100% Butte r Croissan t made with Mix n’ Match 100% Butte r Croissan t made with Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissan’wich® Bacon, Egg & Cheese Croissan’wich® 2 5 $ for * © 2021 Burger King Corporation. cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 3-9 September 2021 Halfway through hurricane season Page 12 Global solutions to local housing issues Page 16 Top beach rankings for wealthy investors Page 9 Fall from Grace Rubbish piles up, as crews struggle to keep pace. Page 3 Photo: Taneos RamsayMatinees (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 CANDYMAN (R) (FRI-SAT, MON & WED-THURS) 7:00 VIP | 8:00 | 9:30 | 10:20 (TUE) 8:00 | 9:30 | 10:15 VIP | 10:20 ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS (PG-13) (FRI, SUN-THURS) 4:00 | 6:45 VIP | 7:30 | 9:45 | 10:00 VIP (SUN) 1:35 | 4:00 | 6:45 VIP | 7:30 | 9:45 | 10:00 VIP FREE GUY (PG-13) (FRI, MON -THURS) 4:15 VIP | 4:45 | 7:15 VIP | 9:00 VIP | 9:30 (SAT) 1:55 | 4:15 VIP | 4:45 | 7:15 VIP | 9:00 VIP | 9:30 (SUN) 4:15 VIP | 4:45 | 7:15 VIP | 8:00 | 9:00 VIP | 9:30 JUNGLE CRUISE (PG-13) (FRI, SUN-THURS) 3:45 VIP | 6:30 (SAT) 1:20 VIP | 3:45 VIP | 6:30 PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE (G) (FRI, MON-THURS) 3:30 | 4:40 VIP | 5:45 (SAT) 1:10 | 1:45 VIP | 3:30 | 4:40 VIP | 5:45 (SUN) 3:30 | 4:40 VIP | 5:45 | 7:00 VIP REMINISCENCE (PG-13) (SUN, MON & WED-THURS) 3:45 | 6:45 | 9:20 VIP (SAT) 1:00 | 3:45 | 6:45 | 9:20 VIP (SUN) 3:45 | 6:45 | 9:20 VIP | 9:40 (TUE) 3:45 | 6:45 CLASSIC SHUTTER ISLAND (R) TUESDAY 7PM KIDS CLUB TROLLS SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) Cops investigate former RCIPS employee after allegedly damaging police car Police have confirmed they are investigating a former Royal Cayman Islands Police Service employee for allegedly damaging a service vehicle during an altercation back in May. The 32-year-old George Town man, who worked in the RCIPS Fleet and Stores Unit, was arrested following the incident outside the Strand shopping centre, police said, in response to queries from the Cayman Compass. He allegedly obstructed police officers carrying out an arrest at the time and caused damage to a service vehicle. No officers were assaulted during the incident and the matter remains under investigation. The man, police said, has not been employed by the RCIPS since May 2020 and is already before the courts on charges of obtaining property by deception. Those charges relate to the “inappropriate use of RCIPS resources during his employment”. Woman critical after hit-and-run in George Town One woman is in critical condition in hospital after being struck in a hit-and-run on Shedden Road in George Town on 30 Aug. Police, on 1 Sept., launched a search for the driver of a reddish- coloured SUV reportedly involved in the incident as they issued an appeal for witnesses to come forward. The accident happened shortly after 8pm. Police said officers responded to the report of a motor vehicle collision on Shedden Road involving a female pedestrian. According to a Royal Cayman Islands Police Service statement, it was reported that the woman was crossing the road near the Edward Street junction, when she was struck by a SUV which was travelling west. The vehicle then turned onto Edward Street and left the scene. The woman was transported to the Cayman Islands Hospital via ambulance. She remains hospitalised in critical but stable condition. The matter is currently under investigation by the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit. Anyone who may have seen the incident, or have any information on the vehicle involved, is asked to contact the unit at 649-6254. Anonymous tips can be provided directly to the RCIPS via the confidential Tip Line at 949- 7777, or via the RCIPS website. Five lawyers appointed Queen’s Counsel Five Cayman-based attorneys have been appointed as Queen’s Counsel, or ‘Silks’, including former Premier Alden McLaughlin and Solicitor General Reshma Sharma. The other three appointees are Mac Webster Imrie, a consultant with Maples and Calder; Rachael Reynolds, a global senior partner at Ogier; and Colette Ann Wilkins, a partner at Walkers. Governor Martyn Roper, on the recommendation of Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, signed the legal documents formalising the appointments. A formal ceremony admitting the five new QCs to the Inner Bar of the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, to be presided over the chief justice, took place on Friday, 3 Sept. Speaking to the Cayman Compass following the announcement, Rachael Reynolds reflected on her appointment, calling it a “real honour”. “It is a true privilege to be recognised in this way, and I am particularly honoured to be a QC here in the Cayman Islands, whose judiciary and legal profession are so highly regarded.” Reynolds also praised the support she has received from her colleagues. