Cayman Compass - 1 April, 2021

100% hoppe r® 0% Beef 100% Whop per ® 0% Beef 100% Whop per ® 0% Beef Patty made from plants. TM & © 2020 Burger King Corporation. Impossible is a trademark of Impossible Foods Inc. Used under license. cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 1- 8 April 2021 Issues Costs spark healthcare reform debate Page 14 Business Caymanian unemployment up to 8.3% Page 13 Green future of Mt. Trashmore Page 10 A look at the past, present and future of the landﬁ ll. Easter tradition returns after COVID-19 hiatus. Return to the beach Page 16Matinees (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 GODZILLA VS. KONG (PG-13) (FRI & SAT) 1:00 VIP | 1:05 | 4:05 | 4:45 VIP | 6:50 | 7:30 VIP | 9:30 VIP | 9:35 (SUN) 12:30 VIP | 1:05 VIP | 2:00 VIP | 4:05 | 4:45 VIP | 5:00 | 6:20 VIP | 6:50 | 7:30 VIP | 8:00 | 9:30 VIP | 9:35 | 10:15 VIP (MON) 1:00 VIP | 1:05 | 3:45 | 4:05 | 4:45 VIP | 6:50 | 7:30 VIP | 9:30 VIP | 9:35 (TUES-THURS) 4:05 | 4:45 VIP | 6:50 | 7:30 VIP NOBODY (R) (FRI & SAT) 12:40 | 2:10 VIP | 3:10 | 4:30 VIP | 5:35 | 7:00 VIP | 8:00 | 10:15 VIP | 10:20 (MON) 12:40 | 2:10 VIP | 3:10 | 4:30 VIP | 5:35 | 7:00 VIP | 8:00 | 10:15 VIP | 10:20 (TUES-THURS) 4:30 VIP | 4:35 | 7:00 | 7:45 VIP RAYA & THE LAST DRAGON (PG) (FRI & SAT) 1:10 | 3:55 | 4:00 VIP | 6:45 | 7:15 VIP | 9:30 (SUN) 1:10 | 2:10 | 3:35 VIP | 3:55 | 4:00 VIP | 6:45 | 9:30 (MON) 1:10 | 3:55 | 4:00 VIP | 6:45 | 7:15 VIP | 9:30 (TUES) 3:55 | 5:50 VIP | 6:45 (WED & THURS) 3:55 | 4:15 VIP | 6:45 | 7:00 VIP THE MARKSMAN (PG-13) (FRI-MON) 7:10 | 9 :50 | 10:00 VIP (TUES-THURS) 7:10 TOM & JERRY (PG) (FRI-MON) 1:30 VIP | 2:00 | 4:35 (TUES-THURS) 4:35 KIDS CLUB CARS (G) SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE 4:30 VIP | 4:30 VIP | 4:30 VIP4:35 | 7:00 | 7:45 VIP(TUES-THURS) CLASSICS KILL BILL: VOL 2 (R) TUESDAY 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 86°F HIGH 75°F LOW Thursday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy skies with a 20% chance of showers. SEA STATE Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. SAT 86°F HIGH 74°F LOW SUN 86°F HIGH 76°F LOW MON 86°F HIGH 76°F LOW TUES 86°F HIGH 76°F LOW WED 86°F HIGH 76°F LOW FRI 86°F HIGH 74°F LOW caymancompass.comfacebook.com/caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass WINDS Easterly at 10 to 15 knots at daytime, becoming light and variable by evening FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass news in brief Scrap-metal landﬁ ll ﬁ re extinguished Last week’s scrap-metal ﬁ re at the George Town landﬁ ll has been fully extinguished, and the Cayman Islands Fire Service says there is now “minimum chance of re-ignition”. The large blaze erupted sometime after 9:45am on Thursday, 25 March. The ﬁ re raged for several hours, belching out thick plumes of black smoke that were visible across the island. According to a press release issued Monday, 29 March, “CIFS ﬁ reﬁ ghting operations were shut down at 10pm on Sunday evening with some ﬁ re service equipment left strategically placed on-site to ensure a quick response to any ﬂ are up of burnt materials.” CIFS ofﬁ cers are “conducting periodic thermal imaging temperature checks to ensure an early awareness of any developing hotspots”, the Government Information Services release said. Investigation uncovers ‘weaknesses’ in court system An internal investigation into the Judicial Administration has revealed “weaknesses”, said Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, following conﬂ icting accounts of the delayed publication of documents surrounding an impending judicial review of Governor Martyn Roper’s use of his reserved power. Smellie, who commissioned the investigation, said, in a statement issued on 25 March, “I consider it vital that the public retains confidence in our Court system and consequently I instructed a Queen’s Counsel to undertake an independent fact ﬁ nding exercise to see how the situation arose.” In his statement, Smellie outlined the series of events that led to the failure of the documents being uploaded to the court’s online public register in a timely fashion, and the subsequent conﬂ icting explanations given by Judicial Administration staff. Cayman passes 500 cases The Cayman Islands on 30 March reached 500 conﬁ rmed cases of COVID-19 in the jurisdiction since the start of the global pandemic in 2020. A vast majority of the cases have been travellers who have tested positive as part of Cayman’s routine screening programme for arriving passengers. Of the 500 cases, 473 people had made a full recovery as of 30 March and there have been two deaths. There were 1,860 people tested from 25-30 March, with 18 people returning positive results. All of those who tested positive were travellers. There were 25 active cases of COVID-19 as of 30 March, with four people showing symptoms. As of 30 March, 82,235 COVID-19 tests have been administered in the Cayman Islands. Vaccination numbers continue to climb Cayman’s inoculation numbers continue to increase as government proceeds with the rollout of its vaccination programme. As of 30 