caymannational.com More branches. More ATMs. More smiles. cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 75 CENTS | Funding local journalism | Wednesday, 4 March 2020 Judge quashes Referendum Law Page 2 Cayman awaits local coronavirus testing kits Page 6 Four-day fire at landfill continues to burn Page 7 Carnival reroutes cruise ship back to Cayman Page 3 Photo: Taneos RamsayMatinees (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 lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 BAD BOYS FOR LIFE (R) 12:55 VIP | 1:40 | 4:00 VIP | 7:00 VIP | 7:20 | 9:45 BRAHMS: THE BOY II (PG-13) 12:30 | 2:45 | 4:50 | 10:15 CALL OF THE WILD (PG) 1:40 | 4:20 | 6:50 | 9:20 THE INVISIBLE MAN (R) 1:10 | 4:05 | 7:00 | 9:55 VIP LOVE AAJ KAL (PG) 5:00 | 8:10 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG (PG) 12:45 | 3:40 | 6:40 | 9:10 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 Acting Grand Court Judge Tim Owen has quashed the Referendum Law that was passed in the Legislative Assembly late last year to pave the way for a vote on government’s $200 million cruise berthing and cargo project. Owen handed down his ruling on consequential relief on Monday, outlining his decision on the judicial review case filed by Cruise Port Referendum Cayman’s Shirley Roulstone, and the reasoning behind it. Last month, the judge ruled in favour of Roulstone, finding that the referendum law passed in the House was “incompatible” with the Constitution. In the 10-page document, Owen declared that the Cabinet and the Legislative Assembly’s “decision to make the Referendum (People- Initiated Referendum Regarding the Port) Law 2019 was unlawful because it was incompatible with [Section] 70 of the Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009”. As a consequence, the judge has issued an order quashing the law. He has granted leave for the government’s legal team, headed by Mark Shaw QC, to appeal his decision. Owen has asked all legal teams involved, including the National Trust team which is also a party in the judicial review, to draw up an order to reflect the terms of his judgment, an agreed costs order between them, and his grant of leave to the government to appeal to the Court of Appeal. He has also asked that they draw up his grant of a stay on the quashing of the law “pending any appeal”. Premier Alden McLaughlin has already gone on record saying government will be appealing Owen’s decision. Roulstone and the National Trust had filed for judicial review of government’s decision to proceed with a referendum on the cruise and cargo port project before an updated environmental impact assessment was completed. Government, in the run-up to the case, conceded on most of the grounds contested in the judicial review, including rewording the referendum question and submitting an environmental assessment scoping update on the project to the Environmental Assessment Board in January, on the eve of the court hearing. Shaw had argued that there was no need to quash the referendum law. However, the court disagreed. In his decision, Owen said, “if the court were to accede to the Defendant’s request not to make a quashing order in this case on the basis that the Legislature has both the power and the function to repeal/revise the Referendum Law there is, in my view, a danger of obfuscation. The consequences of my finding that the Referendum Law is a nullity, and thus devoid of legal effect, is that it is incapable of being revised or amended. “To decline to quash it for the reason advanced by Mr. Shaw would risk giving the impression that the Referendum Law remains in force pending its revision/repeal,” he said, adding, “the court should not, in my view, encourage the appearance of what would be a legal fiction”. Judge quashes Referendum Law Owen handed down his ruling on consequential relief on Monday, outlining his decision on the judicial review case filed by Cruise Port Referendum Cayman’s Shirley Roulstone, and the reasoning behind it . Work at the airfield at Owen Roberts International Airport is leading to the continued night- time road closure of a section of Crewe Road. The closure of a portion of the road west of the airport runway began Monday night and is set to continue between 10pm and 4am until Friday, 6 March. During these times, Crewe Road will be closed between the roundabouts at Smith Road and Printer Way. The section was also closed during night-time hours over several days last month Airfield works again close part of Crewe Road Shirley Roulstone, third from right, with fellow Cruise Port Referendum Cayman campaigners, last month following Justice Tim Owen's initial ruling on her judicial review on the port project. 