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the talented team that stands alongside me,” she said. “I am fortunate to have been part of a firm that genuinely puts its people first and promotes women into roles that encourage and supports them to become leaders in their field.” Asaiah Thomas ‘ecstatic’ after being crowned Miss Teen Cayman Islands New Miss Teen Cayman Islands 2021 Asaiah Thomas is basking in the joy of being crowned at the pageant on 28 Aug. “After winning Miss Teen, I’m feeling ecstatic. I’m proud of myself and how far I have come and I can’t wait to do what I have planned,” the 17-year-old told the Cayman Compass on 29 Aug. after capturing the crown at the 40th annual event held at the Lions Community Centre. Kianna Ebanks was named first runner-up and Niya Mothen second runner-up. Thomas, who aspires to be an architect, walked away with a $54,000 two-year scholarship sponsored by the Ministry of Education, in addition to prizes from main sponsor Digicel and others. Thomas said her Miss Teen experience was memorable. ‘FBoy Island’ reality series renewed for second season Based on the success of ‘FBoy Island’s inaugural season, set in Cayman, HBO Max has ordered another round of the show. The first season of 10 episodes was filmed on island, with participants staying at The Cottages and private villa Kempa Kai. The show was hosted by comedian and actress Nikki Glaser. Promoted as “the dating show where half of the players are PLAYERS”, it featured swimsuit-clad men and women hanging out at the beach, relaxing on boats and participating in various outdoor activities. According to HBO Max, the series had one of the biggest debuts in the streaming service’s history. The announcement of the renewal went out over multiple websites on 18 Aug., including deadline.com, which said: “Season 2, which will feature a new batch of Nice Guys and FBoys, will have ‘even more big twists in store’, HBO Max’s Jennifer O’Connell shared in a statement. Glaser will return as host.” The chosen location of Season 2 has not yet been revealed. Asaiah Thomas was crowned Miss Teen Cayman Islands 2021 on 28 Aug. - Photo: Lions Club of Grand Cayman news in brief weather Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with a 40% chance of showers and possible thunder. SEA STATE Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. caymancompass.comfacebook.com/caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass WINDS East to southeast 5 to 10 knots. 86°F HIGH 74°F LOW 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 FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2021cayman compass 3 news N news FRIDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2021 Trash mounts in wake of Tropical Storm Grace Michael Haworth DEH Deputy Director of Solid Waste. DEH Collection Schedule West Bay 30 Aug. – 4 Sept. ----------------------------- George Town 6 Sept. – 11 Sept. ------------------------------ Bodden Town 13 Sept. – 18 Sept. ------------------------------ North Side/East End 20 Sept. – 25 Sept. Several logs are off loaded from the back of a pickup truck at the West Bay collection site. ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky It’s been nearly two weeks since Tropical Storm Grace cleared a path across Grand Cayman. Since then, the fl ood waters have dried up, the roads have been cleared and the electricity has been restored. The only lingering signs of a disturbance are the countless uprooted trees of every shape, size and type that lay scattered in the yards of thousands of homes across the island. The Department of Environmental Health has since opened collection depots in each district, where the vegetation can be deposited and processed, before being disposed of in the landfi ll. “It’s now day three since we have opened these collection sites, and from dusk till dawn there seems to be a never-ending stream of trucks hauling vegetation to the site,” Michael Haworth, the assistant director of solid waste at DEH, said on Wednesday, 1 Sept. But it is only when visiting the actual site that it is possible to appreciate the magnitude of the waste vegetation the community is dropping off every day. In the span of 20 minutes, when Cayman Compass staff visited the collection site at the Ed Bush Stadium in West Bay, two roll-on/roll-off trucks were each fi lled to the brim, and the back of a grab truck was fi lling up fast, as the truck operator carefully packed in the discarded tree trunks and branches. The DEH’s vehicle manufacturer in the US estimates on its website that each truck can carry up to 8 tons at a time. Even with 24 tons of vegetation debris being hauled away, the collection crews were struggling to make a sizable dent in the ever-growing pile, which was constantly being refi lled by the steady and continuous stream of loaded pickup trucks. “This is a part of our hurricane recovery strategy, so we have to be very focussed about how we are doing our clearing process,” said Haworth. “We haven’t hit the peak of the hurricane season, and there are several storms developing. We don’t know what could come our way. So we need to clear away this vegetation in the event that something else does come our way,” he explained. Haworth said once the debris is taken to the landfi ll, it will be mulched and a portion will be provided free to farmers and other residents. Not a ‘Christmas clean-up’ Haworth said, in addition to processing the mounting vegetation debris, his team has been tasked with providing their regular services such as residential and commercial garbage collection, recycling and landfi ll waste processing. As a result, his team has neither the resources nor the capacity to process non-vegetative