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 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 24-30 December 2020 Diving into the holidays Cayman gets ready to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. Page 16 Photo: Tony Land, DivetechMatinees (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. WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK A CHRISTMAS STORY (PG) (FRI TO THURS) 3:20 | 8:10 CHARLIE’S CHRISTMAS WISH (PG) (SUN) 4:00 | 7:00 | 9:25 ELF (PG) (FRI & SUN ONLY) 5:45 (SAT ONLY) 12:30 | 12:45 | 5:40 (MON TO THURS) 12:30 | 12:45 | 5:40 HONEST THIEF (PG-13) (FRI & SUN ONLY) 10:30 (SAT ONLY) 10:20 VIP | 10:30 (MON - WED) 10:20 VIP | 10:30 VIP MONSTER HUNTER (PG-13) FRI & SUN ONLY) 7:00 VIP (SAT ONLY) 2:10 | 5:10 (MON TO THURS) 2:10 | 5:30 VIP PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (R) (FRI ONLY) 4:45 | 7:30| 10:15 (SAT - MON TO WED) 1:40 | 4:45| 7:30 | 10:15 (THURS ONLY) 1:40 | 4:45| 7:30 THE CROODS: A NEW AGE (PG) (FRI ONLY )3:15 VIP| 4:30| 7:15| 9:40 (SAT ONLY) 1:00 VIP| 3:00 VIP| 4:30| 7:15| 9:40 (SUN ONLY) 3:15 VIP| 4:30 | 7:15 | 9:40 (MON TO WED) 1:00 VIP| 3:00 VIP| 4:30| 7:15| 9:40 (THURS) 1:00 VIP| 3:00 VIP| 4:30| 7:15 WONDER WOMAN 1984 (PG-13) (FRI & SUN)3:40 VIP| 4:00| 4:30 VIP | 5:40 VIP| 7:30| 8:00 VIP| 9:00 VIP | 9:30 VIP (SAT ONLY) 12:30 | 1:35 VIP| 3:30 VIP | 4:00| 5:40 VIP | 7:00 VIP | 7:30 VIP | 8:00 VIP | 9:00 VIP (MON TO THURS) 12:30 | 1:35 VIP| 3:30 VIP| 4:00| 5:40 VIP | 7:00 VIP | 7:30 VIP | 8:00 VIP | 9:00 VIP KIDS CLUB AND CLASSICS WILL RETURN AFTER THE HOLIDAYS! 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 weather 82°F HIGH 72°F LOW Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy skies with a 40% chance of showers. WINDS Northerly at 10 to 15 knots at daytime becoming 15 to 20 knots with higher gusts by evening SAT 79°F HIGH 72°F LOW SUN 80°F HIGH 73°F LOW MON 86°F HIGH 73°F LOW TUES 86°F HIGH 73°F LOW WED 86°F HIGH 74°F LOW THUR 86°F HIGH 74°F LOW caymancompass.comfacebook.com/caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass SEA STATE Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet at daytime becoming rough with 5 to 7 feet by evening with 2 feet swells along the south and east coast. No word on possible appeal RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Neither House Speaker McKeeva Bush nor the Director of Public Prosecutions office has confirmed, as of 23 Dec., if they will be challenging Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn’s suspended sentence that was imposed on the West Bay West Member of Parliament. Gunn, on 21 Dec., sentenced Bush to two months in prison, suspended for two years, for three common assault charges laid against him, and fined him $700 for disorderly conduct. The sentence does not prevent him from running in next year’s general election. She also ordered that he pay $4,279 in compensation to the victim, a female bar manager, whom he assaulted in February at Coral Beach Bar on West Bay Road. The magistrate also imposed a curfew order, which will run for 60 days and which limit Bush’s daily movements between 6pm and 6am. The curfew order does not apply if Parliament sits past 6pm, but he must be home within an hour of the close of the session. Gunn, in passing sentence, described the veteran lawmaker’s behaviour as “shameful”, saying that to not record a conviction against Bush would “entirely send the wrong message”. She added that he had no one else to blame for the sentence but himself as he was highly intoxicated at the time of the offences. She said the House Speaker’s actions in the incident could not be described as “a mere mishap” and was “most offensive” as the victim was rendering help in what quickly became an “unprovoked attack”. Bush, represented by attorney Michael Alberga, had previously pleaded guilty to two of the three common assault charges that were laid against him following the incident, and not guilty to the first count – the more serious offence. In that charge, according to DPP Patrick Moran’s case, which included CCTV evidence of the incident, it was said that Bush grabbed the bar manager by her hair and punched her in the face several times. He also hurled bus tubs (plastic containers used to carry dishes) at the woman. Miller: Bush should quit Parliament North Side Member of Parliament Ezzard Miller has since called for Bush to either resign or be removed by Premier Alden McLaughlin. In a 22 Dec. statement, Miller appealed to the premier and the Unity government to “do the right thing for Caymanians and Cayman, and to publicly ask the Speaker to resign” by 24 Dec. In the