Cayman Compass - 2 July, 2021

EASTERN AVENUE Hello Family. Meals. cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 2-8 July 2021 Investigations into missing funds at UCCI Page 8 Sargassum threatens turtle nesting Page 14 Going for gold: Cayman’s Olympic hopefuls Page 23 caymancayman compasscompass Waiting to serve Photo: Alvaro Serey More than 5,000 jobs will need to be ﬁ lled when the borders reopen. Will the workforce be ready? Page 16 Sargassum threatens for gold: Cayman’s Olympic hopefuls Photo: Alvaro SereyPRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. Compass Centre, Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. 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WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK A QUIET PLACE PART II (PG-13) (FRI, MON, TUES) 1:30 | 7:30 | 9:55 (SAT, WED-THURS) 7:30 | 9:55 (SUN) 2:45 VIP | 7:30 | 9:55 | 10:15 VIP CRUELLA (PG-13) (SUN) 3:03 | 5:10 VIP F9 THE FAST SAGA (PG-13) (FRI, SAT, MON, WED) 12:30 VIP | 1:00 | 3:30 VIP | 3:55 | 6:45 |7:00 VIP | 9:05 | 9:30 VIP | 9:40 (SUN) 3:30 VIP | 3:55 | 7:00 VIP | 8:00 | 8:15 VIP | 8:55 | 9:05 VIP | 9:40 (TUES) 12:30 VIP | 1:00 | 3:30 VIP | 3:55 | 6:45 | 7:30 VIP | 9:05 VIP | 9:40 (THURS) 12:30 VIP | 1:00 | 3:30 VIP | 3:55 | 7:00 VIP | 9:05 VIP | 9:30 VIP | 9:40 SPIRIT UNTAMED (PG) (FRI-SAT, MON-TUES) 12:15 | 2:30 | 4:50 (SUN) 2:30 | 4:50 | 7:05 (WED-THURS) 2:30 | 4:50 THE BOSS BABY: FAMILY BUSINESS (PG) (FRI, MON-WED) 12:45 VIP | 3:50 VIP | 4:00 | 6:30 VIP (SAT) 12:45 VIP | 1:20 | 3:50 VIP | 4:00 | 6:30 VIP (SUN) 2:45 | 3:50 VIP | 5:20 | 6:20 | 6:30 VIP (THURS) 12:45 VIP | 3:50 VIP | 6:30 VIP THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD (R) (FRI-THURS) 4:25 | 7:10 | 9:40 NO SHOWING SUNDAY (FRI-THURS) 4:25 | 7:10 | 9:40 NO SHOWING SUNDAY KIDS CLUB THE BOSS BABY (PG) SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE 3:30 VIP | 3:553:30 VIP | 3:553:30 VIP | 7:00 VIP | 9:40 CLASSIC BULLITT (PG) TUESDAY 7PM Most of planning board replaced Cabinet has replaced all but one of the members of the Central Planning Authority. Ian Pairaudeau, the former managing director of construction company McAlpine Ltd., is taking over from longtime CPA chairman A. L. Thompson, who runs Cayman’s largest hardware store company, as head of the board. Pairaudeau is also chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority. The new deputy chairman of CPA is Handel Whittaker, who takes over the position from Robert Watler Jr. The other new members are Joshua Bernard, Gillard McLaughlin, Charles Russell Jr., Windel Scott, Peter Campbell, Kenneth Ebanks, Danette McLaughlin, Shakina Bush, Christine Maltman and Celecia Bancroft. The only member of the previous board to remain in place is Ashton Bodden, who has been reappointed. Each member of the board has been appointed for two years, until 2 July 2023. The term of ofﬁ ce for most of the previous members expired on 1 July. The names of the new board members were published in the government’s Gazette on 30 June, having been conﬁ rmed by Cabinet on Tuesday, 29 June. $20,000 COVID response documentary under wraps Government shelled out $20,000 to a private contractor to document Cayman’s COVID-19 response last year as the jurisdiction navigated the unchartered waters of the global pandemic. However, the ﬁ nished product, spearheaded by the Cabinet Ofﬁ ce, has yet to be shared with the public and it is unclear if it ever will be. “At this stage, no decision has been made on usage of the material, including public viewing,” Oneisha Richards, director of communications at the Cabinet Office, told the Cayman Compass on 21 June in response to queries about the project that was launched last May. The video project was “completed satisfactorily”, Richards said, adding all assets have been provided to the Department of Communications. “The assets were developed as historical content to commemorate COVID-19 and are owned by the Cayman Islands Government. Usage of the assets will be decided on at a future date,” she further stated. The project was completed and submitted by Kerfufﬂ e Content at the end of February. Police trafﬁ c operation targets Sunday brunches The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service’s Operation Quaker last weekend focussed on people leaving Sunday brunches around Grand Cayman, resulting in 54 speeding tickets and nine arrests for driving under the inﬂ uence. Police said a further 27 traffic offences were also prosecuted, the majority of which were for using a vehicle with expired registration. Inspector Dwayne Jones said in a press release, “Sunday brunches are quickly becoming our busiest time of the weekend period, as many drivers take the risk of driving under the inﬂ uence when returning from brunch activities. We strongly urge people to make a plan to get home after attending such events so that you don’t risk your life or the life of others on the roads.” The RCIPS said it planned to have increased police presence on the roads over the upcoming Constitution Day long weekend, during which a number of major sporting events, including UEFA Euro matches, are scheduled. Former minister Tara Rivers joins Walkers