TM & © 2021 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. For a limited time only. Box features Rip’n Chicken breast, 2 regular sides and biscuit. 7Rip’n ChickenTM Big Box EASTERN AVENUE cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 19-25 February 2021 Contenders start to come forward Page 5 Coast Guard law on hold Page 10 CIFA: WC qualifi ers still on Page 31 Revealing Cayman's recycling route Page 6 Concerns raised over development's silt plume. Page 3Matinees (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 JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH (R) (FRI-SAT) 7:10 | 10:05 (MON-THURS) 7:10 MASTER HUNTER (PG-13) (FRI) 4:30 VIP | 7:15 | 9:50 (SAT) 2:00 VIP | 4:30 VIP | 7:15 | 9:50 (SUN) 4:10 | 4:30 VIP | 7:15 | 9:50 (MON-THURS) 4:30 VIP | 7:15 THE CROODS: A NEW AGE (PG) (SAT) 2:05 (SUN) 4:40 | 7:05 | 9:35 THE LITTLE THINGS (R) (FRI) 3:35 | 7:00 | 9:55 (SAT) 12:40 | 3:35 (MON-THURS) 3:35 | 7:00 THE MARKSMAN (PG-13) (FRI) 4:10 | 7:30 VIP | 10:15 VIP (SAT) 1:35 | 4:10 | 7:30 VIP | 10:15 VIP (SUN) 4:10 | 6:40 | 7:30 VIP | 10:15 VIP (MON-THURS) 4:10 | 7:30 VIP TOM & JERRY (PG) (FRI) 4:00 VIP | 4:30 | 6:30 VIP | 6:50 | 9:00 VIP (SAT) 1:00 | 1:30 VIP | 4:00 VIP | 4:30 | 6:30 VIP (SUN) 4:00 VIP | 4:20 | 6:30 VIP | 6:50 | 9:00 VIP | 9:20 (MON-THURS) 4:00 VIP | 4:30 | 6:30 VIP | 6:50 WONDER WOMAN 1984 (PG-13) (SUN) 4:40 VIP | 8:00 VIP | 9:20 WRONG TURN (R) (FRI) 3:30 VIP | 3:45 | 7:00 VIP | 9:20PM | 10:00 VIP (SAT) 12:30 VIP | 3:30 VIP | 3:45 | 7:00 VIP | 9:20 | 10:00 VIP (MON & WED-THURS) 3:30 VIP | 3:45 | 7:00 VIP (TUE) 3:30 VIP | 3:45 SATURDAY NIGHT: KIDS CLUB RANGO (PG) SATURDAY 10AM ALSO AVAILABLE IN VIP (MON & WED-THURS) 3:30 VIP | 3:45 | 3:45 CULTURE NT LIVE: NO MAN’S LAND (R18) SAT. 8PM For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted CLASSICS FURIOUS 7 (PG-13) TUES. 7PM VIP 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 EDITORINCHIEF KEVIN MORALES weather 81°F HIGH 73°F LOW Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with a 30% chance of showers. SEA STATE Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. SAT 83°F HIGH 73°F LOW SUN 84°F HIGH 74°F LOW MON 84°F HIGH 73°F LOW TUES 84°F HIGH 74°F LOW WED 84°F HIGH 76°F LOW THUR 84°F HIGH 76°F LOW caymancompass.comfacebook.com/caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass WINDS Southeast at 10 to 15 knots. FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass CPA adjourns decision on Dart hotel for 2 weeks Central Planning Authority Chairman A.L. Thompson has recommended that the planning body deliver a decision on Dart’s application for a new 10-storey hotel, even if the National Conservation Council is unable to convene and submit its views on the $80 million development. No decision on the application was fi nalised following the 16 Feb. meeting, and the matter was adjourned to the next meeting, set for 3 March. Thompson told CPA members that they could make a decision on the application, or put it off for 15 days, until the next board meeting – but recommended that the matter take no longer than that. Doctors Express seeking ‘very signifi cant sum’ in damages The lawyer for Doctors Express said the medical facility is seeking “signifi cant” damages for a 2019 raid on the premises – during which medical cannibis was confi scated – that was found to be unlawful. James Austin-Smith also addressed the issue of whether judicial review was the correct format for the judge to award damages. “The modern case law, the preferred approach, is you can get damages from judicial review. Certainly you can under the Cayman Islands Constitution, where public offi cers act unlawfully, so we will be saying to the judge you should order damages in these proceedings,” Austin-Smith explained. While he would not be drawn in on a specifi c fi gure, the attorney listed the following fi nancial considerations: damage to the medication, some of which had to be thrown away; loss of business; reputational damage; and the cost of legal proceedings, which began in September 2019. CUC cuts Flow’s ‘unauthorised’ connections from 14 sites Caribbean Utilities Company removed Flow’s “unauthorised attachments” from its poles the weekend of 13 and 14 Feb., causing service disruption for the telecom provider’s customers in the eastern districts. In an emailed response, following queries from the Cayman Compass 