EASTERN AVENUE Ghost Pepper Wings 4.99 cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 23-29 October 2020 Lights out for Lighthouse? Volunteers sought for human trials. Page 6 Cayman joins vaccine fight Another restaurant falls victim to COVID. Page 20 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 GREENLAND (PG-13) (FRI & SAT) 1:05 (SAT ONLY) | 4:00 | 7:00 | 9:55 (SUN) 4:10 | 7:15 | 9:55 (MON - THURS) 4:00 | 7:00 HONEST THIEF (PG-13) (FRI & SAT) 1:25 VIP (SAT ONLY) | 4:10 | 7:15 VIP | 9:40 VIP | 10:00 (SUN) 4:10 | 7:15 VIP (MON, WED, THURS) 4:00 | 7:15 (TUES) 3:50 VIP | 4:10 TENET (PG-13) (FRI & SAT) 12:45 (SAT ONLY) | 3:50 VIP | 6:35 | 9:15 (SUN) 3:50 VIP | 6:35 | 9:15 (MON, WED, THURS) 3:50 VIP | 6:35 (TUES) 6:35 TROLLS WORLD TOUR (PG) (FRI) 4:30 | 6:55 (SAT) 11:40 | 2:05 | 4:30 | 6:55 (SUN) 4:30 | 6:55 (MON-THURS) 4:30 | 6:55 WAR WITH GRANDPA, THE (PG) (FRI) 4:15 | 6:50 | 9:20 (SAT) 11:40 | 2:05 | 4:30 | 6:55 (SUN) 4:15 | 6:50 | 9:20 (MON-THURS) 4:15 | 6:50 (SAT) 11:40 | 2:05 | 4:30 | 6:55 (SUN) 4:15 | 6:50 | 9:20 (MON-THURS) 4:15 | 6:50 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA TUESDAY 7PM VIP SCREAM (R) KID CLUB SATURDAY 10AM TOY STORY 3 D (G) 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 30% chance of showers with possible thunder mainly over the Sister Islands. Forecast today 89°F HIGH WINDS East at 10 to 15 knots SEA STATE Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass weather Cayman Islands 78°F LOW Trough of low pressure expected to develop A trough of low pressure was located southeast of Grand Cayman as of 22 Oct. and had a 30% chance of development over the next five days, according to the US-based National Hurricane Center. Scattered showers and some thunder were forecast for the Cayman Islands heading into the weekend as the trough lingers over the northwest Caribbean. Forecasters expect the trough to develop slowly as it moves northeastward near Cuba, Florida and the Bahamas, which are expected to receive heavy rainfall as a result. Man arrested after armed robbery A 30-year-old West Bay man remained in police custody Thursday in connection with an Eastern Avenue robbery earlier in the week. The man has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and possession of an imitation firearm in relation to the incident, which happened Tuesday morning. Officers responded to the incident, which happened in the vicinity of Shedden Road. The alleged victim was approached by another man brandishing an object that appeared to be a firearm, according to an RCIPS press release. No one was injured during the incident. Former HSA security staffers cleared of fraud A jury on 13 Oct. found two former Health Services Authority employees not guilty of fraud charges relating to overtime pay. Dominic Fernando Dacres, 42, and Nick Romano Smith, 58, had been jointly charged for allegedly submitting fraudulent overtime forms between 1 Jan. and 31 Dec. 2017. Both men denied the charges, and after a month-long trial, the six-person jury returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on all four charges, and Dacres and Smith were released of all bail conditions. Global Citizen initiative begins Cayman is now accepting applications for its new Global Citizen Concierge programme, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell has confirmed. Kirkconnell, in an interview with the Cayman Compass on Wednesday following the programme’s commencement, said he believes it is a safe, managed way of slowly allowing tourists back to the islands and getting money back into the economy. The programme, which covers up to a two-year period of residence, is only open to individuals earning a minimum annual income of US$100,000. The application, for up to two people, annually costs US$1,469 plus US$500 per additional dependent. There is also a 7% fee for credit-card processing. Marriage rights for refugees being considered Customs and Border Control is reviewing possible amendments to the section of Cayman Islands law covering asylum, following months of demonstrations by Cuban protesters over government’s denial of refugee marriage rights. At issue is section 111(3) of the CBC Law, which establishes that successful asylum applicants may add to their status a dependent child under the age of 18 who is already present on island. The section does not mention a spouse. CBC met with two of the protesters last week, who said an official gave his word that the issue would be resolved by next month. News in brief pic of the day The Pink Ladies Volunteer Corps is celebrating its 40th anniversary. As part of festivities planned throughout the month, the Pink Ladies on 15 Oct. held a celebration