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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 cloudy skies with a 30% 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 northeast at 5 to 10 knots 89°F HIGH 77°F LOW FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass Man charged with murder of Wayne McLean Ezekiel Carter appeared via video link in the Summary Court shortly after 12pm on 22 July on charges related to the murder of Wayne Eron McLean. “Mr. Carter faces seven charges, namely one count of murder, fi ve counts of attempted murder, and one count of possession of an unlicensed fi rearm,” said acting Director of Public Prosecutions Candia James-Malcolm. “The fi rst six counts are Category A charges, which can only be dealt with in the Grand Court, and so we ask that they be transmitted at this time.” Magistrate Philippa McFarlane transferred the matters to the Grand Court, where Carter is expected to make his fi rst appearance on Friday, 23 July. Finance Committee approves pay increases for MPs Members of Parliament have voted to increase their salaries and constituency allowances, which were originally approved by the Cabinet of the Progressives government earlier this year, at a meeting of the Finance Committee on 19 July. Premier Wayne Panton said Cabinet, under the previous Progressives administration, had given approval in February for the increases to be brought before the Finance Committee. As this was the fi rst Finance Committee meeting that has been held since then, it was included at the last minute in that session’s schedule of supplemental appropriations, which considers additional expenditure in the government’s annual budget. The MPs voted to increase the “personal emoluments” – salaries and benefi ts – of the premier, deputy premier, Speaker of the House, and members of Cabinet and Parliament at the meeting. The payments were not broken down by individual position, but add up to $141,667. The total amount originally budgeted for the salaries and benefi ts of Cayman’s government members in 2021 was $3,375,000. Driver dies in collision with dump truck Police have confi rmed that a 63-year-old man from Bodden Town was killed when his car and a dump truck collided on 27 July. The crash between the silver Toyota Noah and the truck occurred around 11:20am on Bodden Town Road, near Governor Russell Beach, in Bodden Town. Police said the dump truck had been travelling westbound and the Toyota eastbound when they collided. The driver of the Toyota was trapped inside the vehicle and was extricated by offi cers from the Cayman Islands Fire Service, before being transported by ambulance to the Cayman Islands Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the truck was not injured, police said. Government begins releasing Cabinet decisions The PACT government has given an undertaking to release a summary of the decisions it makes in Cabinet on an ongoing basis. The decisions, recommendations and deliberations of Cabinet meetings have traditionally been done behind closed doors, and this information is exempt from being made public under the Freedom of Information Law. While the minutes of meetings are not being released, the government published on 21 July a summary of the decisions made at last week’s meeting of Cabinet, held on Tuesday, 13 July. In a statement, the PACT government said post-meeting summaries will be available on a weekly basis from the Cabinet section of the Cayman Islands Government website, gov.ky, and accessible from government’s social media channels. Panton: COVID now a ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated’ COVID-19 is fast becoming a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”, Premier Wayne Panton said on 28 July, as he urged everyone that had yet to be immunised to get the jab. Panton spoke out against a “wave of misinformation, selfi sh behaviour and apathy” surrounding the vaccine which he said was placing the country at risk. Sticking to his guns over government’s reopening plan, which is contingent on hitting a target of vaccinating 80% of the population, he said he was not prepared to take chances with people’s health. Speaking directly to those who are eligible to get the shot but have not yet been immunised, he said, “I am once again asking you to roll up your sleeve. It’s not just about you. It’s about our community and the interests of our country.” Opening too soon risks harming the economy as well as the health of the most vulnerable, including those who cannot yet be vaccinated, Panton said in an address to Parliament. Three arrested for alleged theft of jet ski Three people have been arrested on suspicion of taking a conveyance without authority after a jet ski was reported stolen over the weekend. Shortly after 8pm on Saturday, 17 July, offi cers received a report that a jet ski had been stolen from an address on Rum Point Drive, the police said in a press release. The following day, the owner of the jet ski told the police he had seen it being trailered by another vehicle on Frank Sound Road and had followed it. Offi cers met the