EASTERN AVENUE 6 New Wicked Shrimp cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalismWeekly, 13-19 November 2020 Eta prompts flooding fears Page 6 Vials of blood, syringe found on SMB Page 8 ayman sompas d news sourc 6Established 1965 urnalisWeekly, 13-19 November 2020 Fighting against education inequality in Cayman Page 16 The great divide: Photo: James Whittaker Vaccine could prompt early 2021 reopening Page 119 travellers test positive for COVID-19 Nine people who had recently travelled tested positive for COVID-19 between 5 and 11 Nov., according to Government Information Services. All nine are asymptomatic and will remain in quarantine until they are fully recovered. That brings Cayman’s total number of positive cases to 253 as of 11 Nov. Of those who tested positive, 236 have fully recovered. One man – an Italian cruise ship visitor who was the first person to test positive for COVID-19 in the Cayman Islands – died due to complications relating to the virus. There have been 48,761 total samples tested in Cayman. Forecasters eye approaching tropical wave National Weather Service forecasters on 12 Nov. said they are monitoring a tropical wave east of Cayman that is expected to strengthen to a tropical depression. The system was located 850 miles southeast of the Cayman Islands and was heading west at six to 12 miles per hour. The US-based National Hurricane Center gave the system an 80% chance of development over the next two days and a 90% chance of development over the next five days. “Any impacts on the Cayman Islands will be highly dependent on development of the system,” the National Weather Service said in an email. “Too early to speculate on specific local weather impacts and, with this in mind, residents are encouraged to monitor the progress of this system.” Constitutional changes approved The UK Privy Council has given the green light to a number of amendments to Cayman’s Constitution, which include changing the name of the Legislative Assembly to Parliament. The Cayman Islands will become the third British Overseas Territory to have a legislative body known as parliament. It is due to sit for the first time under its new name in December. The Constitution (Amendment) Order 2020 was tabled before the Privy Council on Wednesday, 11 Nov. Compass parent company to acquire part of Hurley’s Media The parent company of the Cayman Compass is in talks to acquire parts of Hurley’s Media Ltd., according to a statement from Compass Media publisher Kathleen Capetta. The acquisition includes Hurley’s Media’s four radio stations – Z99, Rooster FM, Irie FM and Bob FM. “The negotiations are at an advanced stage but remain subject to approval by OfReg,” according to the statement. Red Cross launches appeal to help Eta victims The Cayman Islands Red Cross has launched an appeal to help victims of Hurricane Eta. One of the fiercest storms to hit Central America in years, Eta struck Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 150 mph before weakening to a tropical depression as it moved inland and into neighbouring Honduras and Belize. While the official death toll is not yet known, the Guatemalan government has confirmed 44 people were killed as a result of the storm. Dozens of others were killed in Nicaragua, Honduras and Belize and tens of thousands displaced. “Here in Cayman we experienced Eta as a Tropical Depression that passed 45+ miles away from us, and we saw just how vulnerable our Island was, especially in light of the rainfall that we had been experiencing prior to this storm,” Red Cross director Jondo Obi said in a press release. The Cayman Islands Red Cross is taking monetary donations only. Donations can be made to Butterfield account #1360350540060 or at the Red Cross office on Hospital Road. Miller’s party opens office as election season nears Leaders of the newly launched Cayman Islands People’s Party on 12 Nov. opened the doors to their new offices at One Cayman House, in George Town. North Side MLA Ezzard Miller serves as the party’s interim leader. He was joined by the party’s chair Donovan Ebanks and secretary Gilbert Connolly – who are both also serving in an interim capacity – for a ceremony celebrating the opening. “The party is about trying to put in place something that will allow the people to participate in governance, and to have control,” said Miller. The party was registered with the Elections Office in November of last year. It’s planning a series of community meetings, the first of which is scheduled for 15 Nov., in George Town. Man arrested for DUI after blowing 4 times the legal limit Police on Tuesday arrested a 49-year-old Bodden Town man on suspicion of driving under the influence after a roadside breathalyser test showed his blood-alcohol content at four times the legal limit, according to a Royal Cayman Islands Police Service press release. Officers pulled the car over around 6pm after they saw the vehicle travelling in the oncoming lane, according to police. A breathalyser test on the man returned an initial result of .4. The legal BAC limit in the Cayman Islands is .1. Matinees (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00 (Mon-Fri before 6pm) Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets 640-FILM (640-3456) Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. 