cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 75 CENTS | Funding local journalism | Tuesday, 11 February 2020 News Work on Public Beach wall nears completion Page 5 News Young readers bring their favourite books to life Page 6 Landfill fire investigation under way Page 7 Heart ‘warriors’ walk to raise awareness Page 2 Unclogging roads: How the world is fighting traffic Pages 8 and 9 Runway damage closes airport Page 3 Airport engineers check out the damaged runway at Owen Roberts International Airport on Monday afternoon.Since baby Nolan’s passing in January 2018, his parents and wider family have teamed up with the Cayman Heart Fund to create the Team Nolan Pediatric Program . The group has embarked on several awareness campaigns and has raised money to help children suffering from the potentially fatal condition. “In October of 2019, Team Nolan was able to cover the full cost of the purchase of a critically needed infant transport incubator for the Health Services Authority’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,” said Ailian. “In December 2019, Team Nolan presented a substantial donation of financial support to a family in need.” Dr. Bella Beraha, chair of the Cayman Heart Fund, said much more research is required to help identify the causes of congenital heart defects in children. “One in 100 babies are born with congenital heart defects,” said Beraha. “Because the scope and types of congenital heart defects are so many, it’s hard to identify the causes. Currently, 20% is thought to result from genetics, but the other 80% is unknown.” Prior to the start of the 2-kilometre beach walk, baby Nolan’s grandfather, Rudolf ‘Rudy’ Evans, was asked to say a prayer, during which he recalled asking God, “If it is your will to take Nolan from us, please help us to use his death to touch the lives of others.” It seems that prayer might have been answered. “This year has been extremely successful; we have more people here than we did last year,” said Ailian. “We’ve been able to raise a lot of awareness. Sometimes you can’t tell [children with heart defects] apart from other kids, but their scars are very real. Beneath their shirts are battle scars – constant reminders of their battles to live.” Matinees (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) 12:30 | 3:25 | 9:30 BAD BOYS FOR LIFE (R) 1:00 VIP | 6:35 | 9:55 VIP BIRDS OF PREY (R) 1:10 | 4:05 VIP | 7:25 VIP | 9:15 DOLITTLE (PG) 1:15 | 4:00 | 6:40 | 9:20 GRETEL & HANSEL (PG13) 12:35 | 2:55 | 5:10 | 10:05 WAVES (R) 12:35 | 3:45 | 6:50 | 9:55 CLASSICS @CINEMA TAXI DRIVER (R) 7:00 VIP WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11 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 ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky More than 100 ‘warriors and angels’ of all ages and sizes descended on Seven Mile Public Beach, at the crack of dawn on Sunday, for the second annual beach walk to support children born with congenital heart defects. Leading the charge at the Heart Warriors and Angels Beach Walk were Sean and Ailian Evans , parents of Nolan, a seven-month-old baby who lost his fight two years ago against truncus arteriosus – a congenital heart defect. “We are a part of Team Nolan,” said Ailian . “This is the second annual event and we are extremely pleased with everything we have accomplished so far. Today we walk in honour of Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Week 2020 and in memory of an undoubtedly beautiful heart warrior.” Heart ‘warriors’ walk to raise awareness Baby Nolan Evans passed away in January 2018. Organisers pose with Governor Martyn Roper, standing, fifth from right, and Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, sixth from right, at Sunday morning's beach walk. Ailian Evans leads the Angels and Warriors Beach Walk, carrying a portrait of her son Nolan, who died in 2018 at the age of seven months. Since baby Nolan’s passing in January 2018, his parents and wider family have teamed up with the Cayman Heart Fund to create the Team Nolan Pediatric Program . cayman compass 2 news N news TUESDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2020KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@compassmedia.ky Debate over the Smith Barcadere development has intensified, as advocates to protect the cove clash with government over plans for an oceanside parking lot and the scope of a covenant prohibiting commercial activity at the site. Tristan Hydes, deputy chief officer at the Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure, told Radio Cayman Monday morning that the discussion had “spiralled out of control” and that drawings of site plans had been misinterpreted by the public. “We’re just here this morning to set the record straight, so that we can really get people to realise that we are not here to do damage or be insensitive to our culture or environment, but to really do something for the people of Cayman,” Hydes said. At the heart of the debate is an oceanside parking lot, which government has said is necessary to improve safety and prevent illegal parking along the road. Charlotte Evelyn Eden Webster, 15, spoke out against the proposed lot on behalf of the Webster family, the former owners of the site. “My great Uncle William Burnett Webster donated ‘Smith’s Barcadere’ in 1978 for a peppercorn from the governor. All agreed and put in strict covenants to preserve the natural beauty and its pristine state,” Eden Webster told the Cayman Compass. “Whilst I appreciate these protective covenants have now been extended to all three parcels for protection, I am shocked and dismayed that the government wants