absence of such action, Miller called for the premier to convene a special meeting of Parliament on 4 Jan. “to remove the Speaker and to have him replaced with someone other than a currently serving Member of Parliament”. When asked about Bush’s sentence at a 21 Dec. press conference, McLaughlin said government would have to take time to consider the matter. However, he added, “I am not sure the country will be well served now by my taking action which precipitates the collapse of the government and the holding of early elections. So, we have to bear that in mind.” Miller said he took strong issue with the premier’s position, as he discounted McLaughlin’s prediction given the numbers in the House. “Currently there are eleven members on the Government bench and seven members on the Opposition bench (five in the Official Opposition). If the Speaker is removed, even if fellow West Bay representative MP Capt. Eugene Ebanks does opt to ‘cross the aisle’ to join him, there will still be ten on the Government bench,” he said in his statement. Miller vowed not to support any move to remove the current government, and stated that eight members cannot bring down the government. The Cayman Compass contacted both McLaughlin and Bush for comment on Miller’s statement, but as of press time neither had responded. From left, McKeeva Bush and his lawyer, Michael Alberga, outside court on Monday, 21 Dec. Bush given suspended sentence, curfew order What the court ordered Suspended sentence of two months’ jail on each common assault charge Fined $700 for disorderly conduct Ordered to pay $4,279 in compensation to victim Curfew order imposed for 60 days cayman compass 2 N news THURSDAY, 24 DECEMBER 2020Discover your masterpiece. Christie’s International Real Estate’s and Provenance Properties’ curated network of property specialists are trusted advisors in the art of connecting buyers and sellers of fine homes. Call +1.345.640.7000 or visit the website. provenanceproperties.com from the team at Provenance Properties Happy Holidays! cayman compass 3 THURSDAY, 24 DECEMBER 20201234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Desert saddle animal (5) 4 A light diaphanous fabric (7) 8 Write (3) 9 French wine-producing area (9) 10 City of the Hanging Gardens (7) 11 Take delight in (5) 13 Pass by (6) 15 Forceful energetic person (6) 18 Fortunate (5) 19 Audibly (3,4) 21 Cathedral of Paris (5,4) 23 Earth’s atmosphere (3) 24 Integrity (7) 25 Disparage (5) DOWN 1 Competent (7) 2 West Europe’s highest peak (4,5) 3 Of a particular district (5) 4 Crevice (6) 5 Irreverence (7) 6 A soft pear-shaped fruit (3) 7 Poor (5) 12 French patriot, d. 1431 (4,2,3) 14 Diffidence (7) 16 Obedient to discipline (7) 17 Turning on an axis (6) 18 Execute without legal sanction (5) 20 To set foot (5) 22 Yellowish brown colour (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16571 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 16571 ACROSS: 1 Camel, 4 Chiffon, 8 Pen, 9 Champagne, 10 Babylon, 11 Enjoy, 13 Elapse, 15 Dynamo, 18 Lucky, 19 Out loud, 21 Notre dame, 23 Air, 24 Honesty, 25 Decry. DOWN: 1 Capable, 2 Mont Blanc, 3 Local, 4 Cranny, 5 Impiety, 6 Fig, 7 Needy, 12 Joan of Arc, 14 Shyness, 16 Orderly, 17 Rotary, 18 Lynch, 20 Tread, 22 Tan. cartoon Christmas Beef - By Caymanman The sentence fits the crime Good for you Cayman!! Ms Mack knew in advance the penalties for breaking quarantine, she tampered with the electronic device to attend the competition. Ms Mack admitted she attended the competition, wore no face mask thus putting people at risk, all for selfish reasons. If she is pre-med, she of all people should’ve known the seriousness of her actions. Poor young lady had to empty her savings account to pay a fine, boo-hoo. Maybe she should have thought about that before she even made the decision to attend. Debra Dinkel US travellers must abide by the rules I did not know where else to write, so because of your very good reporting and written story, I believe your government was correct in jailing Skylar Mack for COVID violations. I am a US citizen, and many in the US believe we are so special, so above the rest of the world because we come from America. This, in my opinion, is so arrogant and also incorrect. Her parents’ appeal to Mr. Trump [asking] he attempt to intervene should be dismissed because he has no authority over the Cayman Islands, nor should he. Her behaviour is an embarrassment to right-thinking Americans, but, unfortunately, this false narrative of superiority is rampant here, and it is certainly not helped by the arrogance of our current president. I hope no one was harmed by