cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 7-13 January 2022 EASTERN AVENUE TM & © 2021 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. Hello Family. Meals. 8PC 12PC 16PC 1 Lg Side 4 Biscuits 2 Lg Side 6 Biscuits 3 Lg Side 8 Biscuits Hello Family. Meals. PC $350 2L pepsi or pepsi product Photo: Taneos Ramsay RUNNING SCARED Women’s safety in the spotlight, as assault and drink-spiking victims speak out. Page 3FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass 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 NEWS EDITOR CAROLINE JAMES BUSINESS EDITOR MICHAEL KLEIN ISSUES EDITOR JAMES WHITTAKER LIVING EDITOR VICKI WHEATON HEAD OF SALES CHERYL BIRCH-GILLIES weather Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy skies with a 20% chance of evening showers. SEA STATE Slight to moderate with a wave height of 2 to 4 feet. WINDS East to northeast at 10 to 15 knots. 86°F HIGH 76°F LOW Man killed in fatal crash at roundabout A man died and a woman was seriously injured in a single- vehicle accident at the Cost- U-Less roundabout on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway early on 6 Jan. Police said the crash occurred just before 1am, when the white sedan in which two occupants – a man and a woman – were travelling north hit a concrete structure on the roundabout. A Fire Service crew extricated the two from the vehicle. They were taken by ambulance to the Cayman Islands Hospital, where the man succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The woman remained in hospital as of 6 Jan., being treated for serious injuries. The incident is being investigated by the police and anyone with information is encouraged to call the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit at 649-6254, or the George Town Police Station at 949-4222. COVID cases rise quickly in the Sister Islands, but hospitalisations drop In the Sister Islands, the number of COVID infections is rising rapidly, with 22 new cases reported on 5 Jan., following 11 positive tests on 4 Jan. Active cases on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman have shot up to 44 from zero less than three weeks earlier. The Sister Islands had seen no new cases at all for more than half of last month until 19 Dec. Interim Chief Medical Officer Dr. Autilia Newton reported 211 new cases of COVID-19 in all of Cayman on 5 Jan. However, hospitalisations declined to just four, as no new patients were admitted during the previous 24 hours. About half of the new positive cases were detected using lateral flow tests (103), with the remainder (108) coming from 538 PCR tests. The 20% share of positive PCR tests suggests a much wider community spread of COVID than the case numbers indicate. About 92% of new cases came from the community, while 19 positives were among travellers. The number of suspected and confirmed Omicron cases increased by 51 on 5 Jan. to a total of 616 since 17 Dec. Almost half of all positive PCR tests over the past three weeks are suspected to have been caused by the new COVID variant. Two injured in homophobic attack Two men were injured, with one suffering a broken nose, after being assaulted in the car park of The Strand on West Bay Road early on 3 Jan. in what police believe was a homophobic attack. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said the two men, who were in a vehicle at the carpark, were approached by two other men who made homophobic remarks towards them, and then assaulted them – kicking and punching them repeatedly. The RCIPS said both of the victims received what appear to be non-life-threatening injuries, with one suffering a broken nose. Both were transported to hospital by emergency services, where they were treated for their injuries and later released. “Although the investigation is still in the early stages, initial reports suggest that the men were assaulted due to their sexual orientation,” said Detective Chief Inspector Richard Barrow, who is overseeing the investigation. Noel Cayasso-Smith, founder of the Cayman LGBTQ Foundation, condemned the attack, and said it highlighted the need for a local law against hate crimes. “I am angry and outraged that there is nothing in place deterring people from doing this. We have fought too hard for something like this to happen now,” he said, adding that he was disappointed this attack had occurred just a few months after Cayman’s first Gay Pride Parade, which was held peacefully and successfully. Deadline nears for Climate Change Action Challenge The deadline is nearing for a challenge that will highlight the efforts of young people in the Cayman Islands to support climate change action. The Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency is inviting young