to pave the oceanside lot they acquired and put in a parking lot. There is no need to cut any trees, pave any land or change this national treasure,” she said. Premier Alden McLaughlin contested comments that the parking lot would violate the site covenant, clarifying that the land in question was purchased by government in 2016 and was not included in the original agreement with the Webster family. “It’s not on the original Smith Barcadere property,” McLaughlin said. “It’s at the roadside but of the land government acquired in 2016. It does not affect the beach.” The premier also took to social media to defend the plan, posting to Facebook, “The enhancements to Smith Barcadere will focus on enjoyment for all Caymanians, increased accessibility for disabled and older persons, reduced congestions and improved safety.” A.L. Thompson, the closest neighbour to the site, also defended the plan on Radio Cayman. “I think we need to dispense of all of this nonsense about destroying the cove, Smith Barcadere. That’s absolute, utter nonsense. No one loves the cove more than me. I grew up across from there. I would not stand by and watch the cove be destroyed,” Thompson said. “You can’t tell me that when you drive down South Church Street as it is – you see cars parked on either side of the road, the parking lot is full, there’s cars parked on the double yellow line – that those cars don’t need some place to go. People can sit around and criticise all they want … but they’re not suggesting what we can do with the cars. If they come up with a better plan, fine, but I don’t see any better plan than this.” A protest organised by ‘People for the Protection of Smith Barcadere’ is planned for Saturday at noon at the cove. Michelle Lockwood, an advocate for the cove, described the site as a relic of the island’s past that needed to be maintained as is. “I do not want any enhancements to Smith Barcadere. We were promised a public meeting after the last one and we were not consulted. We keep hearing this is for the enjoyment of all Caymanians but most are speaking out against it. The project seems quite excessive and nothing has properly been disseminated to the public or gone out for consultation,” Lockwood said. “The Webster family kindly donated the land for the enjoyment of the people of the Cayman Islands and the people of the Cayman Islands have not been consulted on this project in any way.” Smith Cove parking plan ignites debate over site covenant This wooded area of land, at the northern edge of the Smith Barcadere property, is the site where government proposes to build a car park. Premier Alden McLaughlin contested comments that the parking lot would violate the site covenant, clarifying that the land in question was purchased by government in 2016 and was not included in the original agreement with the Webster family . Runway damage closes airport Charlotte Webster, from the family that donated Smith Barcadere to government for a peppercorn rent in 1972. Flights diverted, delayed after sudden closure JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Grand Cayman’s Owen Roberts International Airport was closed Monday afternoon amid reports of damage to the runway. Several planes were delayed or diverted and it remained unclear at press time when aircraft would be cleared to take off and land. A Cayman Airways flight from La Ceiba in Honduras was diverted to Cayman Brac, while an incoming flight from Tampa was diverted to Miami. A Cayman Islands Airports Authority spokesperson confirmed that the runway was temporarily closed because of damage that occurred during scheduled work the previous night. “The runway has been temporarily closed as a result of damage to new pavement that was placed last night as part of the runway rehabilitation project,” said a statement from the authority at 5:30pm Monday. “The CIAA is working to rectify the situation to resume limited flight operations as soon as possible. Full flight operations are expected to resume Tuesday, 11 February.” Work has been taking place overnight, between 10pm and 7am, as part of what the CIAA refers to as the ‘runway rehabilitation programme’. No aircraft movements are allowed during that time, aside from emergency medical evacuations and police helicopter sorties. The damage from the work was still being assessed at press time and Cayman Airways was reporting that the runway was not expected to reopen until 6:45pm Monday, at the earliest. Meanwhile outgoing flights, that were due to take off as the runway was closed, were being held on the tarmac Monday evening. Iryna Gross, a passenger on board the American Airlines flight to Miami which was delayed, said the pilot had announced that there was “a hole in the runway” and the aircraft could not take off until it got clearance from the airport. The flight had been scheduled to leave at 3:28pm. Nearly two hours after boarding, the passengers remained on the runway, awaiting updates. At around 5:30pm, another passenger who messaged the Cayman Compass from the Miami- bound AA flight, Ruth Kellow, said passengers had been told the airline was “going to work out the load and decide whether they can take off on a shortened runway”. The plane was still grounded at press time. A representative of Island Air, which handles private aircraft, confirmed to the Compass that no flights could land because of what was described as “paving on the runway”. Speaking to the Compass around 4:40pm, he said the runway had been closed for around an hour at that point. He said one private plane had been held back in Grand Cayman and other customers scheduled to use the facility