March, 30,068 doses of the Pﬁ zer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine had been administered locally. Of the jurisdiction’s estimated population, 46% have received one dose of the vaccine while another 29% have received both doses of the vaccine. There were 714 people in isolation as of 30 March. Distressed woman assaults police ofﬁ cer Police said they had to restrain a woman they were transporting in their vehicle to the Cayman Islands Hospital on 30 March after she became agitated and assaulted an ofﬁ cer while en route to the hospital. The ofﬁ cers had picked up the woman after responding to a call for service on Eastern Avenue, near Godfrey Nixon Way. The ofﬁ cers took her into their police vehicle and started driving to the hospital. On the way there, she became aggressive, breached the divider in the vehicle and attacked one of the ofﬁ cers. According to police, one of the police ofﬁ cers also attended the Cayman Islands Hospital, was treated for minor injuries, and released. No one else was injured during the incident. 2 businesses burgled in Galleria Plaza Police are investigating break- ins at two businesses in Galleria Plaza on West Bay Road. The burglaries were discovered shortly before 6:10am on 30 March. Police said both businesses received structural damage and a quantity of cash was stolen from one of the premises. In a statement released later on 30 March, the RCIPS conﬁ rmed that a third burglary had occurred at another business in the Industrial Park area of George Town. In that instance, the burglars broke in and tried to steal property, but were unsuccessful. CORRECTION A story that appeared in the 19-25 March edition of the Cayman Compass newspaper included the incorrect image for André Ebanks, which is reproduced correctly here. The Compass regrets the error and apologises for any inconvenience this has caused. Fire-ﬁ ghting operations were shut down on 28 March, following another blaze at the landﬁ ll. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay. cayman compass 2 N news THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 2021Goals promised vs. goals achieved RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky The Progressives have released their new manifesto, outlining their achievements over the last four years and setting out their objectives if they lead the next government. In this article we take a closer look at what the party promised and what it delivered from its ‘Keeping Cayman Strong 2017’ manifesto which formed the basis for the policies and plans for the National Unity government’s four- year term. We will also look at the joint Progressives-alliance roadmap for 2021 and beyond. Health/COVID-19 Back in 2017, the Progressives ﬁ elded 15 candidates. This time around the party has put forward eight party representatives and is throwing its support behind four independent members who are working with the Progressives as an alliance team. While its last manifesto predated the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent border closure, improving local healthcare and driving down costs were core parts of the party’s plan in 2017. However, the cost of health insurance remains a challenge, though some movement was made to bolster CINICO and the announcement of plans for two new hospitals could help lower prices. The party promised reforms to the health insurance market, but formal changes are yet to be made. In the new manifesto, the Progressives together with the alliance, pledge to “Review the effectiveness and viability of a modern health insurance system that includes a national health insurance plan alongside options for private insurance.” As for COVID-19, the 2021 document vows to complete Cayman’s national vaccination programme across all three Islands, having already surpassed the goal of inoculating about 90% of those over 60 years old. In their 2017 manifesto, the Progressives pledged to construct a much-needed mental health facility. The preliminary work for that project had commenced under the Progressives’ 2013 administration. Formal contracts were signed in 2019. Work on the facility is continuing and is expected to be completed later this year. The party also promised to work on a new health care facility for Bodden Town, which was previously announced, and investigate the feasibility of commissioning a single healthcare provider for the care of indigents. Education In its 2021 manifesto, the Progressives alliance, similar to the party’s 2017 plans, placed high priority on ﬁ xing the education system. In 2017, it vowed to improve overall grades of students and “ensure that at least 75% of high school graduates will move on to post-secondary education, either in academic degree programmes or training in vocational trades locally or overseas”. According to the Education Data Report for the academic year 2017-2018, achievement in the key performance indicators for Year 12 “reﬂ ected marginal improvement” over time, but the following year students did not post similar numbers. For 2018-2019, the reduced percentage of