© 2021 Burger King Corporation. Crispy Chicken Also available in Spicy or BBQ Bacon Sports Cayman gymnasts aim high Page 22 Business Global minimum tax Q&A Page 13 16-year battle for sexual harassment law Page 16 Huge turtle rescued on Little Cayman Page 7 SOON COME? cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 18-24 June 2021 Cayman clamours for decision on border-reopening plan. Page 3 Price hikes ahead for local consumers Page 5Matinees (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00 (Mon-Fri before 6pm) Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets 640-FILM (640-3456) Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK A QUIET PLACE PART II (PG-13) (FRI-SAT, MON,WED-THURS) 4:35 | 7:00 | 7:30 VIP | 9:25 | 10:10 VIP (SUN) 3:45 VIP | 4:35 | 7:00 | 7:30 VIP | 9:25 |10:00 | 10:10 VIP (TUE) 4:35 | 7:00 | 9:25 | 10:10 VIP CRUELLA (PG-13) (FRI & MON-THURS) 4:00 VIP | 7:15 (SAT) 12:45 VIP | 1:25 | 4:00 VIP | 7:15 (SUN) 3:30 | 4:00 VIP | 6:20 VIP | 6:45 GODZILLA VS. KONG (PG-13) (SUN) 3:35 | 9:50 VIP | 9:50 IN THE HEIGHTS (PG-13) (FRI & MON-THURS) 6:35 VIP | 9:30 (SAT) 12:50 | 6:35 VIP (SUN) 6:20 6:35 VIP | 6:50 | 9:25 VIP | 9:30 SPIRIT UNTAMED (PG) (FRI & MON-WED) 4:15 VIP | 4:55 (SAT) 12:25 | 1:15 VIP | 2:40 | 4:15 VIP | 4:55 (SUN) 3:45 | 4:15 VIP THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT (R) (FRI & MON-THURS) 4:00 | 6:45 | 9:45 VIP (SAT) 4:00 | 9:45 VIP THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD (R) (FRI & MON-THURS) 4:30 VIP | 5:00 | 7:00 VIP | 7:30 | 9:30 VIP | 10:00 (SAT) 1:50 VIP | 2:30 | 4:30 VIP | 5:00 | 7:00 VIP | 7:30 | 9:30 VIP | 10:00 KIDS CLUB PLANES (PG) SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE CLASSICS FIFTY SHADES OF GREY (R) TUESDAY 7PM VIP CULTURE A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE (R18) SATURDAY 8PM PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. Compass Centre, Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman, KY1-1108 Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@compassmedia.ky ADVERTISE WITH US: T: (345) 949-5111 E: sales@compassmedia.ky W: caymancompass.com PUBLISHER KATHLEEN CAPETTA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KEVIN MORALES weather Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy skies with dust haze and a 20% chance of showers SEA STATE Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. caymancompass.comfacebook.com/caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass WINDS East to southeast at 10 to 15 knots. 88°F HIGH 77°F LOW SAT 89°F HIGH 77°F LOW SUN 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW MON 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW TUES 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW WED 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW FRI 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass No Delta variant in Cayman Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee said Cayman has not recorded any cases of the infectious COVID-19 Delta variant among its positive cases. Lee, responding to Compass questions at the 16 June press briefing, said local genomic sequencing picked up a number of variants in five samples that had tested positive for COVID-19. However, none of those samples showed the Delta strain. In differentiating the samples, Lee said the lab has found the UK variant; the New York variant, which he noted was not “a variant of concern”, it was just a “variant of interest”; two related South African variants; and possibly one other. He said that, should any cases of that variant be picked up here, it would “be very newsworthy”. The rapid spread of the Delta variant, one of four variants of concern according to the World Health Organization, prompted a four-week delay in the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the United Kingdom. It comes as almost 12,000 additional doses of Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine arrived in Cayman from the UK on 16 June, as government continues to push for 70-80% of the population to be vaccinated. Travel Cayman: No quarantine breach for couple on boat Police have said a quarantining couple who photographed themselves aboard a boat did not commit any offence nor did they pose any public health risk. The couple, whose photo was circulated on social media, had been isolating as required by local COVID-19 restrictions. In a media statement on 15 June, Travel Cayman stated that an investigation, conducted by police in conjunction with Public Health, was launched into an alleged breach of isolation protocols after images of the couple surfaced on social media. “The investigation revealed that the pictures were taken on a boat that was dry-docked at the private residence where the travellers were in quarantine. It was deemed that no breach occurred and there are no Public Health concerns at the moment,” the statement said Car dealers warn of a ticking-time bomb in faulty airbags Car City Cayman has renewed its efforts to track down and replace faulty airbags that could be a ticking bomb in Honda and Acura vehicles, which were sold between 1996 and 2016. “The Takata airbag recall is the largest automotive safety recall the industry has seen and it has affected more