her actions. Guy Henry 4-month sentence was appropriate I found the four-month prison sentence given to Ms. Skylar Mack for violating quarantine to be entirely appropriate. Actually, I find it lenient, and Ms Mack should be grateful. Let me add that because Mr. Ramgeet has received the same prison sentence, Ms Mack is not “the exception” to the rule, despite her grandmother’s fears. From the legislation passed there, it sounds as if the Cayman Islands has taken the COVID-19 threat seriously – something that Ms Mack and Mr. Ramgeet did not. Ms Mack, the article says, is a pre-med student. If true, she is a pre-med student without the proper concern for medical issues – like the impact of COVID-19. Surely, as an American, she’s seen the startling statistics detailing the staggering numbers left dead. Today we are approaching 320,000. I’m a 72-year-old man living in Washington State, and my wife and I wear masks whenever we leave the house. Yes, we do this for ourselves – but we also do it for others, as well. Neither she nor I can understand the blithe indifference to the health and welfare of others demonstrated by so many, Ms. Mack among them. I sincerely hope that Ms. Mack’s sentence will give her the time she needs to widen her perspective and sense of responsibility. She clearly needs to consider how her actions might affect those around her. John Scannell Sentence should have been tougher I read about the girl from Georgia that broke quarantine to attend her boyfriend’s competition. She needs to serve two years. She has no remorse except she got caught. I am sure if she was not caught, she would be bragging to her friends how she got away with it. You hear about ‘ White Privilege’, this is a good example. Her family is trying to get the United States government involved to release her. Please keep her. Josef Johnson Jail sentence is too harsh Cayman’s jail sentence of the teenage girl and her boyfriend is barbaric and reeks to high heaven with contradiction and irony so heavy it could sink a barge!! I could not believe my eyes when I saw the picture of the two kids with masks on led by two officers without masks. Would it be a burden to explain this situation? How can you people justify it? How do you have the [bravery] to put these people in jail at the same time you break your own law for wearing a mask? I think I’m going to be sick... Virgil Cottongim [Editor’s note: There is no law currently requiring court or prison staff to wear masks] Quarantine staff was amazing We just completed our quarantine. What people need to know is how amazing the government and the staff supporting this initiative have been. I have a special-needs son, and we’re going to do a lot to help those kids on this island. In addition I’m bringing down an educational spelling game that I invented. I’m going to give this game to every child on the island who wants it, for free. I took some video of my son singing to the medical staff. What I’d like to say is if a 25-year-old autistic man who loves the beach and the ocean can look at it from a sealed door for 16 days, that means anyone can do this basic, small requirement to keep this island safe. Thank you for everything that you do to keep this island safe, and I’m going to do whatever I can to give back. Thanks again. Todd Ferguson What they’re saying Funny... a couple can get four months jail for breaking quarantine for a virus that has a 98% recovery rate… Yet beat a woman… apparently no big deal! Hmmm. Brian Hagan If the Cayman Islands are so serious about keeping everyone safe, why are they having ‘ crowded events in the South Sound’ in the first place? Seems like they want to have it both ways. The punishment is too harsh, she is 18. Make her miss Christmas and then send her home , lesson very much learned and $2,600 poorer. Mark Bradford If you truly valued life over money, you would’ve banned all tourism right? The Cayman Islands are COVID-free largely because they are islands, not because of throwing young people in jail for breaking quarantine. A four- month sentence will not stop young from being stupid, get real. Whether it ends up being four or 15 months, it doesn’t really matter, nothing good of it will happen for Cayman as a result. And if something happens to her in prison, it could turn into a very serious problem indeed. Richard Keach Letters to the editor cayman compass 4 news N news THURSDAY, 24 DECEMBER 2020ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky No further legal action is expected on behalf of Skylar Mack and Vanjae Ramgeet, the couple who made international headlines after being sent to prison