Year 12 students achieving Level 2 qualiﬁ cations in English and maths, “highlight the need for the development of an effective strategy in Math education to combat the persistent low performance in Mathematics and that will put the system on track for greater and more sustained gains”, the report stated. The Progressives vowed to implement more Technical and Vocational Education and Training apprenticeships, and over its term partnered with Inspire Cayman, Superior Auto and other local companies to build on TVET. However, its promise to address concerns regarding the de facto segregation in public schools which, for the most part, only accept Caymanian children, did not bear fruit. Employment The Progressives promised to ensure more Caymanians joined the workforce. According to data from the Economics and Statistics Ofﬁ ce, in 2017, the overall unemployment rate stood at 4.9%, dropped to 2.8% in 2018 and hit 3.5% in 2019. At the end of 2020, the rate rose to 5.2%, after the tourism industry, in particular, was decimated by the border closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Caymanian unemployment rate stood at 8.3% in fall 2020, up from 5.6% over the same period in 2019, according to the ESO. The Progressives vowed to create a Cayman Human Resources Authority to oversee the human resource requirements of the country, and established the Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman department. The government also oversaw the creation of the JobsCayman portal, a national jobs clearinghouse which provides a searchable database of all available jobs in the Cayman Islands. It also passed legislation to make job postings on the portal mandatory. Governance The Progressives promised to amend the Advisory District Councils Law (2011) which featured in previous manifestos; that work was not completed. The amendments once again form part of the new Progressives alliance manifesto which vows to make the law “ﬁ t for purpose in a single- member constituency regime”. The manifesto pledged to continue to reduce taxes and duties on people and businesses, where practical, which they accomplished, especially following border closures when assistance to small businesses was expanded. The coalition party also reduced stamp duties for ﬁ rst- time Caymanian homeowners. The party vowed not to incur new borrowings, and kept that promise despite the pandemic, and also paid down government debt. In addition, the Progressives asserted they would continue paying seamen’s and veterans’ pensions, including payment to their widows, and actually increased the amount to $850 per month. They also pledged to deal with the landﬁ ll and ﬁ nish the George Town revitalisation project. Both those initiatives experienced signiﬁ cant movement in March, with government and a Dart-led consortium signing the ﬁ nal contract for the Integrated Solid Waste Management System and a request for proposals for enhancement works in the capital. Despite losing almost a year to COVID-19 restrictions and having to shift policies to focus on the pandemic, the Progressives appear to have worked through most of their manifesto. REPORT CARD: Progressives manifesto Vocational Education and Training apprenticeships, and over its term partnered with Inspire Cayman, Superior Auto and other local companies to build on TVET. address concerns regarding the de facto segregation in public schools which, for the most part, only accept Caymanian children, did not bear fruit. Employment to ensure more Caymanians joined the workforce. According to data from the Economics and Statistics Ofﬁ ce, in 2017, the overall unemployment rate stood at KEEPING CAYMAN STRONG "Our Strength comes from our Heritage, our Determination, and the Character of our People" Hon Alden McLaughlin, MBE, JP THE PROGRESSIVES 2017 MANIFESTO Progressives scorecard *Cruise berthing project abandoned following public pressure. **Creation of both WORC and the jobs portal were froth with challenges from the realigning of resources to a difﬁ cult user interface for those seeking to register for employment and employers seeking to post jobs. Cayman Islands Coast Guard – Created/law pending Cayman Islands Regiment – Created Custom and Border Control Agency – Created Cayman Brac swimming pool – Completed Cayman Brac Sports complex – Completed Cayman Islands Police Authority – Created Enhanced Marine Parks – Completed Owen Roberts International Airport airﬁ eld upgrade – Completed Purchase police helicopters – Completed JobsCayman portal – Created** Public Lands Commission - Created Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman – Created** Not done/on holdIn progressCompleted Amendments Advisory District Councils Law – Not done Addressing de-facto segregation in school - Not done Commercial/Criminal Courts upgrade – Incomplete Cruise berthing/cargo facility – Abandoned* De-segregation of schools review – Not done Health Insurance reform – Not done Project Future Strategic Reforms Implementation Unit merger to Government Projects Delivery Unit – Progress unclear New West Bay primary