The former minister of ﬁ nancial services, Tara Rivers, is joining Walkers Professional Services as a director. Rivers, who did not stand for re-election in the May general election, will take up her new role on 6 July, according to a press release from Walkers issued on 21 June. The former West Bay South MP served two terms as a government minister since she was ﬁ rst elected in 2013. In her ﬁ rst term, she was the minister for education, employment and gender affairs, and following her 2017 re-election, she had responsibilities for ﬁ nancial services and home affairs. Police step up presence following ﬁ rearm incidents The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service has stepped up its visibility, including implementing armed foot patrols, following a spike in ﬁ rearm-related incidents. Deputy Police Commissioner Kurt Walton, responding to queries from the Cayman Compass about the recent shootings, said, “any increase in ﬁ rearm related incidents is of concern to us”. Walton, in his emailed comment, said police, in response to the recent incidents, “have increased high-visibility patrols and implemented armed foot patrols in speciﬁ c locations, and continue to conduct proactive intelligence-led operations”. Over the month of June, the police recorded three shootings and a ﬁ rearm-involved robbery, the latest of which happened in West Bay on the morning of 20 June. $2 million courts upgrade project begins at Scotiabank building Several years after government acquired the Scotiabank building in George Town, renovation efforts have finally begun, in order to create a temporary courtroom on the ground floor. Court Administrator Suzanne Bothwell told the Cayman Compass work began back in the ﬁ rst quarter of the year and is expected to conclude by October. “The value of this project overall will be between $1.475 million to $2 million,” she said. Currently, Judicial Administration has seven courtrooms which serve as open courts, three of which are located in the main courthouse and the other four across the street in Kirk House. Constitution Hall is also regularly used as the eighth courtroom for minor matters such as trafﬁ c offences. When completed, the new facility will bring the total number of courtrooms to nine. news in brief One of the cameramen, far right, documenting Cayman’s COVID response last July. The project cost $20,000 but no date has been set or decision made about airing it to the public. - Photo: Governor Martyn Roper Facebook page cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 2 JULY 2021Lee: about 7 weeks more to reach 80% RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Health Minister Sabrina Turner is appealing for more young Caymanians to roll up their sleeves for the COVID jab, as Cayman’s vaccination numbers have dipped over the last few days. Turner, speaking on Cayman Compass’ weekly talk show ‘The Resh Hour’, expressed concern over the drop in vaccinations which, as of 30 June, stood at 48,418 people (68% of an estimated population of 71,100) having at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and approximately 63% completing the two-dose course. “Our Caymanian people, we need to get ourselves vaccinated,” she said. The minister stressed the importance of hitting the goal of getting 80% of the population vaccinated, so that Cayman can safely look towards a phased reopening, saying that a community effort is needed to reach the target. “We [government] are all about safety, but we realise as well that people are hurting. The industries are hurting. People are facing foreclosures, the repossession of cars, and this is not sustainable. We know at some point in time, we are going to have to face the music and what we are pushing right now, a part of the plan, is to increase the uptake – and I can’t stress that [more] – of getting our vaccinations up,” she said. Vaccination push for young people Turner, in her first sit-down interview since taking office in April, said the quicker Cayman gets people fully vaccinated “the [closer] we are to realistically getting phased-in approaches” for a reopening. Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee, also speaking on the show, shared the minister’s concern. He said it may take another seven or more weeks to hit that 80% target. “There is unquestionably a slowdown in the uptake of the vaccine. We really want to encourage people to come forward because unless we get to that safety number, we won’t have ourselves fully protected. “And I think it is probably fair to say that if we cannot push the vaccine numbers any higher then there is no point staying there, we will need to still progress on our other fronts,” Lee said, as he hinted that a cut- off mark could be set at some point, to move to unlocking borders without reaching the 80% target. Vaccination targets and replenished supplies Cayman’s borders have been closed to commercial travel since March 2020. Lee said the jurisdiction’s current vaccine supplies stand at around 4,500 doses. A new shipment of more than 10,000 doses is set to arrive on 14 July, the Governor’s Office has confirmed. However, Lee said the issue is not really the