© 2021 Burger King Corporation. Stackin’ up the flavor Introducing the brand new sweet and tangy Stacker sauce Single Stacker Double Stacker Triple Stacker Quadruple Stacker cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism Weekly, 24-30 September 2021 Sports Premier League preview Page 23 Open the latest Cold Case fi le Page 8 Queen Georgina begins her reign Page 20 RENTERS' RIGHTS 21st century tenants and a 19th century law Page 16 Georgina begins her See horses in Cayman’s seas Page 13 Photo: Taneos RamsayCaymanian jailed for life for murder in Canada A Caymanian man living in Canada has been sentenced to life in prison for the shooting death of a Hells Angel motorcycle club member. According to local media reports, Calvin Junior Powery- Hooker, who is originally from North Side, and Nathan James De Jong were sentenced to life imprisonment on 10 Sept. by the British Columbia Supreme Court in New Westminster. Powery-Hooker, 22, spent his early childhood years in Cayman before he relocated to Canada after Hurricane Ivan in 2004, where he has since lived with his father Donald Hooker Jr of North Side and his mother Rita Powery. Local reports state that Powery-Hooker and De Jong, 23, pleaded guilty earlier this year to the second-degree murder of Suminder Grewal in August 2019 at a drive-through restaurant in South Surrey, British Columbia. Both men were originally charged with first-degree murder. However, in June they each pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Cayman’s doctors ‘ready’ for COVID impact Cayman’s medical fraternity is ready for a potential increase in cases of COVID-19, should that situation arise as a result of opening Cayman’s borders. Speaking on an ‘Ask the Experts’ panel hosted by the Cayman Compass on 20 Sept., eight doctors from clinics and hospitals across Cayman discussed the mechanisms in place to handle an increase in the number of cases of COVID-19 in the jurisdiction. There was consensus that physicians and healthcare facilities have been working since the pandemic began to prepare to tackle penetration of the virus in the community, but people should still do their part to protect themselves via vaccination and other preventative measures. “We, as a healthcare community, are standing by to deal with rising COVID and I think we, as a panel, agree that we think we can handle an opening of the island,” Dr. Yaron Rado, chief radiologist at Doctors Hospital, stated, when the topic of border reopening was raised by a viewer- submitted question to the panel. He added that any action on border reopening would be “very political” and “not a medical decision”, but that the onus is on doctors to “show the path of how to do the best therapy”. “Our job is to deal with what is being delivered to us and to guide the politicians to do the right thing, depending on into which port they want to sail, then we can tell them how to set the sails,” he explained. Quarantine breach case heads to court in October Two West Bay men charged with breaching quarantine are due to make their initial Summary Court appearance next month. According to court documents, Mario Eduardo Abarca Cervera and Richard Lonnie Parchment were each charged with one count of failing to comply with the Control of COVID-19 (No. 3) Regulations, 2020 (SL 157 of 2020). The charge alleged that Cervera, 38, and Parchment, 56, jointly breached the quarantine regulations on 31 March 2021, when Parchment visited and interacted with Cervera, who was at home in mandatory self- isolation. According to the documents, the breach was discovered when health officials who were on routine patrol attended Cervera’s residence and heard both men laughing from within the home. Police were called to Cervera’s home. When officers arrived, both men were discovered standing closer than 6 feet, without wearing masks, and talking while Parchment showed Cervera something on his phone. When questioned by officers, both men said they were co- workers and Parchment was showing Cervera a work-related matter on his phone. Following the breach, the men were sent to quarantine in a government facility. An initial Summary Court appearance date has been set for 5 Oct. Planning board explains decision to approve Boggy Sand seawall The Central Planning Authority dismissed a directive from the Department of Environment, acting on behalf of the National Conservation Council, to reject a planning application to replace a seawall and cabana on Boggy Sand Road in West Bay because, it says, it had not received a ‘lawful directive’ from the NCC. The DoE directed the CPA to reject the application based on the expected detrimental impact on the marine environment and beach. The minutes from