than just the Honda and Acura brands,” said senior marketing manager Julian Foster. “It’s estimated that nearly 100 million cars worldwide are affected.” The cause behind the faulty airbags is the ammonium nitrate propellant which is used to inflate the airbags during a collision. It has been discovered that, over time, moisture, high temperatures and humidity degrades the ammonium nitrate. The airbag recall has been going since 2019. At the time of the initial recall, Honda technicians visited Cayman where it's believed that at least 4,000 vehicles were in need of the replacements. For more information on how to determine if a vehicle needs a replacement airbag, visit https://www.carcity.ky/recalls. Pride parade gets green light from government The Cayman Islands government has given the green light to the jurisdiction’s inaugural ‘Cayman Pride’ parade, scheduled for next month. Noel Cayasso-Smith, the founder of the Cayman LGBTQ Foundation, told the Cayman Compass the government’s approval was contingent on the parade meeting certain requirements, one of which is that participants in the pride parade must have received their COVID vaccinations. “You will have to be vaccinated in order to participate in the street parade,” said Cayasso-Smith. “The government is still in the final stages of trying to figure out the logistics surrounding the parade, so for now we have to wait for those details to become available,” he added. Cayasso-Smith said the parade will be limited to 1,000 people – in line with the current COVID-19 regulations concerning gathering in large crowds. Queen’s Birthday honours awarded It was an emotional day for Customs and Border Control Director Charles Clifford and Pastor Randy Von Kanel as they were both honoured at the annual Queen’s Birthday celebrations on 14 June. The Cayman Compass caught up with the men following the receipt of their honours, which were presented before hundreds attending the parade held on West Bay Road in front of Government House for the first time. Von Kanel, who was awarded Member of the Order of the Cayman Islands – the revamped national award – for his community service, said being honoured at such a high level was a humbling experience. Clifford was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the New Year’s Honours List and he received the award at the same celebrations. The accolade celebrates Clifford’s contributions to customs and border control in the Cayman Islands, including the creation of the new CBC entity following the merger of the former immigration department and customs. News in brief Governor Martyn Roper congratulates Customs and Border Control Director Charles Clifford after being awarded Member of the British Empire. – Photos: Taneos Ramsay Premier Wayne Panton presented Pastor Randy Von Kanel with his Member of the Order of the Cayman Islands award on Monday. cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 18 JUNE 2021Quarantine for vaccinated travellers cut to 5 days RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Cayman’s anticipated reopening is not as close as many would hope, with recalculated population numbers showing the jurisdiction is further away from achieving the vaccination pecentages needed for herd immunity. “The challenge isn’t over,” Premier Wayne Panton said at a 16 June press briefing, during which he announced mandatory quarantine for vaccinated incoming travellers will decrease from 10 to five days starting 23 June. In addition, the 72-hour pre-arrival PCR testing will be reinstated for all passengers. The briefing came 24 hours after the Opposition criticised the government for its silence on a way forward for reopening the borders. Plan in progress, numbers were off The day before the press briefing, Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart had proposed 1 Sept. as a possible target for a phased reopening, based on previous vaccination statistics. However, Panton said government will be cautious with its plans, based on the science. “Our plan is based on a number of people vaccinated so that the vulnerable in our community, who can’t get vaccinated, are protected. Once we do reopen our border, and we will, in our plan we will slowly reintroduce tourism without having thousands of people at the airport.” Reopening too soon, he said, is not an option. “We have too many examples of regional territories and countries who have tried and gotten it wrong. And the cost of that happening is worse than taking a bit longer to try to get it right,” he said. Panton said government had asked the Economics and Statistics Office to recalcuate Cayman’s population – which had been pegged at 65,000 – in the absence of up-to- date census numbers. The national survey, taken every 10 years, was postponed from 2020 to October this year due to COVID. “This has led to a revised conclusion that there is likely around 71,100 people living in the Cayman Islands,” he said, which now means that the 39,090 people who have received a full course of the COVID-19 vaccine actually represent approximately 55% of the population, rather than the 66% calculated on a population based on 6,000 fewer people. “The goal for herd immunity is to have 70% (49,770) to 80% (56,880) of the