question of availability as “we’re fairly good on that front”. “It’s really a question of let’s use it up and get this opportunity so that we can move forward with our reopening,” he said. Lee said Cayman has been able to make headway with vaccinations in the older age groups; however, those in the younger age brackets were lagging behind. Currently, the percentage of young people aged between 12 and 18 who have received at least one vaccination stands at 32%, and for those between 18 and 30, the rate is 68%. He said the 12-18 group will catch up, as approvals for that age bracket were only recently approved. Turner expressed hope that the other groups will also follow suit. “I can see in the coming weeks… days, hopefully, that we’ll see an uptake in all of the age groups, as we get closer into the realities of the reopening of some sort,” she said, adding that, as Lee previously pointed out, reopening means accepting there will be the introduction of COVID back into the community. Should this happen, she said, there will be a return to mandatory mask wearing and a reduction in the number of people permitted to gather. Concern as vaccinations drop PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6» Vaccinations have decreased at local clinics and local health officials are appealing for the public to roll-up their sleeves. - Photos: Alvaro Serey Government members show their arms after being vaccinated. Percentage of population who have received at least one vaccination, by age, as of 30 June Ages 12-1832% Ages 18-3068% Ages 30-4075% Ages 40-5082% Ages 50-6085% Ages 60+88% cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 2 JULY 2021 31234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Vehemence (7) 5 A special skill (5) 8 Out celebrating (2,3,4) 9 Nocturnal bird of prey (3) 10 Stratagem (4) 12 Finnish capital (8) 14 Cheerless (6) 15 Affectionate (6) 17 Maltese capital (8) 18 Expectantly excited (4) 21 Express publicly (3) 22 Declining (2,3,4) 24 Consumed (5) 25 Layer (7) DOWN 1 Dumbfound (5) 2 Monotonous routine (3) 3 Unobstructed (4) 4 Firmly established (6) 5 Capital of Jamaica (8) 6 Plentiful (9) 7 A large profit (7) 11 Suspect trickery (5,1,3) 13 Capital of Sierra Leone (8) 14 Turn aside (7) 16 Relative importance (6) 19 Faint glow (5) 20 Shakespearean king (4) 23 Main division of play (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16733 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 16733 ACROSS: 1 Fervour, 5 Knack, 8 On the town, 9 Owl, 10 Ruse, 12 Helsinki, 14 Dreary, 15 Loving, 17 Valletta, 18 Agog, 21 Air, 22 On the wane, 24 Eaten, 25 Stratum. DOWN: 1 Floor, 2 Rut, 3 Open, 4 Rooted, 5 Kingston, 6 Abounding, 7 Killing, 11 Smell a rat, 13 Freetown, 14 Deviate, 16 Status, 19 Gleam, 20 Lear, 23 Act. cartoon Hurricane Season - By Caymanman When I first saw the government’s planned press conference a few weeks ago, I was eager for good news. What I got was politics at its best with a large majority of the content directed at the Opposition. To have gone this long with no plan for the country’s reopening is mindboggling. How can the island’s businesses, airlines and the rest of the world make plans if Cayman keeps moving the goalposts? I live in the US and purchased a property in Cayman just prior to the shutdown. I never would have imagined that over a year later, I still cannot get access to my unit. As you can imagine, I’m am extremely disappointed and have decided to sell my unit. Fortunately, I will actually be selling the unit for more that I paid for it. However, that hurts the people of Cayman by raising the costs of real estate even further. Prior to COVID, my family visited Cayman three to four times a year and have fallen in love with the island and its wonderful people. However, my family can no longer wait for the government to come up with a plan and stick with it. I cannot understand how Cayman accepts US vaccination records for the 10-day quarantine period but not for the five-day period; makes no sense when most of the rest of the world does. Due to our family’s many schedules, we can no longer wait to plan our future vacations. As such, we have given up on visiting Cayman Why are rules inconsistent and arbitrary when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines and quarantine? In April, government reduced quarantine for ALL individuals that are vaccinated to 10 days. However, under the new reduced quarantine of five days announced on 23 June, government revised its policy on 25 June to only those that received a vaccine in the UK or Cayman Islands, stating that these were the only vaccines that could be verified. Government, when it reduced quarantine to 10 days, had no such regulation. This has led to confusion and frustration for many individuals leaving the island or property owners or residents that may have received their vaccine in the US, Canada or another country and planned to return. Understanding government’s desire to protect the health of citizens, they need to develop a plan to open the borders and release the information to the public. Announcing policy and then amending two days later implies that government officials have