2To find out more about these highly regarded academic and professional programmes please contact Marjorie Corbridge at marjorie.corbridge@port.ac.uk HR PROGRAMMES TO BE DELIVERED IN CAYMAN ISLANDS IN 2020 THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH is delighted to be offering 2 CIPD accredited HR programmes in 2020 • Masters in HRM (MSc HRM) • Certificate in HR Practice (CHRP) These are fully taught on island by Faculty with substantial Cayman Islands experience. Master’s in HRM (MSc HRM) Starting 27 April 2020 Professional Certificate in HR Practice (CHRP) Starting 19 May 2020 This programme is perfect for HR profession- als and senior managers who want to enhance their people management knowledge and skills and gain a Master’s degree in HRM. The Master’s classes are delivered on island over 2 years with 5 daytime teaching blocks in each of years 1 and 2 plus a final research project The Master’s will develop your professional knowledge and understanding of HR to a high level and also your business skills: YEAR 1 SUBJECTS: 1. Resourcing and Talent Management 2. Skills for Business Leadership 3. Organisational Learning and Development 4. Leading Managing and Developing People YEAR 2 SUBJECTS: 1. Managing Employment relations 2. HR in Context 3. Issues and Debates in International HRM 4. Researching in HR FINAL YEAR: Supervised research project This Certificate in HR Practice is per- fect for those working in HR or aspiring to work in HR, team leaders, supervisors or managers looking to develop people management skills and knowledge. CHRP classes are delivered on-island in 6 daytime workshops – 20 days of teaching from May to November 2020 The Professional Certificate in HR Prac- tice will develop your HR knowledge and skills in: 1. The role of HR and the strategic business context: 4 days 2. Managing performance and rewarding employees: 4 days 3. Managing HR information: 2 days 4. Professional Development in HR: 2 days 5. Labour law, discipline, dismissal, gender equality: 4 days 6. Talent planning, recruitment, selection interviewing and on-boarding: 4 days Ministry denies claims Cayman dropped from Western Caribbean itinerary RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Carnival Cruise Line rerouted one of its ships back to Cayman on Tuesday morning after talks with Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell. Carnival Paradise had initially been scheduled to visit Grand Cayman Tuesday, but the cruise line had altered its itinerary to bypass the island. However, after talks with Kirkconnell, who is also the tourism minister, the cruise line changed its mind and the ship arrived after all. The Ministry of Tourism on Tuesday dismissed reports circulating that Carnival Cruise Lines had dropped the Cayman Islands from its Western Caribbean itinerary. “There is no truth to reports,” the ministry statement said. “In fact, the Ministry continues to work collaboratively with cruise line partners and are adhering to established medical protocols with respect to the docking of cruise ships and landing of cruise ship passengers,” the ministry added. The Ministry of Health, public health officials and the management of the Health Services Authority confirmed Tuesday there are no cases of the coronavirus in Cayman. Carnival Paradise, with a 2,052-passenger capacity, was one of four cruise ships in port in George Town on Tuesday. Despite bringing this ship to Cayman, Carnival has dropped the Cayman Islands from the itineraries of two of its other ships this week, according to Port Authority Director Joseph Woods. “Carnival Cruise lines altered its itinerary for three of its ships, but after meetings with the Hon. Deputy Premier/Minister of Tourism, Carnival Paradise was rerouted back to Grand Cayman,” Woods told the Cayman Compass. It arrived in Cayman at 10am Tuesday. Woods said two other Carnival ships that originally had been scheduled to arrive in Cayman on Wednesday and Thursday would not be calling here. “We are all working in close collaboration with each other and perhaps itineraries of some ships have been adjusted, not because there are any passengers with the virus or infectious illnesses on board, but simply because they may be unable to meet Cayman’s requirements for those particular calls,” Woods said. He added, “The ship for Friday remains unchanged; it is still scheduled to call,” and said there have been no cancellations for next week. Woods added that only Carnival cruise ship itineraries have been altered. The Compass reached out to Carnival Cruise Lines but no response had been received by press time. Kirkconnell, in Tuesday’s statement, said the tourism ministry is taking “very seriously” the potential threat posed by the coronavirus. “We are proactively working with industry partners and stakeholders to ensure compliance with the extensive protections put in place by the Ministry of Health to safeguard public health and protect the points of entry into our Islands. At the regional level, the Cayman Islands have also participated in discussions with CARICOM leaders and representatives