at Government House along with the corps’ patron, Governor Martyn Roper. The Pink Ladies Volunteer Corps was formed in 1980 by Olive Miller and Evelyn Andresen. The group has worked to support several organisations throughout the years, including the Pines Retirement Home, National Council of Volunteer Organisations, Cayman Islands Cancer Society, the Lighthouse School and others. Pink Ladies turn 40 cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2020cayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 23 OCTOBER 20201234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Traveller to holy place (7) 5 Liable (5) 8 Peremptorily (3,2,4) 9 Aromatic beverage (3) 10 Pass (2,2) 12 Extensive view of landscape (8) 14 Plunder from war (6) 15 Yellow songbird (6) 17 Abroad (8) 18 Determine irrevocably (4) 21 To mimic (3) 22 Backing up (2,7) 24 Substantial (5) 25 Keep regular check on (7) DOWN 1 Tine of fork (5) 2 Item in auction (3) 3 A disagreement (4) 4 Scanty (6) 5 Base of a statue (8) 6 Declining (2,3,4) 7 Quite so (7) 11 Alone (2,7) 13 Arrange in categories (8) 14 Put up with (7) 16 A horse-drawn cab (6) 19 Subsequently (5) 20 Extend across (4) 23 Make a choice (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16517 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 16517 ACROSS: 1 Pilgrim, 5 Prone, 8 Out of hand, 9 Tea, 10 Go by, 12 Prospect, 14 Spoils, 15 Canary, 17 Overseas, 18 Seal, 21 Ape, 22 In support, 24 Hefty, 25 Monitor. DOWN: 1 Prong, 2 Lot, 3 Rift, 4 Meagre, 5 Pedestal, 6 On the wane, 7 Exactly, 11 By oneself, 13 Classify, 14 Stomach, 16 Hansom, 19 Later, 20 Span, 23 Opt. Will you or your family be looking to travel to or from Cayman for the holidays? cayman compass The two-week quarantine period is here for the time being. So will your family still plan to travel to or from Cayman this year? Total: 1,133 UndecidedYes No ONLINE POLL 68% 776 24% 269 8% 88 cartoon Wear a mask - By Caymanman I am a 17-year-old Caymanian student currently attending a local British-patterned high school. As young Caymanians, we are often forced to look abroad for our tertiary education, as despite the facilities provided by institutions the University College of the Cayaman Islands, Cayman Islands Further Education Centre and the Truman Bodden Law School, often more niche degree programmes cannot be found locally. As such, it is greatly upsetting to realise that in looking to our mother country for this education, we are snubbed and excluded from a great many opportunities. Whilst it is possible for Caymanians to receive home student rates in the UK, the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) makes it quite difficult for us to enter this option. Even with these home rates, we are subjected to earlier deadlines and copious amounts of tedious paperwork in our applications, with a friend of mine having to recently cancel their application to a British university on the basis that she could not sit a mandatory English-proficiency test. The only reason for this was that we do not have any local centres Caymanian students not treated equally by UK for this test, given we all speak English. This same friend achieved an A* (the highest possible grade) at GCSE First Language English, a British qualification, over a year ago. Why is it that we are treated so differently to other British students? Though we don’t live in Great Britain, our language, legal system and identity are English. We chant ‘God Save the Queen’ just as her other subjects do, yet we are somehow different. Our GCSEs and A-Levels are just as difficult, and in some cases more so, than their British counterparts. We hold British passports, yet we are faced with a very clear message. We are not British. We are not seen as ‘actually British’, which leaves the Caymanian student to feel isolated, cut off from the opportunities of higher education, as the steep fees in the United States and Canada are often too much for many families to bear. Though our government is diligent in awarding scholarships to bright young Caymanians, the message from the institutions is clear. To our governor and government, I am proudly British, so why am I a second-rate citizen? Aiden Watler What they’re saying Online Child’s life-saving journey from Mongolia to Cayman and back Beautiful story of love, com- passion and dedication, help- ing this young boy’s health/life become improved and extended. God bless him and you all in- volved in getting this done! – Kerrilyn Powery It’s pretty wonderful that we could assist people from all around the world. – Ann Smith Aagi, now you can enjoy your life. God bless and keep you healthy. Thanks, Health City. – Udith Rankine Sweet