school – Not done Sovereign Fund creation – Progress unclear Implement new e-services George Town Reviltalisation John Gray High School project Landﬁ ll remediation/ISWMS Mental health facility West Bay police station cayman compass 3 news N news THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 20211234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Inexact (5) 4 Floorshow (7) 8 Division of a play (3) 9 Unwise (3-6) 10 Be uncomfortably hot (7) 11 Dispute accuracy of (5) 13 A subtle distinction (6) 15 Swiss city (6) 18 Manufacturer (5) 19 To advance (7) 21 French national heroine (4,2,3) 23 Immerse momentarily (3) 24 Mitigate (7) 25 Noisy and unruly (5) DOWN 1 Effective cooperation (7) 2 Under intense strain (2,3,4) 3 Proclamation by authority (5) 4 A stalk vegetable (6) 5 Abrupt in manner (7) 6 Fit out (3) 7 In modern times (5) 12 A coloured cosmetic (3,6) 14 To rust (7) 16 Waste away (7) 17 Recently (2,4) 18 Of greater importance (5) 20 Happen again (5) 22 Entirely (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16655 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 16655 ACROSS: 1 Loose, 4 Cabaret, 8 Act, 9 Ill-judged, 10 Swelter, 11 Query, 13 Nuance, 15 Geneva, 18 Maker, 19 Further, 21 Joan of Arc, 23 Dip, 24 Relieve, 25 Rowdy. DOWN: 1 Liaison, 2 On the rack, 3 Edict, 4 Celery, 5 Brusque, 6 Rig, 7 Today, 12 Eye shadow, 14 Corrode, 16 Atrophy, 17 Of late, 18 Major, 20 Recur, 22 All. cartoon Easter eggs - By Caymanman Which vision for the future of Seven Mile Beach should Cayman prioritise? Which vision for the future of Seven Mile Beach should Cayman prioritise? cayman compass Safeguarding the environment with protections in place for the marine ecosystem, beach erosion and climate change ONLINE POLL 17% 65% 14% 4% Sustainable development that fosters job creation and economic growth Generating revenue from stamp duty tax through real estate sales with a focus on high-net-worth individuals Historical preservation of land and properties that protects the Cayman of yesteryear As a long-time annual visitor to the Cayman Islands I feel I must reach out to you as a warning about Mr. Dart and his vision for ‘his Islands’. Surely you have noticed by your recent poll that the main concern is for the ocean, the environment and its preservation. During the time of COVID and lack of visitors there have been issues with lionﬁ sh and a coral virus that need to be addressed for the future of diving etc. in Cayman. Mr. Dart has his own vision. The wrong vision. He throws money at small issues – landﬁ ll – in hopes of moving ahead unstopped with his vision. There are undeveloped areas in Cayman that he could develop and maybe do some good, but Seven Mile Beach and surrounding areas are not up for grabs. I hope with your coming elections someone will stand up to him before it’s too late. Lynda Kent The Caymanian people should not have their beach access blocked by multi-storey buildings and additional resorts on Seven Mile Beach. Beach erosion and overbuilding of expensive condos and resorts have turned Miami Beach, Florida, into an expensive example of overtourism. Dart’s spreading economic interests on all three islands outweigh their concern for the environment and for the Caymanian people. Amplify Cayman, the community campaign group, avers that Seven Mile Beach, the star tourist attraction for these islands, is facing ecological and economic losses. The Plan Cayman project will dictate future and sustainable building on Cayman’s exquisite beachfront. Safeguard all three of the Cayman Islands by planning wisely for their future development. Nan Socolow Beware of Dart’s ‘vision’ Develop Seven Mile Beach sustainably Letters to the editor When is it going to stop? Dart is ruining the island! Why is one person allowed to have so much property and control on such a small island? It’s all about money. – Deborah Hoerz I think safeguarding and historical preservation should go hand in hand. Survey only allows one option but I feel strongly on both. Stop building more. Leave the natural areas, beaches, iron- shore and mangroves as they are. – Priscilla Maragh I understand that Dart has done some good but this is too much. You can’t allow one man to make drastic changes. Take it from me, you will lose a lot of tourists. People don’t want to visit a concrete jungle. Oh, and when this happens don’t blame the virus. Enough said. – Frances Moore What they’re saying Online The battle for the beach I lived in Cayman for six years, left in 2005. I’ve been told I won’t even recognise it now. Makes me so sad. It was such a beautiful quaint island. – Larissa Rieben-Brown Dart has money; obvious- ly not concerned about what makes the island so special. – Sally Newman A window into Seven Mile Beach’s past Preserve what little cul- tural authenticity you have left Cayman. Vote wisely on April 14th. Be the change. Time to halt the sellouts. – Maxine McGill I remember those days when I was a little girl, driving along West Bay Road to the public beach with my parents and seeing miles of beach sand and ocean along the