the 1 Sept. planning meeting note that the CPA did not receive a lawful directive issued under Section 41 (5) of the National Conservation Act, by the National Conservation Council directing the CPA “to refuse planning permission without undertaking a full inquiry and consideration of the application under its statutory mandate to effectively direct development so as safeguard the economic, cultural, social, and general welfare of the people, subject thereto the environment”. At the opening of its lengthy written submission to the board, the DoE had said that its review was provided “by the Director of the Department of Environment under delegated authority from the National Conservation Council (section 3 (13) of the National Conservation Act, 2013)”. That section states, “The Council may delegate any of its functions, other than the making of orders and the issuing of directives, to the Director or to any committee or sub-committee of its members.” Police still looking for crews of 2 Jamaican drug boats Police have confirmed that they are continuing to investigate the whereabouts of occupants of two Jamaican drug canoes that were found abandoned and capsized on local reefs earlier this year. This comes after Governor Martyn Roper raised the possibility that local COVID-19 cases could stem from people entering Cayman illegally on boats from Jamaica. The governor, in recent comments at a press briefing last week, said the source of the latest community transmission cases had not been tracked down, but he said it may be possible that it concerned individuals “involved in illegal activity arriving on our shores after undeclared boat trips to and from Jamaica”. The Cayman Islands Coast Guard recovered one canoe which ran aground on the ironshore off Ocean Club in Prospect in March, and a second one was found capsized on the reef off South Sound in July. Matinees (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 CRY MACHO (PG-13) (FRI-SAT & MON-WED) 4:40 VIP | 7:20 (SUN) 4:40 VIP | 6:50 | 10:00 (THURS) 7:20 DEAR EVAN HANSEN (PG-13) (FRI & MON-THURS) 3:45 | 7:15 VIP | 9:45 VIP (SAT) 1:15 | 3:45 | 7:15 VIP | 9:45 VIP (SUN) 3:45 | 7:15 VIP | 9:25 | 9:45 VIP FREE GUY (PG-13) (FRI, MON & WED-THURS) 4:15 VIP | 6:45PM (SAT) 1:35 | 4:15 VIP | 6:45 (SUN) 4:15 VIP | 6:45 | 7:00 VIP | 10:15 VIP JUNGLE CRUISE (PG-13) (SUN) 4:00 | 7:00 | 10:00 MALIGNANT (R) (FRI-SAT & MON-THURS) 10:00 OASIS KNEBWORTH 1996 (PG-13)) (FRI) 3:30 | 7:00 PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE (G) (FRI, SUN -THURS) 4:15 (SAT) 1:25 | 1:55 VIP | 4:15 QUEENPINS (R) (FRI, MON & WED-THURS) 4:20 | 7:00 VIP | 9:40 | 10:15 VIP (SUN) 12:50 VIP | 4:20 | 7:00 VIP | 7:05 | 9:40 | 10:15 VIP (TUE) 4:20 | 7:05 | 9:40 | 10:15 VIP SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS(PG-13) (FRI & THURS) 3:30 VIP | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 | 9:30 VIP | 9:40 (SAT) 1:00 | 1:40 VIP | 3:30 VIP | 4:00 | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 | 9:30 VIP | 9:40 (SUN-WED) 3:30 VIP | 4:00 | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 9:30 VIP | 9:40 THE NIGHT HOUSE (R) (FRI-SAT & MON - THURS) 9:50 KIDS CLUB FREE WILLY SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (G) CULTURE DEAD POETS SOCIETY (PG) TUESDAY 7PM weather Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy skies with a 30% chance of showers. SEA STATE Smooth with wave heights less than 2 feet. caymancompass.comfacebook.com/caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass WINDS Light and variable. 89°F HIGH 77°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 news in brief The existing seawall and cabana on Boggy Sand Road. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 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. Disclaimer : 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, 24 SEPTEMBER 20211234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Forestall (4,3) 5 Arrive at (5) 8 Precipitate (9) 9 Goods vehicle (3) 10 Limited period (4) 12 Roused to angry protest (2,2,4) 14 To parody (4,2) 15 To no purpose (2,4) 17 Trivial (8) 18 Common but false notion (4) 21 Repent of (3) 22 With surprising suddenness (9) 24 Gentle prod with elbow (5) 25 A hoax (3-4) DOWN 1 Haul up (5) 2 Small venomous snake (3) 3 Cereal used in porridge (4) 4 Hanging down limply (6) 5 Echoing (8) 6 Opponent (9) 7 Actively participating (5-2) 11 Lose vigour (3,2,4) 13 Push through forcibly (8) 14 An orange-yellow (7) 16 Illusory (6) 19 Inn (5) 20 Unexpected obstacle (4) 23 Wildebeest (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16805 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 16805 ACROSS: 1 Head off, 5 Reach, 8 Impetuous, 9 Van, 10 Term, 12 