Cayman Compass - 7 May, 2021

Win $1,000 Buy any large combo with Kola Champagne to enter! Receipt must contain large combo order with Kola Champagne or entry is void. Orders must be placed between May 1st - May 30th. Any purchases made after May 30th will not be eligible for the prize draw. Winner will be announced Tuesday June 1st 2021. cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 7-13 May 2021 Business State of public ﬁ nances Page 23 Issues 'Desperate' wait for NAU help Page 18 Astronaut snaps Seven Mile from space Page 10 Call to arms Government ramps up COVID-19 vaccination efforts, as June expiry date nears. Page 3 compass Weekly, 7-13 May 2021 Page 23Page 18 Call to arms Government ramps up COVID-19 vaccination Dispatcher praised for lifesaving service Page 6 Dispatcher praised for lifesaving service Page 6 Epic trip for local boat Page 8Matinees (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) 3:45 | 4:45 VIP | 7:15 | 7:30 VIP | 9:10 VIP | 9:55 (SAT) 1:00 | 3:45 | 4:45 VIP | 7:15 | 7:30 VIP | 9:10 VIP | 9:55 (SUN) 3:45 VIP | 4:00 | 4:45 VIP | 6:15 | 7:15 | 7:30 VIP (MON & WED-THURS) 3:45 | 4:45 VIP | 7:15 | 7:30 VIP (WED) 3:45 | 4:45 VIP | 7:15 MORTAL KOMBAT (R) (FRI) 3:55 | 7:00 VIP | 9:40 VIP (SAT) 12:45 VIP | 1:10 | 3:55 | 7:00 VIP | 9:40 VIP (MON-THURS) 3:55 | 7:00 VIP NOBODY (R) (FRI-SAT) 4:15 VIP | 7:30 | 9:20 (MOM-THURS) 4:15 VIP | 7:15 NOMADLAND (R) (FRI-SAT) 6:40 (MON-THURS) 6:40 RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON (PG) (FRI & MON-THURS ) 3:30 (SAT) 12:30 | 2:00 VIP | 3:30 (SUN) 3:30 | 6:40 THE MARKSMAN (PG-13) (SUN) 3:30 | 7:00 VIP THE UNHOLY (PG-13) (FRI) 4:00 | 10:00 (SAT) 1:25 | 4:00 | 10:00 (MON-WED) 4:00 TOM & JERRY (PG) (SUN) 4:20 VIP | 6:30 VANQUISH (R) (FRI) 4:00 VIP | 6:45 VIP | 7:00 | 9:25 |10:10 VIP (SAT) 1:15 VIP | 4:00 VIP | 6:45 VIP | 7:00 | 9:25 | 10:10 VIP (MON-THURS) 4:00 VIP | 6:45 VIP | 7:004:00 VIP | 4:00 VIP | 4:00 VIP 6:45 VIP | 7:006:45 VIP | 7:006:45 VIP CLASSICS AIR FORCE ONE (R) TUESDAY 7PM VIP (FRI-SAT) 6:40 (MON-THURS) 6:40 KIDS CLUB HANNA MONTANA THE MOVIE (G) SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE 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 Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly skies with a 30% chance of showers. SEA STATE Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 2 feet. SAT 90°F HIGH 78°F LOW SUN 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW MON 89°F HIGH 79°F LOW TUES 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW WED 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW FRI 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW caymancompass.comfacebook.com/caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass WINDS easterly at 5 to 10 knots today, 5 knots or less tonight 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass YOU DESERVE THE BEST Fire at landﬁ ll Another ﬁ re broke out at the George Town landﬁ ll on 5 May and ﬂ ared up again in the small hours of 6 May, according to a statement from the Cayman Islands Fire Service. The Fire Service said crews had extinguished the ﬁ re and would remain on site to determine the next steps to take. The ﬁ re was ﬁ rst reported at 7:30pm on 5 May, at the top southwest corner of the mound area where waste is disposed. This is the latest blaze at the dump since March and the ﬁ rst since the formal signing of the contract between the previous government and a Dart-led consortium for the construction of a multi-million dollar waste-to- energy facility at the landﬁ ll. COVID-19 update As of 5 May, Cayman had seven active cases of COVID-19, all incoming travellers currently in isolation. None of the cases are symptomatic. Cayman has recorded 545 COVID-19 cases overall, with 536 people recovered. To date, 69,299 Pﬁ zer-BioNTech vaccines have been administered, with 37,062 people – 57% of the estimated population of 65,000 – receiving at least one dose; 50% have completed the two-dose course. Public Health continues to encourage members of the community who have not yet been vaccinated to come forward before 9 June to meet the expiration date of the last batch of vaccines that were delivered to Cayman. The PACT government has launched a renewed vaccination push, offering incentives to encourage people to take up the remaining 14,000 doses on island. Ritz-Carlton to close for US$50M renovation The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman will close for six months from 1 June as it carries out a US$50 million renovation. According to a press release, the Dart-owned hotel will cease offering accommodations while undergoing an “extensive rejuvenation project that will transform guest rooms, meeting spaces and public areas”. The resort’s restaurants and bars will remain open, however. The hotel is expected to