stretch. It was truly paradise back then. Those days are long gone and will not be coming back. – Trudyann Martinson cayman compass 4 news N news THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 2021Booking deadline at 10am Monday, April 12th for Friday, April 16th edition Booking deadline at 10am HOLIDAY ELECTION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14TH 949-5111 | sales@compassmedia.ky | classifieds@compassmedia.ky Notice: Dear Customers, Please be advised that effective May 1, 2021, there will be changes to our fees. For a full list of these changes, please review the Schedule of Charges on our website ky.scotiabank.com. Please feel free to contact us at any time at (345) 949-7666 if you have any questions. RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky With electorates just short of 1,500 voters apiece, Newlands and Savannah rank among the larger constituencies in the Cayman Islands and both are being keenly watched by local political pundits. For this week’s Voter Voices, we headed into those communities to hear what issues the voters want prioritised by their next MPs. Trafﬁ c woes remain a headache Trafﬁ c was number one on Newlands resident Terry Nathan’s list of grievances. “The problem we have in the morning is trafﬁ c... I mean, without school trafﬁ c [it] is good, but when school is going on, trafﬁ c is real bad coming from the east, going to town,” he said. He suggested that a lane be blocked off to give Newlands residents a right of way and drivers coming from the east another, instead of the current three-lane set-up for all motorists. Newlands resident Arnold Ebanks shared Nathan’s concern. “Trafﬁ c is bad. You cannot cross the road sometimes,” he said. Ebanks also said residents in the Newlands community need to be kept safe on the roadway as he pointed to the death of a pedestrian who was killed crossing the road back in December. “You got to be careful on the road. It was … 5:30 in the morning, he [the pedestrian] was going to work… Trafﬁ c is bad, you can’t cross the road too good. You need a pedestrian crossing,” he said. Newlands resident Clayton Powell said he is worried by the increase in collisions, particularly at the East-West Arterial and Hirst Road junction. “We have a motor vehicle accident, probably every seven to 10 days at that location. So we probably need to ﬁ gure out how to resolve that issue,” he said. Powell also worried about ﬂ ooding in the area, a concern shared by other local residents. He said it was time for solutions. “For years I’ve heard them talk about the issues and they’ve come up with many solutions. When are we going to actually implement those solutions to resolve the issues?” he asked. For Joanie Mills, a Savannah voter, the big problem is work opportunities for young Caymanians. She said she wants candidates to “open more opportunities for the youth and to make cost of living better for them as well”. Caroline Neale-Allenger, a fellow Savannah resident, said, for her, education remains a top priority. “The education system in Cayman needs to be revamped. When I went to school here… I had a very good education here. It is not the same anymore,” she said. Neale-Allenger said she wants to hear what candidates will do to reform education so that Caymanian “children and grandchildren will have a better future”. Savannah resident Amjed Zureigat said the issue for him is “same old, same old”. “I think we need to see new ideas and new faces. This election is all about changing the past because we have made some mistakes in the past… We need to see young faces in this election given a chance,” he said. Newlands, Savannah: Voters ﬂ ag trafﬁ c, education as top issues NEWLANDS Roydell Carter INDEPENDENT Alva Suckoo INDEPENDENT Wayne Panton INDEPENDENT Raul Gonzalez INDEPENDENT Newlands voters 1,487 (pending 1 April conrmation) SAVANNAH Heather Bodden INDEPENDENT Malcolm Eden INDEPENDENT Jeanna Williams INDEPENDENT Savannah voters 1,467 (pending 1 April conrmation) cayman compass 5 news N news THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 2021The Dart High School Scholarship Submit your application by 15 April 2021 The William A. Dart University Scholarship Submit your application by 14 May 2021 dartscholar.ky Beyond prestige and financial support for both high school and university students, the Dart Scholarship provides young Caymanians with life-changing experience in the real world of industry. If you’re a high achieving Caymanian student with aspirations to be a future leader and innovator, we invite you to apply for the 2021 programme. A whole new world of possibilities. It begins with a simple application. to admit her son because of his disabilities, before she eventually found him a place him in a pre- school that catered speciﬁ cally for children with special needs. “That’s not what I wanted for my son,” she said. She had wanted him to attend a mainstream school and go through an education system that allowed him to learn alongside 'typical' students. At a meeting at the Inclusion Cayman ofﬁ ce on 25 March, she