later Monday had been informed of the situation. The British Airways flight from London was held in Nassau, Bahamas. In a statement around 5:30pm, Cayman Airways said its evening flights to Miami were “delayed until further notice”. A Cayman Airways Express flight from Little Cayman was diverted to Cayman Brac, and the Grand Cayman to Little Cayman flight was cancelled. Work to strengthen the runway began earlier this month and is scheduled to continue through June. In a notification to airlines about the planned works, the CIAA explained, “The existing runway asphalt pavement is starting to show signs of distress and reaching the end of its design life. Larger, heavier aircraft, such as the Boeing 777, are also using the runway more frequently, which requires the asphalt pavement to be strengthened for these larger loads.” The notification indicated that the work would include the runway being milled to a depth of 25mm and 180mm of hot mix asphalt added. “The runway has been temporarily closed as a result of damage to new pavement that was placed last night as part of the runway rehabilitation project.” Cayman Islands Airports Authority 3123456 78 9 10 11 1213 14 1516 17 1819 2021 123456 78 9 10 11 1213 14 1516 17 1819 2021 ACROSS 1 Unfortunate (7) 4 To batter (5) 7 Signify (4) 8 Occurring occasionally (8) 10 Plebiscite (10) 12 Past (6) 13 Sanctuary (6) 15 Snobbish (5-5) 18 A new member (8) 19 Affectionate (4) 20 Indiscreet remark (5) 21 Anxiety (7) DOWN 1 Ancient Greek poet (5) 2 Political party’s stated aims (8) 3 Negligently inert (6) 4 An incidental benefit (10) 5 Reverse an action (4) 6 Propriety (7) 9 Realistic (4,2,4) 11 Final (8) 12 Servilely flattering (7) 14 Motionless (6) 16 Arabian country (5) 17 Petty quarrel (4) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16298 The numbers in the black cells are clues. Numbers above the slash are across clues. Number below the slash are down clues. The goal is to enter digits 1 - 9 in the white cells to add up to the number clues. You cannot enter any digit more than once when adding up to clue. YeSteRDAY'S SOLUtIONS Puzzle 16297 ACROSS: 1 Stool pigeon, 9 Outcast, 10 Idaho, 11 Tame, 12 Notified, 14 Either, 16 Sodden, 18 Inimical, 19 Echo, 22 Drive, 23 Onerous, 24 Flying start. DOWN: 2 Totem, 3 Opal, 4 Python, 5 Gridiron, 6 Of a kind, 7 For the birds, 8 Golden goose, 13 Beriberi, 15 Trivial, 17 Sarong, 20 Choir, 21 Lest. 10-point plan to cut congestion Hope better public transport was one of the suggestions. – Wanda Viscount Hope they back you on this initiative, like how you back their port! We’ll see what loyalty means to um then. – Cameron Castillo Wow, I feel sorry for people on a 3-6 month permit not being able to own a car. Can you imagine trying to live here relying on the public bus service only? I wouldn’t trust some of them bus driver with my life how they drive! – Stephie Davies We need reliable public transportation! – Lillian Burgos This ain’t going to work, Government is going to lose a lot of revenue if this is passed. And we all know whatever hurts their wallets, isn’t going to work at all. – Christopher Navarro In regard to the traffic congestion, which we all know is getting worse by the day, building the cruise ship terminal will add how much more traffic in the form of more buses. More sight-seeing buses going to East End and Rum Point have already been mentioned, as if the gridlock around Savannah is not bad enough. – Stephen Perkins Million-dollar solution to restore eroding beach Soooo ... Marriott resort built a seawall and pool/recreation deck too close to the sea and then Marriott lost its beach? Sounds to me like Marriott should be paying $1.5 million to rebuild the beach, especially since once it’s replenished they’ll likely put up signs and fences so only Marriott guests can use it. – Elizabeth Larsen Check for constructed seawalls and tidal pools further down the coastline. Likely cause of beach erosion here. – Yolande Hill Please stop allowing construction right on the beach. Mandate a larger area of setback. Or, better yet, put a moratorium on all new construction. – Susan Schmidt This proposal is actually good news. Government should indeed ‘help’ foot the bill, for at least two very valid reasons: 1) Our tourism product, and 2) They were the main culprits over the years of removing the sand after major storms washed it up, instead of putting it back on the beach. However, every condo/hotel/ business that profits from our lovely Seven Mile Beach or may have previously or presently caused erosion should share in the cost of the project. It’s in their long-term best interest to do so. – Mia Schvartz The ‘experts’ are so clueless... or maybe they just like to keep getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their ‘advice’. The best solution that’ll be most effective is far less costly: Remove the obstructions that are causing the escalated beach erosion! Don’t know what the obstructions are? DOE and the CI government can feel free to contact me. – Beto Anglin If we would have only taken care of nature from the start. Fighting greed with greed and for the wrong reasons isn’t going to help. You are only destroying her more and more until there is no reason left to visit the island. – Karen Vonny LOL, but building massive concrete piers for ships is going to have no Seven Mile Beach effect. Get ready for all the beach being disturbed and island resort bankruptcy to cater to the lowest spend visitor. – Mac McDermid Just give the tourists a bucket and require them to go into the ocean each day and retrieve two buckets full of sand and dump it on the beach. – Arh Mitchell