Grand Court and the prosecution was considering joining the charges. “Mr. Watson has a dismissal application before Grand Court, and we await the outcome of that application,” she said. “We seek to join both matters, but that will depend on the outcome of the dismissal application.” Court documents reveal that between January 2012 and September 2014, Moss, 45, Watson, 49, and Webb, 55, allegedly created a fake company called Ironshore International Limited. Through that company, the trio is said to have claimed to be agents of Admiral Financial Centre Ltd. The charge further alleges that false, inflated invoices were submitted to CONCACAF. Moss and Webb are jointly charged with an additional count of conspiracy to defraud CONCACAF, which alleges the submission of more fraudulent invoices during the same time period. Moss also faces a third and final count of converting criminal property in relation to funds transferred to Ironshore International Limited and Moss International Limited. During Friday’s hearing, Oko requested that the matter be put off until 20 March, at which time pleas are expected to be entered. “Mr. Webb is named in the indictment,” said Oko. “We will set a trial date; if he is on island at that time, we will proceed with him, but if he is off island, we will proceed in his absence.” At the time the offences are alleged to have occurred, Webb was serving as a FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) vice president, CONCACAF president and Cayman Islands Football Association president. Watson was serving in an executive role with CIFA. Moss was not a member of CIFA; however, she worked closely with the organisation. Webb remains in the US under strict bail conditions, as he awaits sentencing on several counts of money laundering, fraud and racketeering – charges to which he has already pleaded guilty. Moss and Watson were released on bail and will return to court on 20 March. Trio to face trial on football fraud charges ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Boat captain Sean Michael McDonald denied responsibility for a boating accident that claimed the lives of two people and injured another. McDonald, a Canadian, pleaded not guilty on Friday, 24 Jan., to two counts of manslaughter and one count of causing grievous bodily harm. The charges state that McDonald “on 11 August 2019, piloted a marine vessel namely ‘Pepper Jelly’, in a reckless and negligent manner that claimed the lives of John Turner and Emmanuel Brown”. The charge of causing grievous bodily harm relates to a female passenger who was seriously injured in the boating accident. This was McDonald’s first Grand Court appearance. He was released on bail. Boat captain denies manslaughter charges Students honour two for contributions to school JEWEL LEVY jlevy@compassmedia.ky Savannah MLA Anthony Eden and retired teacher Mary ‘Molly’ Farrell were honoured on Friday for their contribution to the Theoline McCoy Primary School. Farrell was recognised for her services to the development of the school’s art room and Eden for his continuing contributions to the upkeep of the school. Principal Kimberly Watler said the pair were heroes in the eyes of the school’s students and staff. Speaking by phone from her homeland of Scotland, Farrell said she loved the school, which was formerly known as Bodden Town Primary School, and everybody associated with it. “Although I am far, far away, I am there with you in thoughts and spirit. May God bless you all … I love the whole lot of you … every single one of you and everything about Bodden Town Primary School,” she said. Farrell also said in a note to the school that she was left with a wealth of memories of the years she had spent there. Eden told the children that he had been taught by Theoline McCoy at Savannah Primary. The MLA said he was glad to see the school's playing field had been completed and that work on other buildings was done. He said he was looking forward to seeing them enjoy the expansion to the assembly hall. “I ask you, parents, teachers and children, to continue the way you are approaching life. Remember to listen to your parents and your teachers. Be careful what you watch on television and the internet … there is a lot of nonsense and trash out there, so be very careful and not get involved in anything unusual,” Eden said. Farrell’s representative Shirley- Ann Tibbetts and Eden were presented with handmade cards from students and monkey jar water containers crafted by the pupils under the guidance of teachers Danswell Davidson and Susan Poy-Fong Ramkissoon, and deputy principal Yvonne Lawe-Gonzales. Davidson said monkey jars are reputed to give restorative properties to water after storing it for nine days. They have been used for centuries in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean. Shirley-Ann Tibbetts, Molly Farrell's representative, second from left, and Anthony Eden receive monkey jars from school deputy principal Yvonne Lawe-Gonzales, left, and Susan Poy-Fong Ramkissoon for their contributions to the school. Canover WatsonCharmaine Moss The Pepper Jelly charter boat at Harbour House Marine following the 11 Aug. 2019 fatal collision. 9 newsnewsNext >