Red Bay Seven Mile Beach Waterfront Walkers Road 100% W hopper ® 0% Beef Patty made from plants. TM & © 2020 Burger King Corporation. Impossible is a trademark of Impossible Foods Inc. Used under license. cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly,6-12 November 2020 Legislative Assembly to resume as Parliament Page 8 Cayman braces for storm Eta Page 11 Sexual harassment law still in limbo Page 6 A closer look at blocked beach paths Page 12Home quarantine now allowed on Sister Islands Residents of the Sister Islands will be allowed to quarantine in their homes on Cayman Brac or Little Cayman from 7 Nov., the government announced this week. Sister Islands residents will be able to spend the mandatory 14- day quarantine period at home, if they agree to wear monitoring technology and if their homes have been pre-approved by the Public Health Department. The isolation and monitoring process in place in Grand Cayman will be replicated in Cayman Brac, but on a smaller scale, according to a Government Information Services statement. Unlike in Grand Cayman, where arrivals are transported to their quarantine locations by authorised taxis or buses, airline passengers landing in the Sister Islands are allowed to drive themselves in their own vehicles to their homes. They will be accompanied to their residence by an enforcement vehicle, to ensure that stops are not made along the way, GIS said. Doctors Express sues Customs over seizure of cannabinoids, vapes A judicial review into the authorisation and execution of a warrant used by Customs and Border Control officers to raid Doctors Express for medical cannabinoids and vapes resumed in the Grand Court on Tuesday, 3 Nov. The civil proceedings, which were brought by Doctors Express Limited, names the CBC director, the commissioner of police, and the chief medical officer as respondents. Justice of the Peace Catherine O’Neil, who signed off on the warrant, was also named as a respondent. Doctors Express initiated the civil proceedings in June, following a raid last year of its premises, during which customs and police officers seized an undisclosed quantity of medical cannabinoids and vapes. Remembrance Day events cancelled Cayman’s annual Remembrance Sunday parade and ceremony in Grand Cayman have been cancelled, the Protocol Office has announced. The cancellation was due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the risks posed to elderly and vulnerable veterans and attendees. Despite the cancellation, the community is invited to lay wreaths throughout the day at the Cenotaph at the Elmslie Memorial United Church in George Town, from 11:30am, weather permitting. The public is also asked to mark two minutes of silence at home or in the workplace at 11am on 11 Nov. (11th hour/11th day/11th month). Arson at police office A suspected arson at the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service Business Centre on Walkers Road impacted the office’s ability to process applications for police clearance certificates. The office at the Windjammer Building remained closed following the fire, but the RCIPS said it is accepting online applications for the clearance certificates. However, the police warned that the processing time is expected to be longer than usual, up to 14 business days. The RCIPS said it had assigned additional resources “to ensure processes are carried out in as timely a manner as possible”. CPA gives green light to new West Bay gas station The Central Planning Authority has granted permission for the construction of a Rubis gas station off Batabano Road in West Bay. The application was for a $200,000 facility comprising a shop, canopy, drive-through restaurant, generator, sign and an underground LPG storage tank. On 5 Dec. 2019, the Legislative Assembly approved an application from Rubis to have the proposed development site rezoned from neighbourhood commercial to medium-density residential. The CPA approved Rubis’ application on 28 Oct. Heroes Day nominations deadline extended The deadline for nominations for Cayman’s National Heroes Day has been extended to 14 Nov., Culture Minister Dwayne Seymour has announced. Seymour said the extension was due to the amount of interest from the public, adding that as of 30 Oct. more than 200 applications had been received to nominate seafarers who had made outstanding contributions. Electronic forms are available at www.celebratecayman.ky and www.ministryo ealth.gov.ky. Completed forms can be emailed to nhd@gov.ky. Hard copies of nomination forms are available at the Government Administration Building or the Seafarers Association Hall on Grand Cayman or at the District Administration Building on Cayman Brac. weather 86°F HIGH 76°F LOW Friday Forecast FORECAST Cloudy to overcast skies