15 Feb., CUC’s corporate communications manager Pat Bynoe-Clarke confi rmed action had been taken by the utilities company. “The removed attachments, among others, were made without the requisite attachment permits being granted by CUC subsidiary DataLink, Ltd and represented an immediate safety concern as a result of their proximity to the electrical lines and other infrastructure,” Bynoe-Clarke said in her statement. Flow Cayman, in a statement to the Compass Monday evening, 15 Feb., confi rmed that some of its customers in Bodden Town were currently experiencing service disruptions resulting from “cuts to its fi ber and copper network caused by the Caribbean Utilities Company Limited (CUC) over the weekend”. Two new suspected quarantine breaches investigated Police have confi rmed that they are investigating two new suspected quarantine breaches, but declined to provide details of those latest incidents. In a brief statement to the Compass, a Royal Cayman Islands Police Service spokesperson confi rmed that there are an “additional two investigations being carried out by the RCIPS relative to incidents of suspected COVID-19 breaches”. However, the spokesperson said even though these are open investigations it does not mean there were breaches. “It simply means an enquiry is being made into circumstances reported to the police.” Case fi les for six previously reported quarantine breach investigations have been completed, the spokesperson said, adding that the fi les were awaiting ruling. Four police car crashes in 10 days A crash involving a police car and a suspected drunk driver in West Bay on 12 Feb. took the total number of collisions involving RCIPS service vehicles to four over a 10-day period. On the evening of 12 Feb., the police service vehicle and a gold Honda Accord collided at the intersection of Watercourse Road and Hell Road. The police car hit a nearby fence, sustaining minor damage and the Honda was heavily damaged. The drivers of both vehicles, including the offi cer behind the wheel of the police car, were breathalysed. The 46-year old male driver of the Accord, who was arrested on suspicion of DUI, was uninjured in the collision. He was later granted bail. News in brief Doctors Express is seeking “signifi cant” damages for a 2019 raid on the premises ruled to be unlawful. – Photo: submitted cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2021FRIDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2021Ironshore being removed to create tidal pool NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky A bank of silt emanating from the construction of a tidal pool at the FIN development on South Church Street stretched along the coast for several hundred feet on Wednesday. Developer Mike Ryan told the Cayman Compass in an email that silt screens had been set up to mitigate the work – which involves removing part of the ironshore to create a saltwater tidal pool – but an unexpected change in sea conditions meant the silt spread. He said the weather had been forecast to be calm throughout the week and workers at the site had put silt screens and other measures in place, which were “being checked in a regular basis by DOE staff”. “Shortly after work commenced [Wednesday] morning, the current and swell shifted and began coming across the shoreline. We immediately ceased work and devoted all our resources and attention to removing materials from the shoreline and mitigating any impact,” he said. Department of Environment Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie said FIN has an operational plan – which the DoE reviewed and signed off – that requires the development, among other things, to monitor turbidity and take certain identified corrective actions. “However, I think it must be understood that it is almost impossible to conduct excavation work in ironshore that close to the water without causing major turbidity events. The only way to prevent this from happening was to not have approved the pool to begin with,” Ebanks-Petrie said. Ryan said the FIN team met with the DoE inspector who visited the site Wednesday, 17 Feb., and implemented his suggestion to add strategic sandbags to the site to further mitigate the impact of the silt. “We continue to monitor the situation and take whatever actions are appropriate,” he said. Ryan added, “We spent a long time developing