no clear direction to set policy and plans towards a reopening, and raises concern how they will govern going forward. Tourism, restaurants and support workers have suffered long enough. The country has sufficient supplies of vaccine, so no reason to hold off longer. Indecision and constant changes to policy lead to uncertainty and confusion. Government needs to get its act together or we will have another winter without tourism. John Zikias Lack of clear plan to reopen frustrating Property owner gives up on returning to Cayman for the rest of the year and throughout the winter season. Maybe next summer we will change our minds but it is unlikely. We can no longer stand by and wait to see which way the wind blows. The Caymanian people are so wonderful and I cannot believe that the government essentially has gone unchallenged by the island’s many businesses and and workers who depend on tourism. The islanders’ future livelihood hangs in the balance and they deserve better. We will miss you Cayman! Brian Durbin Letters to the editor Guest column: ‘As girls, we are taught to stay silent’ Thank you Aleigha, for speak- ing on this. It starts young and in small ways that continue to go unchecked. For many young girls who grow up in our islands, something as simple as walking down a busy street comes with the understanding that you WILL get honked at/cat-called... and you’re expected to just accept that. I remember being cautioned by friends that I would get hurt or make them mad whenever I yelled back for them to stop. I remember numerous instances of older men in the workplace making sexual comments or asking inappropriate questions when I was still a teen. And when you don’t go along with it? ‘Don’t be like that.’ ‘She cyan’ take jokes.’ ‘Just making conversation.’ We’re taught to just go with the flow or laugh it off. That making them not feel like the bad guy is more important than us not feeling violated. But every time we shrug them off that’s another layer of concrete solidifying how women and girls are allowed to be treated. – Lauren Moore Police traffic operation targets Sunday brunches Wow! They should have been doing this long time ago! Just park outside all major hotels and bars on Sunday. – Evan Pyle Good job! Get the bad people. – Nona Faye Maybe taxi drivers can get some business now. – Shaun Ebanks Allow Uber and drink driving habits will really start to change… maybe. – Charlie Savage What they’re saying Online cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 2 JULY 2021JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Prominent thinkers, including economists, historians and academics, gathered at the Harquail Theatre in Grand Cayman on 24 and 25 June to critically examine Cayman’s past, present and future. The event, titled “JA Roy Bodden Public Intellectual: Interrogating the Cayman Society”, featured more than 40 speakers who gave a series of TED talk-style presentations on their ideas about the island’s history, economy and politics. Many of the lectures were influenced or inspired by author and historian Bodden, in whose honour the event was organised. Here, we highlight some of the ideas emerging from the conference. Bodden: ‘Critical thinkers are shunned in Cayman’ Over his career, Bodden says he has been branded a troublemaker, a pariah and even a communist. Now he hopes to add a more flattering title to that list – public intellectual. The historian, author, former college president and politician is carving out a new role for himself as the conscience of the community. Speaking at the symposium, Bodden outlined his concerns about the current direction of the island. He said the “establishment” had sought to crush and to silence the ideas of those, like himself, who challenged the status quo. Speaking specifically about overdevelopment and the threat to the environment, he said, “If a stop is not put to this madness soon they will concrete every square inch of these islands and tear down every mangrove.” Bodden said his aim, through his writing and public speaking, is to elevate and promote ideas that are in the best interests of the majority of the people of the Cayman Islands. “We need people who are going to prick our conscience, stir us up and remind us, show us, teach us, where we are going wrong,” he said. In his presentation at the conclusion of the event on 25 June, Bodden said all the speakers shared a common concern about the direction of the country. He said his hope, through the symposium, was to promote the work and opinions of those who valued scholarship, food for thought and education. But he warned that intellectualism was not currently highly valued in Cayman society, saying “socio-economic status, caste and colour” were placed in greater esteem. “We live in a society where persons who draw on their intellectual insight, write, speak, elevate and inform the society are regarded as pariahs, troublemakers and persons who should be got rid of,” he claimed. Bodden also called out the University College of the Cayman Islands, the institution he headed as president up until his retirement in 2018, saying permission had been denied for the event to be held