The solution is to stop building on the beach. – Steffen Pitta My beach is eroding, too. Can you pay to fix mine, too? – Valerie Nuyen Pretty sure I can remember when I first came to Cayman over 20 years ago, we’d play volleyball on the Marriott beach – Sarah Curtis You are not going to win this one! I was there when Marriott tried to ‘plant the plastic grass’ to stop erosion and watch the clean up when the sea belched it back up! Expensive waste! The more you alter the coastline and seabed, the more it will flow where you don’t want it. We do not need any more unsightly ‘fixes’. Stop trying to change. – Lilly Jane It’s funny. Everyone complains about the cruise ships, saying we need more stayover tourists (which is true), but when they try to keep the places for the stayover tourists nice, y’all complain about that, too. – Kyle Creel Road to gridlock: 6,500 more cars in 2019 42,000+ licensed and inspected vehicles, now add another 5,000+ to that – the ones that are neither licensed nor inspected – and you may be closer to the actual number. How is it that when there’s no school, there’s at least half that number actually on the road during morning rush hour? Please make it a law that, unless medically necessary or on a per case basis, that children must ride the school bus. – Angela Ebanks Odd and even end numbers on alternate days based on vehicle registration plates – won’t stop people buying two cars or affect private plates to get around it but would at least make some differences. Add carpooling, better and larger buses and even try using three lanes of the four in rush- hour periods or see if a one way can be introduced on South Sound and Crewe Road for rush hour periods - not all but some options could help ease the current situation as well as some of the other suggestions whereby car ownership per household or making it safer to cycle could also be looked at. – Paul Kinder Online What they’re saying cartoon Jake Fuller cayman compass 4 news N news TUESDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2020Questions on construction remain RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky The concrete wall bordering Seven Mile Public Beach along West Bay Road has neared completion despite public outcry over its height. The wall was constructed following instructions from the Central Planning Authority which directed Dart, the contractor for the Seven Mile Beach enhancement project, to build the wall to a height of 5 feet, saying it was an issue of safety. However, numerous requests from the Cayman Compass have gone unanswered seeking clarification on the reasoning behind the CPA’s instruction and what data was used to inform the decision on specifications for the wall. During its construction, the wall has provoked public outcry as it obstructs one of the few remaining views of the water at Seven Mile Beach. In December last year, CPA Chairman A.L. Thompson, in a letter to the editor submitted to the Compass, defended the decision to build the wall 5 feet high. It forms part of a $3 million project, contained in the National Roads Authority Agreement between Dart and government. Dart had responded to complaints about the wall, issuing a statement saying it ultimately respected the CPA’s directives on it. Thompson, in his letter on the decision, said, “Just prior to the Central Planning Authority receiving the application, there was a serious accident around the corner involving a pedestrian. The Central Planning Authority felt a higher wall would prevent future accidents of this nature.” The Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure, which was applying for permission, has submitted original designs to the Central Planning Authority calling for a 2.3-feet-high wall along the section of the public beach bordering West Bay Road. However, Dart said, as a condition of approving the application, “the CPA directed the applicant to build a wall at 5 feet instead and further directed the applicant to build the wall inside the sidewalk”. Thompson said, in his December letter, “while there is some unfortunate loss of beach views and vistas, the issue of safety remains our primary concern”. In addition to the height specifications, the chairman said, the CPA directed that the wall be constructed with no openings “to discourage the dangerous practice of persons, especially visitors, crossing from the public beach to the other side of the road”. “There has been a common practice of taxis and tour buses stopping on the corner to collect passengers,” he added. Thompson explained the varying height was determined on advice received from the NRA in consideration of the visibility needed to produce unobstructed views for motorists entering and exiting Public Beach. “The type and position of the wall was discussed at length and consideration was given to a number of factors, particularly the need to set the wall back from the road due to the location of pre-existing underground utilities,” he said. “As a result, typical barrier methods such as a fence or guard rails would have been inadequate at that location.” Thompson said the final design will position a sidewalk behind the wall to protect pedestrians travelling to and from the beach. “The approved design also provides for Cayman rocks and vegetation to be included to make it more aesthetically pleasing as seen on other projects,” he added. The minutes of the CPA meeting held on 21 March 2018, which led to its decision, can be found on the Department of Planning website at www.planning.ky. The wall along West Bay Road, by Seven Mile Public Beach, has drawn the ire of critics for blocking