caymannational.com More branches. More ATMs. More smiles. cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 75 CENTS | Funding local journalism | Wednesday, 5 February 2020 The seas brought the songs to the sands Page 9 21 new recruits on the job. Page 6 Fire Service gets boostMatinees (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 | 7:00 VIP | 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 GRETEL & HANSEL (PG13) 12:35 | 2:50 | 5:10 | 7:25 | 9:40 RICHARD JEWELL (R) 12:45 | 3:45 | 6:45 | 9:45 THE TURNING (PG13) 12:30 | 2:55 | 5:15 | 7:35 | 10:00 WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 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 Partly cloudy skies with a 20% chance of showers. weather Forecast today Cayman Islands 85°F 74°F HIGH LOW WINDS Easterly 15 to 20 knots. SEA STATE Rough with wave heights of 6 to 8 feet. A small craft warning is in effect. FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Health officials have said they are monitoring a “very small” number of people on island who have trav- elled from China. “These persons are all asymptomatic (not ill) and they are being monitored daily by the [Public Health] Department,” Medical Officer of Health Dr. Samuel Williams-Rodriguez told the Cayman Compass Tuesday in an emailed response to queries on local monitoring. Williams-Rodriguez said the exact number of people currently being monitored is not going to be released, but it remains “very small”. “They have been isolated at home,” he said, assuring that the Cayman Islands is prepared to manage the situation. On Monday, health officials said there were no cases of coronavirus on island. Williams-Rodriquez said that Customs and Border Control is conducting screenings, which includes looking at arriving passengers’ travel history and any symptoms at ports of entry. This was confirmed by Deputy Director of Customs and Border Control Gary Wong during a media briefing on Cayman’s response to the global health emergency at the Government Administration Building on Monday. He said all travel documents for arriving passengers are being scrutinised for travel history to coronavirus-affected countries, in particular China, where the virus originated. He added that arriving ships are also being scrutinised. “It’s also mandated that masters of vessels coming into the Cayman Islands must report to us anyone who they see or feel may be sick or may be coming from a country that may have this infection. We have a health declaration form that must be submitted to us before the vessel arrives and it gives us information on people who they suspect may be sick,” Wong said. He added that the border control officers are keeping the Health Services Authority informed. “Caymanians, residents, visitors, if you’re feeling ill ... let us know,” Wong said Monday. As of Tuesday, 427 people had died from the virus, with more than 20,000 confirmed cases around the world, most of them in China. There has, thus far, been one death outside of China, a man from the Philippines. On Tuesday, health officials were expected to deliver to Cabinet a request for just over $1 million in funding for coronavirus preparations, which include the purchase of equipment and beds for a quarantine room at the HSA. The National Security Council was also expected to meet Tuesday evening to discuss further actions to be taken in the wake of the global spread of the virus. On Friday, Health Minister Dwayne Seymour said the National Security Council would also consider whether travel restrictions would be implemented. Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee said Monday that anybody who has been identified as arriving from a coronavirus-affected country and who is within the 14-day incubation period has been contacted. For those who have not been contacted, he advised that they get in touch with Public Health on 244-2621. Coronavirus latest People with travel to China being monitored RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Collisions continue to be a source of concern for the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit. With nearly 250 crashes already in the books for 2020, it should come as no surprise that Dwayne Jones, who heads the unit, will be cracking down on errant drivers. “Certainly, from the Roads Policing Unit, it’s definitely a zero-tolerance approach [when] it comes to these violations on the street. We have to be responsible ... We can’t go out just driving intoxicated at high speed, excessively in and out of lanes. It just cannot work,” Jones said. He said officers will be out in their numbers and will be enforcing the law. “We have had high volume recordings in terms of accidents, [almost 250] thus far, and over 15 individuals have been prosecuted for DUI. This is not a good sign and we haven’t even completed the month thus far,” Jones said, referring to January numbers in an interview last week. Jones says his officers are out on the roads on a daily basis trying to do their part to keep road users safe, but it appeared to him that some motorists do not have that same mindset. “This year I was hoping that we would start off on a more positive note as it relates to prosecution. People are still not adhering to the road regulations here as it is stipulated; we have prosecuted over 120 individuals for excessive speeding so far,” Jones said. He said drunk driving continues to be an offence that his officers encounter on local roads, but what is more concerning, he said, is the level of intoxication recorded. “Last year we prosecuted over 271 individuals for DUI. We have had recordings of as high as pointing to 1.8 