complete the renovation by mid- November. Since the local borders closed last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Ritz-Carlton, like other hotels on island, has been relying on staycation visitors and quarantining travellers. DPP Patrick Moran resigns Cayman’s Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran has resigned from his post, Governor Martyn Roper conﬁ rmed on 5 May. A statement from the Governor’s Ofﬁ ce said that Moran tendered his resignation “for personal reasons” and Roper had accepted it. Moran was initially appointed to the post of deputy DPP in 2015 before being promoted to DPP in 2019. A ﬁ re burned at the top southwest corner of the mound area in the George Town landﬁ ll on 5 May. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay News briefs cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 7 MAY 2021NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky The new Cayman Islands government is launching a fresh COVID-19 vaccination drive, which includes offering incentives and prizes such as laptops, phones and petrol vouchers, to try to convince those reluctant to be inoculated to come forward for their shots. The PACT government announced the ramped-up efforts on 5 May when it held its ﬁ rst press brieﬁ ng since being elected to ofﬁ ce last month. Premier Wayne Panton said he had an “urgent message” to remind people that Cayman’s stock of Pﬁ zer-BioNTech vaccines are due to expire at the end of June. He said 14,000 doses remain, and he implored anyone over 16 who has not yet been vaccinated to attend the Owen Roberts International Airport vaccine clinic to get their shot. He said the new government’s position “for the moment” regarding the reopening of borders, based on the vaccination rate, is the same as that set out by the Progressives government. The Progressives had stated that borders could be reopened safely once 70-80% rate of the population had been vaccinated. Panton said reaching 80% would be “difﬁ cult” and that a 70% target was “more doable”. He appealed to people to take the vaccine “for the greater good”. New ministers to be vaccinated The new tourism and transport minister, Kenneth Bryan, said he would be receiving his ﬁ rst shot of the Pﬁ zer-BioNTech vaccine on Saturday, 8 May, at the airport clinic. He invited members of the public to join him and his government colleagues who had also not yet been vaccinated, from 10am, at the airport, and said a prize draw would be held for people who come forward to get vaccinated. He also invited businesses to donate prizes for the drive “in an effort to sweeten the deal” for those who are unsure about taking the vaccine, adding that he hoped there would be a “massive response” so that Cayman could reach the 80% target. Panton said four of his government ministers had not yet been vaccinated, as they had been concerned about having side-effects while running their election campaigns, but that they would all be in attendance at Saturday’s vaccination drive. He added that he had already been fully vaccinated and only suffered mild side-effects. Asked if the government was considering implementing mandatory vaccines from work- permit holders, like Turks and Caicos has done, Panton responded that it was not something his administration was “actively going to consider” at this time. Dr. John Lee, chief medical ofﬁ cer, said 50% of Cayman’s entire population had received their full course of vaccines as of Wednesday. He added there appeared to be an uptick in recent days in the number of people being inoculated. Lee said encouraging news had been received from Canada which has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children over the age of 12, but said Cayman would need to get permission from the UK before it could be offered to those aged between 12 and 16. He said he hoped that Cayman would “overshoot” its vaccination target, as the more people are vaccinated, the safer the islands’ population will be once borders reopen. Vaccine supplies Governor Martyn Roper echoed Panton’s sentiments and urged people to get vaccinated. He said the UK government was committed to supplying Cayman with more vaccines, “including adapted doses to tackle new strains of COVID and bolster vaccines in the autumn if needed”, but he added that it would be “difﬁ cult” to ask the UK for more vaccines if the local population had not used up the doses it already had. He said that there were “desperate situations” due a lack of vaccines in various places around the world. “I think there would be signiﬁ cant outrage and even distress if it became known that we had not used the vaccines that we have been sent,” he said. Speaking for the ﬁ rst time as health minister, Sabrina Turner pointed out that vaccines are becoming scarce in certain places