Up in arms, 14 Send up, 15 In vain, 17 Footling, 18 Myth, 21 Rue, 22 Overnight, 24 Nudge, 25 Leg-pull. DOWN: 1 Hoist, 2 Asp, 3 Oats, 4 Floppy, 5 Resonant, 6 Adversary, 7 Hands-on, 11 Run to seed, 13 Bulldoze, 14 Saffron, 16 Unreal, 19 Hotel, 20 Snag, 23 Gnu. Do you support the government's decision to delay the reopening of the border? cayman compass Total: 13,225 UndecidedYes No ONLINE POLL 19% 2,510 78% 10,348 3% 367 We miss visiting [Cayman]. Our annual two-week trip was cancelled last year, and it looks like this year will also provide no joy. Our parents had visited Cayman for over 20 years and they passed on their ownership to my wife and I about 10 years ago. We understand about your concerns around COVID-19 and closing the borders to unvaccinated people. However, COVID-19 is here to stay and we’re all facing boosters for the foreseeable future until everyone is vaccinated. We live in the US and have been able to move around, shop and dine out since we’ve been vaccinated. We also wear masks when required and do not get offended when asked. Your country is beautiful and the people are the most wonderful and friendly of all the Islands – but we are concerned for their welfare and home-lives with the continued shutdown of the Island. Everyone is suffering there with lack of income from tourism. How much longer can your people survive? With proper vaccinations, proper social distancing, outdoor dining (which is most restaurants), masks, kindness, understanding and patience, we can make it together. Please reopen your borders and don’t wait until 2022 to do so. Let’s work together to be safe and welcomed back to Cayman. David Eckart Letters to the editor Closed border is hurting Caymanians Police: File on COVID- positive airline passenger to go to DPP Both parties must be held ac- countable, not just the passenger. If the airline was doing their job she would have never made it to Cayman. They allowed her aboard, so yeah, charge them as well. – Sora Kazue What they’re saying The passenger and the airline need to be charged as they both didn’t do their part. Simple – if not the airline, then the individual who didn’t do what they were supposed to. – Jessica Sukar Both parties should be held accountable and pay the conse- quences. No ‘overlook error’ here! – Cora Ebanks What of the offi cials who slept on duty? I wonder how this can happen with the tight security checks in place? I wouldn’t want to call it negligent, though. – Mombo Johannes Who they going to charge? The airline agents dropped the ball in this case so they should be charged, too. – Chris Godet Time is of the essence. Please ‘throw the book’ at them! – Mario Ebanks This local bird is a beach bum who loves company. You can fi nd it in groups on sandy beaches, looking for food. But it needs our help: The least tern habitat and nesting areas are threatened by human activity in the Cayman Islands, and we have only a few hundred of these birds left. Their global population is decreasing as well. If you see a sign identifying a least tern habitat, please avoid the area so that these birds and their nests stay safe! Creature Feature: Least tern Least tern, Cayman Brac. - Photo: Nicole Martin cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2021Our women’s healthcare specialists provide personalised care plans to meet each woman’s changing needs throughout every stage of her life. From annual well-women exams to surgical procedures, pelvic floor disorders, incontinence, ovarian cystectomies, to cervical and breast cancer and more. All your healthcare needs in one place. Integrated, individual and supportive to help you feel comfortable and safe. Make an appointment today. World-class healthcare is within your reach. YOUR REACHYOUR REACH Dedicated care for women Breast health Gynecology Urology Weight management Nutrition counselling Psychiatry Heart health Executive health checks 1 (345) 640-4040 info@healthcity.ky www.healthcity.ky cayman compass 5 FRIDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2021NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky More than 10,000 people in the Cayman Islands have been tested since the first local cases of COVID-19 in a year emerged earlier this month, Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee reported. Speaking at a 23 Sept. press briefing, Lee said many of those tests had been done in response to people’s concerns over the community-transmission cases. Since 8 Sept., when the first recent local case was reported, 28 people in the community have tested positive in what appears to be two separate outbreaks. In an update on those local transmission cases, Lee said that, of the seven cases related to the first outbreak, one