one... glad there’s a happy ending to his story. – Marilyn Watson Bless this little man! Happy days wished for you... – Gillian Rudd Well done to everyone involved. Good news is always good news. – Michael O Connell Great story, great work by all those involved. – Elizabeth Ann Macfarlane After a nine-month stay in Cayman, Aagi had successful surgery to fix a hole in his heart last month. cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2020cayman compass 5 FRIDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2020 WE CAN’T PREDICT THE WEATHER, BUT WE CAN HELP YOU PREPARE. A member of Coralisle Group Ltd. | BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, P.O. Box 74, George Town, Grand Cayman To learn more, call 949-8699 or visit us at cgcoralisle.com.@cgbritcay While we remain in hurricane season, we are here to help you prepare for the better. We’ll keep doing all we can to prepare you and get you back on your feet faster like processing 90% of claims in 5 days or less . British Caymanian Insurance Company Limited is rated A (Excellent) by AM BestThe vaccine attacks the ‘spike proteins’ on the outside of the COVID-19 virus. These proteins act like Velcro to attach the virus to human cells. JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky The Cayman Islands officially joined the search for a COVID-19 vaccine this week after the Health Practice Commission approved a local healthcare facility to conduct a clinical trial. Perseus Cayman Ltd is seeking 20 volunteers for the first phase of human trials for its vaccinations, which have had success in pre- clinical trials in mice. The HPC has previously approved Perseus’s immunotherapy cancer research trials, as well as number of other phase one clinical trials in Cayman. This latest development puts the islands in the midst of one of the greatest medical arms races of all time. It has also raised questions and concerns in the community. The Cayman Compass spoke with Dr. Thomas Wagner, the company’s lead scientist, and president Riley Polk, about their work in Cayman and to try to answer some of the key questions about the vaccine. Who is Perseus Cayman Ltd? Perseus Cayman Ltd was set up by Dr. Thomas Wagner in Cayman, in partnership with Dr. Sook Yin, as a cancer clinic in 2012. It pioneered a new therapy to treat patients with malignant tumours with a customised vaccine that would trigger their immune system. What do they know about COVID-19? Wagner, whose wife is from the Chinese city of Wuhan where the outbreak began, said he was quickly aware of the virus and by November 2019 was already turning his attention to how the technology his company has developed to fight cancer could be adapted to deal with the threat posed by the pandemic. “We are experts in stimulating and modulating the human immune system,” Polk added. “We were able to transition a lot of the research we had already done towards this COVID vaccine.” How does it work? In the simplest possible terms, Perseus’s methodology involves displaying the ‘foreign body’ or antigen to the immune system so that it can recognise and fight that invader. In the case of the cancer therapy, the DNA of the patients’ own tumours is directly injected into ‘antigen displaying cells’ under the skin. These cells ingest the foreign body, analyse it and train the body’s immune system to recognise and repel it. The technique has been used in cancer therapy in Cayman for the last eight years. How does that help with COVID-19? The same technique has been adapted for the pandemic. Using the DNA sequence of COVID-19, the scientists have created a synthetic replica of part of the virus’s genetic code. This is what is ‘displayed’ to the immune system to teach it to fight the virus. The method does not replicate the entire virus but instead focusses on the ‘spike proteins’ – the ‘Velcro’ that allows it to attach to human cells. Does it work? That is what they are trying to find out. Pre-clinical trials in mice had a 100% success rate in triggering an antibody response, according to data that was shared with the Health Practice Commission in Cayman. The next step involves testing to see if the same antibody response is seen in humans. How will the human trials work? Perseus is looking for 20 volunteers to take part in the trial. They will first be tested to confirm they have not previously had COVID-19. Once that is established, they will receive an ‘intradermal injection’ under the skin. This will inject the DNA that encodes those spike proteins directly into the body’s ‘antigen presenting cells’ and, in theory, should create a response that allows the immune system to recognise and repel those viral proteins. Half of the