© 2021 Burger King Corporation. King Stackers are here Dare to stack! Each patty is a quarter pound of flame-grilled beef. Single Double Triple cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 1-7 October 2021 Issues Cayman’s digital future Page 16 Sports Clubs mourn footballer killed in crash Page 23 School policies, mandatory vaccination debate and mask effectiveness – navigating the new normal COVIDLiving withMatinees (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 NO TIME TO DIE (PG-13) (FRI) 2:45 VIP | 3:25 | 5:00 (SAT) 11:15 VIP | 1:00 VIP | 2:30 | 3:00 | 6:30 | 6:30 VIP | 9:15 (SUN) 3:15 VIP | 3:25 | 4:30 VIP | 5:00 | 7:00 | 8:00 VIP | 8:30 | 9:00 VIP | 9:05 (MON) 3:25 | 5:00 | 6:50 VIP | 7:00 | 8:30 | 9:05 | 9:30 VIP (TUE) 3:00 VIP | 3:25 | 3:45 VIP | 5:00 | 7:00 | 8:30 | 9:05 | 9:45 VIP (WED) 3:00 VIP | 3:15 VIP | 3:25 | 5:00 | 7:00 | 8:30 | 9:05 (THURS) 3:15 VIP | 3:25 | 4:30 VIP | 5:00 | 7:00 | 7:00 VIP | 8:00 VIP | 8:30 | 9:00 VIP | 9:05 SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS (PG-13) (FRI) 3:30 VIP | 3:40 (SAT) 12:30 | 3:30 (SUN) 3:40 | 9:25 (MON-THURS) 3:40 | 9:25 VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE (PG-13) (FRI) 2:15 VIP | 4:00 | 4:35 VIP | 6:20 | 6:45 | 10:30 VIP | 10:45 VIP (SAT) 11:35 | 12:00 | 12:30 | 12:35 VIP | 3:45 VIP | 6:45 | 10:00 | 10:10 VIP (SUN) 4:25 | 6:40 VIP | 6:45 | 7:05 | 10:30 (MON) 4:25 | 6:45 | 7:05 | 7:10 VIP | 10:00 VIP | 10:20 VIP | 10:30 (TUE) 4:15 VIP | 4:25 | 6:45 | 7:05 | 7:15 VIP | 10:10 VIP | 10:30 | 10:35 VIP (WED-THURS) 4:15 VIP | 4:25 | 6:45 | 7:05 | 10:30 | 10:35 VIP | 10:35 VIP KIDS CLUB MATILDA SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) CLASSICS FOOTLOOSE (1984) (PG-13) TUESDAY 7PM 11 new local cases, all connected to schools’ outbreaks Health officials announced five positive COVID-19 tests in their update on 30 Sept. Two of the positives involved travellers; one additional child from Prospect Primary; one parent connected to a previous case at George Town Primary and a child at the school who tested positive at the end of the quarantine period. This comes after 11 new cases of community transmission of COVID-19 were confirmed in the results on 29 Sept., including five related to Prospect Primary School and six associated with George Town Primary. This brings to 73 the total number of active COVID cases in Cayman, as of 29 Sept. One person, who tested positive on 9 Sept., remains in hospital. For more news connected to the latest COVID developments, see pages 5, 6 and 10. 78% of population receive first vaccine dose As of 30 Sept., 106,882 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had been administered. Of these, 55,174 (78% of the total estimated population of 71,106) have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 51,645 (73%) have completed the two-dose course. In addition, 45 people have had a third, or booster, dose, up to 29 Sept. Boosters are being administered to the extremely vulnerable, inclusive of persons with organ transplants, on dialysis or chemotherapy, and people living with HIV/AIDS. Footballer gets suspended sentence for attack on ref Former Cayman Islands national football player Michael Martin Cruz has received a six-month suspended sentence for punching a football referee in January last year. Martin Cruz, 23, who played for Bodden Town FC, was sentenced earlier this month after pleading guilty in June; he was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm after the match against Academy had been called off. According to the police report, on 23 Jan. 2020, at about 10pm, officers responded to a call that football players were fighting at the Annex field in George Town. As a result of incident on the pitch, in March last year Cruz was banned for 10 years from all Cayman Islands Football Association activities. Rare loggerhead hatchlings discovered in Cayman Three rare leucistic, or pale- coloured, loggerhead hatchlings were discovered by the Department of Environment’s turtle team on 28 Sept. One of the hatchlings debuted in a photo on the DoE’s official Twitter account. “The turtle team came across a rare find when excavating a nest... three rare leucistic loggerhead hatchlings. Leucism is a genetic condition that causes reduced pigmentation,” the DoE post said. The DoE, on its Facebook page, added, “Often leucistic hatchlings have other malformations which means they do not reach the final stages of development but the team [is] happy to report that these hatchlings