the view of the beach. The NRA is extending Courts Road to help with drainage problems in the area. CAROLINA LOPEZ clopez@compassmedia.ky The National Roads Authority is extending Courts Road towards the Esterley Tibbetts Highway to help deal with flooding and drainage issues. Edward Howard, acting managing director of the NRA, said the landowner had given the roads authority permission to clear out the area as far as the Esterley Tibbetts Highway. Howard said the Courts Road area floods quite extensively and NRA has extended it to tie into the existing Mosquito Research and Control Unit dyke system, which combats mosquitoes and acts as a horizontal drainage conveyance for the area. “There are no current plans to make this a formal public road, but that may change in the future depending on traffic demand,” Howard said. He said the NRA would give some consideration to it becoming a public road at some point as it has received positive comments from members of the public. However, he added that the NRA would have to assess the potential impact on the Courts Road community of turning the extension into a public road. Work on Public Beach wall nears completion Courts Road to be extended to combat flooding “Just prior to the Central Planning Authority receiving the application, there was a serious accident around the corner involving a pedestrian. The Central Planning Authority felt a higher wall would prevent future accidents of this nature.” A.L. Thompson , CPA chairman 5More than 120 children took their favourite books and transferred the stories and characters onto storyboard displays at the annual Reading Fair at the George Town Public Library on Saturday. At the storyboard competition, organised by the Cayman Islands Information Professionals, young readers vied for prizes as they showed off their colourful and informative presentations. Among the many books on display in 3D glory were Roald Dahl’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’; Kiki Thorpe’s ‘The Never Girls: The Space Between’; Lynda Mullaly Hunt’s ‘Fish in a Tree’; Laurel Snyder’s ‘Orphan Island’; Andy Griffiths’ ‘The 52-Storey Treehouse’; and Lemony Snicket’s ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’. The students competed for Kindle HDs and headphones, provided by Rotary Sunrise and the Cayman Islands Public Library Service. All the children received certificates of participation for their displays. Paul Robinson, chair of CIIP and director of the library service, said in the release, “This year was the biggest storyboard ever with over 120 students taking part. The children did an amazing job of demonstrating creative talents in interpreting their favourite book. “The submissions are judged on information about the book, such as plot characters, etc., and how that information is expressed in terms of clarity, creativity, thoroughness, interest invoked and quality. Many of the books were far and wide in subject and theme, and it’s always fantastic to see children enjoying so many books as part of their literacy development.” The competition, which attracted 60 displays, was judged within different age groups and divisions. Young readers bring their favourite books to life “The children did an amazing job of demonstrating creative talents in interpreting their favourite book.” Paul Robinson , director, Cayman Islands Public Library Service Ashika Singh and Elaina Almeida hold up their certificates of participation in front of their display of Enid Blyton's 'Magic Faraway Tree'. Aniya Campbell with her storyboard presentation of Katherine Rundell's 'The Explorer'. Some of the participants and organisers of the storyboard competition. Renee Wambugu, Russell Massias and Dylan Ruwande at their display of Maz Evans' 'Who Let the Gods Out?' Some of the participants dressed up as characters from their favourite books. The competition drew a large crowd on Saturday to the George Town Library. This display by Weronika Plata, Islabelle Ting and Gracelyn Huys won the small group 9-12 years old division. Storyboard competition winners Division AIndividual student 5-8 years oldLillian Clemens'The Never Girls: The Space Between’ Division BIndividual student 9-12 years oldKylah Murphy‘Fish in a Tree’ Division CIndividual student 13-18 years oldIsabella McGeough‘Orphan Island’ Division DSmall group 5-8 years old Kaylee Pierre, Sivaanaa D’Cuchna and Matilda Ecke ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ Division ESmall group 9-12 years old Weronika Plata, Islabelle Ting and Gracelyn Huys. ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine' cayman compass 6 news N news TUESDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2020the students. “But, the next 25 years, which is going to be your lifetime, is all about prevention. Money like this will help to prevent cancer in your generation. So, when you all grow up, I hope you will all be saying, ‘Cancer? We used to talk a lot about that, but we don’t hear about that much in Cayman no more’”. Last year, Cayman Academy officially brought on the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Association as a second charity. The organisation’s treasurer, Philip Scott, was at the event to receive the donation. “Thank you so, so, so, so much,” said Scott. “We will be doing what we can to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s. Making everybody know what happens, how it can affect you, and also how to respond and deal with it.” Collecting more than $200 were students Amiah Robinson, Garnicia Edgar , LaWanda Williams and Devontae Frederick. Year 4 Trail and Year 12 Morgan ranked as the classes with the highest contributions. ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Hand in hand and side by side, more than 300 Cayman Academy students marched along Walkers Road in purple-and-white shirts on Friday morning as part of the school’s annual ‘Cancer and Alzheimer’s Stride’. Now in its eighth year, the half-mile trek begins at the school and ends at the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. This year, the students raised more than $4,700. The money was split between the Cancer Society, which received $3,200, and the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Association of the Cayman Islands, which was given the remaining $1,500. “Our school family has been affected by cancer, so we wanted to show our support in a tangible way,” said staff member Sofia Hamilton , who helped to organise the event. To raise the funds, each student was tasked with collecting donations. Jonela McLean was the top collector, raising $900, followed by Roger Johnson, who took in $400. Jonela, 16, and Roger, 11, both understand the pain of losing a loved one to cancer. “I too was affected by cancer in my family,” said Jonela. “My aunt died from cancer in 2007, and so I saw fit to raise this money so that others like her could get treatment, so they could feel better.” “My grandmother died from cancer,” said Roger. “[Her death] made me feel sad, because I didn’t have much time to spend with her.” Now in its 25th year, the CICS provides cancer patients with varying degrees of financial assistance. Jennifer Weber, the Cancer Society’s operations manager, was on hand to receive the cheque. She thanked the students for their selfless and generous acts and told them that their donation would help the Cancer Society strengthen its focus for the next 25 years. “The first 25 years of the Cancer Society were all about early detection, education and awareness about cancer,” Weber told Visiting Specialist will be available for consultation at Novo Clinic, Britcay House 236 Eastern Avenue from 3 February - 27 February, 2020 For appointments please call +1 (345) 746-6082 clinic@novocayman.com Gynecology, Urogynecology, Cosmetic Gynecology ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky An investigation into last month’s fire at the landfill is expected to be completed in the next two weeks, according to officials at the Cayman Islands Fire Service . Firefighters were called out to deal with the blaze on 24 Jan., at approximately 8:30am. What was initially believed to be a small fire soon grew and burned for more than 24 hours. The fire emitted a steady stream of black smoke that could be seen throughout George Town. The Fire Service reported that the blaze started in the vehicle- recycling plant, run by Island Recycling. The cause of the fire remains unknown, pending the outcome of the investigation. Fire officers stayed at the scene of the fire for three days, monitoring it as a precaution to ensure there was no re-ignition of the deep-seated blaze. Once the investigation is completed, the Fire Service is expected to make a full statement. Training on landfill fires The week after the fire, Fire Service and the Department of Environmental Health staff underwent joint training, led by landfill fire expert Tony Sperling, which focussed on “the strategic management of incoming and existing waste materials as well as enhancing fire fighting tactics at the site”, according to the CIFS. The training, which included the ignition of a controlled burn at the site, had been organised last year and was not in direct response to the 24 Jan. fire. However, the landfill has been the scene of several fires over the years. Sperling has worked on upgrading the Nassau landfill site in the Bahamas, which also was known to catch fire several times a year. According to a CIFS statement, the Nassau site has since transformed into a landfill operation “consistent with North American standards for cover, compaction and overall safety”. Roy Charlton, deputy chief fire officer for domestic, said in the statement, “The inherent characteristics of any landfill site make them susceptible to igniting and challenging to extinguish. Fires can often be deep seated and protracted incidents as we saw during January’s fire adjacent to the landfill.” The statement continued, “Given the nature of landfill sites, fire prevention was therefore the centre of discussion during the four-day training which included both risk-specific theory and practical training.” Richard Sims, director of the Department of Environmental Health, said that over the next three years, “our aim is to enhance our current safety and fire control operations while we restore the landfill and continue to move to a waste-to-energy solution”. Students stride against cancer and Alzheimer’s Landfill fire investigation under way Students and supporters take part in the fundraising walk/ run. Dark smoke rises from a deep-seated fire at the vehicle recyling area of the George Town landfill on 24 Jan. Tony Sperling, right, instructs crews from the Cayman Islands Fire Service and Department of Environmental Health during a four-day training exercise late last month. “Our school family has been affected by cancer, so we wanted to show our support in a tangible way.” Sofia Hamilton $4,700 The amount raised by the students’ Stride event cayman compass 7 news N news TUESDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2020JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky The most effective methods of fighting traffic congestion are often the least politically acceptable according to international experts. Road pricing - charging