person remains in hospital and is stable, while the other cases are asymptomatic. Regarding the George Town Primary School outbreak, first reported on 13 Sept., he said 18 children and three adults had tested positive. Originally, seven of the children were symptomatic, but that number had gone down to two, both of whom are “mildly symptomatic”. Two of the adults are also mildly symptomatic. Lee said children who have been reported as being unwell in other schools have also been screened, and results of those tests should be known in the coming days. Vaccinations Lee said, as of 23 Sept., 105,823 COVID-19 vaccinations had been administered locally, including 54,852 first doses, accounting for 77% of the population of 71,106. A total of 50,962 people, or 72% of the population, had received both doses. Nine people have also been given booster shots in recent days. The booster programme is currently available by invitation only, but the Health Services Authority will soon announce when it will become more widely available, Lee said. Civil service Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, who heads up the civil service, said mandating vaccinations for frontline government workers was “under consideration”. Manderson said a survey of civil servants in April indicated that 70% were vaccinated, and that another survey from two months ago showed eight out of 10 respondents had been inoculated. However, he said, the latter survey “was not well taken up”. He said he was “very concerned” that staff at Travel Cayman and Customs and Border Control, who deal with incoming travellers, were not fully vaccinated. The deputy governor said he had held a town-hall meeting over Zoom with the entire civil service on 22 Sept., at which he pledged to frontline workers that they would be consulted before any decision to mandate vaccinations for them was finalised. He said that legislation was also being considered that would require civil servants on government contracts to be vaccinated. Work-permit holders Draft amendments have been made to the Immigration Transition Act and the Customs and Border Control Act that would enable government to require expat employees, whose work permits are being granted or renewed, to be vaccinated. Panton said those amendments would be considered by Parliament when it meets on 4 Oct. Flights The government has had “indications” that flights to and from Canada will resume in November, Premier Wayne Panton announced at the press briefing, with either Air Canada or Sunwing launching weekly flights between Grand Cayman and Toronto. Earlier, British Airways had confirmed that it would be flying three times a week, via Nassau, Bahamas, between Cayman and London from 27 Sept. Also, Cayman Airways will be ramping up the regularity of its flights to Miami, Jamaica and Honduras, depending on demand. Panton said he wanted to clarify that Cayman is open to tourists and commercial flights are being allowed to operate routes to and from here. “Our borders are certainly open, we are in Phase 3 [of the reopening plan]. People can come in if they want to. The only thing we are not doing at this point, the only thing we have not been scheduled to do at this point, is to drop the quarantine protective envelope,” he said. Incoming travellers, with securely verifiable vaccination documents, are currently required to quarantine for seven days. Other vaccinated travellers must isolate for 10 days, and unvaccinated arrivals are required to quarantine for 14 days. Panton said his government would be “assessing what the risks are and working out the best timing for us going forward” in terms of the border reopening and quarantine provisions. Temporary business closures A number of businesses, including The Wharf restaurant and Rum Point, have announced they are temporarily closing up shop until further notice, following the announcement by government that it was pausing its border-reopening plan. Panton acknowledged the level of concern among the tourism and business sectors. “We acknowledge, because of the pause... some restaurants have decided to close temporarily, some are doing renovations earlier. That will have some impact. We regret that, but I am certain they will be able to reopen, and resume operations very well in the coming week,” he said. The premier said the government would “continue to engage with stakeholders” in the business and tourism fields. Deputy Premier Chris Saunders addressed what he called “the dignity gap” for displaced tourism workers. “The impact is real,” he said. “For many people, they are not designed to take assistance from government, they want to work. They want to take care of their families.” He noted that