were healthy and strong and have been released along with others that were found left behind in the nest.” Police association challenges new policy on work shifts The Royal Cayman Islands Police Association has mounted a legal challenge against Police Commissioner Derek Byrne’s decision to change the work schedules for uniformed officers. During the single-day judicial review before Justice Kirsty-Ann Gunn in Grand Court on 23 Sept., attorney Guy Dilliway-Parry, who represented the police association, said the commissioner’s decision was “unlawful and irrational” and a breach of a “legitimate expectation”, because it reduced what the association called the legally protected vacation allotment of 22 days to 15 days. “While officers did receive more days off as rest time as a result of the new shift, this is not a question of balancing and compensation, it is a matter of the statute and there is no ambiguity in what officers are entitled to,” said Dilliway-Parry. “By reducing the vacation days, the new policy breached the statute and in doing so became illegal.” When arguing on behalf of the police commissioner’s decision, attorney Jevon Alcock accepted the new policy did result in a reduction of vacation time. However, he said the additional rest days compensated for the decreased vacation. UK dry ice shortage delays vaccine shipment Cayman’s next shipment of COVID-19 vaccines has been delayed until 2 Oct. due to a shortage of dry ice in the UK, the Governor’s Office has confirmed. The 11,000 doses were expected to arrive on 27 Sept. on the first of three new weekly scheduled British Airways flights. However, the Governor’s Office – responding to Cayman Compass queries about the expected shipment – said the vaccine delivery is currently being rescheduled as a result of the aforementioned shortage. In addition to the Pfizer vaccines a supply of 400 doses of AstraZeneca will also be arriving. DoE monitors infected stony corals during annual spawn Over a couple of nights a year, usually a few days after a September full moon, Cayman’s coral reefs explode with activity as entire colonies spawn, emitting eggs and sperm into the water column. The natural phenomenon is eagerly awaited by divers each year who swap notes on the exact timing of the spawning and which coral species will “go”. This year’s spawning held another level of suspense as observers monitored corals infected with stony coral tissue loss disease to see if they managed to spawn. Members of the Department of Environment’s Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Response Team dived in East End with Ocean Frontiers and in West Bay with Divetech to see if SCTLD had impacted spawning. In a social media post, the DoE said, “The purpose of these observations was to monitor multiple species of stony corals to see if there was a difference between apparently healthy corals and ones infected with SCTLD.” DoE members are currently formalising results. news in brief Hard corals on Cayman’s reefs spawned on the nights of 26 and 27 Sept. - Photo: Liz Wyatt Michael Martin Cruz represented the Cayman Islands during the CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers in 2019. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay weather Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy skies with a 30% chance of afternoon showers. SEA STATE Smooth with wave heights less than 2 feet. caymancompass.comfacebook.com/caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass WINDS Northeast at 5 to 10 knots 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 cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2021 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. 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, 1 OCTOBER 2021 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Unanimous (5) 4 Person highly approved of (4,3) 8 Possess (3) 9 Situation fraught with hazards (9) 10 Steadfastly loyal (7) 11 Make formal request (5) 13 Central African country (6) 15 Loose from moorings (6) 18 Small-scale reproduction (5) 19 Fiasco (4-3) 21 Slight possibility (3,6) 23 Review savagely (3) 24 A stretch (7) 25 Uncontrollable fear (5) DOWN 1 Godparent (7) 2 Assist in some endeavour (4,1,4) 3 Evil spirit (5) 4 Overly eager for action (4-2) 5 Without consideration (7) 6 Look at (3) 7 Devout (5) 12 Written with malice (6-3) 14 Porpoise-like sea mammal (7) 16 Colossal (7) 17 Pang (6) 18 Elk (5) 20 Exorbitant (5) 22 Dandy (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16811 