and you know, here on island, the legal limit, as it relates to your blood alcohol content, is 0.10. So, it’s just too excessive. People need to be more responsible,” Jones said. 244 collisions, 15 DUIs in January Medical Officer of Health Dr. Samuel Williams-Rodriguez Correction In a story titled ‘Schools take on robotics challenge’ that appeared in Tuesday’s edition of the Cayman Compass, it was reported that two teams had jointly won the Minds Inspired FIRST Tech Challenge inter- school robotics competition. In fact, Cayman International School won the Winning Alliance award, and St. Ignatius Catholic School was given the Finalist Al- liance award as runner-up. 2KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@compassmedia.ky Legislator Anthony Eden moved a motion in the Legislative Assembly on Friday to affirm Christian values, an action he described as a direct response to debate over same-sex partner- ships. He advised that natural disasters and disease could be viewed as “warnings” against expanded rights for same-sex couples. “Mr. Speaker, once the flood gates are opened, what will happen in Cayman? How are we going to stop it? A little population of less than 70,000 built on Christian values. We have been warned over the years,” Eden said on Friday. He then listed hurricanes Gilbert, Ivan and Paloma as having been such warnings. “Just earlier this week, Mr. Speaker, an earthquake – the strongest tremor that I’ve known in my 75 years – hit these islands. There’s SARS. AIDS has been there over the years, gradually taking out many people. And now we hear of the coronavirus, recently declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization,” Eden continued. “You’ve seen what’s happened. We better take warning of what’s going on.” Eden’s private members motion, seconded by MLA Alva Suckoo, seeks “to affirm that expressions of Christian doctrine and scriptures by Christian organisations and individuals is a right protected by the Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009”. “I brought this motion in light of the atmosphere of tension and concern in regards to same-sex marriage and what it could lead to in the Cayman Christian and religious community and the values that we have grown to accept over the decades and decades as taught by our families,” Eden said. “Christian preachers [abroad] are not allowed to refer to the biblical teaching as not supporting same-sex marriage and LGBTQ lifestyles, and it is termed, as we hear so often, Mr. Speaker, ‘hate speech’ and can be prosecuted. “We’ve seen this propaganda in our own local newspapers when we try to speak up for the values of what we’ve been taught in our lifetime, that what we’re saying is ‘hate speech’. It’s not ‘hate speech’, Mr. Speaker. It comes from the Bible that I read frequently.” Advocacy group warns of impact of constitutional reforms KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@compassmedia.ky Colours Cayman has called upon Governor Martyn Roper to establish a deadline for government to act on the issue of same-sex marriage. In November, the Court of Appeal placed the onus on the Legislative Assembly to act “expeditiously” in establishing legal protection for same-sex couples that is “functionally equivalent to marriage”. In a 3 Feb. letter to the governor, the LGBTI-advocacy group said there has been no indication that the legislature is working on the matter. “The Court of Appeal declared in November that LGBTI+ people have a constitutional right to a legal framework and ordered the government to put that framework in place ‘expeditiously,’ yet there is no evidence of anything having been done,” wrote Colours Cayman president Billie Bryan to Roper. “In this respect, could you, Your Excellency, publicly state by when the UK would deem the Cayman Islands government not to have acted ‘expeditiously’ in accordance with the order of the Court and, as such, would step in and legislate by Order in Council as you have previously suggested would happen in those circumstances. Respectfully, we need a definitive deadline.” The Court of Appeal ruling stated that in the case of delay by the Cayman Islands government, the UK would be expected to take action. “We … state that it would be wholly unacceptable for this declaration to be ignored: that there can be no justification for further delay or prevarication,” the Court of Appeal wrote in November. “That in the absence of expeditious action by the Legislative Assembly, we would expect the United Kingdom Government to recognise its legal responsibility and take action to bring this unsatisfactory state of affairs to an end.” During the opening of the Grand Court in mid-January, Attorney General Samuel Bulgin said his office was working on a civil partnership bill that would be considered by government. “The process is starting, and the AG’s office is working on a draft bill. Hopefully, the premier can say more at the next [Legislative Assembly] meeting if things progress,” a statement from the Premier’s Office read at the time. That bill has not yet been presented to the Legislative Assembly for debate. The same-sex marriage issue is also being taken to the UK Privy Council by lawyers representing Chantelle Day and Vicki Bodden Bush, who have been fighting for the right to marry in the jurisdiction. “It will be submitted that the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal should have interpreted the Constitution in a manner which protects and promotes fundamental rights and freedoms (as the Chief Justice did) rather than adopting an approach that does the very opposite,” wrote attorney Ben Tonner, who