$ 4 99 Drive through open 10am - 7pm on Eastern Avenue, or order delivery with the Let’s Eat app. Your most trusted news source Established 1965 Landfill capping tests begin Page 3 Cayman helps shelter dogs Page 7 CayMAS goes offroad and online Saturday Pages 16 and 17 The invisible army Lower paid, unheralded professions dominate 'essential work'. Pages 13-15 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 15-21 May 2020 cayman compass640-FILM (640-3456) Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 Camana Bay Cinema is currently closed. Stay home and stay safe Cayman. Follow us on social media for Movie Trivia Tuesdays. 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 cloudy spells and a 30% chance of showers. weather Forecast today Cayman Islands 89°F 77°F HIGH LOW WINDS Southeast to south 5 to 10 knots. SEA STATE Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass Guelda Tibbetts, 83, casts a line as she celebrates Cayman Brac’s release from many of the COVID-19 restrictions that have been in place for the last two months. Several residents headed straight for the water to go fishing after Premier Alden McLaughlin announced last week that a ban on marine activities was being lifted, along with the Sunday hard curfew and public gatherings of more than two people. The daily 8pm to 5am hard curfew remains in effect. Gone fishin' Latest numbers On Thursday afternoon, health officials announced seven new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number in Cayman to 93. Of the seven new cases, six arrived on recent evacuation flights and one is a contact of a previous case. All remain in isolation. Testing programme picks up pace The Cayman Islands continues to ‘test, test, test’ as public health officials attempt to root out the remaining cases of the coronavirus. Testing labs are now processing more than 300 samples every day. That includes a mix of people with symptoms and screening tests for front-line workers. As of Thursday, 5,342 people had been tested. Drive-through testing opens at Cayman Islands Hospital The Health Services Authority set up screening tents to allow essential workers to get drive-through tests for COVID-19. CTMH Doctors Hospital has a similar facility and public health teams are also going out into the community and to businesses to collect samples. Kirk Market and Cost-U-Less impacted The screening tests of front-line workers revealed a handful of asymptomatic carriers of the virus. Kirk Market shut its doors for a deep clean on Saturday and reopened Monday after three of its staff tested positive. Cost-U-Less reported that one of its employees had tested positive Monday and the store was sanitised overnight. The impacted employees and their contacts have been quarantined and public health officials said the situations were under control and there was nothing for shoppers to fear. Virus still ‘smouldering away’ Though the numbers of positive tests are low, cases of the virus continue to crop up, leaving public health officials baffled. Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee said this week, “We are still getting cases and we don’t really understand where they are coming from because our borders have been closed.” Lee said it was likely that there was an “undercurrent” of the virus still “smouldering away” in the community. Beaches could reopen next week Beaches could be reopened for exercise next week and the full Sunday lockdown could be lifted as early as this weekend, Premier Alden McLaughlin said Wednesday. Cabinet is considering relaxing some of the shelter-in-place regulations and elements of the hard curfew. It is looking at the issues of fishing, access to the beach, and the Sunday lockdown in particular, he said. Construction sector comeback Government is hoping that reopening construction sites, possibly next week, will provide a much-needed boost to the economy. If encouraging trends continue, the premier said, major developments could get back on track from next week. Businesses will be cleared to go back to work in stages and testing and site inspections from public health officials will be part of the process. Debate over civil liberties The simmering debate over the conflict between curfews and civil liberties boiled over this week. Former Human Rights Commission chairman James Austin-Smith argued in a position paper, quoted in the Cayman Compass, that the ban on marine activity and the 24-hour Sunday lockdown had not been shown to be directly proportionate to the threat posed by the virus and may be unconstitutional. The premier defended government’s measures at a press conference Wednesday, saying that all the measures introduced were in line with the Constitution. He said protecting lives, including the elderly and vulnerable, was vital. Echoing comments made by Broadhurst LLC attorney Kate McClymont in a separate legal analysis in the Compass, the premier said the “right to life” was the most important consideration. Thousands depend on charity Charities are reporting a growing humanitarian crisis, with potentially thousands of people now dependent on emergency food kitchens that have sprung up at empty restaurants across Cayman. As demand increases because of unemployment associated with COVID-19, charities and restaurants say they are struggling to cope. COVID-19 weekly roundup 2 news N newsBe there for each other. We’ll be there for you. Even if you can’t physically be together right now, it’s important you stay connected to family, friends and colleagues. At Logic, we’re working hard to keep our network strong so you can connect with those important to you. Here are a few more things Logic is doing: Stay home. We got this. Promoting Education - Logic is offering free speed upgrades for teachers delivering classes from home. Providing flexible payment options - We are providing flexible payment arrangements for those that have lost their businesses or jobs due to COVID-19. Community Pledge - We’ve pledged $25,000 to the private sector COVID-19 relief fund, through the R3 Foundation. Charitable Donations - Logic has contributed $14,000 spread across the following organizations - Cayman Red Cross, ARK, Feed our Future, Meals on Wheels, Cayman Food Bank, NCVO and the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre. Connecting our Students- We have been working with the Department of Education to provide connectivity to those students in need. Adding free news and entertainment - We’ve opened a number of channels to all television subscribers. ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Efforts to determine how much fill material will be required to cap the George Town landfill, and the ensuing costs, are under way, officials said this week. Capping the landfill is a key part of Cayman’s new planned integrated solid waste management system. On Monday, an initial ‘test pad’ was identified on top of the landfill’s main mound, which stands more than 90 feet above sea level. Since then, several loads of fill material have been hauled to the test site by dump trucks, and then evenly applied by a bulldozer. “Work on the remediation test pad began this week, which will inform placement techniques for the full cover operation,” said a Dart spokesperson. A Dart-led consortium was named the successful bidder of a 2017 government tender to design, build and operate various components of the waste- management system. “Once we’ve determined how much fill will be required, we will then have to discuss costs and other matters and come to an agreement,” said Richard Simms, director of the Department of Environmental Health, which manages the landfill. “Once we have an agreement, then we will be able to move forward and cap the landfill.” In March, Dart announced, via the company’s publication Camana Bay Times and on its website, that the remediation would include the capping of the main mound, stormwater run-off measures, and the monitoring of environmental factors. “Remediation of the George Town landfill is a key aspect of the project and, as announced last year, the timeline for remediation has been accelerated to achieve the benefits of reduced environmental impacts and fire prevention,” said the Dart spokesperson. The solid waste management system master plan will also include the construction of a waste-to-energy facility, which will see significant reductions to the tipping, or dumping, of trash. However it is still not clear when such a facility will be built and, until then, disposing of garbage will continue in a similar manner to how it is done now. The key difference, for now, will be that tipping will be shifted from the main mound to a smaller mount that currently stands at roughly 30 feet above sea level. “We’ve been using both mounds to dispose of garbage since February’s fire,” said Simms. “We will continue to use both mounds for now.” Landfill fires The landfill has seen many fires over the years, the largest of which occurred in early March this year when a massive blaze, fuelled by strong winds, raged on top of the main mound and the tyre area for several days. The most recent fire occurred on Saturday, shortly after 1pm. That small surface blaze was quickly identified and extinguished by DEH workers and fire crews. Since the start of this year, five fires have been reported at the landfill. In January, two fires were reported, one in the car-recycling plant, and the other within the main mound. In February, another deep- seated fire was identified. The March fire led to the closure of nearby schools and the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, and forced the evacuation of the Lakeside condo complex and other nearby neighbourhoods. In an attempt to smother the flames and bring the blaze under control, several layers of marl were applied to the site. Capping exercises begin at landfill 90 feet The estimated height of the main mound at the George Town landfill A bulldozer gets to work capping a test area at the top of the George Town landfill this week. cayman compass 3 news N news FRIDAY, 15 MAY 20201234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Creator of Robinson Crusoe (5) 4 Newly enlisted soldier (7) 8 A virus infection (3) 9 The world’s oceans (5,4) 10 Water storage tank (7) 11 Way in (5) 13 Memento of victory (6) 15 Central part (6) 18 Shabby (5) 19 Refrain from voting (7) 21 Duplicitous (3-6) 23 Allow (3) 24 Claim falsely (7) 25 Invigorating medicine (5) DOWN 1 Shortfall (7) 2 Eighty (9) 3 Happen afterwards (5) 4 Deep narrow gorge (6) 5 Admit to be true (7) 6 Employment (3) 7 Appetising (5) 12 Type of cowboy hat (3-6) 14 Out of control (7) 16 Mad (7) 17 Diverse (6) 18 Arrangement (3-2) 20 Vision (5) 22 Single (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16379 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. TODAY'S SOLUTIONS Puzzle 16379 ACROSS: 1 Defoe, 4 Recruit, 8 Flu, 9 Seven seas, 10 Cistern, 11 Entry, 13 Trophy, 15 Kernel, 18 Seedy, 19 Abstain, 21 Two-timing, 23 Let, 24 Pretend, 25 Tonic. DOWN: 1 Deficit, 2 Fourscore, 3 Ensue, 4 Ravine, 5 Concede, 6 Use, 7 Tasty, 12 Ten-gallon, 14 Haywire, 16 Lunatic, 17 Varied, 18 Set-up, 20 Sight, 22 One. EDITORIAL BOARD Last week Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell acknowledged that tourism is in free fall and will not pick up for some time. Borders will remain closed until at least September and cruise ships are unlikely to return before the end of