a careful program for this work that was approved by the DOE and we are working closely with them to monitor it as we progress. We have, and remain fully compliant with that approved program.” View from above Grand Cayman resident Tracy Candish was flying back from Little Cayman when she spotted the plume of silty water from the window of the Cayman Airways Twin Otter plane. She captured the scene on her phone. “Many of the passengers on the plane were shocked and saddened, knowing the damage it would be doing to the ecosystem. They said they had no idea anything like could happen because they cannot typically see the shore side of construction,” she said in an email to the Compass. Candish, a regular snorkeller and diver in that area for 25 years, said she believes the silt may have suffocated nearby coral, sponges, sea fans and marine life in the area, adding that she had seen similar impacts from other developments along the coastline. “I snorkel, swim and dive that whole reef system from Eden Rock to Sunset House. I have seen the ‘Dead Zones’ that excavating have caused in the past from two previous condo projects north of Fin. The sponges, sea fans and coral get choked and die. The fish have nothing, leave, and it is barren. It seems unsustainable that the very thing that may attract a buyer, is destroyed during construction. “What’s done is done and it breaks my heart.” Planning background Under the terms of its planning permission for the tidal pool and an artificial beach, which was granted in 2019, FIN was required to submit its ironshore-removal plan to the DoE before the work could go ahead. The DoE, and the National Conservation Council, in their submission to the Central Planning Authority at the time, raised the potential negative effect of sedimentation during construction of the pool. Their submission stated, “The sea pool is located directly adjacent to a Marine Protected Area. The sea pool is likely to negatively impact the Marine Protected Area during construction and operation. These potential adverse impacts arise directly from the construction of the proposed sea pool (e.g., severe sedimentation as a result of excavation of iron shore etc.) and the indirect and ongoing impacts associated with maintenance of the pool and beach. We are of the view that placement of excavated sand adjacent to the sea pool to maintain a beach is likely to lead to the introduction of organic material and other contamination and also do not believe that the artificial beach will survive the wave action and overtopping that this site regularly experiences. Additionally, we are concerned that elevated water temperatures and poor circulation will cause persistent poor quality in the pool itself which will periodically be flushed into the offshore environment.” Prior to commencement of work at the site, the developers were mandated to prepare a Construction Environmental Management Plan detailing the scope of third-party monitoring agreed in writing with the DoE on behalf of the National Conservation Council. According to the minutes of the Central Planning Authority meeting at which the application was considered, the scope of that plan included “duration of monitoring, monitoring locations, control site locations, parameters to be measured, the threshold level of 4 NTUs (Nephelometric Turbidity Units) and reporting requirements as well as any other information which may be deemed required by the DoE. The Plan shall be complied with during construction.” The development also required an Operational Environmental Management Plan and agreed in writing with the DoE for water-quality monitoring before construction. To facilitate the creation of the saltwater tidal pool, sand would have to be added. As a condition of the approval, the CPA stated that the placement of the sand should be on a trial basis for 18 months. “During this time, the DoE shall be afforded access to the site for monitoring purposes. If the supply of site-derived sand is exhausted during the trial period, then no additional sand shall be placed at the site at any time. If the supply of site-derived sand is low during the trial period, and the importation of sand is expected, then a Sustainability Plan shall be prepared by [FIN Development] and agreed in writing with the DoE on behalf of the NCC,” the CPA conditions stated. The minutes stated, “Given