around the world, such as India, and she begged the Cayman population not to become complacent about the availability of vaccinations. She said a number of measures were being considered by the new government in relation to COVID-19 restrictions, including the possible removal of the requirement for a PCR test taken 72 hours before entering Cayman for travellers who have completed their vaccination course no less than two weeks before arrival. Tourism stipend Bryan announced at the brieﬁ ng that the government would continue to pay a monthly $1,500 stipend to 3,371 tourism-industry employees who have been out of work since the borders closed. Bryan said he was aware that for many of these individuals, the stipend was their only ﬁ nancial means. He did not specify how long the stipends would continue, but he said he wanted to quell rumours that they were about to be scrapped. YOU DESERVE THE BEST Prizes to ‘sweeten deal’ for unvaccinated residents “I think there would be signiﬁ cant outrage and even distress if it became known that we had not used the vaccines that we have been sent.” Governor Martyn Roper 50% The percentage of the entire population that has completed the two-dose vaccine course Companies that want to donate to the vaccination drive can email mottvax@caymanislands.ky. Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan says he will receive his ﬁ rst dose of Pﬁ zer-BioNTech vaccine on 8 May. Health Minister Sabrina Turner at the government press brieﬁ ng on 5 May. - Photos: Alvaro Serey cayman compass 3 news N news FRIDAY, 7 MAY 20211234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Great affliction (7) 5 Considerable (5) 8 Children (9) 9 The fruit of a rose plant (3) 10 Large marine game fish (4) 12 Unquestioning (8) 14 Clandestine (6) 15 Woundingly sarcastic (6) 17 Legitimately entitled (8) 18 To dam (4) 21 Good enough (3) 22 The largest inland sea (6,3) 24 Ghastly (5) 25 With a side-glance (7) DOWN 1 British Antarctic explorer (5) 2 Stupid clumsy person (3) 3 String of pearls (4) 4 Puzzling thing (6) 5 Portuguese explorer, 1480- 1521 (8) 6 15th Century explorer of Canada (4,5) 7 Generally reckoned (7) 11 Explorer by sea (9) 13 Contemptible (8) 14 Cautious (7) 16 Treeless Arctic plain (6) 19 Possibly (5) 20 British explorer of Australasia (4) 23 Prohibit (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16685 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 16685 ACROSS: 1 Scourge, 5 Major, 8 Offspring, 9 Hip, 10 Tuna, 12 Implicit, 14 Covert, 15 Barbed, 17 Rightful, 18 Stem, 21 Fit, 22 Hudson Bay, 24 Lurid, 25 Askance. DOWN: 1 Scott, 2 Oaf, 3 Rope, 4 Enigma, 5 Magellan, 6 John Cabot, 7 Reputed, 11 Navigator, 13 Wretched, 14 Careful, 16 Tundra, 19 Maybe, 20 Cook, 23 Ban. We must insist that when we open our borders to visitors they be vaccinated for COVID. This is our choice and the choice of those wanting to be a tourist to a beautiful Cayman. No vaccine, stay away! Bob Slatter Great news that the interests of the Caymanian people are being served. That the Central Planning Authority has rejected plans for a West Bay four-storey apartment block. Hosannas, too, to the CPA for rejecting the old Boggy Sand Road seawall cabana teardown for a residential home. Developers would build condos and resorts in the seawater below the high-water mark off Seven Mile Beach, if they could! Nan Socolow vaccinated whilst they were in flat-out campaign mode in case they had side effects (like sore arms and fever and tiredness that some have reported), but are now looking forward to getting vaccinated with the public on Saturday at the airport – with music, refreshments and prizes! – Rachel Osborne Ritz-Carlton to close for US$50M renovation I think the rooms are beautiful as are the premises. Shame to see them close but makes sense to do it during their slowest tourist time of the year, although with the pandemic it might have ended up being their busiest with schools being out for the summer and people staying on island instead of travelling. – Bobby Comins Yes - a good move. It’s 16 years old at least. Don’t see pandemic travel starting any time soon any way. Even if we open our doors, many countries are not. – Rashantha De Alwis Seneviratne It looks like something that should be sat in central Moscow. If there was ever an out-of-place building this is it. – Jerry Young My favourite hotel. Can’t imagine how fabulous it will be! – Kimberly Klein They can afford a $50 million refurbishment during a pandemic but they couldn’t afford to keep on and pay their employees dur- ing a pandemic? – Anna Peccarino Sucks they couldn’t do this renovation more during COVID time. – Justin Chapman I can’t imagine how much prices will be jacked up to cover this! Yowza! – Michele Vanderford They must know that the borders aren’t