with an 80% chance of showers and possible thunder. Showers will be heavy at time leading to flooding of low lying areas. WINDS East to southeast 20 to 25 knots. SEA STATE Rough with wave heights of 7 to 9 feet with higher swells especially along the east and south coasts. SAT 85°F HIGH 81°F LOW SUN 83°F HIGH 82°F LOW MON 83°F HIGH 82°F LOW TUES 83°F HIGH 82°F LOW WED 83°F HIGH 82°F LOW THUR 84°F HIGH 79°F LOW caymancompass.comfacebook.com/caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass Matinees (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00 (Mon-Fri before 6pm) Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets 640-FILM (640-3456) Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK EMPTY MAN, THE (R) (FRI & SAT) 1:30 (SAT ONLY) | 3:45 (MON-THURS) 1:30 (MON ONLY) | 3:45 GREENLAND (PG-13) (FRI & SAT) 1:10 (SAT ONLY) | 4:00 | 7:00 | 9:50 (SAT ONLY) (SUN) 7:00 | 9:50 (MON - THURS) 1:10 (MON ONLY) | 4:00 | 7:00 | 9:50 (MON ONLY) THE CRAFT: LEGACY (PG-13) (FRI) 4:40 | 7:10 VIP (SAT) 1:20 | 2:00 VIP | 4:40 | 7:10 VIP | 9:35 (SUN) 4:35 | 7:10 VIP | 10:00 (MON - THURS) 1:20 (MON ONLY) | 2:00 VIP (MON ONLY) | 4:40 | 7:10 VIP | 9:35 (MON ONLY) HONEST THIEF (PG-13) (FRI & SAT) 4:30 VIP | 7:15 | 9:35 VIP (SAT ONLY) (SUN) 4:30 VIP | 9:35 VIP (MON - THURS) 4:30 VIP | 7:15 | 9:35 (MON ONLY) TROLLS WORLD TOUR (PG) (FRI & SAT) 6:55 | 9:20 (SAT ONLY) (SUN) 6:55 | 9:20 (MON, WED, THURS) 6:55 | 9:20 (MON ONLY) WAR WITH GRANDPA, THE (PG) (FRI) 4:15 | 6:50 (SAT) 1:45 | 4:15 | 6:50 | 9:15 (SUN) 4:15 | 6:50 | 9:20 (MON, WED,THURS) 1:45 (MON ONLY) | 4:15 | 6:50 | 9:20 (MON ONLY)0(MON ONLY CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA TUESDAY, 7PM VIP SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THE (R) SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted KID CLUB SATURDAY 10AM GOONIES, THE (PG) 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 news in brief The Remembrance Day parade and ceremony has been cancelled but the public is being invited to lay wreaths at the cenotaph at the Elmslie Memorial Church in George Town throughout the day on 8 Nov. cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2020ParticipatingLabs: HSA |CaymanHealth|TrinCay |SevenMileMedical|MedLab Inc|CTMHDoctorsHospital InCollaborationwithTheCaymanIslandsCancerSocietyandMovemberCommittee Sponsoredby: ’ Dr.DarleySolomon Dr.BasilArmonis cayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 20201234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Rebuke (7) 5 Spell of self-indulgence (5) 8 Informed and alert (2,3,4) 9 Breach of moral law (3) 10 Hindu system of philosophy (4) 12 Inconstant (8) 14 Spider’s trap (6) 15 Categorically (6) 17 Clumsy (8) 18 Ancient stringed instrument (4) 21 Runner used on snow (3) 22 Obliquely (2,2,5) 24 Easy to lift (5) 25 Having died out (7) DOWN 1 Spacious (5) 2 Large deep hole (3) 3 Carry out an order (4) 4 Display ostentatiously (6) 5 At maximum speed (4,4) 6 Tiny (4-5) 7 Use of artillery (7) 11 Find no accepter (2,7) 13 Irresolute (8) 14 Advise (7) 16 To split (6) 19 Put up (5) 20 Poverty (4) 23 Snare (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16529 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 16529 ACROSS: 1 Reproof, 5 Fling, 8 On the ball, 9 Sin, 10 Yoga, 12 Unstable, 14 Cobweb, 15 Flatly, 17 Ungainly, 18 Lyre, 21 Ski, 22 At an angle, 24 Light, 25 Extinct. DOWN: 1 Roomy, 2 Pit, 3 Obey, 4 Flaunt, 5 Full tilt, 6 Itsy-bitsy, 7 Gunnery, 11 Go begging, 13 Hesitant, 14 Counsel, 16 Cleave, 19 Erect, 20 Want, 23 Gin. Stingray sandbar population has halved amid COVID impact If we don’t establish a way of feeding and retaining the population, Cayman will lose its most popular attraction. If gov- ernment would support the boat operators to continue feeding, we could all win. – Troy Leacock They are scavengers so if they ain’t getting fed on the sandbar, they will go elsewhere for their food. I’m sure they will be back when everyone is back on the sandbar. – Jonny Alexander Butcher So first they blamed tourists for going there and now it’s their fault for not going there. – Dawn Veek There are way more females on the sandbar than males. And with the conch season open now, they should be getting all the conch scraps to broaden their diet. – Vana Welds-Bennett This headline might as well read, ‘Buffet line ends as steam trays aren’t replenished’. – Jon Steven Probably due to less free food, they went to more bountiful loca- tions. Nature makes adjustments sensibly, as opposed to humans. – Amar Sheow With no free handout, they have learned to go find food for themselves, like proper stingrays. – Deborah Smith Scott The battle against mosquitos: Breaking down the chemicals used by MRCU Probably this is the reason for such a high rate of cancer in