Red Bay Seven Mile Beach Waterfront Walkers Road 100% hopper ® 0% Beef 100% W hopper ® 0% Beef 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 LOCAL Bush's assault trial begins Page 2 LOCAL "Wake-up call" for woman helping man hit by car. Page 11 Vaccine brings reopening hope A newly approved COVID-19 vaccine could soon be available locally, prompting leaders to think about Cayman's tourism plans. Page 8 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 4-10 December 2020PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. Compass Centre, Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. 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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 BECKMAN (R) (FRI & SAT) 4:05 | 7:15 | 9:40 (MON-THURS) 4:50 | 7:15 FREAKY (R) (FRI & SAT) 7:10 | 9:45 (MON-THURS) 7:10 HONEST THIEF (PG-13) (FRI & SAT) 2:20 (SAT ONLY) | 4:10 VIP | 7:00 | 9:15 VIP (SUN) 4:10 VIP | 7:00 | 9:15 VIP (MON - THURS) 4:10 VIP | 7:00 JINGLE ALL THE WAY (PG) (FRI & SAT) 1:15 (SAT ONLY) |4:15 | 6:55 | 9:20 (SUN) 4:15 | 5 6:55 | 9:20 (MON-THURS) 4:15 | 6:55 THE CROODS: A NEW AGE (PG) (FRI & SAT)1:00 VIP (SAT ONLY) | 4:00 | 6:45 VIP| 9:25 (SUN) 4:00 | 4:05 3D | 6:40 3D | 6:45 VIP | 9:15 3D | 9:25 (MON, WED, THURS) 4:00 | 6:45 VIP (TUES) 4:00 WAR WITH GRANDPA, THE (PG) (FRI) 4:30 (SAT) 1:45 | 4:30 (SUN) 4:30 | 7:05 | 9:30 KID CLUB SATURDAY 10AM TH EPOLAR EXPRESS (PG) For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA TUESDAY 7PM VIP THE HANGOVER (R) Pleads guilty to three of four charges against him ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky The trial for Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush began unexpectedly in Summary Court 3 Dec. after he pleaded guilty to three of four charges levied against him in connection with a February incident where he’s alleged to have physically assaulted a female staff member at a West Bay Road bar. Bush, who also serves as West Bay West MLA, faced three counts of common assault and one count of disorderly conduct. After originally pleading not guilty to all four charges in July, Bush’s defence team entered guilty pleas Thursday for two charges of assault and one of disorderly conduct. “My client is willing to enter guilty pleas to counts two, three, and four,” attorney Michael Alberga told Magistrate Kirsty- Ann Gunn. “As for count one, our position remains the same, not guilty.” Count one is the most serious of the three assault charges. It alleges Bush grabbed the woman by her hair and punched her in the face several times. Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran told the court the Crown would not accept the pleas unless Bush accepted the full facts of all the counts, including count one. “If it is to be submitted by the defence that the court should not rely on the facts of count one at sentencing, then the Crown does not find the pleas acceptable,” said Moran. In response, Alberga told the court Bush was not in a position to accept or deny the facts of the first count. “The allegations set out in count one cannot be seen on the CCTV and since my client has no recollection of what transpired, he cannot offer any evidence against the charge,” said Alberga. “However, the Court should watch the videos and decide whether it wants to attach any weight to [count one] and if so, how much.” The trial was due to proceed on Monday. Moran, however, opened the trial on 3 Dec. and only offered evidence on count one. In the CCTV video, which was played for the court, Bush can be seen staggering along path leading up the bar. A few feet away he holds onto a parked truck before collapsing between two large umbrellas nearby, leaving only his legs visible in the video. Minutes later, the complainant approaches Bush and, after a brief encounter, she is seen pulling herself away. In another video recorded in the kitchen, Bush can be seen grabbing the woman from behind. A struggle breaks out between the two as he attempts to take her phone. Moments later several staff members intervene and pull them away. In the third and final video, Bush is being escorted off the property when the woman comes up behind him and is held back by staff members. “The overall picture that has been painted is that my client went there like a raving mad man and beat somebody up,” said Alberga. “But that is not the case and the video will show this.” When re-watching the video, Alberga pointed to the woman’s hand movements and told the court, “it suggested that she also assaulted Mr. Bush on multiple occasions”. Gunn has ordered that an updated victim impact report be produced. No verdict on count one was returned. Sentencing for the three counts to which Bush pleaded guilty will need to wait until the matter involving count one is finished. Bush was released on bail. He did not speak to Cayman Compass staff waiting outside the courthouse and his attorneys declined to comment.Bush is set to return to court in January. Trial begins for Speaker Bush House Speaker McKeeva Bush, left, during a break in Thursday's proceedings. 