more than 3,000 people were receiving the monthly government stipend, of $1,500, and assured that those employees affected by the border closure would be supported by PACT. “The government is committed to do what we can do to cushion the impact... and if we have to cut certain stuff to do it, we’ll do it... We have to take care of our people,” he said. Strong financial position Saunders, who is also the finance minister, gave an update on the jurisdiction’s finances, which he said were in good shape despite the impact of the pandemic and the loss of tourism. He said government was still operating with a three-figure surplus – better than forecast in 2019. Extra fees from financial services, in particular new private funds fees, were making up for lost tourism taxes, he said. Regulations Cabinet has approved a series of regulations that show Cayman is moving from “suppressing and eliminating” COVID, as had been practised in the past, to “accepting that COVID is here and we are going to learn to live with it and learn to thrive with it”, the premier said at the briefing. Health Minister Sabrina Turner gave an update on the various regulations that have been or were soon to be published. These include: - Only vaccinated tourists are allowed to enter Cayman under the regulations. Unvaccinated returning residents can enter, but are required to isolate for 14 days. - Indoor gatherings are restricted to a maximum of 100 people, or 50% of the premises’ legal capacity. - Outdoor activities are restricted to a maximum of 250 people. - Anyone travelling to Cayman Brac or Little Cayman from Grand Cayman must provide either proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test. - Children aged 5 and older are now required to undergo a pre- arrival PCR test, as well as another PCR test as they exit quarantine. Previously this had applied to children 10 and over. Turner said these regulations were “very fluid” and the government would amend them as necessary, depending on circumstances, including local cases and public health advice. “They’re very flexible,” she said. “Even though a number of them have an expiry date that runs to 22 Nov., or to the end of the year, as we adjust and assess what’s going on within our community from a public health risk, where we can see that transmission and the spread has somewhat been identified, we can track exactly where we are with those numbers; we can always come back to any of these regulations and make the necessary amendments.” “People can come in if they want to. The only thing we are not doing at this point, the only thing we have not been scheduled to do at this point, is to drop the quarantine protective envelope.” Premier Wayne Panton Premier Wayne Panton, flanked by Deputy Premier Chris Saunders and Health Minister Sabrina Turner, gives an update on COVID regulations at the 23 Sept. press briefing. – Photo: Alvaro Serey 10,000 COVID tests after local outbreak cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2021M cGR A TH T ONNER C A Y M AN ISLANDS LA W NE W PAR TNER McGrath Tonner is pleased to announce the promotion of Sara Ismail to the position of partner in the rm’s family law department. Sara has specialized exclusively in family law for more than 10 years and has been an integral part of the rm’s family team for almost 4 years. She is a well-respected specialist with expertise across the M cGR A TH T ONNER C A Y M AN ISLANDS LA W whole spectrum of family work including nancial settlements and hearings on divorce, especially where the assets are complex and international, pre and post-nuptial agreements, and complicated and dicult private law children work. Sara is a trained mediator and regularly writes articles for family law journals. David McGrath, managing partner, commented: “Sara has quickly proven herself to be one of the foremost family lawyers in Cayman. Her promotion to partner is a deserved recognition of her consider- able abilities and hard work.” 195657_PRINT-Ad-Compass-QrtPg-AMPage 1 11/6/20 2:23:06 PM RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky While local couples, both same-sex and heterosexual, have been making use of the Civil Partnership Act, LGBTQ+ advocates here say it still falls short of offering the protection needed to be on a par with marriage. For same-sex couple Alice Hillman-Erskine and her partner Samantha Erskine, registering their relationship was a welcome step, but they say equal rights are still lacking. “Our mindset is being able to establish our family as it should be. At the moment, I’m still not legally my son (Keithen’s) parent. So that’s one of the top agendas for us. One way or another, we want to make that part of our life legal where I don’t