Cayman! – Lenie Hulse Rosado We need to do better! This mosquito plane flies directly over my house daily. Harming the envi- ronment and our health. – Breanne Ebanks I personally met the entire board at the MRCU concerning one of the pesticide chemicals in use about two years ago – Chlor- pyrifos. They are slowly poisoning our community and environment in the name of short-term benefits with a lack of proper research into the long-term health consequences and potential risks for the environ- ment and our health! They provide a poor service to the community by lack of proper education of the potential risks and hazards of the chemicals they use. I am glad to see the ‘cat is out of the bag’ finally and the much-needed conversa- tion is finally in the public light. Thank you, Cayman Compass, for this article and the FOI request. – Erik Leacock This is bloody terrifying. What the hell are they not testing the waterways for? That’s criminally negligent for a start. The long-term exposure to this lethal cocktail for the human population can only be very, very terminally bad. Cancer rates anyone?! This has to stop now and there has to be proper management and monitoring im- mediately. – Keith Millar cartoon Conch season - By Caymanman I see an irony here. Being so terrified by a virus that has a 99.8% survivability rate, but knowing that the chemicals that the govern- ment is spending its money on to spray bugs contain chemicals that positively harm, people, animals, water, and aquatic creatures. – Chris Ware I see pools of dead bees by the ocean and pool. Bees are essential pollinators. We should be more responsible about the insecticides used. – Paola Vazquez del Mercado They need to STOP spraying death on Cayman. They released the mutants and only God knows what became of them and what they have caused. Need more natu- ral mosquito traps. – Yornel Hill I am sure there must be some less toxic chemicals to use. This is quite shocking! – Avril Ward Bats eat about 1,000 to 2,000 mosquitos a night. We need to encourage more bats, not more cancerous chemicals that we are all breathing in, let alone the damage to the environment. – Andy Marshall If they are not testing the water in the mangroves, they cannot state they are doing things correctly! – Be Solomon CPA gives green light for new gas station in West Bay Why do we need another gas station? We already have two in West Bay and two on Seven Mile. How many more we need for God sake. Don’t people realise gasoline will soon be obsolete as there are better options instead of fossil fuel! This place is way too small for all these gas stations. It’s pure crazi- ness. Plus it should not be so close to residential neighbourhoods as it’s a fire hazard. – Mary Jackson Great. I hope they will open 24/7 because the other ones close way too early. – Rathore Sher Singh Do you know just where this is? We own property off Batabano Road, and Planning never sends us notifications until after it’s too late to object. There’s a huge apart- ment complex going in right across our tiny road. Our renter can hardly even make the corner to get in the driveway now. That notifica- tion reached us about three weeks after the deadline! – Kelly Reineking Cayman, UK discussing lockdown implications for BA flights If England is shutting down due to the increase of virus cases, I think all flights to here should be cancelled until they reopen to stop transmission of the virus here. – Kenneth Wendorf I’ve already rearranged my flight twice and been subjected to increased charges by BA each time; not again please. – Tony Groves We’ve cancelled Cayman this year anyway, no point going to a Caribbean island to be stuck in a facility for two weeks. We’ll wait until next November. – Steve Smith What they’re saying Online 4Roper confirms UK vaccine commitment JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Developments in rapid testing and progress on vaccine research provide reasons for hope amid the gloom as England goes into a second national lockdown, Governor Martyn Roper said this week. British MPs voted on Wednesday to approve a four-week lockdown, with pubs, restaurants and shops shutting their doors from Thursday. All but essential travel is banned for the next month in an effort to prevent a deadly second wave of the virus from overwhelming the National Health Service. Roper, the UK’s representative in Cayman, said in an interview with the Cayman Compass that he was in daily contact with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office about the unfolding situation in the UK. He said the aim of the strategy was to reduce the ‘r rate’ of the virus (the average number of people who will be infected by one COVID-positive person) to the point where the number of new cases started to