2 FRIDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2020Discover 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 of cayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 4 DECEMBER 20201234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 German university city (7) 5 Greatly dismay (5) 8 Perversely obstinate (9) 9 Play on words (3) 10 Stratagem (4) 12 Be the basis of (8) 14 Spectre (6) 15 Find not guilty (6) 17 Lasting two years (8) 18 Advertise insistently (4) 21 Self-esteem (3) 22 Custom deemed above criti- cism (6,3) 24 Person of great strength (5) 25 Frugality (7) DOWN 1 Prank (5) 2 Carry laboriously (3) 3 Scottish valley (4) 4 Final part (6) 5 Assembled listeners (8) 6 Edict from the Pope (5,4) 7 Merciful (7) 11 Fall guy (9) 13 Questionable behaviour (6-2) 14 Liable (7) 16 Socially awkward (6) 19 Ungainly (5) 20 Forbid authoritatively (4) 23 Soft cry of dove (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16553 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 16553 ACROSS: 1 Cologne, 5 Appal, 8 Pigheaded, 9 Pun, 10 Ruse, 12 Underlie, 14 Shadow, 15 Acquit, 17 Biennial, 18 Plug, 21 Ego, 22 Sacred cow, 24 Titan, 25 Economy. DOWN: 1 Caper, 2 Lug, 3 Glen, 4 Ending, 5 Audience, 6 Papal bull, 7 Lenient, 11 Scapegoat, 13 Goings-on, 14 Subject, 16 Gauche, 19 Gawky, 20 Veto, 23 Coo. Education Ministry mulls extending Christmas break This is ridiculous! What about working parents? I don’t get to travel home for Xmas. Why should they and then totally affect every- one else’s lives? – Elizabeth Parkinson Hope work places consider offering some kind of ‘extended leave’ for parents also. – Maddie Rosales Why can’t they teach school online while in quarantine? – Diane Jackson Hasn’t there been enough va- cation time already this year? Are you sure this is not an April Fools’ 2021 joke? It sure is a joke to me. – Thomas K. Shropshire When I first read this I seri- ously thought this was a joke. We all miss our families who aren’t here, yet most of us cannot go to our boss and ask for two extra weeks because we want to go home to visit. Is this time going to be made up? Will children have to work harder during the rest of the year? What happens to those parents who pay tuition? What happens to those parents who don’t have a helper/family member to help with the kids? Will those parents have to take off two weeks (maybe more) without pay? What happens when they get back on island and test positive on day 15 and then have to extend? This is the most asinine thing I have heard of. My mind is blown! – Renee Bernardo EDITORIAL BOARD There’s a sports phrase primarily used in American football: “It’s not the ‘Xs and Os’, it’s the Jimmies and Joes.” Basically, all the playcalling and strategy in the world is great, but you need skilled people to properly execute the plan. After several months of the Compass’ Cayman 2.0 series – where we’ve spoken with the experts, the laymen and everyone in between to figure out how to make Cayman a better place to live – we want to focus on the people who have a chance of bringing to life some of the ideas and themes we’ve discussed. The December Cayman 2.0 series will highlight 21 people who can make a difference in 2021. Some of those people, like GreenTech Solar’s James Whittaker – featured in this week’s edition – you’ve heard from in the past. It’s pretty easy to see how someone like Whittaker, a Caymanian entrepreneur in the renewable-energy business, could use his ideas and clout to help improve Cayman’s standard of living and energy efficiency. Others, such as the author, the urban farmer and carpenter, and the boat owner, may not be so obvious in the way they can help shape the country’s future in the new year. But issues surrounding traffic, education and the economy are deep-rooted and closely intertwined with all aspects of our lives. So how could the children’s book writer help boost Cayman’s economy? Well, you’ll just have to read this month’s series to find out. The Cayman 2.0 series is dedicated to big ideas that can help our small country improve in a variety of ways. This month, as we approach the holidays, we’re dedicating it to the Jimmies and Joes (and Janes and