at the college. UCCI released a statement in response, saying the only request it had received about hosting the symposium was made approximately a year ago and had not been feasible because of COVID-related limitations. It said no further requests had been made and it would be willing to host the event or similar ones in the future. Economist: ‘Build, build, build mentality’ Cayman has a “regressive” tax system that stifles economic mobility and incentivises development, according to a Yale University economics professor. Speaking at the symposium, Mushfiq Mobarak said the island’s revenues came largely from consumption taxes – such as duty on imports – rather than the more common global model of income taxes. “A billionaire pays the exact same tax on a carton of milk as a poor person,” Mobarak said. The impact of that is poorer people pay a much higher proportion of their salary in taxes, Mobarak said. One of government’s other main sources of revenue is stamp duty and taxes from development and sales of property. Mobarak said this created a pressure to “build, build, build” in order to balance the budget. He highlighted the developer- heavy make-up of the previous Central Planning Authority and pointed out rules in other jurisdictions require a cost-benefit analysis of the impact of development on the environment in the decision-making process. Mobarak, who is from Bangladesh and is married to a Caymanian woman, said he was not speaking out against high-end development, which he acknowledged had some economic benefits. But he said there was a need for balance, given the mangrove loss that had occurred over the past decades. “When you have a Central Planning Authority that has high representation from the construction sector and little representation, if any, from the environmental sector, you are not going to be able to strike the balance that is right for the future of the country,” he added. Historian: ‘Influence of slavery underplayed in Cayman’ The legacy of slavery is likely underestimated in Cayman and has repercussions that still influence society today, according to a prominent local historian. Citing his own research, including more than 200 interviews with native Caymanians, Christopher Williams, a history professor at UCCI, said that many Caymanians continue to downplay the influence of slavery on the islands. There were slaves working in Cayman, first on logging crews and later on cotton plantations, right up to emancipation in 1834. From 1802-1834, there were more slaves than free people in the islands. Williams argues this means that Cayman was a ‘slave society’. However, more than 90% of people interviewed during his research – all of whom could trace their Caymanian ancestors back for three generations – believed that slavery was “not an important feature” in Cayman’s past. He acknowledges this is likely because slavery in Cayman lacked the brutality and scale of the institution in neighbouring Jamaica, where slaves outnumbered free people by more than 100-to-one in some areas. He said there was merit to the idea that “slaves and masters were likelier to have worked together in a spirit of collaboration given the material and general hardships that generally define Cayman society”. Nonetheless, Williams argues that slavery was a significant element of Cayman society for many years and that racism, segregation and prejudice flowed from that in future generations. He said this was still happening today, arguing that prominent stereotypes – including discrimination against some Caymanians in the workplace – stemmed from those prejudices. He said this bled into many aspects of life in modern multi-cultural Cayman. “Subtle ‘race think’ is alive and well in Cayman,” he added. Watch the symposium: A host of speakers including economist Paul Byles, cruise referendum activist Linda Clarke and former Speaker Mary Lawrence also gave presentations at the event, organised by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation in collaboration with the Committee for the Promotion of Research and Cayman Scholarship. The full event can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ZniK-AVS6PQ Cayman ‘thought leaders’ seek to challenge the status quo “We live in a society where persons who draw on their intellectual insight, write, speak, elevate and inform the society are regarded as pariahs, troublemakers and persons who should be got rid of.” Roy Bodden Roy BoddenMushfiq Mobarak, EconomistChristopher Williams, Historian cayman compass 5 news N news FRIDAY, 2 JULY 2021“We may have to go backwards before we come forward,” she said. Turner said government’s border- reopening plan remains a “work in progress” and decisions on mandatory vaccinations for work- permit holders have not been finalised. “It’s phased, step-by- step. This is nothing that we can be knee-jerking because people are first. Safety is the priority of everyone,” she said. Verification of US vaccines work in progress Cayman has reduced the quarantine period for fully vaccinated individuals from 10 days to five; however, this change has only been applied to vaccinations administered either by the Health Services Authority