rubbish, he said. For those who are not able to transport the debris from their homes to the collection sites, Haworth said DEH staff will be deployed to make house calls in each district. “We are in West Bay this week, we have the trucks going out and collecting from the side of the road. We will be moving on to George Town next week, into Bodden Town, North Side, [and] East End in the month of September.” Unlike the annual Christmas clean-up, he said, DEH staff will not be prioritising non-vegetation debris. However, the landfi ll remains open for people to drop that off. “Don’t put the bulk waste out, just vegetation,” said Haworth. “We will have the bulk waste clean up coming later in the year.” Debris dumped in Barkers For decades, Barkers in West Bay has been the scene of continual illegal dumping. Since the passing of Tropical Storm Grace, litterbugs have dumped roof shingles and other household bulk waste there. “I don’t understand why people do that,” said Haworth. “The effort it takes to load up a truck and take that to an illegal spot on the island to tip it illegally is probably the same amount of effort to take it to the landfi ll and dump it off responsibly.” If caught littering, a person can be fi ned up to $500 or imprisoned for six months. Throughout Barkers, there are several signs warning of the penalties. However, these have not appeared to stop the dumping. A DEH worker uses a mini-front end loader to heap the debris into a pile at Ed Bush Stadium in West Bay. – Photos: Taneos Ramsay1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Take by assault (5) 4 Old Chinese game (3-4) 8 To set in rivalry (3) 9 Continue steadfastly (9) 10 Never growing old (7) 11 Planet’s course (5) 13 Black Sea port (6) 15 Tense and restless (2,4) 18 Greek epic poet (5) 19 Severe infectious disease (7) 21 Take great care (2,2,5) 23 Unconvincingly appropriate (3) 24 Rushing stream (7) 25 Wretchedly bad (5) DOWN 1 Highest singing voice (7) 2 Holding right course (2,3,4) 3 Timber used for flooring (5) 4 A swamp (6) 5 Square dance (7) 6 Be indebted to (3) 7 Address welcomingly (5) 12 Angry mood (3,6) 14 A moral reservation (7) 16 Quite so (7) 17 Text of play or film (6) 18 Regular practice (5) 20 Fertile place in desert (5) 22 Manner (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16787 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 16787 ACROSS: 1 Storm, 4 Mah-jong, 8 Pit, 9 Persevere, 10 Ageless, 11 Orbit, 13 Odessa, 15 On edge, 18 Homer, 19 Cholera, 21 Be at pains, 23 Pat, 24 Torrent, 25 Sorry. DOWN: 1 Soprano, 2 On the beam, 3 Maple, 4 Morass, 5 Hoedown, 6 Owe, 7 Greet, 12 Bad temper, 14 Scruple, 16 Exactly, 17 Script, 18 Habit, 20 Oasis, 22 Air. FRIDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2021 Creature Feature Fairy basslet at the Big Tunnels dive site, off North West Point, Grand Cayman. - Photo: Jay Bergstrom Fairy basslet Downtown Reach demonstrates demand for affordable homes The purpose of this article, to me, is to highlight that what developers call affordable homes, is clearly not affordable for the average or middle class. Property values, architects, contractors and materials are increasing, what seems to be weekly, which also means the stamp duty percentage does, too. Yet salaries and bank lending/debt service ratio remain. Essentially, if you manage to get a first-time home, you better make sure you know what you’re doing if you sell that because you won’t get another stamp duty waiver (unless that’s changed and now available for second-time home/property) This is my Cayman’s sad truth. – Ceretta Harvey How many of these are sold to local Caymanians? How many will turn into Airbnb? How many will be rented out to expatriate work- ers who are here or arriving? – Verity Radford I do agree that incentivising affordable home building and significantly raising fees on luxury and high-end builds to help fund it would be a good idea. – Eden Hurlston ‘Affordable homes’?! $280,000 for a one-bedroom is not considered an ‘affordable home’ to most people. I under- stand the developer is talking about people who leave college and come home to $40,000 per annum but what about those who don’t have the opportunity to go to college and make minimum wage? The way this country is developing, there are way more of the $25,000 p/a salaries than $40,000 p/a salaries.... $280K for a one-bedroom in not an ‘afford- able home’. – Caroline Neale-Allenger I’d be interested to know how many of these were sold to investors vs. those in need of affordable housing. – Sarah Ross In this generation, how many Caymanian millionaires are there? A legit question. The prices aren’t affordable for us locals. It’s that simple. – Anna Rodman Premier confirms full tourism stipends to continue First comes the 80% vaccina- tion rate and does anything belive that is really going to happen? – Beth Freeman Tourist? We’re going to have them for three weeks then the whole Island will be locked down completely, don’t you all see what’s going on around the world, why will it be any different here? – Curtis Conolly After the passing of Tropical Storm Grace, my farm crops and trees were devastated to the point that I was ready to throw the towel in. However, on Saturday morning I received a call from Ms. Claudette from the DOA advising they