owner at that location where they were told he had confronted the people in the other vehicle who then unhooked the trailer and fl ed. Offi cers conducted a search based on the description of the vehicle and its registration number that the jet ski owner provided, and found it along Sea View Road, according to the press release. Police stopped the vehicle and arrested the three occupants – two men, ages 33 of George Town and 23 of North Side; and a woman, 24, from North Side. The scene of the two-vehicle accident on Bodden Town Road where one man was killed on the morning of 20 July. - Photo: Alvaro Serey news in brief cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 23 JULY 2021Disclaimer : FIN Grand Cayman features and amenities are based on current development plans and concepts and are subject to change without notice. Some services and amenities are subject to service-based fees or homeowner fees. GRAND CAYMAN’S ART DECO ICON IS OPEN AND READY FOR OCCUPANCY Priced from US $2.5M Reserve your private tour and discover the last word in luxury + 1 345 526 7777 fin@fingrandcayman.com FIN.cayman fingrandcayman Owners are moving in, the pool is lled and ready for dips, the wine lockers are stocked, the Teslas are charging and the boats are wet. All that is missing is you! Three (3) residences remain for sale, a single level home with two oversized terraces, and two multi-level penthouses complete with private rooftop garden and plunge pool. Book a viewing today to discover why FIN is the Last Word in Luxury. cayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 23 JULY 20211234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Finely ground meal of wheat (5) 4 Edible marine fish (7) 8 Desert a cause (3) 9 Fictitious name (9) 10 Misdemeanour (7) 11 Big and strong (5) 13 Unkempt (6) 15 Spiritualist meeting (6) 18 Young military trainee (5) 19 Antiquated (7) 21 Former (9) 23 A flightless bird (3) 24 To merit (7) 25 Regular throbbing (5) DOWN 1 Raging (7) 2 Peremptorily (3,2,4) 3 Come to fruition (5) 4 Israeli monetary unit (6) 5 Able to be heard (7) 6 Acknowledge (3) 7 Short and stout (5) 12 Sound familiar (4,1,4) 14 Begin armed conflict (2,2,3) 16 Remove from consideration (7) 17 Glib (6) 18 Set of principles (5) 20 Gained with little effort (5) 22 Code-signal of distress (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16751 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 16751 ACROSS: 1 Flour, 4 Seafood, 8 Rat, 9 Pseudonym, 10 Offence, 11 Burly, 13 Shaggy, 15 Seance, 18 Cadet, 19 Archaic, 21 Erstwhile, 23 Emu, 24 Deserve, 25 Pulse. DOWN: 1 Furious, 2 Out of hand, 3 Ripen, 4 Shekel, 5 Audible, 6 Own, 7 Dumpy, 12 Ring a bell, 14 Go to war, 16 Exclude, 17 Facile, 18 Creed, 20 Cheap, 22 SOS. BVI suffers 16 COVID deaths in less than two weeks Here’s the meat of it: “Twenty- four people remain hospitalised and four people are in intensive care. Of the 24 patients, 23 are not vaccinated.” The same story is coming out of almost every country now. Get vaccinated people. – Kyle Creel Yikes. If this doesn’t convince people to get vaccinated, nothing will. – Steve McIntosh NRA moving 3 graves to make way for road widening If this is the price we pay for progress, then we’re doomed. To the new NRA board, this will not help traffi c if more cars are allowed to be imported. I pray that anyone who suggested, considered or even supports removing those graves of 3 precious souls, be haunted for the rest of their lives. Highest form of disrespect that I have ever seen in my lifetime. – Charles S. Whittaker Terrible. When will they start uprooting those in cemeteries for beach access? – Regina Ecclefi eld Humans have been digging up graves, for a long time. They call it archeology, and when we display the corpses and personal effects in public, it’s called a museum. If nobody protests sacking the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs, Native Americans, or Otzi, to name a few, then why howl about this? Those deceased and their loved ones would be appalled, if they weren’t lost to history. At least these people are being relocated, within an existing cemetery. What, only the Christian god feels disrespected? Many cultures have protested to governments to have remains returned to their country of origin, without success. Besides which, we will have to relocate uncounted roads, buildings and cemeteries in the future. The rising sea levels, our low-lying terrain, earthquakes and hurricanes make that a certainty. – Lisa Butz They will not leave the dead in peace, so sad at what we have become! Lost... – Rod Bodden Not even the dead can rest in peace! What a wickedness. – Julie Brown The answer is NOT more roads nor more lanes through South Sound. The answer is a bridge across North Sound. All those cars don’t even want to be in South Sound. They want to get from the eastern districts to Camana Bay. A bridge. Better would be less people. Does anyone have a num- ber? What is the correct number of people to populate this island? – David Wolfe Should Cayman decriminalise marijuana? cayman compass UndecidedYes No ONLINE POLL 88% 