motorists to use the busiest highways at peak traffic times - has achieved the greatest impact in cutting traffic jams in cities around the world. Smart, long-term town planning, including mixed-use developments where people can live, work and shop without using a car, has also shifted the dial in some areas. Investment in convenient, flexible, high-end public transport, with hubs in residential areas, is also cited among the most impactful solutions policymakers can implement. Building new highways, counter intuitive as it may sound, has been shown to be less effective. Despite a growing body of evidence over what works and what does not, governments have been reluctant to pursue policies that don’t play well with voters, says Matthias Sweet, a transport policy researcher based at Ryerson University in Toronto. “Technical issues related to traffic congestion are challenging to address but there are real solutions which are frequently also politically unpalatable,” he told the Cayman Compass. “For example, very few politicians are eager to embrace road pricing - despite its real potential to alleviate congestion.” Combined approach With a threadbare public transport system and a road network that is widely viewed as unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists at peak times, it is unlikely that Cayman could fast forward straight to congestion charges. Enticing commuters out of their cars must be a combined approach, says Jovana Stanisljevic, a professor in the Department of People, Organization and Society at Grenoble Ecole de Management in France You can’t wield the stick of road pricing, without the carrot of safe, flexible alternatives. “If you make other modes of transportation more affordable, more accessible and more appealing, you can start to look at policies to make driving more expensive for people,” she said. Anything that raises the cost of living is a difficult call for politicians. New York became the first US city to use congestion charges in 2019. The move is expected to raise $15 billion to help modernise the city’s subway system. But it took a decade-long political fight to get the policy through and as yet no other American cities have followed suit. Redesigning cities In the US, the primacy of the motor car is ingrained in the culture. Many modern cities were not designed for pedestrians or convenient public transport and the idea of limiting vehicle ownership is anathema in a country that prioritises personal freedom. Joseph Kane of the Brookings Institution tracks the source of the problem to poor urban planning. Many American communities are built around cars, with residential suburbs linked to urban centres by sprawling multi-lane highways. Smart modern cities are looking at rethinking the way they build, “Transportation and land use are two sides of the same coin.” says Kane, who advocates for more mixed-use zones where people can live, work and access amenities without travelling long distances. He warns that city planners often subtly encourage driving through policy or code requirements, such as a certain number of parking spaces per building. He is pessimistic, though, about the liklihood of too many governments adopting holistic approaches to planning. “It takes longer to make a mentality shift than it does to add an extra lane to the highway.” The world’s widest freeway Stanisljevic cites the example of the $2.8 billion 26-lane Katy Freeway in Houston, Texas, as exhibit A in the case against building new roads to deal with traffic problems. A 2014 analysis by the City Observatory think tank found that x years after the project was completed, traffic congestion was actually significantly worse. “There are examples where building roads has incentivised people to drive more. There is induced demand and people change their behaviour to drive more.” City of cyclists Several cities in Europe have developed effective policies to cut congestion. The city of London achieved a 22% reduction in traffic volumes by charging motorists #11.50 to enter the ‘charging zone’ between 7am and 6pm on weekdays. In the Danish capital of Copenhagen, nearly half of all journeys to work or school are taken by bike. The city has developed one of the most sophisticated networks of cycle lanes in the world and ‘cargo bikes’ which people to carry passengers or groceries are common. A New York Times feature story from November highlights how Danes use bikes to drop their kids off at school or to travel to the airport, and 55% of riders cite convenience as their primary motivation. Mail carriers and even mortuary services use pedal power in the ‘city of cyclists’, according to the Times. Unclogging roads: How the world Singapore has the most sophisticated transport management structure in the world, including an electronic road pricing system where the charge fluctuates according to the intensity of the traffic. Jovana Stanisljevic, Grenoble Ecole de Management Joe Kane, Brookings InstitutionMatthias Sweet, Ryerson University cayman compass 8 I issues TUESDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2020Congestion charges London, Singapore and a growing number of cities across the world have had some success in reducing traffic by charging to use roads at peak times. Singapore has the most sophisticated approach with a rate that fluctuates based on the intensity of traffic on the road. Drivers are charged through an in-car unit with a cash card that automatically links with over- head Electronic Road Pricing platforms equipped with sensors and cameras. Road-space rationing One of the most drastic anti-traffic policy measures was implemented