had a crew of men working in the area assisting farmers with propping up trees and to cut up down trees. What a blessing this was for me and for the surrounding farmers. I wish to publicly thank the men on the ground and the DOA for the much needed assistance. Thank You! Andrew Williams The recent surge in, what is now, the mosquito crisis in Cayman is a betrayal of the hard work and industry devoted by the noble men and women before us. Pest control is a basic feature of credible leadership and it suggests otherwise when these low bearing fruits are left untreated. Whatever the reason, this pestilence is inhumane and demands a swift resolution. The political inertia by which we continue to be saddled... seems to only fuel the cycle of perpetual ineptitude. Our children deserve to play outside and not risk the lesser evil between a vitamin D deficiency and being eaten alive. After 18 months amidst a pandemic, restaurants are unable to accommodate guests outside nor can farmers attend to their crop. Further financial setbacks we can least afford. Now with the imminent reopening of our borders, our already vulnerable tourism product is to be further undermined by the completely avoidable onset of a plague. Do better and fix the issue. Richard Barton What they’re saying Online Thank you, DOA Tackle the mosquito ‘plague’ What they’re like: Two-toned, with a bright violet front half and a golden yellow rear half, and a black spot on the dorsal fin. The fairy basslet grows up to 3 inches long. How they act: Flit about, unusually under reef ledges or in caves where they can hide themselves as necessary, from 0-100 feet below the surface of the sea. The male fairy basslet broods the eggs in its mouth. Where they live: In the Caribbean Sea, stretching from Cayman to the Bahamas to Bermuda, but not in Florida. What they eat: Plankton Fun fact: They can swim upside down! This bright little fish lives in the sea around all three Cayman Islands. cayman compass 4 news N newsWIN BIG! 1 2 HAVE a BLAST this SUMMER. Use your Cayman National Personal Visa Card at any participating attraction for a chance to win cash prizes Post a photo on social media enjoying an experience from one of the attractions with #bestsummerever #caymannational and tag Cayman National, Compass Media and the vendor and you could win a grand prize get all the details at compassmedia.com GO PARASAILING DINE with a PRIVATE CHEF RIDE an ATV GO SCUBA DIVING PROVE IT with the WINNING SHOT! get all the details at caymancompass.com cayman compass 5 FRIDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2021After the borders reopen and commercial flights resume, a new slot management system is planned to prevent a repeat of the congestion seen at Owen Roberts International Airport in previous years. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky American, United, Southwest and Delta airlines, as well as British Airways which already operates repatriation flights, have applied to fly commercial routes to and from the Cayman Islands from October, according to Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan. WestJet, which before the pandemic was operating flights into and out of Cayman, has not yet applied for permission to put flights on, he said. Under Cayman’s border-reopening plan, from 14 Oct., quarantine will be lifted for securely verified vaccinated travellers, who currently must undergo five days of isolation, if the islands reach the target of vaccinating 80% of the population. Bryan, speaking on Radio Cayman’s ‘For the Record’ show on 29 Aug., said Cayman Airways will be putting on additional flights from 9 Sept., when a limited number of tourists will be allowed back on island. “There will be an increase in [Cayman Airways flight] numbers. We’re going through the approvals now,” he said, but added that because of storms Grace and Ida, the approval process had been delayed by about a week and a half. “One of the benefits of the reluctance of other airlines [to operate flights here] until October is there will be that one-month period where Cayman Airways can offer flights to other jurisdictions,” he said. “Obviously, it comes with some limitations; you need approvals and the like to go into other gateways that [Cayman Airways] don’t normally go into. But there will be an increased level of flights from Cayman Airways through that period, and that will kind of flatline back out in October when the regular competition comes with other airlines.” The Cayman Islands government is allowing commercial routes to and from Cayman to restart from 9 Sept. However, most of the airlines that are planning to return here have indicated they will not operate their routes until the next phase of reopening, scheduled for 14 Oct. Looking forward to the full reopening of the airport, Bryan also said a new slot management system would be put in place for the returning airlines, in a bid to prevent the congestion and delays seen at Owen Roberts International Airport in previous years. He said the Cayman Islands Airports Authority plans to operate an alternative to the “ad hoc slot management system” that had been in place in the past. Before the COVID-19 pandemic decimated Cayman’s tourism industry, the islands had been experiencing record numbers of tourists arriving here. In 