for their respective roles in a quarantine breach, according to their attorney Jonathon Hughes. “We’re not exploring any further avenues of appeal,” Hughes told the Cayman Compass 22 Dec., after the Court of Appeal reduced their sentences from four months to two months in jail. “In reality, a two-month sentence means that both individuals will have to serve roughly five weeks in prison. That’s 60% of the total. That’s how our law works,” Hughes said. “They both already served one week. So we’re expecting Skylar and VJ both to be out roughly in four weeks, somewhere around the 20th of January.” The Court of Appeal was the third court to hear the case. Mack and Ramgeet were originally ordered to perform 40 hours of community service and pay $2,600 each by the Summary Court after Mack, an 18-year-old visitor from the United States, was arrested for violating COVID-19- suppression regulations. Mack was charged after removing her government-issued geo-fencing bracelet, a tracking device required to be worn by each person entering Cayman as part of the country’s quarantine- at-home programme. After taking off the bracelet, Mack left the Newlands residence in which she was staying to watch her partner, 24-year-old Ramgeet, participate in a jet-ski event. Ramgeet was charged with aiding and abetting Mack after picking her up from the residence and taking her to the event, where they both interacted with several members of the public for at least seven hours, without wearing face masks or practising social distancing, according to court records. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed that sentence and Grand Court Justice Roger Chapple last week increased the sentences to four months imprisonment, before the Court of Appeal ruled 22 Dec. to cut that prison time in half. The court also ordered that Mack not re-enter Cayman as long as the borders remain closed. Hughes says he and his clients were grateful the appeals court heard the matter at all as it was not due to be back in session until April. “Of course, we’re happy with that,” Hughes said. “For Ms. Mack, in particular, difficult for her because she’s going back to Fairbanks Prison for another couple of weeks. But this is what the legal process is for.” Mack and Ramgeet were the first two people charged under a recent amendment to the regulations that increased the penalty for breaking quarantine. “We understand the background of this case, what the Cayman Islands have been through and the seriousness of what Ms. Mack and Mr. Ramgeet did and have accepted doing. They’ve never tried to run away from this,” Hughes said. Hughes said that public anger and frustration led to his clients receiving a more stringent penalty than those who commit offences that carry similar maximum sentences. “The prosecution was of the view that the message they were sending was that no sentence short of imprisonment was appropriate to send a message in cases such as this,” Hughes said. “If you look at other offences that carry a two-year maximum sentence... somebody of previous good character – who’s young and who pleads guilty – ordinarily does not go to prison.” When asked by the Compass after the Court of Appeal ruling if he felt the sentence was fair, Hughes declined to answer the question directly. “Three courts have looked at this, they’ve come up with three different answers,” he said. “It is a very difficult exercise and it is a case that has very split opinion – I would say right down the middle. If I were to express my view on fairness, that would be just my view. Ultimately, the courts are there to determine that.” Kevin Morales contributed to this report Attorney: No further appeals planned for Mack, Ramgeet “We’re not exploring any further avenues of appeal.” Attorney Jonathon Hughes WATCH THE VIDEO ONLINE NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Skylar Mack and Vanjae Ramgeet were the first people to be jailed under Cayman’s recently updated quarantine regulations, but they’re certainly not the first in the world to receive prison sentences for breaching a country’s isolation rules. From small islands, like the Isle of Man and Singapore to the huge island of Australia, and even in Mack’s homeland of the United States, courts have been handing down punitive jail terms to those who put local populations at risk by ignoring quarantine rules. Isle of Man As of 22 Dec., the Isle of Man – population 83,314 – had reported a total of 374 cases, three of which were active, and 25 deaths. Under the island’s regulations, arrivals are required to quarantine for 14 days. Breaches of quarantine carry a penalty