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 16811 ACROSS: 1 Solid, 4 Good egg, 8 Own, 9 Minefield, 10 Staunch, 11 Apply, 13 Rwanda, 15 Adrift, 18 Model, 19 Wash-out, 21 Off chance, 23 Pan, 24 Expanse, 25 Panic. DOWN: 1 Sponsor, 2 Lend a hand, 3 Demon, 4 Gung-ho, 5 Offhand, 6 Eye, 7 Godly, 12 Poison-pen, 14 Dolphin, 16 Titanic, 17 Twinge, 18 Moose, 20 Steep, 22 Fop. Do you support mandatory vaccination? As government continues its push to vaccinate the islands’ residents, should Cayman consider implementing mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations? Civil servants Members of government Frontline workers Medical providers UndecidedDisagreeAgreeUndecidedDisagreeAgreeUndecidedDisagreeAgreeUndecidedDisagreeAgree 58% 1930 Votes 57% 1889 Votes 57% 1877 Votes 52% 1717 Votes 40% 1307 Votes 41% 1370 Votes 40% 1343 Votes 43% 1429 Votes 2% 53 Votes 2% 64 Votes 3% 91 Votes 5% 147 Votes Hew: ‘Hard look’ at financial support for small businesses needed The hard look should be at open- ing the borders. Problem solved. It’s criminal how you’re systematically obliterating these businesses and the families who run them. – Amanda Branch Vierra We need more than a ‘hard look’! How about some ‘thoughts and prayers’ too? That should fix things. – Philip Nadeau Too late. Tourists like us threw in the towel on winter 2022. Hope something is left for us in 2023. Don’t understand how citizens and business owners just sit there and take punch after punch. – Marty Etzel (Sad) for your small business people that have literally invested their life into Cayman, only to be told their investment doesn’t matter. Sadly I foresee the pos- sibility you will lose all the unique, independent restaurants and dive operators that made Cayman stand out from the crowd. You will potentially be overtaken by large corporate entities and lose that independent uniqueness that made Cayman special. – Laura Wilson I feel sad to see one of the beautiful islands look empty. Travellers really sad that they are not able to explore such a beauti- ful Cayman island. Hope they open the borders soon. I wish govern- ment could do much more finan- cially for small business. Cayman Islands will rise again soon better than ever. – Ananda Balan I wonder how long before the cash reserves have dwindled away to nothing and the credit lines become fully tapped? Cayman can get what it wants – which is totally closed borders – but it will not be without some economic consequences that may be felt long term. Be careful what you wish for as your bet that COVID will disappear soon could result in an all time ‘bad beat’. – Jeffrey Rankine There is an answer to this problem. Open the borders to vac- cinated people without hesitation and in all due haste. – Kirk Penner Please, please reopen to vac- cinated people. We are ready to come. We love it there and miss it. We will spend money. – Carol Walter Stop discriminating against unvaccinated people, they are not preventing the borders from open- ing. COVID is here to stay, move on with life. – Jewel M Hydes What they’re saying cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2021 Workers at companies with more than 100 employees No one should be mandated to take the vaccine. Work permit holders Eligible studentsTeachers UndecidedDisagreeAgree Undecided Disagree Agree UndecidedDisagreeAgreeUndecidedDisagreeAgreeUndecidedDisagreeAgree 57% 1872 Votes 46% 1507 Votes 4% 132 Votes 52% 1757 Votes 44% 1506 Votes 49% 1622 Votes 41% 1367 Votes 47% 1551 Votes 43% 1423 Votes 46% 1511 Votes 2% 54 Votes 7% 237 Votes 2% 81 Votes 5% 175 Votes I am a quarantined triple- vaccinated visitor. I read everything in the Cayman Compass. As I passed through the airport, I asked the health workers and customs staff if they were all vaccinated. They all replied many of the workers were not vaccinated and it is their choice. This puts your visitors at risk from these employees. I suspect these people are the vectors that have allowed community transmission and not the quarantined visitors. Have they been tested weekly? I think it is a huge mistake to allow anyone to work at the airport or as health support staff (like taxi drivers) without being fully vaccinated, no matter what! Forcing quarantine for visitors is only a job half done. Tara Tyberg All airport staff should be vaccinated Letters to the editor 25 traffic collisions including one fatality last weekend and the death toll rolls on. More tragic is the heartbreaking