10% 1% What they’re saying Online pic of the week Department of Environment conservation offi cers caught two suspected poachers with 195 conch and four lobsters on 19 July. The incident happened in the Frank Sound Marine Reserve and the two individuals were warned for intended prosecution following the “poaching event”. The seized wildlife, which was taken illegally and out of season, was donated to The Pines Retirement Home. - Photo: DoE Wildlife poachers netted cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 23 JULY 2021ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky The scourge of addiction is a struggle no parent wishes to see their child endure but, for many, it’s an unfortunate reality they’ve been forced to confront, as underage drug use continues to creep further into primary and secondary schools across Cayman. Drug use data In the National Drug Council’s 2020 Student Drug Use Survey, a combined total of 3,478 students from private and public schools were questioned about their drug usage. Of that number 44.4%, or 1,530 students, said alcohol was their number one drug of choice. The next most popular drug was e-cigarettes, or vapes, according to 29%, or 1,000 students. For the past 20 years, the NDC has monitored and surveyed the use of drugs by Cayman’s students. Acting NDC Director Brenda Watson said during that time, the data shows a move from the use of cigarettes to e-cigarettes or vapes. “We believe this shift has resulted from several factors, such as a change in the public perception of cigarettes, along with the proven health problems associated with smoking,” said Watson. Although the survey is purely anecdotal – and relies on respondents’ honesty – it reveals that one in 12 students tried e-cigarettes for the first time at 13 years old or younger. In addition, the youngest age recorded for vapes as well as crack cocaine was nine. Watson said, for now, the data suggests experimentation was the predominant reason why most teens and pre-teens use drugs. However, there is evidence to suggest roughly 3% of students face addiction issues, predominantly related to alcohol. The road to recovery William, whose real name has been changed to protect his identity, was one of the high school students who found himself addicted to vaping. “It started with just one pull on a vape when I was about 14 years old,” said William. “Before I knew it, a couple of months later, I realised I was hooked and needed to vape every day.” After an eight-month battle, he was able to rid himself of the addiction with the help of his mother and other family members. “It was painful to watch,” said William’s mother, Elizabeth, whose name has also been changed. “We are not a family of smokers, and we had spoken to [William] about the dangers of smoking, so we just never thought this would be an issue for him,” said Elizabeth. A mother’s plight Sarah, not her real name, is a mother-of-two. She said she dreads the thought that her teenage boys might become hooked on drugs. “When they are home, I can control what they are exposed to, but when they grow up and go out and mingle with other people, there’s not much that I can do,” she said. Sarah said she became worried after she found beer bottles and disposable nicotine vapes in her son’s room following a sleepover. The discovery prompted her to reach out to other parents, with the hope of rallying support against the underage drug use. “What I found was that most parents don’t care; there are some who do, but many either don’t care or they say, ‘So what? At least they are doing it at home where I can keep an eye on them’,” said Sarah. Her youngest son, who is in his early teens, told the Cayman Compass he finds it a struggle to resist, when all his friends are smoking or drinking. “It’s very hard to resist. I mean when you look around, there is always somebody there vaping, or drinking,” he said. From school bathrooms, to playgrounds, bookbags and even hidden on their person, students are resorting to crafty ways to sneak the products into school, where they either use them themselves or resell to other children. His older brother has also encountered similar struggles. “There is pressure to use drugs, not because people are telling you to use it, because if they offer it and you say no, then they won’t force you,” said the older brother. “But after a while, when you sit there you start asking yourself if you should use it as well or just sit there and be awkward?” The temptation is worsened by what both boys have described as an overwhelming sense of boredom. “I think that most people use drugs because they are bored. There isn’t much to do in Cayman, so that’s why they end up trying these drugs and getting addicted,” said the younger brother. The illegal supply chain Alcohol, tobacco and other nicotine-based products are all sold over-the-counter in gas stations, bars, nightclubs, some supermarkets and even pharmacies. The law requires that labels, which state that the products are only to be sold and consumed by people aged 18 and older, are clearly displayed. In addition, clerks and sales