of fines up to £10,000 (CI$11,133) or three months in prison. Dale McLaughlin, 28, was given a four-week jail sentence on 14 Dec. after riding a jet-ski from Scotland to the little island in the Irish Sea to visit his girlfriend. Under local COVID-suppression laws, only non-residents with special permission are allowed to enter the island. Having never ridden a jet-ski before, he undertook the four-and-a-half-hour journey to travel from the Isle of Whithorn to Ramsey on the Isle of Man on 11 Dec. The following evening, he and his girlfriend visited two busy nightclubs. He was arrested on 13 Dec. after police carried out an identification check. In September, takeaway delivery driver Ivan Dimitrov, 50, who went to work three days after returning from abroad, was jailed for eight weeks for breaking quarantine laws. Dimitrov, who is Bulgarian, had returned to the island on 3 Sept. after spending time abroad. Three days later, he went back to work as a delivery driver for a Douglas-based restaurant. He was arrested after his actions were reported to police by a member of the public. Alistair McCormick, 64, was jailed for four weeks in August after admitting visiting a bank and an electronics store in Douglas on 21 Aug. when he was supposed to be self-isolating at home. A court heard that McCormick had spent about 20 minutes in the bank after a cash machine retained his bank card. He was reported to police after telling a member of staff in the bank that he had returned to the island about 10 days ago, having spent three-and-a-half weeks in the UK. Fraser Nolan of Belfast, Northern Ireland, was jailed in August for four weeks on the Isle of Man after using public transport while she was supposed to be quarantining. She had received special permission to travel to the island, which was closed to non- residents, to settle her late mother’s estate. Having arrived on the island via ferry from Belfast on 16 Aug., she was spotted the same day leaving her quarantine residence to travel to a locksmith by public bus. Singapore As of 22 Dec., Singapore – population 5.8 million – had reported a total of 58,461 positive Quarantine prison sentences abroad Skylar Mack is led from the police van ahead of her Court of Appeal hearing on Tuesday, 22 Dec.Vanjae Ramgeet steps off police van on his way into court on Tuesday, 22 Dec. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12» news N news 5JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky The Cayman Islands is still in the midst of a forgotten humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of families facing Christmas without the means to pay for power, water or food, a charity leader has warned. Though the islands may have escaped the worst impacts of the health crisis, it has not been immune to the economic consequences of the pandemic. At the headquarters of Cayman charity Acts of Random Kindness, director Tara Nielsen is receiving scores of new requests for support every day. There’s the 103-year-old woman who had her power cut off. There is the Jamaican mother of a Caymanian child who has lost her job but can’t get government support because she is not from the island. There are countless others, including many who are receiving the $1,000-a-month government stipend, that still need extra support to meet their basic needs. “This is what wartime looks like,” Nielsen said. “It is hunger and homelessness and mental illness. People are fighting for survival every day.” There are 850 case files, many of them representing large families, in a thick binder on her desk. The vast majority of them are people turning to charity for support for the first time in their lives. She said they were used to being the breadwinners in their families and asking for help from a charity was a last resort. At the height of the crisis, with soup kitchens springing up across Cayman, she said the community was very focussed on helping those in need. But as some sense of normalcy has returned within Cayman’s borders, the attention has drifted as the problem has worsened. “Everything is bright and cheerful and there is Christmas music and lights everywhere; it is almost as if people are living in two opposite dimensions,” Nielsen said. “The sense that we are in crisis is fading. The problems are out of sight and out of mind.” A combination of business closures, job losses and emergency pension funds running out are making the issue worse as Christmas approaches, she said. Many of the measures introduced to alleviate financial pain during the lockdown – including grace periods for utilities bills – have only served to kick the can