represents Day and Bodden Bush, in a statement to the Cayman Compass last month. Constitutional reforms In a separate letter to Premier Alden McLaughlin, dated 21 Jan., Colours Cayman explained its concern that proposed constitutional reforms could be detrimental to human rights and minority groups. The reforms, announced in November, would amend Section 81 to remove the governor’s reserved power to write legislation, disallow legislation and write standing orders for the Legislative Assembly, and would establish a mandatory requirement for consultation on any proposed legislation or orders in council. “This constitutional reform will effectively force minorities to go to Buckingham Palace, i.e., 5,000 miles away, to seek effective legal remedy whenever local courts find that violations of human rights have been made by local legislators, unless you are able to articulate in law otherwise. This is, in our view, a violation of good governance and human rights in and of itself,” Bryan wrote in the letter to the premier. She argues that by amending Section 81, the jurisdiction is left with no local authority to redress mistakes or misuse of power by the legislature in regard to human rights. “The power of the courts in the Cayman Islands – which includes the Privy Council – is limited to declarations of incompatibility, with the effect that local laws found by the courts to be in breach of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution remain in force and rectification of any declared incompatibility is entirely left for the local legislature to address, if it wishes to do so,” Bryan’s letter states. She goes on to write that the proposed constitutional reforms will disrupt the power balance with London and “would turn the legislature of the Cayman Islands into a quasi-sovereign parliament, albeit for human rights matters only”. “LGBTI people fall within a minority group that is likely to suffer most, but not uniquely, as a result of this proposed change due to the anti-LGBTI sentiment and ongoing discrimination they suffer in the hands of the Cayman Islands Government,” she continued. In the absence of action by the premier to address human rights concerns, Colours Cayman intends to lobby the UK Parliament on the matter and pursue a challenge in the High Court in London regarding the reforms. Colours Cayman calls for action on same-sex marriage Billie Bryan of Colours Cayman Savannah MLA Anthony Eden Read the full letters from Colours Cayman to government on www.caymancompass.com. MLA Eden calls earthquake, coronavirus ‘warnings’ over gay lifestyle pic of the day Education councillor Barbara Conolly presents Miss Teen Cayman Ashley Gooden, 17, with a $54,000 four-year scholarship from the Ministry of Education. The scholarship covers two years of local study and two years of study at an overseas university of Gooden’s choice. She is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in primary education at the University College of the Cayman Islands. Scholarship for Miss Teen Cayman The Court of Appeal ruling stated that in the case of delay by the Cayman Islands government, the UK would be expected to take action . 3YesterdaY's sOLUtIONs 1234567 8 910 1112 131415 1617 18192021 2223 2425 1234567 8 910 1112 131415 1617 18192021 2223 2425 Puzzle 16292 ACROSS: 1 Beloved, 5 Forgo, 8 Beyond measure, 9 Ebony, 10 Earshot, 11 Tinder, 12 Frenzy, 15 Unhinge, 17 March, 19 Self-important, 20 Dowse, 21 Pie-eyed. DOWN: 1 Bible, 2 Lay down the law, 3 Vandyke, 4 Damper, 5 Flair, 6 Rough-and-ready, 7 Overtly, 11 Trussed, 13 Remorse, 14 Keep up, 16 Noise, 18 Hated. aCrOss 1 Busy and confused (6) 4 Amphibious Arctic mammal (6) 9 Come safely through (7) 10 To tender (5) 11 Deduce (5) 12 Terminated (2,2,3) 13 Realise one’s mistake (3,3,5) 18 Mosquito-borne fever (7) 20 Pass into disuse (5) 22 Storehouse (5) 23 Central mass (7) 24 Slight earthquake (6) 25 Scattered (6) dOWN 1 US islands state (6) 2 Banter (5) 3 Receive as legacy (7) 5 Distinctive fragrance (5) 6 Revive (7) 7 Single long step (6) 8 Stage make-up (11) 14 An oval (7) 15 Unlawful (7) 16 Surrounded by (6) 17 Instructive experience (6) 19 Proportion (5) 21 Fragment (5) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16293 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. Having family in the Cayman Islands, I read the article ‘New $1 note to begin circulation’ [Cayman Compass, 28 Jan.]. The new bank note does indeed look spectacular with a gloriously dignified photo of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the timing coincides with the 60th anniversary of the coat of arms and the written Constitution. I am age 56 so it is remarkable that Queen Elizabeth II has been the only British monarch reigning during my entire lifetime. She has acted with the utmost dignity. I realise that the modern economic world is partial to paper money or ‘fiat’ money. Whilst paper is lightweight, foldable and convenient, if I were wealthier, I’d prefer the old-fashioned 90% pure silver coin or gold coins. Technically, even the US Constitution decrees that gold or silver coinage are the ONLY legal tender. However, after 1964, subsequent US Congresses have resorted to ‘clad’ coins sandwiched with various base metals. Although, our American paper dollar is retained, its realistic buying power is less and less. While the portraits of George Washington or Benjamin Franklin are nice, even with American money, I still believe gold or silver is more ‘sound money’. They are called ‘precious metals’ for a reason: it’s special and a bit sacred to seeing ‘In God We Trust’ engraved in silver or gold. I congratulate the Cayman Islands