from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to co-operatively establish and implement minimum standards and protocols to help protect the Caribbean community from the coronavirus,” he said. Last week, Cayman denied entry to the MSC Meraviglia after it was discovered that a sick crew member on board the ship had travelled to the Philippines within the last two weeks. Over the weekend, all passengers from an Italian cruise ship, the Costa Luminosa, were allowed to disembark in Grand Cayman. Italians on board the ship had been restricted from landing when it docked in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Friday. The Jamaica Gleaner reported Tuesday that Jamaican health officials and Carnival were locked in a “stand-off” over COVID-19 protocols “with the cruise line threatening to bypass the country if the Government failed to soften its stance on safeguards against the deadly novel coronavirus”. Woods, of the Port Authority, said the cruise line has “very stringent screening protocols in place in an effort to prevent the introduction or the spread of the virus on board their vessels and Cayman has well-established policies and requirements that have been tweaked to prevent and minimise our risk of exposure”. CNN reported Monday that Carnival changed ship itineraries as some countries are not allowing ships to dock because of concerns over COVID-19. The US news network quoted a Carnival statement which read, “A number of Caribbean destinations continue to work through their policies with regards to cruise ship visits. And while we are following all US CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and World Health Organization screening protocols and guidelines, we want to avoid any possibility of a visit to a destination where there is uncertainty or we risk being turned away.” Carnival reroutes ship back to Cayman cayman compass 3 news N news WEDNESDAY, 4 MARCH 2020YesterdaY's sOLUtIONs 1234567 8 910 1112 131415 1617 18192021 2223 2425 1234567 8 910 1112 131415 1617 18192021 2223 2425 Puzzle 16316 ACROSS: 1 Despair, 5 Dogma, 8 Animal spirits, 9 Liken, 10 Dungeon, 11 Finite, 12 Formal, 15 Ethical, 17 Testy, 19 Communicative, 20 Dodge, 21 Godsend. DOWN: 1 Drawl, 2 Stick-in-the-mud, 3 Against, 4 Reside, 5 Deign, 6 Guided missile, 7 Arsenal, 11 Fleeced, 13 Outward, 14 Flying, 16 Cause, 18 Yield. aCrOss 1 Alter deceptively (6) 4 Intelligent (6) 9 Upstart (7) 10 A criminal (5) 11 Expand (5) 12 Advantageous purchase (7) 13 Fine handwriting (11) 18 Colouring matter (7) 20 Force of explosion (5) 22 Peaceful (5) 23 The father of radio (7) 24 Overwhelm (6) 25 Unfortunate state (6) dOWN 1 Remove from office (6) 2 Cause of misfortune (5) 3 Partly coincide (7) 5 To direct attention (5) 6 Chivalrous (7) 7 Leaseholder (6) 8 Approve automatically (6-5) 14 In progress (7) 15 Generous (7) 16 Impervious to light (6) 17 Rigorous (6) 19 Praise highly (5) 21 Included in (5) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16317 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. cartoon Masked bandit - By Caymanman MLA says it’s up to the people now RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky North Side MLA Ezzard Miller has said even though he was unable to secure the numbers to trigger a special sitting of the Legislative Assembly, he is not giving up on his push for a no-confidence vote in House Speaker McKeeva Bush. “I have lots of empathy for the Speaker as a person, but that does not negate my responsibility to protect the Speaker’s chair,” Miller told the Cayman Compass Tuesday in a telephone interview. His comments follow George Town Central MLA Kenneth Bryan’s decision not to support Miller’s call for a special sitting of the House. Without Bryan’s support, the official Opposition members and Miller do not have the requisite seven signatures needed to prompt that meeting. Opposition members have urged government members to join them to call the House into session. In a statement Monday, Opposition members said, “Members of the Legislative Assembly have two choices in this matter. Either we rise to meet the demands of our office, or we pull our office down to a lower level. We cannot say we value fairness and accountability and be silent or passive when we were elected to be the voice of the voiceless.” Miller said he was not surprised Bryan opted not to support his call, because the George Town Central MLA reacted similarly to Miller’s call for a no-confidence vote on Bush in 2017 after the Speaker was arrested in Florida. No charges were subsequently filed against Bush in that case. Bryan on Monday said he felt a motion of no confidence in the Speaker was “premature” and the police should be allowed to carry out their investigation first. Miller said he is contemplating the next steps, and has invited Opposition Leader Arden McLean to do a “number of things”, including tabling the motion of no confidence in Bush as Speaker “to