told incumbent and prospective MPs, “We’re asking that the government needs to deﬁ ne the law whereby all students have access to inclusive education. There are years of successive studies that clearly show that inclusion is best for all children, so why do we still segregate children with disabilities from those that are typical in the Cayman Islands? “In order for children like my son and other students to be successful, there has to be an overall level of accountability, and therefore the government should extend the SEN Code of Practice to all schools, not just to public schools. In order for the Cayman Islands to be a better community, we need to ensure all children feel like they belong.” Under the 2011 Special Education Needs Code of Practice, public schools carry out early screening at reception or at Year 1 and monitor progress in later years. There is no legal provision to mandate that private schools identify special educational needs of students. One of Inclusion Cayman’s aims is to ﬁ nd a way for these children to have an inclusive education. The group noted that it costs $6,000 a year to provide a child with a public school education, and $35,000 a year to educate a child at Lighthouse School, which caters to students with disabilities. Parents at the meeting provided ﬁ gures for the candidates, stating that in 2020, 10,749 children attended Cayman’s schools, and, based on United Nations statistics that estimate that 15% of a population has a disability of some kind, 1,600 local students have special education needs. Using that calculation, an estimated 6,000 adults and children people in Cayman are living with special needs. An analysis of 47 studies worldwide over 40 years, involving 4.8 million students, has shown that children with and without special needs can both beneﬁ t from attending classes together, from an academic and social development standpoint, the group told the candidates. Insurance coverage is a major sticking point for many families. Kesrene Estrella’s son has Down’s syndrome. Shortly after he was born in 2008, he required two heart surgeries, the costs of which were covered by her health insurance, she said. Then she changed jobs. The insurance company her new employer used refused to include her son in her policy, stating that he had a pre- existing heart condition, which is common in children with Down’s syndrome. Three other health insurance companies also refused to cover her son. When she turned to CINICO, she was informed that her private health insurance company was obliged to provide coverage for her son. Following intervention by the Health Insurance Commission, after four months, the insurance company agreed to cover the boy. While he now technically has health-insurance coverage, many of the therapies he needs are not covered. “We are told repeatedly no, no, no, by our individual health insurance providers, that our children are not covered for the necessary medical therapies they so desperately need and require, and the parents must ﬁ nd the necessary funds themselves, out of pocket," she said. She outlined some of the costs her son’s care entailed to the seven political candidates who attended the meeting – more than $180,000 for open heart surgery, and $28,000 a year to cover 40 hours of applied behavioural analysis therapy a month. Another parent, who pays for the highest premium possible under her insurance plan, said her insurance company will only pay for one-tenth of the 300 treatments and therapies that medical professionals tell her that her child needs a year. Estrella said that unless steps are taken to remedy the current situation, these children will grow to adulthood without being integrated into mainstream society and without having the chance to lead independent lives. “We’re not asking government to pay for our children’s individual needs,” she said. “We’re asking you to mandate health insurance companies, to whom we are already paying monthly premiums, to do the following: 1) all individual health insurance coverage should be transferable regardless of the pre-existing condition; 2) assessments should be 100% covered within the current provision; and 3) to include minimum coverage of medically required treatments of 96 sessions per year. ... The most basic plan should have the therapy coverage for all individuals with a mental, physical and learning disability, especially those from birth.” (Editor’s note: The names of children in this story have been changed for privacy reasons.) Children's special needs in the spotlight NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Four-year-old Matt can’t get into the same school as his sister. Eight- year-old Mary was bullied so much, her mum had to give up her job and home-school her. Ten-year-old Davey can only get 30 of the 300 therapy sessions a year he needs on his family’s insurance plan. Seven- year-old Peter’s school repeatedly threatened him with suspension and expulsion over his behaviour. These are just a handful of the challenges faced by children with special needs in Cayman. Some are on