on its new $1 note. James A Marples Longview, Texas Cayman ramping up coronavirus response efforts Screen everyone. Even the cruise ship passengers. – Fernando Thompson As a precaution against the spread of coronavirus, on 31 Jan. the government of Antigua and Barbuda announced those who have visited China will not be permitted entry into Antigua and Barbuda until further notice. May be time to take note. – Verity Radford Traffic in focus: New Compass series We need to address the primary issue that everything is focussed on George Town and Seven Mile Beach. Decentralise business activities. This will enable the citizens that need to work at those facilities to travel to there and not to George Town. We can come up with hundreds of suggestions but the government needs to set up groups to investigate options quickly (not take a year to come up with potential plans). Get citizens involved in coming up with suggested ways to resolve these problem – they probably have thought of a number of ways to improve things. Then present all the options to the citizens with details and get comments. Get the citizens involved as they are the ones Letter to the Editor Online What they’re saying Likes Cayman’s new $1 bill, but prefers gold coins who have been mostly affected. Once all comments are received, they need to have the option or options approved and funded. And only fund those that will help in the short and long run. One suggestion – move the cargo port further east and set up port administration and cargo customs at that location, and set up areas where businesses that utilise those services [can] move there. There needs to be a more concerted effort to decentralise activities away from George Town. – Peter Fratarcangelo Road to gridlock: 6,500 more cars in 2019 Gee, can’t wait to visit again. Maybe we should cancel our flights. – Rick Meeder Incredibly unnecessary. There are so many ways to address this issue and the solution is NOT to continue cutting down more trees and paving more roads. Put a proper public transportation system in place. Put a law on the amount of cars per household like Bermuda and encourage people to purchase scooters. Put in a traffic law that only people with certain cars can drive on certain days, like Mexico City. Encourage carpooling. It makes no sense to continue cutting down trees, [it’s] terrible for the environment, or to build roads, which absorbs heat, making it hotter, so that thousands of cars can sit in traffic for hours spilling carbon monoxide into the atmosphere all day. – Amy Mobley It is crazy now. I miss the days of scooters. – Dina Marie We need a better public bus system. I would happily use a safe and organised public bus. – Verity Radford Only local people should be allowed to import cars and put a restriction on cars per family. – Denver Douglas They are allowed on the island by whom? So stupid to keep letting cars crowd the island, Do something about it, government! – Gillian Rudd Just wait until the new hotels and condos are built. – Tracey Kline This is an island, a finite space. Cayman needs to limit cars, buildings, and tourists. So far, this concept only seems to apply to the poor green iguanas. – Pam Eaves Koziel Proper-sized buses and maybe a bus lane in the more congested areas where possible. I use the bus on occasions, they are crowded. I’m small but I always end up with people sitting on top of me and not 1 millimetre of personal space, and whilst waiting for buses I can be waiting for up to an hour in the mornings, with several going past full. If the bus service is improved, with a bus lane, this would encourage myself and other commuters to use the bus service. But if it’s a choice of crowded bus or sitting in traffic for a long time, [I’d] rather use my car. – Liane Loxham Not a single idea presented by the people will fix the traffic problem and reduce the environmental impact. It will take all the ideas to do that. No quick fixes or Band-Aids. – Mark Wilder Just keep building and building and building ... It’s so sad to see this beautiful island that I have been visiting several times a year for 22+ years turn into Miami south. – Brian Branco cartoon 2027 - By Caymanman cayman compass 4 news N news WEDNESDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2020RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell made a plug for the cruise berthing and cargo project as he outlined the new 2019-2023 tourism plan on Friday. Kirkconnell, speaking in the Legislative Assembly, stressed the necessity of the project, which remains in a state of abeyance as Justice Tim Owen is yet to deliver his decision on a judicial review filed by Cruise Port Referendum Cayman member Shirley Roulstone. Roulstone challenged the legality of the referendum called by government last December. Owen is expected to deliver his ruling next week. Addressing fellow lawmakers, Kirkconnell said the new five-year national tourism plan addresses improved connectivity and tourism- related infrastructure. He said the plan noted that “building a berthing facility, where cruise ships can dock alongside a pier and passengers can disembark directly to shore, will increase visitor spending and help the Cayman Islands remain competitive as a cruise ship destination”. Having this additional thrust, he said, will assist the eastern districts. “The proposed cruise berthing facility could significantly increase visitation to the eastern districts, which in turn would drive a need for additional visitor experiences, bringing a much-needed economic boost to the residents in Bodden Town, East End and North Side,” he said. He suggested that