opening until the end of the year since they sud- denly decided to shut down for the whole summer and fall. – Starr Lori Can you imagine the waste that will be going to the dump... just find it hard to believe that it needs a renovation. Imagine what those funds could do to really help others. Just my thoughts. – Kimberly Lutz Cease notice issued over Regal Beach Club works At what point does the gov- ernment step in to make moves to turn around the damage done to the shoreline? Stop (re-)planning a port and focus on the bigger problem. Please! Before it’s irreversible. – MaryKate Lynch It’s unbelievable how these people get away with their shen- nanigans. Where’s the enforce- ment for the well heeled? Two levels of justice, huh? – Amar Sheow Excellent swift action, De- partment of Planning! – Christine Skenderis Szeryk Fire at landfill “In other breaking news, Pope rumoured to be Catholic, and bears implicated in woods defecation case.” – Jay Scott Report: 22 years of monitoring shows large increase in turtle nests No cruise ships and less people to stress them out. Way to go, virus! – Scott Brownhall I am a fully vaccinated owner of property on Grand Cayman who cannot visit without a 10-day quarantine. If we have to wait for the people on island to decide to be vaccinated we may never get to enjoy our beautiful vacation home again. Sandra Perkins cartoon Planning approval - By Caymanman What they’re saying Online Letters to the editor Mandate vaccines for visitors Support CPA decisions to reject development plans Vacation property owner wants to return to Cayman Panton appeals to public to use up remaining 14,000 vaccine doses A bit concerning that some of the ministers haven’t had their vaccine yet and the health minister only had her first dose last week. – Dominic Dyer Such irony! There are people dying due to shortage of vaccines in some parts of the world and here 14,000 doses will expire due to lack of interest in taking vaccine. Really sad. – Abhijit Rakshe How is it that... the minister of tourism still has not been vaccinated? The vaccines have been readily avail- able much longer than their cam- paigning has been going on. Practise what you preach! – Juvi Boss When you have to bribe and beg people to take a government-recom- mended shot… you know it has to be good. What could go wrong? – Adam Simpson So early birds didn’t catch the worms then? – Rajan Chemjong Premier mentioned that some of them were holding back from getting cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 7 MAY 2021YOU DESERVE THE BEST RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Premier Wayne Panton said his PACT administration has no plans for a cruise berthing project, nor has government held any discussions with Royal Caribbean on the matter. “We don’t have any plans to entertain that idea,” Panton said Wednesday, 5 May, as he responded to questions during the government’s ﬁ rst press conference since taking ofﬁ ce last month. The port issue returned to the front burner recently following concerns raised by Cruise Port Referendum Cayman after Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley said plans for a cruise berthing facility in Cayman had not been abandoned. The cruise-line boss was speaking about the plans via Zoom at a Caribbean Tourism Organization forum held 28 April. However, Panton said as far as he was aware, Bayley “has had no conversations with this government”. The premier, who is also minister for climate change and resilience, had been vocal about the Progressives-led administration’s planned port project and lent his voice to public protests against it. The project was abandoned by former Premier Alden McLaughlin following legal battles with CPR Cayman and community protests. Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan, who was the ﬁ rst Cabinet member asked about the project at the brieﬁ ng, said the government had “not fully discussed” the issue, but he added, “We have no indication of any plans to do any cruise porting within this administration.” Panton later clariﬁ ed, “there are no such plans”. Bryan was also asked whether there were any plans to move forward with the CPR Cayman people-initiated referendum on the proposed cruise port. Bryan pointed to the legality of holding that referendum, saying after receiving “advice and direction” from the attorney general, that unless it was an identical plan to the one promoted by the Progressives, “a referendum would not stand, moving forward”. Mandatory work-permit vaccinations? While Panton has reiterated that reopening borders remain contingent on hitting a 70% vaccination target, he has said introducing mandatory vaccinations for work-permit holders is not being “actively considered at this point”. “There are issues around it and until we