show that it is not going away and the premier will have to deal with it”. He said the task to keep the matter alive now falls to the public. “The voting public needs to become more involved in this protest and the individual constituents need to call out their [representative] and ask them what their position on this is. … What you have to say to it?” he said. The North Side MLA said the silence of his Legislative Assembly colleagues is “deafening”. “We do not have the numbers to summon the meeting, so it is up to the government to decide whenever they want to have a meeting, basically,” he said. Premier Alden McLaughlin has said that no date has been set for the next meeting of the Legislative Assembly. Last week, Bush announced he was taking an immediate leave of absence from his role as Speaker, following allegations that he was involved in an assault on a female manager of a West Bay Road bar on 21 Feb. Bush earlier issued a statement apologising for an incident which he said he was told happened at the bar. He said he does not recall the incident but was told he fell down after he passed out and while being helped to his feet he “reacted badly”. A police investigation is currently under way into the incident. In his statement apologising for what happened at the bar, Bush said it had occurred near the anniversary of the death of his daughter, who passed away nine years ago. He said that, at the time of her death, he had not sought professional help to deal with his grief and had been dealing with feelings of “sorrow and depression”, adding that he intended now to seek long-term professional help and to cease using alcohol. Following Bush’s announcement that he was taking a leave of absence as Speaker, the premier, in his statement, welcomed Bush’s decision, saying, “This will enable him to deal with the personal issues he identified in his previous statement and also allow the investigation currently underway to be completed unhindered by perceptions.” Miller said Tuesday that he would do anything he can and support anything that can be done to get Bush the help he needs. But he said he does not think a person in the Speaker’s chair should be allowed to “self-diagnose, self-prescribe a treatment plan for his self-diagnosed [condition] and self-grant a leave of absence for that self-prescribed treatment”. He added, “This is something that has to be [done] by the Legislative Assembly in totality.” Miller: No-confidence motion not going away “The voting public needs to become more involved in this protest and the individual constituents need to call out their [representative] and ask them what their position on this is. … What you have to say to it?” Ezzard Miller , North Side MLA North Side MLA Ezzard Miller Miss, you said you got a good look at his face. Well, detective, I wanna say number 1, but it could be number 4. Or maybe it's number 5. 4Caribbean Fest Register today, space limited Date: Sunday, 29 March 2020 Location: Compass Centre Time: 12pm – 3pm Compass Media is excited to bring together the eclectic and varied tastes of the Caribbean to one event; Grace Flava Caribbean Fest . We’re inviting both amateur and professional chefs to present their best Caribbean dish. “Curry Goat, Oxtail, Jerk Fish, Festivals, Rundown; the more flava the betta!” $50 Vendors entry fee to reserve your spot Consumers will sample from each vendor and then VOTE for their favourite Flava! Winners will be determined by votes: First prize $1000 KY Grace prize $500 KY Winners recipe will also be published in our Flava Recipe Booklet Reserve your space: sign up and pay fees at Compass Centre front desk, 949 5111 ext 219es atCom f cayman compass 5 WEDNESDAY, 4 MARCH 2020dartscholar.ky Beyond 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. A whole new world of possibilities. It begins with a simple application. The Dart High School Scholarship Submit your application by 8 April 2020 CAROLINA LOPEZ clopez@compassmedia.ky Testing kits that can be used to confirm coronavirus cases within 24 hours are en route to the Cayman Islands, according to the Health Services Authority. Cayman currently sends samples from any suspected cases to the Caribbean Public Health Agency in Trinidad and Tobago, and must wait five to 10 days for results. “Once we start testing here in the Cayman Islands, the results will be available in 24 hours,” Medical Officer of Health Samuel Williams-Rodriguez told the Cayman Compass in an email. He said public health officials in Cayman were working with Public Health England and the Pan American Health Organization to get the Center for Disease Control and Prevention real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR) diagnostic technology on island. “We have ordered from a private partner as well,” Williams- Rodriguez added. Until the new test kits arrive, Cayman will continue to check for COVID-19 by using nasopharyngeal swabs