opponents of the port “claim that government ought to concentrate solely on stayover visitors and allow the cruise tourism industry to diminish over time”. “Those who support this line of thinking appear to focus on cruise passenger spend rather than cruise passenger value, and erroneously conclude that cruise passengers cannot afford to spend on island and add very little benefit to our tourism industry,” Kirkconnell said. He pointed to the 2019 bi-annual report on tourism statistics and trends compiled by the Department of Tourism, which stated that 25% of stayover visitors (125,684 individuals) reported an annual household income of between US$100,000 and US$150,000. “Conversely, the report notes that 38% of cruise ship passengers reported an annual household income of between US$100,000 and US$150,000. This equates to 695,784 individuals. This is particularly relevant because one of the main impediments to developing small and micro businesses in the outer districts is the small size of the market,” he said. Kirkconnell said the logical response to this is to increase the size of the market by encouraging more visitors to go east and to the Sister Islands. “Increasing the activity in the eastern districts would also assist in balancing visitation to some of our islands’ more popular attractions, thereby helping to allay environmental and carrying- capacity concerns,” he suggested. The plan states that the Cayman Islands is one of the top cruise destinations in the Caribbean and one of the last destinations without a pier. “Without the cruise berthing facilities, the Cayman Islands cannot guarantee a consistent level of cruise arrivals and the ability to create long- term agreements with the main cruise lines,” it stated. The plan pointed out what it called a “critical issue” of enhanced management of cruise ship arrivals and related visitor services “to maximise the positive impacts on local businesses and, by extension, the local economy and the visitor experience (for both cruise and stayover arrivals), and minimise the negative impacts from traffic, congestion, and strains on local service providers and communities.” Kirkconnell shared 2019 tourism statistics as he made his case for the tourism plan. He pointed out that air arrivals reached 502,739. This, he said, represents an 8.6% increase over the same period in 2018 – or 39,738 additional travellers. “This is the first time in our history that over half a million stayover tourists arrived on our shores in a single year, and represents the 10th consecutive year of annual growth in stayover visitation,” he added. Kirkconnell said the plan was developed in collaboration with tourism research and destination management consulting firm Solimar International and incorporated feedback received during a public consultation. Among the initiatives under the five-year plan is addressing the lack of coordination and mechanisms to facilitate coordination of tourism management between government ministries and departments. It also highlighted that a new policy was established to manage public beach vending, “but the implementation of the new policy has caused confusion and frustration among existing beach vendors. Other public beaches in the east lack visitor services and would greatly benefit from concessions to enhance the visitor experience.” Read the full plan at: www.caymancompass.com Kirkconnell continues campaign for port project Key features of the 2019-2023 Tourism Plan • Improve inter-governmental tourism management coordination • Better manage tourism concessions on public beaches • More private sector in- volvement in Department of Tourism marketing and planning • Upgrade Little Cayman Airport • Increase tourism signage on Grand Cayman • Deal with traffic and con- gestion in George Town • Increase bike lanes • Visitor management strategy to deal with over- crowding at key attractions Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell says building a cruise ship berthing facility will increase visitor spending. CAROLINA LOPEZ clopez@compassmedia.ky While last week’s earthquake left many people shaken, both physically and emotionally, mental health professionals warn that some may have been more affected than others. Dr. Catherine Day from Aspire Therapeutic Services in Grand Cayman said a number of patients have brought up the 7.7 magnitude earthquake as a topic of discussion in their sessions. “Since we specialise in working with people who have already been traumatised, what we are seeing is that an event like this can reactivate any unprocessed or unresolved trauma from the past,” Day said. Day specialises in neurodiversity and works closely with young people and adults who have additional needs, like intellectual disabilities and neurodevelopmental difficulties, which can range from autism and attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder to limitations in intellectual functioning, such as reasoning, learning, problem solving and adaptive behaviour. “Post-trauma symptoms in people with intellectual disabilities/ neurodevelopmental conditions are under-recognised, and yet, people with ID/ND are more vulnerable to, and therefore more at risk of, experiencing trauma than the rest of the population,” Day said. She explained that people with intellectual disabilities/ neurodevelopmental conditions take longer to process their thoughts and feelings about trauma. “They may have more difficulty communicating what they are feeling. This does not mean they are not having the same normal reactions as other people, but they may need more support to recover,” she said. Day said that it is helpful to