2019, 502,739 people arrived by air, an increase of 8.6% over 2018. Plan ‘not set in stone’ The tourism minster said Cayman’s reopening dates were “not set in stone”, explaining, “We have to monitor other jurisdictions and what they’re doing. We also have to monitor the virus itself and how it mutates. We also have to watch our number one tourism feeder, the United States,” he said. Bryan noted that there had been recent upticks in COVID-19 numbers in some states in the US from which the majority of Cayman’s tourists originate, including Florida and Texas. Addressing what the government would do if Cayman did not reach the 80% vaccination target by 14 Oct., the minister said a decision would be made closer to that date. “We are optimistic we will get the highest possible number [of vaccinations] we can. We hope our society will make informed decisions to do the right thing,” he said, noting that getting vaccinated and suffering potential side-effects was a better choice than not getting vaccinated and possibly dying from the virus. The government will make a final decision on whether the 14 Oct. reopening date will go ahead as planned, if the 80% target has not been reached, at the end of September or the beginning of October, Premier Wayne Panton announced at a press briefing on 25 Aug. NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan came under fire after admitting on government radio that announced plans to halve the monthly $1,500 tourism stipend in November and December had been a “scare tactic” to try to get displaced tourism workers to start looking for jobs. His comments raised the hackles of some of the stipend recipients and the Opposition, who accused the minister of playing a “cruel hoax”. Bryan later told the Cayman Compass he had used a poor choice of words when he appeared on Radio Cayman’s ‘For the Record’ on 30 Aug., and that government had initially intended to reduce the stipend but, subsequently, had reversed that decision after it became apparent that tourism levels would not have recovered fully by the end of the year, leaving many of the recipients still unemployed or underemployed. The stipend was initiated by the Progressives-led government last year after Cayman’s borders were closed. Bryan announced in July this year that, as the phased reopening of the borders got under way and it was anticipated that the tourism industry would begin to recover, the monthly financial payments would be reduced to $750 for November and December. In August, the minister announced that anyone receiving the stipend was required to register with Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman, which would endeavour to match out-of-work Caymanians and permanent residents with jobs posted by employers and members of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association. By 25 Aug., 1,075 of the more than 3,000 stipend recipients had failed to sign up on WORC’s JobsCayman portal, despite being given a 16 Aug. deadline. On the radio show, the minister, referring to the previously stated intent of the government to reduce the stipend in November and December, said, “I must say I did it as a scare tactic, so they could get signed up,” he said. “The political negativity from it forced me to pull my hand because the truth is we intend to give them the $1,500 in November and December. Ultimately, my strategy for forcing them to go out and find work has been depleted now, but the thinking is they need to know that eventually this money is going to stop and you need to find work.” In July, Parliament’s Finance Committee approved an additional $27.5 million to continue payments of the tourism stipend until the end of the year. That amount factored in the intended reduction in the stipend for the last two months of the year. Both Bryan and Premier Wayne Panton noted that this showed that the government had originally intended to reduce the stipend and there had been no intention to mislead the public, as they had been accused of doing by the Opposition. Bryan told the Compass that additional funding now will need to be approved by the Finance Committee to cover the $1,500 a month stipends in November and December. He said that while a decision had been made to continue supplying the full $1,500 stipend payments until the end of the year, this had not been publicly announced. “I left it rather than making an announcement,” he said, because full approval had not been given for it and the funding was not yet in place. Plus, he said, he wanted to continue to incentivise those receiving the stipend to sign up with WORC for available jobs. Referring to his comments on ‘For the Record’, he said, “It was a slip. The words ‘scare tactic’ were not the best choice.” Opposition: ‘Cruel hoax’ Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart issued a statement the day after Bryan appeared on the radio show, saying, “With Minister Bryan’s admission to these ‘scare tactics’, he and the PACT government should be ashamed for carrying out their cruel hoax on the Caymanian public, especially on those unfortunate Caymanians who are unemployed through no fault of their own. A hoax that the government dragged on for over two months. Hoaxes and scare tactics are not the way a responsible government behaves,” he said. McTaggart