or UK’s National Health Service. This has prompted pushback from those who have been vaccinated in the US and Canada. Lee addressed those concerns, saying it is not a country-specific issue, but a matter of securely verifying the vaccination certificates. “It’s a system-based issue and when we’re able to, with confidence, we can, not only read the QR code, but verify that that has been digitally signed by the right sort of authority; at that point we would welcome people with other systems,” he said. He explained at this time local border and health officials can access and verify vaccinations recorded in the HSA’s patient portal and the NHS app, but it is more complex for US travellers, given the varied sources offering vaccinations there. Lee and Turner pointed out there is no standardised system for US vaccine certificates, but that does not mean they will wait for a countrywide system before accepting them. “It just needs to be a system that we can [digitally] read,” Lee said. In the US, he said, there are a number of common systems being adopted, so it’s relatively easy to adjust local systems to be able to read the different codes. “When we get to the point where we can read any sort of QR code, or at least the few that we know that are there, we’ll be saying, ‘Please come forward and bring that QR code to us.’ We’re not quite there yet, but we’re not talking about weeks or months away and we’re not talking about a country-based system. It’s whether we have the right systems in order to be able to do it,” he said. For further information on this scholarship opportunity, please visit The Thomson Leadership and Innovation Award page at www.cuc-cayman.com (under the “Careers” tab) or e-mail pntscholarships@cuc.ky. Congratulations to Simon Tatum, the first Thomson Leadership and Innovation Award scholarship recipient, who graduated from Kent State University in Ohio in May with a Post Graduate degree in Visual Arts and a concentration in Sculpture and Expanded Media. Mr. Tatum received the local scholarship in 2019 and spent the last two years working towards earning his Masters degree. Commenting on his time at university, he said, “It was a challenging couple of years being a part of the Kent State programme, but I have learned a lot of things along the way and gained a lot of valuable experience. I am continually grateful to be a Thomson Leadership and Innovation scholar and I am appreciative of the kindness and generosity that The Peter N. Thomson Family Foundation and CUC have shown me.” Being a Thomson Leadership Award recipient, Mr. Tatum was able to engage in a number of extra-curricular activities along with completing his thesis exhibit and thesis paper throughout the final semester. Some of these activities included visiting art exhibits with galleries in Cleveland, Chicago and South Korea, attending artist talks, lectures and being on committees. He also participated as an emerging artist in the Second Biennial Showcase with the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands where work from his mid-programme review and thesis research are currently on display until the end of August. Mr. Tatum is currently deciding on plans for his immediate future and will be exploring options such as an invitation to participate in an exhibition with the CICA Museum in South Korea in July as well as the Fall Showcase with the Sager Braudis Gallery in Columbia, Missouri. He has also been invited to participate in the Alice Yard Residency Programme in Port of Spain, Trinidad from December 2021 to January 2022. Mr. Tatum plans to return to Grand Cayman in July. Watch full interview online CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 Concern as vaccinations drop Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan after being vaccinated. cayman compass 6 FRIDAY, 2 JULY 2021 news N newsbutterﬁeldgroup.com Address 12 Albert Panton Street, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. Mastercard® debit or credit card for a chance to at local restaurants. Every purchase will enter Plus, three lucky cardholders will win a four-night stay at a local hotel. Visit our website to learn more. Perks, by. 197413-Ad-Compass-FP-Mastercard.indd 12/8/21 2:30 PM cayman compass 7 FRIDAY, 2 JULY 2021cgcoralisle.com |   @cgcoralisle we turn it around. When a hurricane turns your life upside down, We’re here for you before, during and after the storm with comprehensive hurricane coverage to help you get your life back on track. Because after all we live here too. British Caymanian Insurance Company Limited BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, P.O. Box 74 George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-1102, Cayman Islands tel: 949-8699 TOP OF AD Employee fired after internal investigation JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky The police financial crimes unit is investigating reports that a senior employee of the University College of the Cayman Islands misappropriated funds from the higher education facility. Concerns were flagged by UCCI financial controllers sparking an internal investigation which led to the employee being ‘terminated’ and