people to upload videos or images of any activities that support climate change action, whether in their school, their community, or at home with their families. The deadline for submissions is 14 Jan. The action can involve something as simple as cycling rather than taking a bus or car, cleaning a beach, removing plastic from the sea or roadside, planting a tree sapling, or opting not to use single-use plastics. To enter the Climate Change Action Challenge, participants can upload an image or video – there is no limit to how many – and tag it on Instagram @caymangov or on Facebook @caymanislandsgov and use hashtags #caymanclimateaction and #savetheplanet. The winner or winners of the challenge will be showcased on CIGTV’s Spotlight show, where they can discuss the top five key areas they would like to see addressed, according to the organisers. news in brief A man died and a woman was seriously injured in a fatal crash at the Cost-U-Less roundabout on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway on 6 Jan. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay 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. 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The Cayman resident said while she was grateful to be alive, at the time of the attack she was not so sure she would make it. A 26-year-old suspect was in police custody on 3 Jan., following this incident. Morning run turns into a fight for life She said her morning run started normally when she hit the road at 5:45am on 3 Jan. along the South Sound stretch, as she headed to Scotiabank at Hurley’s roundabout. She said she then encountered two women who warned her about a man who had been circling the area where they had been running. A similar stalking report was made to police. “I say, okay, and I keep running. But when I was probably 15 minutes in my run, I saw this guy on a bicycle coming up and down and I saw him doing that several times. I thought it was suspicious, but I really didn’t put too much attention on it and I just kept running,” she said. However, upon nearing Old Crewe Road, Oddy’s run quickly changed from fun to frightening. “This guy passed me on the bicycle and pretending like he was falling down from the bike... he just dropped the bike on the floor and got up.... it happened very, very fast. He just came on top of me and pushed me in the bushes and he started hitting me. I started screaming, but then RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky While there is no doubt that Cayman is among the safer places to live, in recent weeks there have been reports of incidents ranging from stalking of female joggers to drinks being spiked, raising concerns for women in the community (see page 10). The most recent incidents happened on 3 Jan. within minutes of each other in the South Sound area, in which one female jogger escaped injury following an attack and the other was stalked by her would-be assailant. Community worried, plans for pepper spray Though a 26-year-old man has been arrested in connection with that attack, women in the community say the incidents were unnerving. For Shirley Nicoletta, those stalking episodes hit home, since they happened in her backyard, as she lives off Old Crewe Road. “I think it’s alarming that this is again the current narrative for women and our society in Cayman. I grew up in New York and looking over your shoulder was second nature, a sad systemic reality, that was the norm. I worry incidences like this suggest we may need to adopt that same mindset,” she told the Cayman Compass via email. Nicoletta said she walks her dogs in the area and, while she does not plan to make any changes to her schedule, she “will be looking over my shoulder and out for others”. “It’s always shocking when it happens to anyone,” she added. Infrastructure Minister Jay Ebanks expressed concern over the incidents, vowing to take legislation to Parliament to allow women to carry pepper spray. “It is the government’s job to protect its people and provide a safe environment for them. No woman or person should be in fear to walk the streets of the Cayman Islands. I plan on seeing that we make the necessary changes to allow women to protect [themselves] by carrying pepper spray and see that we bring stiffer penalties for such [crimes],” Ebanks told the Compass. Legalising pepper spray has been a longstanding issue. Back in 2011, Red Bay MP Alden McLaughlin, then on the Opposition benches, brought a successful motion to legalise pepper spray, but no accompanying legislative changes progressed to the House. Eight years later, then-North Side MP Ezzard Miller renewed the call for pepper spray. The legal framework for such a change has to be initiated through legislative