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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 weather 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy skies with a 30% chance of showers. WINDS Northeasterly 10 to 15 knots. SAT 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW SUN 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW MON 89°F HIGH 77°F LOW TUES 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW WED 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW THUR 89°F HIGH 79°F LOW caymancompass.comfacebook.com/caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass SEA STATE Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. news in brief Cayman Islands People's Party interim officers (from left) Donovan Ebanks, Ezzard Miller and Gilbert Connolly pose for the ribbon-cutting at the party's headquarters. 2 FRIDAY, 13 NOVEMBER 2020cayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 13 NOVEMBER 20201234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 With regard to (2,3) 4 Neatly packed together (7) 8 At the price of (3) 9 Offer without being asked (9) 10 Illegal act (7) 11 Intense pain (5) 13 Long narrow ditch (6) 15 Comment (6) 18 Broaden (5) 19 Wraith (7) 21 The existing condition (6,3) 23 Acknowledgment of debt (3) 24 Outermost (7) 25 Boxing match (5) DOWN 1 Insult openly (7) 2 A long way from home (3,6) 3 Split (5) 4 Visitor (6) 5 Commonplace (7) 6 Generation (3) 7 Slow to act (5) 12 Under one’s control (2,1,6) 14 Embarrass (7) 16 A citrus fruit (7) 17 Impenetrable to sight (6) 18 Use to no purpose (5) 20 Reserved and haughty (5) 22 Social insect (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16535 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 16535 ACROSS: 1 As for, 4 Compact, 8 For, 9 Volunteer, 10 Offence, 11 Agony, 13 Trench, 15 Remark, 18 Widen, 19 Phantom, 21 Status quo, 23 IOU, 24 Extreme, 25 Fight. DOWN: 1 Affront, 2 Far afield, 3 Riven, 4 Caller, 5 Mundane, 6 Age, 7 Tardy, 12 On a string, 14 Confuse, 16 Kumquat, 17 Opaque, 18 Waste, 20 Aloof, 22 Ant. What do you think about the idea of Cayman’s population growing to 100,000? cayman compass Total: 714 I support the idea, let's push ahead ONLINE POLL 6% 44 22% 155 1% 5 9% 69 62% 441 I'm OK with idea as long as it’s planned correctly I don't care either way I do not like the idea, but accept it is inevitable I don't like the idea, and strongly oppose it DoA probes report of animal cruelty during storm I’m not surprised. So many people just don’t have the compassion for dogs. There are people here who I’ve seen leave their dogs outside even during a hurricane. Humans need to take responsibility for the animals we domesticated. We changed them permanently for our advantage, the very least we can do is respect them. – Steffen Pitta Windsor park has a gang of dogs barking at everyone at night. I love dogs but if the dog bites someone the dog has to pay with his life. Ignorant owners. – David J. Henriquez What about those wild dogs going around Grand Cayman streets and biting people? That's a serious problem too. – Aldo Fuligni Let’s hope something is actually done about it! – Jerrod Wilson This is an ongoing problem in the Cayman Islands and I would be surprised if the DoA is not fully aware of the extent of the problem. – Bruce Smith Sadly this has been happening for a long time. Until real conse- quences are given to so-called pet owners this horrible behaviour will continue. Our government needs strict laws with big penalties enforced to get these people to do the right thing for their pets. Either that or they shouldn’t have pets in the first place. – Jennifer Deak Wagner Help these animals Cayman Islands government! Give them the basic rights and care they deserve! – Victoria Bise These people that do this are disgusting. Why have a pup if it’s left outside tied up 24/7? Even worse during that awful weather we had – tie them to a tree in knee-deep water. – Julie Edwards Aviation firm submits plans for Brac ‘base’ Nobody else raise an eyebrow reading this? I can’t be the only one with concerns. – Brian Bodden Plus a simple name change to ‘Guantanamo Brac’. – Steve Pettitt Simple answer to that applica- tion is a big fat NO. Without doubt it would attract the wrong attention. – Jerry Young Why the hateful comments? This could be a good opportunity for Cayman. It’s a training centre which could bring revenue to the Brac. Opportunity for future Caymanians to get their licence to fly. They do medivac and I am sure that this would not just be for Cayman but a base for the Ca- ribbean. Disaster recovery; again, not just for Cayman but a base of operation for the Caribbean... I could go on. – Lisa Motta Sounds like a great investment with good benefits for the Cayman Islands. – Sheridan Robinson Beachgoers find vials of blood, syringe on Seven Mile My kids found a vial of blood and several vaccine bottles washed up in South Sound. Like one of the people in the article, I also thought it was an isolated incident, but it seems not to be. – Rachael Yule I’m guessing its origin is pretty local? Maybe hospitals sending samples and supplies between islands and the storm hit it? Or most likely a hospital has out- sourced medical waste disposal to a company that is just dumping it in the sea? – Craig Carlin Most likely medical waste that was poorly discarded. We regu- larly have trash from Cuba, Haiti, Honduras & Jamaica that ends up on our beaches after storms. – Jolene Nelson I also found two needles near Governors Beach – among many other things. Way too many plastic cups from the Westin and these white sandbags that wash up on the shore or get stuck on the corals. – KT Matos cartoon The Frog - By Caymanman What they’re saying Online cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 13 NOVEMBER 2020cayman compass 5 FRIDAY, 13 NOVEMBER 2020 Discover your masterpiece. Christie’s International Real Estate’s and Provenance Properties’ curated networks of property specialists are trusted advisors in the Call +1.345.640.7000 or visit the website. provenanceproperties.com MEMBER OF CIREBA Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman From US$1,400,000 MLS#: 408247, 50, 57, 409578-79, 410013, 411301, 411361, 411752-55, 412160 when others see a we see a HOUSE WORK ART of6 news N news Hew: Government has spent $1 million to upgrade drainage system JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Cyclists slogged through axle- deep water and children played on inflatable pool toys in the flooded roads of Grand Cayman on Saturday, 7 Nov., as Tropical Storm Eta tested the limits of the island’s stormwater-management system. In some areas, homes were inundated with water and roads were left pockmarked with potholes. Dramatic footage from one home in George Town showed water streaming through every room in the house. The extent of the flooding from what was a tropical storm has raised concerns about the vulnerability of parts of Cayman to more severe devastation in the event of a major hurricane. In George Town Central, one of the worst impacted areas, MLA Kenneth Bryan said the events of the weekend strengthened his calls for greater urgency to be placed on the development of a national stormwater-management plan. “I am very concerned, given the seriousness of this little storm and what it did, that if we had a major hurricane hit the Cayman Islands, we would be in trouble.” He said the continuing development of South Sound in particular was interfering with the natural drainage processes in the area, leaving residents on Crewe Road more exposed to flooding. He also suggested culverts, designed to filter stormwater into the wetlands, were being blocked off by new developments. Bryan has previously advocated for a national plan that includes new strategies to prevent flooding in residential areas. He is also in favour of a government programme to help property owners in low-income, low-lying areas raise the grade of their land and make their homes more resilient to flooding. Government investment Joey Hew, the government minister for infrastructure, said more than $1 million had been spent over the past year on enhancing and improving stormwater management. He said new drains had been installed and significant sums had been spent on increasing the size of drainage pipes and wells. Though Eta was not a major storm in terms of wind power, he said it had brought a “tremendous amount of rain” to the region. “We saw flooding across the island, in West Bay and George Town, but also in North Side and areas that do not normally flood. “The interesting thing is that in most areas, including in George Town, the water ran off quite quickly.” He said the drainage systems had worked but with such heavy and consistent rainfall it would always take time for the floodwater to drain away. Hew acknowledged there were ongoing issues, particularly with developments that had been built below sea level. He said a committee had been set up prior to COVID, and the National Roads Authority was leading efforts to continue improving and upgrading the drainage system. Department of Environment concerns The rapid development of South Sound and the potential impact on stormwater management has been causing concern for some time. The Department of Environment has raised the issue on numerous occasions, which includes a long-standing recommendation that government undertakes a comprehensive ‘hydrological assessment’ of the South Sound drainage basin. With new developments springing up all the time and a new road gazetted in the area, the DoE has advised that a qualified consultant be recruited to devise a stormwater- management plan for the area, including drainage engineering specifications for the proposed road and for future development, to minimise the impacts of stormwater. A cyclist battles through the floodwater in Windsor Park on Saturday, 7 Nov. Children play in the flooded road in West Bay caused by Tropical Storm Eta. “I am very concerned, given the seriousness of this little storm and what it did, that if we had a major hurricane hit the Cayman Islands, we would be in trouble.” Kenneth Bryan MLA Eta prompts fears over growing flood threat“It took 40 years to build up the site in the first place,” he warned. In the meantime, Arch said, he is doing what he can to make a difference. The after-school club starts in the next school term in January. Youngsters will be taught about the biology of the rays, as well as proper handling of the animals, and excursions will involve additional activities, including snorkelling, fishing and tubing. Older children will be trained as deck hands as part of the club, which costs $50 for a single charter and $90 for two trips a week. For more information, email caymansnorkel@gmail.com. JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky A water-sports operator is trying to help save his business and preserve the North Sound sandbar by recruiting young ‘stingray guardians’ as part of an after- school snorkel club. Jason Arch, of the Cayman Snorkel Company, has seen his customer base disappear amid the total collapse of tourism due to the coronavirus pandemic. And with the number of stingrays at the sandbar also diminishing dramatically, he is concerned for the future of the tourist attraction. Arch hopes to help solve two problems with one idea, by offering an after-school club that takes schoolchildren to the site to feed the rays. The business ran a successful camp for kids in the summer and he hopes he can get enough interest from parents and youngsters to sign up around 50 kids to join the club. That would allow a rotating roster of children to visit the site every day