the matter referred to the auditor general and the police, school leaders confirmed this week. The Cayman Compass is aware of the identity of the individual under investigation but is not publishing their name for legal reasons, as no arrest has been made and no criminal charges have been brought at this point. A police spokesperson said, “I can confirm that the RCIPS Financial Crime Investigation Unit is conducting an investigation into a matter reported by the UCCI.” Beverly Shuford, UCCI’s vice president of finance, said “possible irregularities by an employee” were discovered as a result of “enhanced financial controls” it had put in place. “Following an internal investigation, UCCI notified the financial crimes unit and the office of the Auditor General of the alleged misappropriations by that employee who was then terminated,” she said in a statement, in response to inquiries from the Compass on 28 June. “Subsequent to the commencement of the investigation the now former employee has left the island.” Shuford, who took up her post in March, added that UCCI officials were cooperating with auditors and law enforcement on the investigation and working closely with the auditor general to complete the financial statements for the college for 2020. She said she was unable to give details of the alleged irregularities or of the amounts involved, saying the audit process and investigation are ongoing. UCCI audit risk ‘increased’ UCCI, as a statutory authority which relies on public funds and donations, is subject to an annual audit. Auditor General Sue Winspear confirmed “irregularities were found” during the audit of UCCI’s 2020 financial statements, which took place in Police probe allegations of misappropriated funds at UCCI PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10» “Following an internal investigation, UCCI notified the financial crimes unit and the office of the Auditor General of the alleged misappropriations.” - Beverly Shuford, UCCI vice president of finance cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 2 JULY 2021 8The CEO of a Florida armoured truck company has been charged with allegedly facilitating the illegal importation of more than US$140 million of gold from Venezuela, via Curacao and the Cayman Islands. South Florida federal prosecutors have charged Miami- Dade County business owner Jesus Gabriel Rodriguez Jr., 45, with one count of conspiring to commit money laundering, alleging that he facilitated the transnational gold-smuggling operation. According to the criminal complaint afﬁ davit unsealed last week, Rodriguez owned and operated Transvalue, a South Florida company that transported gold, cash, and other valuables by armoured truck. The afﬁ davit alleges that from about March 2015 to September 2016, Rodriguez helped arrange for the importation into the US of thousands of kilograms of illicitly-sourced gold from Curacao. A press release from the US Attorney’s Ofﬁ ce for the Southern District of Florida outlined details of the afﬁ davit, which states that the sellers of the gold were co-conspirators based in the Caribbean, while the buyers were co-conspirators based in South Florida and Latin America, who earned volume- based commissions by procuring gold for NTR Metals, now called Elemetals LLC. NTR Metals was a US precious metals refinery with policies in place to combat money laundering, including not buying gold from Curacao, a country with no gold mines that is commonly used as a waypoint for gold illegally mined in, and smuggled out of, South America. The affidavit alleges that Rodriguez helped co- conspirators dodge NTR Metals’ anti-money laundering policy and get the gold past US Customs by working to conceal its illegal origins and connections to Curacao, by coordinating transportation for the gold from Curacao to the US, then to the Cayman Islands, and back into the US. According to the charge details, Rodriguez hired brokers to clear the gold through US Customs at Miami International Airport, where customs documentation was introduced falsely identifying the gold as having originated in the Cayman Islands, not Curacao. Then, Rodriguez used his company’s armoured trucks to transport the smuggled gold from the airport to NTR Metals’ precious metals refinery in Doral, it is alleged. Rodriguez made an initial court appearance on Thursday, 24 June, before Judge Jacqueline Becerra, where he was released on a $150,000 personal security bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on 23 July. US businessman charged in case of gold smuggling via Cayman US$140 million Value of gold allegedly moved from Venezuela, via Curacao and the Cayman Islands. last week, Rodriguez owned and operated Transvalue, a South Florida company that transported gold, cash, and other valuables by armoured truck. The afﬁ davit alleges that from about March 2015 to September 2016, Rodriguez helped arrange for the importation into the US of thousands of kilograms of illicitly-sourced gold from Curacao. from the US Attorney’s Ofﬁ ce details of the afﬁ davit, which states that the sellers of the gold were co-conspirators cayman compass 9 news N news FRIDAY, 2 JULY 2021Next >