representatives are obliged to ask for ID if they believe a customer is under 18 years old. Despite these preventative measures, children are still finding ways to get the drugs. “Most places like gas stations and even a few of the vape stores don’t check ID,” the older brother said. “Sometimes they will either get an older friend, or a friend who looks old enough, to go and buy the drugs. Sometimes they will even use fake IDs.” Businessman Prentice Panton, who owns a store that supplies e-cigarettes and other vapes, told the Compass he does not support the sale of any nicotine, tobacco, hemp or alcohol products to minors. “The reality is that there is only so much we can do. The same fake IDs that they use to get into the clubs will be the same fake ID they use to buy the products,” Panton said. “Plus, once someone has bought the product, we cannot police how they use it or who they then give it to.” The NDC’s survey revealed that, while students are getting drugs from friends, the number one place is often at home, by young people raiding their parents’ liquor cabinets and cigarette packs. “The data shows that students are most likely to get alcohol at home, and other drugs such as marijuana, cigarettes and e-cigarettes from friends,” said Watson. “They are also most likely to use these drugs at home.” No cure in sight There is no silver bullet that will end the teen drug use problem in Cayman, partly because of a lack of consensus on what is to be done. For parents, like Elizabeth and Sarah, a greater degree of scrutiny needs to be placed on businesses that facilitate the sale of drugs to minors. Sarah’s sons believe the way drugs are marketed to children should also be revised, as the designs, colours and names given to the various e-cigarettes only serve to entice minors to experiment with the drugs. For business owners, like Panton, parents need to be more engaged in their children’s lives and warn them about the dangers of drug use. Vapes, cigarettes and alcohol: drugs of choice for Cayman’s teens “Before I knew it, a couple of months later, I realised I was hooked and needed to vape every day.” Teen e-cigarette user 44.4% of students say alcohol is the drug of choice. cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 23 JULY 2021 5Calls for stormwater management plans JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Overdevelopment of mangrove wetlands in South Sound has created an increased flood risk to homes in the area, prompting calls for a new national approach to stormwater management. A substantial habitat – known as the South Sound drainage basin for its capacity to absorb run-off from storms – is now almost totally slated for development. Multiple new condo projects are already under construction in the area, with other developments approved and waiting to break ground. Long-standing plans for the Enterprise City campus, a supermarket and a new road have also been given the green light in the same area over the past few years. As far back as 2015, the Department of Environment, National Roads Authority and the Water Authority issued a joint memorandum, asking for consultants to be hired to produce a stormwater management plan. The memo highlights “grave concerns” about the impact of seasonal flooding and says a solution is needed urgently. No action was taken at the time and the problem has resurfaced with a handful of new development applications in the same area. Those include an application to rezone a chunk of the remaining wetlands for high-density residential development. The DoE resubmitted the memo to the Central Planning Authority in response to that application. “Unfortunately, the South Sound drainage basin has become severely fragmented by current and future developments impacting the overall capacity of the remaining wetland area to accommodate drainage for the whole basin,” the department wrote to the CPA in May. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure told the Compass that the issue was firmly on the radar of the new administration. “The Government has made stormwater management across our Islands a priority. This has been noted in the Strategic Policy Statement that has been made public,” she said, adding that the ministry would work jointly with the new Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency and agencies including the DoE and NRA to formulate a national strategy. DoE Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie said South Sound is just one area of the Cayman Islands where a new approach is needed to stormwater management. Rather than asking developers to come up with piecemeal solutions to manage run-off on a case-by-case basis, she said coordinated regional plans were needed. Such plans should preserve natural systems where possible and create engineered solutions where necessary, she said. She believes a national strategy that protects mangroves and other wetlands from the worst impacts of ill-planned construction is needed for the sake of developers and home owners as well as environmentalists. “If we don’t seriously take on board the challenges