have to be questioned every time we’re travelling as a family,” Hillman-Erksine told the Cayman Compass in a recent Zoom interview. She said they don’t really travel as a family, though, because of the complexity of leaving the country with him, which requires securing letters and paperwork. Hoping for more acceptance The couple was among the first to get their relationship registered under the new law. To date, as the community marks the one-year anniversary of the legislation, 84 people have registered their relationships locally, and that includes same-sex and heterosexual couples. Hillman-Erskine said she was happy for the law change, since it moved the needle forward when it came to getting some protection for her and her partner. She said she would like to see further steps taken to address other concerns same-sex couples are encountering as well, adding that she is grateful to Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden Bush for taking up the fight here. “I am also very thankful for what we have achieved so far... for the people that have been fighting, for Colours Cayman, ‘Chants’ and Vickie and want to give them a big ‘thank you’... I am very grateful, as part of the community and part of a [couple] that has been enjoying all of the benefits,” she added. She said she is happy to see the community become more accepting of same-sex couples, especially when all they are trying to do is have equal opportunities. “I must say they gave us a little more sense of belonging. We can carry on our family life and be able to plan ahead and do a lot of things that we couldn’t do before,” Hillman-Erksine said, adding that although the community may not have completely accepted them, she still felt that “people are being more [tolerant] because this bill has passed. It gives us a little bit of more comfort here in the Cayman Islands.” However, Erskine said there are still challenges for their family, especially when it comes to signing their son up for school and him being accepted, since many schools are Christian-based and their lifestyle is frowned upon. “For us, the only option is the Cayman International School at Camana Bay, which is very expensive and would take both of our incomes pretty much just to have our son in a school where he’s not bullied or discriminated against. That’s another issue as well,” she said. Joy Basdeo, of Simply Weddings, who is a marriage officer and Cayman’s first civil partnership registrar, said she believes the community has essentially accepted the law, allowing same-sex couples to formalise their relationships. “My couples enjoy putting their ceremony together with their readings, with their vows, whether they’re going to do their own vows or whether they’re going to use the vows that we have in the ceremony. I think it’s important that both marriage and same-sex unions or civil unions co-exist, it is important to our society,” she said. Basdeo, a Catholic by faith, said she had some internal conflict initially on the issue, but she no longer has any reservations about doing civil partnerships. She said when she first signed up to be a civil partnership registrar, she was asked what would her father think about what she was doing, and she said before he died they had discussed the issue, as they had been planning for the eventuality. “I know he would be proud that I’m doing them because he was a very forward-thinking person. With civil partnerships, I’m the one that registers them and talks to them and plans the ceremony. I hear their stories. I hear what they have been through. I remember one gentleman telling me what he and his partner have gone through for the last 30 years because he’s Caymanian and his partner is not,” she said. Basdeo said it has been extremely difficult for a lot of same- sex couples, asking, “Why shouldn’t they have the right to have their union recognised?” ONE YEAR LATER Alice Hillman-Erksine and Samantha Louise Erksine celebrating the registration of their relationship last year. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10» Civil Partnership advocates want more cayman compass 7 news N news FRIDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2021Brother: ‘He did not deserve to die like that’ RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Jason Christian was just 18 when he was ambushed and killed in September 2011. Ten years later, his family and friends still mourn his death and police continue to seek to bring all involved in his murder to justice. Christian’s murder was one of four back-to-back killings that month that shocked many in Cayman and left a cloud of fear over the islands as gang-related disputes played out on the streets in 2011. In this next in the series of the Cayman Compass Cold Case files, in partnership with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, we will delve into those killings, labelled by the media at the time as “the week in hell”. Lured to his death Retired detective inspector Livingston Bailey, the lead investigator into Christian’s killing back in 2011, said that week of death still haunts him. “There were a number of murders that were happening, especially in the period from September 13th up to the 19th where very young men... were viciously gunned down for no apparent reasons,” he said, adding, “The gangs seem to have a culture at that time to use their guns to send a message to their colleagues and that was exactly what was happening during that period.” That is what police believe occurred in Christian’s case. He and another man, Keith Montique, whom police believed was the intended target, were lured to their deaths on Cranbook Drive, Crewe Road. Peter Dean, head of the RCIPS Serious Crime Review team charged with solving Cayman’s cold cases, said this particular series of murders, especially Christian’s, was troubling. “Jason was an expectant father and, just a few months after that, a child was born. He was a young 18-year-old man that may very well have been easily led by others. His family, a good family... nice family... they would like some answers regarding why this young man’s life was cut short at such an early age,” Dean said. On the night of 19 Sept., Christian and Montique – both of whom, Dean said, were affiliated with the Birch Tree Hill gang at the time – were together in a van when they went to an area off Crewe Road on Cranbook Drive. Dean said, while there, “two unknown assailants attacked the vehicle whilst it was stationary. Unfortunately, Jason was shot once and received a fatal gunshot wound to his head. The passenger in the vehicle, another young man… he actually received four gunshot injuries, but he managed to escape,” Dean said. Montique, the second victim, stumbled upon a uniformed police officer on patrol nearby. “The officer, clearly realising that this man was seriously injured, immediately took him straight to the hospital. The officer gleaned as much information as possible from this guy and as a result of that, officers were sent to the location and that’s where Jason Christian was subsequently pronounced dead,” he said. Persons of interest were identified from the outset of the killing, Dean said, and many interviews, both from significant witnesses and suspects, were conducted. “However, to date, no person has been brought to justice in regard to the murder of Jason,” Dean said. Dean said they suspected at the time those involved in the incident were engaged in some criminality, but “this young man did not deserve to die in the manner in which he did”. “It’s important, if we are to move forward from the senseless murders, that we get some assistance from the public, because there are people out there that do know what happened and they do know who was involved and why it happened,” he said. Too many young lives lost Bailey said the week of killings which culminated in Christian’s murder was a “torrid time” for the RCIPS and the community. He said Christian’s killing was upsetting because the teen never stood a chance. He was fatally wounded with a single shot. Bailey said crime personnel gathered about 10 40-millimeter Jason Christian, a life lost Detective Sargeant Peter Dean, head of the RCIPS Serious Crime Review Unit. - Photo: Alvaro Serey Livingston Bailey, the lead investigator into Jason Christian’s killing back in 2011. - Photo: Alvaro Serey cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2021 8Sunday, 3 October, 2021 Walk for Cure the Registration Fees: Adults: KY$25. Children under 12: KY$10. Walkers/Runners limited to first 1000 registrations Deadline to register: Friday, 1 October, 2021 at 3:00 pm The CIBC logo is a trademark of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, used by FirstCaribbean International Bank under license. Register at any of our branches, email maggie.garnett@cibcfcib.com for a registration form or look out for our registration tables at Fosters, Kirks, Hurleys and ALT’s during the month of September (selected days/times). Donations will also be accepted. Thank you refreshments and prize giveaways at Public Beach post walk. Thank you to our sponsors Diamond Sponsors Platinum Sponsors Silver Sponsors Gold Sponsors This ad is sponsored by Compass Media. 