death and serious injury to innocent victims – husbands, wives and children. It is so regularly reported year after year, there is a danger that it is becoming accepted as a fact of life. “It’s everyone’s job to help keep our roads safe,” says Chief Inspector Malcolm Kay. Words are not enough. Speed kills, and Cayman needs to introduce speed cameras. Those that ignore speed limits do so because there is minimal fear of being caught. Speed cameras produce the certainty of being caught, fined, and possibly losing your licence. Cameras save lives. UK research showed that cameras reduced accidents by 17-39% and fatalities by 58-68% in speed locations. Police standing at roadside radar traps can be redeployed to fight crime. Government revenue from fines would be substantially increased. There will, of course, be a capital equipment cost and the need for a software system that identifies the car owner – a cost to balance against lives that would be saved. Speed cameras are everywhere in the UK, and drivers have learned to obey the speed limits. We are a small island, and the speeding locations are obvious. The time for national debate is over. It is time that the RCIPS replaced words with action and introduced proposals to do the same here. Graham Morse Speed cameras save lives Creature Feature Sister Islands rock iguana The rock iguana is only endemic to Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. These Sister Islands animals are different from the blue iguana on Grand Cayman and the invasive green iguanas. Rock iguanas are under threat just like the blue iguana, due to development, wild animals, and traffic. In particular, rock iguanas are at risk from road kills and feral cats. The best ways to help rock iguanas are to drive slowly, be respectful of nesting areas, and never feed or handle these creatures; just watch and appreciate them. The critically endangered species is strictly protected under both local and international legislation. Find out more by visiting the National Trust website at www.nationaltrust.org.ky. Female rock iguana on Cayman Brac. – Photo: Nicole Martin 55% 1821 Votes cayman compass 5 news N news FRIDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2021 Vaccine numbers growing RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Deputy Premier Chris Saunders has said the reopening of local borders could be possible from November, as he reiterated government’s position is to revisit the amended end-of-year timeline, as it works to contain local COVID cases. “For about 18 months now, people have been in a kind of lockdown state. We’ve been in a bubble for a good portion of it also and it’s time for Cayman to rejoin the global community,” Saunders said on the 29 Sept. episode of the Cayman Compass talk show ‘The Resh Hour’. However, the caveat to November, he added, was government will be guided by the medical experts. “I think it is not a far out date to consider, based on progress that we’re seeing,” he added. One area that Saunders said has given him confidence that opening before the end of the year is possible is that, unlike last year, Cayman has vaccinated people. “We’re now in a more resilient position, and I’ll be the first to say that I would very much love for us to... reopen as quickly as possible.” Vaccinations trending upward Saunders said with the uptick in vaccinations continuing since the George Town Primary School outbreak, achieving the goal of getting 80% of the eligible population vaccinated is moving closer. “One of the good things that came out of the recent incident we had at George Town Primary... it gave us a chance to actually test those resources in terms of how they are able to respond,” he said. This, he said, is one of the major things that government has to consider before reopening – the state of Cayman’s medical resources or medical facilities and their ability to respond if there is an issue. Two other areas of consideration, as pointed out by Public Health England, he said, were the local vaccination rate and the vaccination rate of Cayman’s source markets like the US and Jamaica. He said based on the trends, he thinks Cayman should be able to hit the 80% target by November. “At least that will give us some level of comfort with regards to vaccination,” he said. As of 29 Sept., 55,129, or 78%, of an estimated 71,106 population have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 51,481, or 72%, have completed the two-dose course. At least 45 people