the conditions required to be imposed by the National Conservation Council, it would appear that the environmental impacts associated with the tidal pool’s proximity to the sea will be minimal and this is a material consideration to allow the proposed setback.” - Additional reporting by James Whittaker FIN developer Mike Ryan As seen from the air, the lighter colour water along the shoreline shows the spread of the silt plume from the FIN development on South Church Street. - Photo: Tracy Candish Concerns raised over FIN silt plume “It must be understood that it is almost impossible to conduct excavation work in ironshore that close to the water without causing major turbidity events. The only way to prevent this from happening was to not have approved the pool to begin with.” Gina Ebanks-Petrie, director, Department of Environment cayman compass 3 news N news FRIDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 20211234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Bode (5) 4 Fight in close combat (7) 8 Mass of fish eggs (3) 9 Serial wife-killer in folklore (9) 10 Shamefaced (7) 11 To cast (5) 13 To swagger (6) 15 Good character (6) 18 A wild card (5) 19 Distinctive characteristic (7) 21 Enjoying excellent health (2,3,4) 23 Ball hit in high arc (3) 24 By unspoken implication (7) 25 Cleverly humorous (5) DOWN 1 Blimp (7) 2 US banknote (9) 3 Fanatical (5) 4 Allow reluctantly (6) 5 Judge (7) 6 Leguminous vegetable (3) 7 Give permanent income to (5) 12 Delicately flavoured food fish (3,6) 14 To set right (7) 16 Quivering (7) 17 Image of a person (6) 18 Combined (5) 20 Obliquely (5) 22 Involuntary twitching (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16619 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 16619 ACROSS: 1 Augur, 4 Grapple, 8 Roe, 9 Bluebeard, 10 Hangdog, 11 Throw, 13 Prance, 15 Credit, 18 Joker, 19 Feature, 21 In the pink, 23 Lob, 24 Tacitly, 25 Witty. DOWN: 1 Airship, 2 Greenback, 3 Rabid, 4 Grudge, 5 Arbiter, 6 Pea, 7 Endow, 12 Red mullet, 14 Correct, 16 Trembly, 17 Effigy, 18 Joint, 20 Askew, 22 Tic. 400 applicants seek affordable housing Government built homes in West Bay, George Town, Bod- den Town and East End, but nothing in North Side. I live in Frank Sound and there’s a lot of undeveloped land that govern- ment can purchase and build affordable homes. I’m just sick and tired of renting. I’ve been on the waiting list for years! Government need to go back to the old policy of deducting payments from salaries. It would help those that can not qualify through the banks. – Beulah Walton The policy should be a 30% expat tax to create a sovereign wealth fund for Caymanians, this will benefit the country’s economy and its people. Afford- able housing would be no more of an issue. – Charles S Whittaker Ramos says there’s only so much he can do because even though they say it’s affordable, it still boils down to money and most of these people probably How do you deal with traffic and the daily commute? Leave earlier or later Leave earlier Leave earlier or later cayman compass ONLINE POLL 53% Changed or left a job 1% Changed work schedule 10% 7% Moved closer to work Public transportation 2% Work remotely12% Cycle or walk 1% Listen to music/podcasts 14% cartoon What they’re saying Online won’t qualify because they’re not being paid a good salary. – Owen Prehay Sr I would build apartments as well with all of that land. Therefore more persons can have a roof over their heads. It would still be better than paying rent. #justsaying - Marien Rodriguez Human Rights Commission: No parliamentary code of conduct leaves Cayman ‘behind’ I’m actually surprised this wasn’t required to be in place before the change to was granted to be a Parliament. At any rate, this will just become one more instance where lawmakers fail to meet basic standards, the UK will eventually require it. Then instead of holding the lawmakers accountable people will complain about UK over reach. – Jackie Myles DEH seeks new location for Red Bay recycling depot More outlets will close too because some people are so dis- respectful and nasty, using these outlets to dump other garbage. It creates an unsightly environment. - Betty Ebanks Maybe we should start to recycle things at home and have a date of collection: like biodegrad- able or non-biodegradable twice a week. - Jeff Guevara This location should’ve