come down. Roper believes British Airways flights, currently scheduled fortnightly between London and Owen Roberts International Airport in George Town, will continue. He said the UK rules don’t prevent students, Caymanians or permanent residents from coming back to the island. Travel from Cayman, which is effectively COVID-free, to the UK is also still possible despite the restrictions, he said. Cayman Islands representative to the UK and Europe, André Ebanks, confirmed on 4 Nov. that following discussions with the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, BA flights scheduled for 5 Nov. and coming weeks will not be affected. The transatlantic flights also bring a large amount of freight from the UK to Cayman and Roper believes they will remain commercially viable for BA, even with a reduced passenger load. The Governor’s Office organised the first air-bridge flights during the initial COVID crisis and Roper said his office was available to assist if needed, although the flight schedule and arrangements are being handled by government and the airline. He acknowledged the UK’s decision to go into lockdown could slow the hoped-for return of weekly flights between the UK and Cayman. Under the UK lockdown restrictions, which commenced Thursday, people cannot travel internationally or within the UK, unless for work, education or other legally permitted exemptions, the British government has said. Cayman’s UK Office confirmed the newly enacted lockdown measures permit essential international travel, similar to the spring/ summer lockdown. The four-week UK lockdown was part of new COVID-19 restrictions implemented by the Boris Johnson-led government. The proposed measures were passed in the House of Commons Wednesday afternoon, with 516 MPs voting in support and 38 opposed. The month-long lockdown, Johnson said, will end on 2 Dec. While things look bleak in Europe right now as new restrictions come into force, the governor believes there is light at the end of the tunnel. “The whole of Europe is going through a tough time. One of the things we can be positive about is the developments in testing and vaccines,” he said. A new pilot project will see everyone in the northwestern city of Liverpool get regular COVID-19 tests. It is hoped that the strategy – involving new rapid tests – will help prevent the spread of the virus through the early detection of cases. “Dependent on their success in Liverpool, we will aim to distribute millions of these new rapid tests between now and Christmas, and empower local communities to use them to drive down transmission in their areas,” Johnson said this week. Cayman has already successfully used testing to get the virus under control within its borders. Roper believes rapid testing and vaccine breakthroughs represent the best chance of a return to normalcy. “There are positive developments on vaccines,” he said. “We are not there yet and there is an element of uncertainty in these things, but the UK has a guaranteed supply from a number of different vaccines.” He said Overseas Territories Minister Baroness Liz Sugg had confirmed that the Overseas Territories, including Cayman, would be included in the initial roll-out of any vaccine. Roper acknowledged there was some scepticism about vaccines, but said he was reassured that the right checks and balances were in place to ensure public safety. “We will have to get the message across clearly that these vaccines will be safe. It is not going to be a total solution, but once a lot of people are vaccinated it will reduce the risk of the virus spreading.” Governor hopeful as UK goes into 2nd lockdown On the regiment: Roper said the UK had helped provide expertise and training to establish the regiment, which will ultimately have around eight permanent staff and up to 175 ‘reservists’. He said it was not an army but a ‘reserve force’ that would be trained to provide humanitarian aid and logistical support in times of crisis. “This is Cayman’s regiment. The UK has no political, economic or security objective in mind. It is simply an effort to support Cayman and the region in increasing resilience in the case of hurricanes and other natural disasters.” On the constitutional changes: The UK Privy Council meets on 11 Nov., when Roper expects it to rubber- stamp the constitutional changes. Among other things, the changes facilitate a name change for the Legislative Assembly to become a parliament. The governor said the changes were more than simply symbolic and set in stone Cayman’s autonomy on domestic affairs. Some of the practical changes also include the right to establish a police service commission and the right to be consulted on any Orders in Council being contemplated by the UK. What the changes don’t do is remove the