use stories, TV, movies and other visual aids to help talk through what has happened, to help people cope with being frightened or distressed. She said that it is important to present information differently to them to assist with their needs. “People with intellectual disabilities/ neurodevelopmental conditions may be more likely to show a response through a change in mood or behaviour rather than by talking about it,” Day said. “This can be evident in signs such as an increase in anxiety symptoms, or regressive behaviours in children or people with ID/ND.” Dympna Carten, a community psychiatric nurse with the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority, said natural disasters may result in psychological distress in the population, and reactions can vary from very mild or transient to more intense or long-lasting trauma. “For the majority of individuals, these reactions resolve over time and most people regain their sense of equilibrium, returning to functioning and productive community members,” Carten said. “However, a small number of persons exposed to the disaster are likely to experience sustained, more intense reactions.” Carten said some of these affected individuals previously may haved experienced mental health problems. “Anxiety disorders, post- traumatic stress disorders and depressive illness are among the more common problems that may occur in the aftermath of a disaster,” Carten said. “Children, adults and older persons can all be impacted, and substance abuse problems can also occur in the post-disaster period.” Carten stressed that maintaining compliance with any previously prescribed medication is extremely important. “When a mental illness is suspected, the individual should seek a professional medical opinion, either through an appointment with their general practitioner or calling the behavioural health department at the Cayman Islands Hospital,” Carten said. “If out of hours and the individual is acutely distressed, they should attend the [Accident and Emergency] Department at the Cayman Islands Hospital and take any suicidal talk or behaviour seriously.” The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Health Services outpatient section at the Cayman Islands Hospital can be contacted at 244-2650. Earthquake’s impact on mental health Dr. Catherine Day 521 new firefighters join Fire Service Following a week during which firefighters tackled a major blaze at the landfill and dealt with the fallout from a 7.7 magnitude earthquake, the Cayman Islands Fire Service has some reinforcements, with 21 recruits graduating and joining the team. The new firefighters, who are all Caymanians, took part in a graduation ceremony on Friday, which included a fire and rescue demonstration by the recruits. “The past week has emphasised to us all that we have a fire service we can be extremely proud of,” Minister for Home Affairs Tara Rivers said at the ceremony. She added, “Everyone graduating today answered the call to serve and through their commitment and dedication are one step closer to becoming members of our country’s world-class public safety response mechanism.” The recruits have all completed 20 weeks of fire and rescue training led by Acting Training and Safety Manager John Christian, according to a Government Information Service press release. The training covered proficiencies in domestic and aerodrome disciplines, “which is essential given the dual function of Central and Cayman Brac Stations”, the release stated. The recruits were also taught the theoretical side of fire science and given practical live fire experience, “equipping them with skills to tackle incidents from day one as fire fighters”. Chief Fire Officer Paul Walker welcomed the new fire officers, saying, “They have shown great dedication and perseverance with their training. Their training, of course, will never fully be over as we are constantly reinforcing and enhancing our skills in fire and rescue. Myself and the rest of the Deputy Chief Fire Officers look forward to continuing to develop our newest officers as they begin their careers with the Cayman Islands Fire Service.” Nine of the new fire officers will be permanently based on Cayman Brac to bolster the Fire Service’s capacity across the Sister Islands. “Having an additional 21 fire officers available to deploy strengthens our fire and rescue capability and will put less strain on our resources should we have another busy week as we have had recently,” Walker said. According to the release, the Fire Service will soon begin another recruitment drive, with the aim of adding another 20 fire officers later this year. Members of the public who wish to apply to become firefighters can visit www.recruitment.gov.ky. For the past six months, 14 students from a range of backgrounds have been gathering on Sunday afternoons at The Grand Pavilion for the 345 Robotics Club. Organisers said this pilot programme was created to target kids in Cayman aged 11 to 14 years old who have not had the opportunity to experience hands-on robotics. The initiative is an extracurricular activity outside of school programmes. The club is sponsored by TechCayman and is run by volunteers. Jennifer McCarthy, who manages TechCayman’s business development and operations, said in a press release, “TechCayman’s vision for the 345 Robotics Club is to unite Cayman’s exceptional kids through the fun and camaraderie of competitive robotics. It’s exciting for them, and for us, to plug into the global robotics trend, and we knew we wanted to offer this experience to kids who might not otherwise get the opportunity. “We embarked on an experiment