volunteers will receive a second inoculation one week later to help determine if one or two injections are required. How will they know if it works without exposing the volunteers to COVID-19? The first phase of the trial is based on blood work. Volunteers will have blood draws after one, two, four and eight weeks to test for the presence of antibodies which target the spike proteins. If the antibodies are present, that would suggest the vaccine has been successful in creating the required immune response. A larger phase three trial, if it reaches that stage, would need to involve communities where there is exposure to the virus and would test if fewer people who received the vaccine become sick compared to those who received a placebo. What happens next? If the trial is successful with the first 20 volunteers, Perseus will seek permission from the Health Practice Commission to expand it in a second phase to up to 1,000 volunteers, Polk told the Compass. Further phases would involve patients in the US as well as in Cayman, if there was interest. Why do this in Cayman and not the US? Wagner and Polk say their methodology for the immunotherapy treatment of certain cancers – which has been adapted to create their COVID-19 vaccine – was established in Cayman. They have a treatment clinic and FDA-approved phase one testing centre in Cayman, and their process throughout that research has been to conduct phase one trials in Cayman. Wagner said this had worked well in the past and the results of their work in Cayman were accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration. “This is our process for the last eight years,” he said. “We are familiar with it and it is a highly effective way to do it.” Polk added that the decision to seek approval for the trial in Cayman was taken along with the company’s partners on the island. Are they trying to skirt the stricter regulatory controls of the FDA? Polk insists this is not the case. He said the company was required to file exactly the same paperwork as it would have in the US. “Your regulatory body is approved by the FDA so there is no shortcut there,” he said. He praised the HPC as efficient and thorough in processing the application. The globalisation of Riley Polk, president of Perseus Cayman Ltd, left, and founder and medical director Dr. Thomas Wagner set up the company in Cayman in partnership with Dr. Sook Yin of Seven Mile Clinic. Human trials for new COVID vaccine approved for Cayman cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2020 clinical trials, particularly in the early phases, has been an industry trend over the past decade. According to a 2017 analysis by Scientific American, 90% of new drugs approved that year were tested, at least in part, outside the US and Canada. Polk said the goal was not to avoid FDA standards, because the data will ultimately be submitted to the administration as the research advances. “The goal is to provide a new therapy with the best chances for success, and in the case of COVID, timing is critical,” he said. “Conducting smaller proof-of- concept studies outside of the US reduces regulatory timelines and allows for a more efficient and expeditious research and development process.” Why would anyone volunteer for a trial like this? The development of any vaccine requires human trials, so the short answer is that someone, somewhere, has to do it. Thousands of people all over the world are currently involved in clinical trials for various vaccines. “Every day there are people willing to take part in COVID-19 vaccine tests because it is for the greater good,” said Polk. “It is a personal decision for everyone if they are prepared to take it. Even once a vaccine is approved, it will be a personal decision.” Wagner believes the Cayman trial is particularly low risk because it involves technology that is already in use. “Our vaccine delivers only the DNA that encodes the spike protein of the virus,” he said. “That is injected directly into the antigen- presenting cells in order to generate an immune response. It is not free flowing in the body and, even if it was, it wouldn’t be dangerous.” The intricacies of the technology are complicated and Polk does not expect everyone to understand it and acknowledges that many will be fearful. “We might not convince the man on the street but I believe there are 20 people down there that can read about it and understand the technology we are involved in and think that this is a big problem and we can help mankind,” he said. Is there any payment involved for volunteers? No. What’s in it for Cayman? Being involved in the development of a vaccine for COVID-19 would be huge for a place the size of