right for the UK to legislate for Cayman and other territories in certain circumstances through those Orders in Council. On climate change: The UK is hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP 26 in Glasgow next year and Roper said the UK was hoping to galvanise the world to do a better job of limiting global warming. He said it was imperative for small islands like Cayman that the global community reduce greenhouse gases. Though Cayman is likely too small to make a significant impact on its own in that respect, he said there would be technical support from the UK as needed in areas like renewable energy. He believes the islands and other Overseas Territories, who will discuss the issue at the next Joint Ministerial Council this month, can also play a role in spelling out the consequences of inaction on climate change. Amid the increased threat of intense storms and rising sea levels, he said it was imperative for Cayman and the world that the targets of the Paris agreement – to keep the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C – were met. “The world is at a tipping point,” he said. “The global temperature going up by 2 degrees would be a disaster for many countries including Cayman.” In his own words: Governor Martyn Roper on major issues Governor Martyn Roper cayman compass 5 news N news FRIDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2020Tel: 640.6272 / 922.9711Email: carclinic.ky@gmail.com Oil & Filter Service + 26 POINT INSPECTION OPEN 6 DAYS A WEEK FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE Mon-Friday 7:30am - 5pm Saturday 9am -12pm. Auto Care Center diagnose the problem and fix it right the first time. We have certified licensed technicians. We diagnose and test your vehicle so we will NOT charge you for a FULL SERVICE if it’s not needed - NO HIDDEN FEES. FREE QUOTE. FREE DROP OFF SERVICE. 100% Customer Satisfaction Oil & Filter Service + 26 Point Inspection........................... $49.95 2 or 4 wheel Alignment starting at .................................... $80.00 Computer Scan Test.................................................................. $59.95 Full A/C Service........................................................................... $85.00 Drop Off Service to your Home or Office in the George Town area......................................................... $FREE AUTOCARE CENTER CallServiceDrop Off ice IO .......... $FREE WITHTHIS AD $ 49.95 529 Shedden Rd. Kirk Motors Building RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Sexual harassment and its effects continue to be an issue for many in the workplace, yet legislation making this a criminal offence in Cayman remains in draft format after eight years. Cayman’s Business and Professional Women’s Club has been highlighting the issue for years. Club president Andrea Williams said the group supports the efforts of members of the Sexual Harassment and Stalking Taskforce, which was led by Young BPW president Joannah Bodden-Small, who worked on the creation of the proposed law. Results of a survey published by the taskforce in 2008 found that two in five people had experienced sexual harassment. “This legislation will make sexual harassment itself an offence,” Williams said. “It sends a very strong message to the community that this type of bad behaviour will not be tolerated from anyone.” Family attorney Louise Desrosiers defined sexual harassment as unwelcome actions of a sexual nature by the harasser intended to put him or her in a position of power over the person being harassed. She said it can take many different forms. “Staring inappropriately, making sexually suggestive comments, telling or emailing inappropriate ‘jokes’, or subjecting someone to unwelcome physical contact, are all examples of sexual harassment,” she said. Desrosiers said that while legislation like the Gender Equality Law (2011 Revision) and the Public Service Management Law (2013 Revision) and Personnel Regulations (2013 Revision) provide some measure of protection for employees, “notably absent are laws for private sector employees and for discrimination outside of the workplace/occupational contexts”. She added, “A person’s ability to be free from sexual harassment should be considered a basic human right and the proposed law helps to support that proposition. Without the proposed law, gaps remain in the type of legal protection that can be provided against sexual harassment.” In 2018, the Penal Code was amended to make stalking an offence, and a Stalking Law was enacted, but no such legislation for sexual harassment has been gazetted. Law of intent The Young BPW taskforce began its work on the issue in 2006 and in 2009 submitted recommendations to government to inform the drafting of a law. The taskforce