accused the government of causing unnecessary stress to many Caymanian stipend recipients “as to how they would manage their financial affairs after October, in the runup to the Christmas holidays.” In his statement, he said he and his Opposition colleagues had heard concerns from recipients first-hand. “I suspect that Minister Bryan and his PACT colleagues heard from them as well. And so, as the Minister has confessed, the political negativity from it forced his hand,” he said. McTaggart had previously called on the government not to reduce the stipend, unless Cayman’s tourism industry had recovered, and has also called for an increase to the monthly assistance payments. “What [the PACT government] now need to do is to apologise to the country for their cruel hoax and to use the upcoming finance committee meeting to increase the tourism stipend to $2,000 per month.” Bryan, in response to the Opposition’s comments, said McTaggart and his colleagues were playing politics with the issue. Mis-step Panton also issued a statement regarding Bryan’s comments, and confirmed that government would continue to pay the stipend to displaced tourism workers “until it is no longer needed”. However, the said a tapering off of the payments would happen as tourists return to the islands following the border reopening. Panton said Bryan had “gotten caught up in the moment of being on the radio and fielding questions from callers”. He added, “His indication that the stipend was to be reduced to incentivise people to get jobs was a mis-step. He was seeking to express his desire to both support tourism workers and motivate them to seek ways to help themselves. He is a human being who like all of us will occasionally be a little less than perfect.” Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan Controversy over stipend ‘scare tactic’ Bryan: 5 airlines ready to resume Cayman flights $1,500 The amount of the monthly stipend for displaced tourism workers cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2021Two developments on South Church Street to be joined into one NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky The Central Planning Authority has approved an application to build a four-storey condominium complex on South Church Street. The developer, C4 Ltd., at a planning meeting on 25 Aug., stated that the development is identical to another, previously approved, four-storey building being constructed by a company called C2 Ltd. on the adjacent parcel, and that the condos combined would become a 16-unit complex that shares a pool and other amenities. Several neighbours from Sand Cay and Windsor Village, on either side of the development, objected to the application, saying they had not been informed about the C2 development, which is already under construction. That C2 application for the four-storey complex was approved in December 2016. The neighbours objected to the height of the development, saying they are not in keeping with the design of buildings in the area, and noting that there are no other buildings over two storeys between FIN and The Tides. One objector to the development wrote, “The lack of notice given to surrounding owners of the significant change in the plans for lot 7D6 which is now basically the first phase of a 2-lot development of 16 units. As far as I am aware, nobody received any notice of the significant changes that were proposed to lot 7D6 and accordingly people were not given the opportunity to object to the revised development thereon.” The objector added, “There are significant and fundamental changes to the previously approved project with the addition of a phase 2 on the adjacent lot 7D7 and the sharing of amenities across the two parcels. The two plans are intrinsically related and as [such] the planning approval for parcel 7D6 should be reconsidered and should be considered in conjunction with the planning approval for 7D7.” The planning board members stated that since planning permission had already been given for the C2 development on parcel 7D6, it could not be reconsidered. Objectors also raised concerns about the impact on traffic in the area, saying the development’s entrance/exit is at a “dangerous” bend on the busy South Church Street, which has seen at least two fatalities in recent years, as well as numerous other accidents. One objector wrote, “The additional extra entry/exit points will certainly not improve on this already dangerous bend. There is no scope to widen the road, unlike in other areas where Government has been working to widen roads for safety of drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.” The Department of Environment had also raised some concerns about the development. It pointed, in its submission to the planning application, that the development would be built beside a protected marine park and by a turtle nesting beach. The DoE recommended the applicant submit a turtle friendly lighting plan to minimise the impacts of artificial lighting on sea turtles, as well as any stockpiled materials from the construction site be kept behind the existing seawall, away from the beach area of the property, and that native vegetation be incorporated into the landscaping scheme. NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky The Central Planning Authority has