the year. Kirkconnell said government’s forthcoming medium-to-long-term tourism plan would include incentive packages for businesses to “reinvent themselves”, and new forms of education to help Caymanians retrain and gain the skill sets needed to move into jobs in new areas. In other words, many businesses and professions catering to tourists will have to adopt a new business model involving different customers. Government is right to act now and correct in recognising that when tourism activity does resume, there will be a completely new way of doing business. And much less of it. Simply waiting for the tourism industry, especially the cruise sector, to return is not an option. Any business that relies on tourists will be left adrift, just like the 80,000 crew members who are currently abandoned at sea on their cruise ships. Holiday destinations around the world are assessing how they can adapt to this new reality. Mass tourism is under examination everywhere, from Venice, Italy, to the ski resorts of Austria, from the Maldives to California. They all face the same problem. No matter what kind of temperature- taking or high-speed testing and medical passports are available, social distancing will be with us until a vaccine is found. That is at least 18 months, some experts say 36 months, away. In the meantime, scientists are telling us, there will be a second wave and possibly a third wave of infections. Under these conditions, it may be possible to separate beach chairs and leave larger gaps between restaurant tables. But cramming hordes of tourists on party boats and tour buses is simply no longer possible. The health crisis is challenging holiday destinations and operators to give the popular marketing term “sustainable tourism” actual meaning. Rebuilding tourism in Cayman from the ground up can make it fundamentally stronger, if we consider all the structural weaknesses that were apparent before the pandemic. When economist Marla Dukharan was asked last week how to exploit the Rebuilding our tourism industry potential of the blue economy, she said governments in the region first had to “reckon with the cruise industry”. In the online presentation organised by the Cayman Islands CFA Society, she described the cruise lines as more of “a threat than an opportunity” for tourism. The economist from Trinidad pointed to the practice of the cruise lines extracting concessions and allowances when picking destinations which are locked in competition with each other. She noted how most of what cruise passengers consume is not sourced locally. And she emphasised the cruise lines’ poor track record when it comes to air pollution and waste, with many ships still dumping their trash in the sea. In Cayman, we could add to that list the insufficient infrastructure to deal with 1.8 million cruise ship tourists per year, both in terms of traffic as well as the lack of available attractions on island. Or how the cruise lines’ stranglehold on revenue streams for local businesses put dive operators like Don Foster’s in jeopardy long before the COVID-19 crisis forced the business to shut down. Arguably, most of the ills of George Town, which finds itself subject to perpetual and unsuccessful rejuvenation strategies, are also the result of cruise tourism. Not to mention the risk that the industry continues to pose to public health. It is difficult to see when Cayman can open its borders to the super-spreader that brought the islands its patient zero. Let’s not forget, this first case involved a ship that was not allowed to dock in Jamaica but after some negotiation declared safe to land in Cayman, before it also brought the disease to the Dominican Republic. It is abundantly clear that the cruise industry has not been the most reliable and truthful partner in this. No matter what anyone’s personal feelings about cruise tourism are, we have to get used to the idea that it will not be around for some time. Social distancing and cruise shippers are simply incompatible. The new realities around travel call for a general shift away from pure volume-based mass tourism, which in Cayman is synonymous with cruise ships, to quality-oriented, high-end tourism. The halt to the planned cruise berthing facility in the wake of public protests has set the tone. If there was ever an opportune time to rethink our tourism product, it is now. Cayman will need to take a new direction, one that does not involve the cruise industry. The main objection to this is that thousands of jobs depend on cruise tourism. The sad truth is these jobs no longer exist. While they could eventually return, we cannot wait that long. We must accept that a massive retraining programme is required for all those who have lost their jobs in the tourism industry. Clinging to the old paradigm of mass cruise tourism is no longer a possibility, under the present circumstances. If we are to embrace the ‘new normal’, we must ensure we have a workforce that is prepared and willing to take up the jobs that are created in the revamped tourism industry and in other fields. cartoon Visiting hours - By Caymanman EDITORIAL: When and how cruise ships can return to Cayman is far from certain. The tourism industry must prepare for a future without them. 4CONTACT DPMS FOR MORE INFO ABOUT SANITIZING SERVICES: 345.925.9887 • INFO@DPMS.KY • WWW.DAVENPORTPROPERTYSERVICES.KY NOW OFFERING SANITIZING FOGGING FOR YOUR BUSINESS PREMISES OR HOME 345.925.9887 • INFO@DPMS.KY • WWW.DAVENPORTSERVCIES.KY Almost every business has a great interest in maintaining healthy environments for their staff during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. 