Cayman, said Yin, the principal investigator in the trial. “This puts the Cayman Islands on the global stage and provides its residents with an opportunity to take part in a trial that may offer a life-saving solution to this unprecedented global public health crisis,” she said in a statement to the Compass. If a vaccine is ultimately developed, Cayman will get priority access. It is also possible, says Polk, that a large percentage of Cayman could be inoculated in the trial phase. If the initial trials are successful, the company will look for a larger number of volunteers for a second trial. Theoretically, the whole island could receive the vaccine during trials. How soon do they think they can create a fully approved vaccine? Perseus Cayman does not expect to win the global race to find a vaccine. The US has pumped around US$9 billion into sponsoring companies that can research and produce a COVID-19 vaccine on a large scale. Other major economies have also invested heavily, and six vaccines are already approved for limited use. “It is a race,” says Polk. “The whole world wants an answer to this pandemic and everyone believes a vaccine is the answer. Our aim is not to be first to market – we believe we can make a better COVID vaccine.” What makes it better? Perseus believes it has created a process that can be adapted for almost any disease. It is essentially a DNA-based vaccine. If it proves successful for COVID-19, says Wagner, there is no reason it wouldn’t be similarly effective in a future pandemic. Once the process itself is tested and accepted, he said, it could be adapted to fight any virus. The DNA sequence of COVID-19 was known within weeks of the outbreak. The same would likely be true in a future pandemic. What Perseus is developing, says Wagner, is a delivery system that ‘shows’ the DNA structure of a foreign body to the immune system and stimulates the natural defence system to attack it. Anyone interested in volunteering to take part can contact Dr. Sook Yin by email at sook.yin@perseuspci.com. 20 The number of volunteers Perseus is seeking to take part in trials of a COVID-19 vaccine cayman compass 7 news N news FRIDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2020KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@compassmedia.ky It has been more than three weeks since A. Serrano and his wife, Y. Rodriguez, left their rental house in Newlands and faced life in Cayman without a place to call home. The one-bedroom house had been a small but reliable place to live for a time, and Serrano, a refugee from Cuba, had been able to afford rent there through his wages from the Margaritaville resort. It seemed, after Serrano’s years- long struggle to secure asylum status, that the pieces were coming together to restart life in Cayman – now the couple’s closest concept to ‘home’. Seven months since the shutdown of Cayman’s tourism sector, however, life remains uncertain for them – and for many other unemployed or underemployed foreign-born workers who remain on island – for a variety of reasons. The order to vacate their Newlands rental by 1 Oct. came as just the most recent setback in an already-difficult year for Serrano and Rodriguez. To get back on their feet, they’ve discovered it will take the support of community and a lot of patience. 15 applications a day for help At Regatta Office Park in West Bay, Cayman’s charity Acts of Random Kindness has settled into a new work space. With the pandemic’s continued economic impact, director Tara Nielsen explained the office, donated by Provenance Properties, became necessary for ARK to answer the ongoing community need. Volunteers required a place to sit down with applicants and assess their situations. Even now, ARK receives up to 15 applications a day from individuals in crisis across Cayman. Many of these people, like Serrano and Rodriguez, hadn’t relied on charity until the crisis hit. But with the pandemic has come a wave of humanitarian need that extends across the islands’ many communities and nationalities. Serrano and Rodriguez represent just one of around 2,000 cases ARK is tracking in Cayman. While the islands have been tested in the past, COVID-19 is different than disasters like Hurricane Ivan, Nielsen explained. This crisis has no foreseeable end and, with each month, the economic impact worsens for the islands’ most vulnerable and marginalised community members. “In Ivan, everything was destroyed. Everyone knew everything was bad,” she said. “Right now, the sun is out. The buildings are nice. Everything looks great. But inside, behind the curtain, families can’t feed themselves. They can’t feed their children.” As the crisis continues, vulnerable