approved a planning application from Health City Cayman Islands to build a new 57-bed hospital in Camana Bay. An application for the three-storey hospital, which will offer oncology and prenatal care services, was considered by the CPA following a meeting on 25 Aug. Health City Cayman Islands clinical director Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil had earlier told the Cayman Compass that he expected the first phase of the facility to be up and running at the end of next year. The CPA granted permission for the hospital developers to clear land for the project off Minerva Drive in May this year. In its response to the planning application, the Department of Environment did not recommend an environmental impact assessment for the site. However, it said it was “premature” to grant planning permission to the project “prior to completing a needs assessment to demonstrate the need for a further medical facility of this type”. There are currently three hospitals on Grand Cayman – the Cayman Islands Hospital, with 124 beds; CTMH Doctor’s Hospital with 18 beds; and Health City, with 104 beds. Planning permission has also been given for another new hospital, Aster MedCity, with 160 beds, and possible expansion of up to 500 beds. Health City, in response to calls for a needs assessment to be done, said the proposed facility is intended to fill “an existing healthcare gap for the Cayman Islands and the surrounding region, with a state-of-the-art centre offering expanded cancer care in a purpose-built building”. It said the cancer treatment centre would provide “greatly expanded oncology treatment options, including medical oncology, surgical oncology, and radiation therapy, in addition to being a Bone Marrow Transplant facility”. It noted that the Cayman Islands Cancer Society had stated that between 100 and 200 individuals a year seek cancer treatment overseas, because certain treatments are not available in Cayman. It added, “Radiotherapy is one of the most expensive modalities in healthcare and this offering will significantly reduce the cost by as much as a half to 75% less than like facilities overseas.” Health City anticipates that, as well as treating local patients, the new facility will attract cancer patients from around the Caribbean and Central America, who previously would not have had access to the therapies possible using the specialised equipment that will be available at the hospital. Landfill proximity The hospital, according to the planning documents, will be located about 350 feet from the northern boundary of the George Town landfill. Health City’s partner on the project is Dart, which owns the land on which the hospital will be built and which has signed a deal with government to remediate the landfill and create a new waste management system. Potential risks due to the hospital’s proximity to the landfill were considered as part of the planning application. These included risks from fires, odours, gases and pests. An environmental risk-based assessment considered by the CPA concluded that “contaminant linkages will be broken by provision of an engineered landfill cap and by the installation of landfill gas and stormwater controls”. It said, “These remediation measures will mitigate/prevent risks associated with odour, dust nuisance, pests and vermin, and landfill fires.” Health City also addressed the likely socioeconomic effects of the development, stating that it planned to employ 250 staff at the Camana Bay operation, of which 30% will be Caymanian, equating to 75 positions for Caymanians. It said its East End facility currently employs close to 100 Caymanians. This 'dropped pin' shows the location of the planned new Health City hospital at Camana Bay, near the Cayman International School - Image: Courtesy of Dart An artist's rendering of the Health City Camana Bay hospital. - Image: Courtesy of HCCI Construction work on the first two four-storey complexes is already under way at the site in South Church Street, between Windsor Village and Sand Cay. - Photo: Norma Connolly 4-storey condo complex approved Camana Bay Health City hospital approved 16 The number of units the combined condo units will have 250 The number of people expected to be employed at the new Health City hospital at Camana Bay cayman compass 7 news N news FRIDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 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 cayman compass 8 news N news FRIDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2021 JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky St. Ignatius’ new principal Martin Nugent will not be returning for the upcoming term, administrators at the $12,000-a-year private school have confirmed. The veteran British educator was announced as head of the Catholic school in March, in the aftermath of an inspection report that had criticised leadership and governance at the school. He arrived on island prior to the end of the last school year. The Cayman Compass understands that a complaint was filed by staff about his behaviour and that it has been investigated. But it is not clear if this is linked to his departure and officials declined to comment on the details. A spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Detroit, which oversees the management of the