Jills) who can help turn those big ideas into reality. cartoon Norwester - By Caymanman 21 people who can make Cayman better in 2021 What they’re saying Online Editor In light of recent breaches, should Cayman discontinue the quarantine-at-home option? cayman compass Total: 2,478 UndecidedYes No ONLINE POLL 45% 1111 50% 1245 5% 122 cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2020Actual Photo Actual Views cayman compass 5 FRIDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2020Couple banned, four cases being probed RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Police continue to investigate four cases of alleged breaches of home quarantine protocols, one of which has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecution for determination. A fifth case, the first to be flagged since Cayman’s 1 Oct. soft border reopening, was dealt with in court. In that case, Canadian couple Pascal Terjanian, 52, and Cristina Gurunian, 34, on 23 Nov. pleaded guilty to breaching quarantine-at-residence protocols. The couple, who broke quarantine on multiple occasions, departed the islands after paying their fines of $1,000 each. The couple in question have been banned from returning to Cayman while COVID-19 restrictions are in place. On 2 Dec. Travel Cayman confirmed that a file on an alleged breach of quarantine protocols on 29 Nov. by traveller Skylar Mack was sent to the DPP to determine if a prosecution will go ahead on the matter. She is alleged to have attended a jet-ski race in South Sound on that date. Mack was detained by police and relocated to a government facility, at her expense. Six individuals, including Mack, have been isolated following that incident. Three other cases of quarantine breaches remain under investigation. The circumstances of those breaches have not been released nor have further updates on the status of those cases been provided by officials. However, they have confirmed that no one has yet been charged arising out of those probes. Travel Cayman has said it carried out an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the more recent quarantine breaches and concluded that there was no malfunction in the wearable tracking technology being used by participants. Those convicted of breaching home isolation protocols are liable to a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment for up to two years. Meanwhile Travel Cayman has said the Mobile Compliance Team has increased checks at the airport to ensure that the iMSafe wristbands, which are used for the home isolation programme, have been fitted correctly prior to travellers exiting the arrival hall. It also pointed out that the technology used to monitor participants in the Quarantine in Residence Programme is different from those used by the Department of Public Safety Communications to monitor persons enrolled in the Electronic Monitoring of Offenders Programme, in collaboration with criminal justice system partners. 1 (345) 945-4040 1 (345) 640-4040 healthcitycaymanislands.com YOUR REACH Five quarantine breaches flagged Travel Cayman has said it carried out an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the more recent quarantine breaches and concluded that there was no malfunction in the wearable tracking technology being used by participants . cases of alleged quarantine breaches since 1 Oct. soft border reopening 5 cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2020® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Reimagine a Bright Christmas RBC is here to help you achieve your dreams for your home or your new car . Our mobile Mortgage & Auto Finance Specialists are ready to provide expert financial advice on mortgages and auto loans, safely at the location of your choice. This Holiday RBC gives you new ways to bank better. www.rbc.com/caribbean/reimaginehomeandauto Reimagine Better Banking cayman compass 7 FRIDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2020The majority of inbound travellers to Cayman who tested positive for COVID-19 had the virus when they landed at Owen Roberts International Airport, according to Public Health Department data. Between 1 Oct., when the phased reopening of Cayman’s borders began, and 2 Dec., 73 travellers, or 2.4% of the total 3,012 incoming passengers, tested positive for COVID-19. During that period, one locally transmitted case was also reported. According to statistics provided to the Cayman Compass by Public Health, 21 travellers tested positive for COVID during entrance-screening in October, while nine were found to be positive when they were tested following their 14-day mandatory