means. Reports of assault taken very seriously While the recent events are concerning, Deputy Police Commissioner Kurt Walton said that the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service will not tolerate any act of criminality, especially anything inflicted on women in the community. “In regards to violence against women, or sexually motivated assault in general, this is unacceptable and is never the victim’s fault. As a police service, we work fervently to apprehend the perpetrator, while at the same time, collaborating with our partner agencies to provide victim support services,” Walton said via email. He pointed to the latest incidents, saying, “we take reports of assault of this type very seriously, as was seen in our swift response to the recent incidents in South Sound. A man has been arrested and investigations continue on this matter.” The RCIPS has also issued tips and information on various public safety topics, including how to stay safe when out exercising, with uppermost advice being not to run alone and always be aware of the surroundings. Runners change behaviour after assault report Runner Karen Bomford was the first to assist the victim who was attacked in South Sound. She said the first thought when she came across the injured woman was her welfare. “Was she okay, how seriously hurt was she? My concern was getting her the help she needed and staying with her until the police arrived. Subsequently, and thinking over the incident, I was quite angry that what I have always considered to be a very safe morning walk or run (due to the high volume of other walkers, runners, cyclists and even motor vehicles) this incident was now causing me to re- think my safety and possibly change my morning routine,” she said. Since that incident, Bomford, who was the first to post about the attack on social media before an official statement from police was released, said she leaves her home two hours later than she normally would to exercise. “Unfortunately, while I’d hope nothing like this would happen so close to home, it did bring back memories from a few years ago when something very similar was happening near Smith Cove/Dart Park,” she added. Oddy shows injuries she sustained in the attack. - Photo: Submitted Women fear for safety as jogger attacked, drinks reportedly spiked “No woman or person should be in fear to walk the streets of the Cayman Islands.” Jay Ebanks, Infrastructure Minister Attack victim: ‘I just had to fight for my life’ “I didn’t know what he was planning to do. I didn’t know if he was planning to kill me or if he had a knife. Then ... he was choking me.” Running scared he grabbed my neck and he was choking me very hard,” she said. Oddy said all she kept thinking was she had to fight. “I didn’t know what he was planning to do. I didn’t know if he was planning to kill me or if he had a knife. Then, when he was choking me, I’m just saying, ‘You know what, I just have to fight for this... I have to fight for my life...’ I was fighting for my family ‘cos I really wanted to see my family again,” she said. After kicking, screaming and pushing the man off her, he finally ran away. Oddy said she is still traumatised by the experience, but she will not let that stop her from getting back out on the road soon. She has sustained an injury to her leg from the attack, as well as scratches and bruises to her face and neck. However, she said when she is cleared by the doctor, she will return to running, but this time with company. “I think he was looking for that moment, for that victim to be by herself, because most of the people that were walking or jogging, they were in a group or with partners, but it was a time that I was by myself and probably he took advantage of that,” she said. Oddy welcomed news that government will look to bring legislation to allow women to carry pepper spray, but until then she urged women to take extra care as she has learned a very valuable lesson. She said having a cellphone is important, as well as being observant. “If you are in that situation already, don’t be afraid or don’t show him that you are afraid. Try to look for signs that you can remember from a suspicious person like his colour hair or skin, or whatever sign that can help you after. If you are in the situation that I was already in, try to grab anything that is in your sight to defend yourself,” she added. SPIKING VICTIM STORY, SEE PAGE 10 cayman compass 3 news N news FRIDAY, 7 JANUARY 20221234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Conclusive evidence (5) 4 Digress (7) 8 Fix (3) 9 Manually clumsy (3,6) 10 Valid (2,5) 11 Set of attuned bells (5) 13 Surly (6) 15 Tentative suggestion (6) 18 Underwater detection device (5) 19 Best (7) 21 