school, said, “I can confirm that Mr. Nugent will not be returning to St. Ignatius School this upcoming school year. It is the policy of the Archdiocese and our parishes that we are unable to discuss personnel matters, so I am unable to provide further detail.” A letter to parents from parish administrator Father Naveen D’Souza was similarly vague. “While the school is prepared for the new academic year with a full complement of faculty and staff, I regret to advise that the Principal, Mr. Martin Nugent, will not be returning at the beginning of the new school year,” he wrote as part of a general update to parents. “We have already begun the recruitment process and advertisements have been placed both locally and overseas. In the interim, the Vice Principal, Secondary and Vice Principal, Primary will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operation of the School.” Further woes for St. Ignatius It is the second academic year in succession that has begun with a departure at the top of the school. Former head Emily Alexander resigned in August 2020 after a year in the post, leaving staff “shocked and disappointed”, according to a statement read at a meeting with parents and reported on the Cayman Current news site. In October of the same year, it was revealed that seven members of staff had resigned. At least two donors had requested refunds following questions over the institution’s financial records. An inspection report in December last year downgraded the school’s rating to ‘satisfactory’ – the third lowest of four performance categories. The inspectors cited poor leadership, stating, “There were weaknesses in governance which did not follow the requirements of best practice, and decision-making arrangements were not fit for purpose. A significant number of parents who wished to support the school felt unhappy with important aspects of St. Ignatius.” “Staff were also unhappy and the lack of effective governance was destabilising the school’s operation and continuing effectiveness. The high turnover of staff risked compromising the maintenance of high-quality teaching and learning.” St. Ignatius principal departs after one term The newly-appointed principal of St. Ignatius will not be returning to the school this year, the latest setback for the $12,000-a-year Catholic school. – Photo: Taneos Ramsay “I can confirm that Mr. Nugent will not be returning to St. Ignatius School this upcoming school year.” Archdiocese spokespersoncayman compass 9 news N news FRIDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2021 MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@compassmedia.ky The Cayman Islands has placed fi rst in the 2021 Nomad Beach Index as the best destination for wealthy global entrepreneurs and investors who can live anywhere they choose. The world’s top beach destination index by tax and immigration consulting fi rm Nomad Capitalist aggregated data from more than 30 sources in fi ve categories. Cayman received full marks for its natural beauty, available services, taxes and safety to top the ranking ahead of Antigua and Barbuda, and the Bahamas. Last year Barbados became the fi rst Caribbean island to actively pursue ‘digital nomads’ to compensate for lost tourism dollars, when it announced its ’12-month welcome stamp’ in July. Bermuda soon followed with a ‘work from Bermuda’ one-year residential certifi cate that allowed visitors to live in the island for a year as long as they were employed overseas. Cayman joined the party later last year with a Global Citizen Concierge programme, which targets high-net-worth individuals who earn at least US$100,000 a year or at least US$180,000 if they bring dependents. Successful applicants are allowed to live in Cayman while working remotely for up to two years. The fi rst approved family arrived in November 2020. However, the Nomad Beach Index looks beyond those narrow programmes developed in response to the global pandemic and the decline in tourism. The ranking describes Cayman as “one of the best beach destinations in the Caribbean” and “tropical paradise” for entrepreneurs and investors “who do not want to deal with the complicated taxation policies in other countries”. The index noted Cayman’s various residency- by-investment options which include, for example, purchasing developed real estate worth $2.4 million or more. But it also pointed out that for those who are looking to obtain citizenship by investing in a country there are far cheaper option available in the region. Immigration is therefore the only category in which Cayman received less than the maximum available points in the index. “One of the best things about living in the Cayman Islands as a Nomad Capitalist is that it is a tax haven with no income tax, no property tax, no company tax, and no capital gains tax,” the ranking said. Cayman named top beach destination for digital nomads The top 10 destinations in 2021 Nomad Beach Index: 1. Cayman Islands 2. Antigua and Barbuda 3. The Bahamas 4. St. Kitts and Nevis 5. Budva, Montenegro 6. Algarve, Portugal 7. Vanuatu 8. Crete, Greece 9. Mykonos, Greece 10. Cozumel, Mexico However, the Nomad Beach Index looks beyond those narrow programmes developed in response to the global pandemic and the 1 Cayman Islands 2 Antigua and Barbuda 3 The BahamasNext >