to take samples to send off island. The RT-PCR testing is intended for use on upper and lower respiratory specimens collected from a person who meets the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for COVID-19 testing, according to the CDC website. “These have been ordered and are en route to the Cayman Islands. We are in communication with WHO/PAHO and PH England to work out the logistics to start testing in the Cayman Islands as soon as possible,” Williams- Rodriguez said. Although Cayman has no confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus, Williams-Rodriguez said one person is currently under isolation and public health workers are monitoring three others. He said the HSA has three scenarios planned if patients contract the COVID-19 virus and need to be isolated. “If the person has mild or moderate symptoms not needing hospitalisation, then these patients will be treated and isolated at their residence,” he said. “Should these individuals need to be isolated from family members or are visitors themselves, then we have agreed to use an identified suitable location for this purpose.” He said patients with moderate or severe symptoms will require hospitalisation but not ICU care. “We have identified isolation rooms at the CIHSA and also private institutions,” Williams- Rodriguez said. He added that in severe cases, where patients require ventilation and ICU care, they will be placed in isolation rooms and at private institutions so doctors can manage the cases. Cayman awaiting coronavirus testing kits Cayman is waiting on the arrival of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's laboratory test kits for coronavirus. The Ministry of Education is accepting applications for the Early Childhood Assistance Programme for the next school year. The programme, which assists parents/guardians with the payment of fees at early childhood centres, is open to Caymanian children who turn 3 years old before 1 Sept. 2020, and who meet means-testing requirements. Application forms must be accompanied by a copy of the child’s birth certificate, proof of the child’s nationality, a copy of the parents’ valid photo identification, and proof of income, officials said. Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their applications before 1 Sept. Forms can be downloaded from www.education.gov.ky or collected from the Government Administration Building, the Department of Education Services and all early childhood centres. Completed forms can be submitted to the Early Childhood Care and Education Unit on the second floor of the Government Administration Building, or via email at ecap@gov.ky. For more information, contact ECCE officer Reneè Barnes on 244-5735 or email ecap@gov.ky. Funds available for early childhood programme Until the new test kits arrive, Cayman will continue to check for COVID-19 by using nasopharyngeal swabs to take samples to send off island . 6 news N newsGo to www.cics.ky for ideas on what you can do. For more information call the CI Cancer Society at 949 7618 # # Ms. Anita Smith was diagnosed with gyne cancer in 2016 and was so grateful for the help she received, she gathered the resources of all her friends and made a video for World Cancer Day in 2016. C A N C E R S O C I E T Y C A Y M A N IS L A N D S 25 ANNIVERSARY th ad sponsored by: ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Fire officers and Department of Environmental Health officials have been locked in a four-day battle with ‘deep-seated hotspots’ at the George Town landfill. The fire, which was initially reported at 6:50am on Saturday, was originally believed to be small and contained deep inside the main mound of the landfill. Since Saturday, firefighters and DEH staff have worked round the clock, in shifts, to dig into the main mound to reach the fire. Motorists travelling along the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, between Camana Bay and Lakeside Apartments, have been able to catch a glimpse of excavators digging into the upper western side of the solid waste mound while fire trucks douse the area. In a statement, a Government Information Service spokesperson said the Cayman Islands Fire Service and DEH staff were “excavating and damping down underground and sometimes deep- seated hotspots at the landfill site. This is part of their preventative strategy to significantly reduce the chance of a large well developed waste fire from impacting those living or working in the area. These particular hotspots were identified by DEH staff who are proactively looking for signs of sub-surface hotspot fires during their day-to- day operations.” The location of the fire was identified through the use of thermal imagery. Fire officers and DEH personnel were expected to remain at the landfill through Tuesday night. “Currently, these defensive preventative firefighting operations pose no threat to residents and businesses