Indifference (9) 23 Storage receptacle (3) 24 Legal prohibition on trade (7) 25 Get by begging (5) DOWN 1 Transient (7) 2 Not in due order (3,2,4) 3 A talent (5) 4 Sweet-sounding (6) 5 Conveyance (7) 6 Purpose (3) 7 Happen afterwards (5) 12 Capital of Pakistan (9) 14 Husband or wife (7) 16 Love story (7) 17 Spanish city famed for swords (6) 18 Impudence (5) 20 Invigorating (5) 22 Young fox for example (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16895 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 16895 ACROSS: 1 Proof, 4 Deviate, 8 Set, 9 All thumbs, 10 In force, 11 Chime, 13 Grumpy, 15 Feeler, 18 Sonar, 19 Optimum, 21 Unconcern, 23 Bin, 24 Embargo, 25 Cadge. DOWN: 1 Passing, 2 Out of turn, 3 Flair, 4 Dulcet, 5 Vehicle, 6 Aim, 7 Ensue, 12 Islamabad, 14 Partner, 16 Romance, 17 Toledo, 18 Sauce, 20 Tonic, 22 Cub. ‘Shark Girls’ Beau and Fleur master divers at age 12 Congratulations, ladies! I plan to be 85 and still diving. I was certified 21 years ago and my dive gear lives in Grand Cayman where I dive with our younger son, Steve Powers. He’s an awesome diver, instructor, guide and best of all… an awesome son. – Lou Powers That is awesome! I started div- ing at 14 and if I could dive in warm water every day I would have tried to accomplish the same. Love that they did this together! – Kathryn Dufour Great job, girls! – Nicola Sowerby Congratulations, Fleur and Beau! – Joy L Green Nice. Good job. Proud of them. – Joshua Coleman Man killed in fatal crash at roundabout Last night I was going to Hurley’s [and] had my indicator on to make my turn when a lady driving a Honda Fit coming from town didn’t even stop to give way being that [I was] already in the roundabout. I had to go back around the roundabout just not to run into her side. I wish I could just [have taken] her licence right there and then. Too many unnec- essary accidents happening way too often. – Iamskye Chelsea This morning as I was driving to work I saw two vehicles that were going so fast as if it was a race. One of the drivers almost sideswiped me. Let’s be safe out there, people. – Musa Machembe RIP. They should remove that monument. – Antonie Skool Boy Brady How desperately sad for all involved. Especially those left behind. – Fiona Vander Crazy. I can’t believe how many fatal accidents happen. – Charmaine Pfeil I swear that roundabout is cursed. – Shani McLaughlin How is it that our vehicle accident rate per capita and per 1,000 vehicles is so stagger- ingly high? What can be done to reduce it? – Nigel Von Sachsenburg Caribbean tourism associa- tion calls for reduced isolation periods Positive quarantine periods need to change for everyone. With 10-14 days for Omicron pos- itives and their households/direct contacts, it won’t be long before we have thousands of people in quarantine again. Seems like the 80% vaccination rate has not got- ten us much in the way of living with COVID. – Jackie Myles Please let’s talk about why there is still a 14-day quarantine for families with children who can’t get vaccinated when the adults have gotten their booster and have tested negative! Why are we get- ting left behind? The science does not support this, and it is inconsis- tent with other local policies. I see it as a human rights violation! – Rikal Pewzner It is ridiculous! So glad some- one is making noise about this! Hopefully we will see change come or else people will just stop testing and reporting altogether – the rules are not realistic! – Jerrod Wilson Seven days is still a ridiculous amount of time. – Maria Aguayo Considering how COVID made it here anyway with people sneaking around, it’s pointless to keep punishing and blaming tourism. What happened to the woman who came in on the plane with false documents? What happened with the contact trac- ing with the family of the older lady who was being admitted to hospital with no travellers in the family? Let’s hear what we have learned about those first few positives and what has been done as a direct result. – Regina Ecclefield My wife and I are supposed to come there in June. We will go elsewhere and not have to quarantine. Too expensive to do that. Miss it there so much. Third year in a row having to cancel an 11-night stay. – Bud Harris Are the hotels going to pay the hospital bill and the funeral home? Cayman is doing what they have to do, not what you all say to do. – Kathy Williams Government considering US$400 million bond issue The government needs to cut out all of the non-essential expenditures and focus on just the essentials for the existing and next budget cycles. Stop burden- ing future generations with this bond issue. – Bruce Smith It’s so easy to borrow money. With our current Moody’s credit rating (AA+), raising $400 million