can get more clarity around those issues, it’s not something that we’re actively going to consider. But, I think from our perspective, we want to implore our people to go out and get the vaccine and that’s the focus we’re taking at this point... just trying to encourage and cajole people to go and get it because it is the key for us going forward,” Panton said. Last week, Turks and Caicos made vaccinations mandatory for work-permit holders. Here in Cayman, vaccinations are voluntary. As of 6 May, 69,299 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered. Chief Medical Ofﬁ cer Dr. John Lee, in his 5 May report, said so far, 37,062 people (57% of the estimated population of 65,000) have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with 50% having completed the two-dose course. “Public Health continues to encourage the community who have not yet been vaccinated to come forward before 9 June 2021 to meet the expiration date of the last scheduled delivery of vaccines,” Lee said. Cayman’s conﬁ rmed COVID-19 cases stands at 545 with 536 people listed as fully recovered. Seven patients are asymptomatic and there are no hospitalisations. As of 6 May, 664 people were isolating at government facilities or in their homes. Codes of conduct Panton has said the introduction of codes of conduct for both Parliament and Cabinet remains a priority for the PACT government. However, he was unable to provide a timeline on when the codes would be completed and implemented. “Both are being actioned at this point,” Panton said. He said he had previously helped draft a code of conduct for Cabinet, so it should not take too long to ﬁ nalise that. The implementation of a parliamentary code of conduct was part of the deal PACT made with House Speaker McKeeva Bush to join the government ranks after the election. Panton said he spoke with Bush about the code on 4 May “indicating to him that it is a priority for us to move forward”. Premier: No plans for a cruise berthing project “We don’t have any plans to entertain that idea.” - Premier Wayne Panton responding to questions about a possible cruise port project. – Photo: Alvaro Serey cayman compass 5 news N news FRIDAY, 7 MAY 2021ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky During her 17 years at the Department of Public Safety Communications, Chelsea Blake has handled various roles, but her recent efforts to talk an injured man through driving himself to the hospital, earned her unprecedented judicial praise. “My team and I, we’ve heard it all,” said Blake. “We have delivered babies over that phone, restarted hearts over that phone, we are the ﬁ rst of the ﬁ rst responders.” Her diligent and professional work caught the eye of acting Grand Court Justice Roger Chapple, who, while returning a verdict in a wounding case, commended Blake for her exceptional service. “I cannot leave this case without mentioning and drawing attention to the dedication to duty of the emergency services operator who handled the 911 call…,” wrote Chapple in his ofﬁ cial judgment. The incident in question occurred shortly after 3pm on 24 Oct. 2020, when a man called the 911 emergency dispatch centre to report he had been chopped in the head twice with a hatchet and was in the process of driving himself to the hospital. During the drive, the victim had his T-shirt in one hand trying to stem the blood ﬂ ow, while driving and talking to Blake. “It is clear from what he was saying that he was concerned about losing consciousness,” wrote Chapple, who noted in that state, the victim posed a danger to himself and the public. “Recognising those dangers, as she clearly did, the operator made sure that [the victim] remained on the line until she was satisﬁ ed that he had arrived safely and without incident at the hospital,” added Chapple. During the 15-minute call, Blake was in constant communication with the driver. She monitored his health and consciousness, helping to keep him focussed on the road, while managing his anger at his attacker. “The training here is very rigorous,” said Blake. “No two calls are the same, and if you put all the moving parts together you end up focussing on the big picture, which is keeping your caller safe and other members of the public safe.” Blake said her goal is to treat all her callers with the same degree of care and compassion, so for her it was just another day on the job. “I don’t really remember the call,” she said. “Because I have had to do so many calls of a similar nature. However, I am still grateful that someone appreciates my work, because this can sometimes be a thankless job.” “No one who has listened to the audio recording of that call could fail to be impressed, as I was, by the calm and professional way in which the operator handled [the victim],” wrote Chapple. “She