population vaccinated,” Panton said, adding the latest medical advice suggests that a target ratio as high as 80% of the population may be necessary to achieve herd immunity. A new batch of 12,000 vaccine doses arrived on 16 June and the administering of second jabs has resumed. “Using 80% of 71,100 provides a target of just under an additional 17,000 people in our population that we need to fully vaccinate. Using 70% of that population number indicates a target of just under an additional 10,000 people that need to be fully vaccinated,” Panton said. He added that the government would present a border-reopening plan in the next few weeks; however, he declined to give a specific target date as the recalculated numbers have changed the timeline. Cayman’s phased reopening plan will look at the reintroduction of tourism by mid-September, he said, but Panton declined to announce a specific date. He said mid-September was targeted in part so the border reopening would not occur at the same time as the beginning of the school year. Reopening to tourists during the slow season would also ensure that visitor numbers would be manageable, and allow for the collection of data to monitor COVID numbers. The timing would also enable Cayman to build capacity in preparation for high season, Panton said. “Every move we make in our plan is calculated to get people back to our shores with a view to eventually removing all quarantine for all vaccinated travellers, while still requiring unvaccinated travellers to get permission to enter our borders and abide by our rules, and to do it safely and right by our people,” he said. During the press briefing, Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee suggested that while the recalculation of population numbers could be seen as “disappointing” as this means there is more work to do, he believes the vaccination programme has done “very well” with 66% of the population having received their first dose. Changes to protocols, stipend Panton said government’s eventual plan will take into account increasing air traffic, differing quarantines depending on the travellers, and eventually getting to a stage of all-clear “hopefully by the end of the year”. But, he stressed, it will also involve the reintroduction of masks and social distancing when indoors. As for now, the premier said, protocols will be updated to allow for the removal of PCR testing on arrival. All travellers must be tested before exiting quarantine, and non- vaccinated travellers will still have to quarantine for 14 days. He added that mandatory weekly PCR testing of frontline workers who have not been vaccinated will also commence and travellers who quarantine at a government facility following non-essential travel will have to pay for their time in isolation. Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan also emphasised that only essential travel is allowed. He lauded the success of the vaccination drive, but announced another initiative to encourage people who haven’t received the vaccine to come forward. Bryan said he intends to raise $100,000 in cash which will be “divided up and given away in the form of a draw, two weeks after Cayman achieves the 80% target. “Everyone who has been fully vaccinated, and is either a Caymanian, permanent resident or work-permit holder will have the chance to win,” he said, as he appealed to the local business community to donate to the prize draw. Bryan said the monthly tourism stipend of $1,500 will continue through October, but the payments would be reduced to $750 per month for November and December, as it is expected that by then workers would be employed as tourism resumes. This is contrary to the suggestion made by McTaggart, who called for the stipend to be increased to $2,000. New population figures move reopening goalposts COVID protocols from 23 June • Mandatory quarantine dropped to five days for verifiably vaccinated incoming travellers • 72-hour pre-arrival PCR testing reinstated • Removal of PCR testing on arrival • All travellers must be tested before exiting quarantine • Non-vaccinated travel- lers must complete 14-day quarantine • Mandatory weekly PCR testing of non-vaccinat- ed frontline workers • Residents to pay for their own stay following non-essential travel Premier Wayne Panton leading the 17 June press briefing to update the country on government's border reopening plans. – Photo: Reshma Ragoonath Revised population vaccination stats Ages 12 to 16 8.5% Ages 16 to 30 66% Ages 30 to 40 74% Ages 40 to 50 80% Ages 50 to 60 84% Over 60 87% cayman compass 3 news N news FRIDAY, 18 JUNE 20211234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Suffocate (7) 5 Overwrought (3,2) 8 Surreptitious (9) 9 One’s family (3) 10 City noted for Leaning Tower (4) 12 Huge (8) 14 Counterfeit (6) 15 A grave crime (6) 17 And so forth (2,6) 18 Piece of satire (4) 21 Look at (3) 22 Obliquely (2,2,5) 24 Symbol (5) 25 An oval (7) DOWN 1 Financial depression (5) 2 Eccentric (3) 3 Stringed musical instrument (4) 4 Sanity (6) 5 A highly inflammable gas (8) 6 Assess one’s situation (4,5) 7 An imposed disadvantage (7) 11 Random unannounced test (4,5) 13 To curb (8) 14 Ostensible motive (7) 16 To cause (6) 19 Recurrent melody (5) 20 