was disbanded in 2009. Three years later, the Law Reform Commission published a draft law for public consultation which was submitted for legislative action. Law Reform Commission Director Jose Griffith, responding to queries from the Cayman Compass on the status of the law, said it forwarded to the attorney general in May 2013 its final report on supporting the Sexual Harassment Bill. “The AG in turn forwarded the report and bill to the Ministry of Community Affairs, which is the ministry responsible for the subject matter. At this stage, the commission ... no longer has any involvement in the matter,” he said. The Compass reached out to Premier Alden McLaughlin, who is the community affairs minister, and his ministry for an update on the status of the proposed legislation, but no response was received by press time. The absence of the law was highlighted by Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale when she addressed the BPW annual candlelight dinner in September, but she stressed the importance of reporting incidents of harassment. “Although a sexual harassment law does not exist, many other existing laws can be used to address conduct in the workplace which amounts to a criminal offence. It’s still an offence to indecently assault someone, to use an ICT network to harass by sending sexually explicit texts or to publish pornography, and to engage in conduct that causes the victim to suffer psychiatric harm,” she said. Sexual harassment thrives in a culture of silence, Ramsay-Hale said. “The real question is why, even though these laws exist, such behaviour is not being reported. And the answer is a lack of education and support,” she said in her speech. The draft law carries penalties of fines and jail time for sexual harassment incidents, and would also made it an offence for an employer to take retaliatory action against someone who makes a sexual harassment complaint. Call to action Ramsay-Hale said hostile workplaces are bad for business and it is common sense that, since half the workforce is female, “it is in everybody’s interest to root [sexual harassment] out... There is a lack of understanding among business owners, even where sexual harassment laws do exist, of how to provide effective remedies for victims of sexual harassment in the workplace, so your charge would be to educate them.” The draft law mandates every company have a sexual harassment policy. In 2016, government released its own policy for the civil service. The 12-page document sets out how complaints of workplace harassment are to be made, who should handle them, and the potential outcomes of those investigations. Punishment, including dismissal from work, for sexual harassers and those who falsely report sexual harassment, are covered in the document. For Ramsay-Hale, the matter is one of advocacy at this point. “You don’t have to wait for a law to be passed to lobby businesses to introduce sexual harassment policies. So, while you wait for the law to catch up with your concerns, you should be advocating in our workplaces for sexual harassment policies to be introduced,” she told the Business and Professional Women’s Club. Sexual harassment law still in limbo No sexual harassment law exists in the Cayman Islands. “A person’s ability to be free from sexual harassment should be considered a basic human right and the proposed law helps to support that proposition . Louise Desrosiers , attorney 2 in 5 The number of people who said they had been sexually harassed Source: YBPW survey, 2008 cayman compass 6 FRIDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2020cayman compass 7 FRIDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2020Congratulations to Kheara Ramsahoi on receiving the Bro Leslie Forbes “Student of the Year” award, a laptop at the East End Primary School in 2017 Presented by Bro. Leslie’s daughter Patricia. Students of the Year Congratulations to Ryn-Anthony Rankin on receiving the Bro Leslie Forbes “Student of the Year” award, a laptop at the East End Primary School in 2018 Presented by Bro. Leslie’s daughter Patricia and son Ivan. Students of the Year Congratulations to Hosannia O’Connor on receiving the Bro Leslie Forbes “Student of the Year” award, a laptop at the East End Primary School in 2019 Presented by Bro. Leslie’s daughter Patricia and son Ivan. Students of the Year RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky The UK’s Privy Council is expected to approve Cayman’s constitutional changes next week, which include renaming the Legislative Assembly as a ‘Parliament’. On Monday, 2 Nov., legislators marked their final day as Members of the Legislative Assembly, by recounting some of their experiences as lawmakers and the history of the House. Premier Alden McLaughlin, in his