with our pilot programme and it has been enormously successful. Our team is extremely excited to continue to build on that success now.” According to the release, using standardised components and a Vex Robotics curriculum designed for robotics education, the students have learned about the practical uses of artificial intelligence and robotics in the real world; mechanical concepts such as torque, the centre of gravity, and friction; and programming/ coding, both with and without sensors. “Robotics for kids is a great way to teach systematic thinking and problem solving,” said Kendra Morris, volunteer coordinator for 345 Robotics, adding that the Vex Robotics curriculum encourages children to learn and apply the fundamental insight that “problems are not failures”. “One of the numerous advantages of Vex IQ robotics is that kids see real, instant results from applying their knowledge. They learn teamwork and cooperation by designing robots that can be driven and programmed to play a fun game,” she said. The 345 Robotics Club has been designing robots to play in the Vex IQ Challenge, a global robotics competition for children ages 9 to 14 hosted by the US-based Robotics Education and Competition Foundation. This year’s challenge is called ‘Squared Away’. Participants work in small teams to design a robot that can be manoeuvred to pick up objects that include orange balls and square cubes. The robot can be driven with a controller, and it can also be programmed to work in an autonomous mode (without a driver). Each of these tasks takes place in a one-minute time period. “Robotics and computer programming increasingly are becoming part of our everyday lives,” said Richard Parchment, education consultant for TechCayman. “This programme is designed to help kids understand and apply those concepts in a tangible, practical way. It is highly appealing to kids who learn and think ‘outside the box’, and a catalyst for those who may not intuitively grasp STEM concepts in a classroom setting. It’s exciting and gratifying to ignite the spirit of curiosity in kids here in the Cayman Islands.” For more information, visit the 345 Robotics Club website, www.robotics.ky. Students gear up for robotics contest Students from the 345 Robotics Club show off some of their creations. Fire Service recruits perform a processional march before formally graduating. news N news 6Beyond prestige and financial support for both high school and university students, the Dart Scholarship provides young Caymanians with life-changing experience in the real world of industry. If you’re a high achieving Caymanian student with aspirations to be a future leader and innovator, we invite you to apply for the 2020 programme. dartscholar.ky A whole new world of possibilities. It begins with a simple application. The Dart High School Scholarship Submit your application by 8 April 2020 The William A. Dart University Scholarship Submit your application by 15 May 2020 cayman compass 7 WEDNESDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 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 new Dart Grants. Awards of financial support 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@dart.ky dart.ky/about-us/community CAROLINA LOPEZ clopez@compassmedia.ky Caymanian artist, John Reno Jackson, is presently in Portugal for a month-long residency programme. Jackson was selected out of numerous applicants for a spot at the PADA Studios. He said that he came across the opportunity through an open call posted online and he subsequently applied. “They chose the artists based on the group dynamic and if they fit the programme’s thought process,” Jackson said. “Also, they liked my work.” The intensive art programme is run by Tim Ralston and Diana Cerezino. Ralston has worked with institutions and galleries like BCI, Tate, and Hauser & Wirth, among many others. Cerezino has extensive experience in the arts, and has worked in various galleries and on projects for the last 10 years. Jackson said he is hoping to use this experience to develop his techniques and gain further skills from working with experienced artists from all over the world. “I’m looking forward to working with other talented artists and developing as much as I can to bring back [what I’ve learned] to the Cayman Islands,” Jackson said. At the end of the residency programme, Jackson will showcase the artwork he is currenty working on at an exhibition in London from 4-18 March. Caymanian doing art residency in Portugal Jackson has already made an impressive name for himself on the local art scene. The artist in his West Bay studio before he left for Portugal last month PADA Studios in Barreiro, Portugal where John Reno Jackson will be working on his art for a month-long residency. Biography Jackson is an interdisciplinary artist based in Grand Cayman. He received foundational courses in painting and drawing from the London Art Academy in 2015. Since then, he has continued his exploration with painting-based media through a series of works created using the themes of both migration and identity. These series have led him to explore various subjects, ranging from rebellious teens to alcoholic fishermen. He is currently developing compositions that deal with digital mapping, the process of taking film-based portraits, and abstracting photo imagery through form/colour- coordination and collage. Jackson’s works have been acquired by the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands for their permanent collection. He currently lives and works in Grand Cayman and is a full-time painter, photographer, sculptor, performer, set designer and writer. 