was appropriate, compassionate and concerned, but ﬁ rm and authoritative when required. I commend her for her conduct, her skill and professionalism. She is a credit to the emergency services and deserves the gratitude of the community.” Julian Lewis, director of the DPSC, noted that most people who choose a career of public safety as a dispatch operator do so knowing they might never truly be recognised for their efforts. But it’s a choice they willingly make, while still giving all their effort, he said. “[Chelsea] is actually a major part of our training team, so this just demonstrates that we have the right people providing the foundation for... preparing the next generation of young people to do public safety,” said Lewis. He added, “I am absolutely ecstatic and elated to know that my team has been recognised by not just the public, but by the court, and that the record will stand that the team has been recognised for a stellar job.” As a part of Chapple’s ofﬁ cial judgment, the praise and commendation of Blake will be kept within the court’s registries for as long as the judicial system lasts. It is a reality that is beginning to set in, said Blake, who also noted that, while she appreciates the recognition, for her it was just another day at work because she loves her job. “I live and breathe for this job,” she said. “I just hope other young Caymanians will see or hear this story and want to do this job.” “My team and I, we’ve heard it all. We have delivered babies over that phone, restarted hearts over that phone, we are the ﬁ rst of the ﬁ rst responders.” Chelsea Blake, 911 operator 911 operator lauded for lifesaving service cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 7 MAY 2021 Now this, looks like home. Step into a place that finally looks and feels like you. Apply for a Scotiabank mortgage now 4.5% INTEREST RATE PLUS MONEY BACK OF 3% UP TO KY$5,000 Visit ky.scotiabank.com or call (354) 949-7666 for more details. Promotional offer ends May 15, 2021 and is subject to change at any time. Registered trademark of the Bank of Nova Scotia, used under license. *Conditions Apply. cayman compass 7 FRIDAY, 7 MAY 2021NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky When Leigh Fagan last saw her 13-foot Boston Whaler boat on 11 March, it was moored at a buoy in the sea in front of her home in South Sound. Last week, it showed up again – more than 460 miles away on a beach in Florida. After Fagan was alerted at work by her parents, who were visiting, that her boat was no longer attached to the buoy, she and her family began their search along the shoreline for the vessel, the Amanzi Baba – a combination of Zulu and Afrikaans words meaning ‘water baby’. Not knowing whether it was stolen or had broken free from its moorings, she contacted the police marine unit, who noted the boat’s serial number. She also placed an appeal on the Real Women of Cayman Facebook page, asking its members to be on the lookout for the boat. She said a number of people on the site suggested that it had likely been stolen, but Fagan thought this was unlikely as it would have been taken “in broad daylight”. “I guess stranger things have happened,” she said, adding that the boat had been securely fixed to an anchor and to the mooring buoy. For weeks there was no word on the Amanzi Baba, but then she got a call out of the blue. “On Tuesday last week, I received a call from a US number... from a man who said he was a police officer,” Fagan told the Cayman Compass. “He asked me ‘Do you own this boat? It has washed up, can you come and remove it?’ “When I asked him where, he said Sunny Isles in Florida. I told him I couldn’t come get it. He said, ‘Why not?’ and I said I don’t live in Florida. ‘You’re not local?’ he said, and I told him I definitely wasn’t local, that I lived in the Cayman Islands. “There was silence on the phone after that.” The officer later explained that he had gotten Fagan’s name and telephone number after entering the boat’s serial number into the Florida police system. Fagan said she asked him to send her some photos of the washed-up boat, and she inquired about its condition. “It needs some work,” he replied. When she got the photos, she realised “some work” was quite the understatement. “It looked like the boat had definitely turned upside down and was submerged in the water. The console’s been ripped from where it usually is. Maybe another wave movement righted the boat and it washed ashore,” she said. Its propeller and hull are covered in barnacles, suggesting it has been floating out at sea for some time. “The boat is done,” Fagan said. She said someone from a sailing group in Florida had expressed interest in taking the boat’s hull. The vessel is relatively new and is insured, Fagan said. The family bought it in