stayed open until a new location was ready to open. I imagine Grand Harbour was frustrated at the poor upkeep there - oftentimes bins were overfl owing and it was un- sightly. DEH needs to make more regular pickups at all the locations. - Carol Rouse Million dollar babies: The eye-opening costs of parenting in Cayman Everything is very expensive. Having a child here is too much; health insurance just for 1 adult and 2 kids is around $600 per month and that’s just a regular premium, for those that still have a job. Baby diapers and formula are crazy and school fees and supplies are another big expense. Rent: how a single woman with an income of $2000 per month can afford to pay rent, pay health insurance, buy diapers and for- mula and pay for a nanny etc... impossible. - Grisel Gonzalez Most persons in the working class do not make $2000/month. E.g. persons who work at the su- permarkets defi nitely do not make that. Not to mention the rental costs for a house. Forget about thinking of buying a house, the houses cost millions of dollars. - Alesia Mclaughlin A real shame what people have to sacrifi ce to be able to start a family here in Cayman. - Dominic Dacres Trust me, it’s not only here. I’m originally from Italy and I can guarantee, without a double income, it’s not affordable to raise a family. - Aldo Bertagna CAL’s 737-8 planes set to return to service Doubt they’ll have many takers to fl y on that particular plane de- spite all the PR they’ve been doing either... - Anna Peccarino Planes back but no tourists... - Patrick Murphy cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2021Cayman Brac East Cayman Brac West & Little Cayman West Bay West George Town North George Town West George Town South George Town East George Town Central Red Bay Prospect Newlands Savannah Bodden Town West Bodden Town East North Side East End West Bay South West Bay North West Bay Central A fi rst look at Cayman’s candidates RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky With the 1 March Nomination Day drawing closer, incumbent Members of Parliament and their would-be challengers have hit the ground running after Premier Alden McLaughlin triggered early elections. Although a hopeful only offi cially becomes a candidate when they sign on the dotted line and pay their $1000 deposit, a number of names are being bandied about in the community as aspiring MPs. So far, the Compass counts 17 challengers who have publicly declared; a handful are yet to make public announcements. As it stands, only one of the 19 incumbent MPs has opted not to seek re-election: veteran Savannah MP Anthony Eden. Here’s what we know thus far when it comes to the race to Vote Cayman 2021. Green running Amber pending Red not running GEORGE TOWN CENTRAL Kenneth Bryan WEST BAY NORTH Bernie Bush Rolston Anglin GEORGE TOWN NORTH Joseph Hew Johann Moxam RED BAY Alden McLaughlin Sammy Jackson GEORGE TOWN SOUTH Barbara Conolly Alric Lindsay GEORGE TOWN EAST Roy McTaggart NEWLANDS Alva Suckoo Wayne Panton Roydell Carter GEORGE TOWN WEST David Wight Pearlina McGaw- Lumsden SAVANNAH Anthony S. Eden Heather Bodden Jeanna Williams Malcolm Eden CAYMAN BRAC EAST Juliana O’Connor-Connolly WEST BAY WEST McKeeva Bush CAYMAN BRAC WEST AND LITTLE CAYMAN Moses Kirkconnell EAST END Arden McLean Isaac Rankine BODDEN TOWN EAST Dwayne Seymour Osbourne Bodden WEST BAY CENTRAL Capt. Eugene Ebanks NORTH SIDE Ezzard Miller Justin Ebanks Debra Broderick PROSPECT Austin Harris Michael Myles Sabrina Turner BODDEN TOWN WEST Christopher Saunders WEST BAY SOUTH Tara Rivers Raul Nicholson-Coe Andre Ebanks cayman compass 5 news N news FRIDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2021Are You OnCourse? For the past four years we have provided therapy, psychological assessments, corporate workshops and equine-assisted learning and therapy sessions to the Caymanian Community. This year we are excited to announce that Dr. Liezel Anguelova, Psychologist, and Mr. Jason Jones, Counsellor will be joining Dr. Alexandra Bodden, Psychologist, and Ms. Angela Francis, Office Manager on the OnCourse Cayman team! Both are currently offering individual psychotherapy and corporate workshops. Dr. Liezel Anguelova is licensed as a Psychologist in South Africa for the past 21 years and a Psychologist – Doctoral Level in Cayman. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology and a Doctoral degree in Psychology. Dr. Anguelova’s main practice was in a Hospital setting where she attended to clients primarily in the mental health ward but also the medical ward, maternity ward, paediatric ward, ICU and casualties (ER). She has worked in a variety of settings in South Africa, including community settings, children’s villages, and school settings. Dr. Anguelova started an Intern Psychologist Training and Supervision Programme and is still involved in supervision and training. She also does Psychoeducational, Neuropsychological and Forensic/ Psycho-Legal assessments, mainly in the field of sexual abuse cases and divorce cases. She offers CBT, DBT and Psychodynamic approaches in therapy, amongst others. Mr. Jason Jones M.Ed., LCT, CCC is a Licensed Counselling Therapist in New Brunswick, Canada, a Certified Canadian Counselor in Canada and is registered as a Counsellor in Cayman. Jason has 13 years experience working with at-risk youth and young adults and he specializes in building trusting relationships through a person-centered approach. He is well-versed in a number of approaches providing individual and group therapy to young children, adolescents, adults, and families struggling with social problems, anxiety, depression, addiction, eating disorders, gender identity, trauma, grief, and issues related to self-esteem and/ or family dynamics. Jason works primarily with CBT and ACT in addition to other approaches for therapy. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact us by phone or email at 345-745-6463 or info@oncourse.ky or check out our website at www.oncourse.ky. OnCourse Cayman is proud to introduce two new members to our team! RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky While people’s green efforts may end once they throw their recyclables into the multi- coloured bins at local supermarkets, that is only the beginning of the journey for those plastics and tins. Generally, “plastic waste, when you throw it in the trash, will ultimately end up in the landfill, along with all the other materials that you put in the garbage”, Mike Haworth, assistant director of solid waste at the Department of Environmental Health, explained. However, the recyclable material has a different destination. And COVID-19 has had a serious impact on the volume being exported. Where does the trash go? The waste that is separated and deposited for recycling makes a return journey to the US, from where it began life as consumer goods. It goes on a transatlantic trek from Cayman’s bins to its final destination in Florida, for distribution to various waste- processing facilities. Haworth said the recyclables are shipped using the same routes as a lot of goods that travel to and from Grand Cayman. “We use a broker in the States who basically manages the distribution of those materials to recycle facilities over there. And most of those facilities, if not all, are in Florida,” he said. But there’s no money to be made from this, Haworth explained. “The global value of some materials such as plastics and mixed paper/cardboard is so low, there is no revenue from those recyclables. The collection, processing and shipping for recycling is a subsidised programme carried out by DEH,” he told the Cayman Compass. It costs DEH US$2,500 per container. But the cost doesn’t end there, as Haworth explained. “There is an element of us having to pay people to take those materials and, certainly, pay for the shipping. The value of the materials doesn’t cover the cost of shipping. So overall the recycling programme is subsidised by government in terms of the budget that it provides to DEH,” he said. The recyclables, he said, hold their own value within the market at the time they are processed and shipped. “For some materials, let’s say, for aluminum cans… when they’re crushed and bailed and put in a filled container. It’s a container full of aluminum and has a high value. So that provides some income. For things, certainly like plastic at the moment, the value of mixed plastic is very low,” he said. However, he hastened to add that even though Cayman pays to get rid of the material, continuing the programme is important for waste management. “We are clearly showing we’re supporting these schemes going forward, because we’re willing to pay to do them,” he said. COVID-19 impacted recycling Haworth