and help feed the rays and ensure they stay at the sandbar. A recent three-day census count by the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation discovered a resident population of 47 rays at the site, compared with 118 found in a similar survey conducted the previous year. The foundation attributed this to a large reduction in the ‘supplemental feeding’ from tour boats that visit the site. Arch said this was no surprise to him or to the other North Sound operators. During his occasional post- lockdown charters he has observed the decline. The last time he was at the sandbar, he said, there were only seven rays. “There are a lot of rays that we have names for that you see on every visit and we are not seeing them. There is one called ‘Frisbee’ that doesn’t have a tail, who everyone knows. We haven’t seen her since COVID.” While this is not a health concern for the animals themselves (the foundation concluded they were likely foraging for food in other areas), it does create concerns for the tourist attraction. North Sound operators are already struggling to keep their businesses afloat. Now many are wondering if there will be a site to return to once the tourists come back. “The real worrying thing is the attraction itself. Stingray City is the islands’ most popular tourist attraction and we don’t know what that will look like in the future, depending on how long the borders remain closed.” He said he was hopeful that the rays would return when the tourists do, but nothing is guaranteed. Because what matters most is your health, be proactive about it. Aetna, British Caymanian, Cayman First, Cinico, Generali and Pan American Life include Baptist Health in their insurance plans. In addition to the above insurance carriers, BAF and Fidelity are accepted locally at Baptist Health PET & CT Imaging Center in Grand Cayman. For more information or to schedule an appointment contact: BaptistHealthInternational.net | 786-596-2373 | International@BaptistHealth.net There were 47 rays at Stingray Sandbar during a recent Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation three-day census. That’s down from 118 stingrays found in a similar survey last year. Stingray guardians to help ‘save’ sandbar Number of rays at Stingray Sandbar during a recent census 47 news N news 7NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Public Works Department staff have been checking areas of Seven Mile Beach following reports of vials of blood and syringes washing ashore in the rough seas that accompanied Tropical Storm Eta on Saturday. Crosby Solomon, acting manager for parks and recreation, at PWD, who spoke to the Cayman Compass near the shore in front of the Aqua Bay Club condos on Seven Mile Beach on Wednesday, said his department had received a number of reports about vials and syringes being found in the area. But he said in his assessment of locations where residents said they had found these objects, including at West Bay’s Cemetery Beach and Aqua Bay Club, he had not found any. “[After a storm], we do assessments to see if there are any broken [tree] limbs or items washed up. We had a team out on Sunday, and came back again yesterday to take a second look, and back here again today after hearing about syringes and other stuff, but in the areas I’ve checked so far, I haven’t seen anything like that.” He added, “There are a few plastic bottles here and there, limbs broken, but nothing to the extent of what I’ve been seeing going around [on WhatsApp].” April McIntosh, who did a beach clean-up with friends Wednesday morning, said the group had filled three large bags with plastic debris. During their efforts, she said, they found two vials of blood, as well as many glass vaccine bottles amid the debris. She said her gardener had also found a syringe on the beach by her property on Monday. On Tuesday evening, when McIntosh and her husband, Steve, were taking a walk along the beach, they found a vial of blood and a hypodermic needle in the sand near Aqua Bay Club. She said they were “gobsmacked at the amount of micro plastics and forks and flip flops and plastic bottles and bottle caps. We were walking along with our mouths open and then saw a vial of blood, and just past that, a syringe.” She said they had nothing to enable them to dispose of what they found, so she and friends returned to the site the next morning. They found the vial of blood, along with a second one, but could not locate the syringe. Noting that they have been living in Cayman for 20 years, she said she had never before seen that kind of debris on Seven Mile Beach. “I cannot even speculate where it came from,” she said. “It’s the last thing you want to see on beaches. You don’t want your kids to be playing on a beach digging that stuff up. It is really dangerous, especially the needles... The vials of blood as well make me [think] this is maybe a medical waste issue.” Another resident, Karen Hart, said she also found a vial of blood on the beach at the high-water mark at the Westin hotel on Sunday. “I really didn’t know what to think, apart from that it was weird and horrible,” she said, adding that she had picked it up and put in a bin outside the hotel. “I didn’t make a fuss about it. I didn’t realise that there would be more.” She said, as a parent, she was especially concerned with what she had found, saying, “My 4-year-old would have been all over that.” Debris dots Cemetery Beach. April and Steve McIntosh found this vial of blood during a walk on Seven Mile Beach on Tuesday evening. Beachgoers find vials of blood, syringe on Seven Mile 8cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 13 NOVEMBER 2020Next >