Subside (4) 23 Break in continuity (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16721 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 16721 ACROSS: 1 Smother, 5 Het up, 8 Underhand, 9 Kin, 10 Pisa, 12 Colossal, 14 Phoney, 15 Felony, 17 Et cetera, 18 Skit, 21 Eye, 22 At an angle, 24 Token, 25 Ellipse. DOWN: 1 Slump, 2 Odd, 3 Harp, 4 Reason, 5 Hydrogen, 6 Take stock, 7 Penalty, 11 Spot check, 13 Restrain, 14 Pretext, 16 Create, 19 Theme, 20 Fall, 23 Gap. If the islands threw the doors fully open right now today, summer and fall bookings are already lost and it would be 12 months before experiencing any economic benefit. What scientific or medical reason is there for any restriction whatsoever on vaccinated travellers in and from our region of the world at this point? – Mark Cotton Even as restrictions are loosened, the government of Cayman has demonstrated that it will re-institute them or completely lock down without concern for travellers. Whether that’s the right decision or not, it’s simply too risky for tourists to take the chance of losing money and having their vacation cancelled or shortened. – James Roberts It’s time to open the borders so Caymanians can return to their normal life. Why the government continues to punish them is unreasonable and unfair! I’m assuming that just like the US, the government/politicians have been relatively unaffected financially by COVID; it’sjust the average small- business owner and the working class. Set realistic guidelines and get the economy moving! There is absolutely no reason fully vaccinated people cannot travel to Cayman from countries with low COVID numbers. Cheryl Minnerick Cayman Compass, thank you for being a constant supplier of information. We are Americans, but Cayman is our second home. We have one rental home, one home we built for retirement, and spare land . I tell you this so it is apparent that our family has invested our lifetime of work in the future of the beautiful island. We are heartsick that the idea of a non-quarantined border seems to have gone quiet. We live in Ohio in the US. Here all COVID mandates are gone and lives and human relationships are quickly normalising. We want to come to Cayman but 14 days of isolation means a lot of time from my job and our families. Would the Compass ask the leaders of our second home if there is a plan? We visited in February-March this year. It was sad to see Tukka and other facilities on the eastern end of the island dying. Can we return to normal? John and Dawn Westheimer I implore those in authority to begin now the process to open the island to tourists and timeshare owners, etc, like myself. We are Americans who are vaccinated. My wife and I have missed five weeks of vacationing on your beautiful island since last year. We like many others I am surmising have no desire to return if a quarantine of any kind is in place. That is not a fun-filled vacation experience. I am reading that many business owners are moving towards closing permanently in the next 60-90 days, especially in the tourist- related and restaurant industry. Good weather is not the only component of a vacation choice. Please start the process; move on it quickly before the economy hits a tipping point and tourists make decisions to visit other Caribbean locales and possibly never return. Douglas Lawton cartoon Reservation - By Caymanman What they’re saying Online National footballers log complaints against CIFA Hire a Caymanian coach! Players and the coach and staff must be like one. If there’s no cohesiveness there will never be success. Plus, it’s about time we start paying our national football players. With a combi- nation of the above we will see good results soon enough. – Shaun Ebanks I am proud that the players have stepped up. Now the clubs need to do the same and vote out all the remaining people that were associated with the Jeff Webb administration. Time to ‘drain the swamp’. They need to put credibly back in the as- sociation. – Danny Tathum Surely the clubs can call a meeting. Vote them out! – Charles Frank This is really sad. Athletes, sportspeople who love to com- pete (in particular for their country) rely significantly upon their coaches, managers and other leaders in enabling their success. It’s a dreadful letdown when those folk dis- able the athlete, sportsperson or similar from performing at their best and achieving the goals and success they’ve worked so hard for. – Nigel Von Sachsenburg Land crabs feel the pinch from development The last time we visited your island, we were appalled at how your government has allowed so much development near the sea. We couldn’t even see... well... the sea! Unless your leaders decide to limit all of the construction, the reason for visiting the Cayman Islands is going to disappear. And with your economy being mostly based on tourism, you’re going to have a HUGE problem on your hands. – Jerry Prsha And the poisons we use to maintain our pristine lawns kill them too. Crabs could continue to survive in these developed areas without all that toxin. – David Wolfe Just like we have a ‘turtle farm’ we can have ‘crab farms/ sanctuaries’ under the National Trust or Cayman Turtle Centre. Every developer should be required to contribute