December 2018. Fagan, originally from South Africa, said her children wanted to give it an African name – hence Amanzi Baba. “It’s a little baby boat,” she said, which she and her husband often used to take the kids out on the water. “We used it a lot,” she added. YOU DESERVE THE BEST Leigh Fagan and her children on board the Amanzi Baba. The Amanzi Baba on land outside the Fagan family home in South Sound. A police officer in Florida sent this photo of the boat to Leigh Fagan. “It looked like the boat had definitely turned upside down and was submerged in the water.” Leigh Fagan, boat owner 460 miles The distance, as the crow flies, the Amanzi Baba travelled Family’s missing boat washes up on Florida beach cayman compass 8 news N news FRIDAY, 7 MAY 2021YOU DESERVE THE BEST Planning Department ﬂ ags ‘unauthorised’ work RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky The Planning Department has issued stop and enforcement notices to local luxury condomiuium Regal Beach Club after it commenced “unauthorised” repair works to its Seven Mile Beach property. The condominium was one of several properties impacted by last year’s beach loss and coastal erosion at the southern end of Cayman’s world- famous beach. The Department of Environment, in response to queries from the Cayman Compass about the work, conﬁ rmed notices were issued after it was alerted to Regal Beach Club’s coastal erosion repairs, for which it did not have permission. The property’s management was given until 4 May to clear construction debris that had been piled along the coastline after contractors began work to repair damage to the condominiums caused by the beach loss. Checks on 5 May found that the area had been cleared of the debris and the area impacted by the erosion was cordoned off with caution tape. The DoE told the Compass it was made aware of the situation at those Seven Mile Beach condos at the end of last month. A member of the public also alerted the Compass to the construction work and debris along the beachfront on the south end of Seven Mile Beach. Compass staff visited the site on 3 May and saw the mound of debris; however, no work was being done at the time. Regal Beach Club, as well as hotels and properties along the south end of Seven Mile Beach, have been impacted by coastal erosion and beach loss exacerbated by rough seas over the hurricane season late last year. The situation was compounded by the passage of numerous storms – including Hurricane Iota – which generated wave action that claimed prime beachfront from several properties along that stretch The DoE, in its statement, said after it was alerted to the work and heavy equipment at the property, it “immediately reached out to the Department of Planning, who has jurisdiction over works such as this”. Director of Planning Haroon Pandohie, the DoE said, conﬁ rmed that the works were unauthorised and issued both a stop notice and enforcement notice to the contractor conducting the works. “They have been instructed by the Department of Planning to remove this material from the foreshore. The works are associated with the rebuilding of the damaged seawall. However, there are a number of planning conditions that need to be addressed before works can legally commence,” the DoE stated. The Compass reached out to Regal Beach Club’s strata management for comment on the work and the planning notices; no response had been received by press time. Last year, the Marriott Beach Resort and Dart-owned properties Royal Palms and Coral Beach lost beachfront, while at the extreme northern end of Seven Mile Beach, from Alfresco restaurant to the boat- launching ramp, the shoreline was seriously impacted. Governors Beach and Public Beach also had gaping shelves of missing sand that had been claimed by the sea. In 2020, a $1.25 million government-led ‘beach nourishment’ project was proposed to address the erosion at the southern end of Seven Mile Beach. Some of the impacted properties called for government to assist them with the re-nourishment of the beachfront. Former planning and infrastructure minister Joey Hew had said there was not a simple ﬁ x to the issue of beach loss in that area. He said government had intended to adjust setbacks and land use in its Plan Cayman review of the Seven Mile Beach corridor. However, with the recent change in administration it is unclear what is happening with that review. planning notices; no response had been received by press time. Last year, the Marriott Beach Resort and Dart-owned properties Royal Palms and Coral Beach lost Regal Beach Club issued stop notice Planning ordered Regal Beach Club to cease work on its beachfront property until it seeks proper permission. – Photo: Taneos Ramsay cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 7 MAY 2021 9Next >