in the vicinity of the landfill site,” the statement said. This is the second fire in the solid waste section of the landfill in less than a month, and the third fire at the site since the start of this year. On 10 Feb., officers were called out to another ‘deep-seated hotspot’ fire, which a GIS spokesperson confirmed was also discovered through thermal imagery. In January, a much bigger fire erupted at the vehicle-recycling plant at the landfill, which burned for several days. The findings of the investigation into January’s blaze are expected to become available sometime this week. On Monday, the landfill reopened to the public, after closing over the weekend while firefighters and DEH workers tackled the fire. Four-day fire at landfill continues to burn Fire crews direct a steady flow of water on the deep-seated fire at the George Town landfill. The location of the fire was identified through the use of thermal imagery . ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Hundreds of volunteers taking part in Jasmine’s 20th annual Flag Day collections raised more than $70,000 for the facility. “Flag Day dates back to the 1920s in the UK,” said Felicia McLean, Jasmine’s director of nursing and operations. “Pretty much, the UK didn’t want to have people continuously out in the streets seeking donations year round and so they passed a law that allowed all the charities to come out on the streets on the same day out of the year. On that day, each charity would come out with their flags and seek donations.” Jasmine, formerly known as Cayman HospiceCare, has been operating in Cayman for more than 24 years. The charity started its Flag Day collections in 2000. Each year on Grand Cayman, volunteers are deployed to banks, supermarkets and stores from West Bay to Bodden Town. Last year, for the first time, and again this year, volunteers were also collecting on Cayman Brac. In 2018, the charity moved into a new purpose-built facility on West Bay Road. It specialises in providing end- of-life care through palliative, hospice, in-patient, in-home and holistic services, as well as offering caregiver support. Jasmine relies heavily on money raised through its Flag Day. “It is the largest fundraising activity that we have each year,” said McLean. “We have a target of $70,000 and we always surpass it.” The money is raised through donations from members of the public over two days, held this year on 21-22 Feb. “There is corporate support, in that businesses allow their staff to go out and seek donations for us,” said McLean. “Corporate partners also open up their businesses to allow our volunteers to seek donations on their premises. While we do have people who might make a private donation of a substantial amount, the money we raise comes from the public, for which we are extremely grateful.” All the money collected will go directly toward caring for terminally ill patients, as well as supporting their families. Flag Day supports Jasmine’s end-of-life care Jasmine volunteers receives a donation from a member of the public at Kirk supermarket during the Jasmine Flag Day. 719 AUGUST 1943 - 04 MARCH 2019 THOUGHT OF YOU WITH LOVE TODAY BUT THAT IS NOTHING NEW WE THOUGHT ABOUT YOU YESTERDAY AND DAYS BEFORE THAT TOO WE THINK OF YOU IN SILENCE WE OFTEN SPEAK YOUR NAME ALL WE HAVE ARE MEMORIES AND YOUR PICTURE IN A FRAME YOUR MEMORY IS OUR KEEPSAKE WITH WHICH WILL NEVER PART GOD HAS YOU IN HIS KEEPING WE HAVE YOU IN MY HEARTS SADLY MISSING YOU MOMMIE, CHILDREN JUDY MCLAUGHLIN, CHRISTOPHER DIXON, PHILIP DIXON AKA DEDE AND BETTY ANN, MARK, BRANDON AND BRAINARD, SISTERS FLORA, MARY, EMILY AND SUNSHINE BROTHER NELSON. Cora R. Dixon In Loving Memory Of Our Dear Mommie In loving memory of our darling Jeanne Diane Watler-Miller Feb. 4 1963 - March 2 1994 Today’s the anniversary of the day that we lost you and for a time it felt as though our life had ended too. But loss has taught us many things, with hope and happy memories to help us on our way. And though we’re full of sadness that you’re no longer here, what we shared will never die. It lives within our hearts Bringing strength and comfort while we are apart It seems that more and more of Cayman’s residents are taking on challenging tasks to raise awareness and money for local charities. From multi-marathoner Derek Haines to endurance athlete Kerri Kanuga, there are those who are pushing themselves to the limits for a cause. One of the latest members to join the club is Martyn Bould, who climbed Mt. Kiliminjaro in August, 2019. This once-in-a-lifetime experience was the culmination of a months-long journey of preparation, one which Bould chose to dedicate to the Cayman Islands Red Cross and its disaster preparedness and response programme. The Red Cross chatted with Bould after his adventure to see how he had fared and what he took away from the experience. Mt. Kilimanjaro was the highest peak you’ve climbed so