is a walk in the park, and it will lead to going back to the bond market to borrow more, and then more. Until the day there’s a global downturn and you default! Then, my friend, your friends no longer will know you, and you will end up just another failed ‘has-been’ state! Must be approached with great caution. – George Ebanks What they’re saying Online Twins Fleur and Beau Slowey Dillon get ready for yet another dive. - Photo: Alvaro Serey cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 7 JANUARY 2022cayman compass 5 FRIDAY, 7 JANUARY 2022 Music Extravaganza 26th THANK YOU • Radio Cayman • Cayman Turtle Centre • Bon Vivant • Thai House Restaurant • Kirk Home Centre • Kirk Office • Funky Tangs • AL Thompsons • Cox Lumber • Good Mood Food • Fosters Supermarkets • Ala Kababs • PD’s Sports Bar & Grill • Hurley’s Supermarket • DMS Broadcasting • Uncle Bills • Kirks Supermarket • De Ja Blu • Sea N’ B • The Fabulous 68’s • The Rotary Club Cayman Brac • Event Pro • Walkers Road Rubis • Derrick McKay & Howie Tipton of Sound Solutions • Massive Equipment • Salty’s/Mikes at Grand Harbour • All Rotary Central Ticket Sellers’s SPONSORS & VENDORS www.rotarycentral.ky A special thank you to all who supported by purchasing Tickets RC Vice President Steve Tippetts, RC Past President Richard Lewis, Grand Prize Winner Horace Fairweather, RC President Corleen Goodman Hoptroff 1 PRIZE $40,000 ST 2 PRIZE 3 PRIZE (1) 3 PRIZE (2) 3 PRIZE (3) 3 PRIZE (4) 3 PRIZE (5) 3 PRIZE (6) ND RD RD RD RD RD RD HORACE FAIR WEATHER Ticket #01703 TRICIA WHITTAKER Ticket #01759 JUSTIN DESLANDES Ticket #04008 KIERAN HONEY Ticket #07655 JONATHAN EBANKS Ticket #08679 PETER FOSTER Ticket #00923 LEROY BROWN Ticket #08265 GARY ALLEN Ticket #04329 HELD SATURDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2021 REGISTERED NPO 232 NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Air Canada is suspending 14 of its Caribbean routes, including to Grand Cayman, until at least the end of April, in light of a surge in COVID-19 cases and associated government regulations in the region, the airline has announced. The suspension of routes begins on 24 Jan., Air Canada stated in a travel advisory on its website. The airline also confirmed the flight suspensions to the Cayman Compass in an email on 5 Jan. In addition to Grand Cayman, the suspended destinations are Antigua; Aruba; Curaçao; Exuma in the Bahamas; Grenada; Samaná, Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic; Bermuda; Havana in Cuba; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Saint Martin/Sint Maarten; and Saint Kitts and Nevis. Air Canada on 3 Jan., in social media posts, had denied media reports of cancellations of flights to the Caribbean and Mexico, saying that those accounts were based on a press release from 2021. Two days later, Air Canada Vacations issued a travel advisory and its vice-president informed travel agents and other partners of the suspension of the flights from 24 Jan. this year. Air Canada had resumed its flights to the Cayman Islands early last month, and had been operating two flights a week between Toronto and Grand Cayman on its Air Canada Rouge service. CITA reponse The Cayman Islands Tourism Association said Air Canada’s decision to suspend flights was a further blow, after almost two years of a stalled tourism industry. The association’s president, Marc Langevin, told the Compass that the suspension of the flights “was unfortunately predictable and a serious blunt on our ability to recover”. Langevin said that due to crew shortages, “the airlines are making decisions to reallocate their planes towards destinations who have less restrictions and [are] more accessible to visitors. Without an imminent announcement of forthcoming changes in our regulations and improvement of our processes, we will keep on losing credibility with our travel business partners, such as airlines, travel agents and meeting planners, and the loyalty of our visitors.” He added that the air arrival capacity in Cayman was already limited, representing about 10% in January, about 25% in February, and 40% when compared to 2020 air arrivals. “After losing our festive season,” he said, “we are now on track to lose our spring break and Easter season, and destroy the hopes of so many families whose livelihood depends on tourism.” Stranded travellers Air Canada said that in order to ensure Canadians are not stranded abroad, it plans to operate a number of one-way commercial flights from the impacted destinations. Travellers affected by the suspension of the flights will be given a full refund, Air Canada stated, adding that its team “will be contacting any impacted customers and processing refunds in order of departure date. Eligible