to this initiative... depending on how much they upset the habitat. – Yornel Hill I remember 20 years ago they were sometimes so thick you couldn’t even walk through them. – David Blumenthal I remember 20 years ago them all over at night; rarely see them anymore. – Dina Moonbeam And the ones left have no time to breed! – Mirelys Rivas So stop the building. The government has the power to say no more! – Cindy Parillo Rodriguez On opening Cayman’s borders WISE GUY! I DON'T HAVE A RESERVATION... CAN YOU FIND ME A SEAT? cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 18 JUNE 2021JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Cayman Islands residents are facing a summer of significant price increases in supermarkets and restaurants as the impact of COVID-19 and the restrictions on movement hit home. Labour shortages and shipping delays are among the global factors driving up the cost of living. And the situation is only likely to get worse, as the international supply chain struggles to meet surging demand from communities across the globe that are shaking off the shackles of lockdown and getting back to business. At supermarkets across the Cayman Islands, grocery prices have been going up since late last year. Julian Foster, marketing manager at Foster’s, said this would likely continue through the end of the year. He said some products had gone up by as much as 50%. Meat prices from the supermarket’s suppliers have increased by 10% since May last year, dairy products have gone up 28% and cereal prices have increased by a third. Apples and oranges, sugar and canned fruit and veg have also seen significant increases. Foster says the supermarket is working to insulate its customers from the impact by looking for efficiency savings elsewhere. But he warned, “retail price increases are inevitable.” A variety of factors, ranging from labour shortages in farms, factories and the trucking industry to a shortage of shipping containers and raw materials for packaging is contributing to the global price surge. “With many countries reopening borders and easing restrictions, there’s a huge demand on markets to deliver product that they simply can’t keep up with,” said Foster. Beef and chicken wings a 'luxury' It is a similar story across Cayman with restaurants reporting significant increases in the cost of food. A labour shortage at US chicken farms - attributed in part to the loss of seasonal immigrant labour - has led to a near 100% increase in the price of a classic bar menu staple - chicken wings. That’s not the only product that has been impacted, says Caitlin Dunne who runs Fidel Murphy’s and The Kitchen on Seven Mile Beach with her husband John Dunne. The beef industry, for example, has seen huge fluctuations in price. While Fidel’s manages to keep its costs down by ordering larger cuts of meat, she said it was reaching the point now where chicken and beef were starting to be viewed as “luxury items.” She added that the increasing prices were likely to continue for the next 18 months, impacting restaurants and grocery stores across the island. She added, “I think you’ll see a shift to plant-based alternatives in the fast food and diner industry, now that there is more trust in brands like ‘Beyond Meat’ and ‘Impossible’ burgers. It’s a logical leap that I think the market will be pretty accepting of.” Luciano De Riso, manager of Grand Old House and the Wharf restaurants, said the rise in prices has compounded the larger problem that venues have faced since COVID - no customers. He said the restaurants would have to cope with whatever cost increases came in terms of ingredients because it was not in a position to raise menu prices at a time when there are no tourists on island. Further increases in the pipeline It seems likely that further increases are on the way. A raw materials shortage that has been impacting the construction sector for some time is starting to bleed over into the food industry. Gina Peck, of Progressive Distributors, which imports food and other necessities from all over the world to Cayman, said the company had been notified by many of its suppliers of impending price hikes. She said this was impacting everything from toilet paper and feminine hygiene products to canned foods and beef. “At the moment we are doing everything we can to absorb those costs as much as possible and not pass it on to the end consumer... but our margins are very small.” Peter Dutton, managing director of Jacques Scott, said the cost and high demand for shipping was a further concern. The distributor brings wines and beers from as far afield as Australia to Cayman. But a global shortage of refrigerated containers as well as rate hikes for moving product is adding to the cost. In some cases, he said, this is offset by long-term contracted rates. In other cases, the business is swallowing the cost to keep consumer prices down. “Our base product prices are relatively stable so we have been able to absorb shipping price increases for now in the hope the market will sort itself out,” he said. Inflation a global problem The picture of rising food prices is reflected across the world, though island communities like Cayman that rely heavily on imports are likely to be