down the road. ARK has been getting multiple applications from people for assistance in making payments to CUC, dating back months. The main requests relate to water, utilities, rent and food, but Nielsen is also concerned that thousands of people who have been laid off have been left without health insurance. Nielsen said the support being provided by government through the monthly stipend and the Needs Assessment Unit was, in many cases, not enough to meet the needs of Caymanian families. There is also a significant number of non- Caymanians who are still on island who do not qualify for any support. She said it was not as simple as saying, as many have, that they should go home. Some can’t afford flights – often upwards of $2,000 – to return to countries where COVID is rife and they have no employment. The mandatory repatriation fee of $200 required by government for work permits has not been put towards exit flights and would not come close to covering the cost in most instances. Other foreign workers still have some shifts in Cayman but aren’t making enough money to survive. “We are advising people, if they can, to go to their home country – to go to wherever they have a roof,” said Nielsen. “But it is not black and white. Some have Caymanian children that are in school here, others are hanging on in hope that the borders reopen in a month and their job comes back.” ARK has committed $25,000 in January on rent payments alone. Nielsen said the charity had received a lot of support from the community. But she is concerned that many people, whose lives have returned to normal, don’t realise how bad things are for those who continue to be impacted by the COVID crisis. “Sitting with clients and hearing their stories is so moving and, in many cases, it is quite easy to help.” A $100 CUC voucher or a Foster’s card is enough to elicit tears of gratitude. ARK also provides some gift cards to parents of young children to help them get presents for Christmas. “There are people who can’t buy their kids anything,” she said. “It’s a really sad feeling because they believe in Santa and they want to know why he doesn’t come to their house.” As Cayman Islands residents make their final preparations for Christmas, she hopes they will consider supporting those who can’t enjoy the festive season. “Instead of buying a $50 scented candle for Secret Santa, buy a CUC voucher for someone who needs it,” she said. Nielsen’s wish for next year is that Cayman starts to address what she sees as some of the systemic problems of providing aid to those who need it most. “We have to start finding solutions. The problem is not going to magically disappear on New Year’s Eve because it is not 2020 any longer.” A binder of 850 case files at charity Acts of Random Kindness tells the story of a forgotten humanitarian crisis, says director Tara Nielsen. Families suffering through ‘forgotten’ crisis “There are people who can’t buy their kids anything. It’s a really sad feeling because they believe in Santa and they want to know why he doesn’t come to their house.” Tara Nielsen , director, Cayman Acts of Random Kindness How to help: To support ARK’s Kindness Connects Us campaign, visit www.caymansark.com. cayman compass 6 news N news THURSDAY, 24 DECEMBER 2020® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. Season’s Greetings from RBC On behalf of all of us at RBC ® , thank you for your continued support during the pandemic. Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and joyous Holiday season with health and happiness in the coming year. The Holidays, Reimagined cayman compass 7 THURSDAY, 24 DECEMBER 2020RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Being home for the holidays is a feeling like no other, and for Paul Puckerin there was a point when he felt like that emotion would pass him by this year. However, on Sunday, 20 Dec., Puckerin and 49 other passengers boarded a special Cayman Airways charter flight to Barbados, allowing them to spend the yuletide season with relatives. “Earlier, when the first charter got postponed, I felt that hopefully it would go for Christmas, and by then I knew that more persons would have been prepared to travel for Christmas. So I was always positive that it [would] happen,” he told the Cayman Compass via a WhatsApp video call Tuesday, 22 Dec. Puckerin, a training coordinator with Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman, said the feeling of touching down at the Grantley Adams International Airport was extra special this time, given all that had transpired in 2020. “It’s an exciting feeling,” he said. “I know my family is