said there is community support for recycling, but COVID-19 set progress back in terms of how much recycling took place. This also impacted the number of exports last year. Back in 2019, the DEH shipped 84 tons of type 1 and type 2 plastics, the categories that Cayman is able to process for recycling. Last year, however, the tonnage dropped significantly. Only 23 tons of waste were shipped in 2020. “DEH received less recyclables in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lock down… except for glass bottles. The shipping of materials to recycling facilities in the United States was also affected by COVID and hence, less materials were shipped than in a usual year,” he added. DEH, he said, is catching up with the shipping this year and has “four container loads ready to go”. Angello Roye, recycling supervisor and acting operations manager, said there had been an increase in efforts to recycle waste, but then COVID-19 happened. In 2020, 11 tons of cans were shipped, fewer than half of the 27 tons shipped the year before. Roye said even with borders closed, the recycling, though smaller in scale, has continued. “It’s just the locals [that are] doing the recycling, which is thumbs up because they [are] doing the right thing. We always think that it’s the foreigners that [are] coming and the long-term tourists that [are] coming in that [are] mostly doing the recycling. But we recognise that the Cayman population is actually recycling,” he said. At present, Cayman is only able to recycle Tracking Cayman's recyclables Ever wonder what happens to your recyled materials after you drop them off? This DEH recycling processor sifts through recyclables collected at the local supermarkets in preparation for sorting and compressing. – Photo: Alvaro Serey PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14» cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2021MASS_NRG_C_Bleed_Mask_Op2New merchant clients will receive a waiver of the first month’s terminal rental fee* For further information, visit www.rbc.com/payment-solutions Process payments faster, protect your business and help it grow with digital payment solutions from RBC. Grow your business digitally ® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. *New merchant clients signing up for RBC Payment Solutions before February 28, 2021 will receive a waiver of the first month’s terminal rental fee. This offer does not apply to RBC EZPay 2.0. cayman compass 7 FRIDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 20218FT WIDE WALKWAY WITH CUT CAYMAN ROCKWITH CUT CAYMAN ROCKWITH CUT CAYMAN ROCKWWWWW AVERS ONVERS ON TOP OF 6"AVERS ONAPAVPAVPAVAV PMPACTED MARLPPACTED MARLMPACTED MARLPCOMPCOMPCOMPMP BASE 9.0 WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVAVAVAAAAAAAAAAAAA PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM ACED LAWN RESTROOM GRASS CRETEGRASS CRETE COOLER WATER 9.0 11111111116666666666666222 TTTTTEEERRRA You are invited to the dedication and groundbreaking ceremony for Seafarers Park Witness the moment the former Tower Building site begins its transformation into a community park and greenspace in downtown George Town where our community can gather, play, and be inspired by our seafaring heritage through design and installations. Join us and get a first look at the vision and plans for this new waterfront park that will be a downtown landmark which supports our collective health and well-being. Seafarers Park will serve as a site for us all to come together as a community, in the heart of our capital, with celebrating our seafaring heritage as the anchor. We hope to see you there! Former Tower Building Site Thursday 25 February 4pm – 6pm cayman compass 8 FRIDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2021The Maples Group is committed to recruiting, training and promoting aspiring lawyers and support professionals in the Cayman Islands. Scholarships are available for legal and non-legal undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses. DEADLINES Legal scholarships 1 March Non-legal scholarships 30 April For more information on career opportunities, visit maples.com/careers ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE LEADERS 100+ scholarships since 2007 40+ international secondments 40+ articled clerks admitted since 2005 cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2021Next >