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The National Roads Authority says it is taking advantage of the decrease in traffic on local streets due to the COVID-19 lockdown to accelerate road infrastructure work. In a statement released on Thursday, the NRA announced that among the “critical” projects it would be undertaking in the next few weeks were the upgrading of the Chrissie Tomlinson and Grand Harbour roundabouts in the Prospect and Red Bay areas, respectively. A number of major roads across Grand Cayman will also undergo asphalt resurfacing, the NRA said, including Shedden Road, North Sound Road and West Bay Road, “which would ordinarily be difficult to pave during heavy traffic”. “The NRA has underscored that crew members and contractors who will be conducting the roadworks will be tested [for COVID-19] before being phased into work. In addition, crew members on work sites will be provided with personal protective equipment and will have to adhere to safety protocols and social distancing guidelines,” the authority stated in the release. Before the island effectively shut down in March with the introduction of shelter-in-place restrictions, the eastern districts had been experiencing some of the worst traffic jams Grand Cayman had ever seen, with commuters sometimes taking two hours or more to get to work. The Cayman Compass reported earlier this year on a number of road projects that the NRA was planning to undertake to address the congestion problems. These included the widening of the Linford Pierson Highway to four lanes through to George Town, and expanding Bobby Thompson Way to four lanes through to the intersection with Smith Road. Plans also included creating an additional lane in each direction from the Silver Oaks roundabout by Kings Sports Centre, through to the Auto Spa roundabout (just before Barcam Esso). Thursday’s release noted that Infrastructure Minister Joey Hew has said that planned expenditure for 2020/2021 infrastructure work includes more than $25 million in road projects that will provide “a much needed stimulus to the local economy during the COVID-19 crisis”. “We are using this time as an opportunity for the National Roads Authority to proceed with critical road construction and pavement rehabilitation projects that would prove more difficult and costly to achieve during regular traffic conditions,” he said. “Crews will be engaged under circumstances where they are adhering to social distancing protocols and equipped with proper PPE, so that we can ensure their safety while they carry out this vital improvement to the Island’s infrastructure”. The release stated that the NRA is also gearing up to begin work on constructing a new road to connect Sparkys Drive and the roundabout adjacent to the George Town landfill on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway. Other construction work in the private sector throughout Cayman is expected to restart next week, as it is anticipated that construction site employees will be granted essential worker status when Grand Cayman moves to Level 3 of the COVID-19 suppression stages. Meanwhile, work on a $30 million upgrade of the Owen Roberts International Airport has been continuing since the airport was closed in March. The lack of air traffic on the runway has enabled an accelerated rate of work to be undertaken. Among the work being carried out as part of the airport’s airfield upgrade is the rehabilitation of the existing runway surface, a runway and apron extension, a new airfield perimeter road, a new taxiway for planes, the filling in of ponds in the airfield, and expanding the aircraft parking ramp. NRA speeding up road projects Deteriorated sections of Shedden Road are being milled out and replaced with new asphalt. $25 million budget for 2020/21 road projects cayman compass 5 news N news FRIDAY, 15 MAY 2020KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@compassmedia.ky In a typical year, deployment of Cayman’s National Emergency Operations Centre is uncommon. While its staff and services are tasked with responding to an array of public crises, these threats normally remain theoretical. This year has been anything but typical, however, and many of those theoretical situations have already become reality. The islands’ disaster-contingency arm has been partially activated since early March and its team has spent much of 2020 in action, responding to a 7.7 magnitude earthquake, a tsunami scare, two major landfill fires and an ongoing pandemic. Now with the 1 June start of hurricane season just two weeks away, emergency planners must grapple with a potentially active storm season, combined with the complications of COVID-19. For government, this prospect is a source of anxiety but also a call to action. “All of these considerations are weighing heavily on us,” Premier Alden McLaughlin said during a recent press briefing on COVID-19. “Can you imagine the challenges of trying to run shelters with physical-distancing requirements if you have the virus running rampant through this community? Those are the sort of things that give us nightmares.” With early season forecasting predicting an above-average year for the Atlantic, a nightmare scenario is one that government must be prepared to address. Hazard Management Cayman Islands Director Danielle Coleman is responsible for coordinating the various agencies that come together under NEOC to prepare Cayman for any variety of ‘worst case’ scenarios. While her team has been deployed in recent years to assist in many crises around the region, she recognises that this year is unlike any other. “Having a National Emergency Operations Centre [that is] probably by the end of the year, activated for the majority of the year, it’s a lot of logistics. A lot of HR considerations