10. T-Shirts and 10th anniv ersary giveaw ays 100% of proceeds benefit the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. bullet casings at the scene of the shooting. “So, it’s a number of shots that were fi red that particular night,” he said. Bailey said the events of that week still remain with him. “Heinous crimes happening every other day… young men involved in shooting and young lives being taken away for no specifi c reason… all gang-related because our local youth have involved themselves in cultures that are expressed in other societies, which was not fi tting for the Cayman Islands. I’m sure even 10 years [later], we’re still grieving the loss of those who have passed during that period,” he said. Both investigators said they believe they can close the case, but only with the public’s input. “I would encourage members of the public, in situations like these, that they come forward to assist us with anything they know no matter how simple, because the reality is simple information that you give could be a crack in a big case,” he added. A brother and father taken too soon For Seaford Russell Jr and his family, September has always been a diffi cult month, but this year it is particularly tough as it marks the 10th anniversary of the murder of their loved one. Even though time has marched on, Russell Jr said, the memories remain. “He was like my father fi gure growing up and he looked out for me. Anything I needed and he had, he would give it to me. If we went out in town together, I remember he had this thing where, instead of holding my hand, he would put his hand on top of my head... and kind of steer me,” he said, smiling as he reminisced. Russell Jr, who was also a teen at the time of Christian’s killing, said a lot of things were said about his elder brother, but to him, the 18-year-old was a family man. “He always loved his family, took care of his family from a very young age. He was built to be sort of the man of the house. He was just like the armour that everyone needed, old or young, in the family… my grandmother, my mother and myself,” he said. Christian was killed weeks before the birth of his only child. Russell Jr said he feels a special attachment to her, and tries to do right by her as his brother would have wanted him to. “She’s been a true blessing for our family, in terms of my brother’s legacy living on. She is the person that we look at when we want to see Jason. She looks just like him, she smiles like him. She has a little sassiness about her, my brother was always a little sassy. But she’s everything to the family, my mother adores her, that’s like my mother’s pupil of her eye,” he said. Russell Jr said the pain of the loss of his sibling remains fresh in his mind, especially with the anniversary. “I was looking at some of the pictures of him just the other day, because this whole cold case thing came up and again, it’s like I became complacent to everything. I was looking at his picture it was almost like, I didn’t realise how young my brother was until I looked back at his photos and realised that I have outgrew him and the life that he had on this earth,” he said. He said he remembered looking at his brother as a man, but seeing his photos now it hit home how young he really was at the time. He said he knows police connected his brother’s murder to gang activity, but he knew that was not who Christian was. ‘That’s what they’re going to do and I understand that. But you don’t have to keep on doing it, you don’t... there’s change. And if you have kids – I am so sick and tired of seeing young Caymanian men dying and never getting to see their child... and mothers of that child having to grieve because somebody’s life got cut... short over stupidness,” he said. He called for an end to gun violence and for young men in the community to seek alternative ways of settling their disputes. “Tell me how much things gangsters have? Gangsters suffer. They live a hard life. They [would like] to see their children [grow up]. That’s what a gangster is... and that’s what you want to be? [They] don’t have nothing... they have grief and struggle,” he said. He added that while government is taking some action, more needs to be done to support those who are rehabilitated to stay on the right track. “The reality is there are people out there that really want to change and they just feel hopeless. A lot of this lifestyle is rooted in them. This is how they were raised up all their life. That’s just who they are,” he added. Editor's note: Seaford Russell Jr. is employed at Compass Media. Anyone with information relating to Jason Christian’s murder can call the Serious Crime Review Team confi dential tip line at 649-2930. To see the full interview, watch the video on caymancompass.com Jason Christian, right, with brother Seaford Russell Jr. cayman compass 9 news N news FRIDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2021Next >