the autism spectrum, some have ADHD and anxiety disorders, while others have physical disabilities or brain damage. What they all have in common are the struggles they and their families face on a daily basis. Their parents, with the help of advocacy group Inclusion Cayman, have been sharing their stories of adversity, discrimination and ﬁ nancial hurdles with candidates running for election on 14 April, in the hope that the next government can introduce legislative and policy changes that will make their kids’ lives better. One parent, Chelsea Flynn, told how ﬁ ve different schools refused Families appeal to candidates to ﬁ nd solutions cayman compass 6 news N news THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 2021Inhale. cayman compass 7 THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 2021cgcoralisle.com |   @cgcoralisle Good Like That. British Caymanian Insurance Company Limited BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, P.O. Box 74, George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-1102, Cayman Islands tel: 345-949-8699 In other words, your money goes further with us. With low deductibles and protection against theft, fire, windshield damage and more, our motor insurance policies offer the most value for your dollar. To learn more, visit cgcoralisle.com We’re like having to fill your gas tank only once a month. Rum Point last summer, the DoE has concentrated its research efforts and preventative measures along the northwestern coast. It hopes to slow the disease as it threatens to enter reefs along Seven Mile Beach on the west side of the island, where many of the most popular dive sites are located. DoE research ofﬁ cer Cody Panton, speaking on Rooster 101’s 'Cayman Crosstalk' on 30 March, said the disease has also spread eastward at a similar rate. “We did a [boat] tow last week... it spread eight miles away from what I would say was ground zero, which was Penny’s Arch,” Panton said. The deadly disease was ﬁ rst spotted in Cayman’s waters in June 2020. In October, the DoE advised the closure of 43 dive sites along the North Wall and instituted a coral ‘ﬁ re break’ to help reduce the spread of it. However, last month the DoE conﬁ rmed the stony coral disease had jumped the ﬁ re break and was spreading along the northwestern section of Grand Cayman. Infected corals have been spotted at dive sites near Macabuca, located on North West Point Road, in West Bay. Now, researchers fear its current path will take it to Seven Mile Beach coral reefs. Panton said it was also spreading along North Side’s coastline. SCTLD was ﬁ rst observed off the Florida Keys in 2014; since then, it has spread throughout Caribbean and Central American reefs. The exact mode of transfer remains unknown, but scientists have determined more than 25 coral species are vulnerable to the highly transmittable disease. “We don’t know if it will get... to the Sister Islands, we don’t know if it is already there,” said Marilyn Conolly, DoE media relations ofﬁ cer, who likened her colleagues’ efforts to curb the disease to being at war. “But should that happen, we want to make sure that residents are aware of what it looks like and what to do and understand the disinfecting protocols.” The DoE recommends that people soak their dive gear in disinfecting solution for up to 10 minutes. The gear should be rinsed in fresh water and air-dried before re-use. All water used for disinfecting and rinsing dive gear should be properly disposed of into a sink, tub or shower. Disinfection sites have been set up at dive operations across Grand Cayman. For boat owners, the DoE recommends the bilge water be disinfected with bleach, and cleared before travelling to the Sister Islands to prevent the disease spreading from Grand Cayman. People who encounter the disease are encouraged to report it to the DoE, through the Epicollect app, which can be downloaded online. Deadly coral disease spreads east ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky The Department of Environment has conﬁ rmed that stony coral tissue loss disease has spread eight miles in either direction of its original location after it was ﬁ rst spotted in Cayman’s waters 10 months ago. Since the disease was found at the Penny’s Arch site near This coral at Penny’s Arch is infected with stony coral tissue loss disease.