more severely impacted. The root cause of many of the issues is linked to the inability of manufacturers to resume operations post COVID at a pace that can keep up with demand. “Over the last six weeks, we have seen the market come roaring back faster than anybody would have anticipated,” said Mark Allen, chief executive of the International Foodservice Distributors Association, according to a Wall Street Journal report. “The start up has been, in many ways, as difficult as the shutdown… Everybody is trying to turn it on immediately and the capacity might not be there.” Bloomberg reported earlier this month that global food prices had hit their highest mark in almost a decade. Drought in South America and record purchase orders from China are exacerbating the problems, the news agency reported. “We have very little room for any production shock. We have very little room for any unexpected surge in demand in any country,” Abdolreza Abbassian, senior economist at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, told Bloomberg. “Any of those things could push prices up further than they are now, and then we could start getting worried.” Food prices set to surge as COVID impact hits home 50% Increase in price of some products, since late last year. A variety of factors is contributing to a global rise in prices. - Photos: Taneos Ramsay cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 18 JUNE 2021 5NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Staff and guests at Pirates Point and the Department of Environment on 16 June rescued a huge green sea turtle that had become trapped in bushes on the grounds of the resort on Little Cayman. It comes as observers around the world marked World Sea Turtle Day. Guest Liz Wyatt spotted the turtle as it made its way across the grounds, heading in the opposite direction from the sea. The turtle became trapped in bushes and could not extricate itself, so Wyatt called staff, who alerted DoE offi cer Mike Guderian. The group managed to free the turtle and direct her back towards the ocean and the animal slowly made her way back to the sea. Wyatt told the Compass she had seen turtle tracks on the beach earlier and had just fi gured a turtle had nested and gone back into the sea. But a few minutes later, she said, she heard a noise near the resort’s laundry building. “Then I saw this huge turtle under the trees, near the bushes. She looked really tired and I could see her tracks looping around. She started to make her way away from the sea, towards the road. I tried to stand in front of her to block her path, but she was having none of it. “She got completely stuck between a building and bushes and couldn’t get out of there.” Wyatt phoned Pirates Point staffer Michelle Davis who contacted Guderian. Joined by another staff member Richard Trevaskis, the small group hosed down the turtle with water, which Wyatt said seemed to revive the animal a little. Between them, they managed to get the turtle out of the bushes. “She started heading for the water,” Wyatt said. “She made her way over the patio. She seemed to smell or hear the ocean… “It was a very happy moment when she pushed her way into the sea. It was just lucky that I was up early and happened to see her.” Turtle nesting season is currently underway, when the females climb ashore, dig nests on beaches and lay their eggs. The number of nests found in the Cayman Islands has increased signifi cantly in the past 20 years, according to a recent report in a study carried out by the DoE and the University of Exeter in the UK. Huge green sea turtle rescued on Little Cayman The turtle was trapped between the building and the bushes. - Photo: Michelle Davis A 400 pound turtle was rescued at Pirates Point on World Sea Turtle Day; it had been stuck in bushes after trying to dig a nest. – Photo: Norma Connolly Involved...Committed...Responsible... My Father is a man like no other. He gave me life, taught me, disciplined me, encouraged me, hugged me, but most importantly loved me unconditionally. There are not enough words I can say to decribe just how important my father was to me , and what a powerful influence he continues to be. Men - Step up and be active in your responsibility as a Father. 1000 MAN MARCH OUTREACH This message sponsored by: 1000manmarch.com Happy Father’s Day cayman compass 6 FRIDAY, 18 JUNE 2021On 16 June, to mark World Sea Turtle day, the Cayman Turtle Conservation and Education Centre released fi ve sea turtles at Governor’s Beach. - Photos: Taneos Ramsay World Sea Turtle day cayman compass 7 FRIDAY, 18 JUNE 2021ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky The deaths of four men who were gunned down in separate and unrelated incidents have all been ruled unlawful killings by the Coroner’s Court. The rulings were returned during a two-day inquest into the murders of Preston Rivers, Anthony Connor, Victor Yates and Damean Dwayne ‘Deebo’ Seymour. Preston Rivers Rivers was 18 years old when he was gunned down outside his West Bay apartment in September 2011. During the inquest, the jury heard that at around 10pm, a lone gunman approached Rivers as he exited his then-girlfriend’s car and opened fire, shooting him in the lower back once and then twice in