have had a third or booster dose. Getting over fear is key Saunders said the government is congnizant of mental health issues affecting those within the tourism sector and parents whose children are abroad and may not be able to come home for Christmas. “We also need to recognise that people need a sense of purpose, and many people found their purpose in their occupation, in their jobs, getting up and having a nine to five,” he said. Cayman, he said, has to move away from the fear of COVID and he believes that is happening. “We understand your fears, we understand your concern because we have seen what COVID has done in many other countries. But thus far, as you can see, since the local transmissions have started our ‘kung fu’ is actually much stronger than people give us credit for... So I think we’re in a much better place now,” Saunders said. He said already he is seeing the public moving away from “freaking out” like they were when the first outbreak was reported, to being more accepting of the reality, and “we’re seeing people getting ready to rejoin the global community”. Gov’t may consider holiday bump for unemployed tourism workers RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Government is not considering increasing the $1,500 tourism stipend at this time, however may consider adding an extra sum in December, according to Finance Minister Chris Saunders. Saunders, speaking on the 29 Sept. episode of The Resh Hour, said while a $147 million surplus in August left government finances in a “positive position”, revenue is dwindling and paying out a $2,000 stipend to tourism workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic is unlikely. “For each month, the deficit can be anywhere from $20 to $30 million in terms of cash because we collect most of our funds or most of our revenue in the first quarter from financial services, and then pretty much for the rest of the year, it’s primarily customs and stamp duty that drives the government revenue,” he said. Saunders said the reality is the impact of the absence of tourism revenue is being felt all around and government has to maintain the ability to render assistance to all those who need it. “We have to watch our cash position still. We don’t know what else may pop up, but what we need to do is make sure that we remain in a strong financial position, not just to weather the storm this year, but also to make sure that we can look after people next year and the years beyond,” he said. Cruise tourism, the Deputy Premier said, will not return for some time so the stipend will have to be maintained for those affected by cruise tourism. However Saunders said government would consider adding a little extra in the December payment to help those receiving the stipend, but it “will depend if the government is able to afford it”. At the end of August, there were 3,396 people receiving the stipend and another 442 new applicants. No bump in stipend money planned November reopening remains a possibility Deputy Premier Chris Saunders. - Photo:Alvaro Serey “We’re now in a more resilient position, and I’ll be the first to say that I would very much love for us to... reopen as quickly as possible.” Deputy Premier Chris Saunders “We have to watch our cash position still." Deputy Premier Chris Saunders cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2021 BREATHE EASIER Visit www.healthcareconference.ky to view the agenda FULL CONFERENCE WILL BE LIVE STREAMED VIA CIGTV CABLE & YOUTUBE CHANNELS AND COMPASS MEDIA FACEBOOK PAGE * CME CREDITS AVAILABLE Due to new gathering restrictions, the in-person event is limited to 100 people. INVITATION ONLY. For those who have registered and received confirmations, please view online. THURSDAY, 7TH OCTOBER 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM Registration & Refreshments 5:30 PM – 5:35 PM Welcome – His Excellency The Governor, Mr. Martyn Roper, OBE 5:35 PM – 5:55 PM Opening Remarks – Hon. Sabrina Turner, MP, Minister for Health and Wellness 5:55 PM – 6:00 PM Remarks – Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil, Clinical Director, Chief Cardiac Surgeon, Chief Cardiac Doctor / Senior Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgeon, Health City Cayman Islands 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Building Climate Resiliency in the Cayman Islands – Gina Ebanks-Petrie, Director, Department of Environment, Cayman Islands Government 7:00 PM – 7:05 PM Remarks – Dr. John Lee, OBE, Chief