even more excited that I’m back home for Christmas, be- cause they were not anticipating that I was returning home... They thought I [would] be home next year when I’m celebrating my 50th birthday.” He said seeing the reaction from his family when he arrived was “heartwarming”. When his flight was confirmed, Puckerin said he hit the ground run- ning to put everything in place to make the trip. “I was, like, when do we need to do the [PCR] test? What was the baggage allowance, because I need to carry stuff home. It was just mov- ing with the moving pieces, and then arriving at the airport. I thought it was even smoother than I [expect- ed]. I really have to commend the Cayman government for the strict protocols that are in there to ensure safety,” he said. Some of the passengers on the flight went on to Trinidad and Tobago. Juliette Gooding, honorary consul to Barbados, said the timing of the flight could not have been better, as Cayman was initially on the high- risk list in her home country. “Halfway through the planning and booking phase, Barbados moved Cayman to high-risk status, which meant quarantine for arriving pas- sengers, regardless of the fact they were flying direct. I wrote to the Min- istry of Health in Barbados, present- ing a case why Cayman should not be on the high-risk list. I cannot say that that letter had any impact but on arrival in Barbados, passengers received an early Christmas pres- ent – Cayman was taken off high risk and so there was no longer a need for quarantine at a government facility,” Gooding said, in an emailed response to Compass queries. Puckerin said passengers were delighted when they got the news at the airport. “We are still required to take the second test and monitor our temperatures and follow the pro- tocols as expected,” he said. “But I thought it really worked out well as a good Christmas gift not having to quarantine and have to go through that process.” Gooding said she was happy that the flight took off without a hitch and, while she could not make the trip herself, the response from the families that could was satisfying. “Passengers told me they were overwhelmed with emotion when the aircraft touched down and when they got the news that they could go and see their families immediately. Some openly cried tears of joy. This could not have happened without the help of Cayman Airways and its staff who bent over backward to walk me through the things I needed to do to get the charter off the ground,” she said. Kimberley Griffith, who returned to her family home in St. Michael, Barbados, could not contain her joy. “My Christmases have been traditionally spent with close friends and relatives, so after a particularly difficult year, I was thrilled that the tradition would not be broken,” she said via email. Griffith said touching down in Barbados was quite emotional. “I have never gone this long with - out vising home and it felt amazing to be able to reconnect again. I tried to return earlier this year when my grandmother passed away in June. It was just not possible to travel and return at the time, especially with the requirement for a connecting flight,” she said. Griffith said she was thankful for the opportunity to have a direct flight home this Christmas. Gooding said the charter arose from the need of some Barbadians, who were no longer employed, wanting to go home rather that stay in Cayman and be dependent on the government. “That was not something they wished to do,” she said. “It was also born from the fact that several Barbadians longed to go home to visit relatives and some had lost loved ones and could not attend funerals or other family events. It was a mental and emotional strain on everyone,” Gooding said. When the flight returned to Cay- man Sunday evening, 20 Dec., ap- proximately 70 returning residents, including children, were on board. “My deepest satisfaction is en- tirely just to be able to facilitate this means of getting them home to be with family at Christmas,” she said. “My deepest sadness and regret – there are two – that some persons who should have been on the flight did not make it as I felt their grief once this was known and, two, that I did not go to Barbados.” Home for the holidays Barbados charter spreads yuletide cheer Kimberley Griffith and her mom Marcia after she landed in Barbados. Paul Puckerin at home in Barbados. Kimberley Griffith boards the charter flight to Barbados. Paul Puckerin, pictured with his family members Ermine, Storm and Phillipa Puckerin. 8butterfieldgroup.com Address: 12 Albert Panton Street, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. 9Next >