have to be taken into account as well throughout the planning,” she said. “There are a lot of considerations this year that are foreign to previous years.” Shelter capacity, air lift and supply- chain continuity are just a few of the aspects of disaster response that have been complicated by the novel coronavirus. Preparing for all possibilities has underlined the importance of inter-departmental planning and regional collaboration with entities like the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. A key partner for Hazard Management locally continues to be the Governor’s Office, which is tasked with much of the coordination between the UK and other Overseas Territories. The office connects Cayman with the UK’s Security Assistance Team and the Ministry of Defence to pool resources, coordinate logistics and provide emergency backup when and where it is needed. “This is a very novel situation,” said Matthew Forbes, head of the Governor’s Office. “I don’t think there’s ever been planning done like this before when you’ve got a potentially active hurricane season about to come to the Caribbean and at the same time, you’re in the middle of a major, global pandemic.” While the stakes may be high this year, Forbes is heartened by the expertise that Cayman brings to the table and the territory’s active role in regional response. In recent years, Cayman has deployed emergency teams to support the British Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas, among others, in response to major hurricanes. The regional approach to disaster response has given Caribbean contingency teams plenty of opportunities to practise their skills and has elevated the level of local know-how, Forbes explained. “It’s very much a collaborative effort,” he said. “The practical, frontline expertise that exists in the OTs in terms of dealing with hurricanes, this is some of the best understanding, I think, in the world that you’ll find because everybody’s been through hurricanes before.” This year, of course, has required additional considerations and amplified efforts across many agencies, including the Public Works Department and the Health Services Authority. There are the obvious considerations to keep in mind, like identifying additional shelter space, and the not-so-obvious, like ensuring COVID-19 testing laboratories are kept safe from flood waters. All of these details, ideally, must be sorted before another disaster strikes. “One of the challenges here is to make sure that we carve out enough time to actually sit down and do some real ‘blue skies’ thinking on all of this. How does it work this year?” Forbes said. With very little down time, emergency teams have been busy setting up field hospitals in Grand Cayman for potential COVID-19 overflow, identifying alternative supply-chain routes, and planning social- distancing protocols for shelters. “I think one of our biggest concerns is … that people are so concerned to come to shelters because of COVID. Yet, they’re potentially risking their lives [by remaining] in the current accommodations that they’re in,” Coleman said. “It could be a real problem. So, we’re going to make sure that we do have enough capacity and enough space. We also have PPE (personal protective equipment) ... at all the shelters. So, anyone entering a shelter for a hurricane would be provided with PPE.” Additionally, to accommodate air-lift needs during a time of restricted travel, Forbes said it is important to build as much regional resilience now as possible. Deployment of the British Naval Service vessel RFA Argus from the UK, for example, provides the region with several additional helicopters and a critical care unit. Territories have also been in discussions, Forbes said, about sharing police and prison resources, if needed. Travel restrictions have emphasised the importance of organising repatriation flights now and evacuating as many people from Cayman as possible before the start of the season, he added. “In normal years, we would have access to a whole raft of scheduled services coming in here on a daily basis so that we can evacuate a large number of people in advance of a hurricane strike,” Forbes said. “Clearly, this year, that’s going to be a challenge because you can’t suddenly arrange a massive air lift within 48-hours’ notice when you know you’re going to get hit with a hurricane.” While the range of possible scenarios can be alarming, considering and preparing for such situations is the reason the National Emergency Operations Centre was established. The challenges of this year have kept the team alert and pushed their creative thinking, Coleman said. She is confident in the division’s ability to step up to the task. “Working together as a team, it’s been really interesting to see the different clusters take on their responsibilities. And it is a very- well-oiled machine now.” For more information on hurricane season and how to make a storm plan, visit www.caymanprepared.gov.ky. ❍ Arthur ❍ Bertha ❍ Cristobal ❍ Dolly ❍ Edouard ❍ Fay ❍ Gonzalo Hurricane COVID: Cayman prepares for a storm season like no other 1 June Beginning of hurricane season “I don’t think there’s ever been planning done like this before when you’ve got a potentially active hurricane season about to come to the Caribbean and at the same time, you’re in the middle of a major, global pandemic.” Matthew Forbes , head of the Governor’s Office A mass casualty exercise was carried out in February. An emergency field hospital has been established for overflow of COVID-19 patients. John Tibbetts, director of the National Weather Service, gives a hurricane season update in 2019. Posing in their office in February last year, the Hazard Management