families are falling out of sight and out of mind, she said. For these individuals, making contact with ARK may be the first break they’ve encountered in some time. “A huge amount of people do not have any backup, any savings, any family member, any credit card, not even a bank account,” Nielsen said. ARK has been working hard to identify and reach out to these individuals, as part of an expanded vision to provide immediate relief to those most in need. In the past, ARK concentrated resources on addressing Caymanian housing requirements. Now, they also accept applications for rent, utility and food support, regardless of the applicant’s nationality. When members of the Nicaraguan community were stranded in Cayman earlier this year, for example, ARK was able to provide support until they returned home. Despite efforts to repatriate foreign workers impacted by the crisis, not all have been able to leave Cayman, Nielsen explained. To survive, some workers have crowded into shared accommodations, including shared bedrooms and even shared beds with other adults, also struggling to make ends meet. For the islands’ Cuban refugees – individuals granted asylum and the right to remain indefinitely by the Cayman Islands government – Cayman is now their home, through good times and bad. They don’t have the option to repatriate. This community has become one of the latest to benefit from ARK’s outreach efforts. Spare bedroom offers refuge for couple When Serrano and Rodriguez first met with ARK volunteer Lisa Wray in early October, they had recently moved their belongings from their Newlands rental into the only accommodation they could find – a spare bedroom in the home of a charitable Caymanian woman, who sympathised with their story. The former children’s room and its twin bed came as a welcome, albeit small, refuge, until the two could locate a permanent place of their own. Serrano had recently received a job offer, as a painter on construction projects, and he was eager to get back to work. But first he needed to address their immediate need for housing – a months-long search that has turned into a job of its own. The stress of the simultaneous job and rental searches was beginning to wear on Serrano. His knee bounced up and down, and he fidgeted as they settled in to explain their story to Wray. Jobless in COVID lockdown Before the crisis, Serrano earned a modest salary through hospitality work at Margaritaville, and his wages met the couple’s basic needs. They had housing, food, even a car. But, like many others in Cayman this year, Serrano learned how tenuous earning a living actually was here. “With my work, we were fine. I paid rent. I made it work,” he said. “But when the virus came, I ended up without a job.” Then came the discovery of unpaid pension contributions by Margaritaville and the struggle to qualify for displaced tourism worker benefits. Despite his efforts, Serrano had no safety net to fall back on. That’s when Serrano and Rodriguez applied to Customs and Border Control for rental and food assistance. As a refugee, Serrano does not qualify for support through the Needs Assessment Unit, and as his wife, Rodriguez does not qualify for any form of government aid. Due to the wording of Cayman’s asylum law, currently under review by Customs and Border Control, Rodriguez is not recognised as Serrano’s legal dependent in Cayman and therefore cannot work or claim benefits. Rodriguez said that her greatest desire in Cayman has been to work, support herself and assimilate into the In search of a home: Refugees turn to Cayman’s ARK for safe shelter This house in Bodden Town, adjacent to a cement yard, is home to a family of three. A home in Bodden Town, lacking a proper kitchen, rents for $850 a month. The family who lives here may soon have a new place to call home, with the support of ARK. From left, Y. Rodriguez and A. Serrano pose outside of the Newlands home, where they lived for around a year, until they were ordered to vacate the property. Tara Nielsen of Cayman Acts of Random Kindness 8 newsnewsA new name for a stronger future. Over 60 years ago, we started an insurance company to help people. Today, with all of the challenges our world is facing, that mission has never been more important. BritCay is now CG BritCay. Our name has changed, but our purpose hasn’t. We are here for you, stronger than ever. is now British Caymanian Insurance Company Limited | BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, P.O. Box 74, George Town, Grand Cayman KYI-1102 | 12 Kirkconnell Street, P.O. Box 254, Stake Bay, Cayman Brac KY2-2101 | A member of Coralisle Group Ltd. cgigroup.com/newname | @cgcoralisle culture. But her