we have with proper management of stormwater and surface water we are going to end up with flooded roads and flooded communities on a consistent basis. This isn’t good for anybody,” Ebanks-Petrie said. The DoE has made similar warnings about other upcoming projects – including the planned expansion of the East-West Arterial highway to Bodden Town – arguing that proper hydrological studies that anticipate and mitigate against the impact of storms are needed for major developments on or around wetlands. Certain communities in Cayman already see significant flooding whenever there is heavy rainfall. Randyke Gardens in the South Sound area is one development that consistently feels the impact of storms. More condos and homes are likely to be impacted as development continues to change the natural processes in the area. The impact of climate change is likely to mean more intense rainfall and stronger storms. “This is a problem that is not going to go away. It is something we have to deal with.” She said development in the South Sound drainage basin was reaching the point where swift action was necessary. “It is getting to the point where we are going to foreclose reasonable options if we don’t address this issue as a matter of urgency.” The specific recommendation of the NRA, the Water Authority and the DoE in its 2015 memo was that government issue an RFP to contract consultants to undertake a hydrological assessment of the South Sound drainage basin and devise a regional stormwater management plan. That would include drainage engineering specifications for the proposed road and future development, and policies and practices to reduce flooding. The estimated cost at the time was $200,000. Development of wetlands prompts flood warning Flooding has been an increasing problem across Grand Cayman and officials argue a better stormwater management plan is needed in the face of continued development. – Photo: Taneos Ramsay The diagram, produced in 2015, to accompany an “urgent” memo from roads, environment and water authority officials, highlighted the extent of development planned in the South Sound drainage basin and the likely impact on neighbouring communities. There have been several more applications for development in the same area since then. A proposed road, included on the diagram, is still gazetted. Permitted, proposed or completed developments are highlighted in red. cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 23 JULY 2021® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. Over the last year, businesses have had to pivot and conform to these needs. Online purchases for essential goods such as groceries and household supplies have significantly increased during the pandemic. More customers are requiring businesses across all sectors to have an e-commerce component to aid in contactless transactions. Even when COVID-19 has passed its current pandemic phase, it is likely that there will be long- lasting changes to consumer behaviour as they continue to use electronic forms of payments such as internet banking, point of sale (debit/credit card transactions), mobile wallet and payment apps. Here is how you can learn more about how your business can embrace going cashless and reap the benefits of that change for yourselves and your consumers. Q. What are the benefits of going cashless? Going cashless enables faster, more convenient, and easier reconciliation compared to cash transactions. There is an increase in transparency both in terms of digital tracking and increased accountability. Consumers and businesses have greater security since there is less handling, storing, and exchanging of bulky banknotes. If security is breached, funds are easier to recover whereas with cash, that’s less likely. Businesses can now be open 24/7 while having reduced administration and overhead costs due to transactions being contactless. Q. How easy is it for businesses to transition into digital-only transactions? There are a range of options which you can explore to transition to digital services. You can start by building a website or an app, then integrate contactless point of sale eCommerce services. This allows customers to easily use their debit/credit cards or do completely wireless payments. In this way, as your business grows, your use of digital platforms will seamlessly follow. Individuals who do not have ready access to financial institutions pay more for cash services (indirect fees, travel costs), and increase vulnerability for theft and/or robbery due to the high volume of cash in hand. Q. There is still a heavy reliance on cash, particularly with older members of the population. What would you say to them about the digital transformation? As a financial sector, we must ensure we are focusing on solutions to meet the needs of clients as they age and invest the time to show them how digital solutions add value. Creating a user-friendly, visual step-by-step process is one way we help ease the transition to digital banking. Q. How does going cashless help protect against fraud and theft? Increasing cash-based security concerns such