team prepares for rain or shine. The National Hazard Management Council meets in 2019. This year's meeting was held by Zoom. Hazard Management director Danielle Coleman stands beside the X-Ray One helicopter. ❍ Hanna ❍ Isaias ❍ Josephine ❍ Kyle ❍ Laura ❍ Marco ❍ Nana ❍ Omar ❍ Paulette ❍ Rene ❍ Sally ❍ Teddy ❍ Vicky ❍ Wilfred 2020 Atlantic hurricane names 6 news N newsCayman to the rescue Community comes to aid of struggling animal charities RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky When Cayman’s shelter-in-place provisions and curfew restrictions kicked into gear, the Humane Society and One Dog at a Time were faced with challenges caring for and exercising the animals under their charge. “We have closed the shelter to the general public as we did not want to expose our staff to any viruses because if we don’t have staff, we have nobody to look after the animals. We will not allow any volunteers to go to the shelter, so dog- walking is out of the question,” Saskia Salden, the director of the Humane Society, said in a recent Zoom interview with the Cayman Compass. For Caroline Johnson at One Dog at a Time, the struggle quickly became real for her and her team as the restrictions severely curtail their ability to get donations due to COVID-19 rules. “It has massively impacted what we do because we’re a charity, we rely greatly on fundraising through our One Dog at a Time shop and through the events that we do normally two or three times every single month just to keep up with the expenditure or vets’ bills or food and supplies, and things like that, which could roughly go to around $4,000 a month,” she said. Canine caregivers come forward However, animal lovers around the island have stepped up to help the local charities with not just their financial burdens but also ensuring the well-being of the animals. “The Humane Society is still very, very busy. We’ve had so many people contact us to foster dogs and cats, so that has been very successful and we’ve been very, very appreciative of that. So, the shelter is quite empty,” Salden said. A total of 70 dogs and as many as 50 cats from the shelter are in foster homes. Johnson said the 14 dogs under her team’s care have all been fostered as well. She said they had a delivery of 10 puppies just before the COVID-19 restrictions were put in place, and they all went to foster homes. Most of those pups either have been adopted, or are in the process of being adopted, locally. One Dog at a Time usually sends animals overseas for adoption, but with no flights going to the US right now, all their dogs remain on island. “For our current fosters at the moment, normally when they run out of food, for example, or puppy pads or things like that, we would go around and we would drop off all of the supplies that they need. They have been fantastic, and if they do run short, they’ve actually been purchasing the products from Foster’s and Kirk’s and Cost-U-Less for us, which is a really big bonus,” she said. Both charities say they are hoping that all the animals now being fostered have found their forever homes and already the signs are looking positive. “I know a lot of people have fallen in love with them,” Salden said, adding that she hopes that when the normally overcrowded shelter re-opens, there will be lots of room to spare. Riggs finds his home “My husband and I knew that he was here for a trial, but within about one day, we knew that it was probably going to be longer than a trial,” said first-time foster 'parent' Blaire Ebanks as she recounted her family’s decision to keep their foster dog Riggs. Ebanks is one of several people who have decided to keep the pets they have been fostering. She said when her family saw Riggs, a mixed German shepard and bull mastiff, they knew it was love at first sight. “Actually, now our family feels just like, I don’t want to say it was incomplete before, but it feels more complete now that we have a dog. It’s helping my kids with responsibility during this time. You know they’re not with their friends or anything, so now they have a new friend that they love and that loves them back,” Ebanks said. She urged other foster families to keep their animals and those who have not fostered to give a home to a shelter animal. “It’s kind of like before you become a parent,” she said. “You never think you’re ready until you have the dog. We feel like it was the perfect time for us to try it out and we’re very grateful ... All you could do is try it out and you’ll know right away if you should have one or not.” Humane Society 153 North Sound Road, George Town, Grand Cayman (next to A.L. Thompson’s) Tel: 949-1461 One Dog at a Time Contact info@odaat.ky, 917-3370 or visit Facebook @onedogatatime13. Newly adopted puppy Riggs poses in the backyard of his forever home with the Ebanks family. cayman compass 7 news N news FRIDAY, 15 MAY 2020Cayman Airways pivotal to recovery but ripe for a revamp, say analysts JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky The coronavirus crisis is likely to have lasting implications for the aviation industry, including Cayman’s national airline, according to two industry experts. In an analysis shared with the Cayman Compass, aviation consultant Edward Jerrard and former LIAT executive Lloyd Carswell forecast that Cayman Airways could be facing a 50% market reduction if and when the islands’ borders reopen. They argue that the government-backed airline is uniquely positioned to help revive Cayman’s tourism product post COVID-19. But they believe restructuring could be necessary to limit the costs to the public and to prepare the airline for a new reality. They also suggest ditching the controversial Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets – still grounded by civil aviation authorities – and using smaller aircraft to give the airline more flexibility and cut costs. With the repercussions of the coronavirus crisis being felt across the industry, Carswell and Jerrard believe US carriers are unlikely to resume service into the islands at anything close to 2019 levels. Demand from US customers is expected to be dramatically reduced and global travel is likely to be impacted for some time. A moment of opportunity This presents opportunities, as well as challenges, for the airline, the analysts claim. “If Cayman Airways can absorb some of the losses in the first few months and survive, the future could present a near monopoly on a number of routes,” the report said. In the face of a potential deep recession, the analysts said, the partnership between the Department of Tourism and the national airline will be key to securing inbound traffic to the islands. Even if Cayman’s borders open before the end of the year, Jerrard, a former manager of airport services at Cayman Airways and a former lecturer at the University College of the Cayman Islands, believes key routes like New York and Chicago may not be considered safe or attract sufficient numbers to justify recommencing service. “With a dwindling market in the US and competition from other Caribbean islands all vying for the same customer, it is going to be difficult times for Cayman Airways and the other Caribbean-based airlines,” the report stated. Jerrard believes government’s historic willingness to cover Cayman Airways’ operational losses as a strategic tool to support tourism means it is likely the national carrier will survive the lean period – albeit at an increased cost to the public purse. He thinks that strategic element will be more useful than ever – allowing Cayman to be flexible about which cities it services. “The role of Cayman Airways is paramount to the success of the Cayman economy, once COVID-19 has been managed and a vaccine is available,” he wrote in the piece, co-authored with Carswell. Restructuring required The increased pressure on the public purse and the reduction in revenue from Cayman Airways should necessitate a rethink of the airline’s role post COVID-19, the analysts argue. They believe a significant restructuring of the airline will be required to cut costs and make it more efficient for a new reality. One aspect they believe will have to be addressed is the MAX 8 planes. The aircraft type has been grounded by every civil aviation authority in the world since early 2019 after fatal accidents in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Though Boeing is compensating airlines and leasing companies for the losses incurred, the consultants believe there will have been significant financial repercussions for Cayman Airways from having two jets out of service for so long. With Boeing’s facility in Seattle shut down amid the coronavirus outbreak in Washington state, they say it is difficult to forecast if and when the aircraft would be cleared to fly again. In any case, they argue, it is not certain that the MAX 8 will be the right aircraft for Cayman Airways in a post-COVID world. They wrote, “What is clear is the airline needs to look at the legal and financial implications of cancelling the lease and sourcing alternative aircraft at a cheaper rate, sized to meet the market and the destinations to be served at an optimal operational cost.” They suggest 30-seater aircraft like the Saab, which has been deployed as a commuter service between Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman, could be used for shorter regional routes, like Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Havana or Isle of Pines. “This smaller aircraft could make it financially feasible to operate with low traffic numbers, once the borders are open,” their report stated. Similarly, they believe Cayman Airways would benefit from running mid-size planes on a regular service to a hub like Fort Lauderdale, and negotiating ‘code-share’ agreements with larger airlines for onward travel. Such deals would facilitate travel from a range of destinations, strategically timed to link with Cayman Airways’ flight schedule. “Jet Blue could provide enormous feed into Cayman Airways from all its US network served into Fort Lauderdale,” the consultants wrote. “Similarly, COPA in Panama could feed significant passenger numbers from the Central and South America market through their Panama hub to Cayman.” Rethinking routes Cutting management salaries, advance-ordering fuel at current low prices, analysing and assessing route performance, and renegotiating ground-handling contracts are also identified by the two men as ways to minimise costs. They believe there will also need to be much thought given to which routes would become viable on what time scale after the coronavirus crisis subsides. Cayman Airways will need to develop an operating and marketing plan for returning to service leaner and more efficient, and more able to meet the changed demands of travellers, they wrote. “With social distancing being the norm for a considerable length of time to come, it may be worth considering implementing a ‘European-style fake business class’ – with the middle seat unsold – for an increased price over the economy fare.” The analysts conclude that the crisis offers an opportunity for the Cayman Islands to re-assess the role of the national airline. “Cayman Airways has, for some time, been in dire need of total restructure,” they said. “The current climate is a compelling driving force, for the survival of people, businesses, economies. “Could there conceivably be a better time to plan, strategise