Medical Officer, Ministry of Health and Wellness 7:05 PM – 9:00 PM Cocktail Reception FRIDAY, 8TH OCTOBER 7:45 AM – 8:30 AM Registration and Breakfast – Sponsored by: The Wellness Centre 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Chronic Respiratory Diseases – Dr. Archita Joshi-Bhatt, Consultant in Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Health City Cayman Islands 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM Using Complementary & Alternative Medicine to Breathe Easier – Dr. Irka Ebanks, Complementary and Alternative Medicine Physician, Cayman Islands Health Services Authority 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM Coffee Break – Sponsored by CINICO 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM Current Trends in the Treatment of Pulmonary Malignancies – Dr. Sanjay Awasthi, Oncologist, Doctors Hospital 11:50 AM – 12:50 PM Clear the Air: ReGen’s Impacts on Air Quality and Human Health – Moderator: Nellie Pouchie, Chief Officer, Ministry of Health & Wellness; Antoinette Johnson, Laboratory Manager, Department of Environmental Health; Thomas Ferrara, Associate, GHD Services Inc.; Rosalind Flavell, Associate Senior Consultant, Fichtner Consulting Engineers Limited; Richard McAree, Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Programme Manager, Dart FRIDAY, 8TH OCTOBER CONTINUED 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Optimising & Protecting Child Health in the Post-Closure Era – Dr. Sara Watkin, Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist, Integra Healthcare Ltd. 2:10 PM – 3:10 PM COVID & Long COVID – Dr. Mark Hauser, President of Medical Affairs, Baptist Health South Florida 3:15 PM – 3:30 PM Coffee Break – Sponsored by Marsh Afternoon Sessions Sponsored by Baptist Health 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM Coping with Anxiety in the New Normal – Shannon Seymour, Director and Psychologist, The Wellness Centre 4:40 PM – 5:30 PM Focus on Breath and Quality of Life – Jeri Bovell, Medical Herbalist, Embodied Holistic Health SATURDAY, 9TH OCTOBER 8:15 AM – 9:00 AM Registration and Breakfast 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM COVID-19: Sharing Global Lessons for Recovery and Resilience in Healthcare - Dr. Edward Fitzgerald, Head of Healthcare, KPMG in Bermuda 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Suffocating from Stigma – Raquel Tobian, Clinical Social Worker and Chemical Dependency Counsellor, Infinite Mindcare 11:00 AM – 11:15 AM Coffee Break – Sponsored by Progressive Distributors Ltd. 11:15 AM – 12: 15 PM COVID & Vaccines: Past, Present and the Way Forward (Panel) – Dr. John Lee,OBE, Chief Medical Officer, Ministry of Health & Wellness; Dr. Colin Charles, COVID-19 Survivor & Medical Doctor, Cayman Islands Health Services Authority; Dr. Courtney Cummings, Deputy Medical Director, Cayman Islands Health Services Authority; Dr. Mahantesh Patil, Senior Consultant Intensive Care and Clinical Lead – Medical Intensive Care Unit, Health City Cayman Islands; Dr. Oliver Kayes, Urologist, Doctors Hospital 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM Closing Remarks – Hon. Sabrina Turner, MP, Minister for Health & Wellness cayman compass 7 FRIDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2021 CAROLINE JAMES cjames@compassmedia.ky The Central Planning Authority has refused planning permission for a $118.5 million redevelopment project for Barkers Beach Resort. In a decision announced 30 Sept., following a hearing the previous day, the CPA turned down the application from Coe Group Ltd., which had applied to construct a hotel with restaurant, pool and cabanas in place of the existing development at the site. The 361 Conch Point Road property is currently occupied by a two-storey apartment building comprising six one-bedroom units. According to the developers’ application, listed on the CPA’s agenda, renovations were proposed to the existing building “adding three storeys above the existing two storey building and building two completely new buildings.” The developer’s application clarified the project is named Barkers Beach “as the beach leads to Barkers National Park. As a matter of clarity we are not located in Barkers National Park”. Concerns about setbacks One objector’s letter was included among the submissions in the CPA agenda. The objector cited worries about setbacks, among nine total considerations. In its analysis, the Department of Planning cites Regulation 8 (10) (e) of the