quarantine. In November, 34 people were found to be positive when tested at the airport, and seven were positive when screened after two weeks in isolation. Public Health also supplied entry and exit test results for September, when a pilot version of the quarantine- in-residence programme was initiated, involving passengers on a British Airways flight. These show that three passengers tested positive at the airport, and two were positive at their exit screening. All individuals who have tested positive have remained in mandatory quarantine until they tested negative, public health officials have said. Since 1 Oct., people in the quarantine-in-residence programme have been required to wear wristbands with geofencing technology so that they can be monitored while in isolation. Questions about the effectiveness of the quarantine-in-residence programme have been raised recently following a number of alleged breaches that are being investigated, and one case in which a couple pleaded guilty to breaking quarantine. At a Cayman Islands Tourism Association forum last month, tourism industry representatives called for the government to implement pre- arrival COVID screening, arguing that by allowing people carrying the virus to land in Cayman, passengers on the planes on which they travelled, as well as the drivers who transport them to their places of quarantine, were being put at risk. The tourism industry also contends that pre- arrival testing could lead to shorter quarantine periods. At the forum, Commerce Minister Joey Hew said that the second wave of coronavirus hitting many countries meant local plans to implement pre- arrival testing had been shelved for now. “We were ready to roll that out, based on the risk of the country,” he said, “but now just about everyone, except perhaps Canada, that is a gateway country of ours is a high-risk country and we want them to have an extended time in quarantine.” In an earlier interview with the Compass, Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee, speaking about pre-arrival testing, said, “That’s easy. But people need to understand, the problem is the incubation period of this disease. So even if you return a negative result within 48 hours or 24 hours before you bought that plane ticket, you could be harbouring something.” According to the World Health Organization, it generally takes around five to six days – sometimes up to two weeks – for an infection to show up after coming into contact with a person carrying coronavirus. His statement follows the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency approval for emergency deployment of the vaccine. The move makes the UK the first country in the world to approve a vaccine for its population in the fight against COVID-19. “The Cayman Islands is in a good position to receive vaccinations as they become available. We are currently in discussion with Public Health England and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office about the imminent delivery of our first round of the vaccines,” McLaughlin told the Compass. The BBC reported 2 Dec. that, in announcing the approval, the regulatory agency said the vaccine is safe to be rolled out and offers up to 95% protection against COVID-19. Cayman’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee told the Cayman Compass, “I think the whole world is excited that vaccines are now becoming available to help us work our way out of this pandemic. There are still difficult times ahead, especially for countries struggling with rising infection rates, but as we begin to get our most vulnerable vaccinated, so too will we begin to feel more relaxed. The government has been working on its vaccination plans and will share these soon.” Prior to Wednesday’s announcement of the UK’s approval of the vaccine, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Samuel Williams-Rodriguez said he expected COVID immunisation doses to begin arriving a few weeks after the vaccine had Most COVID-positive travellers have virus when they land Premier: Reopening plans hinge on COVID vaccine programme PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 18» Statistics for COVID tests October-November 2020 3,012 travellers to the Cayman Islands (1 Oct. - 2 Dec.) 73 or 2.4% tested positive for COVID-19 cayman compass 8 N news FRIDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2020caymannational.com/christmas Sign up for a savings account and you could win cash over the 12 Days of Christmas! See details at caymannational.com/christmas Terms and Conditions apply cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2020Next >