in Athens in the 1990s. Cars with licence plates ending in even numbers can only enter the city at peak times on even days of the month, while cars with odd numbers can only do so on odd days. “That policy didn’t really work well as so many people ended up owning two cars,” said Stanisljevic. In many cases the second car is a cheap second-hand vehicle that ends up adding to pollution in the city, she says. Vehicle ownership restrictions Several countries limit access to vehicles in various ways. In Bermuda, for example, residents are limited to one car per household. The system has worked quite well with many people using mopeds or public buses and ferries to get around. Singapore also restricts vehicle ownership through a quota system with residents required to bid for a Certificate of Entitlement to own a car. The per-capita car-ownership rate in Singapore is approximately 12 cars per 100 people. Cayman’s vehicle-ownership rate by comparison is 63 cars per 100 people. Such restrictions would likely be a hard political sell in Cayman without better public transport. Cycle infrastructure Several European cities have invested heavily in cycle infrastructure. The Netherlands has cycle-specific highways for two-wheeled transport, while cities like Copenhagen have invested heavily in bike paths. London has also been successful in encouraging more commuters to use bicycles through a mix of improved infrastructure and a sustained promotional campaign. While cycle lanes have been introduced on most new roads in Cayman there are few journeys that can be completed exclusively in bike lanes and no cycle-specific routes. The weather and the lack of a ‘cycle culture’ such as exists in Europe are other factors that inhibit biking as the solution to congestion here. Better town planning “Work, live, play’ is the mantra of ‘new urbanism’ town-planning philosophy that seeks to reduce dependency on cars by clustering homes, schools, shops and entertainment in mixed-use zones. In many cities and islands, including Cayman, the opposite has occurred, forcing people to commute long distances between home and work. Rethinking the way we build, is highlighted by Joseph Kane of the Brookings Institution, as one of the best things governments can do to reduce traffic congestion in the long term. Camana Bay is the best local example of this type of development with is new residential builds expected to increase the number of people who can live and work within the town. Similar philosophies have been promoted for the revitalisation of George Town and Cayman’s development plan, currently in the works, will consider that approach as it looks to formulate a zoning map for the coming years. Five approaches that have been tried around the world and how they fared. Smart island Stanisljevic cites Singapore as the best example of a city that has stemmed traffic flows through what she describes as a series of “aggressive” anti-congestion measures. An economic powerhouse with more than 5 million people crammed on to an island of 280 square miles, the Asian city-state is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Yet it remains relatively free of traffic congestion. The most drastic policies include a vehicle quota system, where residents must bid for the right to own a car and an Electronic Road Pricing system where the price adjusts depending on how many vehicles are on the road. None of this could have been possible, says Stanisljevic, without smart planning and strong public transport, “Real estate development was planned in such a way that there was an easily accessible (Mass Rapid Transit) station in every residential neighbourhood so it is easier to take the railway.” The MRT is also clean, climatised, safe and well maintained, a notable contrast with older subway systems in Paris and London, which are considered less attractive to some demographics. The lesson from Singapore, she says, is that it takes a multitude of interacting policy measures to move people in a modern city. “It requires an integrated set of policies that need to be clearly thought through and implemented over a 20-year period, considering trends of population and trade growth.” Priorities Singapore has one other less appealing ‘advantage’ over other cities when it comes to handling traffic. Its authoritarian system of government means it is not accountable to the electorate in the same way as most western democracies. While this is problematic in multiple areas, it has allowed Singapore’s leaders to bypass concerns that have inhibited more democratic societies. Political blowback and the ‘long- term’ pay off of most effective transport policies means that they are often not a major priority for politicians who work to four-year election cycles. While traffic is a nuisance issue for many, Sweet, of Ryerson University, speculates that it is not a significant enough concern to reduce the appeal of the destination to business or visitors. “Given that Cayman has amazing weather, beauty, and is a generally desirable place for many people to spend time, I would not hold my breath on congestion going away anytime soon,” he said. “The inconvenience of congestion often pales in comparison to broader amenity packages and what people view as the ‘good life’.” is fighting traffic Copenhagen is dubbed the city of cyclists because nearly half of all journeys take place by bike. Danes use their cycles to commute whatever the weather. Houston city planners built the world’s widest freeway and found that traffic congestion got worse. London saw big reductions in traffic after introducing congestion charging. 9 issuesNext >