the head. Detective Sergeant Peter Dean told the jury that Rivers died in what was “tit-for-tat gang war killings which were retaliatory in nature”. Dean is the head of the RCIPS Serious Crime Review team, which is being profiled in the Compass’ exclusive Cold Case files series. Rivers’ case remains an unsolved murder. However, Dean told the jury that two days after Rivers was killed, Jason Christian, a rival gang member, was also gunned down. The jury heard that inside Christian’s vehicle officers found a .38 calibre revolver, which was the same type of gun used in Rivers’ death. The medical evidence presented to the jury stated that Rivers’ official cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds with the shot to the back of the head being the fatal blow. Anthony ‘Beenie’ Connor Connor was gunned down while sitting in his SUV in October 2013 in the parking lot of the Mango Tree Restaurant and Bar in George Town. Like Rivers, his death remains an unsolved murder. However, police said Connor’s past might have been a contributing factor in his death. “Connor... had been out of prison for less than three months before he was killed,” Detective Inspector Sean Bryan told the jury. He added, “It is clear he had a number of enemies, and the [senior investigating officer] has no doubt his murder was in revenge for something as opposed to a random act.” The jury was shown CCTV footage of Connor as he left the bar. The shooting was not caught on camera. Instead, the shadow of the assumed killer was captured, raising and lowering his hand at the exact time that Connor was shot. Connor’s autopsy ruled that his cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the chest. Victor Yates 22-year-old Victor Yates was shot and killed along Watercourse Road in January 2015. Although his case remains officially unsolved, Detective Inspector Collins Oremule said all the evidence points to one man as the killer. “There were multiple people who said they saw [the killer], and before his death, he confessed to a close friend that he had in fact pulled the trigger,” Oremule said. A suspect was arrested in connection with Yates’ death; however, when no witnesses came forward, he was released. The court heard that a possible reason why Yates was murdered was because of a misunderstanding. “We were told that days before Yates was killed, he was riding a motorcycle that was backfiring, and those sounds might have been mistaken for gunshots, because days later, before his death, a house that he was staying at was shot up,” said Oremule. While presiding over the inquest hearings, Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez read from a Compass article, in which Yates’ father called on the community to come forward. “This was a father’s plea for justice,” said Hernandez. “It is clear that many people witnessed this event, but no one came forward.” Damean Dwayne ‘Deebo’ Seymour Seymour was gunned down in a shooting along Martin Drive, George Town in November 2016. The medical report revealed that Seymour was shot five times, three times in the head, and twice in the torso. The jury heard that Seymour was a known drug dealer, who had served several sentences for drug- and assault-related matters, and he was also the suspect in a murder inquiry. Oremule told the court, “There is CCTV video that shows a black Honda motorcar driving around the area several times before Seymour was killed. That same car was the vehicle that was eventually used to transport the gunman away from the scene a short distance way.” Oremule said the woman who owns the car was arrested and questioned. She denied having played any role in Seymour’s death. The killer was never located, and the bullets recovered from the scene did not return any positive matches to the RCIPS’ data base. “Our enquiries led us to Jamaica. However, we have not been able to identify a person who could be the killer,” said Oremule. “But investigations are ongoing.” The rulings Hernandez told the jury that in order for them to return a verdict of an unlawful killing they had to be certain that the killing was not committed by way of a legal act such as self-defence, nor could it have been an accident, as “as an unlawful killing was a criminal matter which required a high standard of certainty”. In each case, the jury deliberated and returned unanimous verdicts of unlawful killing. 4 men were ‘unlawfully killed’ Police swarmed the scene of the fatal shooting of Damean Dwayne ‘Deebo’ Seymour, in George Town Scranton’s neighbourhood in 2016. Seymour was found dead in the street near the intersection of Martin Drive and Tigris Street. Coroner’s Court: "an unlawful killing was a criminal matter which required a high standard of certainty”. Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez cayman compass 8 FRIDAY, 18 JUNE 2021Apply for a Scotiabank mortgage now 4% INTEREST RATE Visit ky.scotiabank.com or call (345) 949-0785 for more details. Promotional offer ends August 15, 2021 and is subject to change at any time. Registered trademark of the Bank of Nova Scotia, used under license. *Conditions Apply. Step into a place that finally looks and feels like you. cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 18 JUNE 2021Next >