customers will receive an invoice as confirmation of their refund once it has been issued.” According to a report in TravelPress.com, Air Canada Vacations vice-president Nino Montagnese, in a message to partners, said, “As we continue the winter season, a resurgence of COVID and new government regulations have reduced demand in some Sun destinations, leading to unavoidable disruptions to Air Canada’s flight schedule from Jan. 24 to April 30, 2022.” He said the changes will only impact 7% of Air Canada Vacations customers, and “we’ve maintained operations to 23 Sun destinations throughout the winter season”. Another Canadian airline, WestJet, is currently flying once a week, on Thursdays, between Toronto and Grand Cayman. According to its online reservations page, it will start flying twice a week, on Sundays and Thursdays, from 20 Feb. The Cayman Islands Ministry of Tourism and Transport, in a statement issued on Thursday, 6 Jan., said Cayman would continue to welcome Canadians wishing to travel here on WestJet and other airlines, and described Air Canada’s pause of its route as an “unexpected change” to its winter service. Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said in the statement, “We look forward to continuing to welcome Canadian travellers through alternative routes and airlines serving Grand Cayman.” The statement added that the Cayman Islands government would “work closely with all partners in the Cayman Islands and abroad to ensure a safe experience for all and will remain in contact with international airlines in scheduling flights and keeping abreast of travel entry requirements”. Omicron-positive people in Cayman call for shorter isolation periods NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky The United Kingdom is scrapping requirements for incoming travellers to get a pre-arrival COVID test and to isolate while awaiting the results of a test after arriving. The UK’s Health Security Agency has also announced that COVID- positive asymptomatic people will no longer need to confirm a positive lateral flow test with a PCR test. The latest changes to the UK COVID rules come two weeks after the country reduced isolation requirements for COVID-positive people from 10 days to seven days, on the condition that two consecutive LFT tests, taken on days six and seven of their self-isolation period, are both negative. The amendments to the UK rules come amid growing calls in Cayman for changes to isolation and testing requirements locally, which many feel are unnecessarily onerous and not in line with current trends. Omicron isolation complaints For example, people who have tested positive for Omicron, along with their households, are currently required to remain in isolation for 14 days, if they have not received a booster, despite research showing this strain involves milder symptoms than the Delta variant. However, those with Delta are required to isolate for 10 days, while their household members do not need to isolate as long as they return regular negative lateral flow tests. One reader, currently in isolation with suspected Omicron, wrote to the Compass to say, “It is wholly unfair that my husband and three children, all of whom are negative, are also expected to be placed into mandatory isolation. The damage to children from missing social interaction and schooling is far greater than the threat the virus poses to them.” She added, “I don’t understand why our government has increased the isolation period when other governments are decreasing it in light of omicron being less potent. Is there grounds to appeal this, as it seems like a gross breach of my husband and children’s civil liberties? One of my children has learning difficulties, so missing school is highly damaging.” The reader also raised concerns that others, knowing that they and their primary contacts will be placed in isolation for 14 days, will not report positive lateral flow tests. “I’ve already had friends question my choice in reporting the positive LFT and if I’d known the full cost to my family from being a good and responsible citizen, I may have reconsidered,” she said. Another reader, also in isolation, told the Compass, “Omicron is going to rip through this country. How is a two-week isolation of families for a virus that people are overcoming in 5-6 days going to help the country financially? At the very least, don’t differentiate between Omicron and Delta in terms of allowing families to LFT every day if one member is positive. To put such harsh conditions on a milder variant is nuts.” As of 6 Jan., there had been no announcement of changes to regulations in Cayman regarding testing for incoming travellers, nor changes to isolation requirements. In response to