– Photo: DoE GRAND CAYMAN SCTLD disease progression NW Grand Cayman cayman compass news N news THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 2021 8Royal Gazette: highest number of cases since records began. CAROLINE JAMES cjames@compassmedia.ky According to Bermuda’s Ministry of Health, the territory reported triple-digit positive COVID-19 cases on 29 March, comprising 108 positives over two days. Bermuda’s Royal Gazette said this represents the highest total number of cases recorded in a single day “since records began a year ago”. Cayman’s Chief Medical Ofﬁ cer Dr. John Lee told the Compass the situation in Bermuda is “really worrying” and added, “[O]ur thoughts are with those that are unwell and those caring for them.” Lee continued, “Unfortunately, when case numbers of COVID-19 start to rise, after a couple of weeks that’s when the [hospital] admissions start to increase as well. Some of the new variants of COVID are even more infectious and difﬁ cult to contain with the measures we have learned.” He implored those in Cayman to “please take the vaccine as a way of reducing both your risk and our community’s risk of serious illness”. Bermuda’s spike in cases In its COVID-19 update on 29 March, Bermuda’s government said the 108 positive results came from a batch of 3,038 tests. Unlike in Cayman, Bermuda’s Ministry of Health provides speciﬁ c details on the origin of positive cases. The territory ﬂ agged one case as “imported”, from a resident who arrived 26 March from New York and tested positive on arrival. However, out of the 108 positives, 35 were categorised as local transmission, meaning those peoplehave been traced back to existing cases in the territory. The remaining 72 positive cases were “under investigation” according to the ministry. These cases have been detected in residents with “no currently identiﬁ ed link to other known cases or history of travel in the past 14 days”. As of 30 March, Bermuda had 417 active cases of COVID-19, with 1,157 total cases recorded in the territory to date. At the same point in Cayman, 25 active cases were reported, with a total of 500 conﬁ rmed cases since the beginning of the pandemic. All of Cayman’s current active cases are conﬁ ned to arriving travellers, in isolation. According to the classiﬁ cation status used by the World Health Organisation, COVID-19 transmission in Bermuda is deﬁ ned as “sporadic cases”. This is the same classiﬁ cation as Cayman. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, place Bermuda into level 2 (moderate) and Cayman into level 1 (low). The CDC advises people to avoid non-essential travel to Bermuda. Vaccination rates Like in Cayman, anyone over the age of 16 is eligible to be vaccinated in Bermuda. According to Premier David Burt’s update on 30 March, 42.5% of Bermuda’s over-16s have received at least one dose of vaccine, which equates to 35% of the total population. At the same time in Cayman, 46% of the estimated total population has received at least one dose of the same vaccine. 24% of Bermuda’s total population have received two doses, compared with 29% who have completed the two-dose course in Cayman. The two British Overseas Territories have approximately the same population size. Quarantine requirements: vaccinated passengers Quarantine requirements for travel to Bermuda differ from the regulations for those arriving in Cayman, although both territories now have separate rules for passengers who have completed a full vaccination course and those who have not been inoculated. Both territories require pre- travel authorisation and a negative PCR test prior to arrival. However, in Bermuda, vaccinated travellers with a negative pre-arrival PCR test are only required to quarantine until they receive a negative result from their arrival PCR test. In Cayman, such arrivals are required to quarantine until they receive a negative PCR test on day 11, after isolating for 10 days. Residents arriving in Bermuda without a negative pre-arrival PCR test are required to quarantine until they test negative on day four. They can leave quarantine at this point, but must get tested on days eight and 14. All travellers to Cayman – both resident and visitor – are not permitted to travel without a valid negative PCR test result registered no more than 72 hours prior to departure. Quarantine requirements: non-vaccinated passengers In Cayman, the rules for non- vaccinated travellers necessitate an application for travel authorisation by Travel Cayman; a negative PCR test prior to travel; a negative test upon arrival and a full 14-day quarantine, with a negative PCR test required on day 15 to leave the designated isolation facility. In Bermuda, the government requires visitors receive travel authorisation and proof of a negative PCR test prior to arrival. Residents are permitted to travel without a negative, pre-arrival test but must quarantine until a test on day eight. All non-vaccinated residents and visitors to Bermuda are required to wear a traveller wristband for the ﬁ rst 14 days of their stay, but are not required to quarantine, provided they test negative prior to travel and on arrival. They must submit for testing on day eight and day 14. Any person arriving from the UK or who has visited the UK in the two weeks prior to their arrival in Bermuda must quarantine for four days and return a negative test before they can leave quarantine. Cayman does not prescribe different quarantine rules based on where a traveller has come from. 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Kirk Motors Building Bermuda recorded 108 positive COVID-19 cases on 29 March. – Source: Ministry of Health, Bermuda Dr. John Lee: Bermuda’s spike in COVID cases ‘really worrying’ cayman compass 9 THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 2021 news N newsNext >