far. What was the preparation for that like? My wife Vivian and I had previously climbed Himalayan mountain peaks in Bhutan, and Mt. Sopris in Colorado, but this was indeed the tallest peak I’ve attempted – 19,341 feet. Since it is not a technical climb, it became apparent that the major challenge would be breathing at such a high altitude, so the key to a successful climb was to train myself to breathe properly. I was fortunate enough to undergo a special programme called Oxygen Advantage, which was based on Buteyko’s method and developed further by Patrick McKeown. This training programme [covers] a lot more than just ‘deep yoga breath’; rather, it is a targeted method for those living at sea level to enhance their performance and themselves to breathing at high altitudes from before they set foot on the mountain. In the four-and-a-half months of training prior to the climb, I saw my body levels oxygen test go from 20 – the normal number for someone living at sea level – to 45, and my ability to hold my breath went from 20 paces to 90 paces. This made a tremendous difference throughout the climb. When you reach certain altitudes, you run the risk of getting altitude sickness, which can manifest in nausea, loss of appetite, terrible headache, and a drop in body oxygen. During the climb, our guides measured our pulse and oxygen level twice a day. If our stats dropped below a certain level, we had to go back to base camp. At 73 years old, in a climbing group of mostly 25-40-year-olds, I was the only person who didn’t need to take altitude sickness medication. I made sure to drink at least four litres of water a day, as advised by our guides, and I was fine. What are some other steps you took to ensure your journey was a safe and successful one? Having the right equipment was key. When I signed up for the climb, the organising company sent us a list of recommended equipment that assisted [with] the climb tremendously: a mattress that you can blow up using its own little bag; self-wicking clothing to keep you warm and dry; a water bottle that doesn’t freeze when turned upside down, to name a few. The bags couldn’t weigh more than 20 kilograms and every item had to be an essential one. Back in London, before the flight to Tanzania, we must have packed and repacked half a dozen times. Everything was packed in plastic and was clearly marked. I had a mental list of what items were in each bag and where exactly in the bag they were placed. This proved to be invaluable, particularly late at night, after a long day of climbing, when you’re in a dark tent and searching for an item of clothing with a flashlight. This system was also helpful throughout the day, with the changes in temperature or the sun, which forced you to quickly store away your gloves or reach for a wide-brimmed hat. Tell us some more about the experience. We had a diverse group of 13 climbers from Scotland, Ireland, India, Canada, the United States and me from the Cayman Islands. The trek takes 10 days: eight days to climb up to the summit and two for the descent. The climb, which includes three volcanic peaks, passes through five distinct environmental regions: the cultivated zone, the rainforest, the heather/moorland zone, the alpine desert, and the arctic zone. We were accompanied by six guides, two fantastic cooks and 38 porters, which together made our camp – complete with a proper mess Climbing to great heights for charity Martyn Bould waves from high above the clouds.It takes eight days to climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro and two days to descend. cayman compass 8 L living WEDNESDAY, 4 MARCH 2020hall – at each stop. They tested our oxygen levels daily and encouraged us to pull through when things got rough. Each of them was from the Chagga tribe, which inhabits the land at the base of Kilimanjaro, and they spoke Chagga, Swahili and some English. Our days would begin at around 5:30am with breakfast, and we were climbing by 7. We’d retire for bed every night by 8pm in our mummy-style sleeping bags, which kept us warm but which I also found a bit claustrophobic. The climb to the summit began on the sixth day … or, should I say, night. Dinner was, as usual, at 5:30pm and we were in bed by 7. However, on this night, we were awoken at 10:30pm, and had our ‘breakfast’ at 11pm. We all looked like Pillsbury Doughboys, due to the huge amount of clothes we were wearing. Starting uphill out of base camp, we could see people in front and behind wearing headlamps, looking like a string of fairy lights at Christmas. It was bitterly cold and difficult to move [thanks to the number] of layers we were wearing, and we soon had to stop to strip some of them off. As we zigzagged up the mountain, our eight guides encouraged us to keep climbing, and on each turn, the wind was biting cold and almost threatened to blow us off the face of the mountain. During the seven-and- a-half-hour