speech on the last sitting of the legislature before its renaming, told his fellow lawmakers, "When the gavel sounds at the end of this first meeting of the 2020/2021 session of the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly, it will mark the end of a storied era as we say adieu to the institution known as the Legislative Assembly. When next we meet in these hallowed halls, this place shall be known as the House of Parliament." Proud moment The premier spoke about the body’s inception as an Assembly of Justices and Vestry in 1931 and its transition to a Legislative Assembly 60 years ago. “This, I am sure, is a matter of pride for every one of us here, and indeed for every Caymanian – a pride that is not about us as individuals but instead is one of national pride in the advances we are making as a legislature and as a country,” McLaughlin said. The change in name will see Cayman join Gibraltar and Bermuda as the only three UK Overseas Territories to have parliaments. The Privy Council will meet on 11 Nov. to consider the constitutional changes. As well as the renaming of the House, the Privy Council will also consider other amendments to the constitution, including an increase in the number of Cabinet ministers and the creation of a Police Service Commission. Livingston Smith, University College of the Cayman Islands professor of social sciences, said the renaming of the Legislative Assembly does not mean there will be any change in the substance of what members currently do, but it gives added status to the legislature. “What is does is to answer the desire for more local autonomy and political identity, while still enjoying the advantages, both real and perceived, of being a British Overseas Territory,” he said. “This term [Parliament] is more globally recognisable and is used throughout the Commonwealth,” he added. Historic step House Speaker McKeeva Bush lauded the significance of the milestone as the UK, after greenlighting changes to the Bermuda constitution which gave that jurisdiction a parliament, had indicated similar changes would not occur elsewhere. However, he credited McLaughlin and his team with being able to negotiate changes that moved Cayman closer to the constitutional arrangement that Bermuda had secured. In his speech, Bush recounted fond memories he had as a legislator in his 36-year career in the House. Opposition Leader Arden McLean, in his speech on the transition, said while renaming the House would not bring more autonomy, as it is already a legislature, he hoped it would bestow a “greater level of recognition” on the body. “While it may never be viewed as a major step forward, it is nevertheless a step toward greater self-determination,” he said. Bodden Town West MLA Chris Saunders urged legislators as they transition to Members of Parliament to raise the bar for future MPs. “Let us work to leave a legacy for others to build on,” he said. Smith said the upcoming name change reflected Cayman’s increasing political maturity. “From a historical perspective, this is a further point in the evolution and growing maturity and sophistication of the political process in the Cayman Islands. The 1959 Constitution was of particular significance. The leaders of Cayman politics have traditionally sought more autonomy and self-governance, while still operating as a British Overseas Territory,” he said. Last month, lawmakers passed the Legislative Assembly Management Bill, which gives greater autonomy to the legislature to manage its own affairs. Name change 'not a step toward independence' Smith said he does not see the change in name as having any implications for independence, as there is no major push for that locally. Cayman, he said, has historically been against independence, but sees the constitutional changes “as a more practical approach and alternative to going the independence route”. He also noted, “It is also a demonstration of the confidence that the UK has in the local process. This has been built and developed over the years.” Cayman Islands lawmakers hold their last meeting as a Legislative Assembly on 2 Nov. When they resume, the House will be called a parliament. Legislative Assembly adjourns, will resume as Parliament 60 The number of years the Legislative Assembly has been in existence 8First. It’s more than our name... It’s our nature. (345) 949-7028 Cayman First is refreshing its look. A small change perhaps. But as a leading Property & Casualty and Health insurer in the Cayman Islands for over 36 years, we’ve built a reputation for delivering best-in-class insurance solutions that help our customers Experience our new look and a whole new CaymanFirst.com COMMERCIALHEALTHHOMEMOTORMARINESTRATA cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2020Next >