as cheque fraud, cost/loss of returned/dishonoured cheques, and time delays to access funds is helping to hasten the transition to electronic solutions for businesses. For consumers, going cashless helps increase security in areas such as ATM fraud with security devices like improved card slots to prevent card skimming. A digital payment platform is encrypted, more secure and faster. Q. For smaller businesses and local entrepreneurs who deal mainly in cash, how easy would it be for them to go cashless? Local entrepreneurs in the Caribbean can easily access electronic solutions that are affordable and designed with them in mind. For example, the RBC EZPay 2.0 POS payment device is ideal for the on-the-go entrepreneur, who can use it to conduct safe and secure transactions via chip and pin, and contactless payment. The device accepts both credit and debit cards and most importantly is affordable. Entrepreneurs can also use social media platforms to accept payment – a service available now through Fygaro in association with RBC. Q. Lastly, how would you sum up the benefits of going cashless for the Consumer, Business and Government? For the Consumer, going cashless offers increased convenience and service options, a reduced risk of cash-related crimes and cheaper access to digital banking solutions. For your Business, it offers reduced loss of income and cash handling costs (for storing, processing and distribution of cash). It allows for faster transactions and settlement time, an increase in cash flow management and can help to capture the non-cash carrying consumer base. For the Government, going cashless offers increased tax collection, greater financial inclusion and increased economic development. For further information visit www.RBC.com/Caribbean/gocashless ADVERTORIAL Omari Corbin Area Vice President – Retail & Country Head RBC Royal Bank (Cayman) Limited Insights on how going cashless can help your business thrive now and post-COVID Since the start of COVID-19, today’s consumers need experiences that are convenient, contactless, clean and physically distant. Ent_HNW_NRG_Col_Inset_OuterMask_CMYKEnt_HNW_NRG_Col_Inset_OuterMask_CMYKcayman compass 7 FRIDAY, 23 JULY 2021Conservation Council ratifies screening opinions on projects CPA greenlighed RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky For the most part, the Department of Environment’s recommendations to hold off on approving key development projects until needs assessments were completed, have been ignored by the Central Planning Authority, the National Conservation Council has been told. Director of the Department of Environment Gina Ebanks- Petrie presented DoE screening opinion decisions to the National Conservation Council for ratification on 21 July, on projects including: Dart’s new 10-storey hotel near the Kimpton, Aster Medcity hospital in West Bay, the 10-storey One GT hotel in George Town, and the Health City Camana Bay hospital. Those projects have already been approved by the CPA. However, she pointed out that in the absence of planning officer Marco Whittaker, who is on the council, or anyone from the planning department, she could not confirm all details on the related CPA decisions. The hotel slated for George Town received conditional approval in June (see page 10). Assessments recommended The council, led by McFarlane Conolly, met for the first time in almost a year for a general meeting on 21 July at the Government Administration Building. The last time the council met was 19 Aug. 2020; the minutes from that session were confirmed at the latest meeting. The hotel and hospital projects highlighted by Ebanks-Petrie were approved by the CPA to proceed, even though the DoE had recommended that approval be withheld until needs assessments for each, together with accompanying traffic and socio-economic reports, be completed first. At the open meeting, Ebanks-Petrie presented the DoE recommendation that no environmental impact assessment be required for Dart’s Hotel Indigo project, but the department still asked approval be held off until completion of the Seven Mile Beach Tourism Corridor Area Plan and the hotel needs assessment, which the Department of Planning is developing. Similarly, the DoE recommended assessments and studies for the two hospital proposals, but the first phases of the projects have been approved without the imposition of these conditions. Dart PAD requires EIA Dart’s application for a Planned Area Development in West Bay, Ebanks-Petrie said, requires an EIA, given that the project exceeds multiple planning limits within the proposed area, between Governor’s Harbour and Salt Creek. The PAD proposes development, which will take place from 2021 to 2034, of 398 condominiums, 58 house lots, 4,480 hotel rooms across multiple facilities, approximately 100,000 square feet of new retail space, and a 220-slip marina and fuel station. She said the DoE recommended that the EIA also incorporate the application for the removal of beach rock in the area off Seven Mile Beach, which was trialled back in 2017 for the same project. Both, she said, are “inextricably linked”. The DoE documents pointed out that the basis for the EIA included the total loss of protected species within the PAD site, such as at least 40 acres of mangroves, as well as the adverse impact on birds and other species that it supports. Additional concerns related to critical habitat and nesting beaches for sea turtles, loss of public access to Seven Mile Beach, and the negative impacts on water quality from the proposed canal and marina development. DoE's call for assessments ignored The National Conservation Council, led by McFarlane Conolly, seated at head of table, met on 21 July for the first time since August 2020. – Photo: Reshma Ragoonath cayman compass 8 news N news FRIDAY, 23 JULY 2021‘If civil duty doesn’t work, mandate vaccinations’ RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky If the Cayman Islands is to hit its 80% vaccination target for the border reopening, government will have to move to mandatory vaccinations and not just for work permit-holders, Cayman Islands Tourism Association President Marc Langevin has said. Langevin, speaking on the 21 July episode of the Cayman Compass weekly Facebook talkshow ‘The Resh Hour’, said the tourism industry has welcomed the announcement of a border reopening plan, but lamented that it still hinges on hitting a vaccination target of 80% of the entire population. The CITA president said he believes Cayman cannot realistically achieve that without mandating people get the jab, and he is suggesting government seriously consider this approach. “If the government is really keen about achieving that 80%, which would be 95% or 99% of the [eligible] population, it is going to have to come with some additional regulations, to potentially be mandatory or compulsory for people working in the industry, not just a work permit, but if you’re working at the airport, in immigration, at the hospital, and so on,” Langevin said. Government is yet to formally announce a policy on mandatory vaccinations for work permit renewals, which was previously alluded to by Premier Wayne Panton. Other initiatives needed While Langevin said cash prize incentives had seemed to move the vaccination needle in the right direction, he suggested that government should also consider implementing steps undertaken in Europe to move it further. As an added push, some European governments are only permitting access to certain activities or venues to vaccinated individuals. This, he said, in part, prompted his own parents to get vaccinated. Already, Cayman has an example of this with both Cayman Pride and CayMAS, which were granted approval to hold their respective parades with only vaccinated participants allowed. As of 20 July, there have been 96,331 COVID-19 vaccinations given in total in the Cayman Islands. Of these, 49,403 or 69% of an estimated 71,106 population, had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 46,928 or 66% have completed the two-dose course. Langevin said he is on board with the 80% target, if it comes with some other component, because that is the caveat for entry into the next part of the reopening plan, “and if you do not have that, we do not have the rest of it”. “There is a point where, until it impacts people’s lives, they are not feeling concerned by that. I think, if the government is not budging on that 80%, it is going to have to come with some additional, maybe not popular [decisions],” he said, adding that it is difficult to find something that everybody can agree on. People, he said, are going to have to make a choice to be vaccinated or be tested “every two hours, or every two days, or whatever the case may be”, as an alternative. “We cannot just hope that we are going to trust people, or they are going to do the right thing. I think we are way beyond that. We can see the level of vaccination [and] the way it is happening right now… the slowdown, and it is despite all those marketing efforts, communication efforts. I think everybody in the government has done their best to clearly call on their constituents. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Opposition or the government in place,” he said. Everyone is trying, he added, but at some point, it has to become a personal decision that will not be made unless “there is a carrot [and] a stick to make that happen”. Langevin said most of the tourism industry is almost fully vaccinated and government has to look to the other industries. “Because not everybody has the same incentive. A lot of our employees know that it’s a condition of potentially working in the future, but we know that the other industries are not impacted by the shutdown of the tourism. Therefore [there’s a] ‘what’s in it for me? [mentality]’,” he said. CITA boss suggests strict COVID-jab policy “We cannot just hope that we are going to trust people, or they are going to do the right thing. I think we are way beyond that.” CITA president Marc Langevin Marc Langevin - General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman WATCH THE VIDEO ONLINE CAYMANCOMPASS.COM cayman compass 9 news N news FRIDAY, 23 JULY 2021Next >