queries, the Public Health Department told the Compass, “Testing, isolation and quarantine requirements are under review in light of current infection trends and growing evidence of morbidity caused by variants, including Omicron.” As of 5 Jan., a total of 616 confirmed or probable Omicron cases had been reported in Cayman. Geotagging travellers Under current regulations, all travellers are required to take lateral flow tests – also known as rapid antigen tests – two, five and 10 days after arriving on island. If they tested positive and this was confirmed by a PCR test, since the advent of Omicron, they, and their households, had been fitted with goetagging wristbands. However, according to Public Health, after Cayman developed community transmission of Omicron, this ceased at the end of December, and previously tagged households were advised to remove their tags, but to remain in quarantine. Some people are still required to wear monitoring wristbands, including unvaccinated travellers and those whose vaccinations cannot be securely verified. Also, people who have been involved in suspected isolation or quarantine breaches are also required to wear the wristbands, Public Health told the Compass. Air Canada is suspending its flights between Toronto and Grand Cayman from 24 Jan. until 30 April. Air Canada suspends Grand Cayman route UK changing COVID testing, isolation rules 14 DAYS How long unboostered Omicron-positive people and their households are required to isolate cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 7 JANUARY 2022cayman compass 7 FRIDAY, 7 JANUARY 2022JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky In February 2020, Dr. John Lee presented data projections on the possible impact of COVID-19 to Cayman’s leaders, concluding with a stark warning that “hundreds could die”. This was before the virus had swept through Europe and Lee had yet to become the familiar face and calm reassuring voice of Cayman’s pandemic response. At the time, he was an important, but relatively unknown, healthcare administrator. “When I first presented such disastrous stuff, nobody knew who I was,” he recalled in a final interview with the Cayman Compass, as he prepared to leave the island following his retirement from his post as chief medical officer. “I wasn’t someone they would recognise in the lift.” He credits the government at the time, particularly former Premier Alden McLaughlin and Governor Martyn Roper, with recognising the level of threat that Cayman faced and moving swiftly to activate an emergency response. Those initial projections – based on preliminary data out of Wuhan, China, adjusted for Cayman’s population – indicated that as many as 800 people could die, if no action was taken. The figures were adjusted, as more information about the virus and how to manage it developed. But Lee is convinced that the steps taken by successive governments – starting with the border closure and national lockdown and culminating in the successful campaign to vaccinate 80% of the population – have saved many lives. The fact that Cayman has now had a huge outbreak – with around 10,000 cases since the pandemic began – and only 12 deaths is testament, said Lee, to the fact that its leaders successfully kept COVID at bay, until the vast majority of its people were vaccinated. While the border closure hurt tourism, he believes countries that have been through multiple lockdowns, school closures and a wave of internal restrictions have suffered worse impacts. If Cayman had reopened earlier or simply let the virus run its course, he said, “I think we would have seen a lot of deaths. We could also have seen a lot more mental health issues and it would have been very disruptive to the economy.” Vaccinations are working The deaths that Cayman has had – including 10 in the last five months – do trouble him. “What is a great shame is that for [some of] the people who could have been vaccinated, lives could have been saved…. I see it as a failure somewhere that we haven’t managed to get the perfect message across or given people enough reassurance.” Despite that concern, set alongside comparable jurisdictions globally, he believes Cayman’s vaccine campaign has been especially successful. The right messaging on the right platforms at the right times was key, he says, to getting through to enough people to make a significant difference. He acknowledged there have been side- effects from the vaccine, estimating that “10 or 12” people of almost 60,000 vaccinated so far have suffered health impacts associated with the jab. There have been no deaths and, in most cases, he said, those patients have fully recovered. He added, “You also have to look at the lives that you’ve saved as a