climb to the summit, there were many times when I felt like giving up. It was a very hard climb over large rocks and slippery scree. What helped to keep me going was slow, deep breathing; all my training using the principles of the Oxygen Advantage programme; my commitment to raising funds for the Cayman Islands Red Cross; and Vivian’s welcome home party on Monday. How would the latter two events look if I didn’t make it to the top? When we finally did make it to the peak, we took celebratory photos and immediately turned around to start the descent. This was almost more difficult than the ascent, as the sandy scree and dust made it very easy to lose your balance. Two days of climbing downhill later, we made it back to base camp and to the true luxury of a hot shower and sleep in a real bed. You chose to dedicate your climb to Kilimanjaro’s peak to the Cayman Islands Red Cross. What inspired you to launch the Climb for Red Campaign? I knew I wanted to dedicate my climb to a good cause because otherwise it would have felt very selfish of me [to climb just for myself]. What made me focus on the Red Cross was seeing firsthand the Red Cross’s work on the ground following Hurricane Irma in the British Virgin Islands. There was just so much destruction: people’s homes, belongings and entire lives were thrown everywhere. There was no water, electricity, or IT; mosquitoes were everywhere … it was all very traumatic. My personal exposure to the conditions and challenges following a hurricane, and seeing the work on the ground that the Red Cross does led me to want to support it. Locally, the CIRC does a lot of work; not just in disaster relief following a hurricane, but also in building resilient communities and empowering families and individuals by emphasising the importance of hurricane preparedness. The Climb for Red Campaign set out to raise awareness about the importance of preparedness by drawing parallels to my personal journey of climbing to the peak of the mountain. Every year before hurricane season begins, the CIRC sets out to prepare the community and households for a hurricane by advising them to stock up on emergency items and equipment; have an organised storage system to be able to easily access these supplies; make a family emergency plan; and more. I used the same way of thinking to approach this climbing challenge. I took the time to assess the challenges that could arise, and prepared accordingly ahead of time, mentally, physically, and in terms of supplies. This not only gave me the tools I needed to succeed, but also the confidence in knowing that I would. You recently spoke to about 30 grade 8 students about your mountain climbing experience. What message or lessons would you like them to take away from your journey? Sometimes we are faced with challenges that we either rush into without preparation, or we shy away from because they seem too complicated. Success boils down to understanding the project you’re about to take on; research it and prepare for it. Be responsible for your actions and for planning your way to success. It is just like climbing Mt. Kilimajaro: it is not without its risks. Approximately 25,000 climbers attempt it each year, and unfortunately 10 climbers die climbing up the mountain. So, being responsible, meticulous and prepared could be a matter of life or death – whether on the mountain peaks or during a hurricane. Martyn Bould raised $10,000 for the Cayman Islands Red Cross thanks to his Climb for Red Campaign. He is now in the process of deciding on his next challenge. 15,000 copies printed each issue: 5,000 copies hand-delivered to residences and condos 10,000 copies distributed through 100 freestanding magazine racks throughout Grand Cayman InsideOut is the Cayman Islands’ premier home and garden magazine. Get inspiration on interior design, discover the latest décor tips and trends and take a tour of some of the islands’ most beautiful gardens and unique homes. Focusing on design and stylish living, each issue also highlights island lifestyles, local art, must-have accessories and industry news. Ad space deadlines: Spring Issue: 6 March, Fall Issue: 11 September Book your space today The next issue is just around the corner Grow your business The perfect platform for businesses to reach homeowners, gardeners and industry professionals across the Cayman Islands. e: sales@compassmedia.ky The certificate to prove it. cayman compass 9 L living WEDNESDAY, 4 MARCH 2020 However, on this night, we were there were many times when I felt like giving up. It was a very hard climb over large rocks and slippery scree. What helped to keep me going was slow, deep breathing; all my training using the principles of the Oxygen Advantage programme; my citet t raisi look if I didn’t make it to the top? When we finally did make it to the peak, we took celebratory photos The certificate to prove it. H 202Next >