and execute such vital changes for the long-term viability of the company and the people it serves?” The Cayman Compass contacted Cayman Airways to contribute to this article but had received no response by press time. See caymancompass.com to read the analysis in full. “If Cayman Airways can absorb some of the losses in the first few months and survive, the future could present a near monopoly on a number of routes.” Analysts’ report One of Cayman Airway's leased Boeing 737 MAX 8s comes in to land at Owen Roberts International Airport early last year. Aviation analysts Edward Jerrard and Lloyd Carswell recommend that the airline ditch the aircraft in favour of smaller planes. Analysts: Major turbulence in store for aviation industry 8DISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAYDOD Celebrate the long weekend OVY ER Monday, 18 May 949-5111 • sales@compassmedia.ky • classifieds@compassmedia.ky ISSUE BOOKING DEADLINE Friday, 15 May Tuesday, 12 May Friday, 22 May Tuesday, 19 May AD BOOKING DEADLINES Booking Deadline: 10am | Artwork Deadline: 3pm Hotter days, limited rainfall expected RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Despite some recent rainy days, over the past few months, Cayman has been experiencing hotter, drier weather than usual, and is currently undergoing a drought. National Weather Service meteorologist Avalon Porter said he expects that the hot conditions will likely continue over the coming months. The weather service recently issued its monthly climate bulletin, which indicated that ‘moderate or worse’ drought has developed in Cayman. Porter, in an interview via Zoom with the Cayman Compass, said the Cayman Islands is shifting to warmer summertime conditions and with that, of course, comes the heat. “There will be hotter conditions for people to have to look out for or take precaution for; I wouldn’t say heat stroke, but heat stress [is] occurring, now that we are going into our summertime,” Porter said. He added that said there is a possibility of ‘heat wave’ days in the next two to three months, however, he does not expect those to be frequent. Drought warning in effect With most people shuttered at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of the heat may be felt through higher CUC bills driven by increased use of air conditioning. According to the bulletin, “the rising temperatures and the possibility of heat waves into July will make the heat uncomfortable at times.” However, “There are relatively strong indications that August to October may be wetter than usual across Cayman,” the report stated. For the next three months though, Porter said, the dry days will outnumber the wet ones. “The drought warning usually uses something called a ‘standard precipitation index’, and that gives you an idea about whether you’re above your normal rainfall or below, based on the rainfall totals for the past months. So, you have your index for, say, three months, six months, or 12 months. "If we look at our one for six months and 12 months, it shows us that we’re in the area that is dry,” Porter said. The bulletin projected that rainfall from May to July is likely to be “at least as wet as usual” for Cayman. “May and June usually [experience] frequent heavy showers. July’s wet season often includes a mid-summer dry spell,” the report said. While rainfall has been sporadic, Cayman’s short-term drought can end with a few torrential downpour days, but Porter said the long-term, or meteorological, drought will not go away so easily. “If you have heavy rain in May, June and July, those months may come up to the average, but we still have a [rainfall] deficit,” he said. The deficit was created due to low rainfall levels over the last few months. Porter said while droughts are a concern, Cayman does not rely on reservoirs for its water supply so it should not create a problem. However, he said it may pose a challenge for farmers who use well water for irrigation, as those wells may be in a deficit from the last year. “They might see the salinity of the water increase,” he added. For homeowners, he said, they may have to add a few more dollars to their water bills as they will have to water their plants more. Cayman did experience two days of torrential downpour late last month, which Porter said was welcomed but only about 100 millilitres of rain was recorded. Historically, in May, June and July, there are about three to five dry spells. The forecast indicates an additional dry spell, for an expected total of up to six, may occur over the next three months. Cayman experiencing drought Report projections Frequency of seven-day dry spells: Historically, over May, June and July, there are about three to five dry spells lasting a week. The forecast indicates about three to six over the next three months. Frequency of 10-day dry spells: One to two 10-day dry spells usually occur over May, June and July. The forecast indicates one to three such dry spells this year. Rainfall: The usual rainfall range for January to March at Owen Roberts International Airport is 84.1 to 133.6 mm. From January to March 2020, the total rainfall was 66.6 mm, which was below the normal range. The usual rainfall range for May-July is 381.5 to 494.5 mm. The May-July 2020 outlook calls for 50% probability of above- normal rainfall. Frequency of wet days: Historically, over May, June and July, there are about 24 to 36 wet days. The forecast indicates about the same for the next three months. Frequency of seven-day wet spells: Between three and six wet spells lasting seven days occur from May to July. The forecast indicates about the same number of wet spells for Cayman this year. cayman compass 9 news N news FRIDAY, 15 MAY 2020Next >