result of (the vaccine) and that is the big stimulus.” After he spent almost two years in the public eye, it is jarring at times to see someone else deliver the COVID statistics and public health messaging. For Lee, also, there have been mixed feelings about handing over the reins. But he expressed high confidence in his interim replacement, Dr. Autilia Newton, and praised the team effort that has been behind Cayman’s successful response to COVID-19. He sees himself as one of the public faces of a national effort that has involved health experts from across the islands, political leaders, community donors, businesses, procurement experts and the people of Cayman. Cayman in a strong position Despite the recent escalation in COVID-19 cases, he is confident that he is not leaving the island in a difficult position. “I’m quite comfortable that I have not left at a bad time,” he said. “I need to go home to look after my parents. But I think we’ve gone through the lockdown phase and we’ve gone through the vaccination phase. So we have put up the battlements and now we’re beginning to go back to normal.” He sees the next challenges as getting anti-viral drugs on island, increasing the amount of people who have had booster shots and providing vaccinations for children who are eligible and whose families wish them to be vaccinated. Low hospital admissions key While Omicron brings concerns, he is hopeful that the future of the virus – as indicated in the preliminary data about that variant – could be less lethal. He said monitoring hospital admissions – still currently very low – would be key to determining whether further intervention was needed. “We need to continue to put the brakes on admissions to hospital, we need to continue to consider that as our marker for now and until hopefully the virus mutates into something that is just a glorified cold.” The pandemic has thrown so many curve balls that he is reluctant to predict that the world is through the worst. But he remains confident that Cayman is in a strong position to withstand whatever is to come. “We will be the envy of many other countries for the position we are in at the moment,” he said. As he prepares to depart for the UK and a second attempt at retirement, Lee has come a long way from the relatively low profile he enjoyed in early 2020. There’s a flip-side to being one of the island’s most recognisable personalities and he has faced his share of criticism. But, more often than not, when people approach him in the supermarket, they want to thank him and shake his hand. Ever conscious of his status as a public health role model, he insists on an elbow or a fist bump. But he is grateful for the support. “It makes me feel that is why I did it. That’s why all healthcare providers do their job. It is because they want to go in there and help people.” In an in-depth interview with the Compass, Dr. John Lee spoke about the future of the virus, the anti- vaccination voices and his own approach to the crisis. Here are his views… On whether the worst has passed: “I can’t say that. COVID has thrown us so many curve balls, you would probably be a fool to say you’re confi- dent of anything.” On being calm in a crisis: “For me, and for many people that work in those roles, as a clinical doc- tor, I become ultra calm, because if you are not the person that’s project- ing calm, and projecting confidence, everyone around you is not going to feel it.” On the anti-vax movement: “I don’t quite understand it. You often think what’s the gain? There must be a gain for people to take a certain tack. I can’t see the gain.” On the chances of another lockdown: “I think you would need some very strong reasons to go back into a lockdown state, one of those being pressure on the hospitals that is unsustainable.” On Cayman’s high infection rate: “One of the reasons Cayman has such a high infection rate is that we’re measuring it and we’re spot- ting it. A lot of other countries will have infection rates much higher than they actually are claiming, be- cause they are not counting it.” On the future of masks and social distancing: “I think it will lessen with time but, for the vulnerable, it’s going to remain. Probably in healthcare set- tings, it will remain for a number of years yet to come. If you’ve got any infectious disease, you should not re- ally be around vulnerable people.” Dr. Lee: In his own words Dr. John Lee: The final interview Cayman ‘envy’ of other countries Dr. Lee (seen here with his dog, Jasper) went from relative anonymity to being among the island’s most recognisable faces. - Photo: James Whittaker cayman compass 8 news N news FRIDAY, 7 JANUARY 2022cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 7 JANUARY 2022Next >