8 L vingSEAFORD RUSSELL JR. srussell@compassmedia.ky While other Caribbean islands were built on the rhythms of reggae and soca, Cayman’s distinct roots grew from gospel and country music. Country music first made its fiddles and guitars heard in these islands in the early 20th century. During that time, the main source of income was turtling, farming or working as a seafarer on the huge ships that sailed the world. “Oftentimes the men would be away from home and family for months and sometimes years,” said Cayman country pioneer George “Barefoot Man” Nowak. “It was a lonely occupation, so to pass the time, the sailors would listen to stations broadcasting music from the USA. These stations were powerful enough to reach a ship in the mid-Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico, and they played strictly country and gospel. “The tear-jerking lyrics of George Jones, Kitty Wells or Charlie Pride fused with loneliness and a vast boundless ocean could melt the hearts of the manliest of men. When they made port, they would purchase vinyl recordings of their favourite songs and spin them on a record player when the ship was too far at sea to pick up a signal. “Their record collection would eventually find itself at the bottom end of a needle in some Wurlitzer jukebox on Grand Cayman or the Brac. The few tourists visiting back then found it peculiar when hearing fiddles, steel guitar and a banjo on a tropical island rather than the customary calypso, reggae and ska,” said Nowak. His historical knowledge is supported by native Caymanians’ memories of days gone by. In fact, generational seaman and Radio Cayman host for the last 40 years, Loxley Banks, witnessed his father bringing home the songs that helped build the foundation of Cayman country. “My father was a seaman,” said Banks. “When he passed away, we went through his papers and found an official British Council document, dated 1915, that listed his age as 12 years old. This document ... gave him permission to leave on a Cayman schooner and join an American schooner in Tampa, Florida, where the British Council was stationed at the time. So, he was a seaman all his life, from the age of 12. I remember him trying to get home at Christmas and he would usually come home with a stack of ... at that time it was 78 rpm records ... and those records were made of slate or clay and they would break easily. It took him great pains to get them home without [them cracking].” But the music that stole the hearts of many back in the day wasn’t only played on slate records. “I think Cayman‘s affinity with country music goes way back,” added Banks. “If you can imagine the Cayman Islands after World War I, which ended in 1918, and right at the beginning of World War II, they called them ‘The islands that time forgot’. In that era I believe there would have been maybe one or two radios in each district. “We could receive some of the signals from Jamaica, but the main radio contacts at that time were with XERF in Del Rio, Texas, WCKY in Cincinnati, Ohio, WSM in Nashville, Tennessee, and there was another station in Louisiana. They were mainly designated ‘clear channel stations’, [meaning that] no other station could occupy that frequency within thousands of miles’ radius. All those stations that I mentioned played country music, or folk music. “Every house that had a radio, [would have] lots of people gathered around. Most times the radio could be moved, so whoever had it would bring the radio out on the porch where everyone would be sitting around to hear it,” Banks said. The Cayman Cowboy, Andy Martin, is one of only a handful of seamen who travelled the seven seas while making country and western music on those journeys. Martin served as an oiler seaman for some 15 years and has been singing country folk songs since 1972. He penned an ode to the seamen, titled ‘A Letter From Sea’ in 1975. This has become an unofficial seamen’s anthem and is his biggest hit to date. He has recorded five albums in a musical career spanning over three decades. “Growing up in the ‘50s when I was a boy on the Brac, I listened to Charlie Pride and George Jones,” said Martin. “Those guys were big stars back then and still are up to this day. But I just love country music, because it’s all I listened to when I was growing up.” While Cayman country dates back to the late ‘40s and early ‘50s, the cultural music still lives on through artists like Stacey Tibbetts, Bob Moseley, Andy Martin, George Nowak, Raymond Scott, Chuck and Barrie Quappe, Dalmain Ebanks, Dexter Bodden and Steve McTaggart, among many others, some who have passed on and some who continue to create new lyrical melodies heard throughout the Cayman Islands. The seas brought the songs to the sands Did you know? • Local country singer Andy Martin obtained a front row seat at the Country Music Association awards in 1985. • Caymanian fiddler and seafarer Radley Gourzong was, and still is, the only Caymanian who has performed on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. George ‘Barefoot Man’ Nowak and Andy Martin performing at the Galleon Beach Hotel in 1974. Bob Moseley playing the guitar. Blast from the past: Mark McTaggart (background) on drums, and from left, Barrie Quappe, Ed Solomon and Chuck Quappe performing at Cayman Islander nightclub. Radley Gourzong (on fiddle) performing with his band in the mid-‘70s. Dexter Bodden spent many years performing country music in Nashville, and now he is back on the Cayman stage. Andy 'The Cayman Cowboy' Martin is still playing music. cayman compass L living WEDNESDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2020 9Next >