Development and Planning Regulations (2021 Revision) which requires structures and buildings (up to three storeys) in a hotel/tourism zone to be set back “a minimum of one hundred and thirty feet from the high water mark” with additional requirements as the building height increases. The department notes the three buildings, pool and cabana do not comply with this requirement and the applicant had “requested a variance” in each instance. In its application, the developer stated it was unable to meet the required setbacks for one of the proposed new buildings, if it was also to maintain access to the fire lane, and, additionally, that it would force parking provisions to be pushed further off-site. It added, in terms of the apartment block already in place, that it cannot meet setback requirements “for additional floors due to its [sic] an existing building”. Beach and environmental concerns The objector also cited “great concerns” about beach erosion and asked what mitigation was being planned by the developers, particularly in light of a lack of “vegetation directly between the building and the shore”. The letter then referred to marketing materials on the developer’s website, in which a white sandy beach is depicted. The Department of Environment noted in its submission that the site has a “naturally rocky/rubbly beach” and stated that the application in its current form did “not appear to include a request to modify or groom the shoreline”. “Grooming this beach will not result in a ‘Seven Mile Beach’ sandy aesthetic. Constant beach grooming is not typically endorsed by the DoE as it tends to lead to other impacts such as the loss of the beach profile or erosion,” the DoE stated. The department, under its delegated authority from the National Conservation Council, “respectfully” stipulated in its submission one condition for the CPA or Department of Planning to impose, should planning approval be granted, along with three further recommendations. Property costs and parking concerns Citing a Cayman Compass article highlighting the struggles of young Caymanians attempting to get a foot on the property ladder, the objector also asked the CPA to consider whether a strategy exists “to address development of entry level and mid range properties for purchase by Caymanians, especially our young people? This also speaks to the development needs assessment regarding entry and mid level properties for purchase vs how much luxury and tourist accommodation our country actually needs.” It stated that the proposed project is of a scale that is out-of- keeping with the character of the surrounding area. In this application, Planning noted the proposal falls short – by two spaces – of the required number of parking spaces for the proposed development under Regulation 8 (1) of the Development and Planning Regulations (2021 Revision). While the developer offered a written arrangement between the project and the neighbouring property to provide off-site parking, the Department of Planning specified that long-term leases would be required. Additionally, it proposed that discussion as to whether a gravel surface was suitable for “commercial use in this instance” must also be taken into account by the CPA members. CPA rejects $118.5 million Barkers redevelopment project The CPA has refused planning permission for a $118.5 million redevelopment project for Barkers Beach Resort, which proposed the construction of a hotel with restaurant, pool and cabanas in place of the existing development at the site. - Photos: Taneos Ramsay SITE FACTS • Location: Conch Point Drive, West Bay • Zoning: Hotel/Tourism • Notification results: One objector • Parcel size: 1.09 acres • Parcel size required: 0.5 acres • Current use: Two-storey apartment building • Proposed use: Hotel • Proposed building footprint: 8,424 sq. ft. • Proposed building size: 47,378 sq. ft. • Total building site coverage: 17.7% • Parking required: 23 • Parking proposed: 21 on-site (61 off-site) An objector cited concerns about beach erosion as one of nine issues with the proposed redevelopment. cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2021 8This Saturday, This Saturday, Oct 2nd. Oct 2nd. 4pm-6pm on the 4pm-6pm on the West Bay Road side walk. West Bay Road side walk. Governor's House Governor's House Together We Stand For Our Human Rights Together We Stand For Our Human Rights ALL ALL YOU YOU JOIN US JOIN US YYYYYY cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2021 Next >