immigration struggle has kept those goals just out of reach. “It’s difficult, not being able to work, not being able to help, to spend the entire day inside,” she said. “It’s very difficult to come to a country where you don’t know anyone and don’t speak the language.” As the couple searched for rentals, the fight to have their marriage recognised continued in the background, creating an extra layer of stress and complication. After months of protests that culminated in the arrest of three demonstrators, including Rodriguez, the Cuban refugee community has been reassured by CBC that the visa and marriage issue will soon be resolved, Serrano said. Through CBC, Serrano currently qualifies for $750 in rental assistance and $220 for food a month. CBC did not respond to Cayman Compass requests to verify the amount of assistance it provides to refugees. Unfortunately, after months of searching, Serrano and Rodriguez have not been able to find a rental for $750 a month or a landlord willing to sign a contract with government. Like many others, by the time they reached ARK, the couple had already lost faith in government’s ability to help with their housing needs. Others who approach the charity, Nielsen explained, have given up on government assistance entirely, choosing to pitch a tent or hide out in an unauthorised accommodation, rather than deal with the stress and uncertainty of the official bureaucracy. ARK offers one last option for many of these people. A new home After an intake meeting with Serrano and Rodriguez, Wray returned with good news. Theirs were the kind of case with which ARK could assist. If the couple could find a rental property, ARK would set them up and put down the first month’s rent. From there, the idea would be for them to take over the lease and begin living independently again. It was the break that they needed. Serrano’s nervous jitters gave way to tears of gratitude. Suddenly, the path forward became a little clearer, and they wouldn’t be going it alone. To double their impact, ARK suggested Serrano and Rodriguez find a shared accommodation with another Cuban refugee couple, facing similar circumstances. For $850 a month, the second couple had been living with their baby by a cement yard in Bodden Town in a house so small that not even the crib fit inside. The house lacks a proper kitchen and bathroom, but it was the only rental they could find. The offer from ARK came as welcome news. Together, the families would be able to share living and food costs, and work towards a more dignified, stable quality of life. They now faced their final hurdle – finding a landlord in Cayman willing to rent to two Cuban refugee couples and a toddler. Even with the support of ARK and money to put down, this last challenge proved difficult. Several potential landlords wouldn’t accept children. Others wouldn’t allow sharing. One real estate agent said she didn’t trust Cubans and avoided working with them. On the verge of giving up, Serrano and Rodriguez followed up with one final advertisement about a property near Spotts Beach. After weeks of searching, they finally found a landlord willing to give them a chance and an accommodation that fit not only their needs but their budget. If all goes according to plan, from here will come the lease agreement – to be reviewed by ARK – moving day and soon, a place to call home. An exodus of foreign workers and the absence of tourism have opened up Cayman’s rental markets in recent months. For families looking to live on the beach, a two-bedroom rental may cost them as little as $2,500 a month, explained Century 21 real estate agent Amber Yates. That doesn’t mean individuals on a budget – or workers earning the $6-an-hour minimum wage – will have an easy time finding low-cost accommodation. Of 120 residential rentals listed on the CIREBA website as of 22 Oct., only 16 were available for under $2,000 a month. For individuals on a Needs Assessment Unit or Customs and Border Control rental budget, there were two options, neither of which accepted children, in the $750-$850 range. The availability of rentals under $2,000, however, represents a notable increase from this time last year, Yates said, adding the availability of rentals in that price range had doubled in recent months. In contrast, after Hurricane Ivan hit Cayman in 2004, about 30% of rentals on island cost less than $1,000, according to data from the Economics and Statistics Office. At that time, a rise from 3% to 11% in the number of households out of the population paying $2,000 a month was considered a significant increase. Low-cost homes remain elusive cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2020Next >